章節 260: CHAPTER 260 - Renata, Your Sins Are Unforgivable!
Li Lin quickly shared his concept for constructing a wind power station with Janna.
On one hand, he would have his team build wind turbines in the twin cities, while Janna would control the wind to an optimal level, providing a continuous power source.
On the other hand, he would promote the idea that the winds generating electricity were Janna's gift, attracting new believers and creating a positive feedback loop that would strengthen her with their faith.
With thousands witnessing the Wind Goddess herself today, news would spread faster than Li Lin's efforts alone.
The Guardian of Zaun had never abandoned its people. She had always been there, helping anyone in need during times of crisis.
This way, Janna's followers and the power of their faith would reach unprecedented heights, potentially elevating her to the status of a demigod in Runeterra.
After all, the population of the twin cities now far surpassed that of the old Oshra Va'Zaun.
Janna agreed with Li Lin's idea, acknowledging its feasibility. She instructed him to call her using the bird amulet imbued with her wind spirit once the wind power plant was built.
However, there was another issue: how to expand the current Wind Goddess cult, which had only a few hundred followers, into the largest religious group in the twin cities.
Through Li Lin's inquiries, he learned that Janna had never imposed any restrictions on her followers. There were no slogans, doctrines, or rules.
Without anyone to promote the Wind Goddess, her power had fluctuated over the centuries, making it unstable.
Li Lin proposed building a Wind Goddess church in each city and selecting the most devout followers to serve as bishops and priests, spreading Janna's message.
Additionally, they needed to establish rules and doctrines to guide the followers and prevent anyone from exploiting the church for malicious purposes.
Li Lin would fund the construction of the churches, recruitment of followers, and their ongoing support and promotion. This was part of his agreement with Janna.
And this amount of money was negligible for him now.
After their discussion, Janna's form gradually became transparent and merged back into the gentle breeze.
There were many in the lower plaza, Undercity, and Lanes who needed help. Regardless of their faith, Janna, now restored in power, was determined to assist them.
Watching the direction of the departing wind, Li Lin couldn't help but admire Janna's kindness and selflessness.
If she had cared for herself even a little, she wouldn't have ended up needing human assistance today.
But this was precisely the charm of Janna as a wind spirit and a deity of faith.
...
Over the next dozen hours, with the aid of mechanical soldiers, the rescue operation was almost complete.
Hearing about the situation, Orianna, just as in the original timeline, came to Zaun to help those in need.
However, with Li Lin's intervention and Caitlyn and Kai'Sa accompanying her, she avoided her tragic fate and took a different path.
To prevent any unnecessary accidents, Li Lin assigned two mechanical soldiers to accompany them.
Caitlyn, with her enhanced body and the protection of the Infinite Mark IV armor, needed no extra worry from Li Lin.
Kai'Sa, even less so.
In the current twin cities, her strength was second only to Li Lin and Janna.
Though young, she was stronger than Camille and capable of taking care of herself.
These two mechanical soldiers were mainly to assist Orianna.
Not just them, Vi, Powder, Claggor, and Milo also secretly came to help but were soon caught by Vander.
At the children's earnest requests, Vander stayed to help at the breathing station, forbidding them from going to dangerous places, and specifically asked Li Lin to assign mechanical soldiers to watch over them.
Fortunately, they understood the gravity of the situation and genuinely wanted to help, sticking to tasks within their capabilities, which reassured both Li Lin and Vander.
Moreover, to Li Lin's surprise, it wasn't just the Kiramman, Ferros, and Medarda families that came to aid in the disaster relief.
Perhaps seeing Li Lin's unstoppable rise over the past year, other Council families, even some that previously despised Zaun, offered varying degrees of manpower and relief supplies.
Of course, Glasc Industries was no exception.
Just over an hour after the incident, Glasc Industries staff, seemingly prepared in advance, arrived with supplies, only to find Li Lin already had the situation under control.
Their workers distributed Glasc's new Chemtech breathing masks to the public for free.
These masks didn't just filter toxic components from the air like traditional masks but purified the air as it passed through the filter, offering superior protection.
Li Lin knew this was the work of the Chem-Baron's technology.
When he returned to Piltover and met with Silco, the latter mentioned this matter, expressing a desire to seize the opportunity to eliminate the fickle Chem-Baron.
After analyzing the data, it was revealed that a total of 33,986 people in the Midtown Plaza and Undercity were affected by the explosion and the leakage of alchemical toxins, excluding those affected by the spread of the poison fog to other areas.
Among them, 796 people died, 1,479 were missing, and countless more were injured.
Without Li Lin's intelligent mechanical workers, the rescue operation would have taken at least ten days to two weeks longer.
