Kapitel 64: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [64] [100 PS]
Most of those stationed here were underlings left behind by the Doctor. Unlike Childe or La Signora, the Doctor wasn't the type to be reasonable, so unless absolutely necessary, Luo Qing preferred not to cross paths with him.
However, judging by the nagging notifications from the system's frustration value logs, the Doctor seemed to be aware of Luo Qing's presence. Thankfully, he hadn't come knocking just yet.
Skirting the northern beach of Tatarasuna and avoiding the Mikage Furnace, Luo Qing's group finally arrived at the small island where the Kujou encampment was located by midday.
As a forward base of the Shogunate army, the Kujou encampment wasn't a place that could be freely accessed, so it was no surprise that the group was stopped by the guards.
"This is a military zone. Civilians are not permitted!"
The guard swung his spear, blocking their path. He eyed their green-clad outfits suspiciously, automatically assuming they were adventurers.
"Sir, we're adventurers who escaped from Yashiori Island. The soldiers at Tatarasuna told us there's a ship here that can take us back to Narukami Island, so we came here seeking passage," Luo Qing said politely, making sure to emphasize "Yashiori Island" to link them with the fleeing refugees.
"Adventurers from Yashiori Island?"
The guard looked troubled, clearly unsure whether to let them through.
"Wait here. I'll report this," he said, running back inside the camp with his spear. A few moments later, he returned with a complicated expression.
"There's a ship departing for Narukami Island tonight. Head to the eastern side of the island. A group of refugees is already waiting there. You'll be able to leave with them."
"Thank you, sir! We'll head over right away!" Luo Qing said with feigned enthusiasm, glancing in the direction the guard pointed before exchanging a knowing look with Natalia and the others. The group made their way toward the east side of the island.
Once they were a safe distance away, the impatience among the group bubbled over.
"Lord Luo Qing, why are we pretending to be adventurers? These outfits are so ugly..." Theresa grumbled. "And those Inazuma soldiers? They looked at us like dead men walking. I bet they're planning to screw us over!"
Theresa's words dripped with frustration, though she lacked the intellect to fully grasp Luo Qing's plans. Being kept in the dark just made her feel even more like a fool.
Luo Qing glanced back at her, his tone carrying a sense of gentle reprimand.
"Theresa, have you ever considered that even if I explained it to you, you wouldn't understand?"
"...?"
"I..."
[Frustration Value +1 from Theresa]
Theresa stood there, dumbfounded, wanting to argue back but unsure of what to say. Isn't this just bullying a fool? she thought.
Pouting, she shuffled to the back of the group, sneaking out her little Electro Slime to play with. At least you, my little treasure, care about me, she mused. Unlike that heartless Luo Qing...
Luo Qing didn't bother with Theresa anymore, knowing that her carefree nature would soon bring her back to her usual self. It wasn't worth worrying about, especially since her emotional stability seemed questionable at best.
He couldn't help but wonder if this was a common trait among Electro Cicin Mages.
The group made their way to the east side of the island, approaching a rickety wooden dock where a crowd of refugees had already gathered. A few heavily armored Shogunate soldiers were stationed around them, seemingly preventing them from leaving the area.
Most of the refugees were able-bodied men, with a few elderly and women mixed in. Almost all had come here after seeing the Kujou Clan's aid announcement, hoping to board a ship back to Narukami Island.
After all, Narukami Island was the only relatively safe place left in the Inazuma Archipelago.
The Shogunate, with the legendary Raiden Shogun at its helm, still held some appeal. No one wanted to join the Resistance at Watatsumi Island and risk being labeled a traitor.
"Lord Luo Qing, this doesn't look like a rescue mission... more like they're herding prisoners," Igor whispered. As a trained intelligence officer, he immediately sensed something was off about the situation.
"You're right. They never intended to help anyone. You'll see soon enough," Luo Qing replied coolly, quickening his pace toward the soldiers.
"What's your business here?" One of the armored soldiers asked warily as Luo Qing approached. Their hands instinctively moved toward their swords, ready for any trouble.
