Chương 36: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [36]
Maybe because the rooftop really was too cold, Yelan eventually gave in to Luo Qing's persistent persuasion and moved inside. For the past few days, they practically lived and ate together, with Yelan only leaving to hide somewhere else when it was time to sleep.
But even then, according to Luo Qing's item tracking tool, she never strayed more than ten meters away from him. Every time he checked, Yelan's name was always within range.
To her credit, Yelan was undeniably diligent when it came to her duties.
One morning.
Maybe it was the calm before the storm or just a spell of bad weather, but despite being early in the day, dark clouds loomed over Liyue Harbor, casting a gloomy atmosphere over the entire port. The tense mood was palpable.
The Adepti who came to confront the Qixing had already started arriving over the past few days. Fortunately, with Ganyu's mediation, no fights had broken out. Yet, despite her best efforts, the two sides remained locked in a tense standoff with no progress on solving the matter of the Geo Archon's death.
Waking up early, Luo Qing habitually scanned his surroundings with his tracking item, but this time, he couldn't detect Yelan's presence.
He stepped out onto the balcony, called out for her a few times, but received no reply. It dawned on him then—Yelan was gone.
After washing up, he went downstairs to the bank's lobby, where he saw a few familiar faces.
The Traveler, Paimon, and Zhongli were in the lobby, seemingly asking around for information about the recent events in Liyue.
Luo Qing didn't interrupt, instead leaning on the railing, eavesdropping on their conversation from above.
Sensing Luo Qing's gaze, Zhongli looked up and met his eyes. Luo Qing put a finger to his lips, and Zhongli played along, not revealing his presence. He continued speaking with the Traveler and Paimon.
Soon enough, the Traveler seemed to have an epiphany, grabbed Paimon by the leg, and dashed out of the Northland Bank. Zhongli also exited with them.
Once the coast was clear, Luo Qing descended the stairs. He already knew where the Traveler and Zhongli were headed, and while he could have followed them, he decided it wasn't necessary.
After all, he thought, Childe is my colleague. No need to intervene, especially since the Traveler can handle herself just fine.
More curious about the commotion at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Luo Qing headed in that direction.
Even before he turned the corner, he saw a squad of Millelith soldiers blocking the entrance to the parlor, and he could hear heated voices coming from the crowd.
"We, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, have been here since the Archon War, for seventy-seven generations! And now you dare accuse us of colluding with the Fatui? Do you even know what you're talking about?"
Hu Tao stood firmly at the entrance, hands on her hips, face puffed up in righteous anger, refusing to let the Millelith enter.
"Master Hu," said the squad leader in a cold tone, "we have solid evidence that your consultant, Zhongli, has had dealings with a Fatui Harbinger. If the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is truly innocent, why do you resist us taking him in for questioning? This is a matter of Liyue's safety. I advise you not to interfere."
"Hmph! I personally approved all of Zhongli's tasks! If you want to take him, then take me too!" Hu Tao declared, stepping in front of Zhongli.
"Master Hu, they do have a point. It's best if I—"
"No way!" Hu Tao cut him off with a stubborn huff. "We haven't done anything wrong! Why should you be taken away? Zhongli, don't worry. As long as I'm here, they won't lay a hand on you!"
Luo Qing watched as Zhongli, for once, wore an expression of helplessness.
What must be going through Zhongli's mind right now, being falsely accused of colluding with the Fatui to assassinate the Geo Archon himself? Luo Qing mused, smirking.
Just then, Zhongli's eyes met Luo Qing's among the crowd. Luo Qing gave him a knowing smile, lightly patting his chest before activating his last item card.
The next moment, the squad leader, who had been firmly arguing with Hu Tao, suddenly burst into tears.
His sobs grew louder until he collapsed to his knees, crying and shouting:
"I confess! I admit it! I shouldn't have gone to that auction and secretly bought the chamber pot used by the Geo Archon! I... I even compared its size when I got home..."
"..."
Everyone, from Hu Tao to the Millelith, stood there in stunned silence, utterly bewildered.
Weren't we just arguing a second ago? How did this turn into... this?
The Millelith soldiers, equally shocked, struggled to console their weeping commander, but his sobs wouldn't stop. Embarrassed, they quickly dragged him away from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, planning to return once their leader had calmed down.
With the show over, the crowd dispersed. Luo Qing approached Zhongli and Hu Tao, giving Zhongli a quick glance before focusing on the furious funeral director.
Even the densest man should realize when a girl is upset, Luo Qing thought, chuckling softly. Then, he reached out to gently pat Hu Tao's hat, soothingly saying:
"Come on, Master Hu. Don't be mad. It's just that Liyue is in turmoil, and they're a bit desperate. Besides, they're not the brightest bunch."
"Hmph! The funeral rites for the Geo Archon should be the top priority, but instead, they're obsessed with hunting down some imaginary assassin! We're helping prepare for the Rite of Parting, and they have the nerve to accuse us of treachery! It's infuriating!"
