Chapter 27: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [27]
Luo Qing returned to Northland Bank, carrying a fishing rod in one hand and a basket of fish in the other. He'd spent the afternoon fishing with Zhongli, and the results had been exceptional. His face brimmed with pride—anyone passing by could expect him to boast about his haul.
Stepping into the bank's lobby, he spotted a certain blonde girl and her floating companion chatting with Tartaglia.
Drawn by his ever-present curiosity and love for a good drama, Luo Qing sauntered over, fishing rod casually slung over his shoulder.
"So, you want us to find those... uh... Adepti, right?" Paimon scratched her head, trying to understand Tartaglia's intentions. "To clear our names... and, hey, who's this?"
The little floating companion's confusion grew as she noticed the dark-haired man standing in front of them, staring at her with a curious expression.
"Huh? How did you know I caught seventeen fish in two hours today?" Luo Qing asked, tilting his head.
"Wha—?"
Paimon's face was a picture of bewilderment.
"Is he a friend of yours?" Lumine asked, turning to Tartaglia with a questioning glance.
"Uh... he's also one of the Harbingers," Tartaglia replied with a slightly strained smile, silently hoping Luo Qing wouldn't derail his plans. "Though he's still just a trainee and hasn't been officially given a code name yet."
"I'm Luo Qing. Nice to meet you!" Luo Qing grinned at Lumine and Paimon. "I've heard a lot about the two of you. Maybe we can go fishing together sometime."
"Hmm... you really seem to like fishing," Paimon observed.
"Of course! Freshly caught fish make the best grilled meals," Luo Qing said cheerfully.
"Ah... well, if we get the chance, we could try it out. Lumine's actually pretty good at fishing!" Paimon declared with a proud nod.
Lumine shot Paimon a warning look: Please don't drag me into this.
Staring at Luo Qing's features, Paimon suddenly looked puzzled. "Wait... you said you're with the Fatui, but you look like someone from Liyue..."
"That's because I'm a Liyue defector," Luo Qing replied with a nonchalant shrug.
"Defector? What's that mean?" Paimon asked, thoroughly confused.
"He just likes to spout nonsense," Tartaglia interrupted, exasperated. "Don't pay him any mind. He grew up in Snezhnaya—his only connection to Liyue is through his bloodline."
"Oh... I see." Paimon nodded, seemingly satisfied.
"Since he's also a Harbinger, there's no need to hide anything. But why are you helping us?" Lumine asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she turned her attention back to Tartaglia.
"Because..." Tartaglia started to explain, but Luo Qing jumped in before he could finish.
"To stir things up," Luo Qing said, grinning.
"..."
[+1 Frustration from Tartaglia]
"Stir things up..." Lumine's gaze grew complicated as she glanced between the two. She had suspected that the Fatui wouldn't help them out of pure goodwill.
"But you don't have much of a choice," Luo Qing continued casually. "Your wanted posters are plastered all over Liyue. Step out on the streets, and I guarantee someone will turn you in to the Millelith for the bounty."
He paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "If you go through the usual channels at the Ministry of Civil Affairs—even if you're innocent—you'll be detained first, then have to wait for a lawyer, argue your case, and eventually be proven innocent. That whole process? At least six months, minimum."
"So you see, you really only have one option—going to Jueyun Karst," he concluded with a casual shrug.
"But we didn't do anything! We're not the ones who killed the Geo Archon!" Paimon protested, stomping her little feet in frustration.
"Well, that's a question for you two," Luo Qing replied nonchalantly. "Why did you try to sneak away back then? If you'd just stayed put and let them question you, they would've released you in a few hours."
Lumine turned to Paimon with a flat stare.
If Paimon hadn't panicked and made things sound so dramatic, Lumine doubted she'd have tried to flee.
"I... I was scared, okay!" Paimon admitted, her voice small and embarrassed. She then put on her most pleading expression. "But we're friends, right? Friends forgive each other, don't they?"
"Anyway," Luo Qing interrupted with a smirk, "the sooner you meet the Adepti, the sooner you clear your names. They've held authority in Liyue since the founding. Their word counts for a lot."
Luo Qing gave them a friendly wave and added, "I've got fish to grill. Until next time!"
Despite being Tartaglia's subordinate, Luo Qing had a habit of stealing the spotlight, and he figured he'd better let Tartaglia handle the rest without overshadowing him completely.
After saying his farewells, he returned to his room to put away the fish and rod. As he gazed out towards the coastline, he stretched and spoke over his shoulder.
"Igor, I remember you specialized in intel gathering back in training, right?" Luo Qing asked without turning around.
