At eight o'clock in the evening, on the main road leading from Zaun's mid-level plaza down to the sump, Marson walked at the front. He suddenly raised a hand, giving a slight wave to those behind him.
A short distance away, three figures—two large, one small—were following him from afar.
Leo and Jinx had both donned cloaks. The reason was simple: wanted posters bearing their faces were plastered all over the sump. Without their hoods up to hide their features, there was no way they could travel safely into the depths. As for the Black Lanes... that place was even more intense. Right now, its streets and alleys were wallpapered with "Missing Persons" notices for Leo and Jinx.
Marson returned to Leo and Jinx. Jinx was biting her thumb, her nails, painted with pink polish, now jagged and uneven, chewed down like the teeth of a shark.
Leo glanced at the restless and agitated Jinx. Isha was hugging her leg, looking up at Jinx from time to time. She, too, could tell that something was wrong with Jinx's mood.
"We can't go down this way, boss," Marson reported to Leo. "They're checking even more strictly than a few days ago. I think we'll have to find another route." He continued, "Silco's people have come up, but I reckon they're looking for Vi. There's no need for us to risk taking the main road."
"Then we'll find another way. Since when has Zaun ever run out of paths?" Leo said. He reached out, wrapping an arm around Jinx's shoulders and giving her a firm squeeze. Jinx looked up at him, her eyes dark and uncertain, flickering between light and shadow. Her mental state was clearly unstable.
But as her gaze met Leo's, she seemed to regain some clarity. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes asking the unspoken question—What is it?
Leo asked her, "Can you still parkour through the fissures these days?"
"Leo, I could do that when I was eight," Jinx replied.
"Good. In that case, let's get going," Leo nodded. Then, he crouched down to look at Isha.
Leo opened his arms and patted his chest. "Come here."
Isha immediately understood, running forward with her arms outstretched and hugging him tightly.
Lifting Isha into his arms, Leo and his group set off down another path.
There were many ways to get to the sump; the main road was merely the most convenient. For the children of Zaun, the absence of a path was the norm. Their daily routine was learning how to find one.
Soon, just before nine, they arrived in the sump district. Leo gently set Isha down. The familiar smell of the sump filled the air, and Leo felt a strange sense of lightheadedness.
"We've only been gone for about ten days, and this place has already changed so much," Leo remarked, taking in the surroundings with a hint of emotion. Beside him, Jinx stood with her head lowered, utterly silent.
Isha just covered her little nose.
A moment later, a figure appeared, tongue lolling out. Marson, drenched in sweat, walked up to Leo and Jinx. After taking a deep breath, he said, "Let's... let's go. This way."
As they walked, Marson explained, "During this time, I've gathered the boys, and they brought their friends into the Lotus Gang. Using the weapons Jinx made for us, we took advantage of the chaos in the Black Lanes and seized some territory."
"We have over twenty members now. We can't compare to the big gangs, but we're considered a small force in the Lanes."
Leo nodded.
"The hideout we're heading to is on the outskirts of the Black Lanes. It used to belong to the Spider Gang, a crew that smuggled liquor. But now, just like the Glimmer Gang, they've been swallowed up," Marson said, his voice filled with感慨. In Zaun, a couple of weeks was a lifetime. Small gangs and factions rarely had a chance to rise. The person you were drinking with in a bar today could be dead in some gutter tomorrow. That wasn't strange at all.
Following Marson for about half an hour, Leo and the others reached the edge of the Black Lanes.
Down in the sump, wearing a cloak to hide your identity wasn't unusual; the place was full of people just like them. Because of this, their entry into the Black Lanes was unobstructed. Marson continued to lead the way.
Soon, they arrived at the hideout Marson had described.
Inside a fence of corrugated iron full of holes, scrap metal frames and discarded junk were piled high, creating a maze-like environment. In the centermost area, numerous tents of the type favored by vagrants were pitched. In the middle stood a large tent, on which blue and pink flower petals had been spray-painted.
"We're here."
Marson stood to the side, presenting the scene with a sweep of his hand.
Leo looked at Jinx with concern and saw her lips tremble. Her gaze grew evasive.
