Compared to the civilization brought by technology, what truly determined everything was still pure violence...
Thinking this, Viktor's gaze was full of bitterness.
Having witnessed the drastic changes between Zaun and Piltover with his own eyes, even Viktor himself found it hard to explain what exactly he was thinking in his heart.
"Piltover hasn't been peaceful these days." Following beside Viktor, as his close partner who also originated from the bottom of the Sump, Skye also said with a face full of emotion: "You were constantly monitored by the Enforcers sent by the Piltover Council before, but my luck wasn't bad. Maybe because my level is far inferior to yours, so I'm relatively freer. Besides the weapons workshop, I can also go to other academic areas for research."
Looking at Viktor, looking at this gaunt man's pale face and bewildered eyes, Skye also said: "You know, there are quite a few genius students from Zaun in Piltover Academy. Although those students are all sponsored by Chem-Barons and trade nobles, they still carry the most sincere original intentions."
While speaking, traces of complexity also emerged in Skye's eyes. Undoubtedly, the former Skye and Viktor were also among them, believing that by refining their technology at Piltover Academy, they could return to Zaun and change everything in the future.
But unfortunately, all this was futile after all. The trade families' control over Piltover exceeded imagination. The dream of many genius students at Piltover Academy was to be like Jayce, changing their lives through great inventions and creations, realizing the legendary Piltover Dream. According to the description in the short story "Progress Day," every year tens of thousands of people go to House Medarda just to show their inventions and creations. And among them, the people and patents that truly get recognized and invested in are very few.
In the end, these former favored children of heaven often joined different workshops, factories, and foundries to dedicate their knowledge and strength.
Return to Zaun? Stop joking... Just studying in Piltover for a few years, it's hard for normal people to return to Zaun's harsh environment again.
This isn't about treachery or forgetting one's roots. It's simply that Zaun has no soil for academic development at all.
Under Piltover's blockade, Zaun's technological progress was extremely difficult. The vast majority of technologies could only rely on unstable and extremely dangerous special solutions, led by Shimmer.
Let alone ordinary people, even Faen could only roughly judge that the production of this solution originated from the wildest side of the life force contained in the Resolve runes brewed by Zaun's unrestricted wild research institutes.
Under these circumstances, the concepts and spirits cultivated by Piltover Academy could only be best utilized in Piltover.
As for Zaun...
It wasn't that Piltovian scholars weren't allowed to go to Zaun for academic research, but this kind of scholars who 'condescended' to go to Zaun often researched extremely dangerous, extremely anti-human related research...
Simply put, both Piltover and Zaun had top-tier scientific and technological personnel. It's just that their specialization directions were different. Most in Piltover specialized in safe, pollution-free technologies related to Hextech. While those engaged in Zaun mostly did unstable and dangerous technologies. Of course, Piltover's so-called safe and pollution-free was only relative. Or rather, even if there was pollution, the factories would be built in Zaun... but this was all in the past now.
"The current Zaun students are much more formidable than we were back then." Skye lowered her eyes, somewhat emotional and somewhat helpless: "Now they have a powerful Zaun behind them... we didn't have that back then."
"The students? Did they do something?"
Hearing this, Viktor's expression appeared somewhat curious. He didn't comment much on Skye's phrase 'powerful Zaun', just harboring some different thoughts in his heart.
To this, Skye said: "Parades, demonstrations."
Piltover Academy, although not the oldest academy in Piltover, was the most authoritative academy in Piltover. Its principal Heimerdinger established it when he arrived in Piltover 260 years ago, including Piltover itself only officially starting its rapid development after Heimerdinger joined.
Nearly two-thirds of the megastructures in the entire Piltover were built led by Heimerdinger—the Sun Gates canals, sea gates, and bridges naturally needless to say. Even after two hundred years, the largest, most productive, and most efficient Future Foundry in the entire Piltover and even Valoran continent, Piltover's safest bank the Ecliptic Vaults, and Piltover Academy itself, were all built by Heimerdinger.
Also precisely to commemorate Heimerdinger's contribution, he had a permanent seat among the six major Councilor seats in the Council, and a brass statue of Heimerdinger was erected at the gate of Piltover Academy.
The statue was five meters high, made entirely of brass, holding a wrench in the left hand and a Hextech Crystal in the right. Respectively representing the technology of the past and future, as well as the enlightenment Heimerdinger brought to Piltover.
Including the development of Hextech technology by Jayce and Viktor, it was essentially an extension and exploration based on Heimerdinger's research.
And now, standing in the principal's office of Piltover Academy, looking at the groups of Zaun students holding slogan banners, even a smart person like Heimerdinger couldn't help rubbing the beard on his mouth.
Although he had been in Piltover for over two hundred years, and he didn't know how many times he had seen friction between the two cities. But he had to say, what was happening in Piltover Academy now was unheard of even for Heimerdinger.
Of course, what was unheard of wasn't that these students dared to rebel, parade, and protest. But that those Enforcers from the Piltover Wardens only dared to watch from the sidelines, not daring to act rashly, not even daring to use safe weapons like rubber batons to suppress them.
The reason for this, besides the current Zaun having enough confidence to challenge Piltover...
"Control your emotions, no random attacks, and definitely no initiating attacks!"
Wearing the Enforcer uniform, wearing the Atlas Gauntlets on her hands, Vi's face was also full of helplessness.
Compared to staying here, the actual Vi preferred to go directly to the mid-level square to garrison, so she could also take the opportunity to understand Zaun's situation.
But obviously, the current Piltover clearly didn't intend to let Vi easily leave their control range. After all, her identity as Vander's daughter was indeed a good card.