pertwk Page 76
Page 76
“Tell me more,” Farn said.
"Vander's vitality and will to survive are extremely strong. Even before the presence of the pleasure factor, he was able to withstand a large amount of physical modification under the enhancement effect of the luminous drug—"
Before Singed could finish speaking, Jinx and Vi's voices, filled with astonishment and uncertainty, came from the side: "You modified Vander's body?!"
“There’s nothing we can do about it.” Hearing Jinx and Vi’s voices, Singed’s face didn’t show much emotion. He simply said calmly, “Think about when you think Vander died? Back then, the technology of the twilight wasn’t as advanced as it is now. I admit that I did use Vander’s body to prove some of my ideas, but without a doubt, it was because of these actions that he survived. And back then, even if you had retrieved Vander’s body, you couldn’t have done anything.”
228. Orianna
Hearing Singed's words, Jinx and Vi, though dissatisfied with Singed's alteration of Vander, didn't say much. Ultimately, they knew that whatever Singed's initial purpose in resurrecting Vander, even if it was as a subject for human experimentation, Vander's current return was largely due to Singed's careful preservation of his body and those dim light experiments…
Especially Jinx. Vi might not know the true effects of the Glimmer, but Jinx does. While the Glimmer exerts immense mental pressure on the user, it's not insurmountable. At the same time, the Glimmer greatly enhances the body's various strengths—Vandal was severely injured by the Monkey Bomb, and even with proper treatment, such damage would likely be beyond the reach of ordinary doctors.
In situations like these, it's all the more necessary to use potent and drastic measures. And while Glimmer had many flaws, it was undoubtedly the best enhancement agent back in the day, more than a decade ago.
The reason they feel dissatisfied now is simply because they worry that Vander will forget about them or not recognize them.
Farn seemed quite casual about this, simply saying calmly, "Let's go take a look... Speaking of which, it seems the lab is doing pretty well these days?"
Hearing this, Singed nodded and led the way, saying slowly, "This is mainly due to the death of those alchemy barons, and the current ruling organization in Zaun has a strong determination to reform. At the very least, the ability to shut down all alchemy factories in one fell swoop, and to resume production only after all sources of pollution have been thoroughly identified and corresponding modifications have been made, is something those alchemy barons absolutely could not accept. Because whether it's the production lost during the modification period or the additional costs and facilities for pollutant treatment after the modification, it's all a huge expenditure."
"But I heard from Zeli and the others that you guys are doing something about pollution becoming a resource, right? Why don't those alchemy barons do the same?" Wei seemed a little curious.
"The initial investment for this plan is enormous. While individual alchemist barons can fund it, such a large expenditure will inevitably reduce their power and attract the covetous eyes of other alchemist barons." Singed nonchalantly, "In fact, those alchemist barons know better than anyone that Zaun is recklessly heading towards destruction, but they all want to be the ultimate winner, the victor takes all. Any attempt to stop will become a weakness, and then they will be swarmed and devoured by others."
“Zaun is like that, and so are other places. But as things stand now, Zaun seems to be starting to change…” Singed glanced at Fain beside him, his eyes devoid of much emotion, and said calmly, “I don’t know what your purpose is in doing this… but there’s no doubt that Zaun is getting better.”
With that, Singed clapped his hands and said, "Alright, let's see how Vander is doing now."
As Singed spoke, the group arrived at a laboratory located inside a tunnel. Although it sounded strange to build a laboratory inside a tunnel, considering the terrain of Zaun and the geographical fluctuations caused by the split between the two cities, tunnels would probably remain a constant presence even in the future.
However, although both are tunnels, the tunnel where Singed's Labs is located has been significantly reinforced. At a glance, a large number of technological creations and objects support a not-so-small circular space. And in the center of the space, there stands a huge alchemical petri dish.
The cylindrical petri dish was filled with an organic biological solution mixed with a "happiness factor"—well, this happiness factor wasn't white; it was extracted directly from Fain's blood and then diluted with other organic solutions. While the effect was roughly the same, it didn't have the same intense emotional catalytic effect as Caitlyn Jinx and the others. It just gave one the subconscious feeling that Fain was a nice guy, easygoing, and approachable.
Encased in a petri dish and surrounded by a large amount of organic solution, the enormous and twisted figure was still a sight to behold for Jinx and Vi. Even though they had guessed that Vander was probably completely different from what they had known in the past, they still stared wide-eyed in disbelief when they actually saw it.
"That's...Vander?!"
