Two Cities: I am building a mecha in Pi City

Zaun is a vast underground city nestled beneath the winding ravines and canyons surrounding Piltover.

To get to Zaun, you must take the Hex Pressure Transporter, an elevator commonly known as the "Screamer", in Piltover.

The city-states north of Piltover are wealthy areas, and most people have no need to go to Zaun.

Therefore, most of the Hex pressure transport aircraft are built in the southern urban area.

At the bridgehead of the Piltover Grand Canyon, Li Lin took out two copper rings from his pocket and placed them in the hands of a statue of an official in a robe. The mechanism rang and the copper coins disappeared. This was used as a fee for crossing the bridge.

Then, he and Caitlin followed the crowded flow of people across the bridge and turned more than ten turns on the streets of the southern city, finally arriving at a winding cobblestone road built along the canyon.

Because the public Hex pressure transport at the end of the street often roars into operation until midnight, this street is also known as Drop Street, and most people will go to Zaun from here.

The urban area of ​​Zaun can be roughly divided into three parts:

The Dancing Corridor and the Border Market are parallel areas between the lower city of Piltover and the top floor of Zaun, but the architectural styles of the two city-states are so different that there is no confusion.

The middle-level square is located in the middle of Zaun. Most of the ordinary citizens of Zaun live on this level, living a life with barely enough food and clothing. On days when the haze is not so serious, you can occasionally see a ray of sunshine.

As for the lowest level of Zuan, it is generally called the ditch. It is a place where people who are poor and forced by life or scavengers go.

There is no sky there all year round, and there are a large number of toxic and polluting alchemical technology facilities and countless mines for mining ores. Severe chemical pollution and suffocating haze completely cover this area.

Without a breathing filter, even the people in the city who were accustomed to Zaun's turbid air would not be able to tolerate the filthy air.

People from different classes have very different needs for lifts.

The elevator cabin has many levels, and the main support structure is three longitudinal rails, which are vertical to the ground and at the same height as the ground.

Generally speaking, workers who commute to get off work only spend a dozen copper rings or even half a silver wheel to ride on the lowest level of the elevator, which is also a dirty and crowded cabin.

Businessmen who go to the market, people who have spare money on hand and occasionally travel between the two cities for errands, or whose family reimburses the fare will spend 3 to 5 silver wheels to travel in the mid-level cabin.

The rich in Zaun, who often go to the Dancing Corridor to shop, dine, or exchange goods and supplies in Lower Piltover, often spend 6 to 9 silver wheels to ride in the upper-class cabins with the best environment.

However, there are still some "stowaways" who are unwilling to spend money. They often risk their lives by climbing to a height of tens of meters along the outer longitudinal rails of the elevator, and then jump to the top of the elevator to take a "hitchhike".

Although many people die every year due to this fall, they still enjoy it.

And the family that manages the elevator doesn't bother to care about these orphans from the Zaun trench.

After all, human life is not valuable, but hiring guards still costs money.

Li Lin delivered 14 silver wheels to the ticket booth and purchased two tickets for the upper cabin. Then he and Caitlin walked through the diamond-shaped iron fence, entered the iron frame cabin of the screamer, and walked along the rusty and rotten metal stairs. Go to the top.

The Black Alley is located in the middle area of ​​Zaun, and it will take them at least half an hour to get there.

"This must be your first time riding a screamer, right?" Li Lin glanced at Caitlin, who was silent and restless beside him, "How do you feel?"

Caitlin frowned slightly and said nothing.

This is not because of Li Lin's problem, but because the elevator is a completely closed environment, all kinds of smells are mixed together, and the dirty air is uncomfortable.

In addition, the various life styles of the people at the bottom of the elevator also gave her a great touch.

In her impression, Piltover was clearly an orderly, bright and beautiful city.

But what she saw now made her slightly shaken.

Is this really the Piltover I remember...

Caitlin looked through the glass at the busy streets outside, biting her teeth and clenching her fists.

"Have you heard the story about the screamer?" Li Lin noticed that she was not in a good mood and wanted to divert her attention, so he asked.

"Isn't it just because of the sound?" Caitlin was a little disinterested, "I know, it's the sound of the cold wind blowing through the canyon below the city."

"No, no, no, actually there is a saying in it." Li Lin's tone slightly aroused Caitlin's interest.

"According to Zu An, the reason why the elevator is called 'Scream' is because there is a howling lone wolf statue on the top." He pointed upward with his finger, "But what I want to say is actually Another allusion.”

Caitlin raised her eyebrows slightly and looked at the boy beside her with her blue eyes.

She is quite interested in these curious stories.

"Elevator, go down!"

As the administrator shouted reminders from the bell-shaped sonar horn in the corner, the roaring steam began to operate, and various mechanical parts and gears meshed with each other, making a "squeaking" metal friction noise.

Immediately afterwards, the elevator slowly descended and entered the almost lightless tunnel.

Li Lin paused for a moment, reorganizing the background story that was about to fade away in his mind, leaving only a few impressions. Then he took a deep breath and said mysteriously:

"Actually, there is a ghost of a waiter from Zaun wearing a black veil in this cabin. Whenever he is far away from his hometown and his lover, his throbbing grief will shake the metal core of the elevator."

"If you want to scare me... Unfortunately, I have long passed the age of being afraid of ghost stories." Caitlin curled her lips, but her mood obviously improved a lot.

"I'm not trying to scare you. Haven't you heard the story of Qian Jue? I suspect that the soul of the waiter in the cabin is the same as Qian Jue. He serves the great death itself, the being called the Mother of Masks." Li Lin said with a smile.

"Compared to this allusion, I still prefer the version called 'The Howling of the Lone Wolf' by the people in the city."

Caitlin looked at Li Lin again, a smile appeared on her face, "But thank you, your story makes me feel better."

For more than twenty minutes, the two chatted about everything from home-cooked things to exotic customs from all over the world.

Although Li Lin has never actually been to these places, it is not a problem to tell the truth based on his understanding of the background before traveling and combined with his body's original memory.

"Currently arriving at the station, middle level square!"

"Hey, Li Lin, you haven't finished telling me the story of ancient terror yet!" Caitlin looked dissatisfied and followed Li Lin quickly.

"Okay, we're all here, let's talk about it next time when we have time." His voice was a little hoarse, and he waved his hands and said perfunctorily.

"You can also do it on the road...cough cough cough cough..."

Caitlin's words stopped abruptly as she just stepped out of the iron frame cabin, and then she coughed violently.

Li Lin gently patted her back to relieve her discomfort. At the same time, he frowned and slowed down his breathing as much as possible, trying to adapt to the dirty air that was difficult to breathe.

After a while, Caitlin, whose face was slightly ugly, slowly calmed down and said, "Thank you, thank you..."

"Look, it's not that I don't want to talk about it, it's mainly because I really have no choice."

Li Lin touched his uncomfortable throat. Zu An's environment was much worse than he imagined.

What's more, this is only the middle level.

Caitlin wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes due to coughing, and covered her mouth and nose with her hands.

After her condition improved a lot, she took in the scene in front of her and showed a surprised expression.

"Is this what the bottom city looks like?"

"That's right." Li Lin turned to look at her and suddenly thought of a very classic line, and couldn't help but curl his lips, "Welcome to Zu'an."

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