Chapter 5: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [5]
Luo Qing never would have guessed that being selected as a Trainee Harbinger was nothing more than a baited trap.
The moment he donned that uniform, he was bound to go to Liyue on a mission.
Originally, he had planned to lie low in Snezhnaya, accumulating Frustration Points by toying with the new recruits, and then make a stealthy escape once he was strong enough to protect himself.
But now, with nothing but the Thirteen Fatal Thrusts under his belt, he was being sent to Liyue to stir up trouble.
Pierro had even claimed he possessed some sort of power to manipulate minds, making him the perfect candidate for such a task.
Has Pierro lost his mind, or did Old Man Zhongli's Geo spears dull?
If given a choice, he would have preferred to be a decent person.
But unfortunately, he didn't have a choice.
Fatui New Recruit Training Grounds
After a day of rigorous training, a group of recruits gathered in the rest area, cups of Snezhnayan firewater in hand, a drink renowned for its warming effects.
They had been with the Fatui for three months, having completed all the training at the recruit camp. Now, they were preparing to select their specialties and be assigned to their respective units.
"Hey, Natalia, are you seriously considering joining the Luminescent Witches?"
A tall, muscular man asked while sipping his firewater.
"I heard they spend all their time dealing with bugs and get sent to the wilderness for deployments. Doesn't seem like your style — aren't you all about beauty?"
Natalia took a sip of her drink, gazing at the sparks flickering in the stove.
"It's good to get some fresh air. But what about you, Sergei? Why not join the Vanguard?
Their weapons are impressive — way cooler than the desk job you mentioned. Or do you plan on staying in Snezhnaya forever?"
Under the icy might of the Tsaritsa, Snezhnaya remained frozen year-round, making alcohol a daily necessity to fend off the chill.
"They might look impressive, but outside of Snezhnaya, you'd be seen as a dangerous threat. It's only a matter of time before someone decides to beat you up."
Sergei grimaced at the thought, shaking his head as he pictured himself being chased around in foreign lands.
"Come on, what kind of defeatist attitude is that! For the glory of Her Majesty, if anyone dares to pick a fight with me, I'll show them what a true Snezhnayan greeting looks like!"
"By the way, did you hear? The instructor was selected as a Trainee Harbinger and will be heading to Liyue."
The conversation was interrupted by a thinner man named Igor, who had been listening quietly.
"Isn't that good news, Igor? We should toast to that!"
Sergei clapped Igor on the back with a hearty laugh.
Three months ago, they had joined the Fatui with dreams of glory, inspired by their loyalty to the Tsaritsa.
Then, on their second day, they met Instructor Luo Qing, who quickly shattered those fantasies.
Even now, they still didn't understand why Luo Qing insisted they dance to plaza music before every training session.
And worse, they had to sing along!
Dear Archons, it was a song Luo Qing recorded himself — not terrible, but certainly unforgettable.
"But I heard... he might be taking a few of us with him," Igor muttered nervously.
The moment those words left his mouth, all three of them went rigid, as if they'd heard the most dreadful news imaginable.
Going to Liyue... with Instructor Luo Qing?
Oh, heavens above, what could be worse?!
"Igor, let's change the topic to something happier... Cough, cough, Instructor Luo Qing! What a surprise to see you here!"
Natalia jumped up, hastily hiding her cup behind her back.
Hearing that Luo Qing was there, both Igor and Sergei quickly stood, tossing their cups aside.
Luo Qing, draped in a black cloak, made his way through the snowy training grounds and stopped in front of them.
"Good evening, Instructor Luo Qing!"
The three recruits saluted in unison.
"Hmm..." Luo Qing nodded.
"How good?"
[Frustration Value from Igor +1]
[Frustration Value from Natalia +1]
[Frustration Value from Sergei +1]
"If you can't give me a satisfactory answer, I'll have to severely punish you for drinking firewater on the training grounds." Luo Qing's voice was calm, but his threat was clear.
"Uh..."
The three exchanged nervous glances, unsure of how to respond.
"Three... two..."
"Reporting, Instructor Luo Qing! As good as Her Majesty's long legs!"
Igor's expression was dead serious. He remembered how Luo Qing often slipped up, talking about working hard for the Tsaritsa's "long legs," so he figured this answer was foolproof.
"Excellent. I like that answer. You pass."
Luo Qing smiled in satisfaction, sat down next to the stove, and removed his cloak.
Natalia, ever attentive, took the cloak, folded it neatly, and hung it up while refilling Luo Qing's cup, standing respectfully by his side.
"Instructor Luo Qing, what brings you here tonight?" Sergei asked cautiously.