Standing nearly two and a half meters tall, its massive, muscular body was covered in thick, dark gray fur. While its face still vaguely resembled a human, it also displayed distinct canine features. Numerous mechanical structures were embedded within its flesh. Judging from its appearance alone, no one would recognize this as the former Vander.
In response, Singed nodded and said, "That's right, it was Vander. He was on the verge of death back then, and I was just trying to make use of him, to see if I could use the organs of a Shadow Wolf for transplantation and chimerism. But Vander's will to live was terrifyingly strong; even the organs and blood of wild beasts were completely integrated into himself under the influence of his thirst for life and the mutation catalyzed by the Glimmer Potion."
“Well, you don’t need to look at me like that.” Singed shrugged. “Without these modifications, he would never have been able to wait for Farn to appear and receive better treatment with the happiness factor.”
"I know!" Upon hearing this, Jinx gritted her teeth and said in a low voice, "But who can accept something like this right away?!"
As soon as Jinx finished speaking, a surprised voice came from the side.
"Brother Fane!!"
Following the sound, they saw a blonde little girl hiding behind the door. Upon seeing Fane, the little girl's face lit up with surprise: "Brother, are you here to play with me? Let's play together, okay!"
"Eh……?"
Upon seeing the little girl, Jinx blinked, exchanged a glance with Vi, and then simultaneously cast a look of disgust at Fain, as if they were looking at a disgusting goldfish who wouldn't even spare a little girl.
Farn shrugged at this, then said to Singed, "Aren't you going to introduce me?"
"Yes." Nodding, Singed looked at the little girl and said gently, "She is my daughter, Orianna... She just returned from the brink of death the day before yesterday."
229. Van der Vander's State
Upon hearing Singed's words, Jinx and the others paused slightly, and Jinx finally asked in surprise, "She's your daughter?"
“Genuine, no doubt about it.” Singed shrugged.
Having received confirmation, Jinx's eyes widened in astonishment as she looked at the little girl clinging to Fane's leg, bombarding him with questions. Fane had already mentioned Singed and his daughter when he first spoke to Jinx about Vander. In Fane's description then, Singed's daughter, though alive, could only sleep in a life support pod, practically as good as dead. And now…
“That’s the effect of the Happy Factor.” Noticing Jinx’s gaze, Singed nodded. “Orianna was suffering from a terminal illness before, and could only prolong her life in a deep sleep. The Happy Factor greatly revitalized Orianna’s flesh and nerves, and further enhanced her resistance. Especially her flesh.”
Singed added, "The long period of slumber caused Orianna's muscles to atrophy significantly, while the growth brought about by this happiness made Orianna's muscles stronger, and her bones, blood, and organs also became more healthy. This gave her a stronger immune system."
Hearing this, Jinx nodded thoughtfully, then gestured with her chin toward Orianna, who was clinging to Fain and calling him "Brother Fain" and refusing to let go, and said, "Aren't you worried about her like this?"
"You mean this kind of intimacy? It's alright." Singed shook his head and said, "I'm already content that Orianna is alive and can play freely in the sun. And I know very well that the happiness factor can make people feel affection for Fane, but this affection is not uncontrollable."
After a pause, Singed said frankly, "In fact, in my observation, Mr. Farn has always been generous, especially when there is no conflict of interest. He never mistreats his followers. And Orianna's close relationship with Farn may become a support and source of confidence for her to grow up safely after my death."
"Are you going to die?" Jinx exclaimed in surprise.
“No, it’s just a metaphor.” Singed walked towards the workbench with his hands behind his back, saying as he went, “But who can guarantee the future? Orianna may look young, but she’s been sleeping in a life support pod for the past ten years or so, so her actual age is about the same as yours. But in terms of both strength and mentality, she’s still just a child. Even if I’m reluctant, I need to prepare something for her so that she can live well in the future…”
Upon hearing this, Jinx's expression became somewhat complicated, but she didn't say anything more. However, Singed's reaction still puzzled Jinx. After all, Fain's private life... well, perhaps to outsiders, Fain's private life might seem incredibly clean. After all, in that towering manor far removed from the world, the vulgarity there at night was simply unimaginable to ordinary people.
In this situation, distance makes the heart grow fonder. Who would have thought that the fireworks of Zaun, the representatives of Piltover, the future of two cities, would be such a person in private? ...They're just the cheapest bitches.
Besides, according to Jinx's guess, this guy named Singed probably also ingested the "happiness factor." After all, this is something that will be used on her daughter, so she definitely needs to determine just how harmful it is.
