100 States

"I killed someone."

Hearing Xiulite's somewhat timid reply, Yuan Chen turned his gaze to the ditch and pool to the side.

In fact, Yuan Chen had long been prepared to have his hands stained with blood.

Even before leaving Ionia, Yuan Chen had already made preparations. To this end, Yuan Chen was even unwilling to communicate too much with others, for fear that he would hesitate when it came time to take action.

Later, they arrived at Ixialia... Yuan Chen decided not to sit idly by and wait for death, but to take the initiative to change things and prepare for people to die early on.

During the battle to slay the dragon, Yuan Chen witnessed firsthand how the Fleshfang Hunter, who had been chatting and laughing with him just a few days earlier, had become mincemeat under the Dragon Claw.

Yuan Chen did not waver at that time; he knew he would die too.

The same applies now; Yuan Chen has not wavered in his actions... because it is the right thing to do.

But for some reason, this death left Yuan Chen feeling particularly... shocked?

Perhaps.

Yuan Chen could feel the flow of time slowing down, and his thoughts seemed to freeze at the moment he heard Xiulite's answer.

I can accept killing, Yuan Chen thought... but I never expected it to be done this way.

He killed someone with a pair of hands that he couldn't see, touch, or even notice.

"What's wrong?" Qiyana asked from the side, her eyes filled with worry.

"... I'm fine."

"You don't look like you're alright!"

Qiyana responded somewhat displeased with Yuan Chen's words:

"Is it because of that person who just committed suicide? Wake up! This isn't your fault! You know, those miners have already touched the Void! You're a prophet, you know what that means!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen looked at Qiyana and met her gaze.

Qiyana had never seen Yuan Chen like this before... Gone was his former pride, relaxation, ease, and confidence... All that she had once trusted and admired so much.

His dark eyes even held a hint of unease and fear, but deep within them lay a strange obsession.

"I know that's right," Yuan Chen replied, "But that's not a reason."

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, Qiyana seemed to sense something. She met Yuan Chen's gaze for a moment, then turned away without saying a word...

Perhaps she didn't know how to persuade this guy who had never lost his composure since he appeared in front of her.

"Actually... you didn't need to do this at all, sir."

Sensing Yuan Chen's tone, Xiulite, standing to the side, uneasily removed his mask.

Exposed to the air, his face, covered with deep wrinkles, looked like that of a man in his fifties or sixties... In terms of appearance, physique, and build, it was hard to imagine that Xiulite was a man in his early thirties.

Looking at Yuan Chen, he had met and received many people.

Xiulite could sense that Yuan Chen wasn't just putting on an act like those other "big shots." Rather, it stemmed from something more... resentful? Or perhaps something more complex.

"It's not your fault, the Chem-Baron fired us... People die in the ditch every day, it's nothing. Rather, because the Hextech Gemstone refineries stopped, the smog has lessened considerably, and countless people have survived because of it."

"I know."

Yuan Chen lowered his head and patted the dust off his shoulders.

Through the misty fog, Yuan Chen could see and sense that Jeno's death was just the beginning...

As the first person jumped off the arched bridge in the Sump, the despair and yearning for liberation he brought began to spread like a virus.

This suppressed despair had been building up for a long time... it just happened to erupt today.

It started raining in the gutter, not heavily, perhaps only a few drops.

It simply keeps falling on the arched bridges, whether near or far.

It dripped into the dark green alchemical waste, splashing up unsettling sprays.

"Then how should I forgive myself?"

"This..."

Xiulite was somewhat at a loss... He didn't know if Yuan Chen was actually asking him a question, or if Yuan Chen was asking Yuan Chen himself. Because when he said those words, Yuan Chen's eyes weren't even focused on him.

This confusion and helplessness lasted only a few seconds before Xiulite simply knelt on the ground, weeping and begging for mercy.

"I... I don't know! Sir! I don't know! I was wrong! I shouldn't have said that..."

Yuan Chen didn't hear Xiulite's words, but Xiulite's words did bring Yuan Chen's eyes back to focus.

A moment later, Yuan Chen seemed to sense something and looked towards the upper levels of Zaun.

After a moment of silence, Yuan Chen calmly said, "Alright, stand up."

"I... okay, okay..."

Xiulite initially didn't want to stand up, but after noticing the coldness in Yuan Chen's words, he quickly overcame his fear and stood up, supporting his numb legs.

She stood humbly before Yuan Chen, raised her face, and forced a smile, afraid that Yuan Chen would be displeased because of her fear.

It's somewhat comical.

Yuan Chen glanced at Xiulite, but his eyes showed little emotion.

Looking at the alchemical waste liquid beneath the arched bridge, Yuan Chen calmly said, "That's enough for today... Come back tomorrow."

"Uh... well, you..." Xiulite somewhat uneasily.

"Something unusual happened... Don't worry, it'll still be you tomorrow, I won't make things difficult for you."

"Thank you, sir!"

Yuan Chen's words were like a pardon to Xiulite, who breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Then I'll be going now. If you need anything, just have someone call me. Most people at the factory know me, and I'll be there right away!"

Yuan Chen nodded silently.

To this, Jarl, somewhat confused, asked, "Then what we're looking for..."

"How about tomorrow? Let's come back tomorrow!" Ezreal tugged at Jarl's sleeve, indicating, "Then let's come back tomorrow!"

"Um."

Yuan Chen nodded. Having received permission, Ezreal dragged Jarl away as if fleeing.

Back at the factory, Jarl, who had been dragged along the way, looked at Ezreal beside him with some confusion. "Hey! Friend! What's wrong with you? Why are you so nervous? Did something happen again?"

Ezreal, still shaken, clutched his chest and said, "I don't know either."

You don't know either?

"Hmm, I don't know either!" Ezreal nodded vigorously, looking in the direction Yuan Chen had left, his eyes filled with a hint of doubt as he said:

"You know me, I always have a very keen sense of danger!"

"Of course! We were able to avoid those traps when we went down into the tomb together thanks to you!"

"I just sensed a very dangerous aura!" Ezreal said, still somewhat shaken.

"Yuan Chen's condition is not quite right!"