CHAPTER 205 - The Chem-barons Stirring Up Trouble Again

In the living room, Valentina brewed tea for Li Lin and Kai'Sa.

Caitlyn needed some time to get from Glasswater Street to the academy.

During this time, Li Lin inquired about Valentina's recent situation.

Since she introduced her invention at the Incognia Plaza a few months ago, many families had shown interest in the project and discussed investment opportunities.

However, Valentina always believed that such risky technology should not be applied to ordinary life, especially when controlled by the influential families of Piltover.

She only planned to cooperate with Piltover's Enforcers, with the approval of the Council whenever it was to be used.

The first time she was harassed was over three months ago.

Back then, a few Zaun thugs with alchemical augmentation implants came to her door, asking for money.

But shortly after, the night patrol Enforcers arrived at her house, causing the thugs to flee upon hearing them, without daring to linger.

Valentina thought they were just ordinary robbers who were a bit too brazen, so she didn't think much of it.

She gradually realized something was amiss in the following weeks.

Every day, various dead animals would appear in her yard, ranging from ordinary cats and dogs to shadow rabbits, plague rats, and even stone beetles and swamp frog hatchlings.

Valentina reported it to the Enforcers, but after they investigated, they concluded it was just some gutter kids playing pranks.

It wasn't until the first death threat letter arrived that she finally realized the seriousness of the problem.

Since she didn't interact much with people on a regular basis and her family was no longer alive, Valentina chose to seek the help of Heimerdinger and applied to stay inside the academy.

But things didn't stop there.

She still felt a sense of unreality in this world, as if some terrifying presence was lurking in the dark corners, watching her.

In the following weeks, the situation worsened, and she began to feel like someone was whispering threats in her ear every day, accompanied by the incessant ringing of the mysterious phone...

Valentina became more and more agitated as she recounted these memories, as if these recollections had stirred up deep-seated fears within her, causing her to tremble uncontrollably.

"It's just an illusion, Valentina, calm down!" Li Lin hurriedly comforted her.

Then, he got up and opened the window, letting in the five storm robots that had just arrived.

Valentina was astonished. "...What is this?"

"They're combat robots I developed, called Aerial Mechanical Storm. They have semi-intelligent auxiliary chips and can automatically identify enemies."

"Wait until Caitlyn finds some clues, and we'll help you deal with the hidden hand threatening you. You don't need to worry when we leave; they will protect your safety."

Before Li Lin could finish speaking, there was a knock on the apartment door. Caitlyn had arrived.

He got up and opened the door, revealing Caitlyn standing in the hallway wearing a combat-friendly bodysuit, a brown-red beret on her head, and carrying a suitcase containing her iron-blood sniper rifle.

She heard the familiar sound and was drawn to the storm robots floating inside the room, her brows furrowing slightly. "It looks like things are serious?"

"Yeah...come in and let's talk."

Li Lin stepped aside to make room for Caitlyn to enter.

Then, he glanced left and right down the hallway.

There might be undercover agents sent by the families behind this among these Enforcers. He couldn't let them know about the upcoming conversation.

Turning back, Caitlyn had already taken out her notebook and was asking detailed questions, even down to what she ate for meals, who she had seen recently, and whether she had received any new threatening letters.

It was hard to explain over the phone, and there was a possibility of the hidden hand's agents eavesdropping, so Li Lin didn't say much.

After Caitlyn finished her questions and began to carefully inspect every room inside and outside the apartment, she finally stopped at the trash can in the living room, kneeling down on one knee.

"Did you find anything?" Li Lin approached and saw her pulling out several pieces of shredded paper from the filled trash can, instantly stunned.

In his mind, the Data Mind panel displayed traces of "mental disruption potion" on these shredded pieces of paper.

"A trash can...why didn't I think of it? Those guys actually applied the potion to the letters."

Caitlyn looked back in surprise. "Potion?"

Valentina had just mentioned this, but her thoughts were scattered, making it difficult to explain clearly.

"That's a type of alchemical potion that induces hallucinations. If taken in excess, it can cause irreversible damage to the mind, or even death," Li Lin explained.

"The fact that it can be applied to letters indicates that this potion can affect people through the gas it emits. Valentina said she inspected every threatening letter," Caitlyn mused with lowered eyelids.

"Her situation is already very serious. She must have been inhaling this potion since receiving the first threatening letter," she added after a moment of contemplation.

She pulled out a transparent evidence bag from her small satchel, carefully placing all the shredded threat letters inside before tucking it back in.

"These shreds with remnants of alchemical potion are crucial evidence and must be kept safe," she emphasized.

Then, Caitlyn rose and looked at Li Lin. "Based on the current clues, this matter seems to be related to some alchemical baron from the Undercity."

Today's alchemical barons, except for Renata, all bow to Silco, but that doesn't mean they obey his every command.

They are the rulers of Zaun, collaborating with the Piltover families to conduct some shady business, which is normal.

After some thought, Li Lin added, "But he or they are not the mastermind behind this. They're just like those Enforcers, bought off by some Piltover family."

"Smart!" Caitlyn's lips curled into a slight smile. "You know Vander, maybe we can ask for his help."

"Vander... it's been a long time since I've seen them," Li Lin couldn't help but recall the faces of Powder, Vi, and Ekko.

He had rushed back from Shurima before, without getting a chance to tell Powder in the Lanes.

Although he wrote a few letters to Powder while traveling in Shurima, he didn't know if she received them.

But even if she did, with her fiery temper, she would surely scold him for leaving without a word, and perhaps Wei would blame him for making Powder upset.

Fortunately, he bought a bunch of souvenirs when he returned from Shurima, which Powder should like...

Li Lin's eyes flickered with a hint of helplessness, quickly suppressing it and turning serious again.

A significant portion of the alchemical barons are still a threat. Despite Silco's control and the previous warnings, it can only keep them calm for a while.

He felt that this was an opportunity to bring down those disloyal alchemical barons and unify the power of Zaun.

Of course, centralized power cannot be handed over to Silco, nor can it be entrusted to the families, otherwise it would easily lead to misunderstandings and arouse Silco's suspicions...

Various thoughts flashed through Li Lin's mind.

He took a deep breath, beckoning to Kai'Sa to get ready to leave, then turned his gaze back to Caitlyn.

"We can't afford to delay. Let's head to Zaun first."

(End of Chapter)

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