The Reluctant Journey Home

"Doctor! Doctor!"

"It's you? What happened?"

"Please, save her! She's in critical condition."

"Quick! Get her inside! You, prepare the equipment for emergency treatment!"

Noisy voices rang in her ears, mixed with frantic shouts and clattering sounds. Ling Ying drifted somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. Then, all at once, the sounds fell silent, leaving only the gentle rustle of wind in her ears.

After an unknown length of time, Ling Ying slowly opened her eyes. The darkness and haze that had seemed to coat her retinas gradually faded, and the world before her returned to its original colors. Rubbing her slightly dizzy temples, she looked around. She was lying in a cramped room. The peeling white paint on the walls and the door silently spoke of the building's age. The faded curtains fluttered, and an occasional strange-smelling breeze slipped inside.

"Creak."

"Huh?"

As Ling Ying pushed open the door, a puzzled voice came from the hallway outside. Jayce, sitting on a bench beside the door, looked up at her as she stepped out. His expression was first confused, then gradually turned complicated. Ling Ying saw a hint of wariness—and distrust—in his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Ling Ying did her best to manage a smile that didn't look too out of place. Judging by Jayce's expression, what the Void Consciousness had done with her body must have badly frightened him. The best thing to do now was clearly to explain everything at once.

"Something happened to my body earlier..."

Ling Ying explained as honestly as she could, though she didn't tell him everything. Then she spoke with greater conviction.

"But it won't happen again. I promise."

Jayce looked at her doubtfully. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, a door at the other end of the hallway opened, and Viktor appeared.

"You don't need to apologize to us, Cecilia. We all knew the risks of going into the contaminated zone. We didn't go because we thought it was absolutely safe, but because we wanted to do what we could for the people of the Bottom City who were suffering. Besides, you weren't at fault in this. That giant wolf, and then the attackers who showed up afterward... No ordinary person could have foreseen any of that."

"But..."

"As for what happened to you, I don't think any of us have the right to judge."

Viktor shook his head, signaling for Ling Ying to let him finish.

"Though you were... dangerous at the time, you never actually hurt us. And if you hadn't been there, that giant wolf alone would have killed every one of us."

Viktor's words left everyone present silent. Ling Ying was surprised that he could still forgive her after she'd lost control and nearly attacked them. As for Jayce, he simply thought Viktor's argument seemed reasonable.

"That's why I was against going there in the first place."

He still decided to argue the point, but his hostility toward Ling Ying had clearly dwindled to almost nothing. She couldn't help but feel relieved, but then a voice from nearby made her heart leap again.

"How is Sister Orianna...?"

Two little figures peeked out from the doorway behind Viktor, their voices timid. It was the Bertha Sisters. They were no longer as filthy as when Ling Ying had first met them, but their young faces showed no joy at having survived. Instead, they looked worried. Seeing their expressions, Ling Ying remembered that Orianna was missing from the group. For some reason, the jumble of sounds she'd heard earlier came back to her, and a sense of foreboding began to rise in her heart.

"Right, Orianna..."

It would have been better not to ask. The moment Ling Ying mentioned Orianna, both Jayce and Viktor's expressions turned downcast.

"Ah, you suddenly passed out back then, so you don't know what happened afterward."

At last, Viktor began to explain.

"After you collapsed, the attackers chased after the giant wolf and left us alone. Of course, even without them, we were in trouble. Without you, we no longer had that incredible barrier that could keep out the poison gas. We were trapped in that little town."

"Then how did you...?"

"It was the Hextech Crystal."

Jayce picked up where Viktor left off.

"When a Hextech Crystal is overloaded and detonated, it sends out a wave of magical force. That incredibly dense field can block most molecules from getting through—in other words, it creates a vacuum. Drained Crystals work the same way. In fact, because they store less energy, they're safer to detonate, though the magical field they create is smaller and doesn't last as long. Anyway, we overloaded several Drained Crystals from the T-60 power chamber one after another, then used the fields they created to make our way through the contaminated zone."

"Jayce gave me the idea. When it comes to using crystals, he really..."

"That's enough!"

Jayce suddenly slammed his fist into the wall, his emotions flaring. Everyone fell silent at once, and the Bertha Sisters must have been badly startled. They hurriedly ducked back behind the door, not daring to look this way. After a long moment, Jayce seemed to calm down. He drew back his fist and covered his face with his palm, speaking quietly.

"It didn't do any good in the end, did it...?"

"The crystals didn't last until we reached safety."

Viktor sighed, then continued explaining to Ling Ying.

