"Let them through!"
On the Bridge of Progress, a luxurious carriage with ornate gilding and polished brass fittings awaited inspection at Piltover's checkpoint.
But when the enforcer caught sight of the distinctive emblem of the House Kiramman on the carriage door, a stylized key crossed with scales of justice, he didn't even bother with his routine inspection procedures. He waved the vehicle through immediately.
The carriage was drawn by two magnificent pure white warhorses, not a single speck of discoloration marring their glossy, well-groomed coats. Their harnesses gleamed with silver buckles and blue silk ribbons that matched the House Kiramman colors.
Clearly the transport of someone with serious power. The enforcers weren't about to invite trouble by delaying such important passengers.
After the carriage passed the checkpoint, the curtain was drawn slightly aside, revealing an eye.
"These gatekeepers are far too lax when it comes to inspecting the elite," Caitlyn spoke with a frown, lowering the curtain in clear disapproval.
In her view, anyone entrusted with guarding such a crucial checkpoint should treat every citizen equally, regardless of wealth or status.
No matter who attempted to cross, they should undergo the same strict inspection procedures before being allowed through.
"This is the reality of how Piltover operates. You may be expecting too much from these poorly paid enforcers," Cassandra replied with a faint smile, clearly unsurprised by the differential treatment they'd received.
Who would risk their career and personal safety for just a few hundred coins a month?
If you failed to read the situation correctly and accidentally offended someone with real power, you were the one who would suffer the consequences, not the wealthy passenger.
That's how reality has always been, and how it will always be. True equality doesn't exist.
"This isn't expecting too much of them. This represents outright dereliction of their duties!"
"If someone with malicious intent wanted to exploit such a blatant loophole, they could easily achieve unspeakable goals and cause great harm."
Caitlyn looked seriously at her mother, firmly correcting her viewpoint.
"All right, Caitlyn, you're absolutely right."
Cassandra didn't want to engage in a pointless argument her. She poured herself a cup of tea and sipped it.
She didn't pour Caitlyn one. As a mother, she understood her daughter's personality well enough to know the young woman wouldn't be in any mood for refreshment.
"Stop! Mandatory inspection required!"
A rough voice called out from somewhere ahead of their carriage.
Curious about this development, Caitlyn lifted the curtain to peer outside, and saw a large, well-built man wearing a crisp Zaun enforcer's uniform standing directly in their path.
"Officer, I'm sorry, but there are ladies traveling in this carriage... This inspection might prove somewhat inappropriate."
The coachman skillfully brought their vehicle to a complete halt and looked troubled by the enforcer's firm demand, clearly hoping to negotiate some alternative arrangement.
"Ladies, huh? That's fine. We've got a female officer. She'll check inside, I'll handle the outside."
The Zaunite officer wasn't fazed by the coachman's protests. He called out behind him, and a professional-looking female enforcer approached, boarded the carriage, and politely but firmly brushed past the coachman's continued objections to begin her inspection.
"Good morning, officer. Would you care for a cup of tea while you work?"
Cassandra greeted the unfamiliar female enforcer with a pleasant, welcoming smile, seemingly unfazed by the intrusion.
"Oh, so it's Councilor Kiramman! Good day, ma'am."
"Thank you for the offer, but I'm on duty right now, it wouldn't be appropriate."
The female officer replied cheerfully and warmly.
She took out a scanner from her equipment belt and swept it across the entire interior of the carriage, including both Cassandra and Caitlyn. When the device failed to trigger any alerts, she stepped back outside.
"No abnormalities detected. You may proceed."
Her clear voice carried from outside the carriage.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
With the heavy mechanical sound of gears turning, Zaun's checkpoint barrier lifted smoothly, allowing their carriage to continue its journey into the Undercity.
"Now that's exactly how a proper security checkpoint should act!"
Caitlyn raised her eyebrows in approval, clearly not offended in the slightest by the inspection they'd just undergone. On the contrary, she felt deep appreciation for the enforcers' diligence and sense of duty.
