Inside a somewhat decent house in the Lotus Flower Gang's stronghold—
Leo was nursing a headache, looking at a stack of ledgers. Behind him, Jinx was leaning back-to-back against him, her slender, pale hands stretched out, holding up a book. A closer look would reveal that the book contained detailed assembly tutorials and principles for various purification devices.
Her long blue braids fell in front of Leo, obstructing his view. Leo couldn't help but reach out and wrap Jinx's long braids around both of them, like a rope tying them together.
"Did you figure it out?"
About twenty minutes passed like this. Jinx felt a bit of backache in this position and unconsciously wriggled her small body, speaking up.
"No, I'm still racking my brains right now. Territorial matters are easy for us; in Zaun, you can seize territory just by using your fists. But in the end, money is still the real trouble," Leo said, rubbing his temples.
He slightly turned his head and saw Jinx had already turned around, her slender body pressed close against him. Her small hands were on Leo's shoulders, her face right next to his, incredibly close. Leo looked at Jinx's profile and couldn't help but smile.
After this period of recuperation, Jinx's dark circles had faded considerably, and her pale complexion now held a hint of rosiness. However, she was still very thin, and her mouth seemed slightly protruded?
Yes, it was indeed slightly protruded, which gave her a touch of childlike innocence. She blinked her beautiful blue eyes, staring at the ledger in Leo's hand.
Leo felt a soft sensation against his back, and as Jinx moved, that softness also shifted, which eased his headache for a moment and made his heart beat faster. Perhaps Leo should apologize to Jinx. She wasn't completely flat; in fact... she had some curves after all.
"Who told you not to listen to me?" Jinx mumbled, hearing his words. "The best solution was right in front of you. Just steal! Stealing is the easiest way. Isn't that how every Zaunite does it?"
"No, we can't do that. We're not a gang, and Zaunites aren't born to do bad things. What we're doing now is changing all of that, Jinx," Leo shook his head, rejecting Jinx's suggestion.
Steal?
No, that precedent couldn't be set.
Leo had just laid down the rules, and if he abandoned them after only a few days, how would his subordinates view him?
However, money was indeed a big problem.
The Lotus Flower Gang wasn't a criminal organization; they didn't rely on protection fees or illegal profits. Nor were they like the Chem-Barons with their own businesses. Leo couldn't get involved in Zaun's current industries, mining, or smuggling. Furthermore, Leo didn't want the Lotus Flower Gang to engage in criminal activities.
But now he had about forty people under him, not a huge number, but not small either, and Leo was responsible for their daily food and drink.
Money was truly essential for Leo right now.
"Alright, I'll listen to you then."
"Don't just talk about me. What about you, Jinx? How's your experiment going?"
"Not very well. I'm learning all of this from scratch; I've never touched these things before." Jinx buried her face in Leo's shoulder, dejectedly mumbling, "Besides, don't my experiments need a lot of money?"
"Don't you have any money left?"
"It's alright, you just focus on your experiments. Don't worry too much about the money." Leo smiled, raising his right hand to his left shoulder, and then he playfully pinched Jinx's cheek.
Then, Leo lowered his head and continued looking at the ledgers.
Looking at Leo's face, Jinx suddenly said, "Leo, how about I go ask Silco for money? He'll definitely give it to me."
"Would that work?" Leo was startled.
The richest person in Zaun was naturally Silco. If Leo went to ask, Silco might give it, but he would definitely look down on Leo, especially after Leo had just spoken so boldly to him.
But... what if Jinx was the one asking for money?
Remembering Silco's private space, filled with traces of Jinx, Leo thought that idea might actually work.
No, what's wrong with extracting some gold coins from your own father-in-law?
Of course, that was just a joke. Leo wouldn't actually do that. If he did, Silco would certainly give him the money, but the problem was that not only would Silco look down on him, but it would also be hard to bring Jinx back...
Jinx was about to speak when a voice sounded from outside the tent.
"Boss, Sister Sevika is here!"
Jinx immediately stood up, her expression turning sour. She held her long blue braid in one hand and swung it, saying, "What's that annoying old hag doing here?"
