-82- Hidden currents

November 4th————

Piltov has recently become lively once again.

This is because the annual Progress Day is approaching.

Over the years, Progress Day in Piltover has become increasingly lively due to the existence of the Hex Gates. People from all over the world, as long as they are wealthy and influential, can easily come to Piltover to participate in the local festival.

This day has also become highly anticipated by the people of Piltover.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the Council building was bathed in radiant sunlight.

Piltover's top elites gathered, commencing their year-end review.

This Council meeting was different from previous ones; a total of eight individuals were in attendance.

The Ferros family, who often skipped Council meetings, was represented by Councilman Ferrros, a slender middle-aged man, sitting in one of the seats.

At the moment, he was addressing the assembly:

"The issue with the Undercity must be resolved. Some of my factories have been forced to shut down for too long due to them. This isn't just a loss for my Ferros family but also a loss for Piltover. Hextech gems require Hextech crystals, and those factories are the processing points for making Hextech crystals."

"The production quantity of Hextech crystals is decreasing every year, and it's because of those Zaunites!" The Ferros Councilman exclaimed loudly. 

"Councilor Ferros, the Undercity is no longer what we knew." One of the councilman shook his head.

"The people of the Undercity reject our control; they've been autonomous for many years."

"Who gave them that right? Why can they be autonomous?" Councilor Ferros, also the head of the Ferros family, Stevan, sneered, covering his mouth with a handkerchief as he coughed a few times. He continued, "I've been wanting to say this since last year. How long will you let Zaun develop under our noses?"

"Stevan, Zaun now has weapons, and they are not easy to deal with." Another councilor shook his head at him. 

"Weapons? Don't we have weapons too? Even if Zaunites have weapons, what kind of weapons could they possibly have?"

"I agree with Councilor Ferros's words." The tall and thin senator interjected, "You should inquire more. Many people in Piltover are already complaining that, under our control, the air in Piltover is getting more polluted every year, and the environment is deteriorating year by year."

"How to handle the disposal of industrial waste is indeed a big problem we need to solve. It used to be easy because we could just send the waste into the Undercity. But now they've blocked the pipes, and it's difficult to clear the waste stuck in the pipelines." 

Mel, upon hearing their words, furrowed her brows. She elegantly raised her hand and then spoke, "Everyone, although I am an outsider, I grew up in this city since childhood. I've witnessed many honors in this city, and I've always been proud to be a person from Piltover. But..."

"Councilor Medarda, if you have something to say, just say it."

"We've been too harsh on the people of the Undercity."

Mel continued, "But in recent years, our relationship with the people of the Undercity has become increasingly tense, placing us in a precarious situation. The discharge of industrial waste is the biggest reason for this."

"Jayce once told me that in the past, people in Zaun would die every year from lung disease and drinking water with toxic substances. On careful thought, it's actually our fault. We unconditionally discharged industrial wastewater into the Undercity, causing great harm to the people there."

"Try to look at it from a different perspective. We should be able to understand the anger of the people in the Undercity."

Mel looked at everyone present. The councilor who spoke earlier and the overweight senator, who played with his fingers, both slightly turned their heads, avoiding Mel's gaze.

Only Stevan stared at her with a deep resentment, his murky eyes filled with dissatisfaction towards Mel.

His displeasure with Mel was evident, and he made no effort to hide it.

"I agree with Councilor Mel," Heimerdinger spoke up, "Whether it's the Upper City or the Undercity, we should be united. Our arrogance has harmed them."

"As one of the witnesses and founders of this city, I must admit, I've been unfair to the people of the Undercity." Heimerdinger said earnestly.

Linwin, Viktor—they are Undercity residents, but they are not ignorant. They are not as they are portrayed.

Heimerdinger has always been focused on science and inadvertently overlooked many things around him.

Injustice is one of them.

"I also agree with Councilor Mel," Jayce stood up.

As he rose, all the eyes in the room turned to him.

This contemporary outstanding scientist of Piltover, the pride of the city.

Every on Progress Day, Jayce's portrait would be displayed everywhere in Piltover.

So, no one could ignore him.

"Have any of you been to the Undercity?" Jayce surveyed everyone, speaking seriously, "I have been. When I was still a student, I visited the Undercity. At that time, it was full of haze, poor people piled up on the streets, children a few years old rummaging through garbage bins, and people suffering from diseases begging on the streets. The living conditions they have now are the result of our actions."

"I hope everyone can take this issue seriously. If you go to the Undercity now, it has changed its appearance in just a few years. So, I believe it's not a time for our arrogance; it's not a time for us to give them charity. Instead, we should actively befriend them."

"The people of the Undercity have developed; they no longer need our charity."

"If we continue to maintain this arrogance towards them, it will be a harm to the people of both cities!"

Jayce thumped his chest, speaking unequivocally.

Viktor sat beside him. Although he shouldn't attend the council meeting, his current status is unique. Everyone knows that Viktor is associated with Jayce, so no one objected to his presence at the meeting.

With a ruddy complexion, Viktor stood up and elegantly said, "Jayce may have been a bit too forward, but I want to tell everyone."

"As an Undercity resident, I know best how the people of the Undercity view you."

"Viktor, you're from the Undercity?" A councilor looked at Viktor in astonishment and said with surprise.

Upon hearing his words, Viktor smiled soundlessly.

So many years, and no one knew that he was from the Undercity?

Viktor nodded at him, whispering softly, "Yes, I am from the Undercity."

"Such nonsense!"

Stevan stood up, loudly interrupting the conversation. He lifted a scepter made of gold, holding it with a sparkling gem, and walked straight out of the meeting room.

But when he reached the door, Stevan came back to his senses. He shouted loudly, "Don't just stand there, what are you waiting for?"

At his command, two councilor with complicated expressions quickly followed him out, and among these two was the overweight councilor.

They rushed to Stevan's side, and then, as Stevan looked coldly at Mel, he grabbed the scepter and pointed it at her. Stevan said meaningfully, "Councilor Medarda, I hope you can think about it again."

"I think your mother probably wouldn't allow you to show such weakness."

"I also hope everyone here thinks about it. How are the losses after the shutdown? Moreover, who among you can come up with a better solution? If we don't discharge this sewage downward, how do you plan to deal with it? Are you daring enough to discharge it into the sea?!"

Having said that, Stevan turned away, walked straight out of the council room with his hands behind his back.