-125- Powder: I'm not crazy!

In Zaun's conference center, Silco and Vander, both awaiting news, are now standing by the Hex phone.

Vander paces back and forth, while Silco quietly sits at the table, observing the Hex phone. 

However, Silco's fingers betray his current state of mind.

At this moment, both of them, like Vander, are consumed by anxiety.

After all, it's Noxus, the renowned and powerful empire!

Even though it's in their weakened state, and they haven't won anywhere yet, Noxus is not an opponent that small city-states like Piltover and Zaun can resist.

Therefore, Silco is also quite anxious.

Tapping his fingers incessantly on the table, so much that he manages to tap Powder to sleep.

Powder tilts her neck back, hands open, lying back, covered by a small woolen blanket Vander placed on her. With her two long braids tied up by Silco to avoid touching the ground, she opens her mouth wide, adopting a rather inelegant and snoring position.

A delicate lady? Not at all. She's not ladylike at all.

"Snooore, snooore."

Like a little pig, Powder makes snoring sounds.

So, in the quiet room, amidst the footsteps and tapping sounds, there is now a third kind of sound—snoring.

Until—

"Lord Vander, Lord Silco!"

A young boy from Zaun rushes in; he just received a call from a hex phone. Without fully digesting the content, he quickly organized the information and hurried into the meeting room.

"News from the upper city?"

Silco quickly gets up, and Vander also walks over to the young boy.

As for Powder, well, awakened by the commotion, she first lazily smacks her lips, then, not fully awake, blinks her big eyes.

Then she slowly wakes up, shaking her head and looking around. Seeing that no one is paying attention to her, Powder quickly lifts her arm, vigorously wiping the water stains off her cheek.

"Cough, what's going on now?"

Then, the lady Powder takes a light leap, covering the distance in a few steps, and runs up to Vander. Her face shows a nervous expression as she loudly asks, "What? What happened?"

I... I didn't fell sleep!

I definitely didn't fell sleep!

We're in the middle of a war now; I haven't slept. I really haven't slept!

Powder looks dead serious.

"Big trouble, big trouble! Lord Vander, the docks, Noxian troops have appeared in our harbor!"

"What?!"

Vander grabs him forcefully, "Are you serious?"

"Yes! Many people, many Noxian soldiers, they are about to land! Since it's an industrial area at the harbor, there are no people in the late night, and we couldn't stop the Noxian troops. Lord Vander, what should we do now?"

Vander's face turns serious.

Silco, standing beside him, also wears a grim expression.

Piltover citizens have gathered in Zaun's square. Currently, all available Zaunites are maintaining order in the square. Even if they gather people from the square, equip them with weapons, it's impossible to swiftly reach the harbor and stop Noxian troops from landing.

"We've been outmaneuvered," Silco says, covering his forehead with his hand, uttering a phrase only someone like Linwin would say. Ironically, it fits the situation perfectly.

Silco hadn't anticipated that while Zaun's powerful forces went to Piltover to drive out Noxian troops, Noxus would send a separate force to sneak around and attack Zaun.

"What do we do now, Silco?" Vander looks at him.

"We can only..." Silco taps his forehead with his fingers, quickly contemplating the feasibility of his plan, then says, "We have to abandon half of Zaun. Immediately, organize the residents around the harbor to come to the square, and we need to establish defensive measures here."

"And quickly use the Hex phone to call the Zaunites at the mid-level area down to the square!"

Though many of Zaun's forces are in Piltover, it doesn't mean Zaun is defenseless. Zaun is a chaotic city with numerous gangs, and most Zaunites have learned to survive on the edge.

Therefore, when needed, every Zaunite can become a force to be reckoned with.

Of course, they can't match Noxian soldiers, but Zaun's strength lies in its formidable weapons.

"Abandon half of Zaun?"

Vander grits his teeth, reluctant to make this decision.

He built it bit by bit with great effort.

But Vander knows that sometimes sacrifices are necessary.

Economic losses can be recovered, but if people are lost, they are truly gone.

