lol: After being blessed by the Happy Demon, I became the harem king

Page 12

Sensing the extreme emotions surging within Jinx, Fain signaled to her not to rush, while simultaneously releasing a small amount of happiness into the surrounding air to alleviate Jinx's self-destructive tendencies.

The cost of inhaling trace amounts of these pleasure factors is almost negligible, yet they can effectively alleviate the psychological stress experienced by the inhaler.

In reality, this pressure doesn't actually disappear; it just appears more slowly due to the slight pleasure produced by the pleasure factor—just like ibuprofen granules versus ibuprofen sustained-release capsules.

While the former (granules) can take effect quickly, their duration is short, and the rapid emotional changes can lead to negative associations. In contrast, sustained-release capsules, although slower to take effect, have a longer duration of action and place less stress on detoxification organs, allowing them to work gradually and detoxify slowly.

These trace amounts of happy molecules that dissolve into the air can slow down the rapidly rising extreme thoughts in the inhaler, thus creating a feeling of relaxation. This gradual relaxation will not arouse excessive defensiveness... Of course, this only applies to people who are not so emotionally sensitive.

And Jinx...

Realizing she had quickly brought her extreme emotions under control, Jinx remained silent for a moment before looking around suspiciously, then fixing her gaze on Fain: "Was this your doing?"

“Yes,” Farn nodded and said, “The happiness factor can be understood as an emotion-relieving agent that can restore drastically fluctuating emotions to a normal level.”

Jinx frowned and said, "Like Glimmer?"

"They sound the same, but the differences are huge."

Upon hearing Jinx's words, Fain shook his head and said, "While Glimmer also has the power to enhance emotional states, it is more based on the magical coverage of wild magic. Perhaps in the short term, Glimmer can effectively relieve people's mental stress and strengthen their limbs and flesh. However, it is accompanied by a high incidence of addiction and physical deformities."

"In particular, its strong addictive properties make it extremely easy to overdose. This magical vessel with its own wild thoughts, although possessing powerful energy and manipulability, can catalyze those with slightly weak willpower into mindless beasts who have lost their sense of self once ingested in excess. On a superficial level, this will affect the health and life of the user; on a deeper level, it will affect social stability and lead to the collapse of order."

After a pause, Farn summed it up simply: "While the 'Light Potion' can provide a lot of power and healing effects in the short term, its harms far outweigh its benefits."

Upon hearing this, Jinx narrowed her eyes and stared at Fain for a moment before casually saying, "Looks like you're an opponent of Hilcor?"

The reason why Hilko has been able to maintain his status as the uncrowned king of Zaun is largely because he has mastered the micro-light production technology that the entire Zaun desperately needs.

However, due to the negative effects of the glimmer of light, there are also many people who oppose Hilko or disapprove of Hilko changing Zaun through such means.

Jinx doesn't believe that the person who could write that flyer is so shallow as to only see the glimmer of negative effects.

Meeting Jinx's gaze, Fain calmly stated, "I understand Hilko's choice. For Zaun now, the only path to avoid becoming a complete vassal of Piltover is alchemy. And the Glimmer is the lifeblood of alchemy—"

"The core of alchemy is glimmer, the energy source of alchemy factories is glimmer, people struggling in pain need glimmer, and what allows the people of Zaun to fight against the Upper City with strength and courage despite being at a complete equipment disadvantage is also glimmer... Even the rabble following Hilcor are also there for the sake of being able to inject safe glimmer every day."

"For Zaun today, there is no doubt that the glimmer of light is power, and it is also Zaun's invisible crown."

At present, completely abolishing the Glimmer is an unrealistic idea. Because the Hillcoe, who control the Glimmer, essentially controls the very lifeblood and psychological well-being of most of Zaun's population. Even the alchemist barons dare not truly break with the Hillcoe because their factories require the Glimmer to operate. Therefore, no matter how eloquent the upper-city trading families' pronouncements may be, they are ultimately just empty promises.