Hu Tao stomped her foot, cheeks puffed up indignantly. Suddenly realizing what she was doing, she swatted Luo Qing's hand away, adding:
"And don't pat my head! I'm still growing!"
"..."
"Alright, alright..." Luo Qing said, retracting his hand.
"You're here to see Consultant Zhongli again, aren't you?" Hu Tao asked, raising an eyebrow as her temper seemed to cool.
"Uh... is that a problem?" Luo Qing replied cautiously.
"Hmph... I didn't say it was," Hu Tao huffed before turning to leave. "I've got to teach a class to the staff. You two talk things over."
After Hu Tao left, giving them space, Luo Qing turned his gaze to the distant Golden House and asked casually:
"Is the situation in Liyue unfolding as you expected, Mr. Zhongli?"
"All the tensions have reached a boiling point. It won't take much to tip them over," Zhongli replied calmly. "Managing such a volatile situation will test the abilities and wisdom of the ruling powers. If they fail, Liyue could descend into chaos."
"So, Mr. Zhongli, how did you handle such matters in the past?"
"Me?" Zhongli paused, his expression turning thoughtful. "Back then, they wouldn't dare to act this way."
That's not because they wouldn't—it's because they didn't dare, Luo Qing thought, amused.
"But don't worry, Mr. Zhongli. The plan remains the same. The real show is yet to come," Luo Qing said, a smile playing on his lips.
Though the plan had been laid out by Zhongli, Luo Qing, and the Lady Harbinger, it was clear that Luo Qing and the Lady were just facilitating something that was inevitable. Childe didn't need much nudging to create chaos; it had all been part of his plan since the moment he arrived in Liyue.
Even the creation of the Sigils of Permission had been prepared back in Snezhnaya under Luo Qing's supervision, just waiting for Childe to arrive and set things in motion.
Of course, Zhongli wasn't privy to all these details. He simply assumed that Luo Qing had successfully guided Childe to this outcome. For Zhongli, this was exactly what he wanted: to see if Liyue could stand on its own, without a god to guide it.
As they continued to converse, a sudden burst of golden light shot from the Golden House, soaring into the sky before veering off toward Guyun Stone Forest.
Moments later, the ground trembled, and the stone pillars that formed Guyun Stone Forest began to shake.
The sea, darkened under the stormy sky, churned with growing intensity.
---
T/N: Give it up Hu Tao... Being short is fine... ദ്ദി(ㅠᯅㅠ)
Chương 37: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [37]
The lookout towers sounded alarm bells, urging ships to hastily return to port. Those too far out began sailing away from the harbor, all seemingly avoiding a certain impending threat.
Thunder rumbled overhead as the Jade Chamber soared across the sky, heading out to the sea. Meanwhile, the Millelith soldiers hurried through the streets, gathering at the port in an organized manner.
It was clear they had anticipated this, as they moved without panic.
"It's finally happening," Luo Qing muttered, watching the ominous shadow beneath the sea.
"Mr. Zhongli, you'd better take Master Hu Tao and retreat somewhere safe. After all, Liyue is a harbor city, and one casual wave from that guy could be disastrous," Luo Qing said, nodding toward the approaching threat.
Zhongli calmly replied, "For ordinary people, this is indeed a catastrophe... Farewell."
With that, Zhongli turned and returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, preparing to take Hu Tao to the mountains for safety.
After all, Hu Tao was his current employer—he couldn't allow any harm to come to her.
As Zhongli left, Luo Qing also made his way back to the Northland Bank. Seeing the commotion out on the sea, some confused Snezhnayan merchants had started to panic and rushed to the bank for refuge.
Being an official Snezhnayan establishment in Liyue, the Northland Bank served as a kind of embassy—once inside, they were under its protection.
Luo Qing glanced around the lobby, noticing that all the guards had been pulled away, leaving only the trembling Snezhnayan merchants.
He didn't even need to ask to know that this was undoubtedly on Childe's orders.
"Luo Qing, what should we do now?"
Natalia and the others, visibly nervous, calmed down slightly once they saw Luo Qing enter. The looming presence of an ancient god was terrifying, and even the residual shockwaves from such a battle could easily crush them like ants.
"You need to evacuate the people in the bank to the mountains. This place is too dangerous. If just one wave crashes down, you'll all be dead," Luo Qing ordered, looking at the panicked merchants surrounding them.
In Childe's absence, Luo Qing was now the highest authority here.
"And what about you, Luo Qing?" Natalia asked, concern evident in her voice.
"Me? I'm invincible, that thing out there won't be able to harm me. Now go, follow orders and stop dawdling."
With a sharp rebuke, Luo Qing gestured to Sergei and Igor, who nodded and began organizing the evacuation of the merchants.
