Potion Infatuation (1)

Today is a very important day for the Tyros Family of Piltover. Early in the morning, the head of the family, Fickle Tyros, personally put on his formal attire and, with his children, prepared to welcome guests at their estate. To say who was worth such a grand effort, it was an institution with a resounding name in Piltover – the Technology Oversight Committee. They are responsible for supervising and inspecting various new technologies to ensure they comply with safety and humanitarian standards. The purpose of their visit today is to test the new healing potion recently launched by the Tyros Family.

Just past eight o'clock, Fickle glanced at his watch for the fifth time, feeling a bit anxious. The entire family placed great importance on this opportunity. After all, the Tyros Family, which started with medical chemistry technology, was much weaker in foundation compared to those families that had been flourishing in recent years thanks to the Hextech Industry. Their influence in the council was also gradually waning. This had become a persistent worry for him. Fortunately, a while ago, his youngest son, who had always been a good-for-nothing, brought back a brand-new potion formula. He had personally witnessed an old man, who had been crippled for half his life, stand up directly after drinking the potion. Not only that, but the miraculous potion could treat most common internal and external injuries. The old man hadn't seen such a "miracle drug" in most of his life. But he immediately recognized the immense wealth this miraculous potion would bring to the family – as long as the potion passed the Technology Oversight Committee's inspection today. However, the old man wasn't worried about this, as he had already spent a considerable amount on "greasing the wheels."

As the clock ticked past eight-thirty, several beautiful carriages finally appeared on the road and, guided by servants, stopped steadily at the manor gate.

"Oh! William! Long time no see!"

A stout figure descended from a carriage. Old Master Fickle stepped forward, extending his right hand to the other person.

"It has indeed been a long time, Fickle."

William Borison, the head of the Technology Oversight Committee, with a greasy face, shook the old man's hand and then asked with curiosity.

"So, what peculiar new gadget has your family come up with?"

"Ah, it's just a brand-new medical technology accidentally discovered by the younger generation. You'll know when you see it later."

Fickle's gaze swept over the entourage brought by the Oversight Chief as they disembarked. There were familiar faces among them, but when he saw a graceful figure emerge from William's carriage, he couldn't help but stare.

"And who is this?"

"Ah, I was just about to introduce her."

William said, waving his hand. The girl quickly responded and hurried over. Her long silver hair, tied in a single ponytail, fluttered behind her in the wind, like a strand of soft silver satin. Her white uniform dress not only complemented her hair color but also exuded a sense of competence. The girl approached the two, pushed up her glasses, and respectfully nodded.

"Good day, Patriarch Fickle. I am Justina Millian, Mr. William's office assistant. I am very happy to see you in good health."

Fickle was taken aback for a moment, but quickly his expression shifted to one with a knowing glint, and he patted the Oversight Chief on the shoulder.

"You're getting on in years, but you still know how to have fun. Be careful not to strain your back."

"Uh... heh... hehe."

Facing Fickle's suggestive remark, the Oversight Chief could only let out an awkward dry laugh. Of course, it wasn't because he was a man of integrity. No matter what thoughts he had, he wouldn't dare to express them openly. It was a joke; that person was sent by the Fierol Family. He couldn't possibly offend them when he was trying to curry favor. Fickle, being perceptive, saw the Oversight Chief's indifferent reaction and quickly waved his hand.

"Heh heh, alright, we can chat later. Let's get down to business first. Everyone, please come this way."

"These are our latest invention, a medical potion that will completely overturn the existing market landscape."

Fickle gestured towards the rows of blue-green potions in reagent bottles on the table, proudly introducing them to the visiting inspectors.

"This color is quite novel."

An inspector curiously stepped forward, picked up a reagent bottle, and swirled it under the light.

"It's just that I wonder if the efficacy is truly as potent as Mr. Fickle claims. And, what about its safety?"

"This will depend on your appraisal. Although I am very confident in the results. As for the efficacy, we will conduct live experiments next. You are all welcome to move to the experimental area to witness it with your own eyes.

A group of people, led by Fickle, continued to walk forward, chatting animatedly. The Inspector General's "female assistant" inadvertently fell behind the group. She looked back and glanced at the potion bottles on the table.

"So these are the things Camille wanted me to investigate? They don't look special."

Ling Ying complained silently in her heart. After all, it was because of these things that she had to disguise herself and follow a group of Piltover officials. As for why, Ling Ying attributed the reason to Camille's almost occupational "neuroticism."

"The Tyros Family has been making some big moves lately."

Ling Ying remembered Camille saying that to her at the time.

"They submitted a market application for a medical potion to the Technology Committee. I've read the application, and if what they say is true, it will bring them huge market profits."

"Oh? So what?"

