-175- Powder: Open the window!

"Uh."

"What the...?"

Linwin, still half-asleep, felt a weight on his arm, prompting him to subconsciously move his arm. 

Accompanied by a whimper, Linwin sensed something round in his hand.

A round, somewhat prickly sensation, as if touching a ball covered in armor.

Armor? Ball? 

Wait a minute, a ball?

Suddenly realizing something, Linwin woke up in an instant, quickly opening his eyes.

No way... Did I really touch it?

Then, face to face with Kai'Sa, who was lying on his arm.

"Are you awake?"

"."

He nodded, then shifted his gaze away from Kai'Sa's face, looking at the position of his hand.

Oh....

He was overthinking, he touched Kai'Sa's shoulder.

Makes sense. In this sideways L-shaped position, trying to touch the ball would have been awkward, so being able to touch it in this position would be intentional, not accidental.

That would be intentional!

He was slightly disappointed.

Although he feared provoking Kai'Sa on one hand, not touching what he expected made Linwin a bit disappointed.

"What's with that expression? Is it because of me that you didn't sleep well?"

Seeing Linwin's face early in the morning, Kai'Sa instinctively asked.

Saying that, Kai'Sa raised her head, no longer resting on Linwin's arm.

Indeed, it seemed she was pressing Linwin.

Kai'Sa hadn't slept all night; sleep wasn't a necessity for her. She could go without sleep. So, last night, Kai'Sa quietly watched Linwin fall into a deep sleep.

"No, I slept well."

Linwin also raised his head, shook it immediately, and whispered to Kai'Sa.

"Oh, then I'm getting up now."

"I'm a bit hungry."

Kai'Sa was already hungry; morning was breakfast time.

She had gotten used to eating her fill every day, completely unconcerned about hunger. 

In Shurima, her skin would start to sting every few days, reminding Kai'Sa to start feeding, but after coming to Zaun, her skin's temper improved more and more. Unless Kai'Sa awakened it, it would remain in a dormant state.

"Wait!"

Linwin suddenly reached out and stopped Kai'Sa.

"How about... how about lying down a bit longer? After all, it's still early."

Kai'Sa: ?

Kai'Sa: (．．）

She looked down at Linwin, showing a puzzled expression. She didn't know what Linwin meant, but Kai'Sa didn't refuse Linwin's request either.

Silently, Linwin lay back down, and Kai'Sa leaned against him.

Linwin quickly lay down too, coughed, and then mumbled, "Since Zoran isn't home this morning, let's handle breakfast ourselves."

Before Linwin could finish his sentence, Kai'Sa interrupted, puzzled, "Didn't you say you wanted to sleep a bit more?"

"No, I want to chat with you."

Kai'Sa fell silent: ...

Mainly, Linwin has become quite strange recently. Not yesterday or the day before, but recently, Linwin has been acting very oddly.

He used to be the one she followed around, but now it seems to have reversed?

Kai'Sa remembered, in the past, when she was unfamiliar with Zaun, she subconsciously regarded Linwin as her backbone. 

Where Linwin went, she followed. After a while, Linwin even playfully called her a little tagalong. Upon learning the meaning of "tagalong," Kai'Sa was happy for a while but then felt regretful.

But now, why has Linwin become her tagalong?

"Why do you seem like a tagalong lately?"

Sniffing, Kai'Sa said what came to her mind directly, as was her character.

"Me? Am I a tagalong?" Linwin pointed to his face, turned to Kai'Sa with a bewildered expression. "Really?"

"Always saying this and that, always liking to be around the other person. Didn't you say that's what a tagalong is?"

Linwin was momentarily stunned. A tagalong? My tagalong and your tagalong might not be the same thing.

Just as he was about to think about how to explain, looking at Kai'Sa's expression, Linwin suddenly realized, "Are you retaliating?"

Turning her body, Kai'Sa gave Linwin a smile. "I hate bugs. You called me a roach before, but now, I'm saying it back."

Linwin paused, then smiled too.

"In a few days, they're going to build an academy in the Twin Cities. Do you want to check it out?"

"Academy? What's it for? I think Powder is in the academy."

"Yeah, don't underestimate Powder. She'll be one of the director soon, a director before she turns eighteen." Linwin said it himself and was surprised, but considering that ability stands out, Powder, like Ekko, is a genius. 

While Ekko's talent in weapon-making doesn't compare to Powder's, in the entire Twin Cities, no one can surpass Powder in creating weapons.

