At 12:15, Li Lin, Vander, Benso, and Sevika, accompanied by a few robust subordinates, arrived at the upper-level botanical cultivation center in Zaun.
The designated meeting point for the Chem-Barons was a clock tower-style building dominated by steel grating. Adorned with enormous emerald green floor-to-ceiling windows, the walls occasionally revealed exposed bronze mechanical gears, ceaselessly turning day and night.
The group ascended an external lift, reaching the top floor of the building.
Exiting the elevator's iron gate, they found themselves in a corridor adorned with bronze-patterned floor-to-ceiling glass, reflecting the Zaun style.
At the end of the corridor was a pair of reddish-brown double doors, guarded by at least 20 elaborately adorned punk-like troublemakers. Some were gathered in small groups chatting, while the less sociable ones sat alone in a corner, toying with weapons like daggers and darts.
Among them were individuals who had undergone Chemtech enhancements, with mechanical augmentations replacing certain parts of their bodies.
Upon spotting Li Lin and Vander, the assembly of twenty-plus fell silent instantly. All eyes focused on them, displaying various expressions.
However, most gazes lingered longer on Li Lin.
Approaching the door, Vander instructed Benso, Sevika, and the others to stay outside and avoid conflict with the group inside.
Subsequently, led by Vander, they opened the door and entered the hall. Li Lin, clad in "Infinite" armor, followed closely.
Inside, there were a total of nine individuals. Two servants dressed as maids attended to a weak-looking woman sitting in a wheelchair.
Implanted with multiple alchemical potion-filled canisters connected by conduits to amplification devices, she appeared fragile.
Upon hearing the door's commotion, the people inside, who were engaged in a discussion, fell silent.
Having a clear view of the newcomers, a man with a punk hairstyle featuring a yin-yang symbol, adorned in a yellow metal-studded leather jacket that exposed his chest, spoke up:
"Vander, you're late."
His voice, reminiscent of a smoky tone, was hoarse and deep. He played with a golden flip-top lighter in his hand.
Li Lin squinted his eyes, carefully observing the punk-styled man who seemed to lead the group.
His face, shaved on one side, and chest bore black tattoos resembling the style of the Bilgewater tribe.
At his chin, an implanted alchemical technology enhanced metal jawplate. Combined with the pair of not particularly large but piercingly fierce eyes, he exuded an intimidating aura.
During their journey, Vander roughly introduced Li Lin to the information about five Chem-Barons he knew.
The one speaking was Finn, in charge of the border markets.
"Just under 20 minutes... after all these years, you're still so impatient, Finn."
Vander seemed oblivious to any discontent in Finn's tone and casually walked to the other end of the long table, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
Li Lin, too, found a chair and sat next to Vander, causing the facial expressions of the Chem-Barons present to change momentarily.
As Vander and Finn engaged in their initial covert verbal exchange, Li Lin's gaze quickly swept over the individuals present.
To the right of Finn, the first person wore a top hat, dressed in a brown-haired Yordle in a tailcoat.
He was Smeech, overseer of the Academy of Techmaturgy.
Seated beside him was a woman whose nose had been modified into an alchemical device, with two conduits transporting green liquid, and a metal plate attached to her chin—a transformation courtesy of Chemtech. This woman was Renni, the Alchemical Baroness of the Botanical Cultivation Center.
On her other side sat a lady adorned in a sable fur coat. Her left arm had been transformed into a scissor-like appendage reminiscent of Edward's, and a chilling smile adorned her face. This was the woman Sevika spoke of—Lady Voss, the newly appointed Alchemical Baroness, and her appearance didn't quite match Vander's description.
As for Finn, on his left was a woman with smoky eye makeup and numerous piercings, and next to her, a man with a sickly pale complexion, as if he had indulged excessively. They were Bonnie, who monopolized the Zaun Cabaret, and Lontarro, who managed Hesper Plaza.
Apart from Voss and Lannar, Vander's other familiar faces occasionally glanced at Finn, as if he were the orchestrator of this meeting.
