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At the border market between Piltover and Zaun, within a heavily guarded building:
Wearing powered armor, Li Lin descended from the elevator, traversed the spacious, deserted corridor, and pushed open the door at the end.
Inside the smoke-filled room, a man in a dark red suit, holding a cigar between his index and middle fingers, looked up. A hint of surprise flashed in his intact right eye.
"Li Lin? Quite a rare visitor."
Silco extinguished the half-smoked cigar in the ashtray as Li Lin gestured for him to sit in the chair in front of his desk.
"How's the progress on the power plant lately?" Li Lin inquired, not wasting any time.
"With the active cooperation of the chem-barons, half of the citizens in the lower plaza have now replaced traditional power sources with electrical ones. The Tide Generator Station is approaching its rated load," Silco explained, a rare smile appearing on his face. "The incidents of alchemical accidents in that district have significantly decreased."
"That's expected..." Li Lin mused, "Have you decided on the location for the new thermal power plant?"
"Yes, it's in the Undercity, on Baron Midenstock's territory."
A hint of disdain crossed Silco's face. "This fellow seems to have caught Glasc's attention recently. She wants to absorb Midenshtok's chemtech workshops and his industries, so she came seeking my help."
Pausing for a moment, Silco chuckled softly, "As for the cost... ownership of a chemtech power plant and sponsorship for reconstruction, in exchange for sparing the rest of his assets from absorption. I consider it quite a profitable deal."
"Renata?" Li Lin frowned. "She's been quiet for a few months, and now she's making a comeback?"
Discussing Renata brought a sudden darkness to Silco's expression.
Noticing his unusual emotion, Li Lin asked, "What happened?"
"For the past few months, I've been suppressing the businesses under Glasc Industries, thinking that this old woman would understand my warning and be scared."
"But unexpectedly, she managed to bribe a family member of one of my contacts within Singed's alchemical workshop. They managed to steal a vial of Shimmer Serum there."
"However, I've sent them and their family to the junction of the Piltover Canal and the Guardian's Sea, to greet the abyssal devil fish waiting there."
"A family should always be kept neat and tidy, don't you think?"
Li Lin shook his head in resignation; such occurrences were common in Zaun. To be a successful underworld figure, one had to consider if they had the qualifications to be protected by their subordinates.
"So, the formula for the Shimmer Serum leaked? How far has Singed progressed in its research?" Li Lin asked.
"The addictive properties of the serum have been completely removed, but it still has a probability of causing cell mutations, although not as severe as before."
"Cell mutations... the risk is still too great." Li Lin furrowed his brow, pondering for a while, then raised his head to ask, "Do you think Renata will improve the Shimmer Serum?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Silco burst into laughter as if he had heard a joke.
"This thing, even Singed, the most outstanding alchemist in all of Zaun, doesn't have a hundred percent certainty of perfecting it."
"A person like Glasc, who climbed to her current position through dubious means, doesn't have the skill set comparable to Singed. How can she perfect the Shimmer Serum?"
However, Silco's laughter froze when Li Lin continued:
"But even if she can't perfect it, she can directly mass-produce and deploy the current formula of the Shimmer Serum. Don't you think?"
"Damn it!" Silco slammed the table, then rubbed his face with both hands, his expression deep in thought.
That intact right eye turned to gaze directly at Li Lin.
"Why are you staring at me?" Li Lin immediately guessed his thoughts. "I won't go and kill her."
"Why? Didn't you personally take care of Baron Takeda a few months ago?" Silco was puzzled.
"Takeda only had a few mines and alchemical workshops. Although his overall strength was stronger than Renata's, his economic power was far inferior to hers," Li Lin explained.
"Moreover, Renata's industries are diverse, covering almost every aspect of Zaun. She's skilled at winning people's hearts, and she has quite a few loyal followers. Have you considered the consequences of doing this?"
Li Lin's words were not entirely clear, but Silco easily grasped the implied meaning.
If we eliminate Renata directly, her influence over the entire Zaun industry will not only cause turmoil but also instigate her loyal followers to seek revenge.
In the aftermath, the stability that Zaun had painstakingly achieved would be jeopardized due to the power struggles among the Chem-Barons.
Perhaps it would even attract the attention of the mysterious Lady Gray, who enjoys wandering amidst the haze.
Moreover, this plan contradicts Li Lin's idea of discreet and stable development.
Silco's tone carried a hint of displeasure as he remarked, "So, what's your suggestion? We can't just let her be, can we? With the new power plants in the upper city coming online in the past few months, the demand for coal has skyrocketed."
"Though your Kiramman family acquired two coal mines from the Takeda merger, it's clear that the production isn't sufficient," he added, "Glasc also controls several coal mines. Just one power station is bringing her considerable wealth. The profits I gained from the border markets can't compete with her anymore."
Li Lin, with a touch of mockery in his words, responded, "Silco, have you become a bit muddled in the past few months? Are you starting to enjoy a comfortable life, turning into another Vander?"
Silco's face darkened at Li Lin's teasing words. "What do you mean? Are you mocking me?"
"I'm not mocking you. I'm suggesting that you, who once vowed to retaliate, have changed your ways," Li Lin's metallic voice resonated through his mask.
Silco furrowed his brows, pondering for a moment before suddenly realizing, "Are you suggesting that I should infiltrate her industry too?"
"Exactly. It would be best if we could replace the entire management with our people, directly sidelining her," Li Lin replied.
A glint of determination flashed in Silco's right eye. "This way, even if we later deal with Glasc, our people will immediately take over her industry, ensuring the stability of Zaun."
Following that, he shifted to a smiling expression, looking at Li Lin. "I've noticed you becoming more mature in handling matters. In some aspects, you're more considerate than me."
"No one remains unchanged," Li Lin shook his head. "Enough idle talk; let's focus on the main issue."
"I knew it; you didn't come here just to inquire about recent events."
Silco picked up the cigar from the ashtray, relit it with a flip lighter, squinted his eyes, and took a deep drag.
"Speak. What's the matter that has even troubled the son-in-law of our Council member?"
"How did you even find out about that?" Li Lin sighed in exasperation, met with Silco's teasing expression.
"Never mind how I know," Silco remarked. "Tell me; what brings you, and why does it need to be kept secret from the Sheriffs and the Council members?"
Li Lin took a deep breath and continued, "I came to ask you to find me a discreet location. I want to build an arms factory."
"Hmm... one that the Sheriffs and the Council members shouldn't find out about," he added.
(End of the Chapter)
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