"Just as we were about to cross the outer edge of the low-concentration poison zone, a chemical storage tank by the road suddenly exploded. Toxic fumes trapped us. When we made our escape, Orianna gave her gas mask to the Bertha Sisters."

"...?"

Viktor's explanation made Ling Ying's heart sink. Without a gas mask, Orianna had been exposed to the poison with no protection at all. Ling Ying could barely bring herself to imagine what harm it might have done.

"How is she now?"

Ling Ying was too anxious to wait another second. She desperately wanted to know how Orianna was doing. As if in answer to her question, a figure in a white coat strode over and spoke in a low voice.

"I'm ready on my end."

Doctor Connor took off his mask and looked over everyone present. When his gaze passed over Ling Ying, surprise showed plainly on his face. But in the end, he said nothing about it. He cleared his throat and continued.

"I've done all I can to stabilize the patient. You can take her back to Piltover whenever you're ready."

"Did Senior Viktor really decide to stay in Zaun for now? I hope he comes back safe and sound."

"Senior Viktor will be fine. But you... The poison gas damaged your lungs and airway... Orianna, you..."

Looking at the blond girl sitting in the wheelchair she was pushing, Ling Ying felt a pang of pain in her heart. Even with a mask containing a filtering solution on, Orianna did her best to smile at Ling Ying.

"Actually, I can't help feeling a little moved. Those of us who were hurt at least have a chance to receive treatment. But what about Bertha and her sister? What about the people of Zaun's Bottom City? Who will help them?"

"So that's what you really think?"

Ling Ying gently reached out and brushed Orianna's radiant blond hair, her heart aching for her.

"That's why you gave your mask to the Bertha Sisters."

"Mm. They're such lovely little sisters. They've already suffered enough. I didn't want them to... get hurt any more."

"But still, you didn't have to..."

"It's all right, it's all right. Don't worry so much. At least I'm stronger than they are, and Piltover's technology is so advanced. Maybe... Cough, cough, cough!"

As Orianna spoke, she suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit. The filtering solution in her mask sloshed with her movements, and a faint trace of red appeared in it.

"Don't talk anymore!"

Ling Ying hurriedly patted Orianna's back. Just then, Jayce, walking ahead of them, stopped.

"We're here."

Long Bridge was long. That wasn't a pointless thing to say; rather, it was because of its length that it had been given such a simple name. It spanned the wide Piltover Canal, connecting the Topside of Zaun to Piltover and allowing the two cities to trade with each other. Before Piltover built its airship port, Long Bridge had once been the Twin Cities' most important trade route. Now that bulk goods were transported by air, the bridge served mostly to carry people. Today, however, Piltover had unilaterally sealed it off. The Enforcement Department had set up a checkpoint halfway across the bridge. Dozens of fully armed officers stood in a line, rifles in hand. Facing them was a surging crowd of ragged civilians, unmistakably from Zaun. Yet their gaunt faces made it clear they weren't Topside Zaunites living particularly comfortable lives.

"What are they...?"

"The Twin Cities Mutual Aid Mechanism."

Ling Ying looked thoughtfully at the surging crowd before them.

"I heard Caitlyn mention it once. When one side suffers a major human-caused or natural disaster, the other is supposed to provide whatever help it can, including volunteers, material aid, and refugee resettlement. These must be refugees from Zaun's Bottom City who've lost their homes because of the gas leak."

"Huh? But can Piltover take in so many people?"

"That's why you see so many people being turned away. Getting refugee status in Piltover is a matter of luck. But everyone thinks they're the lucky one and wants to take a chance."

As she spoke, Ling Ying pointed in a direction for Orianna. Following her gesture, Orianna saw a man who looked like a Sheriff standing on the checkpoint's parapet. He swept his gaze over the hopeful refugees like a shopper picking vegetables at a market, then casually pointed to a young, strong-looking man near the gate. Raising the loudspeaker in his hand, he called out:

"You! Yes, you. Come on in! The rest of you can go home. We've used up this week's refugee spots. Come back next week and try your luck."

After making his announcement, the Sheriff turned and walked down from the checkpoint. His words, however, stirred the crowd like a stone cast into a pond. The already noisy mob instantly erupted.

"How can you do this? Why are there fewer spots this week?!"

"Exactly! Have you Piltoverians got any conscience? You promised to distribute the spots fairly!"

"Sir, please, let me and my child in! We have no home anymore. We really have nowhere else to go!"

The crowd on the bridge either cursed angrily at the Sheriff's announcement or wept and begged for help. Only the burly man he'd picked out stood apart, looking as if he still hadn't recovered from his sudden good fortune. Two guards escorted him through the Alloy Gate into the checkpoint.

