Agree to Cooperate, Let's Pick a Baron to Practice On First

In the room, Ekko watched Jinx, who was lying on the floor, playing with a little girl beside her. His gaze grew more complex.

"Snap!"

With a snap of his fingers, Malson looked displeasedly at Ekko and whispered in his ear, "What are you looking at? That's our sister-in-law."

"Her, Malson, are they really together?" Ekko looked at Jinx's back. He noticed that the cloud pattern on her small body had faded considerably, as if she hadn't been drawing it anymore.

"What else?"

Hearing this, a hard-to-describe emotion flashed in Ekko's eyes.

Back in the Black Alley, Li Ke and Jinx had indeed been close. He remembered Jinx asking him to fix a pocket watch, which she then gave to Li Ke. However, Ekko had always considered his relationship with Jinx to be the closest.

Of course, that "closest" excluded Vi.

In Jinx's world, Vi was everything. Only the little space left after Vi occupied her heart could accommodate others.

Ekko and Jinx were similar in age, and in Vi's small group, they were the two youngest. Their adoptive fathers were also very close, and they saw each other every day.

He had to admit, Ekko had liked Jinx when he was younger. Many people in the Black Alley knew this. But ever since she changed and followed Silco, Ekko had closed off his heart.

But now, looking at Jinx, who seemed a bit more normal, Ekko wasn't feeling a rekindling of old feelings. No, what old feelings? It was a one-sided crush. In short, damn it, Ekko's feelings were just very complicated right now.

"What's up, still looking?"

"I told you, that's sister-in-law!"

Malson was getting a little annoyed seeing this.

Although Jinx was crazy and notorious, Malson had been genuinely afraid of her at first. But now it was different, because she really made weapons!

The Lian Hua Gang could now occupy territory and achieve zero casualties largely because of Jinx. The weapons she manufactured made the Lian Hua Gang's battles feel like a dimensional strike.

Whether they were gangsters or Alchemical Baron's Thugs, they were just trying to make a living. Once the gunfire started, if one fell, the rest would scatter. No, did they really think they were that united?

Not at all!

For that little bit of B Money they got per month, why the hell would they risk their lives?

But the Lian Hua Gang was different. Malson had noticed recently that everyone in the Lian Hua Gang had changed. Although Malson couldn't pinpoint exactly what had changed, it had definitely changed.

They were no longer snobbish, and the traces of their gangster past were gradually fading. Everyone seemed to have more spirit?

Ekko gave a wry smile and turned his head to look at Li Ke.

He saw Li Ke looking at him with a playful gaze.

Ekko coughed and said, "So what Zeri said was true?"

"You are changing Zaun, helping the Community Residents, protecting them, and not asking for anything in return?" Ekko asked Li Ke seriously.

Li Ke nodded, but immediately added, "But I have to emphasize, Ekko, we're not charging now, but that doesn't mean we won't in the future."

Ekko's expression changed upon hearing this.

But Li Ke immediately said.

"However, what we charge isn't a Protection Fee, but taxes. The daily wear and tear of community facilities, public Electricity, and sanitation all require money. But we won't overcharge, I can guarantee you that."

Li Ke spoke very sincerely.

Working for free was impossible. After the community was established, money would be needed in many areas. For example, the Lian Hua Gang had recently built rows of Streetlights in Hope Community. Those were all built at the Lian Hua Gang's own expense, allowing Hope Community to have light even at night. And the Electricity used would, in the future, be provided by the community's Resident Taxes.

Seeing Ekko deep in thought, Li Ke told him all his ideas.

If Zaun wanted to change, it needed to start from the roots. The Wildfire Gang being content in one area couldn't truly change Zaun. Of course, Li Ke also knew that Ekko couldn't be blamed for this.

Ekko had already done enough. He had pushed things in the best possible direction. Although the Wildfire Gang hadn't expanded its territory or helped other communities, they had been secretly opposing the Alchemical Baron.

In places Zaunites couldn't see, Ekko had always been helping them, protecting them.

But in Li Ke's opinion, this approach wasn't necessarily unsuccessful, but the process of achieving results was too long.

And Zeri, standing beside Ekko, had accomplished something Ekko couldn't.

She fought alone, using her spirit to awaken an entire community, leading Friends and Family to resist.

So if Ekko and Zeri cooperated...

Well, what else could you expect from Zaun's Twin Stars?

"In that case, I understand. That's only right." Ekko nodded, and his expression towards Li Ke softened considerably.

Then, as if remembering something, he turned to look at Zeri. Seeing Zeri sitting obediently and watching Li Ke, he looked back at Li Ke and said:

"By the way, Li Ke, her name is Zeri. She's a Zaunite and wants to join your Lian Hua Gang. Take a look."

"I accept," Li Ke said immediately.

Looking at Zeri, Li Ke smiled and said, "Welcome to the Lian Hua Gang, Zeri."

"I, I, I, I..." Zeri stuttered several times, unable to speak while looking at Li Ke's face. But when Jinx grabbed Isha's hair with both hands and looked over while making little pigtails for Isha, Zeri's speech immediately became fluent.

"I'm very happy too, Boss!"

Zeri said, nodding with a stiff expression.

Li Ke was amused. He wondered, in The Rift, who would win between Jinx and Zeri?

These two seem to be Late Stage Core, right?

Pushing aside distracting thoughts, Li Ke looked at Ekko and asked seriously, "What about you? Aren't you joining us?"

"I don't plan on joining you," Ekko said, shaking his head. But as if realizing he sounded too absolute, he reached up to touch his nose and added, "At least, not joining you right now."

"I am genuinely interested in the ideas you mentioned, Li Ke, but I have to be responsible for these people in the Wildfire Gang," Ekko said earnestly.

Li Ke heard this and felt a bit disappointed, but he also understood. He nodded, "I get it."

However, Ekko then said, "But if you can make a big enough splash..."

Li Ke looked up at Ekko.

He saw Ekko spread his hands and say softly:

"Then I can lead the Wildfire Gang to join you. To be honest, Li Ke, with the growing number of compatriots, the Wildfire Gang's territory is no longer enough. If possible, I also want them to live in the outside world, in places like Hope Community."

"But the prerequisite is that you have to create a big stir, something that will make me and my partners believe you," Ekko gazed at Li Ke.

Ekko was serious.

After hearing Li Ke's words, Ekko also became a little excited. What did Li Ke say?

He wanted to change Zaun, to change Zaun's system, its environment. Even the Lian Hua Gang was already working on manufacturing Air Filtration Devices to deal with the Ash Barrier.

To see the light of day again – this was the dream of every Zaunite, and Ekko was no exception.

Therefore, if it weren't for the entire Wildfire Gang behind him, Ekko might have already accepted Li Ke's invitation.

After all, Vi was here, along with a group of people he was familiar with.

"Mhm."

"So, what kind of stir do you think counts as big?"

Li Ke stroked his chin, looked at Ekko, and said with a smile:

"How about this."

"Take down an Alchemical Baron. What do you think?"