Li Lin had introduced Powder and her friends to Piltover University, enrolling them as "noble scholars."
Previously, when the Kiramman couple was kidnapped by Corina Veraza, Li Lin, Caitlyn, and Jayce had ventured into Zaun to investigate, eventually rescuing Vander. During this mission, Caitlyn met Powder and her group of friends.
Later, when Ekko joined the Kiramman household to further his studies, the group began visiting often. Caitlyn and Kai'Sa were already well-acquainted with them.
Similarly, Seraphine and Orianna became friends with these youngsters through Caitlyn's introduction.
Being kind-hearted and free of prejudice toward Zaun, Seraphine and Orianna quickly bonded with Powder and her friends.
Notably, during a recent charity performance held in the Unseen Square by Kai'Sa, Seraphine, and Orianna, the group enthusiastically showed their support.
Caitlyn called for a waiter, placed the drink orders, and sat beside Li Lin, while the others chatted away, their lively voices filling the air as they discussed recent adventures.
Sometimes, Li Lin wished he could join them and indulge in these rare moments of relaxation.
After all, given his current physical age, he was only about four years older than Kai'Sa, Orianna, and Vi—and about seven or eight years older than Powder, Seraphine, Zeri, and Ekko.
Although in his "previous life," he had almost graduated from university and entered the workforce, in this world, he was merely 20 years old.
However…
Despite the smile on his face, Caitlyn noticed the deep-seated worry in his eyes.
Her soft, pink lips curled into a slight smile, which soon faded as her delicate brows furrowed faintly. Gently placing her warm hand over his, she clasped half of his palm.
"Are you still worried about Bel'Veth? Or perhaps the recent politics in the upper city have kept you too busy?"
Caitlyn's soft words reached only Li Lin.
The melancholy in his eyes dissipated quickly as he turned his hand to hold hers. "No, it's just been hectic lately. I haven't had time to rest properly."
"You don't have to hide it from me. I know how much pressure you're under," Caitlyn said, her tone laced with concern. "Even with the AI assisting you, the critical decisions of the upper city still require your approval."
She hesitated briefly, then continued, "I've been learning a lot from Sheriff Grayson recently. It won't be long before I can take over her position. Once I do, I'll be able to help you more."
"But…"
Her gaze shifted momentarily, landing on Kai'Sa, who was chatting with Seraphine about Kassadin's recent return to Burgeon.
As if sensing Caitlyn's gaze, Kai'Sa glanced in their direction. Their eyes met briefly before Kai'Sa, looking slightly guilty, averted her gaze.
This behavior had been recurring lately. Although Caitlyn found it puzzling, she attributed it to the looming confrontation with Bel'Veth in six months. She assumed Kai'Sa felt she had become a burden to the group, hence her unease.
"The situation with Bel'Veth…"
Caitlyn hesitated. This wasn't the time or place for such a heavy topic. Seraphine had already noticed the shift in atmosphere, and it wouldn't be long before the others did too.
"You still don't trust me, do you?" Li Lin leaned in close, deliberately brushing against her earlobe. "How about tonight? We can talk about life's philosophies in your room."
A faint blush crept across Caitlyn's cheeks. Li Lin had figured her out completely and always knew how to hit her weak spots.
She clenched her fist and lightly punched his chest before pushing him away with a glare.
"I'm warning you, don't set a bad example for the kids! Otherwise…"
"Otherwise what?"
Her cheeks turned even redder, but her gaze remained firm. "You know the consequences!"
"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore."
Li Lin chuckled, shaking his head. He glanced at the watch on his wrist, crafted from fragments of the World Rune, then turned his attention to the window.
"It's about time. The professors have all arrived. I need to go meet them. Are you coming?"
"No." Caitlyn arched an eyebrow. "Sheriff Grayson gave me an assignment—to maintain order here. The view from the café's rooftop is excellent, so I'll head up there shortly."
Mimicking a gun with her right hand, she playfully "shot" at Li Lin before blowing on her finger like it was a smoking barrel.
Li Lin brushed the back of his hand gently across Caitlyn's soft, smooth cheek. "Alright, future sheriff. Just make sure to keep me safe later."
Caitlyn winked at him and smiled. "Of course. Protecting our esteemed councilor is every enforcer's duty."
After saying goodbye to the group, Li Lin left through the café's main door and headed straight for the miniaturized Rune Field.
By now, under Heimerdinger's instructions, the enforcers had dispersed the crowd in the square. Onlookers occupying the surrounding buildings were quietly pleased with their prime viewing spots.
Heimerdinger, Jayce, Viktor, Skye, and Valentina had arrived shortly before and were making final adjustments to the equipment with the help of assistants and mechanical workers.
Though Mel and the Kiramman couple weren't present on-site, a floating airship bearing the Kiramman family crest hovered among the many airships in the sky.
Li Lin could easily guess their thoughts.
As non-specialists, their presence would only cause disruptions. Unwilling to use their privileges to clear out the area for personal space, the airship provided the perfect vantage point.
With drones live-streaming the event, they could monitor the proceedings from the comfort of home.