"Let's go. We've been held up long enough."

Seeing that the line of refugees wasn't going to move, Ling Ying decided not to wait any longer and pushed Orianna onto the bridge. Jayce walked ahead to clear a path for them, squeezing through the refugees.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing? In such a hurry to..."

Their progress through the crowd soon drew angry protests. A large man whom Jayce had accidentally bumped turned around. His single remaining eye glared viciously at Jayce. But when he saw the Piltover Insignia on their clothes, the word "reincarnate" that had been about to leave his mouth caught in his throat.

"Spit. Damn Piltoverians."

Apparently unable to swallow his anger, the man muttered an insult as they passed him. It clearly got under Jayce's skin, already in a poor mood. He'd been walking forward, but suddenly turned back and confronted the man.

"We're the ones who should die? Then why did you come here? To beg like a dog at Piltover's doorstep, wagging your tail?"

"I..."

Jayce's question left the man completely at a loss for words. For some reason, Jayce found the courage to take a deep breath and speak as loudly as he could to the refugees around them.

"You're a bunch of cowards. Isn't your home back there? So when trouble comes, why is the first thing you think of running here to accept Piltover's charity? Why not do what you can to help and do your part? If you ask me, you poor fools fleeing in every direction don't even deserve Piltover wasting a scrap of its supplies on you."

Silence—dead silence. Jayce's "speech" had done what the armed officers hadn't: it had made the noisy crowd fall quiet. Jayce was surprised. He'd only spoken up because he couldn't stand seeing people entrust their fate to the charity of others. He hadn't expected his words to have such an effect. But he'd soon understand that his speech hadn't opened the eyes of those poor people. Rather...

"You bastard Piltoverian!! Don't get so full of yourself!!"

A scrawny man in a tattered hoodie shouted in a shrill voice from the back of the crowd, then hurled a battered tin can at Jayce with all his strength.

"Clang!"

The can didn't fly far before landing on the ground. It rolled along the bridge and disappeared from sight. But it was like a fuse, setting off the explosives of anger inside the crowd.

"Who the hell does he think he is?! What gives him the right to talk about us like that?!"

"They moved their high-pollution industries right next to our homes, then sit up there enjoying blue skies and white clouds. And now they have the nerve to talk like that!"

"That's right! It's all their fault! It's all these Piltoverians' fault!"

"Kill him! Kill the Piltoverians!!"

The refugees on the bridge instantly went out of control. They surrounded the three of them in layer after layer. The burly man whom Jayce had left speechless grabbed him by the collar. His huge fist was about to swing into Jayce's face.

"Clang!"

A Sharp Longsword plunged straight into the bridge. Its gleaming blade sank several feet into the ground. Even the sturdy bridge couldn't withstand the blow; cracks spread outward in every direction. Ling Ying held the sword in one hand. Her vertical pupils, brimming with a menacing gleam, swept over the crowd. An invisible pressure spread out. The refugees all felt as if they were being watched by a Man-eating Beast, and instinctively retreated. The burly man still held on to Jayce, but his arm shook like a leaf, giving him away.

"Let him go."

Her cold words were like frost in the dead of winter, piercing to the bone. The man immediately released Jayce, then his legs gave way and he fell to his knees with a thud. Like a child, he burst into tears and begged for mercy. The pressure Ling Ying emanated as a Void Creature was almost impossible for ordinary people to resist. Even Jayce couldn't help shivering. Orianna, sitting in her wheelchair, looked at Ling Ying with concern and clasped the hand Ling Ying had left free a little tighter. It was too similar. Ling Ying looked far too much like she had when she'd threatened to kill Orianna. But this time, Ling Ying seemed to notice her worry. She gently squeezed Orianna's hand in return, as if reassuring her that she didn't need to worry.

"Let's go."

Seeing that the refugees no longer dared to make a move, Ling Ying pulled the Doran's Blade from the ground and walked forward without looking back, pushing Orianna's wheelchair. The refugees who had surrounded them immediately made way as if they were avoiding a plague god, their faces filled with wariness. Even so, the gaze of hundreds of eyes was still unnerving. Orianna closed her eyes, pretending she couldn't see them. Ling Ying ignored them completely, while Jayce proceeded with extreme caution, as if every step might bring danger. After all, those people had been so furious that they nearly tore him apart. The few hundred meters to the checkpoint felt to Jayce as if they'd taken half a century to walk.

"St... stop! Who are you?"

