7 CHAPTER 7 - What Are You Afraid Of?

Li Lin couldn't help but feel uneasy. He needed to keep his trip to Zaun a secret from Caitlyn. If Lady Cassandra found out, he'd be in trouble.

"I need to be discreet," Li Lin muttered to himself as he instinctively moved to close his bedroom door. But before he could, Caitlyn, who had sensed something amiss, wedged her foot in the doorway.

"What are you doing? Why are you closing the door?" she asked, pushing the door open and entering Li Lin's room. She furrowed her elegant brow. "Don't tell me you don't even want to see me?"

Li Lin hurriedly thought up a random excuse, "I suddenly remembered that I left something behind at the repair shop earlier, and I wanted to go back..."

"Then why did you close the door? And you hesitated; you're lying," Caitlyn interrupted him, her sharp gaze piercing through his words.

She then squinted her eyes slightly and carefully examined Li Lin's attire. "Let's not even discuss whether your 'left-behind item' would still be at that shop. Since you're just going for a quick visit, why did you change into regular clothes? Are you that ashamed of our home?"

Li Lin, feeling a bead of sweat on his forehead, stammered, "Oh, Caitlyn, don't say that! I just thought that wearing Kiramman's uniform would attract too much attention. With Progress Day approaching and all those thieves from Zaun, I was worried about drawing unwanted attention..."

"Your eyes are darting around, and you can't meet my gaze. You're lying again," Caitlyn remarked.

Li Lin's face reddened, and he muttered, "Why would I lie to you? What do I have to gain?"

"It's simple, you're afraid I'll report you to my mother," Caitlyn said with a hint of amusement on her delicate, youthful face. "This morning, Jayce told me you took his Hextech crystal shard and claimed you needed it for research."

Li Lin was caught off guard. Why would Jayce tell Caitlyn about the crystal if he was so worried about Lady Cassandra finding out?

Caitlyn noticed the surprise in Li Lin's eyes and continued with a smirk, "You really don't need to worry about me reporting you. I'm not that type of person; I can keep a secret."

"How can you call it stealing when it's a matter of science?" Li Lin widened his eyes, his face flushing. "Jayce is completely wrong to accuse me like that!"

Caitlyn chuckled, "Alright, enough of your excuses. If I'm not mistaken, you're planning to go to the Undercity, aren't you?"

Leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, Caitlyn's tone became more casual, no longer as imposing as before.

Li Lin fell silent, clearly admitting to her claim, realizing that arguing further would be fruitless. If he denied it after Caitlyn had seen through him, it would only damage their relationship.

There was a brief moment of silence in the room, with Li Lin feeling embarrassed under Caitlyn's curious gaze.

"Why did you come to see me so early today?" Li Lin attempted to change the subject.

"Early? My goodness, it's already past midnight," Caitlyn said, rolling her eyes. "But I wanted to ask you about last night, and also, I'm quite interested in your 'bicycles.' When can you make a prototype for me?"

"You want a bicycle? It's quite simple; I can make one for you tonight, but I really have something urgent to attend to right now..."

"Are you in a hurry to find Hextech crystals in the Undercity?" Caitlyn interrupted, her expression calm as she stood less than a meter away from Li Lin, gazing into his eyes.

"I can sense that you're feeling insecure," she said seriously.

Afraid? What is there to be afraid of?

Li Lin opened his mouth, but in the end, the words couldn't find their way out.

In this forsaken world of Runeterra, there were frequent outbreaks of wars, the looming threat of demons, the curse of a shattered future, the return of Mordekaiser's undead army, the Second Rune War, and the invasion of the Void.

On the horizon loomed the imminent release of the Star Forger Dragon, bringing with it stellar wrath to engulf all living beings, a warning to other cosmic behemoths not to provoke the consequences of angering this favored planet of the Starlight Star Spirit...

Alright, maybe there was a little fear...

However, Caitlyn seemed to have misunderstood something, "Is it the aftermath of the wars you've experienced? But I don't think that's it."

She blinked her beautiful eyes and leaned in close to Li Lin's ear, lowering her voice, "You're researching Hextech crystals, so what you're afraid of is the Gray Lady."

The reason why Hextech crystal technology had been monopolized by the Ferros family for nearly a century, while other families didn't even dare to research it, was simple.

Why? Because of the Green Steel Shadow, also known as the "Gray Lady" by the privileged Piltover family - Camille Ferros.

Camille, who had undergone Hextech human enhancement surgery decades ago and was made into a human weapon using primordial crystals as the heart, was the chief spy of the Ferros family and a sophisticated humanoid weapon.

She operated on the fringes of the law, eliminating anyone or anything that threatened the interests of the Ferros family.

However, in the current timeline, the head of the Ferros family was still Camille's brother, Stevan.

In other words, she had not yet taken control of the family and still followed Stevan's orders.

And Stevan, who was half-step into the realm of the dead and consumed by jealousy, selfishness, and a bit of madness, would undoubtedly send Camille to have a chat with him if he found out that Li Lin was studying the Ferros family's closely guarded Hextech technology crystals.

"Well, kind of."

Li Lin had not told Caitlyn his plans regarding the crisis in Runeterra.

He was just an ordinary person; there was no need for that.

"Since that's the case, why don't you give up on researching Hextech crystals?" Caitlyn felt a bit confused.

"Each person's dreams are different, Caitlyn."

Li Lin began to spin his tale again, "I know you don't like being a scientist and have other hobbies. So, you might not understand the sense of achievement that comes from being a mechanic, an inventor, and researching new technologies that benefit the people."

"...," Caitlyn pursed her lips in silence.

She suddenly thought of her mother, who used to be a Hextech craftsman before becoming a council member of Piltover, often wearing a smile on her face, envisioning the joys of life.

But now, most of the time, the only thing in her eyes was occasional annoyance.

Piltover was full of temptations, and the gilded sweet words might turn even the kindest heart into cold ruthlessness.

Caitlyn recalled the warnings her mother often gave her.

Combining Li Lin's words, she seemed to understand her mother's intentions a bit.

Piltover was indeed the "city of progress," but if a person only had achievements and lost their dreams, they would eventually become lost in this chaotic life of luxury and excess.

Li Lin's dream was to benefit the people with inventions, but what was my dream...

Caitlyn lowered her eyes, her mind a jumble.

Even Li Lin didn't know that his casually fabricated words had brought about so many thoughts in her.

"Do you have to go to the Undercity?" Caitlyn looked up at him and asked softly.

Li Lin nodded.

"In that case... I want to go with you."

Hearing her tone of unwavering determination, Li Lin was stunned, "...Huh?"