"Oh, I have two pieces of news for you: one good, and one bad. Which would you like to hear first?" Luo Qing asked with a smile.
"Uh... the bad news?"
"The bad news is that in two days, I'll be heading to Liyue. I won't be back in Snezhnaya for quite some time."
"Oh, that's... truly unfortunate."
"Yes, I might actually cry, thinking about not seeing you for so long, Instructor."
"Yeah, it's really a shame..."
The three of them exchanged sorrowful glances, their faces marked with exaggerated sadness.
"Instructor Luo Qing, what about the good news?" Igor asked, trying to sound hopeful.
"The good news is... I'm taking the three of you with me."
Luo Qing gave Igor a friendly pat on the shoulder as if asking, Aren't you excited?
"..."
"..."
"..."
The three recruits looked like they'd been struck by lightning. It felt less like Luo Qing was taking them to Liyue and more like he was leading them to the gallows.
[Frustration Value from Igor +10]
[Frustration Value from Natalia +10]
[Frustration Value from Sergei +10]
"Instructor Luo Qing, isn't that a bit... inappropriate?"
"Yeah, yeah, we've only just finished our training. We might not be ready for such a big responsibility..."
"Right, what if we end up dragging you down? We'd feel terrible about it..."
Despite their reluctance, they couldn't afford to show it, so they put on faces of false gratitude.
"It's fine. I don't mind."
"..."
The three were on the verge of tears.
You may not mind, but we do! Can't you just leave us behind?!
"Your performance in the recruit camp has been exemplary. I'm sure this mission will go smoothly," Luo Qing said, downing his firewater in one gulp. He stood and draped the cloak back over his shoulders.
His reason for bringing them along was simple: to provide a steady source of Frustration Points.
The Fatui's presence in Liyue was limited, mostly stationed secretly in the wilderness. There was no way he could start troubling the people of Liyue right away.
It would be far easier to mess with his own comrades.
"By the way, I've already submitted your names. We'll be departing from the port in two days, heading to Liyue Harbor. So, make sure to wrap things up here in Snezhnaya."
With those words, Luo Qing patted their shoulders and disappeared into the snow-covered training grounds.
The three recruits stood there, staring at the stove, their expressions as lifeless as condemned men who had just received their death sentence.
Chapter 6: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [6]
Port of Snezhnaya
Although the Liyue Qixing and the Fatui often clashed, trade between the two nations remained unaffected.
In fact, the Northland Bank of Snezhnaya was thriving in Liyue, becoming an essential part of Liyue's economy.
The Qixing kept a close eye on any Fatui activities within Liyue, so Luo Qing's official role wasn't as a Trainee Harbinger — instead, he would be the new branch manager of the Northland Bank in Liyue.
The plan to obtain Mondstadt's Anemo Archon's Gnosis had progressed smoothly, and they were nearing the final phase. The next target was Liyue's Geo Archon's Gnosis.
However, due to Rex Lapis's overwhelming power, the Fatui's strategy was to make preparations in advance and avoid a direct confrontation.
Luo Qing was the vanguard, sent to further infiltrate Liyue's power structure and assist Childe and La Signora in recovering the Geo Gnosis.
According to Pierro, this was a test. If Luo Qing performed well, the Twelfth Seat would be his.
But Luo Qing couldn't shake the feeling that Pierro was just dangling a carrot in front of him.
The horn signaling the ship's imminent departure blared across the docks.
Luo Qing stood at the edge of the pier, unmoved, as if waiting for someone.
Behind him, the three unlucky recruits looked dejected, still wondering what they had done to deserve such a punishment.
To be fair, being taken to Liyue by Luo Qing wasn't entirely a bad thing.
Their military rank had instantly risen from mere recruits to the direct subordinates of a Harbinger. They answered only to Luo Qing himself.
Apart from the Harbingers and the Tsaritsa, they could disregard anyone else's orders.
If Luo Qing became a full-fledged Harbinger by the end of this mission, their standing within the Fatui would rise with him. They might even get the chance to meet Her Majesty herself.
"Master Luo Qing... the captain wants to know when we can set sail," Natalia asked, brushing snowflakes off her cloak as she walked up to him.
"There's no rush. I'm waiting for a promise to be fulfilled. Tell the captain to wait a bit longer," Luo Qing replied, eyes fixed on the distant end of the docks.
"Understood."
Natalia nodded slightly, relayed the message to the captain, and returned to stand with the other two recruits.
"Natalia, who's Master Luo Qing waiting for? Is it family?" Sergei asked curiously.
"I thought he was from the House of Hearth, didn't they say he has no family?" Igor muttered.