It might sound strange, but based on the current situation, the pleasure factor emanating from Orianna isn't the same kind that Vi, Caitlyn, and Zephyr absorbed. It's just a normal pleasure factor. It subtly makes people feel a sense of attraction towards Fain, but not to the point where, like us, the mere sight of Fain triggers an unbearable, urge to be violated and played with by him in front of everyone.
Even so, Orianna was still just a little girl. Her mind was still so immature, yet she harbored feelings for Farn; what would happen when she grew up…?
Jinx twitched her lips slightly and shook her head helplessly, deciding to ignore such matters altogether. After all, Jinx simply couldn't judge Fain's moral bottom line in certain areas…
Unaware of Jinx's thoughts, Singed simply went to the workbench and, while controlling the nutrient tank to continuously deliver various substances into Vander's body, said unhurriedly, "After this period of adjustment, Vander's consciousness and nerves have maintained a considerable level of activity. Although he has not yet escaped the shackles of death, as things stand, at least he can be considered alive."
As he spoke, Singed paused, then looked at Faen beside him. After receiving Faen's confirmation, Singed activated the switch. Subsequently, a large amount of happiness energy was injected into Singed's spine. Soon after, accompanied by a strong and powerful heartbeat that resounded throughout the room, Jinx and Vi's hearts jumped into their throats.
Inside the incubation chamber, under everyone's watchful eyes, Vander first showed signs of a heartbeat, then his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably. In an instant, he erupted with a wild, bestial nature, bursting forth from his half-human, half-beast face. In everyone's sight, his massive body shattered the thick glass of the nutrient chamber almost instantly.
"Roar!!!"
With a roar, Vandel, like a true wild beast, instinctively tried to escape the brightly lit space after breaking free of his restraints. But before Vandel could make a move, the moisture in the atmosphere was rapidly refined into flowing chains, which, accompanied by a series of whooshing sounds, bound Vandel's limbs and immobilized him.
"What's going on?!" Vi looked at Singed beside her in a panic, her face filled with fear and unease: "Didn't you say Vander would be alright?"
“I only said he would live, not that he would be alright.” Singed shook his head and said calmly, “Anyone who returns from the dead will change, and how to make him return to his original state is your business—I have done all I can.”
Hearing Singed's words, Vi seemed to want to say something more. On the other side, Jinx said, "Okay, Vi, don't be so tense."
“This isn’t about being nervous!” Vi retorted, but then she took a deep breath, exchanged a glance with Jinx, and then the two of them looked at Vander at the same time.
230·The Pure Young Man, Fain
Vander had awakened, and Farn further activated the effects of the happiness factor on life enhancement and mental uplift. This brought a flash of clarity to Vander's eyes, who had been swayed by the bestial emotions of the Shadow Wolf within his mind. Following closely behind, Jinx, as if sensing something, tentatively took steps towards Vander…
Fane didn't take Vander's awakening too seriously. Frankly, even if Vander were resurrected, he wouldn't have much influence over Zaun now. He couldn't command the same level of support as before and launch a bridge-crossing war against Piltover. Even the so-called ambitious figures, after the Winds of Change repeatedly transformed Zaun, either left, fled, or died. Those who remained in Zaun had basically abandoned their unrealistic ideas.
It can only be said that resurrecting Vander was indeed very useful before. However, after Zaun and Piltover reached a consensus, their development speed even exceeded some of Fane's expectations. As a result, Vander's resurrection can now only be considered icing on the cake for the two cities as a whole.
Seeing the father and daughter embracing and weeping in front of him, Faen simply waited quietly. After all, he had already experienced the relevant plot in the anime before his transmigration, and although the environment had changed, the content was largely the same.
As Jinx and the others poured out their hearts to each other, conveying their longings, Vander, having regained his senses, also came to stand before Farn.
Upon first meeting Fain, while some doubts and curiosity remained regarding his identity, it must be said that Fain's appearance was absolutely outstanding. Even disregarding the influence of his cheerful disposition, Fain still exuded a heroic and refined air that could not have been cultivated in the Zaun of the past. With his sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, well-proportioned and powerful physique, and piercing gaze, anyone who came would have to praise him as a heroic young man.
Now, with the added effect of the happiness factor, he naturally feels goodwill and affection towards Fandell. Even Vander, who was originally puzzled by the current environment in Zaun, couldn't help but have thoughts like, "No wonder Zaun can get better, it turns out that this is the person guiding it."
