CHAPTER 451 - My Will is the Future of Humanity!

The moment Lady Camille appeared, the four councilors immediately seemed to gain a sense of resolve, all their gazes fixated on her.

Although they weren't sure why she had suddenly shown up at the council meeting, after all, they were all part of the Ferros family, and everything they did had always been implicitly approved by Ferros, turning a blind eye when needed.

Today, however, Li Lin had unexpectedly uncovered evidence to bring them down, and Camille was certainly the first who wouldn't accept that.

At least, that's what the four of them were thinking.

With the sharp sound of the blades of her legs clicking against the smooth marble floor, Camille, displaying an air of grace, walked to the gap at the end of the council table.

In the next moment, Mel's assistant and attendant, Elora, hurried out from the corridor leading to the waiting room, directing two guards to bring over a councilor's chair and place it behind Camille.

Mel cast her a puzzled glance, silently questioning why Lady Camille had appeared at this moment, as if she had known this was going to happen.

Elora merely offered a look of apology to Mel.

In reality, Elora had only received a call from Ferros' head, Abel, shortly before, learning that Lady Camille had already arrived at the council hall. She quickly arranged for the chair. She had originally planned to remind Mel, but it seemed Camille had already arrived.

Camille sat down in the chair, casting a fleeting glance at Elora. "If possible, could you bring me a cup of tea? You know my taste."

"Understood, I'll arrange it right away," Elora responded.

As Elora hurried off, Camille scanned the room, her gaze lingering the longest on Li Lin before she redirected her attention to the projection at the center of the round table.

"I overheard part of your conversation. You're discussing the crimes of a few councilors?"

By now, Saro and Hoskel had already resumed their seats. With Lady Camille's arrival, they didn't dare to be too obvious.

However, Saro was still furious, glaring at Li Lin and saying, "This is pure slander! He's defaming us!"

"Whether it's slander or not, I have my own judgment on that," Camille replied calmly, swiping her hand a few times. Her blue eyes flickered, shifting to a yellowish-orange as she recorded the data.

The hall fell silent for a few seconds.

It wasn't until Camille spoke again that the growing tension was broken. "Is this the reason you called me here?"

Her words shocked both Saro and Hoskel.

"What's going on?"

"Why did Li Lin call Lady Camille here?"

They had originally thought Camille was here to back them up, but now, it seemed the situation had taken a turn.

Shoola felt a sense of unease creeping up, his eyes darting nervously toward Bolbok, whose expression remained unreadable. The only indication of his emotions came from the subtle movements of his face's mechanical gears.

"This... What is really happening here?"

Today's events were unfolding so suddenly that even Cassandra couldn't keep up. She had no idea what Li Lin's intentions were.

Also, judging by Camille's words, it seemed Li Lin had invited her to the council meeting?

Mel tilted her head, exchanging a glance with Caitlyn from afar. They both had an inkling of what Li Lin might be up to but couldn't quite confirm it.

Heimerdinger glanced from Li Lin to Camille, then at the expressions of the other councilors, weighing his options. After a moment of contemplation, he chose to remain silent.

"It's not just about the crimes of a few councilors," Li Lin finally stood up from his chair.

"Piltover has long been under the decaying rule of powerful oligarchs. Its reputation as a city of progress is nothing but rust and stagnation.

"Piltover today is a city of excess and indulgence. It may appear vibrant on the surface, but in reality, it is on the verge of collapse.

"The founding vision of this city was to be a beacon of enlightenment, to stand independent from the chaos of power and greed."

"But how long has Piltover's technology been stagnating before I brought my work here?" 

Li Lin's voice remained calm, yet his words carried an undeniable authority.

No councilor dared meet his gaze.

"You have long lost yourselves in the pursuit of power, indulging in pleasure, wallowing in comfort, and full of arrogance. You think you can sit on a wealth that rivals entire nations, trading credibility for worthless wealth and fame. But what does any of this truly mean?"

"You witnessed Noxus' invasion of Ionia, aware of their ambitions. You saw the arrival of the Warmasons and understood that they were eyeing our twin cities, yet you did nothing."

