[Through the many funerals you handled, you came into contact with all kinds of people.]
[You gathered all sorts of information and extracted the pieces that mattered.]
[And from within all those scattered facts, one name, one figure, kept appearing.]
[A woman with short hair fading from deep blue to lighter blue, a tall and stunning figure, and striking beauty.]
[In different stories, she played different roles.]
[Sometimes she was a merchant walking the streets of Liyue, sometimes a friend of someone important.]
[She moved like smoke, appearing and vanishing without a trace, unpredictable in every way.]
[If you hadn't interacted with so many people and collected so much information, you never would have noticed her existence at all.]
[Your instincts told you that her identity was similar to yours. Both of you were ghosts in the shadows, slipping through Liyue to steal intelligence.]
[But who was she working for?]
[You began deliberately tracking her movements, digging through every scrap of intelligence. Eventually, you found a faint trail.]
[Every time Yelan obtained information, the final beneficiary was always the same.]
[Ningguang.]
[You were preparing to dig deeper when a new client arrived at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.]
["I heard Mr. Kael is your best undertaker. I'd like him to handle my friend's funeral."]
[You looked at the client and froze.]
[Gradient blue hair, a dangerously attractive figure… and that aura of silent threat.]
This was her.
The elusive woman.
Why had she come here? Had she discovered something?
[You approached her calmly.]
["Hello, I'm Kael. Please follow me to the reception room so we can discuss the package you want."]
[You led Yelan inside. The moment she stepped in, she quietly closed the door.]
[You turned and gave her a polite smile.]
["Why close the door? Do you have a special request?"]
[Yelan smiled slightly, her gaze darkening, turning seductive.]
[She walked toward you one slow, deliberate step at a time.]
["Mr. Kael, were you hoping I'd do something to you?"]
[She was close enough that if you leaned the slightest bit forward, you could breathe in the mature sweetness of her scent.]
[Her fingertip slid across the edge of your collar.]
["You're much more handsome than I expected. I thought people who hide in the gutter always looked shifty."]
[Her slender fingers suddenly clenched your collar and pulled tight.]
[Your breath stopped. A sharp suffocation climbed up your throat.]
["What should I call you, Mr. Kael? The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's senior undertaker? Or… a Fatui agent?"]
[Your face paled from the lack of air, yet you still wore a faint smile.]
[You forced the words out. "I… don't understand… what you're talking about… do you… have proof…?"]
[Yelan let out a soft laugh and loosened her grip.]
[A surge of air flooded your lungs, sending you into a fit of violent coughing.]
[Her eyes were cold.]
["Are you proud of what you've done? You're careful, I'll give you that. I don't have concrete evidence yet, but clues are connected links. Follow them long enough, and the truth always surfaces."]
["Did you really think your actions left no trace?"]
["From today on, I'm watching you."]
["Every person you've met, every word you've spoken, every move you've made, none of it will escape me."]
["I will find something to use against you."]
[You wiped the tears that had escaped from the coughing fit.]
[Your voice was hoarse as you looked at her. "Why assume I'm your enemy? Have you considered that we might become allies?"]
[Yelan frowned. "I'm not interested in working with the Fatui."]
["No, not the Fatui. Me."]
["The truth is, we share the same goal. You won't believe that right now, of course."]
[You smiled at her. "But I'm willing to show you my sincerity."]
["The day after tomorrow, Lingju Pass."]
[Yelan's pupils contracted sharply.]
[She stared at you, stunned and wary.]
[Ningguang would be conducting a transaction at Lingju Pass the day after tomorrow.]
[That transaction was critical. It could decide whether she would become the Tianquan.]
[They all believed their information was perfectly hidden. They never expected you to uncover it.]
["I haven't reported this to the Fatui yet."]
[You knew Liyue's political landscape better than almost anyone. You understood exactly what this deal meant.]
[If Ningguang failed, the Fatui-backed candidate would rise.]
[And if the Fatui took a seat among the Liyue Qixing, their influence would grow even stronger.]
[That was not a future you wanted.]
[So from the moment you discovered this intel, you kept it hidden. You never passed it upward.]
[Now, it was the perfect offering to win Yelan's trust.]
[Yelan lowered her gaze, thinking. She still couldn't figure you out, and finally asked, "And telling me this… benefits you how?"]
[You raised an eyebrow.]
["It doesn't matter right now. When you trust me, we'll talk."]
[Yelan couldn't read you at all.]
[But the matter was urgent. She didn't have time to circle you any further.]
[She gave you a long look, then turned to leave.]
[Yelan opened the door just as Hu Tao stepped inside.]
[Hu Tao blinked at the two of you.]
["What's… this…?"]
[Yelan reacted instantly. She shot you a teasing smile.]
["I'm very satisfied with Mr. Kael's service. I'll come back in a few days~ wait for me."]
[When she was gone, you turned to Hu Tao, concerned.]
["How was your outing today? Did you manage to find any...."]
[You didn't even finish.]
[Hu Tao cut you off, cheeks puffed with anger.]
["Who was that woman?"]
[You couldn't understand her sudden mood shift. "She came to consult about a funeral package."]
[You casually made up a story for Yelan.]
["Hmph! Consult business! Then why did you close the door? A man and a woman alone together!"]
["She values her privacy," you said helplessly. "She didn't want others to overhear."]
[Your explanation was reasonable, but Hu Tao still looked furious.]
[That woman's figure and the way she acted around you made Hu Tao feel nothing but danger.]
[She recalled Yelan's curves, then glanced down at her own flat chest. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.]
[She glared at you, shouted, "I'll grow up!"]
[Then she spun around and ran off.]
[You rubbed your nose, completely lost.]
[But after spending so many years with Hu Tao, you were used to her sudden mood swings.
You figured she was simply acting like herself again.]