Ling Ying was clearly uninterested in family matters. She quipped, "Can't the Fierol Family stand to see others do well?"

"Not at all. If anything, I would welcome it if this were true."

Camille simply shook her head calmly in response to Ling Ying's sarcasm.

"But my intelligence network tells me that the Tyros Family's invention this time is quite suspicious. Their medical potion research and development has been stagnant for a long time. This thing seems to have fallen from the sky. Moreover, I have another piece of information: this potion is said to have been brought back by the Tyros family's most dissolute youngest son."

"So?"

"So I need a new face to help me investigate whether this is all a smokescreen or if it's real."

The day after this conversation, a young and beautiful female assistant appeared beside the Technology Inspector General, William. Ling Ying had to marvel at his influence.

"Good morning, beautiful lady."

A dashing young man suddenly flashed in front of Ling Ying from the side, so fast that Ling Ying didn't even have time to react.

"You seem very interested in our 'Light of Hope'?"

"Ah... I..."

The sudden appearance of the man made Ling Ying stumble over her words. But she quickly regained her composure and followed his lead, saying, "So it's called Light of Hope? What a nice name. I just thought its color... was quite pleasing, so I couldn't help but look a few more times."

"Oh? I thought most girls would prefer cute colors."

The young man put on an expression as if he had heard something marvelous. But in an instant, he changed back to a smile, extended his hand, and said, "My name is Lunge Tyros. I am the fourth of the four brothers in the family. May I know the name of this beautiful lady?"

"You can call me Justina."

Ling Ying hesitated as she looked at the offered hand, but finally shook it.

"Inspector William..."

Ling Ying's words caught in her throat halfway through. Because she suddenly realized the scene before her. The brightly lit corridor was gone, replaced by a dim forest shrouded in gloomy mist. Twisted and ferocious trees grew densely, resembling malevolent monsters. A mournful song echoed through the forest, adding an indescribable eeriness to the entire space.

Ling Ying froze for a second at the sudden change, and then, as she subconsciously reached for her weapon, everything in front of her vanished instantly, like a dream of Kyōka Suigetsu.

"Miss Justina? What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Ah, no... it's nothing..."

Ling Ying shook her head, coming back to her senses, and immediately withdrew her hand.

"Maybe I didn't sleep well yesterday. Heh heh. Ah, sorry, I need to catch up with your father and the others. Goodbye."

Without giving Justina time to reply, Ling Ying quickly hurried to catch up with the group that had already walked quite a distance. After walking several meters, she looked back again. The vast corridor was empty. The man who called himself Lunge had disappeared at some point. Only the lights in the hall were still bright.

"How strange."

Ling Ying muttered to herself. After staring for a few more seconds and finding no change, she followed the several people ahead.

The subsequent clinical demonstration of the potion went smoothly. Several volunteers with varying degrees of illness showed rapid improvement after being injected with the Tyros Family's potion, leaving William and the other inspectors exclaiming in disbelief. After that, the potion samples were to be taken back for professional testing. Thus, two hours later, Ling Ying boarded the inspector's carriage again and left the manor. She then got off midway on a street in the city and turned into an alley.

"Oh? The potion itself doesn't seem to have any problems?"

In the coffee shop, Camille mused, holding her red tea.

"From what I saw on the surface, I couldn't tell anything."

Ling Ying leaned back on the sofa with a lazy expression and shrugged.

"After all, I'm not a professional in this field."

"Then we'll have to wait for the appraisal report from my inside contact in the Supervisory Committee. Anything else, anything worth noting?"

"Oh! Right, I was just about to ask you."

Remembering something, Ling Ying sat up straight in her seat.

"Does the youngest son of the Tyros family know magic?"

"You mean Lunge Tyros? Absolutely not."

Camille shook her head with certainty.

"Speaking of mages, you can barely find a handful in this entire city, and they're all under the supervision of the Enforcement Department. As for that Lunge, heh heh, all he does all day is indulge in debauchery and chase after women. He has no talent whatsoever."

"Oh? When I interacted with him, he gave me a show of force, using some kind of... perhaps mental magic."

"Mental magic? Are you sure?"

Camille finally put down her teacup, her tone becoming serious.

"Speaking of which, according to the intel, the potion formula this time was also brought back by that Lunge. Looking at it this way, has this playboy become less like his former self?"

"You think he's being controlled by someone, or that he's been completely swapped out?"

"It's hard to say. Based on your single encounter with him, you can't get any effective information. It seems we might need to shift our focus to that cynical younger son..."

As she was pondering, the door to the cafe was suddenly knocked upon.

"Winston?"

The slightly overweight cafe owner responded and went to open the door. After a few words with the visitor, he returned a few minutes later, holding an exquisite invitation.

