-28- Cooperation

"You're too far away." Silco squinted his eyes and gestured. "My eyesight might not be as good as you think, so could you please throw it up for me to see?"

Upon hearing Silco's request, Linwin remained silent, looking at him thoughtfully. Linwin hesitated, contemplating whether to throw the Hextech crystal.

Although Linwin didn't believe the explosion of the Hextech crystal would harm him, he was quite certain it would be problematic for Silco.

He really was as skinny as a monkey.

"Are you sure? I think your idea might not be the best," Linwin shrugged, holding the Hextech crystal between his two fingers.

The crystals in his hand were different from the ones now used in the laboratories of Jayce and Viktor. The latter had developed improved versions of the crystals. 

As a result, the crystals in the laboratory were smoother and resembled a "sphere." The one in Linwin's hand had edges with various lengths and felt somewhat unpleasant to the touch.

Silco chuckled softly. He found Linwin's behavior perplexing. Linwin possessed greater combat strength than Vander, yet he willingly followed Vander's order. Him and Vander weren't the same type of people, but Linwin still faithfully assisted Vander. 

Huh? What's does he want? What can Vander offer him? A "Little Piltover" that's still under Piltover's control?

Yet, when it comes to dealing with him, he has repeatedly disrupted his plans, but has never taken decisive action. This time, he's even proposed a collaboration himself. However, it's quite clear that Linwin's sincerity is lacking.

To be clear, when Linwin asked for Shimmer, Silco readily gave it to him. But now, Silco is simply looking to examine this shining source of light, and Linwin is reluctant.

In response, Silco took a step forward and addressed Linwin, saying, "Are you asking me to go down there? If that's the case, Linwin, your sincerity doesn't seem quite enough."

"Exactly because I came here with sincerity, that's why I said no. Silco, you just don't understand the power of this thing."

Finally, Linwin said, "You want me to throw it to you? If I do, and you fail to catch it, you'll be in grave danger."

Silco turned to Singed, hoping to obtain information about the shining stone from him.

After all, he was entirely clueless when it came to "science." The reason he ended up with Singed was an accident. Singed needed Shimmer to save something, and Silco just happened to need Shimmer to save something too - Zaun itself.

For this purpose, the two of them formed an alliance. Silco provided the funds and Singed the expertise. However, the rights to use the Shimmer produced were owned by Silco.

This plan had been in preparation for many years.

The emergence of Shimmer 2.0 was all because of this guy, Linwin. Without him, Shimmer 1.0 would have been incredibly potent and usable. 

But in Linwin's presence, even this Shimmer 2.0 felt like a mere trinket.

Silco was somewhat skeptical of Singed. Could this thing really become a "weapon" that posed a threat to Piltover?

"Don't look at me; I have no idea what that is," Singed said, shaking his head. 

"You're a professor from up there, and that thing in his hand is clearly a gadget from Piltover. How can you not know?" Silco frowned.

"I've been expelled from the Academy, and new inventions come out of Piltover every day. Do you expect me to know what they all are? Hextech crystals, I've never even heard of them."

Silco fell silent. Linwin waited for about ten seconds before Silco turned and walked down the steps. Once Silco descended, Linwin approached him closely, leaving less than two meters between them.

"Are you daring to get this close to me? Aren't you afraid I might snap you in two?" Linwin handed him the gem and teased him.

From the fact that the Zaun underworld was scattered with the remnants of factories, it was clear that Silco was a cautious person. But now, he stood boldly in front of Linwin, whom Zaun's gangsters regarded as the most dangerous person in Zaun.

Silco squinted his eyes, took the Hextech crystal from Linwin's hand, and held it up high. 

In the lamplight, he gently swayed it, examining the Hextech crystal intently. Silco spoke while studying it, "If you wanted to do that, I probably wouldn't be able to prevent it."

"But clearly, for some reason, whether it's because of Vander or your own choice, you don't intend to kill me."

Silco placed the Hextech crystal in front of him and lightly tapped it with his other hand, and Linwin didn't stop him, as these small impacts wouldn't disrupt the internal structure of the Hextech crystal. 

