"Miss Kokomi, I'm afraid I have bad news."
Su Ran sighed dramatically.
"The Resistance… has started resisting again."
Kokomi: "…"
Even with her gentle temperament, she cursed those pig teammates in her heart.
Gorou, what did I tell you?
Don't tell me you were the one who led the charge!?
Congratulations— you've all delivered yourselves right back into prison!
Su Ran rejected Kokomi's plea to be released and walked out of the prison without mercy.
"Um… strategist lady," Beidou said, looking surprisingly cheerful, "seems like we'll be cellmates a little longer."
Even locked up, the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean radiated optimism.
Living in the Shogun's prison didn't scare her.
After all—this was still Inazuma.
A god presided here.
Unless the Raiden Shogun herself wanted them dead, no jailer would dare harm them.
But Kokomi was far from calm.
"Captain Beidou may be carefree but with Liyue in chaos, you're not worried at all?"
If the Resistance really broke the truce first, then continuing her imprisonment made sense.
This time, they were in the wrong.
"I trust Ningguang," Beidou shrugged, "That woman's smart enough for ten lifetimes.
Even if Liyue really is in turmoil, she'll sort everything out within a few days."
Beidou knew Ningguang well.
A woman with that much ambition would never allow her domain to fracture.
"You… you're the one she sent, right?"
Beidou suddenly asked Yelan.
She had seen the wire Yelan kicked toward her cell earlier.
That alone was enough proof.
This woman was definitely Ningguang's agent.
"As expected of Captain Beidou."
Yelan smiled helplessly.
"So quick to see through me."
"But even if you did," she continued with a sigh, "we're still stuck in here.
Even the Geo Archon is trapped…"
In the next cell, Zhongli looked even more miserable.
He had personally experienced Su Ran's terrifying power.
No one—not even gods—could overcome that.
All he could do was wait and hope Baalzeph would eventually release them.
Even if he had to wait until an Ice God vs. Heavenly Principles war he had the lifespan for it.
But Liyue…
Liyue could not afford to wait.
"Emperor… is that Harbinger really that strong?"
For Liyue's faithful, the idea that their Archon lost to a subordinate of the Cryo Archon
was almost unthinkable.
They preferred to believe Zhongli had sacrificed himself strategically rather than been defeated.
"He is strong," Zhongli admitted quietly, "stronger than anyone I've ever met.
That day, I… didn't even force him to get serious."
The memory was bitter.
First, he was bombarded relentlessly.
Then, drained of most of his power, he was subdued in a single move.
In the Archon War, he had always been the one suppressing others never the other way around.
"Then… wouldn't the Cryo Archon be even stronger?"
Yelan swallowed.
If a Harbinger was already this terrifying, what about the deity above him?
"This… not necessarily," Zhongli said, "from what I know, the Ice Goddess is young.
She shouldn't possess such overwhelming power.
This strength seems to belong to him, not to her."
If this was actually the Tsaritsa's bestowed power, Zhongli would feel even worse.
Being surpassed by juniors was one thing being completely outclassed was soul-crushing.
"What a mysterious guy…"
Yelan stretched, then lay directly on the floor.
She'd burned through mountains of mental energy these days.
Even with her stamina, she felt exhausted.
The Fatui used to be an organization she could read.
Now?
They made less sense by the hour.
Before, they had at least a small chance of losing gracefully.
Now they had zero chance of even understanding the rules.
Even her own life and freedom were in this man's hands.
"Anyway—can you use this?"
Beidou pulled out the wire she'd been hiding.
Even if they couldn't escape Su Ran's power, she was tired of sitting in jail.
Just stretching her legs outside would be nice.
"Of course," Yelan said proudly, "with my job, if I couldn't do this much,
Ningguang would never have sent me."
She bent over the lock, twisted the wire casually—
click.
The cell door swung open.
Kokomi and Beidou stared.
That's it?
The Shogunate's prison locks are THAT easy!?
"I'm a professional," Yelan said smugly.
She moved toward Zhongli's cell.
"No need," Zhongli stopped her gently, "My identity is… too significant.
If I leave, their plans may be disturbed.
If you three go, they may ignore it."
In other words: small fry could slip through.
Big fish could not.
"We'll definitely find a way to free you, Emperor!"
Yelan bowed deeply.
Beidou and Kokomi did the same.
"Uh… are we really just walking out like this?"
Beidou asked cautiously as they moved down the empty corridor.
There were no guards.
Not a single soldier.
"Why not?" Yelan said dryly, "Even the jailers were pulled away.
Seems the Harbinger foresaw our escape plan."
She glanced at the wall.
There, freshly hung—
Wanted posters.
The three women leaned in.
Silence fell.
On the posters, their portraits were drawn in a let's say "unique art style."
Beidou: "…"
Kokomi: "…"
Yelan: "…"
Were these artistic massacres done on purpose… or by accident?
—------------------------------
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