8 Chapter 8 - Welcome to the Lanes

Zaun is a sprawling subterranean city nestled beneath the winding ravines and canyons around Piltover.

One way to Zaun, is the hydraulic lift commonly known as the "Screaming Machine" or "Screamo", in Piltover.

The north of Piltover's uppercity reside the houses, and most people have no business to Zaun.

Stopped at the bridge of the Piltover grand canyon, Lilin took out two bronze washers from his pocket and placed them in the hands of an mechanical statue which collected the toll to the southern side of Piltover.

Then Caitlyn and Lilin followed the path across the bridge, making more than a dozen turns in the streets of the southern city, before reaching a winding cobblestone road that runs along the canyon.

Since the lifts at the end of the street often roar into the middle of the night, the street is also known as the Drop Street, and many travel from here to Zaun.

The city of Iron and Glass can be roughly divided into three parts:

The entertainment sector and the border bazaar are the areas in Piltover's lower district which run parallel to the top level of Zaun, but the architectural styles of the two are vastly different that it would be hard to confuse the two.

Below that is the mid-level plaza. Most of the Zaunites are on this level. Many barely get by, but they occasionally see a ray of sunshine on days when the Zaun Grey is not so severe.

As for the lowest level of the Sunken City, called the Fissures, it is the place where the impoverished, bankrupt, and scavengers go.

There is no sky to be seen all year round, and many toxic and polluting Chemtech facilities and countless ore mines. Dense chemical pollution and suffocating smog completely cover this area.

Without a respirator, even Zaunites, who are used to the Zaun Gray, can't stand the filthy air.

People of different classes also have very different needs for lifts.

The elevator has three cabins, and the main support structure is three longitudinal rails, which are perpendicular to the ground and at the same height as the depth of Zaun.

Workers who commute, generally, will only spend a dozen bronze washers or even half a silver cog to ride the bottom chamber of the elevator, which is also a messy and crowded cabin.

Market-going merchants with money to spare who occasionally travel between the two cities to run errands, or those who have family reimbursement for fares, will spend 3 to 5 silver cogs to take the mid-level cabin.

Wealthy Zaunites, like those who frequent the dance halls to shop, dine, or exchange goods and supplies, often spend 6 to 9 silver cogs on the best upper deck cabins.

However, there are still some stowaways who are unwilling to spend the money, often risking their lives, climbing along the outer rail of the elevator to a height of tens of meters, and then jumping to the top of the elevator to hitch a ride.

Although there are many people who die of the fall every year, they still enjoy the thrill.

The clans that manages the lifts don't bother with these Trench Orphans.

After all, their lives are cheap, and hiring someone to guard against these troublemakers cost more money than it's worth.

Lilin delivered 14 silver cogs to the ticket booth and bought two upper cabin tickets, went through the diamond-shaped iron fence with Caitlyn and entered the cabin of the screaming machine, and walked along the rusted and decayed metal stairs to the top level.

The Lanes are in the mid-level area of ​​Zaun, and it took them at least half an hour to get there.

"This should be your first time riding the Screamo, right?" Lilin glanced at Caitlyn, who was silent and a little restless, "How do you feel?"

Caitlyn frowned slightly and said nothing.

This is because the elevator is completely sealed, trapping all kinds of smells together, making the air foul and uncomfortable.

In addition, the Zaunites in the elevator also gave her a new realization.

In her impression, Piltover is clearly a beautiful city with order and splendor.

But now everything in front of her shook her beliefs.

Is this really the Piltover I remember...

Caitlyn looked out at the lively street outside through the glass, and couldn't help biting her teeth and clenching her fists.

"Have you heard the story of the screaming machine?" Lilin saw that she was not in a good mood and wanted to divert her attention.

"Isn't it just because of the sound?" Caitlyn disinterested. "I know, it's the sound of the cold wind blowing through the canyon below the city."

"No, no, there is actually a saying here." Lilin raised Caitlyn's interest slightly.

"According to Zaun, the elevator is called 'Screamo' because it has a howling lone wolf statue at the top." He pointed his finger up to the top of his head, "but there's another allusion."

Caitlyn raised her eyebrows slightly, her blue eyes looking at the boy beside her.

She is still quite interested in these curious stories.

"Goooooooing down!"

As the administrator shouted from the bell-shaped horn in the corner, the roaring steam began to operate, and various mechanical parts and gears meshed with each other, making a sharp squeak like nails on a chalkboard.

Immediately afterwards, the elevator slowly descended into the almost dark tunnel.

Lilin paused for a while, to remember the stories he read. He took a deep breath and said mysteriously:

"Actually, there is a black veiled ghost of a server from Zaun in this cabin. Whenever he is far away from home and his lover, his throbbing and grief will shake the core of the elevator's metal."

"If you want to scare me...Unfortunately, I'm too old to be afraid of ghost stories." Caitlyn pouted, but her mood lifted.

"I am not trying to scare you, haven't you heard the story of Kindred? I suspect that the soul of the waiter in the cabin, like Kindred, is the one who serves death itself, the existence called the Mother of Masks." Lilin smiled.

"Compared to this allusion, I am more inclined to the version of the so-called 'Howl of a Lone Wolf' by the people of undercity."

Caitlyn looked back at Lilin with a smile on her face, "But thank you, your story makes me feel better."

In the next 20 minutes, the two chatted about everything from childhood stories to exotic customs around the world, the more they chatted, the more lively they became.

Although Lilin has never actually been to these places, it is not a problem to tell stories, based on his knowledge of the Runeterra stories.

"Arriving! the mid-level square!"

"Hey, Lilin, you haven't finished telling me the story of The Eternal Nightmare!" Caitlyn followed him with dissatisfaction on her face.

"Okay, we're all here, let's talk about it next time." His voice was a little coarse, and he waved his hand dismissively.

"Just tell me on the way...cough cough cough..."

Caitlyn, who had just stepped out of the cabin, stopped abruptly, and then coughed violently.

Lilin patted her back to ease her discomfort. At the same time, he tried to slow down his breathing, trying to get used to the foul burning air.

After a while, Caitlyn, whose face was dismal, slowly calmed down, "Thank you..."

"It's not that I don't want to talk about it, but in these conditions?"

Lilin cleared his throat, the underground environment was much worse than he imagined.

What's more, this is only in the center level.

Caitlyn wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes from coughing and covered her mouth and nose with her hands.

When she felt better, she could finally see the city in front of her.

"Is this what the undercity looks like?"

"That's right." Lilin turned his head to look at her, suddenly thought of the classic line, and couldn't help but grin,

"Welcome to the Lanes."