What's the use of giving more money? Without the alchemy plant, at best you'll just be a small-time millionaire—and once such a low-level millionaire loses his usefulness, it's only a matter of time before his wealth is completely drained.

In this situation, unless the trading families of the upper city are willing to relinquish their real interests, namely the rights related to the Sungate and long-distance trade, the Glimmer is the best tool to control Zaun.

“But Glimmer is a tool, and only a tool. And now, Hilco is too deeply bound to Glimmer.”

After saying this, Fane paused, then pointed to the abandoned factory not far away and said, "Zeli's meeting is over. Do you want to continue talking? If so, let's go over together."

Jinx nodded, then paused and said, "Okay... but speaking of which, how did you find out about me? If it wasn't Hilko who told you, then who did? You'd better tell me directly, at least I'm calm right now and won't hurt you."

Under normal circumstances, Jinx would never be as relaxed or even approachable as she is with a stranger. However, under the influence of the "happiness factor," Jinx's emotions gradually become more controllable—at least she won't suddenly lose control due to intense, extreme emotions and engage in irrational, extreme behavior.

Upon hearing Jinx's words, Fain gave her a strange look.

Although it was brief, it still caught Jinx's attention.

Raising an eyebrow, Jinx asked bluntly, "What? Is something wrong?"

“It’s mainly about what you said at the end,” Farn said sincerely. “Even if you completely give up all chances of survival and fight me to the death, given the difference in strength between us…”

Making a gesture with his thumb and forefinger that would make any Korean man shout "Shiba!", Fain said, "I probably won't be affected much."

Unlike in the game, Jinx in real life doesn't have the ability to switch between a rotary machine gun and a rocket launcher by pressing the Q key. Jinx doesn't have any kind of spatial equipment. Apart from the pistol, grenades, and other miscellaneous toys hanging on her waist, the only weapon she can use is her extremely strong adaptability to the Glowing Potion.

Just as Zephyr strengthens her mental resilience by continuously enduring the price of pleasure, allowing her to withstand the simultaneous operation of more Hextech Crystals, Jinx's mind, while not necessarily powerful, is certainly resilient and mad. This also means that the wild magic within the glimmer is virtually harmless to Jinx.

Unfortunately, the effects of the glimmer of light are negated by the happiness factor... At least Zeli knows the effects of the happiness factor and, under Fain's guidance, can use and control it correctly. Even if problems arise, she can quickly resolve them by selling a hook or having a sip of milk.

And what about Glimmer? If it exceeds the limits, it just goes to the point of going crazy like someone with bipolar disorder—although this is also directly related to Jinx not mastering the correct way to use Glimmer.

Upon hearing Fain's words, Jinx raised an eyebrow: "You seem very confident in your own power?"

"You'll understand."

Farn shrugged, not really intending to explain.

Jinx grew up in Zaun. To put it bluntly, such a small, run-down place would only attract the attention of ordinary people, and it would be difficult for it to attract the attention of powerful individuals.

A blonde woman once said to Vi, "If everyone were as strong as you, we could all beat Noxus."

The Noxians were laughing their heads off at the mention of "bi"—later, when Zaun launched their attack, Caitlyn racked up so many triggers she couldn't even defeat a single Zaunian Alchemist super minion. Finally, the Noxian powerhouse appeared and showed the Piltover noobs what the hell meant by the power of numbers.

Seeing Fane's attitude, Jinx seemed somewhat displeased, feeling slighted. However, Jinx didn't dwell on it and calmly asked, "Then tell me how you knew about me."

“Prophecy,” Farn said succinctly. “I’m a prophet who came to the profession later in life. What do you think of that reason?”

Jinx didn't speak, she just stared quietly at Fain.

