Chapter 62 Why the Iron Fist Gang Exists

Evening, Caitlin's house.

Caitlyn's garden villa is located in the upper town of Piltover, where the rich and famous gather, and is just a stone's throw away from the land-scarce Stellar Avenue.

And this is just a "small house" that is commonly used among the countless manors, villas, private islands, and other real estate of the Gilaman family.

It's been quite some time since Caitlin came home.

But she never changed into a casual home T-shirt or dress as usual. Instead, she wore her blue law enforcement officer uniform, held a document carefully bound with brown paper, and sat on the wide sofa in her living room, waiting for her mother, Congresswoman Mrs. Gillaman, to return.

But my mother, who usually pays great attention to her family and insists on returning home on time every day, did not show up today.

Caitlin didn't waver, she still waited.

Finally, after a long wait, there was some movement outside the reception room.

"Madam, Miss Caitlin has been waiting for you in the conference room." The butler's respectful reminder came from outside the door.

"I understand. You all can go down."

Then a calm and deep female voice was heard.

The voice was soft and feminine, but also naturally carried the majesty of a superior. It was rational and cold.

Caitlin knew that her mother had never spoken in that tone at home before.

So when her mother, the Supreme Councillor of Piltover, the elegant Lady Gillamain, with graying temples, pushed the door open, Caitlyn sighed helplessly:

"Mother, it seems that you already know why I came to see you."

"I know." Lady Gillaman slowly walked to her daughter and sat down, then looked at her lovingly and disappointedly: "Caitlin, I knew you were not suitable to be a law enforcement officer."

"You'll have to get out of trouble like today sooner or later."

Having said that, Mrs. Gilaman slowly pushed back the transcript and application documents for the investigation warrant that Caitlin had carefully laid out without even looking at them.

She wasn't going to look at it at all.

"Mother, you..." Although she had expected this, when this scene really happened in front of her, Caitlin still felt disillusioned as if the world was collapsing.

In her impression, her mother should be a gentle, kind, gentle, pure and kind lady, not a cold-blooded and mercenary Piltover politician.

But now it seems that this might just be her wishful thinking.

"Mother!" Caitlyn emphasized, "You told me that Piltover is the country with the most rule of law in Runeterra, and the most civilized and progressive..."

"I'm not lying to you." Her mother interrupted her: "Compared to other places, we are already the country that most respects the rule of law."

Caitlin: “…”

"But you also told me that the law is sacred and inviolable! You told me that we must uphold..."

"That's because I didn't expect that you would be so impulsive as to become a law enforcement officer!" Mrs. Gillaman stroked her forehead lightly, with a helpless expression.

"Caitlin, resign—"

"You're not cut out for this job."

It’s not suitable, and it’s not suitable at the same time.

Sheriff Marcos said so, and so did her mother.

But she was clearly just fulfilling her duties as a law enforcer, protecting the light and fighting against darkness!

"No! I thought you would understand when you became a law enforcement officer..." Mother said, "The world is neither black nor white, but a fine gray."

"If you still have this kind of black-and-white thinking in your mind, then you can't be a good law enforcement officer, nor a qualified heir to the Gilaman family."

Caitlin still wasn't convinced.

There was only disappointment in her eyes, disappointment at her mother's "betrayal".

"Why?" Caitlin couldn't help asking, "You used to pretend to be so kind and harmless in front of me!"

"What is the background behind the Iron Fist Gang that makes you want to defend them without regard for your dignity or right or wrong?"

Mrs. Gillamain was thoughtful for a moment.

Finally, she looked at her daughter, who was no longer childish, with a heroic and determined look in her eyes, and said, "Caitlin, you asked the right question."

"I originally planned to wait until you grew up and started to get involved in the family business, and then slowly teach you these things. Since you have taken the initiative to ask me these questions, it is time for me to teach you some of the things you should know as the daughter of the Jilaman family."

Her mother's tone softened, just like the mother who used to patiently accompany her to study at the table.

"Caitlin, what do you think is the background behind the Iron Fist Gang?"