Sensing the tension, Natalia and the others also tensed, ready to act at a moment's notice. If these soldiers drew their weapons, they wouldn't even need Luo Qing to deal with them.
"Sir, we're adventurers who escaped from Yashiori Island. The soldiers at the camp told us to come here, saying there's a ship that can take us to Narukami Island," Luo Qing feigned fear as he spoke.
"Adventurers, huh?"
The soldier scrutinized them, noting their green adventurer outfits. Except for the large black cases a few of them carried, they didn't look out of place.
"Fine. Stay here and don't wander off. The ship will depart at dusk. Someone will come to take you to Narukami Island then."
The soldier seemed disinterested, having already resigned himself to following orders. He had no reason to second-guess the decision of his superiors regarding the fate of these people. Compassion wouldn't get him far in this world.
Once the group was herded into the dock area, the armored soldiers continued to block the exit, preventing anyone from leaving with the excuse that they couldn't wander around.
Though some refugees found the situation suspicious, they had already reached the dock. They had no choice but to wait patiently for the ship to depart.
Surely, the Shogunate wouldn't intentionally harm them... right?
As the sun set, painting the sea with a golden hue, the soldiers guarding the dock exchanged glances. One by one, they moved through the crowd, opening the ship's gangplank and directing the refugees to board.
Luo Qing and his group remained at the back, but as they neared the ship, Luo Qing caught sight of something at the rear of the vessel—a small lifeboat hanging off the side.
Judging by its size, it was just large enough to hold the soldiers.
"Did you see that?" Luo Qing subtly nodded toward the lifeboat, drawing Igor's attention to it.
As the sharpest mind of the group, Igor quickly understood what was going on. He met Luo Qing's gaze and nodded slightly.
"When we're aboard, keep an eye on those soldiers. Make sure they don't pull any tricks. Understood?" Luo Qing whispered.
"Yes, Lord Luo Qing," Igor replied quietly.
Once all the refugees were aboard, the soldiers did a headcount, ensuring no one had slipped away. Satisfied, they raised the anchor and set sail.
Seeing the boat depart brought smiles to the refugees' faces. The thought of soon returning to Narukami Island filled them with hope.
Maybe the Shogunate soldiers aren't so bad after all, they thought. At least they're helping the refugees...
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Kapitel 65: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [65]
Once they were at sea, if the ship were to sink due to a storm, it would be nearly impossible for ordinary people to survive.
The refugees, overwhelmed by the joy of returning to Narukami Island, didn't notice that once they had reached deep waters, the samurai who were supposed to escort them all retreated into the ship's cabin.
Even the one steering the ship used the excuse of changing shifts to enter the cabin, locking the door behind him, leaving the refugees unaware.
Inside the Cabin
After the helmsman entered, the samurai exchanged glances, retrieving bundles of explosives from the cargo barrels, stacking them along both sides of the ship. There were enough explosives to blow the wooden vessel into pieces.
Once the fuses were set, the samurai moved toward the stern of the ship, planning to depart on a lifeboat once the fuse was lit.
Their mission was simple: under the pretense of escorting refugees to Narukami Island, they were to gather them mid-journey and sink the ship. If anyone discovered the plan, they would simply blame it on the Coral Palace rebels.
"Sir… do we really have to go through with this?" one of the younger samurai holding the fuse seemed hesitant, looking at the older samurai, clearly their leader.
"Are you questioning orders? This is a direct command from the family head. If you let these people return, we'll lose our heads instead!" the elder samurai snapped.
"But… wasn't the whole point of joining the army to protect the people?" the younger one muttered.
"And now you suddenly remember that? If you want to protect them so much, why don't you join them and drown in the sea!" The elder samurai snatched the fuse from him and was about to ignite it when something unexpected happened.
A small Electro Slime landed on his hand.
"An Electro Slime? How did this…?"
Before he could finish his sentence, the slime opened its mouth and shot an electric orb straight at his face. At the same time, more Electro Slimes emerged from the shadows around the cabin, carefully avoiding the explosives and surrounding the samurai, forcing them back toward the stern.