Fain wasn't in a hurry. He simply and slowly recounted what he had told Zeli and Shuona about his ability to see fragments of the past and future. Then, under Jinx's gaze, Fain quietly said:

"Among them, I haven't seen many people from Zaun, but I have seen a lot of detailed stories about your family."

Upon hearing this, Jinx remained silent for a moment before calmly asking, "...For example."

“For example, Hilco and Vander,” Farn replied.

Upon hearing Fane's words, Jinx froze in place. Instead of erupting, she became unusually calm, much to Fane's surprise.

Jinx tilted her head: "Tell me about it."

Although she said that, in reality, even Jinx herself didn't know what had really happened between Hielko and Vander. She only knew that they were once comrades-in-arms, brothers, and had an unbreakable bond. But because of something, they eventually parted ways and became enemies... In any case, as long as Fane told her, Jinx could directly ask Hielko for confirmation.

If it's fake, then it can only mean that Farn has other intelligence channels. But if it's real...

Just as Jinx was still thinking, Fain said, "Their story, to put it simply, is that after I killed you, I became you."

20·Endless uses

Farn didn't elaborate on the conflict between Hilko and Vander—primarily because the world's twin cities aren't a pure Twin Cities War universe. While there are many similarities, Farn wasn't entirely sure if there were subtle differences…

But even if he said it, it wouldn't matter. After all, Fane had already said that he could only see fragments of the past and future, not the whole picture.

He briefly recounted Hilcor and Vander's past to Jinx. Jinx remained silent throughout, though a slight realization would occasionally flash in her eyes, as if she understood why Hilcor would sometimes freeze inexplicably.

"Although Vander's departure was the monkey bomb you sent back then, it doesn't mean that their relationship and connection have ended."

When Jinx heard Farn mention the monkey bomb, she raised an eyebrow, but she wasn't angry. After a moment of silence, she said, "In all these years, you're the first guy who's dared to mention that monkey bomb to my face."

“It’s an honor.” Farn shrugged, then continued:

"You can relay what I'm about to say to Hilko—as comrades who fought alongside Zaun against Piltover, Hilko and Vandal's fundamental disagreement about the future lies in the fact that Vandal realizes the vast disparity in strength between Zaun and Piltover and chooses to maintain a fragile peace through compromise, protecting the people of Zaun from greater sacrifice. Hilko, on the other hand, insists on radical resistance, believing that only by completely overthrowing Piltover's oppression can dignity be achieved."

"But the core issue here is that your current adoptive father, Hilco, values ​​personal emotional ties, while Vander is more concerned with the survival of the group. Therefore, in Hilco's view, Vander's compromises become betrayal and weakness."

“While Hillco rose to power in the name of rebellion, he ultimately became the new oppressor. He wanted to fight against the Upper City, but he encountered the same dilemma as Vander, realizing the absolute advantage of the Upper City. Thus, he had to compromise and use the Glimmer to control the Zaun underclass, which had become more chaotic due to the change of power, thereby plunging more people into suffering.”

"Once you get here, no matter how noble your initial ideals were, Hilko's rebellion is no longer for the rise and liberation of Zaun. It's about seizing power, and in terms of behavior, he is no different from other alchemical barons."

Upon hearing this, Jinx paused for a moment to think, then calmly asked, "And what do you think of me?"

Fain did not intend to discuss Jinx's actions and mistakes in much detail.

Because through his perception of happiness, Fain could sense that beneath Jinx's seemingly increasingly calm exterior, her inner thoughts were already turbulent when she asked, "How do you see me?" Clearly, her inner world wasn't as calm as it appeared.

Fine simply gave his own answer: "A vulnerable individual's powerless resistance under a grand narrative, a pitiful person lost between being an 'outcast of Zaun' and a 'rebel against the city'."

“…An orphan, haha.” Upon hearing this, Jinx chuckled twice, then her body trembled violently before returning to calm after a moment.

“That’s very well said, it’s as if you were right there watching those things happen.”

