In the Mid-level Plaza, Jayce witnessed the unpleasant side of the Zaunite. The people here were covered in various tattoos, spoke rudely, and sometimes you could even see Zaunite hurling insults at each other from a distance.
Jayce stood in the middle of them. Because of his tall stature, easily two meters tall, the group of Zaunite would stand up on whatever they were standing on and continue hurling insults at Jayce over his head.
Crude and reckless, but strangely, no violence has occurred here?
I've been wandering around the Mid-level Plaza for about half an hour, but Jayce hasn't seen any of the fights, and in fact, he did see one. It's a very strange scene.
That happened when Jayce was passing by a small market. As he looked down at the food being sold at the stall, the stall owner and a customer behind him started arguing. They were red-faced and their necks were stiff, and they were arguing fiercely. But when two people wearing clothes with colorful flower petal fragments walked over, they pretended to be good buddies and pretended to be silent.
"This"
At first glance, this reminded Jayce of the enforcers. In Piltover, it's common for shop owners and customers to argue, but when enforcers arrive, both sides usually back down. The situation just now reminded Jayce of the enforcers in Piltover.
Descending the stairs, one after another, Jayce finally arrived at the Sump of Zaun.
According to what he read in the book, Jayce knew that this place was a size smaller than the middle level, but it was also the most populous area in Zaunite. Zaun's poor, gangsters, and all sorts of people were crammed into the Sump, and the Black Alley was the core of the Sump.
Jayce adjusted the bag in his hand, held it protectively in front of his chest, and then walked forward.
"Depend on!"
As soon as he stepped out of the narrow alley and officially entered the Sump, Jayce froze.
A girl's voice rang in my ears. The visibility was significantly better than in the Mid-level Plaza. The air still smelled bad, but it no longer had the pungent odor I had in the Mid-level Plaza.
Inhaling it into your lungs won't make you feel uncomfortable?
Looking further ahead, the buildings share the same architectural style as the Mid-level Plaza, with irregularly packed houses crammed together. However, there are streetlights and white walls along the two rows of roads, separating the houses and clearing out the main thoroughfare. On those walls, there are various beautiful paintings in different styles, clearly not the work of a single person.
It's very chaotic, but it feels like a large community?
The murals added a touch of warmth to the place.
"Don't run! Don't run! Hey, big guy, help me catch it!" the girl's voice rang out again.
Jayce turned his head and saw a little girl in a linen dress with two little pigtails running towards him. Her face was flushed, her eyes were big, and she was looking at him anxiously.
"What are you standing there for? Help me catch my chicken!" the girl said to Jayce.
Jayce was taken aback, then looked over and saw a red and black chicken standing on a stone, its head held high and chest puffed out proudly.
"Is that your chicken?"
"Yes, we have guests today, and Mom told me to kill it!" the girl shouted to Jayce.
"But, it, you..." Jayce struggled to find the words, his mind a jumble.
The chicken escaped in Zaun, or perhaps in the Sump. Aren't you, a little girl, afraid of encountering danger while searching for it?
Aren't you afraid of losing both your chicken and your life?!
"Aren't you afraid of danger?" Jayce finally managed to gather his thoughts and asked the girl.
"What? Danger?" The Zaun girl was taken aback, then put her hands on her hips, looked at Jayce, said "Oh," and nodded, "You're from the Upper City, right?"
"There's no danger at all. Zaun has changed. The gangs have all disbanded, and there are the Sump to protect us. What danger could there be?" The girl looked at Jayce, her brows furrowed. "So, are you going to help me catch the chicken or not? If not, get out of the way. You're blocking the path, you know?"
"Law enforcement officers? To protect you?"
"You have too many questions, Mr. Big Guy." The girl ignored Jayce, crawled between Jayce legs, and then rushed toward the chicken.
But she couldn't outrun the chicken at all, especially since she was short. Once the chicken flapped its wings and flew higher, it became even more impossible to catch.
Seeing this, Jayce thought for a moment, put his briefcase aside, and then rolled up his sleeves.
A moment later, Senator Talis, whose clothes had become dirty, smiled and handed the chicken he was holding to the girl.
With a swift movement, she grabbed the chicken by the neck with one hand and supported it with the other, smiling at Jayce, "Thanks, big guy. Are you thirsty? Hungry? Just so you know, I don't have any money to thank you."
"No need, I just have a few questions I'd like to ask you." Jayce walked to the back, saw the briefcase was still there, breathed a sigh of relief, picked it up, and looked at the girl who had followed him, saying:
"What about the Sump enforcement officers' you just mentioned, and the fact that the gang disbanded?"
"Congressman Li Ke said it himself. Since yesterday, there have been no gangs in Zaun anymore. My dad drank a lot yesterday, and my mom had to spank him this morning to keep him from missing the first day the factory opened." The girl sniffed and sat on the rock with the chicken in her arms, saying to Jayce.