Someone outside the tent saw Leo and Jinx, then ducked inside to say something.
Immediately after, Leo saw a woman with pink hair in a leather jacket burst out of the tent.
Jinx saw her too. The moment she did, she lost all control of her expression. The word "well-behaved" was completely unsuited for Jinx; whether in front of Leo or Isha, she was always mischievous, neurotic, and wildly unpredictable. But at this moment, Leo truly saw a semblance of meekness in Jinx.
Her eyes were glued to the pink-haired woman. Jinx lifted her foot as if to step forward, but quickly set it back down. She simply clasped her hands before her in a prayer-like gesture and cautiously took a single step forward.
But the pink-haired woman from the tent was already rushing over. She ran fast, arms outstretched as she bypassed the small crowd, ignoring Leo and Isha, and pulled Jinx into a fierce embrace.
"Powder."
Vi held Jinx tightly, pulling her into her arms, her hand pressed firmly against the back of Jinx's head.
"Vi?" Jinx whispered. In response, Vi's arms tightened, her voice gentle.
"It's me, Powder. It's me."
"Is it really you?" Jinx asked, still uncertain and cautious.
Vi released her and looked into Jinx's eyes. She said, "You don't recognize your own sister anymore? It's me, Vi. It's really me. I'm back. I'm right here."
"But... I thought you were dead."
Seeing Jinx's dazed expression, her eyes filled with disbelief, Vi froze. She quickly placed her hands on Jinx's face, caressing her cheeks apologetically. "I'm sorry, Powder," she said. "I wanted to come back for you, I swear I did. But I was taken."
"By Marcus?"
"I don't know his name. But that doesn't matter. I just... I never thought I'd see you again."
After saying this, Vi hugged Jinx once more.
"I'm sorry, Powder. I'm so, so sorry. I never should have left you. It was my fault."
Hearing Vi's gentle voice, Jinx finally raised her hands and hugged Vi back tightly, burying her head in her sister's shoulder. Her emotions broke free, and she began to sob, clear tears streaming from her eyes.
After they separated, Jinx looked at Vi, her eyes wet as she bit her lip. "But everything changed after you left."
She couldn't meet Vi's gaze. Her hands fidgeted in front of her, her body no longer standing straight but curled inwards before Vi, like a child who had done something wrong. "I changed, too."
Vi reached out and turned Jinx's face toward her. "I know, Powder," she said softly. "I get it."
"Whatever you did, you did it to survive."
"Me too. It's okay."
"The most important thing is that we're back together."
Marson looked up, unable to stop himself from rubbing his eyes. Beside them, Leo felt a lump form in his own throat.
When he first watched this scene, Leo had been deeply moved. Vi was truly a good sister. Just as she said, she had tried to go back for Powder immediately, but she was captured by Marcus. How old was Vi then? She was just a teenager. Powder had tried to help but made things worse, causing the deaths of their close friends and Vander, the man Vi saw as a father. It was natural for Vi to lose control, but she had calmed down quickly afterward.
And all those years Vi spent in prison, she never stopped thinking about Powder. If it hadn't been for the sudden appearance of...
As Leo thought this, he looked up at the tent and saw a tall figure emerge.
Crap, she's really here.
The corner of Leo's mouth twitched. The classic, chaotic "three women make a drama" scene was about to unfold.
A woman with beautiful long blue hair, dressed in an enforcer's uniform, stepped out, her face a mask of disbelief. Caitlyn spoke, "Vi... your sister is Jinx?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Jinx tore her hands away from Vi. In one smooth motion, she reached behind her, drew her pistol, and aimed it at a shocked Caitlyn.
Vi, startled, moved to block Jinx's arm and turned to face the approaching Caitlyn.
"Listen, I can explain! Caitlyn, we can talk about this!"
Before Caitlyn could speak, Jinx's voice rose from behind Vi, completely out of control.
"Talk? You want to talk with her? Why are you with a topsider cop?"
"I just bombed the top city, stole their stuff, and now you show up... with a cop?"
"Sister, were you really looking for me? Or is this a trap? You're with them, aren't you?"
