At the tallest level of Piltover's northern district, within the Council Hall, the mighty vehicle form of the Titan Warrior landed smoothly. Li Lin opened the doors for Caitlyn and Cassandra, and the three of them walked directly into the spacious and empty reception hall under the dumbfounded gazes of guards and passersby.
The weekly council meeting was usually uneventful—any urgent issues would have been addressed earlier. As a result, aside from patrolling guards and enforcers, no other families' representatives were present in the building.
Before long, the trio arrived at the council chamber. Though it was still early, the other councilors were already seated, chatting and laughing amongst themselves.
Caitlyn glanced at Salo and Hoskel, then discreetly nudged Li Lin, gesturing for him to look.
"See those two? They used to have conflicting interests and barely got along. Now, they're practically allies," she whispered, ensuring only Li Lin could hear her.
"The Borbok and Voslaton families have been pressuring us in the military sector, even secretly smuggling weapons out of the city.
"A few months ago, I helped the Piltover Enforcers crack down on some serious cases of smuggled Hextech devices and firearms being shipped through the Sun Gate to Noxus. They bore the Kiramman family's emblem but turned out to be defective counterfeits, not our products.
"Thanks to your mechanical engineers and advanced AI, we've maintained strict control over any exported goods, especially Hextech devices and energy weapons. They're banned from international sales and come equipped with tracking signals. There's no way this should've happened."
Caitlyn's tone turned pointed, subtly hinting at the culprits.
While other families dabbled in Hextech and energy weapons, the Kiramman family—backed by Li Lin's designs—was the only one with significant achievements in the field.
The rest, unable to compete, churned out subpar imitations with glaring flaws, such as "Vishla's Hex-Ethylene Rifle." These defective products languished in warehouses, unsold and unwanted.
Moreover, the Kiramman family adhered strictly to council regulations, selling such dangerous weapons only to Piltover's enforcers or other families in limited quantities. They never sold to foreign nations, especially not Noxus.
But some families had evidently resorted to counterfeiting under the Kiramman name to smuggle their inferior Hextech devices abroad.
If they succeeded, not only would the Kiramman family's hard-earned reputation suffer, but Cassandra would also face sharp criticism from other councilors.
"The political climate in Piltover has grown tense," Caitlyn continued in a hushed tone. "Your technology has allowed the Kiramman family to surpass the Ferros and Medarda families in many sectors, and now the other councilors are targeting us in secret."
As they stood near the circular council table, Caitlyn and Li Lin's subtly intimate demeanor soon drew the attention of the other councilors.
Heimerdinger and Mel nodded with polite smiles, acknowledging their presence.
The other four councilors' gazes were more guarded, their thoughts difficult to decipher.
Li Lin met each of their eyes with a calm and commanding expression that exuded natural authority, compelling them to avert their gazes one by one.
"Don't worry," he murmured softly to Caitlyn, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "I've got this."
When Cassandra took her seat, the other councilors plastered on forced smiles, each greeting Piltover's most powerful family head with exaggerated cordiality.
Mel leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table and propping her chin with one hand. "Since everyone's here, why not start early?"
"Oh, absolutely! I have important experiments waiting for me," Heimerdinger chimed in enthusiastically.
Hoskel, appearing indifferent, raised his delicate fingers and casually filed his nails with a small blade. "What's on the agenda today?"
"It's mainly about the Hex Gates," Cassandra said, scanning the room. "Since their establishment, cargo shipments by sea have drastically decreased. The Bilgewater pirates have had their eyes on our towers, particularly that 'Terror of the Seas' pirate lord."
Li Lin arched an eyebrow, intrigued.
The Hex Gate in Bilgewater had been constructed shortly after the one in Shurima, during the same timeframe as Noxus's Immortal Bastion Gate—nearly a year ago.
Even with their shipping routes disrupted, shouldn't the Pirate King have made his move by now?
Salo's next comment provided clarity: "Didn't we build the Hex Gate on the Buhru people's territory? No pirate would dare provoke the Buhru Faith!"
"Technically, it's at the boundary between the northern and southern sections of Bilgewater, within an area designated for outsiders by the Buhru people," Voslaton added, his gold-ringed fingers tapping sharply against the table.
"Then the Buhru people should be helping us," Salo remarked, scratching his bushy beard in confusion. "We negotiated for ages with those Blue Flame Isles—sorry, Serpent Isles—believers to make this happen."
Voslaton shrugged. "We invested heavily in building temples for the Buhru people, even involving their elders and the Truth Bearer, Illaoi. Yet they've refused to offer us any support. They said we must fend for ourselves if we want a foothold in Bilgewater."
"Fools," Hoskel sneered disdainfully. "Ignorant savages…"
"Hoskel, you shouldn't let the Buhru people hear that," Heimerdinger interjected immediately. "Nagakabouros, the Serpent Isles' deity of life, isn't just some myth. She's very real!"
