Due to the trouble they caused, Ekko appeared somewhat timid, turning his head to look at Powder, Claggor, and Milo before nodding.
Li Lin remained silent for a moment.
He recalled that in the original timeline, it was Powder, now known as Vi, who had stolen Heimerdinger's newly invented energy device, intending to modify her "Hextech Gunblade" and blow up a skyscraper, but things went awry.
With a Hextech crystal added to the gunblade, it flew out of control, ending up in Zaun. The energy device inside was coincidentally found by Ekko scavenging in the metal junkyard and was transformed into the "Nitro" hoverboard.
Later on, due to Ekko's underestimation of the Hextech energy device's power, the hoverboard soared into the sky and returned to Piltover, dropping right in front of Heimerdinger, who then modified it into the Hextech flying skateboard.
Yet now, after further study, Ekko, at this age, invented a flying board.
At this moment, an enforcer, slightly out of breath, ran up the street and interrupted Li Lin's thoughts: "Mr. Li Lin, thank you very much for helping us catch these rascals!"
The faces of the four children changed, their pleading eyes turning to Li Lin.
"Sigh, you really know how to stir up trouble," Li Lin said helplessly, glaring at them, "I will help you, but you must come with me and apologize to the enforcer."
Subsequently, under the enforcer's angry gaze, the four children landed with Li Lin.
The lawmen immediately surrounded them, taking handcuffs from their belts.
"Just hold on a moment."
Li Lin stopped them, then turned to the lead lawman, saying, "I'm sorry, these four children are acquaintances of mine from Kiramman. They came this time to show me their new invention, the flying skateboard. But they forgot that Hextech technology needs certification first. I will teach them a lesson later. I'm sorry for the trouble."
The enforcer looked at each other, and the chief immediately smiled, "Where are you talking about! It's just a misunderstanding, not any trouble."
Li Lin waved to the children behind him, and they immediately understood, walking up to the chief enforcer and bowing deeply, saying in unison, "We're sorry for causing you trouble!"
"It's nothing, just remember that any Hextech or Alchemy technology products need certification before use, understand?"
"Yes, sir," they chorused.
After a verbal admonition from the chief, he smiled at Li Lin and nodded, "Mr. Li Lin, you're busy, we'll be off now."
Watching the enforcer leave, Li Lin finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he didn't like this kind of behavior, he had to admit that sometimes, certain privileges of the nobility were quite useful.
Such are the ways of the world...
With the enforcer gone, the four children instantly became lively again.
Powder ran up to Li Lin first, one hand holding the flying board and the other grabbing his hand, shaking it while pouting.
"Li Lin, Li Lin! You're back but didn't bother to visit me in the Lanes!"
"Huh? I wasn't looking for you yet, and you're already blaming me?" Li Lin gave her a stern look, "Besides, I went to the Last Drop Tavern as soon as I got back, but you weren't home."
"Ah? Vander didn't tell us you were back," Powder raised her eyebrows lightly, "I only found out last night when customers at the shop said it was you flying in the sky."
"I knew it a long time ago, my mom and dad said that Li Lin helped close down the notorious Osweld Asylum."
"You little brat! Why didn't you tell me?" Powder glared at Ekko, very displeased.
"You didn't ask either..."
Li Lin unfolded the armor on his hand, smiling as he ruffled Powder's hair, "I see Ekko is taller than you now, so now you're the little one, right?"
At this, Ekko, Claggor, and Milo, all huddled around him, covering their mouths, but Milo couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"No way!"
Powder glared at them angrily, then stuck out her tongue at Li Lin, making a face.
"All right, all right, this isn't the place to chat. Come inside and talk."
It was quite a distance to go through the front door, so Li Lin simply let them get back on their flying boards and followed him directly into the workshop.
"Wow!" × 4
Seeing Li Lin's workshop, the four children were stunned, exclaiming in genuine surprise.
"Remember not to touch anything, some things are very dangerous for you."
Leading the excited children into the main workshop, Li Lin got them chairs and soft drinks before returning to his own workstation.
His gaze shifted to Powder, "Speak up, hasn't the Kiramman family's teacher taught you not to use uncertified technology devices casually? It's illegal."
Ekko opened his mouth and then lowered his face, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault."