Childe, the reckless brute that he was, was solely focused on causing chaos. He clearly didn't care about the lives of the merchants, nor did it even occur to him that he should've evacuated his own people before attempting to wake Osial.
Out on the streets, the people of Liyue hurriedly followed the Millelith's instructions, heading toward Yujing Terrace to escape the impending danger by ascending Mount Tianheng.
Soon, the bustling streets of Liyue became deserted, save for the soldiers standing at attention by the docks and the figures aboard the Jade Chamber—Ningguang, the Qixing, and the Adepti.
Luo Qing stood alone on the balcony of the bank, watching the sea.
Before long, a colossal figure broke through the water's surface, its entire body towering over the waves and rising to the same height as the Jade Chamber itself.
And the first words that bellowed out of its mouth shook the entire harbor:
"Tianji Star Li Feiyu, come out and face your death!"
Osial's thunderous voice echoed across Liyue Harbor.
On the Jade Chamber.
Ningguang and the others, along with the Adepti, were left utterly dumbfounded.
Isn't Osial supposed to be an enemy of the Geo Archon? they wondered. Why is the first thing out of its mouth a demand for Li Feiyu?
And... what's with the strange black markings all over Osial's body? Some of them look like little chickens… and is that a ball? Are those... dancing figures?
Upon closer inspection, they noticed large black characters painted around Osial's neck that read:
"Liyue Tianji Star Li Feiyu Was Here."
"…"
Everyone stared in disbelief. No wonder Osial came out screaming for Li Feiyu's head—it was because someone had turned its body into a canvas for artistic expression!
The poor creature had been defaced so thoroughly that even its own wife probably wouldn't recognize it anymore.
Suddenly, Luo Qing's system interface lit up with notifications:
[+10 Frustration Points from Ningguang]
[+10 Frustration Points from Ganyu]
[+10 Frustration Points from Keqing]
[+10 Frustration Points from Yelan]
[+10 Frustration Points from Cloud Retainer]
[+10 Frustration Points from Mountain Shaper]
[+10 Frustration Points from Moon Carver]
[+10 Frustration Points from Wang Fugui]
[…]
The fear and concern Osial had struck into the hearts of Liyue's inhabitants now morphed into Luo Qing's precious anxiety points, his system's notifications updating almost every second, and the rate was only increasing.
The Adepti, already angry at the Qixing, grew even more furious upon seeing the state of Osial. Now they were convinced that the Qixing were irresponsible jokesters who couldn't handle serious matters.
Cloud Retainer spat, "Tianji Star Li Feiyu… Hmph! Is this how your Qixing conducts business?!"
"Uh... not gonna lie, the drawings are pretty good," Paimon commented, hovering nearby.
"Yeah, they are," Lumine agreed.
Ningguang, Keqing, and the others looked grim, thinking, Who on earth is this Li Feiyu? He's definitely not one of our Qixing!
"Esteemed Adepti, I believe the most pressing matter is not this 'Li Feiyu,' but rather how to deal with Osial," Ningguang interjected. "We can discuss the rest after we've taken care of Osial."
Ningguang knew that any attempt at explaining the situation to the Adepti would be futile at this point. It was better to focus on the immediate threat and deal with the aftermath later.
Meanwhile, down in the city.
Hearing Osial's deafening roar, Shenhe glanced up at the Jade Chamber. Seeing her master standing there, she assumed Li Feiyu must be up there as well.
With that thought, she activated her Adeptal arts and leapt toward the floating structure.
The group on the Jade Chamber was still debating when Shenhe suddenly landed among them.
Cloud Retainer's eyes widened in surprise. "Shenhe! What are you doing here, child?!"
Shenhe scanned the crowd but didn't see Luo Qing. She responded calmly, "Master, the person I seek is Li Feiyu."
"..."
Everyone else was speechless.
Li Feiyu again?!
Cloud Retainer's temper flared. "Hmph! Qixing, is this how you operate? Colluding with the Fatui and stealing from my domain? We will settle this account as well!"
"Is Li Feiyu not here?" Shenhe asked, turning to Ningguang and the others.
"I understand that you may not believe me," Ningguang said, frowning slightly, "but there is no such person as 'Tianji Star Li Feiyu' among the Qixing."
Still, she mentally noted the name Li Feiyu.
Daring to use the Qixing's title as a shield? You better hope I never catch you!
"Interesting," Cloud Retainer sneered. "So, my disciple and Osial are both lying, are they?"
"..."
Before the situation could escalate further, Osial interrupted their standoff. Frustrated by the lack of response, his anger grew.
"Very well. Whether it's Morax or Li Feiyu, since you refuse to show yourselves, I will flood all of Liyue!"
With that, he summoned a massive tidal wave, aiming it directly at Liyue Harbor.
---
T/N: LI FEIYU!!!( ｡ •̀ ᴖ •́ ｡)💢
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