Bab 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!
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Bab 29: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [29]
After making plans with Teresa to meet up in Liyue Harbor someday, he set course back to the city.
Following several bouts of harassing Osial, he'd accumulated a total of 2,051 frustration points—enough for two sets of ten draws. Still, knowing that twenty draws likely wouldn't yield any big rewards, he planned to save up a little more—maybe enough for four or five sets—before making a go at it.
By the time he got back to the Northland Bank, the sun had risen.
As soon as he entered the lobby, he spotted Childe and Natalia standing at the front, clearly waiting for him. Natalia waved him over with a knowing look in her eyes.
Luo Qing approached, sensing he was about to get an earful. He glanced at Natalia's expression and then turned to Childe.
"Lord Childe, is there something you needed from me?"
"Where did you run off to? Your secretary and I have been waiting for you all night," Childe said, arms crossed and a slight tiredness visible in his eyes.
"Oh, just a little night fishing. Why? Were you interested in joining, Lord Childe?"
"..."
[+1 Frustration from Tartaglia]
"I swear, you're supposed to be a trainee Harbinger, but all you think about is fishing," Childe said, exasperated. He wore an expression of utter disappointment.
Back when he'd been chosen as a trainee, Childe had traveled all across Teyvat—if he wasn't fighting, he was on his way to another fight—grabbing every opportunity to boost his reputation and move up the ranks as fast as possible.
How could Luo Qing be so... casual? Didn't he want to become the Twelfth Harbinger, earn a codename, and gain the honor of meeting the Tsaritsa? Didn't he find the prospect... thrilling?
"Ah, I was just getting bored," Luo Qing replied casually, chuckling.
"Well, here's something to keep you occupied." Childe smirked, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"The power extracted from the replicated sigils in the research camp isn't sufficient. Our scouts recently found a new Adeptus domain, and it's said to contain many Adeptus mechanisms with a large amount of stored energy. I've been asked to send someone to escort the recovery team, but I'm swamped with other matters."
"So, you want me to go?"
"Smart as always," Childe said with a teasing smile.
"..."
Luo Qing was at a loss for words. So Childe was the type to boss others around.
"Where is it?"
"Jueyun Karst. If you're lucky, you might even run into that Traveler from last night," Childe chuckled.
"Jueyun Karst, huh..."
Luo Qing's brow furrowed slightly. The journey to and from that area would take at least a month—a rather long haul.
"Can I skip it?" he asked hopefully.
"Nope."
"..."
Jueyun Karst, Northwest Direction
Several weeks later, the group finally neared their destination.
The iron rule of Snezhnaya was to follow orders, and Luo Qing had no choice but to do as Childe said. He accompanied Ovilia's research team to Jueyun Karst, where they aimed to retrieve the Adeptus mechanisms hidden within a supposed abandoned domain.
Since the journey would take a long time, Luo Qing left Natalia and Sergei behind in Liyue Harbor to keep tabs on the latest movements of the Qixing and gather intel. They would report back once he returned.
"I say, Ovilia, are you sure there aren't any Adepti around this domain?" Luo Qing asked.
Unlike the picturesque scenes depicted in the game, the peaks of Jueyun Karst were impossibly numerous and steep. Luo Qing couldn't even tell which peak was Mt. Aozang and which was Mt. Hulao.
But he knew one thing for certain—there were quite a few Adepti residing in Jueyun Karst.
While they had a few Seals of Forbidden Knowledge, this mission was essentially a burglary. If they got caught, Luo Qing wasn't sure he could guarantee the safety of everyone in Ovilia's group.
If things went south...
Well, he'd just try to make sure they at least got proper burials.
"Rest assured, Lord Luo Qing. Our scouts have observed the site for some time. There haven't been any Adepti in the vicinity. It's most likely abandoned," Ovilia answered respectfully.
"Alright, I'll take your word for it."
Luo Qing fell silent, following the group while admiring the scenery of Jueyun Karst.
