Arcane: Thicker Than Blood

There were two common ways to travel from Piltover to Zaun.

The first was to take the Bridge of Progress that connected the two cities. However, there were enforcers conducting inspections on the bridge.

Cipher recently beaten up an enforcer, so he was undoubtedly wanted. This route is out of the question.

Besides, Viktor wasn't in good health and suited for that kind of travel. The long walk across the bridge would only worsen his condition.

Therefore, Cipher chose the second option with Jayce and Viktor: paying to ride the elevator back to Zaun. As they stepped into the metal box, the machinery groaned to life.

The elevator lurched downward, making Jayce grab the railing. Through the grimy windows, Piltover's golden towers began to shrink away.

"First time in the lifts?" Viktor asked.

"Is it that obvious?" Jayce tried to laugh it off, but his voice was tight.

"You should have seen me my first time going up," Viktor said, leaning against his cane. "I was convinced the cables would snap any second."

A loud thud from above made Jayce jump. Viktor didn't even flinch.

"What was that?" Jayce looked up at the ceiling.

"Probably someone catching a free ride," Cipher said casually. "It's common down here."

As if on cue, they heard scrambling footsteps overhead. Jayce's eyes widened. "You mean someone is up there right now? Shouldn't we stop?"

"And do what? Throw them off? Report them to the enforcers?"

"I... I hadn't thought of it that way." Jayce's grip on the railing loosened slightly.

In Zaun, many people rode the elevator without paying. They waited in the elevator tracks, crouching beforehand, and jump onto the top of the elevator for a free ride as it ascended.

This was extremely dangerous. A single misstep could turn them into ground meat, but many Zaunites had no choice.

They didn't have money for the elevator ticket, yet they needed to go to Piltover to make a living. Walking across the bridge could result in rejection by enforcers.

Most enforcers were prejudiced against Zaunites, assuming they were thieves, robbers, or potential criminals. The reality of life in the Undercity was something few Piltovans could understand.

---

When Cipher stepped off the elevator, Sevika, who had been waiting there for a while, immediately spat out her cheap cigarette, stomped it out, and approached with a group of tough-looking gang members.

Her gaze was sharp, her expression cold and fierce. The men behind her were all tall, burly, and covered in tattoos, making it obvious they were trouble.

Their positioning around the elevator exit was too precise to be coincidental.

"Is this one of the gangs in Zaun? It seems like they're coming for us. Should we get back into the elevator and avoid them for now?"

This was Jayce's first encounter with such a situation. Nervously swallowing, he clenched his fists, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

He had no experience here and instinctively assumed Sevika and her group were here to cause trouble.

The elevator was Piltover's family-owned property, and Zaunite gangs usually wouldn't stir up trouble there, as it would invite strong suppression from enforcers.

"Those men... they don't look friendly," Jayce whispered, edging closer to his companions.

In contrast, Viktor was much calmer. He knew that Zaun had its own set of rules.

"In Zaun, looks can be deceiving. Sometimes the most dangerous person is the one who appears harmless," he said calmly.

"Speaking from experience?" Cipher glanced at Viktor. "But don't worry. We just arrived. They're probably not here for us."

Generally, as long as you didn't stir up trouble, it was relatively safe.

After all, the Chem-Barons who ruled Zaun weren't fools. Stable law and order were necessary for prosperous commercial activity.

If they wanted to make money, they had to keep their territory in order.

"The law enforcement in Zaun needs improvement. Actually, they're here to protect us. You might not be used to this. So, let me handle it."

Cipher explained apologetically to Jayce and Viktor before stepping forward and giving Sevika a hug.

She was taken aback, not understanding what Cipher was up to. Just as she was about to say something, Cipher whispered in her ear, "Distinguished guests. Lab needs cleaning. Now."

"Timing?" Sevika asked, barely moving her lips.

"Ten minutes. Make it happen. Send word to Uncle Silco right now. Have him clear out everything from the munitions factory. Leave no trace. We have guests coming to the weapons development lab."

"Also, bring your men and follow us, pretending to be our bodyguards for protection."

Hearing this, Sevika glanced at Viktor and Jayce behind Cipher. Seeing their expensive clothes made of fine materials and their scholarly demeanor, she immediately understood they were likely high-ranking scientists from Piltover.

