"I don't mean to sound arrogant, but against someone who made it through Shurima and the Freljord, isn't this a little childish?"
Caleb swept his gaze around with some disdain.
They were just a few mercenaries. Their combat strength was still far from T3.
Unless Caitlyn and Violet teamed up, Caleb would only barely take this a little more seriously.
And even then, it would only be because he would have to avoid killing them.
That was assuming Caleb still believed they were the same two people who had gone to Zaun with him before.
"We only want to have a proper conversation with you, Governor."
Mel's voice carried a coldness that made it difficult to imagine this was a woman who had entered marriage not long ago.
Was this what one should expect from a woman who came from Noxus?
But then Caleb thought of Mel's performance during the Black Mist.
Perhaps she was also from Mount Targon?
If so, that was easier to understand.
"All this for a bit of money? The technology and profits I brought to the Twin Cities are worth far more than this."
Caleb remained calm and unhurried as he scanned the faces of the six councilors.
Mel looked decisive and ready to kill. Salo, who always knew which way the wind was blowing, looked like he was borrowing someone else's courage.
It seemed they were indeed being led by Mel. Heimerdinger was busy with the Mecha Project and probably had no time to participate in politics, which had given them this opportunity.
Lucide's expression was very displeased. It looked like the Ferros family did not support this action.
"Cassandra looks a little guilty. Did she make this decision on her own?"
It seemed she had not told Caitlyn about this decision.
Was it because she was afraid?
Or because she felt guilty?
Caleb then shifted his attention to the six assassins surrounding him.
"Looks like everyone spent some money…"
Caleb looked them over one by one, but he could not see anything unusual about them.
"You think this is enough to kill me on the spot?"
"Or are you just trying to scare me and prove Piltover isn't actually a bunch of cowards?"
Caleb knew how terribly Piltover had performed during the Harrowing.
So among these mercenaries, almost all of them had been hired from Shurima or Noxus.
"Let me see…"
Caleb examined their weapons. It could be said that they were on the level of extremely ordinary cannon fodder.
"If you die, I shouldn't need to tell you that you won't be alive to spend the money."
Caleb's voice turned cold. At this moment, he still had not figured out the other side's motive.
Who had caused such a drastic change in Mel's attitude?
Hadn't she originally been part of the faction that disapproved of war?
Why had she become the pro-war faction after he returned?
That was what Caleb urgently needed to figure out.
"The money they earn is naturally earned on the line between life and death."
Had Mel's personality changed drastically? Not exactly.
Caleb had a decent idea of what kind of descendant Noxus and Mount Targon could produce.
One side waged war on almost every front and constantly expanded outward.
The other, because of differences in faith, was trapped in near-endless civil war.
Both had one constant theme, war.
In that case, it made sense that Mel would try to pressure him in order to gain greater benefits.
"Your people have completely destroyed the rules of the market!"
When Salo said this, he was almost roaring.
"Whose rules? Yours?"
Caleb's voice also turned cold.
Renata's statement was almost certainly true now.
"If future products follow our pricing, then we can let bygones be bygones."
Morey's tone was very cold, as though he were merely announcing a fact.
"So what you mean is, you make the rules, and the people below only need to obey?"
Caleb curled his mouth in disdain.
"Do I need to remind you that the undercity is already independent?"
Caleb's voice grew calm again.
The expression on his face, as if he were choosing prey, plunged the entire room into a bitter chill.
"During the last Black Mist incident, Governor, you displayed abilities including blinking, summoning lightning, passing through walls, and summoning ice pillars."
Although Cassandra spoke with clear detail, she could not hide the slight tremor in her voice.
"Oh, so you were in charge of investigating me? How hardworking."
But Caleb did not show the slightest reaction.
For double the profit, capital could trample all rules and laws underfoot.
Of course Caleb knew that too, so he would give these people a reason they could not refuse.
Ding. The rewards have arrived.
At the right moment, such a sound rang out in Caleb's mind.
"Good timing really is better than early timing, huh?"
Caleb was secretly pleased. This really was timely and considerate.
Skill unlocked: Soul Shackles.
Skill unlocked: Jack in the Box.
Skill unlocked: Hallucinate.
Item obtained: Broken Sword Fragment.
Item obtained: Blast Cone.
Item obtained: Ancient Trinket.
Blueprint obtained: Mecha Kha'Zix.
Skill obtained: Black Shield.
Elemental affinity increased by two hundred percent.
Skill unlocked: Last Breath.
After receiving so much at once, Caleb finally felt more settled.
If he had known, he would have asked Ornn to forge him another good sword. That way, not only could he use dual blades for combos, but when holding one blade in reverse, he could also learn a little from Shaco and become a bright, sunny young man.
As for elemental affinity?
Caleb figured it was probably meant to give his disappointing magic a bit of a boost.
After all, ever since he had mastered the World Rune, he had even started neglecting his original magic.
But he still had to learn it in the end. Otherwise, if he ever lost the World Rune, Caleb would be unable to do anything.
At that point, he would not be far from losing himself completely.
Under the gazes of the twelve people present, Caleb's figure suddenly disappeared.
What appeared next was not one Caleb, but two.
"All right, then. Guess how many things I still have left?"
"He's grown stronger this quickly?"
During the time Caleb had been gone, the council had fought for every second, and this was the situation they had managed to create.
"But this was also within consideration."
Caleb looked around. All he saw were those very ordinary-looking spears.
The only difference was that the spearheads were not made of iron, but stone.
"You're planning to seal me with petricite?"
Caleb's smile did not fade. It seemed these people really did not know the full extent of his strength.
"Mecha Kha'Zix… maybe it can come in handy when hunting the Void."
Then Salo and Morey's scalps went numb. Two Calebs, one aimed at Morey and the other at Salo, suddenly lunged forward.
"Quick! Protect the councilors!"
What Mel had feared most still happened.
The best-case scenario was that, under this threat, Caleb would swallow this bitterness.
Being able to lead the market for a while meant they could always stay one step ahead of the undercity.
The undercity had gained the capital to turn things around, but that did not mean they could truly climb onto Piltover's head.
Zaun would not be allowed to rise. Piltover had to use every method possible to press it down hard.
Not earning enough was already a loss.
The port trade that Piltover relied on for survival would never be allowed to face such a situation.
And in the time it took the spears to thrust forward, both Calebs had already closed in rapidly on Salo and Morey.
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