T/N: HERE YOU GO. BONUS AS PROMISED.
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Li Lin measured Kasadin's body data and determined the style of powered armor he desired.
In preparation, Li Lin decided to craft a unique powered armor, taking inspiration from the "Hextech" skin in the game.
However, Kasadin wasn't relying on the weapons of the powered armor to kill enemies, especially since the Void could absorb energy to strengthen itself.
Hence, the powered armor would primarily focus on defense.
As for the issue of money...
Li Lin confidently stated that he had more than enough money for armor construction and energy cores.
When Kode arrived at The Last Drop, Li Lin instructed Kassadin to come directly to Kiramman's house in Piltover after a couple of days.
At this point, Kassadin learned that the two before him were actually craftsman and the heiress of the Kiramman family, which surprised him.
However, focusing on the task at hand, when Kode arrived at The Last Drop, they stopped conversing.
Led by Kode, the three descended via the elevator to the upper level of the Undercity, reaching the oil tank factory where an incident occurred this morning.
The factory was sealed off with a cordon, guarded by heavily armed enforcers with breath filters.
Caitlyn presented the proof provided by Officer Grayson, and they were allowed through the cordon by the enforcers, entering the factory gate.
Subsequently, following Kode's lead, the three, surrounded by a haze of dust, entered the factory that had an extremely poor environment, as Caitlyn commented to Li Lin:
"To be honest, this factory appears to be an oil tank factory on the surface, but secretly, it's a black factory producing inferior food products.
The survivor, Marlo, said they primarily researched how to refine human waste into a cheap infant formula...
To be blunt, these guys pursuing profit deserve their fate... Especially Marlo, who only had one eye corroded by alchemical venom; it's a pity.
Looking at Caitlyn with a regretful expression, Li Lin teasingly remarked, "Wow, I never thought you had such a dark side..."
"Dark? This is not being dark; this is eliminating harm for the people."
Caitlyn snorted, "Using alchemical waste for infant food; I believe they have completely lost their humanity. They deserved what they got."
Inwardly, Li Lin couldn't help but sigh. He felt like his influence had, to some extent, twisted her.
Nevertheless, his perspective coincided with Caitlyn's.
If it weren't for the need for these two to witness the survivor's testimony on the scene, it might have been better for them to die at the scene...
After a while, Kode, having sorted things out with the security office, joined them.
"This is Sienbeck, one of Sevika's subordinates. He's familiar with the factory, so let him guide you in the investigation."
Sienbeck was a middle-aged man with half-white hair. He appeared somewhat frail.
At first glance, Li Lin's impression of him was that he seemed honest.
However, knowing Sevika, Li Lin was aware that this ruthless woman wouldn't employ weak and incompetent people.
Moreover, Sienbeck worked as a security guard in the Undercity environment, implying he must have some skills to stand his ground.
"May gray never raises to your door." Li Lin greeted him.
Sienbeck hurriedly responded, "May gray never raises to your door, Mr. Li Lin... and Miss Kiramman."
Caitlyn nodded in acknowledgment, getting straight to the point, "Can you lead us on a tour inside the factory?"
"We're not going directly to the scene?" Kode expressed surprise.
He hadn't read many books and was a rough guy; naturally, he couldn't comprehend Caitlyn's intention.
Li Lin explained on behalf of Caitlyn, "Caitlyn is a professional. Just follow her instructions."
"Uh, okay..."
Kode awkwardly touched his bald head, glancing at Sienbeck, "Listen to Miss Kiramman's orders, I guess."
The middle-aged man nodded, leading the three of them to tour around the factory.
The factory, located at the border of the territories of two alchemical barons, didn't fall under the influence of either baron.
Therefore, Hextech's new demands for the alchemical barons didn't impact people like them.
The factory, not particularly large, had only one production workshop on the surface and a two-story dormitory building for workers.
Due to today's accident, the workers who were uninvolved were dispersed by the enforcer investigation team, leaving only a few security personnel to stay.
As for the factory owner, he had already been taken back to the enforcement department in Piltover for questioning.
Once this matter settled, he would be sent to court for trial.
Just researching how to refine waste into infant food could lead to a sentence of life imprisonment...
After inspecting the surface, Caitlyn greeted the enforcers guarding the workshop and instructed Sienbeck to lead them down the concealed stairs to the basement.
Unlike the first floor, filled with alchemical equipment for producing oil tank components, the basement was different.