Thinking it over, Vandal's voice softened as he asked, "You must be Fain, right? I've heard from Jinx and Vi that my resurrection and the changes that have occurred in Zaun all started with your arrival."
"More or less. I only did some minor work. The actual implementation was done by Zeli's mother, Shuona."
Upon hearing this, Van der nodded thoughtfully.
Vander remembered Shuona. A female warrior from humble beginnings, but who never gave up. Although she participated in the rebellion in Hilko, Vander knew Shuona's character well. Now it seemed that Shuona ultimately chose to leave Hilko after seeing through the hypocrisy of the Twin Cities…
There was no hatred or similar feelings, because Vandal knew very well that some of those who had followed Hilk in instigating the Zaun uprising genuinely wanted Zaun to rise. Unfortunately, Zaun's true rise wasn't so simple, so the real pain only began after seeing the truth about the Twin Cities.
Thinking this, Vandel couldn't help but smile wryly and looked at Fane, saying, "Speaking of which, Jinx and Vi's expressions were a bit strange when they talked about you. Is there some misunderstanding between you two?"
Upon hearing Vander's words, before anyone else could say anything, Wei couldn't help but say, "Wait a minute! Vander, this kind of thing—"
"It's alright." Ignoring Vie to the side, Fain simply shrugged at Vander, his face innocent and apologetic, and said, "The main reason is probably because I'm their boyfriend, so they were a little nervous when they saw you again."
Upon hearing that Fain was the boyfriend of both sisters, Vandel opened his mouth in surprise, then looked at Jinx and Vi behind him.
Meeting Vander's gaze, Jinx simply crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, appearing completely indifferent. Vi, on the other hand, looked embarrassed and nervous, as if she wanted to say something but dared not utter it.
Seeing this, Vander sighed and looked at Farn beside him, saying, "The environment in Zaun was too harsh before, and the people's personalities were rather extreme. If they caused you any trouble, I apologize on their behalf..."
"You apologize for us?!" Upon hearing this, Wei couldn't help but point to her own face, her expression full of disbelief.
Vander, are you mistaken? Your two adopted daughters may have accepted reality, but just yesterday they were being humiliated on the bed by this bastard. Even when Jinx had just finished her first time and her virgin blood was still flowing, diluted to a pinkish-white color with milk, he was still using her anus without any prior contact, having sex with her all over the place in one night—and you're not even angry, you even apologized to her on our behalf?
Not only was Vi incredulous, but even Jinx, who already had serious mental health issues, couldn't help but rub her temples in pain after hearing Vander's words.
The most crucial point about this issue is that they also cannot explain it—if they were to explain it truthfully, they would be very worried that Vander would suffer unnecessary mental harm.
In fact, Farn's relationships with the girls are now quite secretive. Neither Zelly nor Salafenny's parents know about their lives at the Tower Manor. Even Caitlin, known for her calm, elegant, aloof, and noble demeanor in public, is completely unaware of what's going on behind closed doors. Who would have thought that she'd be all lovey-dovey and eccentric once she's actually inside the Tower Manor?
And so does Fain, who gives the impression of constantly using magic to travel to various parts of the world and make macroscopic predictions about the future of the Twin Cities. He is almost seen as a saint by the people of the Twin Cities, especially the people of Zaun.
And who could have guessed that this saint was actually like Gandhi, spending all his time practicing asceticism and failing at it?
Even in Vander's eyes, it was the same – a handsome young man like Farn looked sunny and cheerful, and seemed honest, upright, and positive. How could he possibly be involved in something so serious? It was probably because his premature death had driven his two adopted daughters to extremes, and they had conspired to force Farn, who seemed so gentle and refined, to make a painful choice.
In response, Fain could only look at him with a mixture of shame, sadness, helplessness, and embarrassment, and said, "It's okay, I was wrong too."
Wei: "nmd..."
231. The Two Cities Project Completed
At least for now, while Vander doesn't completely trust Fain, the natural affinity stemming from his happiness factor allows him to maintain a considerable degree of goodwill and affection towards Fain. The environment in Zaun is well-known; Vi and Zombie, even while still alive, dared to trespass into Piltover to steal, causing a series of explosions and other heinous incidents.
In this situation, one is a promising young man who has changed the relationship and image of Zaun and Piltover, and is considered by almost everyone to be of excellent character. The other two are his adopted daughters who are mischievous and troublesome even when he's still talking about it... What do you think Vander would think?
