The Rusted Claw clashed in midair with the Purple Scythe, which looked almost magical. The claw was cut cleanly in two without the slightest resistance, along with the user's hands. Ling Ying gave a mocking laugh and twisted her wrist, sweeping the scythe upward. The head of a snarling mutant flew into the sky, then bounced and rolled into the canal.
Even after their companion had been killed so easily, the remaining mutants showed no fear or other negative emotions. Instead, they charged forward with even greater excitement. Ling Ying was more than happy to let them come. She simply stopped and waited where she stood.
"Gah!"
Three mutants leaped into the air with strange cries. Their legs, far too powerful for their stocky bodies, gave them remarkable jumping ability, allowing them to attack from above. But the steel pipes and daggers in their hands clearly couldn't hurt Ling Ying. She yawned unhurriedly and waited until the three mutants were close before abruptly turning her scythe around. Its oddly shaped handle slammed into one of them with a bang, sending him flying. As the other two followed close behind, Ling Ying suddenly vanished into the black mist. Her strange move left them at a loss. While they stood there, bewildered, Ling Ying slipped through the mist and appeared behind them. She effortlessly grabbed the two defenseless mutants like a pair of chicks and slammed them into the ground. The helpless mutants fell headfirst, crashing onto the hard bridge and leaving them dazed. Before they could struggle back to their feet, Ling Ying landed and kicked the scythe she'd left behind. Its crescent blade spun across the bridge, cutting both unlucky men in half.
After catching the returning scythe, Ling Ying turned to look the other way. The mutant she'd struck earlier was impaled on the Doran's Blade she'd planted in the ground, like a skewer through a piece of meat. He was barely breathing.
Ling Ying let out a rare whistle. She seemed pleased with her little joke. In the past, something like this would have been unthinkable. But now, she was utterly lost in the pleasure of combat and killing.
Unfortunately, she didn't get to enjoy herself for long. A massive shadow, like a small mountain, swept toward her at incredible speed. Caught off guard, Ling Ying was sent flying like a cannonball. She spun through the air several times before slamming into a pillar of Long Bridge with a crash, knocking a corner off its marble carvings.
"Cough, cough..."
Ling Ying spat out a mouthful of saliva streaked with blood. That hit had hurt. She moved her limbs to make sure nothing was seriously damaged, then glanced down at the hulking mutant roaring at her. There was no doubt that he had caused the collision. Fortunately, her Voidification had greatly increased her body's toughness. An ordinary person would have been reduced to a bloody pulp by a hit like that. Even so, she was surprised by his agility, which didn't match his size at all. While he couldn't reach her, she examined him again and soon noticed something unusual. The purple liquid that had filled the helmet-like contraption on the big man's head had dropped somewhat, letting her glimpse a corner of his bare scalp. But the missing liquid seemed to be slowly replenishing itself—from an Implanted Infuser on his back.
"Some kind of Alchemical Potion?"
Ling Ying narrowed her eyes slightly. At first, she'd thought the liquid was some kind of life-support nutrient, so she hadn't paid much attention to it. But now it seemed it might be a potion that greatly increased human strength.
"Purple, huh? It feels kind of gross seeing it used on you guys."
Ling Ying hopped lightly down from the pillar and teased him. Naturally, he didn't understand. Like a gorilla, he raised his arms and pounded his chest twice. The Humanoid Tank charged forward on all fours. His enormous iron fist came roaring toward her with a whistling sound. Ling Ying had no intention of meeting it head-on. The long scythe turned nimbly in her hands, sliding past the fist at a strange angle before slashing straight upward. Its sharp blade easily cut through his Metal Bracer and shackles. It nearly severed the arm they protected, but the big man, having learned his lesson, reacted in time. He pulled back his right fist and drove his shoulder, also armored in metal, forward, forcing Ling Ying to abandon her attack and dodge aside.
Ling Ying wasn't worried when her first strike failed. After staring at her opponent for a moment, she suddenly accelerated and charged. Before the big mutant could react, she changed direction and leaped onto a bridge pillar. She pushed off it several times in quick succession, then spun through the air behind him at a dizzying speed. From this angle, she could finally see the entire Alchemical Infuser on his back, connected to his helmet. It reminded her of Warwick, whom she'd encountered in the Bottom City before. That Mutated Wolf had carried a similar piece of equipment.
"Could those two... have something to do with each other?"
The thought crossed her mind, but her hands didn't pause. She turned her wrist and brought the scythe down vertically toward the big man's back. He had clearly noticed her move and roared as he reached behind himself to stop her. But the curved blade moved like a fierce snake, slipping past his fists and striking its target.
"Bang!"
The ruptured infuser burst with a loud pop, spraying purple liquid everywhere like a fountain. The portion that splashed onto the bridge evaporated and dissipated before their eyes. The liquid in the strange helmet on the big man's head changed as well. Bubbles gurgled across its surface as the level rapidly sank. Seconds later, a fierce-looking but otherwise fairly normal male face appeared before Ling Ying. A long scar stretched from his forehead to his chin. Perhaps he'd once been some sort of assassin or bodyguard. But whatever he'd been before, now he was an undeniable monster. Neither Zaun nor Piltover would accept him anymore. The only place he belonged was hell.
