บท 10: CHAPTER 10 - Changing Fate
Warwick?!
Li Lin's pupils slightly contracted, and now he finally knew who the fifth hero was.
He never expected that Warwick would be the guardian of Vi and Jinx. So why was he later transformed into a rabbit wolf by Singed?
Jinx seemed to be in good spirits at the moment, but why did she become so insane later on?
Various doubts flashed through Li Lin's mind, and he felt that he was getting closer to a crisis.
It seemed like a wise choice to quickly secure the Hextech power crystal and then develop the exoskeleton power armor.
In the intricate and complex alleys of Zaun, Vander led the way without looking back.
Behind him, Caitlyn held onto Li Lin, keeping several body lengths between them and the man in front.
This was to ensure they had time to react in case of any unexpected incidents.
"Please, this way, you two," Vander said as he turned another corner, glanced back at the two of them, and then focused his attention on Li Lin, "Judging by your appearance, you're not from the upper city, are you?"
"Yes, I'm from Ionia. I came to Piltover four years ago because of the war."
"War, huh... I heard that the Noxian invasion has been at a standstill for the past two years because Ionia produced a leader?"
"Irelia, the Blade Dancer of Placidium," Li Lin mentioned a name, "In the 'Stand at Navori' battle, she led the resistance and defeated Noxian forces, turning the tide of the war."
Caitlyn, by his side, raised an eyebrow and stared at his profile, feeling quite impressed. None of these events had been reported in Piltover's newspapers, but it seemed he was still quite connected to his homeland.
"Oh, I remember now," Vander sighed, "You're quite fortunate to have escaped at the onset of the war."
Li Lin shook his head slightly, his thoughts elsewhere.
In no time, Vander would be dragged away by Singed for body modification, turning into the terrifying "monster" that struck fear into the hearts of Zaun.
By then, Vi and Jinx, whom he had been looking after, would drift apart for some reason. One would become a madwoman in the Undercity, and the other would join the enforcers in the upper city—Caitlyn's future partner.
"Are you okay?" Caitlyn noticed the unusual expression on his face and asked in a voice only they could hear.
"I'm fine, just thinking about some things," Li Lin waved his hand to reassure her.
Whether it was Warwick or Jinx, if left unchecked, they would both be troublesome in the future.
The current timeline was still early, and he should have time to change their fates. With determination, Li Lin let out a slow breath and began to contemplate what he should do.
First, he needed to subtly inform Vander, without sounding too crazy. He certainly couldn't walk up to Vander and say, "In the future, you'll be transformed into a monster, and Vi and Jinx will become enemies, right?"
Second, change had to be gradual. He could only guide things from behind the scenes, as he wasn't sure if this world, Runeterra, had the concept of "fate." In case, like many novels described, the world had a "correction force" that fixed things that deviated from their intended course, things could get tricky.
However, since the main universe had so many parallel worlds, that might not be an issue... hopefully.
Li Lin rubbed his chin, pondering his plan. He decided to start by investigating Vander's current relationship with Singed. When he got back, he would gather more information about Zaun, and the rest could wait until after the power armor was researched.
"Have you heard of a person named Singed?" he asked Vander, speaking softly.
"Singed?" Vander seemed puzzled by the name. "I don't have any recollection... Why do you ask about this person?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I heard that he invented an extremely unstable alchemical bomb for Noxus, turning everywhere he went into a forbidden zone of death, claiming countless lives," Li Lin deliberately emphasized his tone.
"Used it in the war?" Caitlyn was shocked, her teeth lightly biting her lip. "These Noxians are insane! Not only do they incite conflicts everywhere, but they also resort to such inhumane chemical weapons!"
Vander remained silent for a while, then hesitated slightly before saying, "If it's about researching alchemical weapons, I do know someone. But for the sake of your safety, I won't tell you."
"Why? Shouldn't someone like that, who's involved in such heinous acts during the war, be apprehended by the enforcers?"
Caitlyn, in her current stage of life, had not experienced many tumultuous events and appeared quite naive in her thinking. Therefore, her emotions tended to flare up easily.
Li Lin hurriedly reassured her, saying, "Let's calm down, Caitlyn. I believe Vander's not telling us for a good reason."
"The Undercity isn't as simple as you might think, miss."
Vander suddenly stopped walking, pointing to a signboard above that read "Benso General Store."
"We've arrived," he said, not waiting for a response from Li Lin and the still-excited Caitlyn. He pushed open the shop door and walked in on his own.
"Why did you speak up for him?" Caitlyn's eyes held a hint of indignation. "That guy you mentioned clearly committed such terrible deeds; he should face justice!"
Li Lin felt quite helpless. Initially, he only wanted to probe indirectly, but unexpectedly, he had ignited Caitlyn's sense of justice.
It was proving to be quite challenging...
"Caitlyn, this world isn't just black and white; it's a delicate shade of gray. Many times, we act against our will and can't do certain things as we'd like."
Li Lin paused for a moment. "As you can see, although Piltover and Zaun are twin cities, Zaun has effectively broken away from Piltover's control."
"Moreover, the conflicts between the two city-states are becoming increasingly intense. Since Singed is an alchemical genius, he's surely highly regarded by many Chem-Barons. They won't allow Piltover to meddle in their affairs."
He emphasized the words "Chem-Barons."
Although Caitlyn was somewhat naive, she wasn't entirely ignorant. Her parents had told her about the influence of the Chem-Barons in Zaun, and some of these alchemical magnates even had ties to many prominent families in Piltover.
The most prominent example was the Ferros family's "Hex Crystal Forge" in the depths of Zaun.
When did the Upper and Undercity become like this?
Caitlyn pursed her lips, her fist tightening slightly, but she refrained from speaking further.
Li Lin understood what was on her mind. He sighed softly, patting her shoulder gently.
"Thinking too much about it now won't help. If we want to change things, it's better to put our ideas into action... Today's time is limited, so let's go inside quickly. The sooner we go in, the sooner we can return, and that way, Lady Cassandra won't worry about your safety."
He had just turned to take a few steps when Caitlyn lightly tugged at his sleeve, her voice tinged with a touch of melancholy as she called out, "Li Lin..."
"Hmm?" Li Lin turned back, locking eyes with her.
In Caitlyn's sapphire-like eyes, various complex emotions flickered.
"If... I mean, if someone wanted to change the situation in the twin cities, would you help her... um, I mean, this person?"
"Of course," Li Lin smiled slightly. "That's also my goal."
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