Seeing the helplessness on Vander's face, Vi had a lot to say, but all the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she rubbed her temples in pain and nudged Jinx beside her with her elbow, saying, "I really am... Boom, don't you have anything to say?!"
“What can I say?” Jinx rolled her eyes. “Vander’s survival is all thanks to the Happy Factor. How much more do you expect him to hate Farn?”
"Damn it, this must have all been arranged by Faen!" Wei pointed at Faen, her face full of indignation. Faen just chuckled, his expression completely unconcerned.
Van der clearly didn't think Fane had any problems. After all, even if Fane had issues, judging from his current reputation, it couldn't be too bad. In contrast, his two daughters' reputations were already well-known throughout the neighborhood even while he was still alive…
“Speaking of which, if the largest organization in Zaun right now is the Winds of Change…” After a moment of silence, Vander looked at Fane with a somewhat complicated expression: “Then what about the Hillk…”
Upon hearing this name, both Jinx, who was feigning defeat, and Vi, who wanted to argue, fell silent. Jinx, in particular, instinctively looked away at the ground beside her, her brows furrowed with loneliness and complex emotions.
In fact, ever since learning that Vander could be resurrected, Jinx subconsciously began to keep her distance from Hielko. And similarly, perhaps befitting their adoptive father and daughter, Hielko also subconsciously reduced his interactions with Jinx. Although they would still greet each other when they met, they would usually just exchange a brief greeting before actively looking away, avoiding eye contact.
There is no doubt that a distance has grown between them.
While Jinx and Vi were still pondering how to answer—
"I am here."
Before the two could say anything, Hilko's voice came from the side.
Emerging from a corner, Hilko still leaned on her cane, but her eyes, which had been severely tainted by the dim light, had returned to their original color. However, because they had been severely damaged long before being contaminated by the dim light, her pupils remained dilated, characteristic of someone who had been blind.
Hilcone had actually arrived much earlier, and he was even more concerned about Vander's resurrection than Jinx and Vi combined. However, his thoughts were also far more complex than those of Jinx and Vi together.
Fortunately, all of that is in the past now.
Upon seeing Hilko's arrival, a complex expression flashed in Vander's eyes. But after that, he simply smiled helplessly and quietly looked at Hilko, saying, "It's been a while, and you've aged quite noticeably."
"...Thankfully, at least I can still tell it's human." Hearing this, after a brief silence, Hilko shook his head and sighed, then chuckled self-deprecatingly, "But you, you woke up looking like this, neither human nor beast..."
"Haha! It's good enough that you survived!" Hearing Hilko's teasing, Vander laughed heartily, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Because Vander knew that Hilko was still the same Hilko; he had only become Vander's enemy because of Zaun.
As for the riots instigated by Hilko… to be honest, Vander wasn't surprised. Many others had expressed similar ideas before Hilko's uprising, and these same people quickly became part of his forces after the rebellion began.
Some things are unavoidable, and even among those close to Vander, many share similar thoughts and tendencies. Take Vi's personality, for example—reckless, impulsive, and oblivious. When Vi grows up, she'll likely become the next Sona or Hilko, dissatisfied with the peace maintained by Vander and believing him to be too weak. In this context, Hilko's rebellion, in a sense, only accelerated this process.
Seeing Vandel laughing heartily, Hilko shook his head helplessly, seemingly exasperated by Vandel's thick skin, but he didn't say anything more and could only wait for Vandel to finish laughing.
But to everyone's surprise, Vandel just kept laughing, laughing and laughing. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, a smile crept onto Hilko's lips, and he chuckled softly, just like two psychopaths.
“Let’s go outside and have a good talk. I have a lot to say to you.” Vander took a deep breath, looked at Hilko, and continued, “I think you do too.”
“Ah, yes, there’s a lot to say.” Hilko nodded, and then the two of them looked at Fane, who simply nodded, indicating that the door was over there.
Seeing this, the two men turned and left side by side without looking back.
"..." Wei smacked her lips, scratched her head, and said with a suspicious look, "Why do I feel like... Vander might have more to say to Hilko than to the two of us?"
“I can attest to this, it’s not an illusion,” Jinx said with a shrug. “Before Fann arrived, Hilco had been talking about Vander’s name quite a bit. Once, he even fell asleep in his office and was still talking in his sleep… Oh well, it’s good that they have something to say, so they don’t have to keep it bottled up inside all the time.”
“Indeed.” Wei nodded, then looked at Fain with displeasure: “But you! Why are you acting all innocent over there?”