Finally, law enforcement officers who actually took their responsibilities seriously!
"As long as you're happy. You'll be seeing much more of this."
Cassandra gave a faint smile, her expression was unreadable.
The carriage soon entered Zaun's bustling inner district, and Caitlyn immediately lifted the curtain again to observe their new surroundings.
She quickly realized that what she was witnessing now bore absolutely no resemblance to the Zaun she had previously imagined based on Piltover's propaganda and rumors.
The air wasn't filled with the toxic, choking stench she had expected, instead, there was a surprisingly pleasant floral fragrance carried on clean breezes.
On both sides of the road, carefully cultivated plants and flowering bushes had been planted. The clean, smooth streets were clearly marked with multiple traffic lanes and pedestrian areas.
Their carriage was currently traveling at a leisurely pace in the designated outer lane for slower vehicles.
From time to time, wildly styled motorbikes roared past their carriage with impressive speed. Most of them were decorated with distinctively Zaun-style graffiti art, bold, colorful designs full of rebellion and individual expression.
Some mischievous young riders even struck playful gestures and called out friendly greetings as they passed the carriage.
The wide, well-lit streets were lively, not only lined with shops but also with street vendors pushing carts, stationed at designated spots.
The bustling crowd was full of energy. Children laughed and played, their faces brimming with joyful smiles.
Every few blocks, Caitlyn observed a law enforcement officer patrolling the streets on a sleek motorbike.
For a brief moment, she felt like she had somehow returned to Piltover during Progress Day, with identical levels of liveliness, prosperity, and harmony.
Even the residential and commercial buildings weren't the low, dilapidated wooden structures she had been led to expect. Instead, they were impressively tall, majestic towers made from some unfamiliar materials.
From her observation, these innovative buildings appeared to be even more advanced and impressive than Piltover's most prestigious structures.
"Remarkable, isn't it? Completely different from what you had imagined before this visit, I'd assume?"
Cassandra sipped her tea, clearly enjoying her daughter's amazement.
The coachman's driving was smooth, and the road was so well-engineered that their carriage didn't experience even the slightest jarring motion. You could drink tea without any concern about spills or accidents.
"Indeed, this is... extraordinary. In terms of urban planning, infrastructure layout, architecture, even the people's quality of life... Zaun seems... more progressive than Piltover in many ways."
After lowering the curtain and pulling back her gaze, Caitlyn said hesitantly after a brief pause.
"I'm even more curious now about that Last Drop you mentioned."
She spoke with growing anticipation and excitement. Witnessing Zaun's prosperity and advancement with her own eyes had completely overturned her previous stereotypes and prejudices. She now believed this expedition might provide truly valuable education.
As for why Cassandra had arranged this journey to Zaun, naturally, it was to discuss important details with the leadership at The Last Drop.
She had already pledged her family's support in the Council chambers. Now Zaun's leaders needed to see a a gesture of good faith and commitment. There were numerous sensitive areas where both sides needed to coordinate their efforts, and certain matters required face-to-face discussion to establish proper trust and security.
Bringing Caitlyn along served multiple purposes beyond simple educational exposure.
Of course, Caitlyn herself remained completely unaware of all the scheming operating behind the scenes. She simply believed today's expedition was an unconventional learning experience.
The carriage gradually began to slow down... and then came to a complete stop.
"What's happening now? Another inspection?"
Caitlyn asked. They had just entered Zaun, and The Last Drop should still be a considerable distance away according to her mental map.
"Miss, we've reached a major traffic intersection, and there's a regulatory signal system in operation. We must wait for the green authorization light before we can proceed, currently, we're seeing a red restriction signal," the experienced coachman explained.
What? Red and green authorization lights? Why can't I understand anything?
These were entirely new terms to Caitlyn. Curious, she once again lifted the curtain to take a look.
She saw that the carriage had stopped at a large intersection, with a huge number of motorbikes on all sides.
At this moment, traffic was flowing freely along the roads to their left and right.
What was controlling all this were the traffic control devices standing at corners of the intersection.
Red means stop, green means go.