"Alright, let's do it!"

"Wait!!!"

Suddenly, Powder raises her hands, interrupting, "There is someone who can quickly reach the battlefield and is very powerful?"

"Someone who can get to the harbor quickly and hold off Noxian forces?"

Powder claps her hands, saying, "We have someone!"

Silco frowns, wanting to ask Powder, but she's already stormed off.

Watching Powder rush out of the room, Silco suddenly realizes.

"Yes!"

"We have someone like that right now, locked up!" He slaps Vander's shoulder enthusiastically. "So, Vander, does your old bones still work?"

Vander laughs too, nodding and returning the firm pat on Silco's shoulder. The force of the pat almost knocks Silco to the ground, prompting Vander to chuckle, "Silco, are you underestimating me?"

"Noxian soldiers? If the condition allows, going one against five is not a problem for me," Vander confidently asserts.

However, he means one against five under bare-handed conditions.

But does Vander need to fight bare-handed now?

"We have Hextech hoverboards here, but what about your weapons?"

"I have a shield made by Powder to protect me, and as for weapons..." Vander looks to a corner in the room where a worn-out iron gauntlet hangs on the wall.

"I'll use my gauntlet."

Excitement surges in Vander as he flexes his fists, bending down to put his arm around Silco's shoulder, saying, "Brother, fighting side by side with the upper echelons of Piltover. To be honest, I never dared to think about such a thing before."

Silco chuckles, nodding, "Me neither, brother."

"But now we have no choice but to believe it."

---

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Hearing the familiar sound of the door being kicked open, Camille frowns, a hint of dissatisfaction in her deep blue eyes.

This method of opening doors is something Camille has grown accustomed to. Only the Head of Weapons Department, Powder, would kick open doors with her feet.

"Hey, Camille!"

As expected, after the door swings open, boots retract, revealing a furry little head poking in.

Camille closes her eyes, ignoring Powder.

To be honest, Camille really doesn't like Powder.

Both are geniuses of Zaun, but Camille acknowledges the composed Ekko more. The young man possesses a unique charm, and if given the chance, Camille would gladly be Ekko's mentor, teaching him some life lessons.

"Why are you ignoring me? I have something to tell you!" Powder steps inside, cradling a large device in her arms.

Camille looks at her with a puzzled expression.

The device Powder is holding—it's her own mobile equipment!

"Ekko fixed your stuff a long time ago. Actually, Linwin and Vander never intended to kill you. We were originally planning to ambush Piltover, take you hostage, and negotiate a deal with Piltover."

Powder chatters away.

"Why are you telling me this now?" Camille asks, perplexed, looking at the eccentric young girl.

Camille sometimes genuinely doesn't know what Powder is thinking.

"Ah, because it's no longer necessary," Powder explains to Camille. "Listen to me, and listen carefully."

"Noxians invaded Piltover, the Councilor called us.... and then....after that..... right!" Powder takes just a minute to quickly brief Camille on the current situation.

Camille's eyes continuously flicker with blue light until later; her gaze gradually dims.

Despite having her heart replaced with a Hextech one, it doesn't mean Camille has lost her humanity. On the contrary, she values emotions even more now. It's precisely because she might lose this aspect of herself that she has grown to appreciate existing emotions and things.

She gave up everything to modify herself for the family.

She gave up love.

She gave up him.

Now, Stevan, her younger brother, the current head of the Ferros family, is about to ruin everything for her.

"We need you, Camille."

"Now, Linwin and Kaisa are handling matters in the topside, and you..."

Powder extends her palm, opening it towards Camille. "You need to help us the underscity."

"This isn't a transaction, Camille."

"This is something you should do."

Camille: ...

Powder blinks, growing a bit anxious.

This person won't refuse, right? Just as she thinks this, Camille suddenly says, "You don't seem as crazy as I thought."

"What are you talking about? I'm not crazy!" Powder immediately snarls at Camille.

"Fine, I agree."

Camille's eyes shine brightly with blue light again, and she says, "I will deal with those arrogant invaders."