She nodded, signaling her understanding.

Cipher gave a soft "hm," released her, and continued forward with Jayce and Viktor, deliberately slowing his pace to give Sevika enough time.

This move wouldn't arouse suspicion. Viktor had a limp and couldn't walk quickly.

"We could rest if you need to," Jayce offered, noticing Viktor's struggle.

"Time doesn't rest, neither should we," Viktor replied, though his breathing was labored.

Cipher's trip to Piltover had two objectives: The first was to visit Jayce's lab to see if he could steal any research data. The second was to persuade Viktor to return to Zaun and serve as a university professor.

While at it, he wanted to try leveraging Viktor's position as the dean's assistant to arrange a meeting with Heimerdinger, and convince him to support Zaun's independence.

Both Viktor and Heimerdinger were potentially persuadable. It was even possible they might visit Zaun themselves, so Cipher had arranged for Sevika to wait at the elevator, just in case.

Looking at things now, this foresight turned out to be extremely wise.

If they had gone straight to the development lab and Viktor and Jayce had seen rows of self-destructing robots on the production line, it would have been a disaster.

The two would definitely sever ties with him on the spot. Forget about being friends—they'd likely become enemies.

By the time the three arrived at the development lab, all traces had been completely wiped clean.

Sevika and Silco were highly reliable in their execution.

Cipher entered the heavy door after inputting the security code.

"Wow, this door is solid steel, at least 20 centimeters thick. And the locking mechanism is something I've never seen before." Jayce exclaimed, running his hand along the reinforced frame.

"This alloy composition... it's not standard Piltovan tech. Is it new technology?" he added, studying the door's construction.

"We make do with what we have. Sometimes necessity breeds innovation. And scientific experiments can be pretty dangerous, so we had no choice. Even building this door was a major challenge," Cipher said, casually deflecting Jayce's inquiry.

He couldn't exactly tell Jayce that this was an anti-explosion measure designed for weapons development.

Cipher then pulled out the Hextech gemstone he had gotten from Powder and handed it to Jayce. "Here's your gemstone. Let's witness a miracle together!"

Jayce accepted the Hextech gemstone with a complicated expression, then turned to Cipher and Viktor, asking, "Are you both ready?"

Both nodded in unison.

Taking a deep breath, he quickly gathered the experimental equipment he needed from around the lab. For some items that didn't meet his specifications, he used a welding torch and cutting tools to modify them on the spot.

Cipher noticed Jayce skillfully working with his rune-inscribed wristband, crafting numerous small metal discs inscribed with runes in various designs.

He inserted these rune-inscribed discs into specific positions on the resonance device. Then, with great care, he placed the Hextech gemstone into the device's recessed chamber.

As the sound of electrical currents crackled, the gemstone released several streams of blue static energy. The resonance device's supply pipes began glowing with a blue light.

After double-checking the theoretical derivations, Viktor closed Jayce's notebook and urged, "Well then, Jayce, increase the energy output!"

"If we're wrong about this..." Jayce hesitated, his hand hovering over the controls.

"Then we'll have advanced science by learning what doesn't work," Viktor replied confidently.

"Are you really sure this is safe?"

If the equations were wrong and the calculations failed, all three of them in the lab could be blown sky-high.

Seeing Jayce still faltering, Viktor looked slightly exasperated. "Sometimes you have to take the leap," he said, and without hesitation, he directly activated the resonance device's power switch.

Zzzzt!

Blue light flickered, electrical currents crackled, and the Hextech gemstone emitted several thick, finger-like streams of powerful energy.

The circular support structure of the resonance device began to shake, and the rune-inscribed metal discs started spinning rapidly.

"This won't hold steady. Look at the support structure!"

Jayce panicked. A failed experiment wasn't something to joke about; they really could get blown away.

Viktor, however, was confident. He reassured him, "The resonance will stabilize the gemstone. Trust me!"

"The equations are flawless, and the theory is completely accurate. Jayce, you have to trust yourself during a scientific experiment." Seizing the opportunity to show his composure and experience, Cipher, who had been mostly idle until now, chimed in with calm confidence to assert his presence.

With two researchers so assured, Jayce took several deep breaths and regained his composure.

Finally, the Hextech gemstone, after sparking and flashing, stabilized.

The experiment was a preliminary success.