Jayce went over and sat down next to her, then listened as she told him about what had been happening in Zaun recently.
The more Jayce listened, the more shocked he became.
"Is everything you're saying true?"
"Of course! My father saw the Goddess Janna with his own eyes!"
"Heimerdinger is the fourth councilor of your Zaun?"
Isn't he super cute?
Jayce didn't know how he got to Hope Community; he was just confused. After asking Zaunite, he found himself in this place.
It's completely different from what's written in the book!
Dirty, yes!
Chaos, there is!
But is this place bad?
Jayce looked at Hope Community with a sense of bewilderment. As the largest community in Zaun, it wasn't necessarily more prosperous than other communities, but it had a large population, clean streets, sunshine, and fresher air.
The most important thing is that everyone here has a smile on their face. Their tone may not be friendly and their speech may be rude, but they definitely don't mean any harm.
Jayce also joined the Hope Community.
No one stopped him. Unlike the upscale neighborhoods and villa areas in Piltover, this place was open to anyone.
As Jayce walked into Hope Community, looking at the stalls, the children running around in the streets, and the women resting and chatting under an artificial tree, he finally couldn't hold back his emotions.
You call this "Zaun"?!
No, how could Zaun be like this?!
The situation at the Mid-level Plaza was already beyond Jayce's expectations, but how could the Sump, which was described in Piltover's books and by the adults as the worst place in both cities, be like this?
Would you like a complimentary glass of lemonade?
A voice sounded in his ear. Jayce looked over and saw a gentle-looking woman holding a plate, looking at him and blinking.
Jayce was taken aback at first, then subconsciously reached out and said, "Uh, thanks, I was just a little thirsty."
Having fought a fierce battle with the chickens, and having not had a drop of water since arriving in Zaun, coupled with his tense nerves, it was no wonder he was thirsty.
But what Jayce didn't realize was that he originally planned to cook and prepare all his own food after arriving in Zaun, and absolutely refuse to eat or drink any food or water given to him by the Zaunite, because he was afraid that it might be poisoned and that if he were infected with the Shimmer, his life would be over.
But now, he picked up the water glass, not even caring whether the paper cup was clean, and started drinking.
But after taking a couple of sips, Jayce's expression became unnatural.
"Haha, is it not to your liking? Sorry, it's hard to find fresh lemons in Zaun, so I used lemon powder and a little concentrate. Is it not good?" The woman said with a smile when she saw Jayce frowning.
Jayce shook his head, then took a big gulp, placed the cup on the plate in the woman's hand, and said, "No, it's delicious, just a little sour. It would be even better with some sugar."
"Candy? I'll think about it." The woman nodded, then looked at another person, took out a new paper cup, and poured him a glass of lemonade.
Jayce looked at her, and then he heard this conversation.
"Ah, Councilor Marna, are you giving away free water again?"
"That's all I can do right now. Come on, don't be shy."
"Of course I won't stand on ceremony with you. Here, give me a big glass. I'm going to move some ore this afternoon, so I need to drink some water," the Zaun man said with a loud laugh.
Jayce stood there, mouth agape, expression one of utter astonishment. "?"
Wait, what did that Zaunite call her?
Member of Parliament Marna?
"Auntie Marna!" Just then, a loud voice rang out.
A figure rushed up to Marna, with red hair, a pretty face adorned with tattoos, and a hole in her nose that looked like it was for a nose piercing, but it was empty now.
A pair of beautiful blue Big Eyes were smiling, and beads of sweat dripped from her red hair as she reached for the water bottle filled with lemonade.
"Smack!" Marna slapped the girl's hand, laughing and scolding, "Wei, if you drink directly from the bottle, what about everyone else? Behave yourself, drink from a cup."
"Tsk, a beauty like me drinking straight from the mouth, they're lucky to get to drink my saliva~" Wei said nonchalantly, but still obediently put her claws away and waited patiently for Marna to pour her water.
Marna gulped down a glass of lemonade, then took out her towel and wiped the sweat from Wei's face and neck.
Vi, who was drinking water, suddenly turned her head and met Jayce's gaze.
"?"
"Hey handsome, are you looking at your mom?" Noticing Jayce's gaze, Vi squinted and cursed.
Jayce paused, turning his head away when Vi caught his gaze, as if he had done something wrong. But immediately, he felt very angry.
He only glanced at it, and didn't look where he shouldn't have. He has good character, so why was this person so harshly insulted?
Zaunite really have no manners!
"What's with that silly, handsome guy over there? He doesn't look like one of ours," Vi whispered as she approached Marna.
"You don't know him?"
"Hmm, he's so handsome, but I really don't recognize him. Wait, that's not right, I think I vaguely remember him? Wait, where have I seen him before?" Wei leaned against the wall, one leg against it, and lowered her head to think.
To be honest, after Auntie Marna said that, Wei realized that this guy really did look somewhat familiar.
