In the deserted alley, the echoing footsteps of Li Lin and Caitlyn seemed to stretch into the distance.
"I never expected you to haggle," Caitlyn remarked, a sly smile gracing her delicate features. "I thought you'd be like Jayce, willing to pay any price for what you want."
"Well, it's a matter of personal principles," Li Lin responded slowly. "Even with financial backing, I don't like being taken for a fool."
Caitlyn's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I didn't know you were so frugal. By the way, are we heading back now?"
Li Lin raised an eyebrow. "You want to linger around in this place? Aren't you getting enough of the smog?"
Caitlyn pouted and shot him a playful look. "It's still early, and it's a rare visit for me. Can't you let me explore the Undercity a bit more?"
In his mind, Li Lin thought that there was nothing particularly appealing about Zaun. He'd rather be back on the streets above. Nevertheless, he discreetly checked the time on his wristwatch.
It was a little after 4 PM. If they only spent half an hour exploring, they should make it back by 6 PM.
"Alright, but we can only stay for half an hour. Being late and getting scolded by Lady Cassandra is not on my agenda," Li Lin sighed.
Just as he agreed, Caitlyn suddenly halted, her gaze shifting around their surroundings.
"Do you want to explore more?" Li Lin asked.
"No, it's too quiet here," Caitlyn whispered.
"What's wrong with quietness? There's no one here. It should be expected," Li Lin replied.
"Shh," Caitlyn hushed him, placing a hand over his mouth and signaling for silence.
She then began to scrutinize their surroundings with a vigilant gaze, her ears perked, listening intently for any discordant sounds.
Caitlyn lowered her voice further. "We took this same alley to get here. I remember it vividly; there were two homeless men sleeping over there."
"What does that prove?" Li Lin asked, perplexed. "Maybe they woke up and went somewhere else to scavenge."
Caitlyn shook her head and pointed to a relatively dry spot next to a garbage bin by the wall. She also gestured to the tightly shut windows of the houses along the alley.
"Not only that," she continued, "the alchemical lamps in the surrounding houses have all gone out. When we arrived, we could still hear people inside, but now it's completely silent."
"If it was just one house, I wouldn't be suspicious, but the entire alley? It's too strange," Caitlyn concluded.
Li Lin furrowed his brows, growing wary. "Are you saying that someone has planned and prepared to rob us, and they've already cleared the area?"
"It's a possibility," Caitlyn replied.
Li Lin trusted Caitlyn's long-honed hunter's instincts. If she said something was amiss, it was worth taking seriously.
Moreover, they were in the territory of Zaun, and robbery was not uncommon. Although they were disguised as ordinary citizens, their distinctive aura made them stand out, making them potential targets.
Caitlyn kept Li Lin close to the wall. "We're in the open while the enemy is hiding. We don't even know if they're armed. Damn it, I wish I brought my Mauser rifle."
"Rifle?" Li Lin said. "I actually have one."
He reached for his waistband and pulled out a Hextech revolver he had prepared earlier.
However, after a moment's thought, he handed it over to Caitlyn. Li Lin knew he wasn't trained in firearms, and his accuracy was uncertain. Giving the gun to Caitlyn, who was experienced with firearms, seemed like the best option.
"This is... You actually have a gun?" Caitlyn was briefly surprised but quickly regained her composure, accepting the rather peculiar-looking revolver.
"It can fire magical bullets that create a shockwave," Li Lin explained hastily. "But there are only three bullets, so use them sparingly. Also, there's a 1-second delay after firing. Be mindful of that."
"Magic? Delayed shot? Are you kidding me... well, it's not the time to dwell on that now," Caitlyn remarked, clearly not taking his words seriously. "Three bullets should be enough."
Most of the alleyways in Zaun were narrow and intricate.
They were currently in the middle of this particular alley, and to get to the bustling streets, they would have to take at least two more turns and walk hundreds of meters.
This led to an awkward situation for them, like being caught between a rock and a hard place.
"These guys who seem to have plans for us should be hiding in one of the rooms above," Caitlyn quickly analyzed the situation and felt puzzled. "But do they really need to go through all this trouble for a robbery?"
Unless... these guys had some special motives.
Thinking about this, Caitlyn glanced at Li Lin beside her, a sudden chill running down her spine.
Could it be that they're after me?!
Even though Cassandra Kiramman was a councilor in Piltover, there were still plenty of families hostile to the Kiramman name. Most of these conflicts were based on interests, and out of respect for Councilor Kiramman, they dared not say much.
However, these were just the surface...
Which family could be so bold as to target even the daughter of a councilor?!
"These guys might not be here to rob us," Caitlyn said with her lower lip tightly bitten, her face pale. "I'm sorry, I've put you in danger today."
"???" Li Lin was puzzled. "How did you put me..."
Before he could finish speaking, a nearby window above them was suddenly pushed open, and a dark metal barrel emerged from it.
Caitlyn, with a quick glance, couldn't help but hold her breath. "Watch out! They're armed!"
However, an ordinary person's reaction time was no match for firearms.
With an orange flash, a deafening echo rang through the alley.
Bang!
At that moment, a chilling numbness came from Li Lin's shoulder, followed by an unbearable searing sensation, reaching his brain through the nerves.
At the same time, the system's notification sounds echoed in his mind:
[Health: 322/585]
[Status: Hit, Bleeding]
[Effect: Losing 20 health points per minute]
I... I've been shot?!
Li Lin hadn't recovered from the shock.
"Quick, hide behind the trash bin!"
Taking advantage of the fact that the shooter hadn't fired a second shot yet, Caitlyn pulled Li Lin down and urgently scolded, "Damn it, these guys even resort to such a despicable sneak attack!"
Her eyes were red, and her sapphire eyes glistened with a layer of mist as she looked back at Li Lin with deep concern. "Hold your wound tightly; losing too much blood could send you into shock!"
With that, she tore a clean piece of cloth from her own clothing and quickly wrapped it around his shoulder as a makeshift bandage.
Li Lin gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to cry out in pain, and broke out in a cold sweat all over his body.
Fortunately, after Caitlyn's makeshift bandaging, the rate of health loss on the system panel temporarily decreased from 20 points per minute to 12 points.
But dragging it out like this was not a solution; he still needed timely treatment.
"Miss Kiramman, I advise you not to resist anymore. You can't escape from us," came a hoarse, male voice from the direction of the shooter who had hit Li Lin.
Simultaneously, several figures appeared on the other side of the alley. Perhaps aware that Caitlyn was armed, they all remained hidden behind cover, not daring to expose themselves.
Stay calm; it's precisely at times like this that you need to stay calm... These guys only have one gun, and the advantage is on my side.
Caitlyn took a few deep breaths, forcibly calming her nervousness, and sneered, "Hmph! What have I done to make you send so many people to capture me?"
While saying this, she concentrated again, trying to pinpoint the shooter's location through sound.
But the man clearly came prepared and didn't give her that chance; he chose to remain silent.
"Miss Kiramman, our mission is to bring you back alive, but the employer didn't say anything about ensuring your intact..."
"If you put down your weapon now and come with us, perhaps you'll suffer a little less," a man from the other side of the alley shouted loudly.
Damn!
This way, she wouldn't be able to determine the shooter's location!
Just as Caitlyn was at a loss for what to do, Li Lin, his face pale, stammered through the pain, "Do you remember... the approximate location of the person who shot me?"
She subconsciously nodded. "I can only pinpoint a rough area..."
"Can you narrow it down to within 3 meters?"
"It should be..."
"That's enough."
Li Lin forced a smile, grimacing in pain. "Go ahead and shoot, but aim for the area you're certain of."