In a basement smaller than the space above, filled with various alchemical and chemical apparatuses, and large iron barrels emitting a foul odor, Li Lin and Caitlyn inspected the remnants of alchemical waste collected by the factory workers from various sources. On one side of the room, oil stains covered dirty tables, and black-green liquid accumulated in purification instruments.
Near the stairs, mechanical equipment had a different color of corrosive liquid, stained with a deep green alchemical waste, damaging various devices. Caitlyn, her delicate eyebrows furrowed, expressed her discontent, "Disgusting! I've been too kind in my assessment of these people before!"
Li Lin shared her heavy feelings. Luckily, Marlo's testimony in the case file stated that they hadn't completed the experiment. Otherwise, many infants and toddlers in Zaun would have suffered.
Shaking his head, Li Lin, his face hidden under a mask, turned to Sienbeck . As if possessing telepathy, Stanbeck, anticipating Li Lin's thoughts, nervously waved his hands, "I had no idea they were secretly researching this before today!"
"I can vouch for that!" said Kode, thinking that Li Lin might be trying to shift blame onto Stanbeck. "Stanbeck finished work in the evening, and this factory research on waste purification happens in the middle of the night. He genuinely didn't know."
At this moment, Caitlyn interjected coldly, "Knowing or not isn't the point. The focus should be on finding the murderer. As for the rest, the enforcers will investigate thoroughly."
Li Lin could sense her restrained anger, witnessing Caitlyn angry for the first time.
"Caitlyn, did you find any clues?" Li Lin walked to her side and asked softly.
"The alchemical poison here has already been cleaned up by the enforcers' professionals. I'm not very familiar with alchemical chemistry, so I haven't noticed anything unusual for now, but..." Caitlyn shook her head, turning her gaze to the other side of the room, pointing at the shattered glass bottle shards on the ground.
"That should be the bottle the killer used to contain the alchemical poison."
Even though the enforcers assured that the toxins here had been completely cleaned, Caitlyn, wary of the corrosive green liquid that could even corrode metal, didn't get too close.
However, under the protection of powered armor, Li Lin crouched down and picked up a piece of glass, examining the situation.
This thing should be what the "W skill," the "Venom Cask" in game, right?
"These alchemical toxins can corrode metal, but they are ineffective against glass, so the killer chose a fragile glass bottle to contain it," Li Lin concluded, turning to Caitlyn.
"Yeah, there are not many clues here. Let's check underground."
Caitlyn, saying this, shifted her gaze to a circular hole in the corner of the room, about a meter in diameter. According to the enforcer investigators, below this basement was the sewer.
The killer had dug up from the sewer in the early morning, throwing a bottle of alchemical poison into the room, causing an explosion of the equipment, blocking the escape route for these people.
In other words, the first death location of the six victims was not the sewer discovered by the investigators but this room.
After they died, the killer dragged their bodies underground.
As for the two "lucky" survivors, they most likely had no way to escape, so they could only crawl in through the hole dug by the killer.
Caitlyn returned to reality, turning to Li Lin and the others, "You two go upstairs and wait for us. The space down there is too small, and it will be too crowded if we all go together. It's not convenient for action."
"If the bow-wielding killer comes back, besides Li Lin, the three of us down there will likely be in trouble."
Kode hesitated for a moment, reminding Li Lin and Caitlyn to be cautious, then followed Stanbeck back up the stairs.
Once the two left, Caitlyn shifted her attention to Li Lin, blinking her deep blue eyes, "You go down first and check the situation. If there's nothing unusual, call me."
Hearing her say this, Li Lin was momentarily stunned, "Ah? Are you planning to go down too?"
"Of course, this sewer leads to the killer's hiding place. Since we need to gather clues, how can we give up such an important place?"
"It's a sewer down there..." Li Lin's tone sounded hesitant.
To be honest, even wearing powered armor, he didn't want to go down into the sewers. The thought of being in the Zaun's sewage system was repulsive.
Moreover, Caitlyn didn't even have powered armor, only a breath filtration device to reduce most of the odor.
"What's the matter with the sewer? I am very dedicated, you know?" Caitlyn glanced at Li Lin, "Time is of the essence, and we have to go back and report after finishing."
Li Lin and she locked eyes for a long time, realizing that she was surprisingly serious. He could only sigh.
"Alright, but don't regret it later..."
(End of the chapter)
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