"Yes, Lord Luo Qing. Why do you ask?" Igor responded, stepping forward.
"I have a job for you. Did you see the blonde girl downstairs just now?" Luo Qing asked.
"The one speaking with Lord Tartaglia?" Igor confirmed.
"Exactly." Luo Qing nodded. "From now on, you're to track her movements and report back to me regularly."
Now that Lumine was officially in Liyue, the story arc for the region was unfolding. As someone who had knowledge of future events, Luo Qing needed to keep tabs. He didn't want to be caught unawares if Osial suddenly appeared while he was fishing under a bridge.
Monitoring Lumine's activities would give him a good idea of how far along the plot had progressed.
"Uh... Lord Luo Qing, isn't she the famous Traveler from Mondstadt? She's very powerful. What if she spots me?" Igor asked, a bit hesitant.
"No worries. If you get caught, just tell her that Tartaglia ordered it. Just don't mention my name," Luo Qing instructed with a wave.
"..."
"And if I do mention your name?" Igor asked cautiously.
"If you do," Luo Qing said, stepping closer to Igor with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "you and Sergei can go dance a naked jig at Yujing Terrace."
"...?"
Sergei, who had been standing guard at the door, looked utterly bewildered.
[+1 Frustration from Igor]
[+1 Frustration from Sergei]
"Alright, that's settled," Luo Qing said, giving Igor a pat on the shoulder before turning to Sergei. "Is the boat still docked at the usual spot?"
"It's right where you left it, Lord Luo Qing. Are you heading to Guyun Stone Forest again tonight?" Sergei asked.
"Yeah, got some time to kill, might as well have some fun," Luo Qing replied with a yawn. Stretching once more, he vaulted over the balcony, landing nimbly on the ground below.
He headed towards the street stalls, picking up a bag of snacks before strolling leisurely to the docks.
---
If there are any mistakes let me know!
Read up to 30+ Chapters! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Chapter 28: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [28]
Whatever the reason, all Luo Qing had to do was taunt him a bit to wring out a solid ten points of frustration.
And with Osial immobilized, pinned under the weight of a Geo spear beneath the sea, no matter how many "friendly greetings" Luo Qing offered, there was absolutely nothing Osial could do in retaliation. Truly, a perfect RBQ... ahem, I mean, a frustration generator!
So, every so often, Luo Qing would make a trip to Guyun Stone Forest to siphon off a little more frustration value from Osial.
Under the cover of night, Luo Qing boarded a small skiff moored at the port and set sail for Guyun.
Incidentally, the boat actually belonged to Teresa, the Electro Cicin Mage stationed at Guyun Stone Forest. But since she worked year-round without leave, the boat was barely used and she had no problem lending it to Luo Qing.
In exchange, Luo Qing would always bring her some treats whenever he visited.
The little boat's oars cut gently through the night-darkened waves, trailing a pale, silvery wake behind them.
After some time, Luo Qing arrived at Guyun.
Meanwhile...
Teresa had moved her tiny camp closer to the edge of Guyun that faced Liyue Harbor, ensuring she'd be able to spot any boats approaching from afar. She'd had to clear out a whole Hilichurl camp to claim the spot—completely wiping them out.
That night, like every other, Teresa had finished documenting the day's observations and was sitting by the shore, staring out toward Liyue. She rested her chin in her hands, a faint smile on her lips.
Not long after, she saw a thin white line stretching out over the water—a small skiff riding the waves and heading her way.
Teresa leapt up excitedly and waved toward the boat.
A short while later, the skiff docked. Luo Qing emerged from the cramped boat, carrying a large paper-wrapped package.
"Lord Luo Qing, you're finally here! I missed you so much!" Teresa rushed over, grabbing the package from his hands and tearing open a corner. The delicious aroma inside wafted out immediately.
"Come on, you just missed the food, didn't you?" Luo Qing teased, eyeing her playful expression.
"Hehe, same difference~"
Teresa settled back in her camp, still hugging the paper bundle, and opened a smaller packet within—a steaming portion of Mora Meat.
The tiny skiff had a terrible ride quality, and after the rough trip over, Luo Qing decided to rest for a bit before "greeting" Osial. He sat beside Teresa, waiting for her to finish eating.
"Haven't had dinner, huh?" he asked.
"Well, I just had a feeling you'd show up tonight, so I saved room!" Teresa answered with a cheeky grin.
"Sure, let's pretend it's not because you stuffed your face as soon as the supplies arrived and had to ration the rest," Luo Qing replied with a smirk.
"Ugh... um..."
