An adult weighs at least fifty kilos, and Liyue has thousands of people.
Ganyu couldn't possibly carry everyone at once—she had to move them in batches.
So the very first group consisted entirely of children. They were lighter, so she could carry more of them, and above all, they were the most precious.
Seeing this, the people of Liyue suddenly understood. They sent their own children onto Ganyu's back, then immediately jumped down themselves.
"Don't be afraid, child. The Adepti and the Geo Emperor are protecting us."
"Be good—no crying, no fussing. Follow the Adepti. Your parents will be right behind you."
"Listen carefully to the Adepti, and don't cause them any trouble."
The parents of Liyue gave their children earnest instructions.
Soon, Ganyu's back was full of little ones. Some sat quietly, not crying or making a sound. Some thought it was fun and laughed happily. Others were frightened, sobbing and wailing as they clung to her fur.
"Hold tight—we're leaving." Ganyu reminded them as she slowly rose to her feet.
"They're escaping! Stop them!!"
The moment the enemy saw Ganyu's back loaded with children, one of the gods roared in fury.
"Use the mountain to block them!" The one-eyed giant troll stomped the ground and hurled itself toward Tianheng Mountain.
BOOM!!!!!
A deafening crash echoed out as the crater Skyward Guide had been smashed into sank even deeper. The entire Tianheng Mountain shook violently, swaying precariously as though it might collapse at any moment.
The Adepti were horrified, their hearts thrown into panic.
If Tianheng Mountain collapsed, it would all be over.
And Ganyu was carrying hundreds of children—the very hope of Liyue!
BOOM!!!!!!!!
Tianheng Mountain trembled again, shaking with terrifying force.
"Stop them!!!" The Adepti finally snapped to their senses and rushed desperately toward the gods' followers.
Seeing how frantic the Adepti had become, the enemy instantly realized that destroying Tianheng Mountain was the right move.
More and more followers turned their attacks on the mountain.
"It's too late! Xianyun, cut off my horn and use it to prop up Tianheng Mountain!! My horn has absorbed immense divine power from the Emperor—it can hold the weight!"
Adeptus Skyward Guide cried out, panic in his voice as the mountain tilted further.
"But if we do that, you'll—"
"Protecting Liyue is our duty!!!!" Skyward Guide roared.
Cloud Retainer hesitated for a moment, but as she saw the mountain's tremors growing worse, she clenched her heart and steeled herself to act.
"Wait!"
Just as she was about to move, Moon Carver shouted.
In the distance, they saw Tianheng Mountain, which had been swaying wildly, suddenly halt in mid-air at a dangerous tilt.
Much of the mountain's center had been hollowed out, leaving only a thin strip of stone connecting it to the earth—like a lotus root with a single thread still clinging.
The entire Tianheng Mountain now hung in this precarious position, leaving all who saw it terrified that it would collapse at any moment.
"Why won't it break!?"
"The stone suddenly became unyielding! Did we trigger some kind of mechanism!?"
"The mountain should already be falling—how could it just stop in mid-air like this!? It's impossible!"
"Quick! Attack harder! Bring it down!!"
The gods' followers attacking Tianheng Mountain were equally unsettled.
They unleashed their full strength, pouring even more frenzied power into their attacks.
But the mountain, which had seemed like loose soil moments before, had become like a massive diamond. Its rock was impossibly hard, shrugging off every elemental skill they hurled at it.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!!
All manner of elemental attacks slammed against Tianheng Mountain, but not a single mark was left on its surface.
"Hmm... that should be enough. Hopefully, they'll waste more of their strength here. That way, the Adepti will have an easier time finishing them off."
Standing at the summit of Tianheng Mountain, Elliot watched the scene below in silence.
His plan was simple: use the seemingly collapsing mountain to draw enemy fire.
If he had reinforced the mountain from the very start, the enemies would never have wasted their strength here. They would have rushed straight into Liyue and fought the Adepti directly—a battle that would have cost countless lives.
But if the mountain looked like it was just one strike away from falling, they would pour everything into destroying it.
Not only would this keep them away from Liyue, but it would also drain their strength, giving the Adepti a far greater chance to stand their ground.
Everything was unfolding exactly as planned.
The Adepti quickly realized whose handiwork this was, and the fear that had weighed on their hearts finally lifted.
For when Elliot intervened, there was never any need to worry.
Tianheng Mountain, which moments ago had seemed ready to collapse, now stood more solidly under his reinforcement than it ever had before.
"Charge!!! With the Sovereign among us, we cannot lose!!!"
Though Elliot did not strike the enemy gods directly, he had been aiding them from the shadows all along.
...