Although he wasn't a genius in mechanics, Linwin had gained a good understanding of Hextech crystals during his week at the academy mingling with Jayce and Viktor.

"We, actually, belong on the same side," Silco stowed the Hextech crystal away, clenched his hand into a fist, and said softly, "We are of the same kind."

Linwin shrugged. Silco was trying to influence him again.

This guy, Silco, was banking on the fact that Linwin didn't want to kill him.

"What's its purpose?" Silco had to admit he couldn't understand the significance of this thing. To him, it was merely a pretty stone that glowed and had many dents.

But Linwin came to him with this object, asking him to give up Shimmer, and suggesting they work together. Silco knew that this stone had to be something significant.

"Maybe you can explain to him; his brain is having trouble comprehending this," Linwin pointed to Silco, hinting that he should hand the stone to Singed.

Silco gave Linwin a deep stare.

"Don't give me that look. Did I say something wrong?" 

"Heh," he chuckled and handed the Hextech crystal to Singed. He and Linwin stood aside, both watching Singed, who was holding the stone.

Singed accepted the Hextech crystal.

Although he found it strange that Silco and Linwin were standing aside, Singed was more interested in thoroughly researching the Hextech crystal. This object appeared to be extraordinary.

Singed took a box from his pocket, put on a pair of glasses, and then started to study the Hextech crystal.

After a few minutes, he mumbled while researching, "Hmm, this thing has a very peculiar structure, highly unstable, and it's even hollow inside? Are these things sands from Shurima? Wait, the internal light, it should be some kind of energy?"

Listening to Singed's voice while standing nearby, Linwin couldn't help but marvel. Truly, Singed was a skilled alchemist. Although it was only surface-level information, it took Ekko a whole night to piece together the simplest data. 

Yet Singed, in just a few minutes, saw the extraordinary nature of the Hextech crystal and even discovered its "energy."

Linwin placed his hand on Silco's shoulder, which greatly displeased the latter. Silco turned to look at Linwin's side profile for quite a while. He suddenly had an urge to spit in Linwin's face.

But considering Linwin's combat prowess, Silco chose to just shrug his shoulder, shaking off Linwin's hand, and then took a couple of steps aside, tidying his collar.

"Petty," Linwin muttered and then said, "That's magic."

"Magic?" Silco and Singed both exclaimed at the same time.

"Do you realize what you just said?" Silco gave Linwin an incredulous look.

He thought Linwin was just joking. Magic? Both Zaun and Piltover, while currently at odds, had a deep aversion to one thing – magic.

"No, no, let me correct that; it's actually arcane," Linwin quickly changed his words.

It's not entirely correct to call it magic. 

According to Jayce, who developed this technology, it was more aptly described as "arcane tech" than magic. 

It was all about utilizing one's knowledge, deducing patterns based on that knowledge, turning them into principles, and creating a force from them. This was the essence of Hextech technology. 

The Hextech technology Jayce developed would later be referred to as "arcane technology." 

It was essentially a human-made arcane power. Magic was something very different and not attainable by ordinary humans.

Otherwise, how would one explain the creation of artificial Hextech crystals? Hextech was a human-made arcane cornerstone.

For the term "magic," it represented devilish sorcery, supernatural powers in the eyes of both Piltover and Zaun residents.

"What's the difference?" Silco raised an eyebrow, speaking calmly.

"You're a hick. I can't be bothered explaining to you," Linwin retorted.

Linwin turned his gaze to Singed. "He may not understand, but you should, right?"

Singed remained silent for a moment, looking at the "stone" in his hand for a very long time. 

Then, he raised his head to Linwin and said, "Are you saying that Piltover can already manufacture tools for arcane magic?"

"Singed, are you acting foolish now, like him?" Silco interjected.

"Magic tools... I've seen some of those things before, but they were all created by mages, non-human races as well. They called them 'Relics.' But from what you just said, this little thing... can serve as a tool for human-made arcane magic?" Singed clarified, seemingly intrigued.

"Yes," Linwin responded.

Singed remained silent.

"Topside is heavily investing in Hextech technology now, and I've unexpectedly come across a few of these crystals, along with firsthand data."

"Singed."

"I need your help."

Silco at the side: "???"

What about me?