章 45: A madman who could destroy a city with a single word.
"To protect the nation and uphold justice... is that so?"
Within the confines of the tent, a young man named Singed murmured softly.
Once upon a time, this was the most sincere dream of his childhood, and he had tirelessly strived toward that goal. Yet, the more he pursued it, the less he could comprehend the actions of his master, who had instilled this very notion in him.
"Heh... It seems you still do not understand."
Seeing his disciple's lingering confusion, Warwick sighed with a mixture of expectation and disappointment, saying, "But that's alright; you are still young. I have no doubt that one day you will mature into a true alchemist capable of standing on your own. Until that day arrives, allow me, as your master, to guide your path."
"Al, I am heartened that you remember the phrase 'to protect the nation and uphold justice,' but it seems you have forgotten the essence of the 'nation' you are meant to protect," Warwick lamented.
Upon hearing his master's sigh, Singed's body jolted as if he grasped something profound. "To protect the nation... to protect the nation... I am an alchemist of Zaun; naturally, I must defend this realm. But... but..."
With his head bowed, he repeatedly muttered the word "but," before suddenly lifting his gaze and questioning loudly, "But, Master, this has nothing to do with your experiment that has sacrificed the lives of over four hundred thousand people, which is destined to fail!"
"If it were on the battlefield, if it were against the invading forces of Demacia, I would have mercilessly annihilated them, even if it meant the lives of eight hundred thousand. Yet now, those whose hopes and lives have been shattered by your experiment are merely innocent civilians!"
"Moreover, this experiment was entirely unnecessary! The deaths of these four hundred thousand were in vain! They cannot contribute anything to our research. So why, Master, do you persist in this course of action?"
"Heh... Why? It is difficult for me to explain the reasons behind all of this."
With a weary sigh, the valiant middle-aged man revealed a hint of despondency typical of his age. "I can only say that it is the world's fault."
"I understand that ever since I accepted the invitation from the Darius brothers to join the Noxian military, you have been displeased. So now, let me explain the reasons behind it all."
"Al, my dearest disciple, I do not wish for us to part ways due to a lack of communication. You must understand that inadequate information exchange is often the greatest threat to the bonds between people."
"You know the state of Zaun, our shared homeland: barren, chaotic, filthy, and disordered. This is Zaun; this is our common country."
Warwick's tone was akin to reciting a lament for the end of days, as he softly intoned, "The wicked act with impunity; the virtuous are suffocated; the murderers stride boldly through the streets; the guilty reside atop their thrones... This is Zaun."
"In such a chaotic nation, even without external invasion, I believe it will ultimately perish under the weight of its own sins."
"In Zaun, no one dares to harbor goodwill, for those who do often find themselves becoming fodder for the growth of malevolence. This is a cold, unfeeling land that no one favors—save for the criminals flocking in from across the continent."
"Here, alchemists have forsaken the pride of being seekers of science and magic, descending into depravity like the most loathsome maggots in the depths of hell, casually taking lives for an experiment devoid of necessity."
"Alchemists of Zaun are the most formidable yet also the most nefarious profession on the roads of Valoran. While necromancers merely disturb the slumber of the dead, we, the wicked alchemists, not only strip the living of their hope but also plunder the value of the deceased."
"I have no doubt that if this status quo remains unchanged, one day these wicked individuals will be dragged into hell by their own malevolent inventions, taking countless innocent souls from Zaun into an endless inferno—much like the ancient magical kingdoms."
"And to avert this most dreadful outcome, our faction has tirelessly sought solutions for centuries. Our predecessors trudged along this path, only to meet with despair."
"They devoted their entire lives to seeking answers, yet they could not glimpse a glimmer of hope. But now, hope has finally emerged, and the time has come for you and me to invest everything for this hope. Al, my disciple, my most outstanding apprentice, you and I shall witness the dawn of a grand era together! We shall reshape the order of Zaun!"
"Hope... is that so?" Singed murmured uncertainly, repeating the phrase. "Master, when you speak of hope, do you mean... Noxus?"
"Heh... Indeed," Warwick replied, revealing a smile that was difficult to discern as either ironic or mocking. "Noxus, as the mightiest nation on the Valoran continent, possesses an army of unparalleled strength. Yet now, it faces the gravest crisis in a thousand years—its generals have collectively vanished."
"At present, Noxus is barely holding together thanks to the unparalleled wisdom of Swain and the iron-fisted methods of the newly risen Darius brothers. However, it faces external threats from the ever-watchful Demacia and internal conspiracies from traditionalist military leaders and remnants of the old Noxian power. Confronted with such internal strife and external threats, Noxus has extended an olive branch to the outside world, seeking allies from nations it once scorned."
"Fortuitously, the chaotic and disordered Zaun has caught the attention of that group of madmen in the Noxian military, and I, as one of Zaun's most powerful alchemists, have been fortunate enough to receive an invitation from Noxus. Do you understand how fortunate this is, Al?" Warwick inquired with a smile.
"Master, do you intend to... leverage Noxus's power to transform Zaun?" In an instant, Singed grasped his master's intention, yet the thought was so incredulous that he stared wide-eyed in astonishment.
"Heh... Precisely," Warwick nodded approvingly, clearly pleased with his disciple's astuteness. "Noxus, as a superpower that has endured for a millennium, is undoubtedly one of the continent's elite. Even Demacia, which has risen in the past few centuries, cannot contend with Noxus's ironclad army without the presence of military god Zhao Xin and the celestial guardian Sona."
"As long as we connect ourselves to Noxus and gain the military's endorsement, we shall return to Zaun with the support of its army and become the undisputed rulers of Zaun. Only then will we possess the true strength to subdue the chaotic factions and powers within our homeland, enabling us to genuinely change our nation."
"However... Master, what you are saying has nothing to do with this experiment," Singed weakly questioned.
"Heh... Does it not matter? That is merely because you are still too young to see it," Warwick sighed cryptically. "Do you think just anyone can earn the recognition and trust of the Noxian military?"
"Even if we can enhance the strength of Noxus's army through our exceptional alchemy and prove our worth, how can you guarantee that they will not sever ties once they have weathered the storm?"
"Remember, in the face of such a colossal entity as a nation, universal human values and principles cannot bind them. Thus, for the sake of our ideals and our safety, we must do everything in our power to convey to the Noxian military—do not provoke us."
"Whether it was the incident in Tianshin City or the poisoning experiment in that small nation to the east of Noxus, the purpose was merely to silently convey a message to the Noxian military."
With a dangerous narrowing of his eyes, Warwick stated coolly, "I am a madman—a madman capable of annihilating thousands."
"In this world, the greedy can be controlled with money, the lustful with beauty, and the power-hungry with authority; only a madman cannot be tamed."
Warwick sneered, "I need the entire world, including the Noxian military, to believe I am a madman—an uncontrollable yet immensely valuable one. Only then will they behave themselves and refrain from plotting behind my back, for any sane person understands the cardinal rule: never, ever provoke a madman."
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