Chapter 330: CHAPTER 330 - Lady Pale
After nearly an entire night of relentless work, Li Lin, dressed in a white lab coat, finally emerged from the room at dawn. Jarvan IV, who had been waiting outside since the late hours after the meeting, immediately stood up, accompanied by Shyvana and Paldrek, as the door opened. Behind them, two Dauntless Vanguard guards followed.
During this period, Alburke had been handling the miscellaneous affairs in Renwal Town, so last night, Jarvan IV instructed him to rest well and to join them later for the prisoner exchange meeting.
"How's the situation?" Jarvan IV asked anxiously.
"Rest assured, it's been resolved," Li Lin replied, as he casually transformed his lab coat into regular clothing under the surprised gazes of the others.
Noticing the curious looks from Paldrek and the two Vanguard soldiers, Li Lin smiled and explained, "This is Piltover's nanotechnology, something I've been working on—not magic."
Li Lin then turned back to Jarvan IV and briefly described the condition of the six soldiers inside the room: "I've removed their necrotic eyes and performed the necessary surgeries. Given their current recovery rate, if they get enough rest and proper nutrition, their eyes should regenerate in a few months. The exact recovery speed will depend on their individual constitutions; some may heal faster, some slower."
Li Lin could have expedited the regrowth of their eyes, but since these soldiers hadn't undergone "gene enhancement serum" or "vitality boosters," doing so would have posed a slight risk of genetic collapse. Even a probability of less than 1% was too high for him, as it could jeopardize Jarvan IV's trust.
"Is this... really not magic?" Paldrek asked, incredulous that eyes could be removed and regrown naturally without the aid of magic.
"According to Li Lin, this technology should be called 'genetic engineering'... Excuse my pronunciation; we don't have such a term in Demacia," Jarvan IV corrected himself.
"Genetics, Your Highness," Li Lin corrected him. "I refer to it as 'genetic engineering.'"
"Right, genetics, that's the word," Jarvan IV echoed, turning to Paldrek, who nodded in vague understanding, his face still a picture of confusion.
Li Lin didn't intend to waste time explaining further. Even in Piltover, such knowledge was considered highly specialized and cutting-edge, so Paldrek wouldn't comprehend it anyway.
It was around 8:00 AM, and Li Lin had an appointment with Jarvan IV to attend the Noxian prisoner exchange meeting at 2:00 PM. He needed to prepare quickly.
"Your Highness..."
Before Li Lin could finish, Jarvan IV already knew what he was about to say and waved his hand. "Everything is arranged. I sent a messenger last night to negotiate with the Noxians. They agreed."
He paused, glancing down the castle corridor.
In reality, with the Dauntless Vanguard's strict control and the 24-hour patrols of the Storm Drones, it was almost impossible for spies to infiltrate the castle. But out of caution, Jarvan IV still ensured no outsiders were present.
"Last night, we devised a battle plan, but it was specifically tailored for the Dauntless Vanguard. We didn't factor you in," Jarvan IV said in a low voice. "What do you plan to do?"
Li Lin hesitated for a few seconds before responding, "Do you know of Noxus' Black Rose Society?"
Jarvan IV's expression immediately turned grave. "Is this related to the Black Rose?"
"I wouldn't say related, but this operation against you was entirely orchestrated by the Black Rose."
Li Lin nodded. "The blood mages, tied to one of the founders of the Black Rose, bear a striking resemblance."
"Vladimir... I've read about him in books," Jarvan IV said solemnly. "But he disappeared from Noxian history long ago."
"Many believe he's dead," Li Lin said calmly. "But those adept in blood magic can easily extend their lifespans."
"How do you know this?"
"A sage, a warrior of the golden Sun Disc, and a grand scholar of the Shuriman Empire told me."
"Wha—"
Jarvan IV, along with Shyvana, Paldrek, and the two Vanguard soldiers, were all visibly shaken.
"You..." Jarvan IV could barely speak.
After several seconds, he calmed his shock, stammering, "Have you... Have you seen an Ascended? They truly exist?"
"Indeed, Your Highness. Have you not heard of the Shuriman Empire's revival?"
Jarvan IV remained silent.
"Your Highness, you've been occupied at the border these past few months, dealing with bandits, so it's understandable that news hasn't reached you," Paldrek interjected, clearly more informed. "The last emperor of Shurima, Azir, has resurrected in the form of a god and returned to the long-fallen Sun Capital. He has once again erected the Sun Disc in the heart of the desert."
At one in the afternoon, Li Lin, Jarvan IV, Shyvana, and six shield formations from the fearless Vanguard arrived at the designated meeting place. Along with them were several prisoner transport wagons carrying thirty Noxian captives, as well as ten additional shield formations in stealth.
To demonstrate their sincerity, Noxus had chosen a location at the Demacian border, in the tranquil lake region. The area was wide open with no possible ambush points. An abandoned village, now deserted by its inhabitants, served as the meeting venue.
"This village is called Silent Lake Village, correct?" Jarvan IV asked his aide, Alburk.
"Yes, it seems the Noxians have arrived ahead of us," the aide confirmed.
On the other side, Paldrek suggested, "Your Highness, let me send a shield formation into the village to scout the area."
Before Jarvan IV could respond, Li Lin interjected, "No need for that. My drone has already surveyed the interior, and there's no sign of an ambush."
He gestured to the others, and an invisible nanodrone became visible, causing the nearby shield soldiers to gasp in surprise.
"Optical camouflage technology utilizes the principles of light refraction and the surrounding environmental data to blend in seamlessly with the surroundings."
Li Lin then projected images captured by the drones that had infiltrated Tranquil Lake Village, displaying the location of a Noxian squad resting inside a house and even the whereabouts of Ted.
There were fifty Noxian soldiers in the village, excluding a refined middle-aged woman with snow-white skin waiting in what appeared to be the village chief's house, and a burly man in command.
When Li Lin displayed the information panel for the middle-aged woman using "Data Mind," he couldn't help but gasp.
Sure enough!
The woman was none other than LeBlanc, one of the founders of Noxus and known as the Pale Lady! Of course, she wasn't the real LeBlanc but rather an illusion created by her magic.
Additionally, Ted was bound to a pillar in an abandoned building, guarded by heavily armed Noxian soldiers. He was missing his right arm, covered in wounds, and looked like he had been tortured.
"That's Ted! Damn it, those Noxian bastards!" Jarvan IV exclaimed angrily upon seeing Ted's condition.
They had originally planned to exchange the thirty Noxian prisoners for Ted, but Jarvan IV hadn't anticipated Ted being in such a dire state.
Despite the setback, Jarvan IV's resolve had hardened. He did not resort to rash actions or give irrational commands.
Given Li Lin's capability to regenerate soldiers' eyes, a missing arm should be manageable.
Jarvan IV took a deep breath, calming his anger. "Let's enter the village."
(End of Chapter)
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