Noticing the laborers rushing over, Zeri blinked, then said happily, "Don't worry! I'm here to help you!"
Coming from the lower districts, because of the nourishment of magic, Zeri wasn't like those poor sump orphans who suffered severe growth deformities and malnutrition due to severe chemical pollution.
But even so, through Zeri's attire, the weapons used, and her style of action, the laborers could still determine that Zeri was indeed their 'compatriot'.
And now, looking at everyone, Zeri said seriously and firmly, "We will definitely end the Chem-Barons' hateful rule! Let all of us live well!"
Hearing this, the laborers on the side looked at each other, seemingly wanting to say something but not knowing how to start.
In the end, it was that poor man who was forced to almost sign the slave contract who stepped out.
He held the brim of his hat in his hand, looking at Zeri and Faen uneasily. Actually, he was only in his early thirties, but the harsh production environment made him look like an old man over fifty.
Perhaps because he felt Zeri's kindness? Or perhaps because of the peace in Faen's temperament? Or maybe the Curse of Joy made Faen's aura full of components that made people happy, pleasant, and relaxed?
After hesitating for a moment, the slave worker asked cautiously, "Can you... not destroy the factory?"
"...Eh?"
Hearing the slave worker's words, Zeri froze for a moment, subconsciously casting a gaze for help at Faen behind her.
Although the time the two spent together was short, possessing a sound soul as an adult, three days were enough for a confused girl to develop psychological dependence on a gentle and reliable person.
Faen didn't disappoint Zeri. Nodding to Zeri, Faen said calmly, "Don't be nervous, tell us why."
"We need wages," the slave worker said timidly. "If the factory stops production, we will all lose our source of income... We are certainly very grateful that you two are willing to help us fight these hateful factory thugs and resist the Chem-Baron. But... but without the factory, we will starve to death."
Hearing this, Faen nodded in understanding—as expected.
Zaun and Piltover were considered one of the lowest magic areas in Runeterra. Powerful strength could certainly allow Faen to do whatever he wanted here, but to make the people here happy and full of hope for the future, brute force alone wouldn't work.
Thinking this, Faen said, "Do you know the location of the vault?"
"Yes." The man nodded, then led the way at Faen's request. Along the way, they swept through those resisting factory thugs... well, actually not many people resisted.
After all, for a few coins a month, why risk their lives for those bullshit Chem-Barons?
Killing their way through, the wealth that came into view was dazzling.
Looking at the laborers behind him, Faen said, "Don't take too much."
Hearing Faen's words, everyone present was stunned at first, then quickly became excited.
But just then, Faen clapped his hands again and said calmly, "Calm down, friends. Think about your situation, don't be blinded by greed. You should know the treacherous hearts of Zaun better than me, an outsider. The Chem-Baron will soon know what happened here. Without enough strength to protect it, these things will only bring you disaster. Take what is within your ability, don't let greed harm yourselves."
Hearing this, the workers who were originally somewhat out of control calmed down slightly. Among them, some were truly calm, while others were just awed by Faen's power and didn't dare to be presumptuous.
Faen's current combat skills were partly his own and partly learned from Nilah through Ashlesh's blessing.
And Nilah's fighting style... Nilah's targets were mostly giant creatures dozens or hundreds of meters long. Using this wide-open fighting style on Zaun factory thugs was no less than firing anti-materiel weapons at ordinary people without any protection.
Those flying fragments, broken organs... if not for taking the joy factor in advance to regulate emotional hormones, Zeri would probably have vomited her guts out. Although these laborers had slightly stronger acceptance, it wasn't much better.
Faen didn't care too much about everyone's reaction—he had made his words clear, and the principles should be understood. Under such circumstances, if they still couldn't control themselves and tried to grasp the 'happiness' they couldn't hold...
That wasn't happiness, it was disaster, literally a way to die.
After distributing the money, Faen controlled the water flow to sweep away the remaining wealth and then said to everyone:
"Spread the word. Let all oppressed workers like you, and any poor, innocent people know that even in the harsh sump, there is still hope. When you are treated unfairly, let me know in your way that you need help. I will respond, we will respond."
Hearing this, the slave workers were excited, suspicious, or curious. Some had already started to sneak away, wanting to hide the wealth at home.
But someone still looked at Faen and asked after hesitating for a moment, "Why are you doing this?"
"For joy," Faen responded frankly. "For everyone to live happily."
As he spoke, Faen patted Zeri's shoulder, who still had confusion in her eyes. He felt the incomprehension in her eyes, and the arc sparks on her hair tips dimming along with her lost mood...
The workers had all left. Feeling the negativity in Zeri's gaze, Faen raised his eyebrows slightly, then raised his hand and slapped heavily on Zeri's butt.
Accompanied by a crisp sound echoing in this dilapidated corridor, Zeri woke up instantly amidst the slight pain. Rubbing her perky butt cheeks, she looked at Faen angrily and said, "Bad guy! What are you doing!!"
"To cheer you up quickly~" Seeing Zeri recover her vitality, Faen chuckled, "Don't tell me our dear Miss Zeri is defeated just like this? Decided to give up the cause we agreed on before? To make Zaun happy?"
"Who gave up!" Hearing this, recalling her state just now, Zeri hummed dissatisfiedly a few times. But then she fell silent again, her voice carrying a slight loss as she said, "It's just... just that I seem to have done something wrong? Like I shouldn't destroy the Chem-Baron's stuff? Otherwise why would those workers..."