Observing everyone, Li Lin, Vander's ally, took note of the gazes. Vander, having exchanged the obligatory pleasantries with the Alchemical Barons, shifted the conversation to more pressing matters.
"Let's get to the point, Vander. Why did you summon us?" Renni, with a slightly uneasy expression, cast a glance at Li Lin beside Vander before posing her question.
Following her, the Yordle, Smeech, chimed in, "Indeed, we all have plenty of business on our plates. Every minute wasted is money lost."
"We don't have the luxury of sitting in the secure Lanes like you, receiving protection money every month. We fend for ourselves in every aspect of our lives," added Bonnie, taking a drag from her cigarette. Though her demeanor seemed alluring, her tone was icy.
As if prearranged, the three of them began to challenge Vander verbally.
Supposed to be reminiscing about old times, Vander, seeing their hostile attitudes, felt his warm heart gradually turn cold.
"What? As brothers and sisters who have struggled together until now, you're not even willing to meet face-to-face?" His voice, deep and displeased, conveyed his dissatisfaction.
As the atmosphere started spiraling out of control, Lontarro quickly tried to diffuse the tension. "Haha, of course, of course. Our leader's affairs are our affairs."
Finn snorted in disdain, "So, Vander, what happened? Do we really need a meeting for this?"
He flicked his fingers, closing the lighter's lid with a flame dancing atop it. Leaning forward, his legs, previously propped on the table, touched the ground. He stared straight at Vander.
Finn's initial inquiry and recent behavior were already quite disrespectful. Coupled with this provocation, Vander's simmering anger surged.
"For the development of Zaun, is that reason enough?" He slapped the table, his voice even more somber.
An instant silence fell upon the meeting hall.
Clap, clap, clap...
A few claps broke the quietness of the room.
In the midst of the applause stood Lannar, who had maintained silence until now.
Her waxen face revealed a faint, strained smile, as if it took all her strength to muster it.
"For the progress of Zaun... I haven't heard that phrase in years," she uttered.
Mrs. Voss, seated across from Lannar, chuckled with a raspy voice. "I thought the leader of Zaun, known as the Black Hound, had been intimidated by the upper city. I never expected you to remember your dreams."
Although her tone and words seemed mocking at first, Vander's expression turned dark.
"Oh, don't misunderstand. I've gotten used to speaking like this. It's hard to change suddenly," Voss noticed Vander's reaction and chuckled, offering an explanation.
This woman seems unfriendly...
Unspoken thoughts echoed in the minds of those present.
Finn and Bonnie wore mocking smiles, seemingly pleased to see Vander at a disadvantage.
Renni, Smeech, and Lenare, however, didn't look pleased.
Even if they disagreed with Vander's leadership, they wouldn't allow an outsider to interfere in their internal matters.
"Aren't you all children of Zaun?" Without waiting for the rising anger in Vander, Li Lin spoke up.
The chem-barons were momentarily stunned, their gazes shifting to Li Lin sitting beside Vander.
"Oh, the iron lump isn't a machine after all?" Finn's fingers skillfully ignited a lighter. "Vander, is this your apprentice?"
Then, his gaze turned sharp, changing the subject. "It seems he has a lot to learn, like... not interrupting adults when they're talking."
"Hmph! Finn, you..." Vander, irritated, barely got his words out when he felt a hand gently pressing his shoulder.
Turning around, he expressed confusion, "Li Lin? What's are you doing?..."
"Let me handle this." Li Lin's mechanical voice emanated from his mask.
He slowly stood up, manipulating "Infinite" into the [Overcharge] state.
For a moment, blue light flickered on his powered armor.
Seeing the situation escalate, the alchemists were alarmed, entering a state of alert.
"What... do you want to fight?" Finn stood abruptly, pulling out an alchemical pistol from his pocket.
But before any action took place, the door creaked open once again. A thin, one-eyed man with a devilish appearance walked in.
Outside the door, Benso, cursing angrily, Sevika with a stern expression, and Vander's subordinates were blocked by the burly men accompanying the newcomer.
"Hey, everyone, what's the discussion about?" The man chuckled, greeting the people in the room.
"Silco..."
(End of this chapter)
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