"Mr. William said that the Tyros Family is hosting a banquet at their manor tonight and has specifically sent two invitations, asking if we would accompany him."

"A banquet?"

Camille muttered a few words while pinching her chin, then suddenly let out a light laugh and gave Ling Ying a meaningful look. Ling Ying felt an inexplicable chill.

"Why not? This is a good opportunity."

"Oh, Chief Inspector William, a pleasure to meet you."

Ling Ying, wearing a sky-blue evening gown and crystal high heels, had just stepped into the entrance of the Tyros Family manor, holding the Chief Inspector's arm with an elegant yet slightly awkward gait, when a middle-aged balding man with a young female companion actively approached them.

"May I ask if you were satisfied with the 'tea leaves' from last time?"

"Ah, the taste was excellent. My wife quite liked it."

"Haha, that truly is my honor. Next time, I'll have even higher quality specialty products from Ionia delivered. When our new technology is launched..."

"We'll talk, we'll talk."

After a conversation filled with hidden meanings, William led Ling Ying into the banquet hall. Ling Ying quickly and subtly withdrew her hand, and the other party, being perceptive, stepped back a couple of paces and moved towards the lively groups of men and women, continuing his "business." Ling Ying scanned the surroundings. Among the small groups of people, the younger son of the Tyros Family, whom she had seen that morning, was nowhere to be found. Instead, the eldest and second sons of the family were hosting the banquet and conversing with guests. The vast manor lawn was brightly lit, and waiters shuttled between the long tables, serving wine and various foods to the guests. Ling Ying stood for a moment, taking in the atmosphere of this otherworldly banquet, and finally turned her gaze to the long tables. They were laden with high-end foods Ling Ying had never seen before. After a moment's hesitation, she started walking.

"If you're not enthusiastic about eating, there's something wrong with your brain."

She thought to herself, but didn't notice that she was habitually moving with her usual range of motion. As a result, the long hem of her evening gown immediately taught her a lesson.

"Damn it."

Tripped by her skirt, Ling Ying stumbled forward. Just as she was about to lose her balance and fall face-first into the mud, a slender hand caught her waist, timely helping her regain her balance.

"Hoo... Thanks..."

Ling Ying, now standing upright, let out a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to thank the person, her expression suddenly turned subtle when she saw who it was.

"Why are you making that face too?"

Caitlyn flicked a strand of hair from her eyes with a helpless expression.

"Vi made that same look when she saw me."

"Ah, no, it's just... it's quite a rare sight to see Chief Constable like this."

Ling Ying's gaze, a little too casual, swept over Caitlyn's attire. The pale purple evening gown was daringly slit at the thigh, revealing the Chief Constable's long, shapely legs...

"Tsk."

Sensing Ling Ying's inappropriate gaze, Caitlyn immediately pulled down the hem of her skirt, blocking Ling Ying's line of sight from going any further. She chided Ling Ying with a hint of annoyance.

"Did you come here just to do that?"

"Ahem, of course not..."

Ling Ying coughed lightly, regaining her composure.

"Actually, I'm more curious, why are you here?"

"It's for a mission, of course."

Caitlyn said as if it were obvious.

"Our intelligence suggests that the Tyros Family might be involved in the recent disappearances. However, our overt investigation has yielded no clues. So, we're using this banquet as an opportunity to investigate under the guise of the Ghilamann Family. Now, it's your turn, Miss Se... Justina, why are you attending the banquet?"

Caitlyn emphasized the word "you," and Ling Ying seemed to detect a hint of resentment in her tone. Caitlyn clearly had some opinions about Ling Ying's decision to cooperate with the Fierol Family instead. Ling Ying felt a little guilty about this. If she had a choice, she wouldn't want to get involved in these messes; working with Caitlyn would have made her feel more at ease. But fate had a way of finding her, and she couldn't control it.

I'll find a way to make it up to her after things in Piltover are settled.

Thinking this, Ling Ying revealed her purpose to Caitlyn.

"It's because of the Tyros Family's youngest son."

"Youngest son? Lunge Tyros? What's special about him?"

"Perhaps he wasn't special before, but now he is. He..."

Just as Ling Ying was about to explain the abnormality that had occurred with that fellow to Caitlyn, her gaze inadvertently swept across the lawn not far away. A familiar figure, accompanied by several servants, was quickly making their way through the crowded lawn towards the outside of the manor. Focusing her eyes, she realized it was none other than Lunge Tyros, the very person she was looking for!

"Quick, come with me! I'll tell you later."

Without another word, Ling Ying grabbed Caitlyn's wrist. Amidst Caitlyn's exclamations of "Wait!" and "My dress is coming up!", Ling Ying quickly pursued the direction Lunge had gone.