"Don't think too much." Faen rubbed Zeri's hair, which earned a dissatisfied pout from Zeri. But pout aside, the tiny electric arcs that lit up again had no intention of hurting Faen:
"I have some ideas. I happen to be free tonight, I'll organize them and we can have a good chat."
"Mmhmm!" Zeri nodded seriously. "We will definitely make Zaun happy!"
"Of course. But speaking of which, spanking your butt just now..."
"It's fine, we're bros~"
Although saying this, Zeri's action was to roll her eyes fiercely at Faen—when he treated her wound back then, he didn't have such a sense of boundaries!
Thinking this, the two embarked on the road home.
Because of the extra income, the two bought some food to bring back.
Before, she was only thinking that she hadn't truly helped the workers in the district and factory. Now having pulled herself together, looking at the large sum of wealth dragged by the water flow beside Faen, Zeri couldn't help but click her tongue in wonder.
"Do you think the Chem-Barons can spend all this stuff? Why are they unwilling to give it to those workers? Clearly if they just took out a tiny bit, the workers in the factory would feel much better."
"How would I know what they think." Hearing this, Faen shook his head. He didn't rashly substitute his past life's cognition into Zaun's environment—specific situations require specific analysis, especially in a world with supernatural powers. For example, Ashlesh could forcibly change people's moods and behavioral patterns; heaven knows if Zaun has other similar things.
But whether there are or not, it wouldn't affect Faen's determination to change Zaun... Although ordinary joy could also serve to alleviate emptiness, it would at most last for a period of time.
Joy from extreme sensory stimulation was effective, but one would eventually fall into the demonic path, just like Ashlesh once did.
Only a beautiful world, a world where everyone could feel hope, could provide Faen with endless joy. And this joy would become Faen's power to fight against the many disasters of the future.
Thinking this, a look of helplessness appeared on Faen's face.
Noticing Faen's expression, Zeri asked curiously, "What's wrong? Thought of something annoying?"
"It's okay, mainly politics, construction, systems and stuff... these things are profound and boring." Faen's voice carried a slight tediousness as he said, "But to change Zaun, to let everyone in Zaun feel hope and joy, one must touch these things..."
"Mmm..." Hearing Faen's helplessness, Zeri touched her chin and said, "Why do I feel like such complex things sound simple in your mouth? And you look reluctant? So annoying!"
"Who knows~"
Faen shrugged, quickly organized his emotions, and said, "You go to sleep first, I'll organize the thoughts in my mind."
Saying this, Faen went to Zeri's workbench and began to organize some memories from his past life, making corresponding changes and adjustments based on what he saw and heard in Zaun.
Looking at Faen's busy back as he wrote, Zeri blinked and nestled in the quilt, waiting quietly.
In Zeri's conjecture, just organizing thoughts shouldn't take much time. After all, as an engineering girl, Zeri often recorded some of her crazy ideas; for example, the electric jacket was her little invention.
But obviously, what Faen wanted to organize was far more than Zeri thought. Waiting for more than half an hour, the busy back of Faen in Zeri's vision showed no sign of stopping.
This made Zeri inexplicably guilty because this was originally her wish, hoping to change Zaun... but in the end, she was the one whose will was depressed, and thanks to Faen's reminder, she pulled herself together.
Thinking this, Zeri began to feel a wave of indescribable emptiness spreading in her heart.
At first, Zeri didn't react, but as the mental pressure gradually increased, this familiar feeling soon made Zeri realize something—the price of joy!
Zeri remembered, remembered the side effect of this joy factor that Faen told her...
When Zeri and Faen were fighting in the factory, in order to keep up with Faen's pace, Zeri had been ingesting the joy factor, aiming only to keep her emotions high at all times. This could speed up Zeri while increasing the destructive power of the electric arcs.
Originally, according to Zeri's conjecture, after destroying the energy workshop and severely damaging Chem-Baron Spindlaw's factory, giving freedom to those oppressed workers, she would definitely harvest a lot of joy, and naturally, there would be no need to worry about the price of joy.
But the development of things obviously exceeded Zeri's expectations. Confusion about the future greatly reduced the joy Zeri harvested. Coupled with Faen staying up late now to organize thoughts into feasible methods...
This shame made Zeri feel even more guilty, thereby exacerbating the generation of mental pressure.
Feeling the mental pressure, Zeri didn't know how to relieve it for a moment.
Should she disturb Faen? He would definitely have a way to handle it... but looking at Faen's frowning brows from time to time, and the pen strokes that paused occasionally but remained fluent throughout. Zeri knew Faen had entered a precious state of creation. In this state, creators often wrote as if possessed by gods, able to quickly organize the thoughts and ideas in their hearts.
If disturbed, it would be difficult to enter this focused state again...
Thinking this, Zeri's breathing gradually became rapid.
Severe mental pressure had begun to make the girl's consciousness slightly trance-like. She knew she had to do something now.
Inexplicably, Zeri felt her butt was a bit hot—that was where Faen slapped heavily to sober her up. Although he held back his strength and it was through pants, Zeri could more or less guess the shallow red mark underneath.
Is it the mark Faen left on my body...?
Unconsciously swallowing saliva, from between her slender and round legs, Zeri felt a wetness slowly spreading.
Realizing something, a shameful red began to bloom on Zeri's clean face.
What am I thinking? Brain, brain, stop it! Thinking this is too weird... Aren't Faen and I good bros!
Thinking this in her heart, Zeri's breathing became more and more rapid. Her hands couldn't help but grip the quilt tightly, and she used her other hand to explore that warm land flowing with juice.