Teresa blushed in embarrassment, her cheeks puffed out as she chewed on her mouthful of Mora Meat. After a moment, she changed the subject. "None of that matters! Lord Luo Qing, I'll be leaving this awful place soon!"
Teresa's excitement bubbled over as she glanced in the direction of Liyue Harbor.
She'd initially come to Liyue thinking she'd get to work in the bustling port city. Instead, she'd been banished to this godforsaken corner of the world all by herself. The days had worn her down to the brink of despair.
"They're transferring you back?" Luo Qing asked.
"Yes! Lord Tartaglia said he's gathering all the forward squads stationed around Liyue Harbor for a big operation. I was selected!" Teresa nearly bounced with excitement.
"A big operation?" Luo Qing raised an eyebrow.
"Huh? Lord Luo Qing, aren't you also a Harbinger? Didn't Lord Tartaglia tell you about it?" Teresa asked, confused.
"Oh, we handle different tasks, so our information doesn't overlap," Luo Qing waved off her question, not mentioning that he was technically under Tartaglia's command. A guy's gotta have some pride, after all.
"Hehe, well, Lord Luo Qing, when I'm back in Liyue Harbor, I'll treat you to dinner! I already did my research—Liuli Pavilion, Xinyue Kiosk, you name it!"
"Sure, we'll see," Luo Qing replied with a noncommittal shrug, though his thoughts churned over the significance of this "big operation."
Ever since Tartaglia arrived, Luo Qing's role had become somewhat awkward. Aside from Tartaglia and the Lady, he outranked every other Fatui in Liyue.
Yet, both Tartaglia and the Lady had their own agendas, leaving Luo Qing as a sort of go-between, caught in the middle. The Lady had vanished after their last meeting with Zhongli, supposedly heading to Inazuma, while Tartaglia clearly intended to secure the Geo Archon's Gnosis on his own without collaborating.
In essence, Luo Qing had been sidelined.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have had the luxury of spending so much time fishing with Zhongli.
A collective Fatui operation...
There seemed to be only one possible context for that...
Luo Qing glanced at Teresa, who was furiously devouring her Mora Meat, and slipped into thought.
"Hm... looks like I need to start building up my own faction..."
"Lord Luo Qing, what did you say?" Teresa asked, mouth full.
"Nothing. Eat up; it's time to get moving," Luo Qing replied.
"Oh... alright."
Just like before, Luo Qing dove alone into the depths of the sea, leaving Teresa on the shore to keep watch.
Using a teleportation array, he descended to the underwater prison and soon came face-to-face with the familiar sight of Osial.
With the Seal of Forbidden Knowledge no longer assisting him, Osial didn't even have the strength to respond. He could only glare helplessly as Luo Qing approached.
"Hey, Osial, it's been a while," Luo Qing greeted cheerfully, holding a powerful spray can, his smile wide and insincere.
"I remember saying last time we'd be working on a new masterpiece, right?"
Osial's only response was a furious fluttering of his eyes, the only way he could express his frustration.
[+10 Frustration from Osial]
"Oh, that's right... today we're painting the 'Chicken Plays Ball' piece, aren't we?"
Osial remained silent, but his angry glares spoke volumes.
With a graceful leap, Luo Qing landed on Osial's massive body and shook the spray can. He got to work immediately.
By now, Osial's once-pristine scales were a patchwork of graffiti, each scrawl a testament to Luo Qing's artistic "talents"—including the infamous "I Was Here" and a huge, pitiful character meaning "Defeat."
Each new stroke earned another ten points of frustration in Luo Qing's mental tally.
How else could he rack up frustration points this easily?
Osial was truly his golden goose!
Soon enough, the "Chicken Plays Ball" scene was complete. Luo Qing hopped back to face Osial's primary head, giving it a friendly pat. "Alright, all done! Now, time for today's lesson."
Luo Qing pulled out a well-worn notebook, flipping through the pages with a mock-serious expression.
"Last time, we covered the ten rules of Elementary Student Conduct. Today, we'll move on to the twenty-one rules for Middle School Behavior!"
"..."
[+10+10+10 Frustration from Osial...]
Osial's many eyes blinked furiously, a desperate plea flashing in the morse-like pattern:
"Li Feiyun—when I'm free, I will crush you to dust! Not even your ashes will remain!"
---
T/N: Please don't crush him, I plan for him to be my money maker! ৻( •̀ ᗜ •́ ৻) plz subsscribe to the pattyon. :D
If there are any mistakes let me know!
Read up to 30+ Chapters! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
388 Power
stone 
Paragraph comment