She didn't answer directly, but returned the question to her daughter.

"I..." Caitlin bit her lip in pain, but finally looked at her mother firmly: "I suspect that this matter may be related to you and our family!!"

Right from the start, she directed her criticism at her own family.

She thought her mother would deny it.

But Giraman nodded naturally: "The Iron Fist Gang is indeed related to our Giraman family - they are related to all the big merchant families in Piltover."

"Because the existence of these Zaun gangs is the result of our tacit consent."

Caitlin's eyes widened in disbelief.

Shouldn't gangs like the Iron Fist Gang be enemies of the Piltover Council?

"No." Lady Giraman said, "For us, the Iron Fist Gang is actually the same as the Piltover Law Enforcers. They are tools to maintain the existing order in Piltover."

This made Caitlin's three views completely destroyed:

The law enforcer she aspired to become was, in the eyes of the Piltover councillors, just a tool like the Iron Fist Gang?

"Yes, but the law enforcers are used to manage the Piltover community and the people of Piltover."

"Gangs like the Iron Fist are used to manage the Zaun community and Zaun apprentices."

Councillor Gilaman said something so bizarre that it would shock all the people of Piltover, and then asked his daughter:

"Have you ever been to our factory, Caitlin?"

"No..." Caitlin muttered in response.

"Three-quarters of the people in our factory are from Zaun . The situation of other families is not much different from ours."

"You can imagine how many Zaun apprentices have crossed the canal and settled and worked in Piltover."

"These people have very low salaries and can't save much money."

"One accident or one minor illness can reduce them to destitution. They will age, get injured, and gradually become unable to work, and will be replaced by younger, more capable Zaun apprentices."

"And then they lose their jobs, they can't afford food, they can't pay rent, they lose their apprenticeships..."

Caitlin was confused.

She still didn't understand what her mother was trying to say.

If Levi were here, he could tell Caitlin:

In order to pursue the ultimate profit, Piltover always wants Zaun people, the youngest, most capable and most efficient ones.

There is no need to wait for the Zaun people to grow old. As long as they are a little bit unable to work, they will be ruthlessly optimized and eliminated by the company. Anyway, Piltover will never lack young foreign laborers. After eliminating one batch, there will be another batch.

These Zaun people abandoned everything in their hometown and came to Piltover, but they were unable to establish a solid property relationship in Piltover. When the tragic elimination came before them, they had only one way to go:

Leave Piltover and return to Zaun.

"But how can those people from Zaun be willing to go back obediently?"

Caitlin only heard the mother who was always gentle and kind in her mind explain to her in a very cold tone:

"Compared to Piltover, Zaun is hell."

"These Zauns will do whatever it takes to stay in Piltover, hiding behind crowds and in corners."

"They are like bugs hiding in a garden. No matter how many law enforcement officers you send, you can't catch them all. Even if you catch one batch, another will pop up soon."

"And these people have no money and no jobs. What else can they do in Piltover?"

"It's nothing more than begging, robbery, theft, smuggling, selling porn, loan sharking... these are illegal ways of making a living that are not visible to the public."

"When there are more people doing these underground businesses, they will form gangs and organizations. Zaun gangs like the Iron Fist Gang naturally formed in Piltover."

“Whether we acquiesce to their existence or not, they will always exist.”

After hearing this, Caitlin finally had some ideas:

Piltover businesses need Zaun people, so there are many Zaun people in Piltover.

These Zuan people are very poor, and when people are poor to a certain extent, they will inevitably use the Criminal Law as a guide to getting rich.

As there are more and more Zaun people committing crimes, naturally there will be Zaun gangs.

Whether you allow their existence or not, they will continue to appear in Piltover.

So instead of blindly rejecting these gangs, it is better to condone their existence, utilize and control them.

"This..." This question sounds like it has no answer.

Unless... Piltover no longer recruits Zaun foreign workers?

or……

Caitlin got a glimpse of the root of the problem:

"Why not give the people of Zaun a higher salary so they are not so poor anymore?"