Ling Ying stood nearby and watched him roar in pain, clutching his head with both fists as he crashed around. That strange Alchemical Potion seemed to have a tremendous effect on him. After watching for a while and seeing that he had no chance to attack her, Ling Ying quietly circled behind him. Brilliant Void Flames ignited along her scythe's blade. The curved edge swept through the air with a sharp hiss, striking at the back of his neck.
"?"
The expected sight of his head rolling away never came. At that moment, all the purple markings on the big man's body lit up one by one like neon lights. The sudden change left Ling Ying dazed for an instant. When she came to, she found that the big man had turned around with unexpected speed and was facing her. His muscular arm seized Ling Ying before she could dodge. Fingers as thick as steel pipes clamped down hard.
"Crack."
An ominous, crisp sound rang out. Ling Ying grunted, swiftly twisting her body and using the motion to sweep her scythe through a spiral arc. A flash of cold light passed, and three of the big man's fingers were severed, allowing Ling Ying to break free and drop to the ground.
"Hiss."
She stumbled several times and nearly fell, but finally found her footing. The pain in her body made her grit her teeth, and the amusement in her eyes was gone as she looked at the big man. For some reason, things weren't going as she'd expected. Even after losing his Implanted Infuser and the Alchemical Potion left in it, the big man's physical abilities had only grown stronger. He was now dangerous enough to pose a real threat to Ling Ying.
"Could a human body really have this kind of potential?"
Ling Ying clutched her aching stomach and looked at the big man. In turn, his eyes, which seemed to contain two burning purple flames, looked down at her. The next second, Ling Ying vanished into the black mist. The big man tore a streetlight from the side of the bridge and swung it around with all his strength, forcing her to retreat before she could escape far. At the same time, a strange cry behind her made Ling Ying's blood run cold.
"Gah!!"
Several dark shapes suddenly leaped out from behind her. They were the other mutants who'd been following the big man. With most of her attention fixed on him, Ling Ying hadn't noticed them spreading out around her. They'd attacked all at once from corners, pillars, and even beneath the bridge. And as she dodged the big man's attack, she'd ended up in an awkward position.
"Bang!"
A gunshot rang out. A charged spherical projectile shot across a hundred meters like lightning before abruptly bursting open and expanding into a large net. Its remaining momentum dragged two of the leaping mutants headfirst toward the ground. Ling Ying turned in surprise and saw Chief Constable Caitlyn standing with one leg braced against the twisted metal railing. She pulled back the bolt on her ivory-white Hextech rifle with her right hand. A specially made shell rolled out of the chamber and clattered to the ground.
"Vi..."
"Yeah! Time to hit hard!"
Before Caitlyn could finish, Vi charged into the fight from the side, her signature Hextech Gauntlets on. She drove a punishing punch into one of the mutants. His already hunched figure doubled over like a shrimp, and he went flying. Meanwhile, with the pressure on her eased, Ling Ying easily cut down several mutants charging at her from the front and broke through the encirclement. Her scythe swung upward, catching the belly of one unlucky mutant before she yanked it backward.
"Shhk!"
The scythe split the mutant's body in two, spraying blood and entrails across the ground.
"Damn."
Even though she'd fought plenty of people and seen blood before, Vi had rarely witnessed a scene this gruesome. She stared at the bloody mess, momentarily stunned. Ling Ying simply straightened up, then flicked her right hand to shake the blood from her scythe.
"Hey! What's going on here?"
Vi forced down her discomfort and stepped closer, asking Ling Ying.
"I don't know."
Ling Ying's expression was blank.
"But clearly, these people don't fall under your usual laws for dealing with criminals."
"Yeah, I figured."
Vi looked at the Humanoid Tank, who stood over three meters tall, her expression complicated.
"Looks like we'll have to hit him a few more times to get any answers."
"You'll have to hit him pretty hard... Careful!"
Ling Ying shoved Vi aside and swung her scythe with her other hand, slicing the incoming metal streetlight in two. Seeing his attack foiled, the big man roared and yanked up another streetlight pole with one hand. He swung it in a circle, ready to throw, but another gunshot rang out. A bullet too fast to follow punched through his strange helmet and struck him directly in the left eye.
"Aaargh!"
The big man screamed, flung away the streetlight, and instinctively covered his left eye. Perhaps he'd pressed too hard, because he smashed his own helmet with one slap. Countless glass-like fragments flew everywhere, leaving his head completely exposed before them.
"Fire at will!"
Caitlyn waved her hand and gave the order. A hail of gunfire erupted at her command, bullets raining down on the big man. Most bounced off his body, which was as tough as metal, but a few followed Caitlyn's shots and struck his face, adding to his injuries.
