After waiting for a while, the dark blue speaking tube with Linsey's name tag rolled out of the speaking tube again.
Squeak! Squeak!
The silvery-white mechanical arm flexibly picked up the speaking tube from the speaking tube, then gently twisted one end, and the playback device popped out. After pressing the red button next to it,
A recorded, childish yet hoarse girl's voice came from the device: "Okay, I can go see him... But if he deceives me, I'll use my newly developed rocket to send him to see fireworks! Two AM, no early arrivals, no late arrivals, not a minute more or a second less!"
Linsey turned to glance at Durin sitting beside her, shrugged, and said, "You heard it all. Think carefully. If you're interested in joining my boss, remember to contact me. I can arrange a boat ticket for you to leave the Twin Cities for Noxus territory anytime."
Durin nodded, indicating he had no problem.
Then he put his mask back on and left Building 43.
Zaun at night was a different scene; green haze, steam, and noise were the main themes here.
Durin walked on Sixth Street in the South District. He couldn't help but sigh that even with a mask, it was difficult to block the unpleasant green haze in the air.
Just a slight inhale felt like directly pouring a large mouthful of chili water into the lungs, and then prying open the mouth and pouring in sulfuric acid.
The intense pain stimulated his lung organs and throat; the murky and heavy green haze brought Durin a sensation like a scorching burn and a difficulty as if something was blocking the respiratory tract's mucous membrane.
In the past, Durin could stay outside for two or three hours without a pocket mask, but now, Durin felt he couldn't last even three minutes.
He could clearly feel that the green haze in Zaun's Entresol Level was even worse than before, as Piltover's development of Hextech had clearly deeply stimulated Zaun's Chem-Tech, making them scramble to imitate it.
Every few dozen meters, there was a small Chem-Tech streetlamp that emitted white light, unable to penetrate the green haze, casting large areas of shadows between the light and the metal walls and pipes, with a black iron manhole cover showing faint green spots within the shadows.
In the corners of the passageways, fluorescent graffiti symbolizing gang territory and piles of garbage could be seen everywhere, and condensation dripped onto the ground from damaged pipes.
Durin moved through the streets, with walls and cable pipes on both sides, and every so often, he could see a few crooked electrical boxes exposed on the damaged outer walls.
Both sides of the passageway were doors to shops and apartments, and many iron doors had broken seals from previous Enforcer searches hanging on them.
Since Powder suggested meeting at 2 AM, Durin needed to scout the location first to confirm the exact spot. Then, he would wait in a nearby pub until the time was near.
After walking for about an hour, Durin finally arrived at Black Alley.
It had completely changed its appearance now; at the crossroads stood a majestic bronze statue, its image clearly that of a tall, burly man—Vander.
Walking further in, one would find that the walls of entire buildings, and even the rooftops, were covered with various styles of graffiti, combined with dense signboards, turning the entire Black Alley into a world of color.
It was even more prosperous than before, with convenience stores selling tobacco, alcohol, and general merchandise; various types of prosthetic installation centers; eateries selling dog meat; and even places specifically for using Shimmer; dance halls and other entertainment venues, with the incessant sounds of mahjong tiles, pai gow, dice rolling, and the shouts of gamblers from various gambling dens.
Homeless people on the streets, penniless, weakly begged passersby; without exception, they were all exceptionally thin, pale, and sickly-looking.
Sometimes, their eyes would be dull and vacant, and the air they exhaled smelled like feces, a pungent stench.
When the craving struck, these homeless people would act like madmen, curling up on the ground, trembling all over, their limbs flailing uncontrollably, constantly foaming at the mouth, and muttering to themselves.
These were the side effects of long-term Shimmer use: first muscle atrophy, then mental confusion, and finally severe damage to internal organs.
Durin couldn't help but think of Amy, his neighbor from when he lived in Zaun's Undercity. He wondered how her life was? Had it improved, or was it... still much the same, a stagnant pool in which she struggled bitterly.
Thinking of this, he could only sigh in silent resignation.
However, as he passed Benso's General Store, Durin noticed the main door was severely damaged, with clear signs of kicking and smashing, and the inside was a mess, indicating that someone had engaged in frantic looting after Benso's death.
Finally, as evening approached, Durin found the abandoned arcade from the anime.
He peered through a hole in the glass curtain wall, saw the arcade machines inside, and then left satisfied.
For the remaining time, he found a Mackerel-folk Pub nearby.
As the name suggested, the owner of this pub was from the Mackerel-folk race.
The so-called Mackerel-folk are one of the Vastaya aquatic species; unlike the Merrow, their appearance has characteristics of both human and fish. They breathe with lungs on land and with gills in water. Mackerel-folk are naturally stronger than average humans, for example, their wrist strength is several times that of humans.
The pub's location was on the road from the South District to Black Alley. From its exterior, the building looked like it had been repurposed from a sea beast's skeleton, with wisps of ethereal white smoke rising from its chimney.
Durin pushed the door open and found that there weren't many people inside.
Next to the old bar counter were a few tables, further inside was a billiard table, and against the wall was a coin-operated jukebox.
The entire pub was divided into two floors. The hall was filled with Zaun workers in blue uniforms, drinking liquor that glowed with an enchanting purple light to numb their nerves.
The smell inside the pub was very strange: fishy, tobacco, and the sweat of the workers combined into an indescribable odor.
Durin found a spot at the bar, pulled out a high wooden stool, and sat down.
The pub owner was a brawny man over two meters tall, or to be precise, a Mackerel-folk with features of a sawshark.
He had a dark gray dorsal fin on his back, and his dark gray hands, which had webbed flesh, had a layer of serrated fins at the elbows. He tossed a towel over his shoulder, then leaned on the counter and asked Durin, "What can I get for you, sir?"
"I'd like..." Durin touched the well-worn wooden bar counter.
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