Jinx casually fiddled with her fingers, seemingly unconcerned, but after saying that, she fell silent, as if she had lost the desire to continue the conversation.

Fain didn't try to continue the conversation, because while Jinx was calm, her inner thoughts were a chaotic storm. In this state, even if Jinx could respond, she probably wouldn't even know what she would say.

Before long, the two arrived at the abandoned factory.

Zeli has already subdued the gang thugs here.

Lying haphazardly on the ground, the gang thugs let out a series of feeble groans. Meanwhile, standing there, her equipment radiating green arcs of electricity from her emotional resonance generator, Zeli's face was filled with fighting spirit. One could clearly sense the boundless energy within her not-so-tall frame.

Upon seeing Fane's arrival, Zeli grinned and flashed a peace sign at him, saying, "I did it! I took them all out in one go! So what's next? We can't let these bastards get away with this so easily. They were using our name to do bad things! They even tried to harm the Zaun workers! These despicable alchemist baron lackeys!"

As she spoke, Zeli clenched her fist tightly, a look of indignation flashing between her brows.

Upon seeing Farn's arrival, the gang leader who had previously disguised himself as a worker leader coughed twice with difficulty and spat out a mouthful of blood on the ground, but there was not much fear in his eyes, only wariness.

"So you are the Azure Demon?"

“It’s me, is there something you need?” Farn asked.

"No, it's not me who has something to do, it's you."

Although he sounded confident of victory, the gang leader actually swallowed hard as he said this. Forcing himself to calm down, he then said seriously, "I admit we were wrong, and we're willing to pay the price, so let us go, okay? We surrender, and we're willing to help you. I know many of the Alchemist Baron's secrets! This will definitely be of help!"

After a pause, the gang leader looked at the workers beside him and said, "Look at these peasants. What do they know? They know nothing. Even when you hand them out flyers, they don't know how to use them. They just live day to day."

“You need someone to help you, and we’re willing to help you. We’re willing to make you the new king of Zaun, just like how Hilk replaced Vander in the past!”

The gang leader stared at Fane, his voice trembling with emotion: "You can't rely on these illiterate bastards to help you govern Zaun! They have no idea how Zaun operates, let alone how despairingly powerful Piltover truly is! We, on the other hand, know that gangs are the very foundation of Zaun's existence, and we can help..."

Farn shook his head listlessly as he listened to the gang leader's words.

"No matter how much you know, can you know more than Hilko?"

Although Fann's voice was monotonous, it reached the gang leader's ears clearly. Upon hearing Fann's voice, the gang leader paused slightly, then subconsciously glanced to the side. Although not very clearly, he caught a glimpse of Jinx standing in the shadows not far away, arms crossed, leaning against the wall, coldly observing the scene.

Hilcor is also participating in this upheaval? No, could this entire upheaval be Hilcor's plan? That's impossible! Isn't Hilcor the greatest alchemist baron in Zaun? Why—

Amidst intense confusion, Fain summoned a stream of water, which entered the leader's head through his ear. After shredding the brain into a mess, Fain turned his gaze to the other gang members around him.

Noticing Fain's gaze, the surrounding gangsters' eyes flashed with fear. Fain paid no attention, simply manipulating the flowing water to transform it into scattered blades that severed their necks. In no time, the gangsters, who had been wailing, fell silent once more.

As Fane expressionlessly carried out the execution of these gang thugs, Jinx narrowed her eyes from a distance, but remained silent.

Zeli tilted her head slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable, but still chose to believe Fan. After all, if it weren't for Fan, she might have already been deceived and fallen into their trap.

After dealing with the gang members, Farn turned his attention to the workers standing to the side.

Farn's attitude was much gentler when he looked at these workers than when he was dealing with gang thugs.

"Although the gang leader is an enemy of Zaun, he was right about one thing before. That is, kneeling and begging will not get you the alchemist baron's bread; only by uniting and fighting can you resist their tyranny."