"Vi! Throw me over there!"
Understanding that this was the moment to finish him while he was down, Ling Ying turned to Vi. Vi immediately understood. The vents atop her Hextech Gauntlets opened as wide as they could, and the internal micro-engines roared. Hot gas blasted out in bursts. Ling Ying leaped back, and Vi grabbed her by the legs with her gauntlets, then hurled her forward like a discus thrower.
"Whoosh!"
Ling Ying shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, closing in on the big man in seconds. He noticed what she was doing and reached for her with his free hand. But Ling Ying, flying at high speed, executed a nimble series of rolls, turning into a Little Top that skimmed along his arm and passed behind him. Her scythe hooked back in one smooth motion. The blade cut through his armpit, severing the arm at the root. The big man's mountain-sized body shuddered, then lurched to one side as blood gushed out.
"Take this!"
Whether it counted as taking advantage of him, Vi didn't care. She leaped into the air and slammed her fully charged Hextech Gauntlet into the big man's face.
"Bang!"
Scalding steam billowed from the back of his head. Vi's Haymaker had smashed the big man's face out of shape, caving in his entire right cheek. After taking that "makeover," he could no longer keep his balance and toppled backward. Ling Ying, who had already moved behind him, surged in through a leap of black mist and, with one swift stroke, cut off his head.
"Boom!"
Like a sledgehammer hitting the ground, the three-meter-tall Decapitated Corpse landed on the bridge, which had already endured more than its share of misfortune. Without a thorough and systematic repair, the bridge would probably never be usable again.
"First squad, stay alert. Second and third squads, spread out and advance. Search for survivors who need medical attention."
When Caitlyn saw the big man fall, she finally let out a breath of relief. She waved her hand, signaling the officers to follow their orders. Then she lowered her rifle and, looking as though she were treading on thin ice, picked her way across the bridge, strewn with blood and corpses, toward Ling Ying and Vi in the middle.
"Young Lady, weren't you scared stiff by all this?"
The killing intent faded from Ling Ying. The human light gradually returned to her slit pupils, and her voice took on a teasing note.
"You do seem to keep running into all sorts of incredible situations."
Caitlyn merely shook her head with a helpless smile at Ling Ying's teasing, then spoke with some relief.
"Still, it's fortunate you were here. If an attack of this magnitude hadn't been stopped in time, I can't imagine how many people in the Borders District might have been killed. It's a shame about all the innocent people on the bridge."
She sighed with deep concern, then glanced at the big man's corpse and spoke with lingering fear.
"What was that? Do you have any idea?"
"I'm not sure."
Ling Ying shook her head decisively.
"But I can say for certain that, despite how bizarre he looked, he was still human. So... if I had to guess, some kind of Bio-engineered Human? As for how they did it, I suspect it was related to an Alchemical Potion. It was purple and kind of glowed..."
"You're saying this was... a modified human? But..."
"That might be possible..."
As Ling Ying and Caitlyn spoke, Vi suddenly walked over to the big man's corpse and crouched beside it, muttering to herself as she examined it. The sight caught the other two's attention.
"What is it? Did you find something?"
"I don't know if it counts as a discovery."
Vi stared at the corpse for a while, then stood and answered Caitlyn.
"When I was patrolling the Bottom City earlier, I found that a certain Alchemical Potion was becoming popular there. Taking it could temporarily enhance the body's capabilities. Of course, it's nowhere near as exaggerated as these guys. According to them, it might make someone strong enough to take on ten people. I also remember that its most obvious side effects were markings like the ones on this corpse and a brief period of weakness once the effects wore off. If I remember right, it was called Shimmer."
"Shimmer? It sounds like... a name without much ambition..."
Caitlyn held her chin and murmured thoughtfully.
"So, this attack might have been planned by people from the Bottom City? These guys could practically be considered some kind of biological weapon, given the scale of the chaos they caused. Has the Bottom City's biotechnology really advanced this far?"
"Well, the Bottom City does have different attitudes from Piltover in certain respects. For example, most people there don't think it's inhumane to use all kinds of Alchemical Potions on the human body, nor do they see anything wrong with replacing their arms and legs with Alchemical Prosthetics. So the Bottom City might not necessarily be behind Piltover in biotechnology. Of course, it's still too early to convict the Bottom City on that basis, isn't it? They have no reason to launch an attack at a time like this."
"Indeed."
Caitlyn nodded in agreement with Vi.
"But an investigation into Zaun is unavoidable. After all, they're the most likely suspects. The Twin Cities Joint Management Committee will get involved, and our detectives will be sent down to the Bottom City to investigate. In any case, the Chem-Barons will have to give an explanation for this incident. At the very least, one the citizens of the Twin Cities can accept."
As she spoke, Caitlyn suddenly looked toward the other end of Long Bridge and gave a wry smile.
"I have a feeling that after this, we're in for a storm that won't be easy to calm."
Before you continue