When the three reached the checkpoint, the guards naturally stopped them. A dozen rifles pointed straight at them. The Sheriff who'd called out from the bridge had climbed back onto the checkpoint. He questioned Ling Ying in a slightly trembling voice. After all, he'd seen exactly what had just happened. Anyone who could "fight" their way through a riotous mob like a god of war was surely no ordinary person.

"Piltoverian."

Ling Ying didn't waste time talking to the Sheriff. She stated where she was from plainly, then tossed him a small leather booklet. The movement startled the Sheriff so badly that he instinctively dodged, nearly falling from the checkpoint. The armed officers on high alert almost pulled their triggers, too.

"Cecilia Iliana, special detective of the Enforcement Department. I'm going to Zaun on a mission. Don't ask any more questions."

"Special detective?"

The Sheriff picked up Ling Ying's identification from the ground, completely baffled. It did indeed bear the name she'd given. He turned it over. The Enforcement Department's Special Crystal Emblem should have been impossible to forge, too. He looked at Ling Ying and the others with renewed confusion. Clearly, he was very curious about the mission she'd mentioned. But after hesitating for a moment, he decided not to ask. He signaled for his officers to lower their guns, then had a few of them open the gate and let Ling Ying and the others through.

"Phew!"

The checkpoint's Alloy Gate shut behind them, hiding the vicious-looking refugees from view. Jayce clearly breathed a sigh of relief. But then he realized that people on this side were watching him, too. Glancing around, he spotted a few officers looking his way, whispering to one another now and then.

"Ha! Kid, I've got good news and bad news for you."

The Sheriff came over, put on a serious expression, and placed a hand on Jayce's shoulder.

"The bad news is that you just violated the Twin Cities Anti-Ideological Discrimination Law."

"...Huh?"

"Don't worry. Here's the good news: that stupid law doesn't even exist."

As soon as the Sheriff finished speaking, the officers around them burst into laughter. Only Jayce remained confused, having no idea what was going on.

"Nice speech back there, kid. Those rats should be sent crawling back into their sewers. Piltover doesn't have much room to spare for people like them."

The Sheriff, no longer on guard, laughed heartily and clapped Jayce hard on the shoulder as if they'd known each other for years. Jayce, not used to the man's enthusiasm, could only give a stiff laugh along with him. By contrast, Ling Ying and Orianna both frowned slightly as they watched.

"I don't like him."

Orianna spoke softly.

"Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of people like him in Piltover. He's just one example of the countless arrogant Piltoverians."

Ling Ying shook her head helplessly as she watched the Sheriff. Perhaps noticing her gaze, he looked back at them.

"Miss Cecilia, are you heading back to Piltover? This may sound a bit abrupt, but as you can see, it's not very safe here. And forgive me for saying so... that young lady doesn't seem to be in good shape."

As he spoke, the Sheriff glanced at Orianna in her wheelchair. Orianna deliberately turned her face away, leaving him rather embarrassed.

"Of course. We'll be on our way..."

"Hey!! Stop! Don't come any closer!"

Just as Ling Ying was about to take the opportunity to bid him farewell, a commotion broke out among the guards on the checkpoint. The sound of rifle bolts being pulled back followed.

"Hey? What's going on?"

The Sheriff had no time to focus on Ling Ying and the others now. He shouted up at the guards above.

"...They're... they're charging at us!!!"

"Fire! Open fire!!"

Before the Sheriff could figure out what was happening, a volley of gunfire rang out from the checkpoint. Outside the gate came cries from the crowd, mixed with screams and wails.

"Damn it, who told you to fire?!"

The Sheriff flew into a rage. He couldn't believe his men had actually been stupid enough to open fire. There were living people out there. They might be lowly Zaunites, but slaughtering refugees would leave him with a scandal he couldn't shake, one that would damage his future prospects. Just as he scrambled up the checkpoint wall to see what the hell was going on, Ling Ying suddenly moved. She darted in front of Orianna, and a Shadow Shield flared into existence, expanding to envelop all three of them.

The Sheriff climbed onto the parapet at that moment, too. Then he saw them: several figures wrapped in wide black cloaks were charging toward the checkpoint, crossing through the scattering crowd. A dense spray of bullets flew at them, but did nothing to slow them down. When they were still dozens of meters from the parapet, they suddenly accelerated and leapt into the air. Their ragged cloaks were flung upward, revealing the bloated, balloon-like bodies beneath, each marked with broad and terrifying Purple Rifts. Amid the guards' horrified shouts, the figures flew toward the checkpoint wall like moths drawn to a flame.

The next instant, a violent explosion swallowed every voice—Zaunite and Piltoverian alike.