Logan's clear voice echoed through Piltover's night.
Inside the Council Building, he was using the broadcast system meant for Piltover announcements. The council chamber was already packed with Zaunites.
Ekko, Sevika, Zeri, Scar, Marsen—still shaky after Singed stuck him with a needle—Manzu, Willa…
And also civilian representatives like Marna, and Kerr the fish seller, and others.
Silco sat at the long council table, head lowered. One hand rested on the tabletop, slowly stroking it, as if deep in thought.
Salo had been tossed into a corner under guard by two Zaunites. A few Noxian soldiers were tied up as well—along with Ambessa, whose face was completely swollen, one arm broken and twisted at an ugly angle.
"I'm giving you thirty minutes. If, within thirty minutes, the councilors cannot arrive at the Council Building, then I will take Piltover by force. This is your last chance."
"I'll say it again—I'm only giving you thirty minutes."
After speaking, Logan pressed the button and shut off the citywide broadcast.
Jinx, nearby, pouted. "I didn't get to talk yet."
"Uh… Jinx, what did you want to say?" Logan leaned on the table with one hand, long legs stretched out, the other hand resting at his waist, looking at her with amusement.
"Aren't they looking for me?" Jinx raised a hand and twirled her two blue braids around her fingers, completely missing the complicated look Vander was giving her from not far behind.
Vander was lost.
He had two little sweethearts—his most important attachments to this world, his deepest hopes. But now, one sweetheart, Vi, had turned into a leather jacket.
A spiked one.
But that was fine. Vander felt like Vi turning out like this was within expectations. Even as a kid, she'd been rebellious. As long as Powder stayed gentle, obedient, and adorable, that was enough.
But now Vander was realizing Powder's situation seemed… even more extreme than Vi's.
What was this tactical little tank top?
Huh?
"Um… the blue-haired psycho they're afraid of—the one they'll have nightmares about at night…" Jinx let go of her braids, put a small hand to her chin, and paced while thinking toward Logan. "Uh, wait… what else was I going to say again…"
Today she was wearing her classic outfit: striped pants and a little black tank top. Over it, she had a blue denim jacket that hung past her waist. Under those fitted striped pants, her legs looked long and straight. She was thin, but because she trained all the time, her legs weren't just skinny—they had perfect curves, like a wine glass: fuller thighs, balanced calves, ridiculously good-looking.
But it wasn't as exaggerated as Vi's legs, either. Still—every bit of it landed right in Logan's weak spot. Perfect to the extreme.
Well… except her chest.
Logan figured his own pecs were more developed than Jinx's.
"It's fine. Keep going." Logan dragged his gaze off Jinx's long legs and back to her cute face. "I'll turn the mic on later and let you perform. Right now, we run this place. You can say whatever you want."
"Let me organize my words, Logan—stop rushing me!" She shot him a glare, then huffed her way over to Isha, crouched down, and started whispering with her.
Sevika scanned the room. The entire building was under their control. Outside this chamber, the corridors and the Council Building entrance were all lined with Zaunites.
So Sevika couldn't help asking, "Logan—why don't we just take Piltover outright? With you and Vander, that'd be easy, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah, taking Piltover is easy," Logan said, looking at her. "But what happens after we take it?"
"Among Piltover's residents, plenty are Zaunites who climbed up here and became Piltovan citizens with their own two hands. Are you going to kill them too?"
"Some of them might even be related to someone in this room."
"And besides—we just take their money. We can't manage a whole city if we seize it. Our own city-state is still under construction."
Logan wasn't talking nonsense.
Piltover and Zaun really were family. Sure, Piltover didn't recognize Zaun as its older sister anymore, and it had done plenty of disgusting things—choking off Zaun's development at the throat. But those were the councilors' decisions. Not every Piltovan was personally involved in doing those things.
Take Seraphine, for example—she was Zaunite. Her father used his own two hands to become a citizen of Piltover and open a record shop, and there were plenty of Zaunites like him living in Piltover.
Sevika nodded. That single phrase—our own city-state—immediately dissolved a big chunk of her resentment.
She was the classic hawk: aggressive, itching to smash Piltover into the ground. But she also understood priorities. Compared to killing Piltovans, she cared far more about whether Zaun could truly become better.
"What Logan said is right, Sevika," Silco suddenly lifted his head and spoke. "From the beginning, Logan and I never planned to swallow Piltover. We wanted autonomy, and cooperation with them—so we could raise Zaun's productivity."
Silco tapped the table with his fingers. The smile on his face never faded.
"But now," he added, "I feel like our appetite can be a little bigger."
Then Silco's tone sharpened slightly. "Still—our intention not to take Piltover cannot be known to the councilors. If they know, it'll bog down the negotiations."
Sevika glanced at Salo. "But isn't there a councilor right here?"
"I-I won't say anything!" Salo hurried to swear. "I won't say a word!"
"It's fine," Logan said to Salo. "Even if you do tell them, I can always change my mind."
Salo immediately lowered his head the moment Logan looked at him.
Then hurried footsteps sounded outside the door—many footsteps.
Next came loud pounding. The council chamber doors were three meters wide—of course you had to pound. Knocking politely wouldn't cut it.
A voice called from outside. "Boss—the councilors are here."
Logan lifted a brow. "That was fast."
"Marsen—open the door," Logan said.
Marsen and another Zaunite hauled the door open. A group of Piltovans in exquisite clothing appeared in front of Logan and the others.
Logan looked at the woman leading them: tall, dark-skinned, statuesque, wearing a gorgeous gold gown and low heels. Her chin was lifted as she calmly took in the room.
Mel had been brought to all kinds of major scenes as a child with Ambessa at her side, so she wasn't nervous about this at all.
But Mel not being nervous didn't mean the other councilors weren't.
Bolbok's mechanical face—his tin eyes blinking constantly. The female councilor with rings around her neck clenched her hands tight. Hoskel, with his big belly, kept his head lowered. Lady Kiramman shrank back for half a heartbeat, then still stepped forward and stood beside Mel.
Once the councilors entered, Logan smiled and raised both hands, lightly clapping as he said, "Everyone—please, take a seat."
The councilors instinctively took a step forward… and then froze.
Because as Logan's words landed, Vi plopped herself down in one of the councilor seats without hesitation.
And beside her, Jinx was even more straightforward.
With a light hop onto a chair, she lifted both boots—boots plated with metal—then tossed an arm behind her head like she owned the place, and laid her long legs right up on the table. Resting her head on her hand, she sprawled back in the seat, staring at the councilors with wide eyes full of provocation.
Vander was too big to sit. So he simply reached out, grabbed one of the ornate chairs that was actually anchored into the floor, and yanked it free with a single tug. Then he tossed it behind him.
The chair smashed down near Councilor Salo, making Salo's whole body jerk.
Sevika, at a glance from Silco, hesitated—then sat down at one of the edge seats as well.
Logan circled the table, passing Sevika, Vi, Ekko, Vander, Silco, Singed.
Step by step, he walked to the seat at the very center.
And right beside that seat was Jinx, still sprawled there arrogantly.
Logan set a hand on the chair, ran his fingers over the ornate, comfortable cushion, and then sat down calmly.
He lifted his head and looked at the councilors, whose faces had turned a deep, ugly shade.
He brought his hands together under his chin and offered them a warm, gentle smile.
He didn't say a single word—
And yet, he said everything.
Times have changed,
everyone.
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