Chapter 32: The Lost Hex Gemstone – Could Singed Really Be Behind This?

"...Boom Boom, did you have anything to do with the recent Hex Gemstone theft from the upper levels?" Lin Feng's expression turned serious, striking a look reminiscent of a brother scolding his little sister.

He had grown used to playing the role of Jinx's brother, and part of him even welcomed it.

Jinx stayed silent for a moment. Then, in a nonchalant tone, she admitted, "Yeah, I led the raid."

Lin Feng's face tightened. "Why would you steal a Hex Gemstone?"

"Singed said he needed it for something. I didn't ask questions—just thought it'd be fun." Jinx shrugged, seemingly unfazed, her sense of amusement overshadowing any seriousness. Her chaotic tendencies had long since shaped her into someone driven more by thrill than reason.

So, it was Singed! Lin Feng's suspicions were confirmed.

Though Jinx had carried out the heist, Singed was the one pulling the strings. Lin Feng had doubted that Jinx would target something as strategic as a Hex Gemstone on her own.

As he grew silent, Jinx shot him a furtive glance, her old restlessness simmering beneath the surface.

Just as she seemed ready to break the silence, Lin Feng reached out, gently patting her head. "Didn't you see me there that day?"

Jinx blinked, momentarily stunned, then wracked her mind to recall the scene. Gradually, her expression grew rigid, lips twitching with realization. That day, a figure had fallen from the sky in the middle of the chaos, and she had tied a bomb and several gemstones to the person as a "gift." That person had been—

"It was me," Lin Feng said with a small smile, ruffling her hair. "But don't worry. I'd never turn you in."

A strange feeling tugged at Jinx's heart, reminiscent of the warmth she had once felt with Silco. She looked up at Lin Feng with a newfound softness.

"But we still need those Hex Gemstones," he continued. "If we can't return them, Vi is in serious danger."

Lin Feng wasn't exaggerating. The theft had made waves, and Piltover wouldn't rest until they reclaimed either the stolen goods or their culprit. Without a resolution, the upper levels were bound to retaliate, and Vi, as one of the top enforcers, would be on the front lines.

Though he respected Vi's strength, Lin Feng knew the price of war. Even the strongest could fall in a heartbeat.

At the mention of Vi, Jinx's face twisted with a look of disdain. Despite her mind finally clearing of the toxic influence of Shimmer, she couldn't help her dislike. Vi symbolized unresolved conflict, a festering wound.

Ordinarily, Jinx would have lashed out at anyone who dared mention Vi, yet with Lin Feng, she only sulked. "So...she's really my sister?"

Lin Feng chuckled. "Yes. I know you have your issues with her, and I'm not asking you to change your mind overnight. But is starting a war really what you want?"

Jinx turned her head away, making her expression unreadable. "What's wrong with war...?"

Her muttered words weren't just from frustration. Lin Feng felt a pang, understanding her conflicted feelings about the injustice between Zaun and Piltover. The two cities had always stood in opposition, with Piltover oppressing Zaun's people and poisoning their land.

Lin Feng let out a quiet sigh, patting her head once more as she reflexively turned back toward him. "I'll think of something for Zaun. Trust me?"

Jinx hugged her knees, seemingly lost in thought. Then, without warning, she bolted from the room. 

A few minutes later, she returned, clutching several Hex Gemstones in her arms.

"This is all I have. The rest...Singed still has them." She tossed the stones onto the table.

Lin Feng counted six. There were still four missing, but it was a solid start.

An idea forming, he summoned a bit of his Hextech talent, swiftly crafting a handful of small mechanical spheres. With a spark of magic, he transformed them into replicas of the stolen Hex Gemstones.

Lin Feng didn't hide the process from Jinx, who watched his fingers dance with curiosity, her eyes widening with awe.

"You—you can use magic?" she asked, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Surprised?" Lin Feng chuckled, tossing her a few of the gemstones he'd created.

"I want to learn magic too!" Jinx cried, clutching his arm with excitement.

Lin Feng tapped her forehead playfully. "Magic's a gift, Boom Boom. It's not something you can just learn."

But he pressed the replicas into her hands, a sly smile on his face. "Consider these a fair trade. But...keep it quiet, okay?"

Jinx's eyes sparkled as she nodded, cradling the Hex Gemstones close. With a treasure like this, she had more reason to trust him—and more to learn from him.

They spent some time together discussing other matters, mostly on keeping an eye on Singed. Though officially her subordinate, Singed had become increasingly elusive, and Jinx had rarely questioned his strange behaviors. But now, with Lin Feng's request, she committed his words to memory.

Lin Feng hadn't told her his suspicions about Singed's true intentions. He worried that, if she found out, her first instinct would be to blow up half of Zaun in retaliation.

Before leaving, he gave her a location to contact him should anything arise. But as he prepared to go, Jinx, reluctant to let him go, began to fumble for more reasons to make him stay.

Unfortunately, time was pressing.

Lin Feng had to resort to his "big brother" authority, promising her he'd bring back some "fun surprises" next time they met. With that, she finally let him leave.

"Alright, I'll be back soon," he said with a reassuring smile.

Jinx rushed to pick up her little Jinx doll from the floor, carefully clipping it onto her gun. "I'll walk with you."

They left the inn together, but before they'd made it far, there was a sudden clang as Jinx's prized gun hit the ground.

Lin Feng turned, only to find her clutching her head in agony. Her eyes blazed with that dreaded purple glow, the telltale sign of Shimmer's cruel grip on her mind resurfacing.