"Who knows?" Leo was also curious.
Standing up, Leo and Jinx walked out of the room together.
Then, they saw Sevika, looking vexed, with a group of people behind her.
"Sister Sevika," Leo stepped forward and greeted Sevika.
Hearing Leo's address, Sevika's expression flickered with a hint of complexity, but it quickly disappeared. She looked at Leo and said, "These two boxes are things Silco asked me to deliver. Please check them so I can report back."
Sevika truly couldn't understand.
Just a few days ago, Silco had been threatened by Leo, and that troublesome Jinx hadn't been brought back. Of course, Sevika was happy that Jinx hadn't returned, but she couldn't understand why Silco suddenly told her to bring people and money to Leo.
Weren't they enemies with Leo?
"Things?" Leo didn't understand.
What did she mean?
Silco is sending me things?
"Didn't you ask him for this?" Sevika frowned at his words.
Leo was stunned, while Jinx had already squatted down and reached to open the box. After lifting the lid, she immediately exclaimed "Woah!" and excitedly looked up at Leo.
Leo looked down, and his gaze was instantly fixed.
He saw the open box filled with golden coins.
"This..." Leo took a deep breath. Damn it, there was no way to refuse.
Though he didn't know what Silco's intentions were, he truly couldn't refuse!
With this money, the Lotus Flower Gang could quickly establish a community and even start some businesses. This money was too important!
So, Leo looked at Sevika and said:
"Sister, please help me send my regards to him. Tell him I'm very grateful, and I'll remember this."
Sevika hummed in acknowledgment and raised her hand, glancing at the Lotus Flower Gang's stronghold as she left.
Recently, many tents had been removed, and most of the Lotus Flower Gang members were building houses in the surroundings, preparing to turn this once-abandoned area into a new home.
Since it was originally near a garbage dump, they didn't have to worry about materials.
After all, what Zaunites are best at is creating miracles in desperate situations, using things others look down on to create something astonishing.
Every Zaunite is a skilled craftsperson—oh, except for Vi.
Ordering someone to move the boxes into his room, Leo excitedly rubbed his hands.
"Silco gave it to you? Did you go to Silco for money that day?" Jinx was also excited to see the money.
She actually had no concept of money because when she was with Silco, he would give her anything she wanted. Even if Jinx wanted something only Piltover nobles could use, Silco would find every way to get it for her.
But with Leo, Jinx started to understand money.
Eating cost money, drinking juice cost money, eating snacks cost money, and even the materials for her experiments cost money.
And the electricity and water at home also cost money!
Otherwise, the power and water would be cut off!
Because of this, Jinx also came to one conclusion:
Leo is poor!
Silco is rich!
Well, despite that, Jinx still preferred to stay with Leo now.
Because here there was Vi, there was Leo, there was Isa. Compared to being with Silco, here... she could relax more.
"I didn't; he sent it on his own initiative," Leo shook his head.
"He did it on his own? That's strange. Why would he send you money?"
"I don't know..." Leo said, suddenly pausing.
Looking at Jinx's small face, Leo's mouth twitched slightly.
Hmm...
Leo might have known the answer.
Is there a possibility that this money was originally for Jinx?
No, Jinx is too important to me!
Look at it: she provides the most emotional value, she designs and manufactures the gang's weapons, she studies and develops technology to change Zaun, and now... she even got me money.
Is she a bane?
A bane? You're out of your mind!
Unable to resist, Leo stepped forward and hugged Jinx, embracing her and saying:
"It's truly wonderful having you."
"Jinx."
Jinx froze for a moment, unsure where to put her small hands. She was on her tiptoes, held by Leo, not knowing why he suddenly did this. But then, her eyes immediately narrowed into crescent moons, and she nodded vigorously, hugging Leo back.
Jinx smiled radiantly.
————
"I've delivered the money, but I still don't understand. Leo isn't on our side, so why are you helping him?"
At the Last Drop, Sevika still couldn't help but ask Silco.
Sitting on the sofa, playing with a coin between his fingers, Silco softly said:
"It's just a simple... investment experiment."