"The impoverished people of Zaun live in conditions harsh enough to kill them, yet you turn a blind eye, even exploiting them to maintain Piltover's shiny façade."

"If it weren't for me, when Noxus marches south and targets our twin cities, what would you do?"

"If it weren't for me, how long do you think it would take for Zaun to erupt in revolt again? How long until the second 'Day of Ashes' comes?" 

Li Lin noticed the change in expressions on Saro, Hoskel, and Vostradon's faces, and the mechanical gears turning at the corner of Bolbok's mouth. He already knew what they were thinking. 

"Yes, you're probably thinking that the mountains in the northern part of the twin cities block Noxus from invading, and that Piltover could easily suppress Zaun once, so it could just do it again," Li Lin continued. "But have you ever considered that Swain now controls the power of demons? He's even sent numerous warmasons to infiltrate Piltover's great families. At that point, he could easily wipe you all out in one fell swoop!"

"And as for suppressing Zaun—have you considered that Piltover itself originated from Zaun? Your bloodline also comes from Zaun!" 

"How can you treat your fellow countrymen, people who share the same roots as you, with such disregard in the face of the coming crisis?" 

At that moment, a sharp gust of wind suddenly blew through the council hall, stinging the faces of those present.

In the next second, a blue bird appeared out of nowhere and landed on Li Lin's shoulder.

"Janna…" Camille instinctively murmured the name of the Wind Goddess.

"Don't mind me, I only heard Li Lin's call for Zaun, and I came to see for myself," Janna's ethereal, clear voice seemed to ring directly in the minds of everyone present.

The appearance of the Wind Goddess sent a wave of unease and tension through the four councilors, cold sweat trickling down their backs, dampening their clothes.

Earlier, Li Lin had directly exposed their underhanded dealings, and in their anger, they had forgotten that the young man before them was backed by a god.

If they provoked him, they would essentially be offending the twin cities' guardian deity…

"Runeterra is facing an unprecedented crisis, yet you short-sighted fools only care about your own interests," Janna continued. "If this world is destroyed, what use is all your money?"

Li Lin didn't give them a chance to argue. He immediately displayed a video of the time Bel'Veth threatened to devour the twin cities, followed by footage of him piloting a mech in battle against Xerath. 

And that was only a fraction of the current threats to the world, and he had already dealt with Xerath.

"This… this…" 

Cassandra and Mel gaped in shock, stammering, unable to say a word.

They had never imagined that the twin cities were now facing the same kind of threat that had led to the fall of the Shuriman Empire. 

It was only now that Heimerdinger realized Li Lin's recent request to borrow Gaboga was to eliminate an evil celestial being threatening humanity. 

What fascinated him even more, though, was the large mech resembling the massive, lava-like creature, Malphite, that had appeared in the footage—a machine even larger than Gaboga.

The other four councilors were already dumbstruck, struggling to process what they had just seen and heard.

"In my view, letting you continue to hold power is nothing less than pushing the twin cities toward an irreversible abyss. Only I can lead you to a brighter future."

Li Lin's face was grim, and his eyes were filled with unwavering determination as he scanned the council table. The four councilors, who had once radiated authority, now looked like wilted eggplants, too afraid to act as arrogantly as they had moments ago.

After a brief silence, Saro tried to fight back, unwilling to give up just yet. If they conceded now, the four top families of Piltover's second tier would be finished.

"What makes you think you can rule the twin cities?" 

"What makes me think?" 

Li Lin smiled. 

"Just the fact that I am the future pioneer, the creator of mechanical life, Li Lin. I am the beginning of a revolution, the crystallization of human wisdom, the epitome of an era, the convergence of worlds…" 

He paused for a moment, and then, with a swift motion, hundreds of mechanical workers, drones, and aerial combat mechs—Storms—suddenly flew into the council hall from the open windows, nearly filling the entire space.

At that moment, Elora, who had been entering with a tray of freshly brewed tea, saw the scene before her. The tray slipped from her hands, and the precious teapot shattered on the ground. The finest tea leaves and tea water mixed with the broken porcelain, spilling across the floor.

Then, Li Lin raised his voice, full of passion and intensity, as he declared, "My will is the future of humanity!"

(End of chapter)

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