As Li Lin approached, Heimerdinger's whiskers twitched as he waved enthusiastically. "Oh ho ho! Look who's here!"
Familiar with Jayce, Viktor, and Skye, Li Lin exchanged nods with them before they resumed their tasks.
Valentina, however, appeared flustered, quickly setting aside her work to approach him. She shook his hand, saying, "May the gears turn smoothly, Councilor Li Lin."
Though Piltover's council had officially been dissolved, Cassandra, Mel, and Heimerdinger still retained their titles as council members in public. Naturally, as Piltover's current leader, Li Lin was often addressed as "Councilor."
"It hasn't been that long since we last met, Valentina. Why so formal?" Li Lin smiled warmly. "We're friends, aren't we? Just call me as you did before."
"Well…" Valentina hesitated, looking unsure.
"Ah, Li Lin's just like me—not one for empty titles. You don't need to worry about appearances," Heimerdinger chimed in with a cheerful laugh.
"Alright then… Li Lin, I hope I didn't offend you by being overly formal."
"No problem," Li Lin said casually, waving his hand. "How's the debugging for your Miniature Runeterra project going?"
The mere mention of her invention caused Valentina's nervous expression to transform instantly into one of excitement. "It's going great!"
She immediately motioned for Li Lin to step closer to the large Miniature Runeterra device, which was positioned in front of a console connected to a sizable metallic globe.
"You can input the details of the person you want to find here," she explained. "Miniature Runeterra can locate the person you're looking for in as fast as 30 seconds.
"Of course, there are plenty of people with the same name in the world, and not all of them reside in Piltover or Zaun. The farther away the target is, or the vaguer the information you provide, the longer the process takes. But based on my calculations, it should never exceed five minutes!"
As Valentina spoke, Professor Heimerdinger approached with quick, small steps and chimed in, "We've actually conducted experiments with this. We had a tester travel via airship to Shurima, Noxus, Bilgewater, and even Ionia.
"Even at the farthest point in Ionia, this device pinpointed the target's location within a minute."
Li Lin rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on the console. Valentina seemed to have anticipated his curiosity and offered, "Since we're about to demonstrate it publicly anyway, how about you give it a try?"
At that moment, Skye appeared from behind the machine, jogging over. "Sorry to interrupt, but Miniature Runeterra is fully debugged and ready for a live demonstration."
Both Heimerdinger and Valentina turned to Li Lin expectantly. Even though he was intrigued, Li Lin hesitated. "Are you sure you want me to do it?"
The two professors nodded in unison.
"Well then, I'll gladly oblige," Li Lin said with a deep breath as he stepped toward the console. With a wave of his right hand above the panel, a holographic interface materialized.
The crowd gathered around the nearby shops grew louder with excitement when they realized Li Lin himself would be conducting the test. Discussions buzzed through the air.
After a moment of thought, Li Lin decided to input the name "Jarvan Lightshield IV," the Crown Prince of Demacia. It was a strategic choice—Jarvan's name was unique in Runeterra, and given Li Lin's close relationship with him, it was ideal. Moreover, Demacia's lack of technological advancements made the prince's whereabouts relatively straightforward.
As soon as he entered the name and pressed the confirmation button, the sound of humming energy crystals filled the air. The massive globe before him began to rotate slowly.
The top of Miniature Runeterra, equipped with receivers, connected to three smaller bronze globes surrounding it. Blue energy flowed seamlessly into a diamond-shaped, double-layered hollow structure.
Then, something extraordinary happened.
The seemingly ordinary device sped up rapidly, emitting blue light as it revolved. Within a second, it projected a translucent, static map of Runeterra that looked strikingly similar to a satellite image captured from space.
The crowd stared in awe. On the projection, a red dot appeared on the western side of Valoran, within Demacia's borders—right at the capital, High Silvermere.
Over the next seven or eight seconds, the hologram zoomed in on High Silvermere, displaying a real-time panoramic view of the Demacian capital. The crowd marveled as unfamiliar faces appeared in what seemed like a live projection, akin to a futuristic movie.
The majestic Dawnkeep briefly flickered into view, prompting gasps of admiration from those who had never been to Demacia. Within moments, the image revealed a man clad in gleaming gold armor adorned with black, dragon-like spikes. He stood conversing with guards, his slightly aged face emanating an air of authority.
"I've been to Demacia! I can confirm that's Prince Jarvan IV!" shouted a middle-aged man from a nearby shop.
The crowd erupted in a cacophony of voices, many from prominent families stepping forward to vouch for the accuracy of the image. No one doubted the authenticity of what the machine displayed—how could they, with Piltover's esteemed Councilor Li Lin and Piltover University's Headmaster Heimerdinger present? Their dedication to scientific rigor lent the device an air of absolute credibility.
"We did it!" Valentina murmured, her voice trembling with excitement.
However, just as the staff members were about to cheer, a youthful, clear voice rang out from the second floor of a nearby commercial building:
"Hey! If your device is so impressive, can it find the Darkin?"
Li Lin looked toward the source of the voice, spotting a boy with striking blonde hair styled in a spiky fringe. He couldn't help but recognize him.
"Ezreal?" he muttered in surprise.
(End of Chapter)
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