"What method do you think he used to put away that… Gem?"
Powder, who noticed Duke flip his palm and the Hextech Gem disappear, asked her sister. Vi collected all the remaining Gems and put them on herself. "Who knows, maybe it's some kind of acrobatics trick!"
Vi didn't care how Duke put away the Hextech Gem; instead, she collected all the remaining Hextech Gems from Powder's hand.
"This thing is very dangerous, and you heard Duke say so. I'll keep these things."
"But…"
"No buts, Powder!"
Vi gently said, cupping her sister's face, "I'm your sister, and I'll protect you!"
"Mm."
Powder nodded and was led out of the alley by Vi. Duke, standing at the alley entrance, saw the two sisters and asked casually, "Speaking of which, how is that guy to you?"
"You mean Vander?"
"Exactly!"
"Vander is very good to us, like a father," Vi said straightforwardly. Mylo snorted, "More like Vi's father. I heard those bar patrons say that Vi is very much like Vander was back then!"
"What's Vander's full name?"
"Who knows? He never talked about his past with us, and those people wouldn't say either!"
Claggor swayed behind the group, while Duke's eyes flickered. Getting the Hextech Gem from Vi and Powder could be considered a freebie.
But just taking it directly felt wrong, and the upcoming plot was too unfriendly to them.
Mylo and Claggor, the two companions, were caught in the Hextech Gem explosion and died, becoming Jinx's inner demons.
Vander was forced to drink Shimmer, and whether he died or not was still unknown.
But at the end of the last episode, in Singed's laboratory, as Singed looked at a photo of his daughter, the camera zoomed out to reveal the outline of an incompletely transformed werewolf.
Whether it was Vander or not was still unknown.
Moreover, the enhancement and protection provided by Shimmer were truly too strong; even a street thug, whom Vi easily pinned down and forced to drink it, could achieve a five-kill streak afterward.
A strong man like Vander drinking it should have an even stronger effect.
Powder and Vi would also go their separate ways; one was adopted by Silco and raised as his own daughter, while the other was sent to Stillwater Prison and suffered greatly.
To be honest, Silco was truly good to Jinx, even pouring all his love into her.
Silco's monologue beneath Vander's statue implicitly showed his love and affection for Jinx, and there was also a small segment in the series where Silco, who had always self-administered his drops, experienced Terrify after Jinx left, showing a weakness that this overlord would not normally reveal.
"Should I influence the plot?"
Duke looked at the two sisters leaning on each other in front of him, feeling a bit uncertain. Silco wasn't purely evil; he had just gone down the wrong path.
But Vi and her sister were tragically separated because of him, and their adoptive father's fate was unknown.
"What a headache!"
Unable to make up his mind for a moment, Duke decided to give them some warnings first. At this time, their group of five also arrived at Benso's general store.
As Black Alley's place for fencing stolen goods, Benso had always been a staunch supporter of Vander, but unfortunately, he met his end too quickly.
Ding-a-ling!
The copper bell on the door jingled lightly as Vi opened it. Benso, behind the counter, turned around, looked at Vi, and said, "Ekko, Vi is here!"
"I'm not here for Ekko, I'm here for you, Benso!"
"For me?" Benso frowned, stroked his beard, and tentatively asked, "You didn't go topside again, did you?"
"What are you talking about? Am I the kind of person who makes the same mistake twice?" Vi pulled Duke forward and pushed him, "It's him. Vander told me to bring him here to buy some materials from you, at a cheaper price!"
"From Piltover?"
Benso sized up Duke and directly stated Duke's origin. Duke looked around the general store and casually said, "Born in Zaun, but adopted by a craftsman from topside. Now I'm an apprentice."
"Good luck."
Benso sighed, understanding Duke's meaning. In the turmoil a few years ago, the Zaun children who survived were either adopted, wandered the streets, or were dragged away by some rat in a gutter.
Zaun's Plague Rats were very ferocious!
"What do you want? Let Ekko take you to the storeroom. Fifty golden sea, pick whatever you want!"
Benso simply said a sentence, intending to resume his work. Duke tapped on the table: "Fifty is too much. Twenty golden sea, I'll pick and take whatever I want!"
"Kid, don't push your luck. This discount is out of respect for Vander!" Benso slammed his fist on the table and said fiercely, "This is Zaun, learn some manners!"
"I have information to trade!"
Duke calmly looked at Benso. The plot points he knew were useless to Vi and Powder. These kids were insignificant and impulsive. If he told them, they would likely rush straight to Silco.
"Information?"
"About Silco!"
Duke said indifferently. Benso's expression changed. He put down the rag in his hand and walked out from behind the counter. "Come with me and tell me in detail!"
"Hey, Duke, what are you up to again?" Vi was a bit displeased seeing this. Why had her childhood friend become so mysterious?
"It'll be quick!"
