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Chapter 17: On the Eve of War
"Jinx, where's Phil?" Silco stormed in shortly after Evolution Day, anxious to find Phil.
"Uh, maybe in the lab? Who knows?" Jinx responded, immersed in music with her headphones on. She loved the song Phil had written for her.
Without lingering, Silco headed straight to Phil's lab. "Phil! Look at what you've done!" Silco threw a pile of newspapers at him, each reporting on yesterday's explosion.
"Let me see," Phil put down the experimental equipment in his hands and took the newspapers. "Shocking! A couple did such a thing in broad daylight on Evolution Day? This is a terrible headline," Phil commented dismissively as he read the news title.
"You've disrupted all my plans! Phil, this isn't a minor squabble; you've exposed your appearance to the people of Piltover!" Silco was visibly angry.
"So what? Haven't we prepared enough?" Phil tilted his head and questioned.
"Our preparations are based on not engaging in mutual destruction with Piltover. You really don't understand the power they hold. How will you fight them? With your incomplete weapons or with the shimmer I've got?" Silco retorted.
Phil hadn't expected such a strong reaction. "You said by any means necessary to achieve one's goals."
"Yes, I did. But now the people of Piltover are looking for you; they want your life to quell this chaos!"
"My life?" Phil laughed softly. "If they want it, let them try to take it," he said, producing a metal box. Inside was the compact, energy-equipped prototype of the Emperor SR "Alive Fire" armor and the "098X Dissolution Blade."
"This is armor and weapons I've developed. The alchemical energy alone couldn't make it fully functional. During the last explosion, I managed to seize a Hextech crystal—the energy source for the Hex Gates—which finally allowed it to operate fully," Phil explained slowly to Silco.
"Do you know what this means? It means that if Piltover wants, they can also use these crystals to make more advanced weapons. The reason they haven't is that our crystals are still unstable. Once weaponized, these will surely be used for warfare," Phil expressed his concerns.
"So, we can't wait any longer. Our gap will only widen." As Phil spoke, he pressed the activation button in the middle of the box. Instantly, the armor assembled around Phil, covering him completely in just three seconds.
"This armor is equipped with memory chips and smart alloys that can consume energy to repair itself if deformed or damaged. Increasing energy output activates the armor's full form, enhancing speed and enemy attack analysis capabilities. The '098X Dissolution Blade' becomes complete, killing enemies at a molecular level. It also has built-in boosters, sensors, and other auxiliary equipment. Except for its vulnerability due to its lightweight, it represents perfect, groundbreaking technology," Phil spoke zealously through the synthesized voice within the armor.
Silco saw everything, his anger slowly dissipating. "You've grown up, Phil," he said with a mix of relief and pride. At least he had thought things through before implementing his plan, rather than acting impulsively. Yet, with relief, he also felt a tinge of concern. Phil had always succeeded in his endeavors, and one misfortune might prove insurmountable in the future.
As for the forthcoming counterattack from Piltover, it was Silco's responsibility to manage it as a father. After a moment's reflection, he cast aside his worries. "Notify Sevika to prevent any enforcers from Piltover from entering. Stop all waste discharge from Piltover into Zaun and intercept any Sun Gate vessels to supplement Zaun's supplies." Silco decisively instructed the small yellow-haired companion behind him.
Chapter 18: A Brewing Storm
His orders were essentially a declaration of war against Piltover. Zaun's resources mostly depended on supplies from the upper city, Piltover, which treated Zaun like a sewage drain. This meant that while Zaun stood against Piltover, it couldn't fully detach from it.
"Leave the interception of the Sun Gate vessels to Jinx. Can this mech suit be mass-produced?" Silco quickly formulated a strategy.
"Not yet. Besides technical limitations, these materials are incredibly rare. Moreover, we don't have enough Hextech crystals. However, this set of armor is ready for use," Phil replied, removing the Emperor SR "Alive Fire" armor, which, upon being compacted, returned to a small black box.
Silco's intentions were clear. There was definitely a power gap between Zaun and Piltover. One must remember that Councilor Heimerdinger was not only a founder of Piltover but also a great inventor. Pitting Piltover and Zaun against each other to mutual destruction? Piltover would never consent to that, and as for Zaun, well, those with nothing to lose fear nothing. If they could force Piltover to compromise, then Zaun would achieve victory.
In Piltover, Caitlyn, dressed in pajamas, was intensely scrutinizing a newspaper. By comparing several newspapers, she discovered a problem: the monkey symbol that appeared in the sky during the explosion was found in several of Zaun's newspapers with the same markings. The man who appeared on stage had gradually been identified—Silco's adoptive son, Phil.
Despite this analysis, Caitlyn did not feel overjoyed. She suddenly realized something: if she could pinpoint the culprit solely from newspapers of both the upper city and Zaun, why was the Enforcer team still clueless? After all, Phil had already shown his face on stage! Realizing this, Caitlyn picked up the job offer Jayce had left for her this morning. It was her appointment as the security officer for the Talis family, along with a token. She had initially been angry at Jayce for it, but now she needed it.
Now alone, and after thoroughly looking into the events of the past few years in Zaun, she focused on a case from two years ago—the upper city bombing. She now needed to understand the intelligence of that case and matters related to the lower city.
Meanwhile, Marcus stood behind Jayce. "I heard you wanted to see me?" he asked.
"How is the investigation going?" Jayce asked.
"Mr. Talis, I assure you—"
"Call me Councilor. The only assurance I want is a complete resolution of this bombing case, and retrieval of the stolen Hextech crystal," Jayce interrupted Marcus.
"I've already pinpointed a suspect, an undercity gang calling themselves the Firelights. They rob and pillage, engaging in all sorts of crimes. Trust me, we'll crack the case soon," Police Chief Marcus assured the councilor.
"Very well, pick up the pace. The council holds this matter in high regard. Remember, you only have two days," Councilor Talis instructed.