Without the Shimmer potions and the life-restoring elixirs he purchased from the "Essence Emporium," the number of casualties would have increased exponentially.
At least a thousand severely injured citizens would have been unable to make it through.
While the people of Zaun thanked Janna, they were even more grateful to Li Lin.
As the early morning sun rose, the residents of the Midtown Plaza did not have the opportunity to bask in its daily warmth.
While the mechanical workers and rescue teams distributed breakfast to the people, Li Lin greeted some of them and then approached Caitlyn, who was busy, asking her and the AI to take over the affairs of the Breathing Station for the time being.
He had more pressing matters to attend to now.
One of Silco's spies, disguised as a commoner, had discovered Renata's whereabouts in the area where she often frequented before.
She was now in a "cabaret" on the upper level of Zaun's dance steps.
Receiving Silco's call, Li Lin suddenly realized.
No wonder the undercover sheriffs hadn't been able to find her; they had been wandering near Renata's mansion and commercial properties.
But the cabaret she was in belonged to Chem-Baron Bonnie, a sister who had once participated in the "Day of Ashes" with Vander and Silco.
The traitor wasn't from the Piltover Enforcers but from within the Chem-Barons themselves.
Bonnie had defected, joining Renata's ranks.
At last year's Chem-Baron conference, Li Lin had killed Baron Fenn as a warning to others; soon after, Bonnie, who had business conflicts with Renata, quickly submitted to Silco.
As the weakest force among the Chem-Barons so far, Bonnie had been quite stable, obedient to Silco's arrangements in almost every matter.
Neither Li Lin nor Silco had expected Bonnie, who seemed so obedient, to join Renata.
But to Li Lin, this was also understandable.
Renata wielded power and influence, nearly matching Silco's, and she maliciously acquired most of Zaun's cabarets.
The industries under Bonnie's command were limited to these cabarets.
She knew she couldn't survive the struggle between the two rulers of Zaun. Staying under Silco's control, she would eventually be devoured by Renata's forces.
Aligning with Renata was merely a ploy to retain a sliver of power and wealth, avoiding their loss.
This aligned with Li Lin's intentions.
For such an elder Chem-Baron and traitor, it wasn't worth making Vander uneasy. Silco would handle her.
Furthermore, Bonnie's betrayal made Li Lin realize that the Chem-Barons were unreliable and unfit to rule Zaun.
It was time to reclaim control of Zaun from these people.
For now...
Li Lin's AI locked onto the location provided by Silco, a nightclub where Renata was hiding.
He landed steadily in front of the establishment, ignoring the panicked thugs attempting to act tough. Using an infrared scanner, he directly identified a middle-aged woman with Chemtech prosthetics on the third floor.
Next to her floated a device packed with Shimmer vials and over a dozen mini-biochemical missiles, resembling a turret.
This technology also originated from Baron Medenstok, developed by Renata's Alchemical craftsmen.
Renata always had this machine for protection.
It seemed Silco's intel was accurate.
Expressionless, Li Lin walked into the nightclub.
One of the guards stuttered, trying to block him, "St-stand..."
Before he could finish, Li Lin easily pushed him to the ground.
The other guard, recognizing the ironclad figure, did not interfere but respectfully saluted Li Lin.
In the early morning, the nightclub was a mess after a night of revelry, with drunk men and women sprawled everywhere in scant clothing.
Li Lin ignored them, swiftly taking down a few guards who tried to stop him, and walked up to the most luxurious room on the third floor. Disregarding the warnings of Renata's bodyguards, he pushed the door open.
Renata sat on the sofa, swirling a glass of fine red wine in her right hand.
Hearing the commotion at the door, she looked up to see Li Lin in his battle armor. Her mechanical left hand twitched, sending a command to the floating device beside her.
Through the AI's scan and warning, Li Lin noticed the device's launch barrel aimed at him.
Shimmer fuel boiled, and the biochemical missiles inside were ready to launch.
"Well, well, look who it is," Renata's slightly raspy voice, masked by a respirator, reached his ears.
"Renata, do you think... such a worthless machine can protect you?"
"What do you mean by that?" Renata's purple-red eyes narrowed, her tone chilling. "It seems you're here to cause trouble?"
"We both know what you've done, Renata. There's no need for pretenses with me," Li Lin sneered. "Given your crimes—violations of human rights, economic fraud, manufacturing unlicensed weapons—you could have received a mere twenty years with good behavior and parole.
"But now, adding the charge of detonating Chemtech facilities in Zaun, causing thousands of casualties and displacing tens of thousands, severely endangering public safety...
"Even if Piltover's law doesn't have the death penalty, they'd make an exception for you."
