Twin Cities: Who says scientists can't be conquerors?

Chapter 73 The Winds of Change Will Not Cease

"hey-hey……"

"Hehehe..."

Aaron piloted the mecha, making unintelligible noises as he flew low with a wide grin.

In front of him was the exit on the right side of the Kalikhan tomb.

Clearly, he had finished his treasure hunt and was about to return to the real world.

"Please stop laughing, okay?"

Jess frowned, interrupting Aaron's silly laughter.

He considers his experience of the past day and night to be nothing short of legendary:

First, they faced the terrifying monster Urgot head-on, and then they escaped death in the face of natural disasters, while also taking the opportunity to observe the internal structure of the Shadow Mech in detail.

Finally, by sheer coincidence, he even obtained a stylish trench coat that was said to possess magical powers.

Logically, he should be the one who keeps grinning like an idiot!

But ten minutes had passed since he left the treasure vault, and he had already calmed down. So why was Aaron, who hadn't taken anything in the end, still grinning like an idiot?

Aaron said that those magical creations called Glorious Artifacts would choose suitable users.

Is Aaron's current mental instability because he couldn't find any treasure that suited him, so he laughed in anger?

Why shouldn't I smile?

Aaron glanced back at Jess, then continued to bask in his joy.

"You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you, you're just a piece of trash with an attack power of only 12."

"What?! What?!"

Jess couldn't understand a word Aaron was saying at all.

What is attack power?

Where did the number 12 come from?

As a gifted researcher, Jess could guess that Aaron seemed to be referring to data under some kind of evaluation standard.

But what are the evaluation criteria?

Why is Aaron laughing so hard he can't stop?

strangeness……

Because the Shadow Mech had pulled Jess back from the brink of death, he no longer takes Aaron's actions lightly.

Thinking about how Aaron had been behaving strangely ever since entering that treasure vault, Jess couldn't help but start imagining scenarios in his mind:

Perhaps Aaron was happy because he gained new inspiration from that treasure trove and was about to invent and create new things after he left?

Wait a minute, why haven't I gotten any inspiration?

No, no! I can't let Aaron leave me behind. He's still my younger brother, I can't let him fall too far behind...

brush--

The mechs flying at low altitudes seemed to be passing through a thick, dark cloud.

The next moment, the bright sunlight suddenly descended, catching Jess's eyes off guard and causing a sharp pain.

"We're out?!"

Jess squinted and hurriedly asked, his excitement rising.

Jess had already mentally rehearsed what to do after he got out of there more than once.

He decided to hold a meeting, then conduct disaster relief, and finally lead the fundraising for supplies.

If it weren't for Aaron, he wouldn't have lingered in that mysterious cave for so long—though it wouldn't really be called "lingering":

After all, without Aaron, he would have kicked the bucket long ago, and he wouldn't have obtained a magical item whose use he doesn't even know yet.

"Yes, it's out."

Aaron nodded, then suddenly stopped smiling.

He was still delighted by the new features of the upgraded black box, and pleased that he could now directly see the basic attributes of other people or items.

But as the mech burst out of the magically shrouded Kalikan Tomb, Aaron immediately saw the surging Pilt River around him and couldn't help but think of Zaun's current situation.

He had previously joked in the tomb that "the death toll will be countless," merely to stir up Jess's depressed mood amidst the predicament.

But now, Aaron really hopes that those words were just a joke...

"I'm sorry, Gu."

The little bluebird that Gana had transformed into suddenly apologized to Aaron, looking dejected.

To be precise, she was apologizing to Zaun:

"The changes you did in Zaun restored some of my divine power, but my power is still too weak, which is why I couldn't help everyone..."

"Don't say that."

Aaron interrupted Janna.

His tone was quite complex, as if he couldn't bear to use any overly cruel words to hurt a truly "benevolent god".

"You've done enough. Leave the rest to me."

"Didn't you say you were my guardian angel? And that the changes I implemented in Zaun revitalized your reformist spirit?"

Aaron curled the corners of his mouth slightly and piloted his mech toward Zaun at high speed.

"Then please have this guardian deity keep a close eye on things."

"I will prove to you that once the winds of change begin to blow, nothing can stop them!"

……

Hilko felt like she was about to break down.

It wasn't because of the severe disaster in Zaun, nor because the Piltover people had come to Zaun's aid for the first time.

It wasn't until Jinx arrived with relief supplies that he learned his daughter had actually gone to Piltover and snatched a tooth from the mouth of the Piltover Lord!

He didn't even have time to deal with Wei's situation; he could only hide his lingering fear by silently rescuing those who had fallen into the water and urging his subordinates to move relief supplies.

Of course, he could hide this change in expression, but what would follow was something even more devastating—

As the sharp silhouette of the Cheng Ying tactical mech descended from the sky, Aaron and Jess emerged from their respective cockpits.