After reassuring Vi, Duke followed Benso into the back room.
Inside the room, Benso lit the lamp. Under the light, Benso glanced at the door and whispered, "Why didn't you tell Vander directly?"
"Because Vi is there, she's very impulsive, and the other three follow her lead. If I told them there, what do you think would happen?"
Duke folded his arms with a peculiar smile. Benso lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked up again: "What do you want to say?"
"Silco is back!"
Duke leaned forward slightly and spoke to Benso. At the same time, Benso's pupils contracted. "How do you know?"
"Marcus has been bought by Silco. I think this information should be heavy enough. And Silco came prepared. Sevika has pledged allegiance to Silco!"
"Silco is currently at the abandoned cannery. He has created a special, very dangerous, chem-baron concoction."
"Words alone are not enough, little one." Benso folded his arms, his eyes scrutinizing. Duke smiled faintly: "I work for Ferros. You understand what I mean. You also know what to do!"
Benso's expression changed. He knew about Ferros, which Duke mentioned. It was the head of Piltover's four founding families, the rumored uncrowned king. If this kid in front of him was truly one of the Piltovans, then the information was real!
No one dared to use the name of Ferros to deceive others. Those who dared to do so had their heads cut off, with smooth and neat cuts.
After the Undercity people attacked Upcity, the Undercity remained chaotic. The Piltovans came down and killed a group of people to stabilize the situation.
Vander also got in touch with the Enforcer at that time.
"I understand!"
Benso took a deep breath, his attitude towards Duke involuntarily becoming more cautious: "Then, this…."
"Just call me Duke. I assume you won't say anything, right?"
Duke picked up a nearby chair and effortlessly tore it in half. Noticing Duke's monstrous strength, Benso swallowed hard, "I understand. You can take whatever you want from the storeroom, no charge!"
"You still need to charge!"
Duke pulled out ten golden sea and placed them on the table. He opened the door and, before stepping out, turned to Benso and said, "You know what to do!"
"Yes."
Watching Duke leave the side room, Benso let out a heavy sigh. His back was already soaked. This kid seemed ordinary, but once the name Ferros was involved, everyone had to think twice!
Duke, who had walked out of the room, also let out a light breath, adjusting his heartbeat. If the fact that he used the Camille family's name as a bluff got out, he would be finished.
However, it concerned Vi and Powder, and those two had given him a Hextech Gem. Having accepted their favor, he had to return it!
As for the Piltovans really coming, he wasn't completely without a plan!
"I hope I can change some of the plot!"
Duke shook his head at Vi, who was looking at him inquisitively. "Don't ask, it's not good for you!"
"Tch, so mysterious!"
Mylo snorted, quite annoyed with Duke. Boys are like that; in front of the opposite gender, they always like to compare themselves and harbor hostility towards more excellent peers of the same gender.
Even if the opposite gender was an undeveloped tomboy and a loli.
This is an instinct rooted in the blood.
"Mylo, say less. We're going to Benso's storeroom now. That old guy has always guarded it strictly, not letting us in his storeroom. Now we have a chance!"
Vi led Duke into the storeroom, and Benso also walked out of the side room carrying a bag. This room was usually where goods were inspected upon arrival.
"Ekko, you watch them. I'm going to Vander's!"
Regardless of whether Ekko heard him, Benso rushed out and went to Fugen Tavern to find Vander.
When Benso arrived at Vander's bar, he hadn't even caught his breath before he directly pulled Vander into the Underground Room.
"What's wrong with you? So hurried and flustered, that's not like you, Benso!"
After entering the Underground Room, Vander teased his old friend. Benso immediately poured out the contents of the sack: a torn brass chair. Although it was old, tearing it like that was not something an ordinary person could do.
"This is…" Vander squatted down to examine the chair, noticing the pinch marks on the backrest and the unnatural break marks. His heart skipped a beat. "It was torn apart by someone directly?"
"That kid named Duke is a Piltovan!!!"
Benso's voice still trembled slightly. After that turmoil, the Piltovans had come down and killed many of the troublemakers.
Many of those who survived that disaster remembered the slender figure, with silver-White hair and eyes shimmering with blue light, slowly pacing forward, the sound of blades scraping the ground, and a lazy voice that carried a hint of not daring to Defile.
"Ferros?" Vander's heart jolted. He immediately stood up and asked Benso, "What did he say?"
"He said Silco is back, and he's bribed Marcus. Sevika has also defected to Silco."
"What do you mean by this?"
Facing Benso's inquiry, Vander frowned, took out his pipe, lit a match casually with his hand, and smoking his pipe, Vander whispered, "Gather everyone."
"But…"
"No buts! If you don't want a second round of cleansing, then go and do it quickly!"
Vander almost roared. He didn't fear the Upcity people, but Ferros was different!
They would personally remove the gears that were unfavorable to the two cities and maintain the operation of the two cities.