"Am I dead again?"
Chen could clearly feel that it was the same sensation as his last death; he should be in a soul state now, feeling only a sense of powerlessness. Camille had actually killed him.
Chen's soul sighed:
"But Powder must be safe!"
Just then, Chen's vision lit up once more:
"Did I transmigrate again?"
Chen slowly got up, only to see Camille standing right in front of him, her leg blades still stained with his blood, charging towards Jinx.
Chen was a bit confused. He turned to look around and saw Jinx pulling out her Ultimate Death Missile, and Ekko frantically rushing towards him.
Chen frowned, still unsure what had happened. He looked down at his body, where three hourglasses were spinning around him:
"Wait, this hourglass looks familiar!"
The system, sensing his thoughts, opened Chen's status bar, and a new status immediately appeared:
"Chronoshift: Kiran places a protective time rune on himself or an allied champion. If the target takes fatal damage, they are chronoshifted back in time, restoring them to their previous state."
This was the ultimate ability of Kiran, the Chronokeeper, in short: resurrection!
"Kiran resurrected me? Kiran? What's going on?"
Chen didn't understand what had happened, but he quickly scrambled to his feet, directly bumping into Camille, who was about to attack Jinx.
"Not dead?"
Camille looked at Chen as if she had seen a ghost, retreating three steps consecutively:
"How is that possible? I clearly killed you!"
Jinx, seeing Chen alive, was overjoyed and let out a long sigh, canceling her plan to use Ultimate Death Missile to perish with Camille.
Ekko even thought Chen could also traverse time. Chen's resurrection made everyone else feel a bit scared.
Camille did not continue to act. She looked at Chen and said coldly:
"If we cease hostilities, will there still be transactions between us in the future?"
This time, Chen guessed Camille's intention: she was interested in resurrection, and she definitely wanted to resurrect her old lover, Hakim Naderi.
Although Chen didn't know why Kiran had resurrected him, nor was he confident he could get Kiran to act.
But the battle situation was not optimistic. Piltover forces were already landing and pushing forward. Once they stormed up, it would be hopeless!
Camille was truly too strong, having instantly killed Chen. Even if it was just a delaying tactic, he had to agree to let Camille leave for now.
Even though Camille had already killed him once, Chen did not hesitate to reply for the greater good:
"Yes."
Camille's Hookshot once again latched onto the wall, and she flew away directly. The Feros Family troops, hidden deep within Zaun and preparing to coordinate from inside, also received the order to retreat.
Jinx rushed over without hesitation and hugged Chen:
"I knew you were fine, you scared me to death."
Chen immediately held Jinx by the shoulders and said solemnly:
"Go support them quickly!"
Then he charged towards Talon. The next most troublesome enemies were the assassins from Noxus!
Especially Katarina and Talon, they moved flexibly through the battlefield like loaches. Chen currently had no way to catch them, let alone kill them.
But now, having died once more, Chen's mind became unusually calm. Camille had already retreated. If he could get Katarina and Talon to retreat as well, he would have a way to defeat Piltover, and even counterattack Piltover.
Chen's mind was exceptionally clear, able to operate at high speed. Instantly, Chen guessed their purpose by recalling Talon and Katarina's backstories.
Chen once again rushed to Talon's side, fighting him while shouting loudly at him:
"If we keep fighting like this, your assassin forces will suffer heavy losses!"
But Talon ignored Chen. For Noxus troops, dying in battle was an honor. What did it matter to die for General Du Couteau?
Chen guessed Talon's thoughts and continued:
"I'll tell you everything you want to know! Are you here for General Du Couteau? I can help you find him!"
"These assassins are your comrades from many years. There's no need for them to make any more futile sacrifices! You and we in Zaun have no enmity!"
"I can tell you everything you want to know!"
But Talon still didn't believe Chen's words. Chen grew anxious; if he delayed any longer, the Piltover forces would advance. He had to find a way to make the Noxus assassins retreat now.
Chen directly threw his lamppost and battle-axe, standing defenseless in front of Talon:
"I'll be your hostage. You withdraw your troops, and I'll tell you everything about Du Couteau."
Talon's blade grazed Chen's neck, opening a small cut. Chen's skin wasn't as hard as last time, and Talon knew this time, the man was serious.
Talon was willing to give everything for General Du Couteau. Even at the risk of being deceived, he had to seize this opportunity. He shoved a pill into Chen's mouth:
"Eat it, then we can talk."
Chen was willing to bet his life for the future of Zaun. He swallowed the pill, not forgetting to threaten:
"If you don't retreat, I promise you, you will never find Du Couteau for the rest of your life."
Moreover, although he didn't know why Kiran had already saved him once, Kiran definitely wanted him to live. He could only gamble that Kiran would save him again.
Chen swallowed the pill:
"Can you retreat now?"
Talon stared at Chen, as if seeing his younger self from years ago, resolute and particularly hard on himself.
He also pondered, now that he had Chen's life in his hands.
And he also thought it through now: if he kept fighting someone like Chen, Chen would surely fight to the last moment, and indeed, no information would be extracted from him. Urgot was the same; it would be impossible to pry information from him unless they spoke willingly. And now, Chen also showed some sincerity.
Even if Chen refused to speak and was poisoned to death, Talon and his assassin squad would not be significantly affected.
He immediately whistled, and the living assassins, each displaying their unique skills, used various methods to escape the battlefield, almost all disappearing from sight.
Except for Katarina, she Shunpo'd in front of Chen, staring at him:
"Do you know what you just ate? If you don't get our antidote within three days, you'll die from a thousand poisons attacking your heart."
Chen clenched his fist:
"I don't know, but what does it matter? In exchange for your retreat, Katarina, Talon, I will definitely help you find your father's whereabouts."
Then he walked step by step towards the riverbank:
"Once I've dealt with these matters, I will definitely take you to find Du Couteau."
Chen looked fiercely at the other side of the river:
"Now that your foreign aid is gone, Piltover guys, let's see what you'll do!"
A minute ago, Piltover forces had successively landed and begun to breach the defenses on the shore. Assassins were slaughtering wildly, and Chen had been kicked to death by Camille. Jikegar on the opposite bank nodded in satisfaction:
"The Noxus assassins live up to their reputation; the assault pressure has been reduced by at least half. Camille kicked that kid Chen to death. Now is the time, we're going over too!"
So, Jikegar also boarded the boat with his personal guards, though he could never have guessed that Chen could be resurrected, that Camille had retreated, and that the Noxus assassins had also withdrawn.
At this moment, Twitch finally got his chance. He stealthily ran to the shore, holding a Venom Cask in one hand and a crossbow in the other:
"Piltover guys, die!"