LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 40: Chapter 40
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As expected, Caitlyn immediately took the bait: "Who is Silco? How could he be connected to the police?"
"Silco rules the undercity with an iron fist, smuggling countless contraband items to Piltover every year. How could he not have connections with law enforcement?" Justin took a sip of tea, deliberately leaving Caitlyn to figure it out herself.
This is the advantage of having a god's-eye view. Although it's the first time meeting Caitlyn, he knows the background, character, and even the future of this Piltover Sheriff thoroughly. If Vi had brought back someone else, Justin would be warier than Jinx. But since it was Caitlyn, he could trust her—even use her.
"Silco… that bastard!" A flash of coldness passed in Vi's eyes, and she gritted her teeth: "One day, I'll kill him!"
Justin glanced at Caitlyn with amusement, noticing that Caitlyn paid no mind to Vi's obvious "criminal tendencies" and instead asked with concern, "Is he your enemy?"
"He's everyone's enemy," Justin glanced at Jinx, unwilling to mention that night and potentially upset her, so he skimmed over it: "Just know that it was Silco who destroyed our family, and who got your girlfriend thrown in jail."
Girlfriend… Caitlyn blushed, not arguing. Vi, on the other hand, said naively, "We're not girlfriends yet… Caitlyn and I haven't defined our relationship."
Justin teased, "Do you need some time to figure it out?"
"N-no need…" Caitlyn discreetly touched Vi's hand with her fingers, their fingers entwining with a shared understanding. Faces flushed, Vi and Caitlyn awkwardly continued the conversation: "Uh… Silco, right? I get it. I'll try to investigate evidence of his illegal activities over the next few days and report it to Sheriff Marcus if the evidence is solid, to get him arrested."
"I'm with you!" Vi exclaimed enthusiastically. After reuniting with Jinx, if she had any remaining obsession, it was avenging herself on Silco.
"Good luck, I'm rooting for you."
In reality, Justin wasn't optimistic about their chances. Even if Caitlyn was a councilman's daughter, it would take more than a few criminal charges to bring Silco down.
Five years ago, after Silco eliminated Vander, he was able to quickly absorb the undercity's power. Apart from wielding the devastating weapon Shimmer, he also rallied people with his slogan "Violent Resistance Against Piltover." That's why fighters like Sevika defected to him.
However, with the violence at his disposal, Silco didn't charge towards Piltover like Vander did years ago. Instead, he turned his weapons on others in the undercity and used Shimmer to become Piltover's dark emperor.
Then, he continued to smuggle Shimmer to Piltover, filling his own and the Baron of Chemtech's pockets with profits, leaving everyone else in the undercity to suffer.
To protect his business, Silco naturally had ties with Piltover's elite. Sheriff Marcus was one of his men—though he was merely a small police chief. True power in Piltover rested in the hands of its great families. It was hard for Justin to believe Silco had no connections with them.
"Before you go looking for trouble with Silco, you should get some proper rest first." Justin put down his teacup, which was already empty after sipping it each time he spoke. Caitlyn, too, had drunk a fair amount: "These past few days have been tough on you. Vi is an iron lady, but Miss Caitlyn, you must be exhausted."
"I'm actually fine..." Caitlyn's words trailed off as she suddenly realized her head was spinning, her eyelids growing heavy. She really was exhausted. As soon as she finished the cup of tea, sleepiness overwhelmed her, and she slumped against Vi, falling into a deep sleep. "Caitlyn?" Vi gently nudged her, sensing something was off. Even if Caitlyn was truly tired, it shouldn't happen that she fell asleep in the middle of a sentence.
"Justin?" Vi realized suddenly, "Was there something in the tea? But you drank it too..." Vi was sure she had seen him pour from the same pot into both cups. "The drug was in the cups," Justin yawned, casually admitting, "It was just my usual soothing tea blend. Vi, you really are gullible. Next time you visit someone's home, remember to bring your own water!"
"What are you planning?" Vi frowned slightly, "Caitlyn really isn't a bad person."
"I know—honestly, I probably know her better than you do. Caitlyn, the Piltover Enforcer, daughter of a councilman from the renowned Kiramman family. To her, being an enforcer is not just a job; it's a calling. She's helpful, unyielding in her principles... I know all that. She's a genuinely good person."
"But you're 'bad' people. And Jinx and I are by no means virtuous."
"Or perhaps, do you no longer want to be 'bad'?" Justin straightened, speaking earnestly, "Vi, I want to have a conversation with you."
His god's-eye view made Justin know Caitlyn was trustworthy—but it also made him realize she couldn't be turned. Caitlyn would always be the one fighting for justice and the order of Piltover. But what about Vi?
In the world of League of Legends, her alias is "Piltover Enforcer." Although Justin didn't know what exactly led Vi down the path of becoming an enforcer in the original timeline (after all, Riot has eaten their lore more than once), he did sense something. Vi, despite her violent tendencies, was fundamentally someone who values order and justice. Even as a child, she often used her fists to protect weaker kids from being bullied. Before, she hadn't had the "opportunity to change." But now she had met Caitlyn—since they could fall in love within days, perhaps Caitlyn could sway her with just a few words.
Caitlyn's stance ultimately opposed theirs. But what about Vi? "What do you want to talk about?" "What plans do you have for the future?" Justin asked directly, "Is it to stay with us, continuing to—"
"Oh right, on that note!" Vi exclaimed, unexpectedly cutting him off as she excitedly said, "When Caitlyn and I were locked in the basement, we talked. She suggested we move to the upper city, and her family would support Jinx's education. There are tons of opportunities to get rich in the upper city, Justin! You're smart; you could definitely seize them! As for me, I could join her as an enforcer... What do you guys think?"
However, after her enthusiastic monologue, she noticed neither Justin nor Jinx seemed particularly enthusiastic. Especially Jinx, whose face had darkened, appearing quite displeased. "Moving to the upper city..." Justin rubbed his head. He meant to question Vi, yet found himself stumped by her question instead. "Honestly, I often think about such things too."