He had to admit, the landscape was breathtaking. Towering stone peaks, connected by wooden bridges and pathways, cranes calling in the distance—it truly felt like an otherworldly paradise.
Before long, they arrived at the entrance to the so-called abandoned Adepti domain.
The domain was hidden behind a waterfall, the water cascading down from the peak of a cloud-piercing mountain before flowing toward Dihua Marsh. They slipped past the edge of the waterfall to find the entrance—a massive gate inscribed with golden symbols. Like every Adepti abode, it was sealed with a protective array.
Luo Qing reached out and touched the gate. The moment his fingers brushed against it, he was pushed back by an invisible force.
"The door's locked. Got any ideas?"
"Naturally. Lord Luo Qing, please stand back a bit," Ovilia said with a nod. He gestured to a soldier carrying a large wooden crate. The soldier approached and opened it, revealing bundles of explosives.
Everyone retreated to a safe distance outside the cave, leaving the explosives expert behind to set the charges.
A moment later, there was the scratch of a match lighting, and the expert sprinted out of the cave without looking back. A few seconds later, a deafening explosion rocked the mountain.
"Alright, Lord Luo Qing. Let's head in," Ovilia said, beaming.
"..."
Luo Qing was speechless. Were they not worried about attracting the Adepti?
He followed Ovilia and the others inside. The entrance had been blown wide open, the once-secure protective array left in tatters. Clearly, the Adepti hadn't anticipated anyone attempting such a direct breach.
Every Adepti domain was its own little pocket realm, and this one was no exception.
After navigating through twisting passages, the cave opened up into a vast chamber. Massive floating islands, connected by golden, ribbon-like pathways, hovered in midair.
And on each island were various Adeptus mechanisms, all of different shapes and sizes—some resembling oversized rice cookers, others like colorful lanterns.
Ovilia's face lit up with glee at the sight. He wasted no time ordering his men to start packing up the machinery.
Luo Qing moved closer, reaching out to touch one of the mechanisms. For some reason, the objects felt oddly familiar to him.
"Could this... be her domain...?"
A complicated expression crossed Luo Qing's face, and he turned to warn Ovilia.
"Ovilia, move quickly. This place might not be abandoned."
"I... I understand, Lord Luo Qing."
Though Ovilia's eyes flickered with a trace of reluctance as he glanced at the intricate mechanisms and golden symbols around them, he immediately urged his team to speed up.
Time ticked by, and just as Ovilia's group was about to finish packing up the last of the energy-filled mechanisms, the sound of footsteps echoed from the cave's entrance—a sharp, steady clicking, like high heels striking stone. Despite the noise of the team's activity, the sound was impossible to ignore.
Luo Qing's gaze snapped to the cave's entrance.
There, a tall, silver-haired woman with a chest that seemed to embrace the world itself and a long spear in hand walked in with an imposing stride.
She wore a half-mask, her white, feather-like sleeves swaying as she moved. Red cords accentuated her figure, tracing her perfect curves. Her slender waist, like that of a water snake, was utterly mesmerizing.
Her breathtaking beauty even made the Fatui soldiers pause, unable to tear their eyes away from the sight of her.
"Hey, don't just stand there gawking! Hurry up and pack everything—now!" Luo Qing snapped, his voice cutting through the soldiers' daze.
Even though it was the first time they'd met after his reincarnation, Luo Qing recognized her instantly—the unique makeup, the icy blue Vision.
She was unmistakable.
The Adeptus disciple, the Calamity-Warding Goddess—Shenhe.
Shenhe's brows furrowed at the sight of the Fatui invading her master's domain. With a sharp, commanding voice, she shouted, "Who dares trespass in an Adepti abode?!"
With a single push of her toes, she launched herself forward, spear aimed directly at Luo Qing.
---
T/N: Please consider Ovilia different from the other scientist Oviro... maybe twins? hahaha...
If there are any mistakes let me know!
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