A Plan

The next morning, Jiang Chuan woke to the smell of Old Jack's fish soup. In Bilgewater, fish were a staple in every household, and most meals revolved around them.

Breakfast was fish soup and bread again. As someone from a modern city, Jiang Chuan wasn't fond of eating this way. He went into the kitchen and frowned at the ingredients. There was only bread, a few unidentifiable fish, and a pumpkin in the corner.

"Never mind. I'll make do. It's better than nothing." Jiang Chuan took the pumpkin and cut it in half, steaming one half and using the other to make soup. He toasted the bread in the oven, then took a fish, removed its scales and bones, and fried it in a pan. The only seasonings in the kitchen were salt and pepper.

Once the fish was fried, Jiang Chuan sprinkled it with salt and pepper. The pumpkin was steamed, and the soup was ready too. He carried the food to the table. Looking at the fish, Old Jack said, "Roland, is this fish safe to eat? It's not cheap, you know."

Yasuo took a sip of the pumpkin soup. Its sweetness delighted him. Then he took a bite of the fish, and it was so delicious he almost wanted to eat his own tongue.

Old Jack took a bite of the steamed pumpkin and cried out, "Lady Beard above! This stuff is incredible! It's even better than the desserts those nobles eat! Roland, when did you learn to cook like this? You could open a restaurant in the Upper City!"

Though Yasuo and Old Jack couldn't stop praising the two dishes he'd made, Jiang Chuan still wasn't satisfied. As he ate, he couldn't help wondering about Valoran's development. Although Valoran was a continent where magic had advanced to great heights, in other respects it was much like Earth in ancient times. What puzzled him most were Zaun and Piltover.

Zaun and Piltover were arguably the most technologically advanced places in Valoran. Their technology had even surpassed much of Earth's, which left Jiang Chuan baffled. If Piltover and Zaun's technology were introduced across the continent, its development would leap forward by several stages! So why didn't they do it?

But a moment later, Jiang Chuan understood why Piltover and Zaun's technology hadn't spread. In Piltover, almost all the technology was controlled by the nobility. And Zaun was even worse: it was full of mad scientists, who usually turned whatever they invented into funding for their next project.

Jiang Chuan knew he had no fighting ability whatsoever. He needed to arm himself so he could handle danger.

After breakfast, Old Jack went back to work. Yasuo leaned against the doorframe, basking in the sun with a contented look. After tidying up the table, Jiang Chuan said to him, "You wanted to see Bilgewater, didn't you? I could use a walk too. Let's go together."

Yasuo picked up his longsword and followed Jiang Chuan. They went to the Slaughter Docks, where work was already in full swing. The workers chopped enormous fish into pieces, separating the skin, bones, and meat. The butchers wasted no part of the fish that could be put to use.

In Bilgewater, gangs were a massive presence. They ranged from petty thieves to powerful gangs with fleets of their own. Gangplank was probably the most famous of them all, though that was still a distant concern for Jiang Chuan.

The two of them wandered from morning until afternoon. Bilgewater was just as outsiders described it: a paradise for outlaws. Many people struck it rich overnight, while just as many lost everything. Along the way, Jiang Chuan encountered no fewer than seven pickpockets, which left him thoroughly annoyed. After walking around for so long, both of them were exhausted.

Back at Old Jack's little clinic, Jiang Chuan used the remaining ingredients to prepare dinner. After eating, Old Jack went to get ready for the next day's work. He was unlike the others, who would be spending the evening drinking in The Tavern or wasting money at the gambling tables. Jiang Chuan had no idea how someone who'd lived in Bilgewater for decades could manage that. He left Old Jack to his work and focused instead on how to arm himself and guard against danger.

When it came to defending himself, the first thing Jiang Chuan thought of was firearms. They were the best choice for self-defense. Their invention had played a major role in human progress, and firearms existed in Valoran too. That gave Jiang Chuan a direction to pursue.

Jiang Chuan set the flintlock on the table and examined it closely. To be honest, it wasn't as convenient as a modern pistol. It was powerful, but its internal mechanism was still that of a flintlock. That made him wonder whether it really was Piltover technology.

He put the gun down and furrowed his brow. Roland had spent all his savings on it. It was powerful, but it had an obvious weakness: all flintlocks were vulnerable to damp conditions, and this one was no exception. Yet Caitlyn's backstory had mentioned Bilgewater Mauser Guns. Jiang Chuan wondered why Roland had bought a flintlock instead of a Mauser Gun. The flintlock packed tremendous force at close range, but it was far less reliable than a Mauser Gun.

Jiang Chuan picked up the flintlock's ammunition and examined it carefully. Roland had modified the rounds to resemble shotgun shells. They caused extensive injuries on impact. Seeing the ammunition, Jiang Chuan finally understood why Roland had gone broke to buy the gun. It was unreliable and unsuited to damp environments, but after Roland's modifications, it could practically be considered a short-barreled shotgun.

Jiang Chuan summed up what he'd learned: technology in Valoran had fused with magic to give rise to Hextech, but knowledge from Earth was not useless. Earth might be behind technologically, but its advantage lay in the ability to equip people on a large scale. Hextech was powerful, but it was probably expensive too. If he wanted to find a way home, he would have to explore Valoran thoroughly. Such a vast undertaking would be impossible without manpower and resources. The thought of establishing an organization took root in Jiang Chuan's mind, and once he settled on it, his ambition blazed to life!

Just as Jiang Chuan was drawing up a detailed plan, a melodious flute tune drifted to his ears. He stepped out of his room and saw Yasuo playing on the balcony. Jiang Chuan smiled. "Are you still grieving over Elder Suma? Or is it Yone you're grieving for?"

Yasuo lowered his flute and said quietly, "Yone once told me to put aside my arrogance and focus on learning swordsmanship from Elder Suma. When Noxus invaded, I was ordered to stay behind and guard the village. Everyone wanted to fight, and I was no exception. The next day, I abandoned my post and went to the battlefield. By the time I arrived, the war was over. Impatiently, I returned to the dojo, only to find Elder Suma had been murdered—and I was wrongly accused of killing him. I was furious. I swore I'd find the killer and bring him to justice. From that moment on, I wandered all over Ionia, searching for clues. The killer was still at large, but in the end, I killed Yone."

Jiang Chuan smiled. "What if the truth isn't what you think?"

Yasuo smiled. "Elder Suma was killed with Gale Style. I'm the only one known to use it. If I find the killer, I can clear my name."

Jiang Chuan asked gravely, "And then? Will you kill him?"

Yasuo gazed at the moon and said despondently, "Maybe I would have before. But now, I only want to prove I'm not the killer. I did abandon my post, after all, and Yone died by my hand. I can forgive the killer, but I can't forgive myself."

Jiang Chuan didn't tell Yasuo about Riven. This lonely swordsman drifted from place to place like the wind, just as his name suggested. Since he had already forgiven the killer, there was little point in bringing it up.

Jiang Chuan patted Yasuo on the shoulder. "I have a feeling the summoning effect will wear off tomorrow. Then you'll be able to return to Ionia."

Yasuo gazed at the moon without speaking, as if Bilgewater's moon shone brighter than Ionia's. Jiang Chuan was about to return to his room and continue working on his plan when Yasuo spoke. "I don't know how you managed to summon me, but you're someone I can trust, Summoner."

Jiang Chuan smiled. "Yasuo the Wind Swordmaster, you're free. I'm not. I can't even go home."

With that, Jiang Chuan returned to his room to continue working on his plan. Whether he could return to his homeland depended on it, so he had to make it thorough. The first step was to conquer Bilgewater!