A flash of emotion crossed Renata's eyes as she prepared to retort, but Li Lin's shout silenced her: "Renata, your crimes are unforgivable!"
(End of Chapter)
章節 261: CHAPTER 261 - Chem-Barons? They Are No Longer Necessary
It could only be said that Renata was a seasoned manipulator.
Even when questioned so harshly by Li Lin, she remained exceptionally calm.
"Heh, Master Li Lin, everyone must be responsible for their actions. If we were in Piltover, could I sue you for defamation?" she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Li Lin snorted, unwilling to waste any more words with her.
The crimes of Glasc Industries were already confirmed. The explosion at the Zaun Chemtech facility still needed further investigation, but the mechanical engineers had already ruled out the possibility of an "accident."
No matter how flawlessly an act is carried out, it always leaves some trace.
While cleaning up the site, the mechanical engineers found tiny fragments of a Chemtech bomb among the debris. These fragments included traces of short hair, clearly belonging to a man. Without the scanning capabilities of the mechanical engineers and the AI's database comparison, even the most expert investigators in Piltover would have missed this crucial evidence.
In Zaun, there was only one person capable of producing such a nearly trace-free Chemtech bomb—Renata. Not even Silco had access to such a weapon.
Li Lin had already instructed the mechanical engineers to collect the evidence and deliver it to Sheriff Grayson, who was also overseeing the rescue operations in the lower city.
It wouldn't take long for Piltover's authorities to analyze and determine the specific materials and components, identifying who used it.
Li Lin's AI locked onto Renata and her floating device. He prepared to fire a "stun round" and a regular energy blast to incapacitate her and destroy her weapon.
But Renata seemed to anticipate his move. Her Chemtech-augmented left hand twitched, triggering the device into attack mode.
[Warning! You have been locked onto by Renata's device. Biochemical missiles have been launched!]
[Warning! The device has vaporized a significant amount of Shimmer. Biochemical poison gas will be released shortly!]
As the AI's warnings blared, Renata's device launched several missiles filled with Chemtech chemicals at Li Lin. Following the missiles, a wave of purple toxic gas surged from the device, filling the small room almost instantly.
Before Li Lin could react, the AI had already locked onto the airborne biochemical missiles and activated the defense system. It launched several ultra-compressed mini energy blasts, obliterating the missiles without causing any explosions.
As for the toxic gas filling the room, it was known for its strong neuro-stimulating effects and bodily enhancements. Thanks to the filters in his armor, Li Lin was unconcerned.
However, the room wasn't airtight, and the toxic gas began leaking outside. Renata's men, stationed outside, started fighting each other under the influence of the gas.
At that moment, Renata, who had rushed to the window to escape using her floating device, was shocked when a blue-white energy glow from Li Lin's suit illuminated the room. She hadn't expected his armor to be so powerful.
Renata acted swiftly, gripping the handle of her device with her left hand. She stepped off the window ledge, letting the floating machine carry her into the air.
Seeing Li Lin standing motionless, she ordered her device to target the entire dance hall and fire biochemical missiles to destroy it.
She believed that given the choice between capturing her and saving innocent lives, Li Lin would choose the latter.
Unfortunately, her plan was flawed.
Hearing the AI's alert, Li Lin decided not to waste any more time. He activated "Overload Charge," now instantaneous thanks to Janna's blessings and protection. His suit glowed with a brilliant blue light.
With the AI's assistance, his speed increased significantly. In a blink of an eye, Renata noticed Li Lin had disappeared from the room, her heart filled with dread.
"Damn! Where did that bastard go?"
She quickly scanned her surroundings.
Renata had heard about Li Lin's ability to fly and had considered creating a similar flying defensive armor for herself. However, despite her top-tier craftsmen's efforts, they couldn't replicate the technology by mere observation.
Li Lin memorized the schematics mentally, never sharing them, ensuring no risk of leakage.
Seeing no trace of Li Lin, Renata frowned deeply, "Has he left?"
Then she shook her head vigorously, causing her device to wobble. "No, impossible! He wouldn't let me go…"
"Exactly, why would I let you go?"
As her words trailed off, Renata heard a familiar voice, cold as death, whispering in her ear.
Renata took a sharp breath, her violet eyes narrowing in shock. When did he...?
Before she could react, Li Lin had already swung his "high-frequency vibrating blade," severing her mechanical left arm and cutting off her connection to the Bionic Extractor. As she began to fall, stunned, Li Lin pondered briefly on how to handle the device. Ultimately, he decided to keep it as evidence against Glasc.
Destroying the extractor's propulsion system, he swiftly caught the falling Renata, using precise energy control to knock her unconscious. The next step was simple: contact Sheriff Grayson and have Renata locked up. He wasn't particularly concerned with the subsequent charges and trials against Glasc.