Hextech rifles, laser guns, hextech knives, and hextech shields for protection – all these weapons in Zaun have passed through Powder's hands, developed by her personally. 

Now, she even want to create weapons like rocket launchers in a magic-dominated world.

"An academy, is a place where people learn knowledge. Does Shurima not have one?"

"We're poor; we can barely fill our stomachs. Where do we have the money to build an academy?" Kai'Sa rolled her eyes at Linwin. "Hunting knowledge is taught by adults. My father... he taught me about shepherding."

Hearing Kai'Sa talk about this, Linwin thought of something and subconsciously said to Kai'Sa, "About father... he's actually..."

"Wait, why did you say father?"

Kai'Sa looked at Linwin strangely.

Linwin hesitated.

Almost exposed his thoughts!

He quickly coughed, intending to bring up something about Kassadin.

Now, Kassadin should still be in the Void? Or has he come out? But in any case, Kassadin has been searching for Kai'Sa.

With the ability to move through the Void, possessing powerful spatial magic, and developing anti-magic resistance due to a mutation, Kassadin, with such strength, has never stopped his search. 

He always believes that Kai'Sa is still alive. For this reason, he travels between the underground world and the convergence of the two realms every day.

It wasn't easy to explain before.

After revealing this, Kai'Sa asked Linwin how he knew, and what was Linwin supposed to say? Should he say he has seen Kassadin? But what if Kassadin denies it when they meet? Kai'Sa is good-natured, but she despises deception.

From him never seen her lying, this is apparent. 

However, things are different now. Among those close to him, Linwin is perceived as an all-knowing person, and everyone thinks it's a gift from the goddess Janna. But in reality, it has nothing to do with the bird!

She herself is a homebody, residing in Zaun as a blue bird most of the time, rarely leaving her nest. How could she possibly know so much?

"Yeah, it's father.... Your father..."

"Swoosh!"

Just as Linwin was about to explain, Kai'Sa's expression changed.

Outside, a super loud sonic boom echoed.

Even through the window, the soundproofing effect was practically zero for the two with excellent hearing.

Thus, Kai'Sa heard the sound and habitually said, "Powder is here; time to switch shifts."

"Powder."

Kai'Sa was about to sit up, but the next moment, she was pulled back by a panicking Linwin.

"Ouch!"

With a little force, muscles pulled painfully. Linwin sighed slightly, but he successfully pulled Kai'Sa into his arms.

Half-hugging Kai'Sa, Linwin leaned close to her and whispered, "Don't go. If Powder sees you and me in the same bed, she'll make a fuss!"

"Why?"

Feeling the warmth of Linwin's breath, Kai'Sa replied, but at the same time, she was stunned.

So close, too close. This is way too close!

Subconsciously, Kai'Sa wanted to push Linwin away.

Being so close to Linwin feels strange.

"You'll understand later. But for now, listen to me. Stay quiet and don't make a sound."

"Understood?"

Still puzzled, Kai'Sa nodded, "Okay, I'll be quiet."

Linwin sat up, looked straight ahead, and then placed his hand beside him, pressing on Kai'Sa through the blanket.

The touch of his hand was on Kai'Sa's waist.

Delicate. Truly delicate.

At the same time, in just a dozen seconds, Powder had arrived.

"Thud, thud, thud!"

Wearing a black crop top that revealed her abdomen, she also had a brown waist-length khaki coat. She wore simple black cropped pants, and on her feet were her iconic iron boots. 

At this moment, Powder was flying on her Hextech hoverboard outside Linwin's window. Facing the glass, she pursed her lips, stretched out her hands, and vigorously scratched at the window.

Why won't this open!

Early in the morning, when Vi was still drooling in her sleep, the hardworking Powder came running. 

Now, Miss Powder, who had flown here with all her might, immediately frowned.

She clearly said she would come in through the window last night.

So why did Linwin lock the window?

Is this to guard against her, as Linwin mentioned before? 

Is this the anti-Powder device he talked about?

"Boom, boom, boom!"

"Open the window!"

"Linwin?"

"Linwin!"

"What are you doing? Come over and open the window. I'm here to take care of you!!"

"Hey, are you sitting and sleeping now?"

Linwin calmly looked at the window.

The next moment.

"Pfft."

"Hahaha!"

Outside the window, the girl with her hair tied into two buns stood on the Hextech board. She was using both hands to pull the window.

That action.

Was too cute!

Powder: ...

Powder: "?"