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Chapter Twenty-Nine: Tension
With a loud explosion, the personnel Zuan sent to blockade the bridge finally arrived, albeit somewhat sluggishly. They saw the wreckage and Jinx holding Phil while sobbing uncontrollably, unsure of what to do.
"Get Silco! He can save Phil!" Jinx choked out, fearing that any sudden movement might worsen Phil's severe injuries from the massive explosion. She needed someone trustworthy and capable to handle the situation.
Violet helped Caitlyn into a courtyard in Piltover and then looked back towards the bridge. The explosion had not only alerted Zuan's stationed forces but also made the Piltover enforcers realize something was amiss. They rapidly assembled and surrounded the bridge. Now, both sides stood at opposite ends, the tension becoming increasingly palpable.
Silco got the news and arrived at the scene in less than five minutes, with Sevika following him. Seeing Jinx holding Phil, his usually calm demeanor vanished as he ran straight to Phil's side. He didn't speak, nor did he ask for an explanation. He just stared across the bridge at the enforcers, knowing all this stemmed from the injustices imposed by the upper city. He picked Phil up, who, as a teenager, wasn't too heavy. Jinx followed quietly, her head lowered, masking her expression.
Silco kicked the door open, panting heavily. Phil's breath was becoming more erratic, and after all, he didn't have the superhuman resilience of the champions.
"His injuries are severe," Singed said, his face scarred from a past explosion and now wrapped in a scarf.
"Do you think I can't see that? Do you need to state the obvious?" Silco retorted through gritted teeth. He placed Phil on the operating table, positioning him carefully to avoid aggravating the wounds on his back.
"I can save him, but the process will be arduous. Sometimes, death is a mercy," Singed said as he prepared his serums. "Before we start, I must ask you, are you ready to lose him?" A glimmering serum flickered through a long needle.
Jinx stood by the operating table, clutching Phil's hand. "He can't die, Doctor. You have to save him."
Seeing Singed take out a new shimmer reagent, Jinx suddenly remembered something. "Wait, Phil said he'd rather die than use that."
"But he's really dying!"
"There must be another way; there has to be!" Jinx clutched her head. She rummaged through Phil's pockets and found a small stack of cards. "Phil told me about these before. Which one was it? Which one!"
Jinx dumped the cards on the ground, about seven or eight of them, each one shimmering. "Got it! This one." Jinx picked up a card depicting a muscular but unintelligent-looking figure, 'Dr. Mundo's Poison,' and she used Phil's hand to crush it. The card transformed into a radiant light entering Phil's body. She didn't know if this would work, and everyone in the room watched intently for any changes.
The skin 'Dr. Mundo's Poison' prepared for deployment. Host compatibility detected at 7%. Host unconscious; applying skin directly. Under everyone's gaze, Phil's muscles expanded slightly, turning a shocking shade of green, and the deep wound on his back began to heal slowly. However, this effect was short-lived. After about three minutes, Phil's greenish skin faded, and his bulging muscles returned to normal.
"It's a miracle," Singed said, a bit astonished. He glanced at the other cards with a hint of greed but quickly looked away. "Still, he needs a shimmer injection to avoid complications. The necrotic tissue on his back has to be removed, but his life is definitely saved." Singed's words finally allowed Jinx to breathe a sigh of relief and let go.
Although Phil himself didn't like shimmer injections, Silco used them as well. Most importantly, the unconscious Phil had no way to refuse. Singed injected the diluted serum into Phil's body and then proceeded to remove the necrotic tissue from Phil's wound to allow new tissue to grow.
As the sky lightened and the morning sun shone on the bridge, it should have been invigorating. Yet Jayce, walking on the bridge, couldn't feel happy at all. The bridge was strewn with dismembered limbs. Jayce, never having seen such a scene, couldn't help but vomit at the side of the bridge. Beside him, Mel struggled to maintain her composure.
"Sir, this area is now secure. I've received orders to escort you two back to the city," an enforcer saluted them from behind. "Sir, are you alright?" The newly appointed enforcer captain was clearly a bit nervous seeing Jayce's strong reaction.
Jayce slowly calmed himself at the side of the bridge, clenched his fists, and let anger swell in his heart. This was his city, and he wouldn't allow it to be trampled by others. He turned to Mel. "Tell the other council members to convene an emergency meeting."
Meanwhile, Vi brought Caitlyn back to her family courtyard. They struggled to explain the current situation in the undercity to her parents.
Elsewhere, a small figure draped in a black coat sneaked into Zaun. His build and large head made his identity obvious to any onlooker. Walking alone through the alleys of Zaun, surrounded by brawls, curse words, and indifference, were the people. However, thanks to Phil's suggestions, the beggars who once populated Zaun had vanished. They'd either become Silco's spearmen or were fitted with alchemical engines to guard factories. The choice was theirs.
Heimerdinger walked through Zaun, ignored by everyone. The grimy surroundings, smog-filled air, and people living in dire conditions weighed heavily on his heart. He reached an abandoned bench and hopped up to rest for a while. A child, intrigued, handed him a few screws.
With his hood obscuring his face, the child thought he was a peer, wanting to play together. Heimerdinger, his eyes glistening, looked at the child, shook the gear in his hand, and with a puff, a small toy appeared in his hand. The child giggled with delight, "Stay away from her, don't bother her." At this moment, the child's mother took hold of the child's hand, leading her away from the place.
Zaun was a chaotic place, where anything could happen. The mother's caution was justified, but it left Heimerdinger bowing his head in thought. Eventually, he departed from Zaun. Little did he know, this journey would lead him to meet the genius, Ekko.