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Chapter 46: Signing the Agreement
The peace signing ceremony between the two cities proceeded as planned. The once bleak scenes were replaced with festive celebrations as people filled the streets joyfully. As the sole leader of Zuan, Silco stood on the high platform, giving a speech alongside the city councilors, exuding the demeanor of a true leader. Meanwhile, Phil and others, dressed in formal attire, followed Silco to complete the signing of the peace agreement under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
"Hey, Phil. I feel really uncomfortable in this outfit," Jinx murmured awkwardly. She had been persuaded by Phil to wear a woman's suit. "You need to get used to it, Jinx. You're not a kid anymore; you have to learn to be mature," Phil advised, but Jinx blew a raspberry at him and went off to pester Silco before he could finish.
"Hey, Ziggs, what brings you here?" Heimerdinger remarked with some surprise, holding a small wine glass in hand. "Oh, who is that? My old friend. My talents are truly appreciated here; it's nothing like your academy, which was too rigid to see my brilliance," Ziggs replied. He had once been a professor at Heimerdinger's academy but was expelled after the 531st explosion.
As time passed, the evening banquet began, and everyone's spirits were lifted by the influence of alcohol, filling the air with excitement and joy. Phil and Silco seemed to be conspiring together. They were actually discussing the prospect of Phil taking control of Zuan, though Phil declined multiple times by saying he was too young for the responsibility.
"Hey, Jayce, if you ever come to Zuan, I'll definitely treat you to some marsh swamp frog sashimi. It's a rare delicacy," Jinx said, slightly tipsy, starting to get chummy with others. Phil pulled Jinx away with a hint of frustration, quickly greeting an embarrassed Jayce before leaving the dining hall, where the atmosphere remained lively.
"Phil, I still wanna drink~," Jinx leaned against Phil's shoulder, her cheeks slightly flushed from the alcohol. She wore just a simple light makeup today, unlike her usual smoky-eye look, almost like a normal young lady. But this normality felt unusual for Jinx. "You can't drink any more nonsense," Phil flicked Jinx on the head playfully. The two stood on a rooftop, admiring the beautiful view.
"Pretty, isn't it?" "But this isn't Zuan," Jinx said, holding onto her strong sense of belonging. She still resented Piltover, seeing it as the city that took her parents' lives and everything else she held dear. Phil knew this fifteen-year-old girl harbored many feelings. He gently patted her head, "Zuan will keep getting better. Silco will govern it well."
"Phil, what do you plan to do next?" Jinx asked, her eyes slightly dazed but still sharp, sensing Phil's intention to leave. "Maybe travel the world? Perhaps seek more power? The mortal body can't wield much more as it is," Phil pondered. With his abilities, he couldn't fully utilize his vast potential; his frail body was the limiting factor. He aimed for Ionia, the place with the most potent natural energy, where he hoped to gain the blessing of the Dragon's Force.
Yes, the Dragon's Force. After much thought, it seemed like the best path. His innate talent was modest, and paths to power were limited. The blessings of Mount Targon were too risky; Bilgewater was out of the question as seeking trials with Illaoi would be walking into the lion's den. World Runes were dangerously untraceable. Ionia appeared to have the most opportunities while also being relatively safe.
"Then I want to go with you!" Jinx exclaimed with excitement, eager for a thrilling adventure.
"You, huh? Let's see how you behave," Phil teased Jinx. Realizing Phil might refuse, Jinx lunged at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. "You better say yes! Or else... hmm," she threatened.
"Alright, alright, I give in. Just don't make too much trouble these days, and we'll go together, okay?" Phil freed himself from Jinx's elbow, ending their playful tussle. "But Silco still wants you to be his successor," Jinx reminded him.
"Let's just let him keep being the boss. It's been his dream for years," Phil said, sitting on a high platform. "Look! The fireworks show is starting." As the clock struck, the fireworks show began. Designed by both Jinx and Ziggs, the fireworks painted various patterns and graffiti across the sky, adding unique colors to the event.
With the signing of the peace agreement, everything seemed to fall into place. Phil didn't immediately leave Zuan and continued researching Urgot's war machines and abyssal crab mechs, hoping to leave behind an invincible force for Zuan. "What a brilliant design, with explosives mounted on the feet for a jet-propelled attack without harming the body. It's amazing," Ziggs marveled at the schematics he received, impressed by the ingenuity.
Phil, wearing safety goggles, was tinkering with something. For this experiment, he had enlisted Ziggs' help, whose explosives could significantly enhance the power of these mechanical beasts. "By the way, where's Jinx?" Speaking of Jinx, despite not causing any major terrorist attacks lately, she had a knack for creating minor disturbances. Her experiments with Ziggs' explosives are only the start; she herself had become a haunting legend in Zuan capable of quieting crying children.
"Jinx? I haven't seen her all day," Ziggs said, puzzled. The most brilliant inventors in Runeterra hail from Zuan and Piltover: Jayce, Viktor, Heimerdinger, Singed as a biologist, and Ekko; Ziggs might barely make the list, and Jinx is halfway there. The reason inventors are mainly from Piltover and Zuan is that other regions have more convenient access to magic.
There's another remarkable inventor not mentioned: Hakim Nedri, a crystallographer from the Shuriman coastal city of Bel'zhun, who once performed a transformative surgery on Camille. Phil tried to find him, but driven by heartbreak, he had left the city, and Phil hasn't located him yet. His skill was so incredible that the surgery he did on Camille decades ago remains unrivaled. Mentioned because an unexpected guest visited the lab. "Hello, Ms. Camille, do you consider me a nuisance?" Phil said with a smile as he opened the door to a finely dressed cyborg—Camille.