Zongman: All Heavens and Worlds Begin with the Devil's Curse

So, being as gentle as he is, he thoughtfully offered these councilors, who are also the actual controllers of Piltover, two options.

Or to put it another way.

When Zhou Lan and Xiao Feng appeared here, the outcome was already predetermined.

The only thing that will change is these guys.

Their destiny is in their own hands.

“I…I think we need some time…to adapt to this change…” a member of parliament stammered.

The immense power that Xiaofeng displayed was truly frightening to them.

This power transcends all common sense, and also surpasses the technological prowess that Piltover prides itself on.

Anyone with common sense knows what to do.

In short, you can only go along with the strong first, otherwise you won't even be able to step out of the council hall, and everything will be meaningless.

There are no fools who have climbed to this position in Piltover.

What's more, some of them are now pinned to chairs, while others are in an even worse state, firmly pressed to the ground by the wind pressure of the howling wind.

Just now, the other party even said that this was only the tip of the iceberg of his power.

How terrifying!

It makes you feel powerless.

"Very good." Xiaofeng clapped his hands lightly, and the pressure that enveloped the council hall suddenly lessened by more than half.

Only then did he look at Zhou Lan, his eyes asking for her next move.

Zhou Lan nodded slightly and looked at Jess, who was sweating profusely beside the round table.

He knew who had the prototype of the Wild Rune.

“Congressman Jess, that’s your name, if I remember correctly,” Zhou Lan said calmly.

Jess shuddered; he was flustered at being called by name so suddenly.

"No, that's right..." He spread out his palms, looking somewhat at a loss.

“And you are also a scientist,” Zhou Lan said.

"Scientist... I wouldn't call myself a scientist... I've just participated in some research, that's all." Jess didn't know why Zhou Lan suddenly brought this up, but he had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

A powerful ruler suddenly appears and mentions your name, even engaging in a seemingly unrelated conversation.

Especially since this powerful figure has just conquered your homeland.

It was hard for Jess not to become anxious.

"There's no need to be modest in front of me." Zhou Lan smiled gently, always showing his touching friendliness when facing young people.

Of course, this is on the premise that the young man is polite to him.

"The matter here has come to an end. In reality, whether it's Piltover or Zaun, it's just that there's now another powerful god, just like before when this land had a god here, but you've all forgotten..."

"And perhaps, in the not-too-distant future, you will realize this, which is an unparalleled good thing."

As Zhou Lan spoke, she reassured the panicked guys, then beckoned to Jess and said gently, "Young man, come to me. You're a good guy. In fact, compared to the whole of Piltover, you're more important to me."

"Me?" Jess pointed to himself blankly.

He himself didn't realize he was so important.

“That’s right, and what you’re researching,” Zhou Lan said with a smile, “and your friends.”

As he said this, Jess's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

He knew what Zhou Lan was talking about.

His friend, and the only thing he was studying together, was this.

That is the core of Hextech.

To be honest, after becoming a senator in Piltover, he had come to think that thing was no longer important.

Perhaps in the future, more advanced things can be created through Hextech, but right now his mind is more focused on his status as a senator and his love life.

It has to be said that this is actually a wrong path.

Zhou Lan was well aware of this, but young people are always like this. There are many paths to take, and it's normal to make mistakes. All they need is a reliable senior to lend a helping hand.

In the original timeline before Zhou Lan arrived, there might have been an even more devastating consequence to remind Jess of this.

But not anymore.

In particular, regardless of the past, the conflict between the two cities is now shrouded in the winds of the Wind Demon.

Their past, that long-forgotten god, guaranteed this at the cost of his own life.

The unconscious demigod Janna had no idea what kind of future her final desperate gamble would bring.

But soon, the descendants of those who once basked in her glory will bear witness.

Zhou Lan raised her hand and beckoned Jess to her side, saying gently, "Take me to your lab. You know what I mean."

Chapter 478 Hextech Core

After a conversation...

Jess, in a daze, brought the man in front of him to his laboratory.

Or rather, his past with Viktor's laboratory.

He didn't know what was wrong with him; he was completely unable to refuse Zhou Lan's requests. Even when she was just having a calm and normal conversation with him, he felt that what she said made a lot of sense.

Zhou Lan seems to possess an invisible charm that makes people believe what he says and everything he says.

"The Hextech Core was never truly my personal property from the beginning. My friend... Victor, we participated in this research together..."

"Including our initial mentor, Professor Heimerdinger. However, the professor seemed to have some reservations about magic, but I don't think it's magic. It's technology and the future."

Inside the laboratory, Jess looked at the beautiful crystal that was placed inside, which was currently just a strange gemstone.

Arriving here, he recalled something.

His past efforts in research came back to him, briefly overshadowing his vanity as a young politician.

He didn't know how Professor Heimerdinger had glimpsed the dangers of so-called magic from this research—advanced technology that could very well bring about everything that would drive Piltover forward in the future.