Capturing Renata was significant. She was currently Zaun's most powerful Chem-Baron, far surpassing the second. Of course, Silco and Vander weren't Chem-Barons and didn't count in these rankings.
Li Lin handed Renata over to the hurriedly arriving Sheriff Grayson and her elite enforcers from Piltover's middle square, instructing her to secretly transport Renata without any leaks. They couldn't be sure what other plans Renata might have.
Zaun's stability had to be ensured. Li Lin needed to quickly gain control over all of Glasc Industries. With time running short, he called Silco, informing him of Renata's capture and asking him to summon all the Chem-Barons for an emergency meeting.
Silco, understanding Li Lin's intentions, agreed immediately and notified him to meet in the border market's building conference room in an hour.
Li Lin then had the AI redistribute tasks, deploying about a hundred idle mechanical soldiers in groups of three to five to stand by at Glasc's twenty-plus factories.
They were to scan for any hazardous items like bombs. If found, the soldiers would take control of the factories, cut off external communications, and disable any bombs without waiting for further orders. If no dangers were found, they would await Li Lin's post-meeting instructions to simultaneously secure all factories.
Li Lin prioritized monitoring certain alchemical workshops, leaving places like dance halls, bars, and restaurants to Silco's men.
Half an hour passed quickly. With nothing pressing to do, Li Lin arrived early at Silco's office to discuss the upcoming Chem-Baron meeting.
Silco had already decided not to spare Bonnie, despite their past ties. He had sent modified soldiers enhanced with Shimmer and Chemtech to deal with her. The dance hall was sealed by Piltover's enforcers and Li Lin's mechanical soldiers. Bonnie was unaware of Renata's capture and was en route from the middle square, only to be intercepted.
Based on Li Lin's understanding of Silco, Bonnie would likely end up in the waters of Watcher Bay by the end of the night, keeping company with devilfish.
Silco also had evidence of Chem-Baron Middlestock's secret dealings with Renata, planning to present it at the meeting and deal with him openly.
Li Lin intended to dismantle the Chem-Barons' control over Zaun's districts, a move Silco supported. The Chem-Barons were no longer necessary. Even without Renata, Silco's rule faced obstacles from the other Barons.
Li Lin anticipated Silco's ambitions and planned to counter them by grooming Mundo as his representative in Zaun. Once the Chem-Barons' control was lifted, Mundo could emerge from the armory to play a more prominent role.
Together with Vander in the Lanes, Zaun could establish a tripartite balance of power. Vander wasn't interested in power struggles, focusing only on his territory. Mundo, with Li Lin's backing, could balance Silco's influence, preventing him from dominating Zaun entirely.
Li Lin and Silco discussed various plans until the AI reminded them it was time for the meeting. They then headed leisurely to the conference room, exchanging casual conversation.
Opening the conference room door, they found the Chem-Barons waiting. Unlike the last meeting, all the Chem-Barons were present this time.
Ernie, Barrett, and Longfellow, old acquaintances of Vander and Silco, controlled the botanical cultivation center, the Academy of Mystical Arts, and the Elevated Plaza, respectively.
Voslann, connected to the upper city, managed multiple mines and the robot manufacturing industry in the Undercity. They were members of the previous meeting.
In addition to the returning "Firelighter" Finn and Bonnie, three new faces joined the group.
Middlestock, thin and slick-looking with sparse hair and pale skin, bore an alchemical augmentation, giving a conniving impression.
Spindle, a Vashtaya with electric batons on his belt and wearing Chemtech leather armor, bore a slight resemblance to a Pekingese.
Adrien, with his head transplanted onto a Chemtech body and encased in a clear anti-explosion breathing mask, was covered in deadly weapons, his bronze alchemical claws menacingly sharp.
Spindle had killed his boss, Lyon Nickfer, the previous Chem-Baron, and now controlled a commercial empire. Adrien, who discovered oil after Renata, managed numerous alchemical workshops, mines, and refineries.
Upon entering, the Chem-Barons turned their gazes to Li Lin and Silco. Spindle and Adrien noted Li Lin walking ahead of Silco, a surprise evident in their eyes. Ernie, Barrett, and Longfellow looked concerned and tense, worried about Bonnie's absence.
Rannal, also a Chemtech-modified individual with her head transplanted onto a machine body, had a good relationship with Li Lin and remained at ease. Vos had dark circles under his eyes, his face filled with anxiety and fear, as if facing a difficult problem.
Li Lin quickly assessed their expressions and took the main seat, with Silco sitting opposite him. Meeting the Chem-Barons' surprised looks, Li Lin tapped the table, "Since everyone is here, let's begin the meeting."
(End of Chapter)
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