She didn't wait for Vi's answer, her voice growing sharper as she screamed, "Have you forgotten who killed our mother? My god, how can you be with a cop now?"
"Shut up! Mylo, I don't have time for your damn voice in my head right now!" Vi muttered to herself, then yelled, "Shut up, just shut up!"
"Powder! It's okay, calm down," Vi pleaded, turning back to Jinx.
"Don't call me that! My name is Jinx now. Powder is dead."
"No, your name isn't Jinx, you're—"
"Don't talk to me like I'm a little kid!" Jinx shrieked, raising her pistol and pointing it at Vi's face. The act terrified Vi.
Then, a hand appeared, gently but firmly pressing Jinx's arm down.
"?"
Jinx snapped her head to the side to look at Leo, her tilted eyes devoid of life. "You're with her too, aren't you?"
Seeing Jinx now aim the pistol at Leo, Isha rushed forward to intervene.
Leo shook his head and said calmly, "We're the ones who are together."
"Then what are you doing right now?"
"You should listen to Vi's explanation," Leo told Jinx. "She was locked in prison for years. The first thing she did when she got out was look for you. If it wasn't for that enforcer, she'd still be in there."
Hearing Leo's words, color slowly returned to Jinx's eyes. She looked at Vi.
"He's telling the truth. I did all of this for you," Vi said, glancing at Leo before focusing back on Jinx.
When Jinx had pointed the gun at her, she had almost lost her temper too. Vi's sense of grievance was no less than Jinx's. But because she was the older sister, she had to be patient with Powder, to take care of her feelings. But... what had Powder just done?
For a moment, Vi felt a surge of complicated emotions.
Perhaps, just as Powder herself had said, she had changed...
Still, Vi spoke with earnest sincerity. "I can explain everything, okay? Powder, please."
Leo leaned in close to Jinx and whispered, "Listen to me. Whether you're Powder or Jinx, you will always be her sister, and she will always be yours. Do you understand?"
"You're pointing a gun at her now, but could you really pull the trigger?"
"..." Jinx fell silent.
Clatter.
The pistol fell to the ground. Jinx's arms hung limply at her sides. She looked into Leo's eyes, her voice weak. "Really?"
"Of course."
"Besides," Leo's lips curved into a smile, "I'm here." He gently patted Jinx's shoulder and looked past her toward Caitlyn, his voice low. "That cop can't do anything right now. She can only stand there and watch."
"Don't be nervous. Don't be scared. This is our turf."
Jinx nodded.
Seeing her state improve, Leo breathed a sigh of relief.
Although a rift still existed between the sisters, at least the crack was being mended.
In Arcane, it was Caitlyn's appearance and the Firelights taking Vi away that sent Jinx completely over the edge. Then, under Silco's "therapy," she became a monster capable of trying to kill Vi. That fixed, unchangeable arrangement reminded Leo of the game Cyberpunk 2077. If only Yorinobu Arasaka had V's phone number, so much trouble could have been avoided.
In the end, it was all the writers' fault!
But now... there was still time.
Because Leo was the man who had the script.
Vi could absolutely join the Lotus Gang and be with Jinx. As for Caitlyn...
Let the high-and-mighty lady from Piltover return safely to her city.
Honestly, after watching the show, it was impossible for Leo to say he had no positive feelings for Caitlyn. But, from the perspective of a Zaunite, he could not bring himself to like her. Even if Caitlyn was righteous, kind, and dedicated to peace between the two cities, Leo still disliked her.
The goodwill extended from on high is nothing but the pity and charity of a superior.
"Marson."
"Yes, boss."
"Keep an eye on the female enforcer. Don't hurt her, but don't let her wander off."
"Understood."
Vi opened her mouth, about to say something, but she met Jinx's gaze and closed it again.
Leo took Jinx's hand and looked at Vi.
"Vi, it's been a long time."
"Leo..." Vi bit her lip, then nodded. "A long time."
"Come on. Let's have a good talk."
"Let's get everything out in the open."
Vi took a deep breath and followed Leo, who was leading Jinx by the hand. Jinx kept looking back at her.
"Okay."