CHAPTER 117 - Peace is built on Force

Watching as Zac transformed back into a liquid form, slipping into a hole and leaving, Li Lin and Caitlyn retraced their steps to the oil tank factory.

Caitlyn quickly wrote a letter and sought out an enforcer to contact Sheriff Grayson in the upper city, urging her to send an elite squad down to carry out the encirclement plan.

However, Li Lin added a few more words, instructing her to bring the "Aerial Mech Storm" from the workshop in Kiramman's house and, incidentally, a few hundred rounds of rifle ammunition.

In the confined and narrow environment of the sewer, where there were significant vertical drops in many places, moving with a large group was inconvenient.

Bringing in a flying robot like this would make solving the problem much easier, and it would also be an opportunity to test its performance.

Afterward, with the help provided by Kode and Stanbeck, Li Lin and Caitlyn each spent a considerable amount of time rinsing their powered armor and boots with water.

Caitlyn even used a bottle of perfume specially prepared for enforcers, spraying it all over her clothes.

Time passed, second by second.

After nearly an hour and a half, Sheriff Grayson, leading three squads of enforcer elites, arrived at the factory.

Seeing the fully armed enforcers, Kode immediately ran into a certain employee dormitory, reminding Li Lin and Caitlyn, who were chatting and resting.

As soon as they stepped out, Caitlyn happened to meet Grayson, greeting her, "Good afternoon, Sheriff Grayson."

Her relationship with Grayson was quite good.

Three years ago, during an outdoor shooting competition held in Piltover, Caitlyn narrowly defeated Grayson.

Since then, the two became friends.

"Caitlyn, any leads?" Grayson's tone sounded serious.

"We do have leads. The killer most likely went down to the mid-level of the sewer through the sewer system," Caitlyn glanced at Li Lin beside her, "but Li Lin found a solution."

"Good, having a solution is reassuring... By the way, Caitlyn, take a look at this."

Grayson took a folded piece of paper from her adjutant Marcus and handed it to Caitlyn.

"This is..."

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow, recognizing the style of paper used for reports by the Piltover Enforcer Department.

"That's the testimony of the survivor whose half-body and chin were dissolved by alchemical venom. The killer is not human..."

As Grayson explained, Caitlyn quickly scanned the content on the paper:

[Update: Lachenva, written testimony]

[Suspect Summary, as described in the testimony]

[Name/Known Name: Twitch]

[Gender: Male (unconfirmed)]

[Age: Unknown]

[Height: Approximately 1.5m (hunched back)]

[Weight: Less than 45kg (drenched)]

[Distinctive Features: A giant rat]

[Status: Fugitive; Armed; Chemical poison; Extremely dangerous, do not provoke]

Caitlyn's face became somewhat unpleasant, "Damn, is it really a rat..."

On her list of dislikes, cockroaches were the first, followed by rats.

"Really?" Grayson caught a keyword in her words, "Did you also find out that the killer is a rat?"

"Yes, in the hiding place of the killer in the sewer, I found the fur of a plague rat. Combined with the testimony of the survivor, I speculate that it is a giant rat."

Caitlyn added, "I believe it is likely mutated due to contact with alchemical fluids discharged into the sewer."

"But can alchemical fluids achieve this? Can they turn a plague rat into a being with human emotions and thoughts?" Grayson seemed unfamiliar with alchemical technology, "they both mentioned that the rat could talk..."

"What's the big deal about a talking rat? I've seen life forms formed purely from alchemical venom," Li Lin muttered to himself.

Caitlyn's eyes sparkled as she glanced at Li Lin beside her, choosing not to respond to Grayson's question.

"Since we know the killer's characteristics, planning against it becomes much simpler," Grayson said, shifting his gaze away from Caitlyn towards Li Lin, pointing to his rear.

"Mr. Li Lin, is the robot you mentioned in Caitlyn's letter the one over there?" Li Lin followed her gaze, "Yes, that's it. Thank you for bringing it."

"Oh, it's just a robot, not too heavy for elite enforcers like us, but..." Grayson paused, his tone curious, "It must be a combat robot, right? I've never seen a gun like the one on its left hand."

"Just a lightweight machine gun, providing sustained suppressive fire with a large ammo capacity," Li Lin explained briefly. "That's why I asked you to bring a few hundred rounds."

After explaining, he walked straight to 'Storm,' removing the ammo magazine from a discreet compartment and instructing the enforcers to load bullets.

Grayson gestured to follow Li Lin's instructions and quietly asked Caitlyn, "We're not at war, and Mr. Li Lin develops such dangerous weapons... Mrs. Kiramman actually agreed to this?"

"It's an agreement between my mother and Li Lin from the past. We can't interfere with his research," Caitlyn replied, gazing at the young man in the distance, her eyes softened.

"He said that peace is built on the foundation of force. Having weapons and not having them are entirely different," she added, leaving Grayson momentarily speechless.

Li Lin's words made sense, and she didn't know how to counter them.

Once the logistics enforcers loaded 'Storm's' magazine, Li Lin pressed a few hidden buttons, initiating its power supply. Blue energy spread across the robot's body with fleeting arcs.

In the astonished gazes of the onlookers, the thrusters on Storm's back and legs activated, gradually lifting its heavy body into the air.

Having witnessed Storm's test before, Caitlyn wasn't surprised. However, Grayson by her side was a different story.

"It, it..." she stammered, eyes filled with astonishment, "It can fly?"

Returning from the machine, Li Lin heard Grayson's words and explained with a smile, "This is just a prototype, an experiment. I also plan to add a flying function to my power armor in the future, just like Iron Man..."

He added in his mind, completing the thought. When Li Lin said this, Caitlyn's expression changed slightly, "You want to fly too?"

"It's not a difficult task, just a matter of energy constraints," Li Lin chuckled. "As long as we solve the energy problem, flying, or even long-distance teleportation like mages, won't be a problem."

Caitlyn and Grayson both shook their heads, not taking Li Lin's "fantasy" too seriously. After all, in a world with technology at the steam age level, his single-man flying device seemed far-fetched.

Reading their skepticism through their eyes, Li Lin didn't plan to explain further. He knew that actions spoke louder than words, and any doubts would be dispelled once he developed a new energy core for his creations.

"Mr. Li Lin, Caitlyn mentioned that you can track the mutated rat. When do we start?" Grayson asked, eager to deal with the killer before it struck again.

Li Lin shook his head, gesturing for patience. "Not yet. My informant hasn't..."

Before he could finish, a loud, echoing voice interrupted their conversation, "Li Lin, Li Lin! I found that emotionally charged rat you mentioned!"

(End of this chapter)

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