"I can tell—you're someone I can trust."
"Your eyes… they're gentle."
"With you around, I truly believe Ningguang will be alright."
"I feel at peace leaving her in your care."
"I've lingered in this world long enough… it's time I returned."
With heartfelt gratitude, he offered Elliot a sincere bow, then walked over to where his daughter lay sleeping.
Gazing at her peaceful face, he smiled as tears welled in his eyes. Gently, he stroked her cheek.
"I'm sorry… for being such a failure of a father… and for all the suffering I caused you."
"Truly… I'm so, so sorry..."
"Please… forgive your father…"
A single, translucent tear traced down the man's face.
As it fell, it landed precisely on the back of Ningguang's hand.
As if sensing something, Ningguang slowly opened her eyes and sat up.
She stared intently at the water drop on her hand, an overwhelming sorrow rising in her chest.
It felt like...
Like she had lost something incredibly important...
Was it Mora?
She didn't know. She only knew that it hurt—an aching pressure in her chest that made it hard to breathe.
"Why… does it hurt so much…"
Tears pooled in her eyes, then began to flow uncontrollably.
"Disasters… fate… how can that make someone a failure…"
Elliot looked at Ningguang, who sat crying on the bed, and let out a bitter smile.
He quietly walked over and sat by her side, gently ruffling her hair.
"Elliot… I feel so sad… It's like I lost something really, really important… I don't even know what it is… but it hurts so much…"
Ningguang's small frame clung tightly to him, sobbing as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Even if separated by life and death, the bond of family could still be felt.
"It's alright now. I'm here." Elliot comforted her softly.
"Mm…"
After a long while, Ningguang finally calmed down. But her eyes remained red and swollen.
Since they had spent all their Mora buying Qingxin, the two had to go hungry that morning.
But it didn't matter—if this batch sold, they'd make a hefty profit.
They carried the massive stock of Qingxin and walked for quite a while before arriving at Liyue Harbor.
At the docks, using the intel the kids gave him the night before, Elliot found the ship.
They didn't approach right away. Instead, they stored the Qingxin at a nearby inn, leaving it in the care of the innkeeper and asking him to watch it for about an hour.
The innkeeper, polite and accommodating, agreed.
Then Elliot and Ningguang walked toward the ship, empty-handed.
Elliot didn't bother with pleasantries—he got straight to the point.
"I heard you're buying Qingxin?"
"How do you know that?" The man eyed him with suspicion.
"As a merchant, I have my sources," Elliot replied with a shrug.
The man narrowed his eyes.
"How much do you have?"
"Not much—just all the Qingxin in Liyue."
"But don't worry, I'm not looking to bleed you dry. I'll sell them at 1,000 Mora apiece. Of course, that's just the current rate."
"I've got business to attend to. If you want them, come to the inn up ahead."
He pointed toward the inn where he had stored the Qingxin and added, "Price goes up 10% every hour. Think it over."
With that, Elliot turned and walked off with Ningguang, not even glancing back.
The man stood there, visibly tense.
He knew that Qingxin normally sold for 600–700 Mora each in Liyue. Now it was 1,000.
But if the man had truly cornered the entire market, then raising the price was inevitable. And frankly, the hike wasn't outrageous.
If Elliot really had every last Qingxin in Liyue, delaying any longer could be disastrous—especially with a 10% hourly markup compounding the total.
"Move! Everyone, split up—search the herbal shops and restaurants for Qingxin. Be back here within an hour!"
At his command, the crew scattered in all directions.
...
Meanwhile, Elliot and Ningguang were strolling around Liyue.
"Elliot… will they really buy it?"
Ningguang looked uneasy.
After all, she'd seen him buy Qingxin for just 400 Mora.
And now he was selling it for 1,000?
Sure, the profit would be enormous—but if they couldn't sell it, they'd be in serious trouble.
"They'll buy," Elliot said firmly.
"Ningguang, always remember—everyone has a weakness."
She tilted her head, still puzzled. "A weakness…?"
"Yes. Most people have the same basic flaws. If you observe carefully and use that knowledge wisely, you'll succeed."
"Remember last night, when I handed out snacks to those kids?"
"Of course. You said it was an investment," she replied without hesitation.
"Exactly. That's how I found out about the fleet coming to buy Qingxin—and that they'd take as much as they could get."
Ningguang blinked in surprise. It suddenly all made sense.
"Most people don't guard themselves around children. In their eyes, kids are just playful and ignorant."
"So they speak freely around them, even about sensitive things."
"And kids really are that simple. They don't understand what's considered confidential. They only care about fun, food, and toys."
"But with just a little guidance, they become excellent sources of intel. And because of their nature, kids rarely lie—what they say is usually trustworthy."
"In most cases, betting your entire fortune like this would be reckless. Like you feared, if we failed, we'd lose everything."
"I did it to show you something: that good intel is priceless—worth far more than gold. And… I also urgently need more Mora."
Ningguang nodded thoughtfully, doing her best to absorb and reflect on Elliot's words.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized he was right.
People almost never put up defenses around children. And with the right kind of nudging, the things kids say were indeed reliable.
Even in the worst-case scenario—if a child tried lying for snacks—it would be easy to tell.
Young kids just aren't capable of crafting believable lies for adults.
They give themselves away—shifty eyes, fidgeting hands, stammering speech, red cheeks, or a flustered attitude.
All of it, easy to spot.