"No, it's my fault for being too playful and letting Ekko bring out the flying board. It should be my fault."
"I'm the oldest, I didn't stop this behavior, so it should be my fault."
Milo and Claggor immediately argued, not letting Ekko take all the blame.
Li Lin was amused by their behavior, recalling the scene when he caught them stealing things for the first time in his workshop.
He shook his head, originally not intending to investigate the responsibility of these children, and changed the subject, "By the way, I didn't have a chance to hear from you just now... Where's Vi?"
Li Lin turned to Powder, "Aren't you and your sister basically inseparable?"
Sitting on the chair, swaying her legs, Powder, who was biting the straw, shook her small face when she heard this, "Vi got into trouble, Vander banned her from going out for a month."
Li Lin raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Tell me exactly what happened."
"It's all because Vi always wanted to form a gang like Vander. This time, she messed up."
As soon as Powder said this, she immediately earned a glare, "Hey, you're saying that, Milo. Didn't you agree back then too?"
"But I didn't agree to what happened a few days ago!"
"But you suggested cooperating with the Devil Gang, who are hostile to us!"
"Can you blame me for that? Didn't you agree too!"
Powder and Milo argued more and more excitedly.
Li Lin roughly understood what happened to Vi from their fragmented words.
Similar to the original timeline, Vi still wanted to form her own gang, but unfortunately, she was tricked by an opposing gang.
However, because of his intervention, Vander was not taken away for reconstruction, so Vi's fate also changed significantly.
Li Lin stopped the two of them who were flushed and shouting, "Stop quarreling, arguing won't solve the problem... Tell me the specifics."
Powder and Milo coldly snorted and ignored each other.
Claggor and Ekko had a helpless look on their faces, seeming to have long been accustomed to this situation.
"Let me tell you." Claggor raised his hand, "It all started more than two months ago..."
More than two months ago, Vi had a conflict with a group of thugs in the Lanes, she proposed to establish her own gang.
At that time, Powder and the others all agreed, and they named their gang "Iron Fist Gang". Vi, as the leader, wanted to become a legend of the Undercity like Vander.
They secretly ran outside the Lanes for more than two months, finally ushering in their first "mission".
In fact, Vi learned about several large Hextech technology transactions and their time and methods of transaction from a few regulars in the The Last Drop Tavern, and wanted to rob them.
They had planned for a long time, but because there were only five members in the Iron Fist Gang, it was very dangerous to snatch food from a tiger's mouth such as a Chembaron.
Vi didn't want to give up, so Milo suggested cooperating with the "Devil Gang", a gang that had considered them nothing but trouble for the past two months and was hostile to them.
Vi considered it for a long time and finally agreed.
A few days ago, they went to the mine in the Lanes, subdued the people from the Upper and Lower cities who were trading goods there.
The plan progressed smoothly up to this point, but to Vi's surprise, the leader of the Devil Gang used the Atlas Gauntlet in the mine to kill the mine owner and trap the other miners in the mine, then ran away with the money.
At that time, Vi and the others hesitated for a long time, but in the end, they didn't choose to stand by.
Wearing the gauntlet brought back from the mine, Vi single-handedly visited the Devil Gang the next day and taught all of them a lesson, especially focusing on their leader.
Afterwards, Vi went to the The Last DropTavern to apologize to Vander and took full responsibility, so Powder and the others were not banned.
Li Lin listened, staring at the four children with an annoyed expression, "How old are you all? Thinking about forming a gang and going out to rob? Forming a gang is one thing, but it's been more than two months, and there are only 5 of you? Isn't it embarrassing to say that out loud?
"It's also thanks to Vi saying that only she participated. If Vander knew that all of you participated in this, I guess you wouldn't even be able to step out of the Lanes in the future."
Powder, Milo, Claggor, and Ekko blushed, lowering their heads and not daring to say a word.
After thinking for a moment, Li Lin continued, "It seems that I can't hesitate anymore. After two days, when I go to inspect the goods in the factory, I'll visit Vander as well. You might as well all go to school with me.
Powder and Milo are interested in invention, so they'll go to the Hextech Design Academy, and as for Vi and Claggor... Well, they'll go to the Sheriff's Academy!"
Including Ekko, Powder, Claggor, and Milo all looked up at the same time, "Huh?"
(End of this chapter)