Natalia shrugged, "Master Luo Qing mentioned a promise that hasn't been fulfilled. He's probably waiting for someone specific."
"Could it be that Master Luo Qing has someone he loves? Maybe he wants to see her one last time," Sergei speculated boldly.
"Yeah, yeah, that makes sense! Master Luo Qing might be a bit odd, but he's definitely better looking than the other instructors!"
Standing a few paces ahead, Luo Qing's forehead twitched as veins pulsed in irritation.
The three recruits seemed to think they were speaking quietly enough that Luo Qing couldn't hear them.
Little did they know, he was already considering what lesson to teach them once they were on the ship.
They dared to gossip about him right in front of him? Had they forgotten everything they learned in the recruit camp?!
Just as the trio was speculating about Luo Qing's mysterious "lover," wondering about her figure and whether she had long legs, a hulking man with a scruffy beard approached from the distance.
Sergei's face fell with disappointment. "Oh, it's just Instructor Belov. How boring."
Natalia smirked. "Could it be that Master Luo Qing and Instructor Belov are... involved?"
Igor nodded in agreement. "It's possible. After all, they've always been close. Didn't they even share the same cigarette once?"
As they eagerly debated whether Luo Qing was the dominant partner or not, Belov reached into his coat and pulled out a small, ornate box. He took a long drag from his cigarette, his voice rough.
"The item's inside."
Luo Qing accepted the box, opening it just a crack.
Inside lay a neatly folded pair of black stockings. The slight creases in the fabric hinted that they had once been worn.
"Hmm... it should be authentic."
Luo Qing, who had grown up in the House of Hearth, was very familiar with Arlecchino's usual outfits.
The style and design were unmistakable.
Genuine.
He closed the box and tucked it carefully inside his cloak, as if it were a precious treasure. Just as he was about to leave, he paused and asked,
"You didn't wash them, right?"
"Nope, kept them just as they were."
"Good."
Luo Qing turned to go, and Belov called out from behind,
"Don't you dare die in Liyue, you hear?"
Without looking back, Luo Qing waved his hand dismissively.
"Don't worry, I plan to live a long life."
Seeing Luo Qing turn, the three recruits immediately straightened up, standing at attention with serious expressions.
Luo Qing's gaze swept over them, making a mental note to deal with them once they were on the ship.
There were no grand farewell parades, nor any private conversations with influential figures. Luo Qing and his three subordinates boarded the merchant ship bound for Liyue.
To travel from Snezhnaya to Liyue by sea required almost circling half of Teyvat. Even with favorable winds, the journey would take several months.
Luo Qing had no intention of wasting that time. Most of the people traveling with them were legitimate Snezhnayan merchants, unaware of his true identity.
Therefore, to avoid drawing too much attention, Luo Qing decided it would be best to torment the three recruits he had brought with him.
As the ship left Snezhnaya's port, the land soon vanished from sight, replaced by endless waves.
"So, we're really leaving our homeland... I wasn't ready."
"Yeah, who knows when we'll return."
"I haven't even had a girlfriend yet... and now I'm off to Liyue. Ah, Master Luo Qing! Are you here to get some fresh air too?"
The three recruits were standing on the deck, sharing their homesickness, when Luo Qing strolled out of his cabin, looking refreshed.
He had locked himself in his cabin ever since they boarded, so they assumed he had just come out to stretch his legs.
"You three... seemed to be having a lively chat back at the dock," Luo Qing said, his tone casual.
The three immediately tensed, realizing that Luo Qing had likely overheard them.
"Natalia!"
"Present!"
"From what I heard earlier, it seems like you think I'm a dominant type?"
"..."
[Frustration Value from Natalia +1]
"Igor!"
"Present!"
"It sounded like you believe I enjoy having Belov in compromising positions?"
"..."
[Frustration Value from Igor +1]
"Go get your weapons."
"Yes, sir!"
The three recruits scrambled to the cabin, returning with the standard Snezhnayan spears that Luo Qing had instructed them to bring.
Standing side by side on the deck, their actions caught the attention of several curious Snezhnayan merchants who had come up for fresh air.
The recruits exchanged puzzled looks, wondering why Luo Qing had them bring such unfamiliar weapons.
"There's an old saying in Liyue: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
To adapt to life in Liyue, I'm going to teach you a spear technique from that region.
It's called the Thirteen Fatal Thrusts."
Soon, the ship's deck echoed with the synchronized chanting of the three recruits,
"Endless longing, endless yearning! Boundless love, beyond all limits!"
---
T/N: Erm actually it's When in Liyue, do as the Liyueans do. What is Rome? umu
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