Zhongli observed his situation in silence, lost in thought.
A flicker of confusion passed through his deep, contemplative gaze—clearly, he couldn't make sense of what was happening before him.
"By the standards of rationality, this truly is… irrational."
He murmured quietly, his voice calm yet heavy.
He tried to reason through the circumstances, but no explanation presented itself.
With a sigh, Zhongli's tone carried a trace of helplessness.
"Traveler, it seems I'll have to thank you another time."
...
"Hahahaha…"
Sweat beaded on the forehead of a fatui agent as he nervously handed over a report to the three Harbingers before him.
Shajin skimmed the document absentmindedly at first—until, suddenly, he burst into laughter, collapsing onto the table, gasping for breath.
"You… you're saying that Zhongli, the consultant from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor… got taken away by the Ministry of Civil Affairs?"
The fatui agent had no idea why the Gambler was laughing so wildly, but he still answered honestly.
"Yes, I saw it myself. The Director of the Ministry came in person to invite Consultant Zhongli for tea."
Shajin's laughter echoed eerily, like a demon cackling from the depths of the Abyss—hair-raising and unnatural.
He could hardly believe what he had just heard—the Liyue Qixing had detained the Geo Archon?!
The very notion struck him like a bolt from the heavens, leaving his mind blank with shock.
But even more overwhelming was a twisted thrill—his blood burned like fire, and his heart pounded like a war drum ready to burst from his chest.
Rosalyne and Tartaglia glanced at their colleague, who was laughing so hysterically he looked deranged.
It was like watching a mad beast in a frenzy—disturbing and grotesque.
Rosalyne furrowed her brows, displeased.
"Enough. If you have nothing else to report, you may go."
Her voice was as cold and biting as a winter wind, layered with quiet authority.
Shajin's laughter gradually died out, as if an invisible hand had closed around his throat, suppressing him with invisible pressure.
The fatui agent bowed deeply. "Yes, ma'am."
Then he hurriedly fled the room, moving like prey being hunted, desperate to escape the chilling aura that lingered behind him.
Rosalyne sighed softly and turned to Shajin, rubbing her temples.
"I swear, Adventurine—what on earth are you laughing about?"
Her gaze was puzzled and mildly exasperated, as though she were trying to decipher a riddle with no solution.
Shajin waved a hand dismissively.
"Nothing. You'll understand soon enough—just a few more days."
His eyes narrowed with anticipation.
"Wait a little longer. Our act is about to begin."
...
That evening in Liyue, at Wanmin Restaurant.
Paimon angrily chewed on her Triple-Layered Consommé, her face flushed with indignation as if the food were the very person who had offended her, and she meant to devour them whole.
"I'm telling you, Traveler—we've totally become tools!" she grumbled between bites.
Lumine leaned her cheek on one hand, looking at the food on the table with a weary sigh. "Be confident, Paimon. Drop the 'totally.'"
Just then, a faint sound came from overhead.
Lumine's brow furrowed. She snapped her head up, scanning the rafters—but saw nothing, just the empty beams crossing above.
Then another sound came—clearer this time.
"Who's there?!"
A figure stood poised on the rooftop—a woman with long blue hair tied into a ponytail that draped down naturally behind her, with a single ahoge sprouting from her head.
Two red-and-black qilin horns curled from the sides of her head, and her outfit was distinctly unique: a short white qipao adorned with golden patterns, over a skintight backless bodysuit and sheer black tights detailed with gold at the upper band.
Her Cryo Vision was attached to a red ribbon at her waist, her overall appearance exuding grace and mystery.
"I've finally found you—the one who returned from Jueyun Karst."
"Who's talking?" Paimon scratched her head.
"Paimon, run!!"
Lumine yanked Paimon by the collar, ready to flee—
—but the woman leapt down and blocked their path, her expression faintly exasperated.
"Please wait. I'm not Millelith, nor here to arrest you."
"But I am an envoy of the Liyue Qixing—my name is Ganyu, secretary to the Yuehai Pavilion. I've come here to meet you."
Lumine and Paimon exchanged glances.
"An envoy?"
"A secretary?"
Ganyu's lip twitched. These two… weren't exactly the brightest, were they?
"To be precise, I serve as secretary to all of the Qixing. But for this occasion, I act as Lady Ningguang's special envoy."
Paimon counted on her fingers.
"Now that you mention it, we have been hearing the name 'Tianquan'—Ningguang—a lot lately…"
"Liyue people always talk about her, the Fatui hate her, and we even saw her during the Rite of Descension…"
Ganyu bowed slightly.
"Traveler from Jueyun Karst, forgive my informality—I come from the streets, not the halls of nobility."
"But I bring this letter—a formal invitation drafted by Lady Ningguang in her capacity as Tianquan."
"She invites you to visit the palace in the sky."
Lumine stroked her chin thoughtfully.
"An… invitation?"
Ganyu nodded.
"Yes. These were her exact words:"
"Bring her to me. I must see her. On the Jade Chamber, I will personally—one by one—cut the tangled threads of the undercurrent."
Lumine thought for a moment, then gave a small nod of agreement.
But then she noticed something gleaming at Ganyu's waist—a shimmering Mora coin.
Previously obscured by the Vision, it now shone clearly in view.
This was no ordinary coin—it glowed with a dazzling golden light, sparkling like a priceless gem.
And it triggered a memory in Lumine's mind…
Wasn't that the exact same kind of special Mora Shajin had given to her and Paimon?
And when she remembered Shajin's cryptic words—"Give them my regards"—
Could they have been referring to the ones who carry this kind of Mora?!
_
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