"Jayce Talis, our eighth councilor from Zaun," Marna said with amusement.
"Oh, it's him. Okay then, I won't go and arrest him or interrogate him about what a Piltover guy is doing in Zaun. Alright, Auntie, please keep a close eye on things for me later. If my sister comes to the community, please tell her that she'll be in for a world of hurt when I get home from work!"
"Huh? What did Lady Jinx do again?" Marna covered her mouth with her hand.
"She stole my nose stud! And left me a bull's nose stud on the table, I'm so angry, is that even wearable?" Wei became agitated, jumping up and down and cursing.
Who could understand how she felt this morning, after washing her hair and fixing her appearance, when she was rummaging through the table looking for her nose piercing, only to find she'd accidentally pierced a huge metal ring?
Wait, is Jinx treating me like a beast of burden?!
"Wei, I've noticed you've been talking a lot about your sister lately. Have you two completely reconciled?"
"Sigh, what else can I do? She's my only sister, so I can only accept her changes. Just like that guy Li Ke said, no matter how she changes, she'll always be my most beloved sister."
After saying that, Wei felt a little embarrassed. He patted his butt and ran out of the community, shouting, "Squad Three, go to the West River area! There's waste material to move there!"
"Yes, Big Sister!"
"Damn it, call me Captain!" Wei Chao laughed and cursed at the person who called her "Big Sister".
Jayce watched this scene silently, then turned and walked away.
It's different; Zaun is truly different.
Viktor is right. Zaun isn't what the Piltover people think it is. It certainly has its bad points and its wrong aspects, but it also has many wonderful things and wonderful people.
Jayce witnessed everything along the way. He didn't know what Zaun was like before, but at least Jayce Zaun he saw now was different from what he read in books and what adults described.
A senator carrying a plate to serve water to Zaunite? That would be absolutely impossible in Piltover!
It's impossible, even if it's just for show!
Because the lawmakers couldn't bring themselves to do it!
But where is that woman?
She was genuinely thinking about these things, worried that they might get tired.
Jayce walked forward with his head down, and then he bumped into something.
Looking up, a small foot appeared on Jayce's thigh.
The foot is wearing a black boot with metal plates jingling on it.
"Talis?" a hoarse but mischievous voice rang out.
Jayce looked up and saw a blue-haired girl whose head only reached his chest looking at him.
Upon seeing the other person clearly, his pupils contracted sharply.
"You've mistaken me for someone else," Jayce quickly said.
"I didn't mistake you. How could I possibly mistake you?" She pulled her leg back and stood prettily in front of Jayce cute face framed by a pair of Big Eyes.
She reached out and grabbed a long blue braid, swinging it as she continued, "I took your things, and you even put a warrant for my arrest back then, have you forgotten?"
"You're so narcissistic. That book has so many of your names on it, and even your picture. Tell me, how could I possibly mistake you?"
"."
Jayce's teeth started chattering.
The reason is simple: standing before him is the blue-haired madman, a figure recognized as a dangerous individual by the Piltover Enforcer and listed as Piltover's number one wanted criminal!
ruthless killer, neurotic, and extremely dangerous. That's all Piltover's impression of Jinx.
Strangely, the girl in front of him was much cuter than in the photo, especially her face, which was so cute that Jayce couldn't help but glance at her a couple more times.
"Hmm, let me see." The blue-haired girl circled around Jayce, touching her chin, bending down, and looking up at Jayce. After a moment, she clicked her tongue.
"Besides being a little tall, you're nothing special, not handsome at all!"
"Who said you're the most handsome and outstanding person in the two cities? Tell him to come out; I want to have a serious talk with him. Why isn't my Li Ke on the list?"
Listening to her nonsensical ramblings, Jayce didn't dare to move, afraid that he might anger her and she would shoot him.
"Don't scare him, Jinx." A voice then rang out, and Jayce looked over to see another dangerous figure from Zaun.
Silco!
He walked gracefully to Jinx's side, patted Jinx shoulder, and carried a bag in his other hand filled with all sorts of snacks that only children would eat.
Jinx hummed twice, then took a step back, giving Jayce some space so that he wouldn't have to droop his head like a quail despite his large size.
"Welcome to Zaun, Jayce Talis. We've been waiting for you."
"Come on, come with me, I'll take you to see Li Ke." After saying that, Silco turned and walked towards the Lian Hua Gang's stronghold.
Jinx followed, her hands behind her back, skipping and hopping as she led the way.
He was humming a strange tune.
That innocent and adorable appearance made Jayce momentarily lose his senses.
Could this girl really be Piltover's most dangerous criminal?
But she doesn't look scary at all.
"Smack!"
One of the Zaunite who was with Silco stood up, snapped his fingers in front of Jayce with an unhappy expression, and said in a deep voice, "What the hell are you doing here?"
That's my sister-in-law.
Malson said so.