“But…but he’s our enemy.” A worker raised his hand timidly and said, “Are we supposed to learn from them? Those lackeys of the alchemist baron?”

Looking at the frightened and bewildered workers, Farn said with a relaxed expression, "Of course we have to learn. Rather, it is precisely because they are our enemies that we have to learn their thoughts, understand their ideas, and comprehend why they are doing what they are doing. Then we can look at the problem dialectically. Only in this way can we always know whether the cause we are undertaking is correct, and whether everything we are doing is for ourselves or for Zaun itself."

After a pause, Fain continued, "The alchemist barons call me the Blue Demon, but in reality, I come from Fain, from Ionia, the province of Navori, the Sanctuary of Wardance. When I first set foot on this land, Zaun felt unfamiliar and confused. Everything here was unacceptable to me."

Upon hearing Fain's words, the people around him exchanged bewildered glances, and even Jinx raised an eyebrow, surprised that Fain would suddenly say such a thing.

Looking at the people around him, Fain continued, "Ionia reveres animism, the essence of nature, and the balance between matter and spirit. That's why I felt so uncomfortable with the chaos in Zaun when I first arrived there. But slowly, with the help of my best friend and lover, Zeli, I gradually came to understand Zaun's suffering."

Upon hearing this, Zeli blinked in surprise and pointed to herself, as if to say, 'Me?'

Farn returned a reassuring look, then said firmly, as if he himself had deeply believed it: "After fully understanding the pain of Zaun, I felt deeply shocked and resolved to do my part for the liberation of Zaun—Zaun has, in fact, become my second home!"

"That's why I'm even more eager for Zaun to truly rise—no, not rise, but revive! Our ultimate goal isn't to fight Piltover for what's rightfully ours!"

Farn said earnestly, "Before they fully realize reality, we must know what they are thinking, and we must understand what kind of enemy we are facing! Only by correctly understanding our enemy can we deal with them correctly!"

"So what should we do?" a worker asked, raising his hand.

“Understand our enemies, understand our friends,” Farn said. “Our current enemies are not Piltover, but the traitors within Zaun, those alchemical barons who betrayed us and sold out Zaun’s interests! They exploited our blood and sweat to achieve their own extravagant lifestyles, but left us with increasingly terrible working conditions! These people who have already betrayed Zaun are our real enemies!”

"As for the thugs from factories and gangs, they need to be vetted. Some of them are children of workers, orphans from the sewers. The kind-hearted among them are our natural partners and the main force for their conversion! Let them know what is right and wrong, and they will naturally blend into the murky current of the Alchemist Baron, contributing to the future of Zaun!"

"And more importantly—don't damage the factory, and definitely don't destroy the machines!" Farn said earnestly. "The Alchemy Factory is Zaun's property; it belongs to every citizen of Zaun, not just the Alchemist Baron! So, before the final moment arrives, familiarize yourselves with it, memorize every corridor, passage, and secret room in the factory. Be wary of any traitors or scabs lurking among us."

"Only in this way can we truly revive our hometown, our Zu'an!"

In his words, as a war dancer who trained in Presidium, Faen used body movements, intonation, and facial expressions to gradually evoke people's feelings of resentment, expectations for the future, and longing for a better life.

No matter how desperate a person is, as long as they are alive, they will have some hope in their heart, but some people have gradually lost the ability to feel hope.

Upon hearing Fain's words, the surrounding workers exchanged glances, then involuntarily clenched their fists and shouted "For Zaun!"

In contrast, on the other side, listening to Fane's explanation, Jinx, while feeling her emotions stirred by Fane and certain of the feasibility of his methods, honestly didn't believe that Fane's words could so easily ignite such a boiling-out emotion in the crowd…

Thinking this, Jinx sniffed the air as if she had smelled something, and then a strange expression appeared on her face.

Damn, the air is thick with happiness.

21. Salafine's concert?