"Monsters! Be careful…" the elder samurai shouted, though his mind was foggy from the impact of the electric orb. He assumed the slimes had accidentally wandered into the ship.
Just then, a girl's voice echoed from behind them.
"Killing your own people? Inazuma is worse than Snezhnaya. If I'd known, I wouldn't have bothered coming here."
The samurai turned to see a young girl, a faint purple lantern in her hand, shaking her head lightly.
"You… you're Fatui?!" one of the samurai exclaimed.
"Correct! But even if you guessed right, you're still in for some pain~" Theresa giggled, covering her mouth with a hand. "After all, I just got scolded by my master, so I'm in a pretty foul mood right now~"
As she finished speaking, lightning sparked in Theresa's hand, and she charged at the samurai.
Having served in the scouting squads for years, and being capable of taking down entire Hilichurl camps alone in Guyun Stone Forest, Theresa's combat prowess was no joke. Even if she were up against Liyue's Qixing or Lumine, she could still hold her own. Dispatching a few Inazuma samurai was child's play.
Her only concern was making sure to control the lightning and the slimes carefully so as not to accidentally ignite the explosives.
It only took a few moves for Theresa to subdue the samurai, leaving them lying on the ground, twitching in pain.
At that moment, the cabin door opened, and Natalia and Igor entered, locking the door behind them.
Natalia frowned as she saw the samurai lying there, frothing at the mouth.
"Didn't Lord Luo Qing say not to be too rough? What have you done?"
"I couldn't help it~" Theresa replied, feigning innocence with a playful tone. "I've been a little angry lately~"
"..."
"Luo Qing asked us to interrogate them, to find out who gave the orders, and to leave behind some evidence. But look at them now…"
Natalia sighed, feeling exasperated. It would be difficult to interrogate them when they were barely conscious.
"Oh, come on! I didn't hit them that hard. They should wake up soon. Hey, you! Wake up, stop twitching…" Theresa crouched down, slapping one of the samurai lightly on the face.
After a few slaps, a young samurai finally regained consciousness, gasping for breath as he sat up.
"You… you're Fatui..."
"Well, guess what? My lord has some questions for you. I suggest you answer truthfully~ Or we'll toss you overboard to feed the fish~" Theresa taunted, her tone light and playful as if throwing people into the sea was just another part of her day.
Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and she turned to Natalia, asking, "Shouldn't we let the refugees listen in on the interrogation too? It might make these guys more likely to confess if the civilians hear them."
"Luo Qing said there were too many refugees to control. As long as we have these guys as leverage, it'll be enough. When we get to shore, someone will be there to take them away," Natalia explained patiently.
Theresa blinked blankly. "I don't get it…"
"..."
"Just stick to the interrogation. Ask him who gave the orders."
"Oh, I get that part! Leave it to me~" Theresa beamed, then immediately slapped the young samurai across the face again.
"Speak! Who gave you the order to drown those refugees?"
"..."
"Why… why are the Fatui asking about this…? What does this have to do with you?" the young samurai muttered through bloodied lips, his eyes darting nervously. It seemed that even he felt guilty about the planned massacre.
"Does it matter? We help when we see injustice! What's your problem, huh? You don't like it?" Theresa snapped, slapping him again before he could respond.
Another samurai, just regaining consciousness, was about to stand when his face met the same stinging slap. Dazed, he heard Theresa's voice shouting again.
"Speak! Who gave you the order?!"
It was late into the night. On the deck, many of the refugees had fallen asleep despite the chaos of their minds, their faces twisted in pain due to the lingering effects of the Tatarigami's curse. Some even woke suddenly, coughing up blood.
Seeing that it was time, Luo Qing signaled to Sergei to continue steering the ship while he descended into the cabin to check on the interrogation.
As he entered, he found the samurai huddled in a corner, their faces swollen like pigs' heads, trembling in fear.
Standing over them, Theresa had her hands on her hips, impatiently tapping her foot on the floor. She looked as though she were ready to slap anyone who so much as breathed the wrong way.
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
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