Hoskel, clearly dismissive, smirked. "A so-called sea monster deity? What's it going to do—storm Piltover to reprimand me?"
Heimerdinger sighed, shaking his head, while Mel and Cassandra exchanged knowing glances, both wary of the brewing tensions beneath Piltover's surface.
Although Mel secretly despised these "mindless" individuals, she still maintained the proper decorum, as always, offering a polite smile and offering a brief reminder.
She then turned her head, her gaze shifting to Karina. "Councilor Kiramann, what exactly is the situation?"
"Those pirates have set up a checkpoint on the road from the tower to Bilgewater City, demanding we pay half of our taxes or else they won't allow our goods to land on the island."
"Outrageous! We've already paid a thirty percent tax to Plank! Just a year has passed, and he dares to demand such an exorbitant amount?!" Saro exclaimed, his face flushed with anger.
"I've always said we shouldn't have trusted him and those Buhru people," Hoskel muttered. "I've even heard rumors that the current high priest of the Buhru church had an affair with Plank."
Saro froze, taken aback. "Is that true?"
He wasn't unfamiliar with the image of Illaoi, that burly, powerful woman… yet she still…
Well, all he could say was that the Oceanic Plague really didn't seem picky about its partners.
"Everyone, we're not here to discuss such trivial matters," Cassandra interjected, noticing the conversation veering off course. "Let's focus."
A strange glint passed through Voslaton's eyes as he glanced at Bolbok. "So, what do you suggest we do?"
Bolbok, almost as if they had already discussed it beforehand, immediately agreed. "You don't intend for us to bolster security, do you? This is, after all, a diplomatic issue."
Bilgewater, a city teeming with criminals, had diplomatic issues?
You've deployed your own guards at towers in Noxus, Ionia, and Shurima without anyone calling it a diplomatic problem, Cassandra thought, an undercurrent of displeasure rising within her, though her face remained calm.
"We can no longer compromise with Plank," she said. "If we keep giving in, it'll only encourage him to push further. This time, he demands fifty percent; next time, it might be seventy. Eventually, he might even seize our Hexgate Tower."
"Are you suggesting we go to war with Plank?" Voslaton retorted, giving Bolbok a pointed look.
"That would mean declaring war on all the pirates of Bilgewater. Not only would it go against our neutral stance, but it would also bring trouble to our city," he added, his voice heavy.
"A mere pirate has you all so frightened?"
At that moment, Li Lin, who could no longer stand hearing these legislators bicker over something so easily resolved, stood up.
"Li Lin…" Caitlyn's expression shifted to one of surprise. She hadn't expected him to intervene at such an inopportune time.
Voslaton and Bolbok seemed intent on undermining Cassandra, while Saro and Hoskel sided with them.
Heimerdinger was still confused about the situation, while Mel found herself in a difficult position, wanting to avoid discord and looking for a way to mediate.
Li Lin's entrance now gave the four legislators an opportunity to criticize Cassandra.
But Caitlyn quickly realized his plan—today, he was aiming to take control of Piltover.
Though unsure of his exact approach, it seemed that this was his ultimate goal.
Caitlyn reached out to grab Li Lin's hand but stopped herself, biting her lip nervously, her brows furrowing with concern.
The moment Li Lin spoke, the council hall fell silent.
The seven councilors, including Cassandra, Mel, and Heimerdinger, were all momentarily stunned, struggling to understand the situation.
They were in the midst of an important council meeting—no matter the urgency, they should have waited until all matters had been settled before bringing up other issues.
As Li Lin walked closer to the circular council table, Cassandra suddenly had an unsettling premonition and asked anxiously, "Li Lin, what are you up to?"
"One pirate, Plank, and you're all making it so complicated?" He smiled, snapping his fingers.
To the astonishment of the others, part of his clothes seemed to turn into black liquid, flowing down his legs to the ground, only to swiftly reassemble into a chair, which quickly transformed into a seat at the council table beside Cassandra.
He settled into the seat, as if it were his rightful place.
A mere artisan, yet he dared act so arrogantly? The thought crossed the minds of the four councilors simultaneously.
"You…" Saro's eyes widened, ready to shout, but Li Lin spoke first.
"The Oceanic Plague is hardly an issue for Piltover now. Bilgewater isn't Plank's alone. That lawless city should have been dealt with long ago."
His words sent a ripple of confusion and gravity through the room, even in Mel and Heimerdinger's eyes. They couldn't quite understand the change in Li Lin—today, he was unrecognizable from the easygoing, affable person they were used to.
What exactly did he intend to do?
"Li Lin…" Cassandra called his name, only for him to wave her off.
"But, Bilgewater and Hexgates aren't the main issues today."
Li Lin's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked over Saro, Hoskel, Bolbok, and Voslaton, his cold stare sending a shiver down their spines.
"Today's meeting, we need to address the crimes you've committed."
(End of Chapter)
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