Zhou Lan gazed quietly at the Hextech core.

This is exactly what he is looking for.

It was precisely what the wind goddess Janna entrusted to her before her death, the thing she feared would bring annihilation to her people.

Even though it's only in its early stages now, it is indeed the wild rune of the future.

At this moment, it was not yet fully developed, but Zhou Lan had already found it first.

The power of runes is extraordinary.

In the future of the Twin Cities, Viktor and the Wild Rune have become almost one, and the power of the rune has even elevated this ordinary man to godhood.

“Technology and magic are not in conflict, Jess,” Zhou Lan suddenly said.

“No conflict...? How is that possible? Magic has never been popular in Piltover. This is the power of technology, I’m quite certain of it,” Jess said in a rapid-fire manner.

“Ultimately, it’s an energy source, isn’t it?” Zhou Lan countered.

Jess nodded thoughtfully: "Indeed, but..."

"Pure energy can become the energy source for technology. Similarly, it can also become the driving force of magic. Or rather, from the very beginning, in places you can't see, the ultimate source of some magic is this."

Zhou Lan explained calmly.

“You’re looking too shallow, young man,” he said to Jess in a few words, like an elder.

"In this respect, your mentor Heimerdinger was indeed quite prescient."

“Is that so…?” Jess was puzzled.

It's hard to believe that the scientific research conducted by someone who has never seen or been exposed to magic could ultimately bring about the destructive power of magic.

“But this sounds really absurd,” Jess murmured.

Just as he was speaking, he saw Zhou Lan silently raise her palm.

The Hextech core moved effortlessly, hovering upwards and slowly drifting towards Zhou Lan's palm.

Jess was taken aback for a moment, and subconsciously raised his hand to remind him, "The Hextech Core cannot be touched directly..."

But before he could finish speaking, the core had already flown to the top of Zhou Lan's palm, rotating freely and slowly without any impact.

Jess's next words were immediately swallowed back.

He looked bewildered and asked, puzzled, "What... kind of power is this?"

Zhou Lan turned her head and gave him a gentle look. He did not answer directly, but calmly said, "Logically speaking, this is your hard work and research results, and I should not take it without asking."

"But I am actually entrusted with a mission, which comes from the gods of your past. This power is too great for you to tame and control, and it will inevitably cause great disaster in the future."

Jess was completely bewildered by what he was being said, his mind filled with thoughts of some deity.

But Piltover has no gods, and he wasn't even sure if Zhou Lan had come to the wrong place; what he said didn't quite match reality.

“Consider it some kind of proof, young man, believe in my power,” Zhou Lan said, then suddenly smiled.

Jess didn't see Zhou Lan make any unnecessary movements.

Hextech's core technology was indeed the result of his and Victor's research, but at this moment he didn't even know how to refuse Zhou Lan's request.

After all, just now, nominally, the entire Piltover had submitted to the man in front of them and his companions.

Compared to this, the core issue seems insignificant.

He snapped out of his confusion and looked around in bewilderment.

The core remained suspended in Zhou Lan's palm, emitting a faint blue light.

Just as Jess was about to reach out to it, he suddenly realized that he had done the opposite.

No, it was Zhou Lan who rebelled. Jess shook his head violently, feeling a sudden dizziness.

He looked up at the ceiling. From his perspective, Zhou Lan was standing still, while he was hanging upside down on the ground.

The entire laboratory was flipped, but everything was operating as usual.

Even the experimental equipment filled with liquid remained obediently in the crucible, without the slightest sign of leakage.

He took a step forward, and Jess's reflection on the ceiling took a step in the opposite direction.

In reality, once he shifted his focus away from the core of Hextech, his perception of Zhou Lan was indeed reversed.

“What is this…? Why?” Jess suddenly panicked.

A force he couldn't comprehend descended upon this place, instantly altering reality.

From whom does this power originate?

Jess looked at Zhou Lan, the answer was self-evident.

Zhou Lan slowly closed his palms, and the faint light emanating from the Hextech core completely dissipated in his hands.

He tucked his hands into his sleeves and smiled slightly, saying, "This is my power. You should be able to understand it in essence."

Zhou Lan raised her hand and flipped it over. Jess felt dizzy for a moment, but he finally straightened up and looked around. Everything was back to normal.

“Gravity, isn’t it amazing?” Zhou Lan smiled and said, “Essentially, it’s just a force that can make an apple fall from a tree to the ground, or make it fall from the ground to a tree, nothing more.”

"Gravity...!" Jess's mouth dropped open.

"Is this magic or...?" Jess asked in disbelief, holding his head.

“Magic? No.” Zhou Lan slowly shook her head. “This is authority.”

He looked at Jess with a serious expression and said, "Simply put, God is the god of mortals, and I am its god."

"So trust me, young man, as for the power of the runes..."

"I will take good care of it."