Hilko froze on the spot.

From Jinx, who arrived at the same time and was passionately embracing Aaron, Hilcone heard a truth that was hard for him to accept:

Aaron, who just appeared in Zaun now, turns out he was missing before too!!

"Boss, are you alright?"

Sevika, who was standing nearby working hard to unload the goods, keenly noticed Hilko's loss of composure.

She didn't hear what Jinx said, so she simply assumed that Jinx had brought relief supplies, while Aaron had brought the hope that the Zaunites needed most.

Therefore, she naturally could not understand the intense emotions that Hilko, as a leader who was increasingly taking on the role of "old father," was experiencing, a mixture of anger and lingering fear.

Fortunately, Hilco was very shrewd.

After hearing Sevika's question, he simply took two deep breaths, then shook his head and said nothing.

Whether it's Jinx's unauthorized actions or Aaron's stunning entrance, both are proving one thing to Hilko with irrefutable facts—

His adopted son and daughter have quietly begun to stand on their own...

"handsome!"

Jess patted his chest, pointed to the Shadow Mech beside him, and proudly praised Mel, who was trying to hold back her tears.

"I must admit that Aaron is sometimes more perceptive than I am, capable of inventing something as powerful as the Shadow Mech."

"Look, this big guy not only saved my life, but it also matches my style of dress so well, it's just too cool!"

As he spoke, Jess casually patted off non-existent dust from his shoulders.

He didn't mean anything by it; he just wanted Mel and the others to notice his trench coat and the magnificent armor he couldn't openly mention on this occasion.

That's incredibly shameless.

As the founder of Hextech and the youngest senator in Piltover, Jess has seemingly regained his former vigor after this extraordinary journey with Aaron.

He couldn't wait to share his new aspirations with those close to him:

Not just Hextech.

I have now set my sights on a new world. I want to invent and create even more powerful mechs, and I want to completely tame magic!

This way of thinking carries a strong "Jace style" and is also the underlying logic behind the rise of Hextech in recent years.

Unfortunately, even Mel, who was almost moved to tears, had to quickly interrupt Jess's attempt to become the center of attention.

Because it was so out of place.

Seeing that the Zaunites who had just been pulled from the water were staring at Jayce with indifferent eyes that were about to turn into disgust, Mel quickly stepped forward and grabbed his lover.

"I'm so glad to see you safe and sound, and that you've found a new purpose in life."

"If you're willing to help me, could you please return to Piltover now to take charge? I'll be back soon after I'm done here."

As he spoke, Mel subtly pushed Jess behind him.

Since making the agreement with Aaron, she has now temporarily tied her own interests to his.

This means that if Mel doesn't intend to break the contract, she at least has to consider Zaun's feelings and keep this naive "big boy" by her side.

"Oh, right, now that you mention it, I do need to get back to the council quickly."

Jess stomped his foot as if waking from a dream.

He gave Mel a grateful hug, then turned to look at Aaron.

"Aaron, the promises I made to you before still stand. I must repay your kindness in saving my life."

"But look at it now..."

Jess spread his hands somewhat helplessly: "Mel has already done all the things I promised to repay you in advance. I feel that even if I continue to provide you with relief supplies, it won't be enough to express my gratitude."

"So, Aaron."

"Do you have any wishes? I mean, the kind of wishes that are hard to fulfill, because I believe I can definitely help you achieve them."

Oops!

As soon as Jess said those words, Mel instantly felt that things were getting a little out of her control.

What is Aaron's wish?

She recalled the circumstances of her previous agreement with him: Aaron seemed to have agreed only because she had set the condition of "promoting Zaun's independence".

If I can do this for Aaron, why can't Jess?

No, please don't!

Please don't bring this up in this setting!

Mel's heart was pounding, and she looked at Aaron with pleading eyes, hoping that he wouldn't say anything inappropriate at this moment.

In order to get Aaron to help her satisfy her mother Ambissa's appetite, she offered a condition that was tantamount to "traitorous loss of sovereignty" for Piltover.

That's because Mel believed that if he acted properly, he could not only fulfill his promises, but also gradually get the Piltover people to accept Zaun's future independence.

But if this idea were to be exposed to the light of day at this point, things would...

"wish?"

"You're too kind, Jess. We've supported each other along the way, so there's no question of us owing each other anything."

"But if you really want me to say one wish..."

Aaron seemed to hear Mel's inner cry and made no attempt to bring up any topic about Zaun.

Instead, it turned to something else, something that equally startled Mel—

Aaron smiled and pointed to the Shadow Mech:

"I've recently been trying to invent something similar, but I'm struggling with the energy problem."

"Jayce, I think Hextech Gems might be able to solve this problem, what do you think?"