Two soldiers stood guard at the tent entrance.
Kael didn't kill them.
This tent held Keqing, meaning it was the most heavily monitored spot in the entire camp. If the guards suddenly disappeared, every Fatui soldier in the area would swarm over immediately.
Instead, Kael picked up a pebble and tossed it toward the front-right side of the tent.
The guards heard the sound and one turned to look.
One soldier raised his weapon and cautiously walked over to check the noise.
The moment the other soldier's eyes drifted away, Kael moved.
His Thief talent erased his presence completely. His footsteps made no sound, and his speed spiked like lightning.
Before the second guard could turn back, Kael slid around the side and slipped silently into the tent.
The interior was small, only the size of three tiny rooms. A bed and a table sat inside, nothing more.
Keqing was seated at the edge of the bed, expression cold and distant, staring at nothing.
The sound of Kael entering made her look up.
And the instant she saw his face—she froze.
Her cold expression shattered. She stood abruptly, eyes widening as tears welled up. Her lips trembled.
Kael rushed forward before she could speak, covering her mouth gently with his hand to keep her quiet.
Her warm breath spilled across his palm.
Keqing couldn't look away from him. Her lips moved under his hand, forming silent words.
Who… are you…?
Her breath tickled his palm, making his hand twitch.
He leaned close to her ear. "I'm here to save you."
His breath brushed her skin, turning her ears bright red. She stared at him with a heavy, unreadable emotion.
For days, Keqing had been drowning in hatred for the Fatui. She didn't understand why the emotion was so intense—only that it consumed her reason.
She wanted them destroyed. All of them.
But the moment she laid eyes on this man… all of it quieted. Instantly.
It felt like a long-lost treasure had finally returned to her side.
Keqing lifted her arms and threw herself around him with all her strength.
Don't leave… please… don't leave me again…
I'll give anything, as long as you stay…
Feeling her small frame trembling violently in his arms, Kael sighed softly.
It was exactly as he feared. Keqing had carried emotions from her life simulation into the real world.
Just like Amber, the hatred had transferred too.
In the simulation's epilogue, she had seemed calm and rational again—but it had been an illusion. She had forced herself to suppress her hatred only because she'd promised him she would move on.
In reality, not a single drop of her hatred toward the Fatui had disappeared.
And now, without the simulation's memories—without remembering the promise she made to him—that dam had burst open.
Kael remembered how she lost control in the simulation, taking ruthless revenge on the Fatui.
If the real Keqing had acted the same way, being captured was sadly not surprising.
Thinking of that broken version of her still made his chest ache.
He tightened his arms around her. Their bodies pressed together, fitting perfectly.
Living with such unbearable hatred… it must have been suffocating.
In this world… I won't let you feel that again.
After a long moment, Kael slowly pulled her back.
He gently wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Did they do anything to you? Are you hurt?"
Keqing shook her head. Tears fell freely with the motion.
"I'm fine. They only confined me. They don't dare lay a hand on me."
"Good. I'm taking you out of here now."
Keqing frowned.
"No. If both of us leave together, it'll draw attention. You should return to Liyue and bring the Millelith."
The idea of Kael walking into danger made her chest clench. She'd rather stay trapped here forever than let him be hurt.
"Trust me," Kael said softly. "I have an Adepti Artifact with me. I can get you out without being seen."
"…Fine." Keqing bit her lip. "But you have to promise me something. If anything goes wrong, you leave first. I'm one of the Liyue Qixing. They can't risk harming me because of Snezhnaya's diplomatic pressure."
"I promise."
With her agreement, Kael prepared to place Keqing inside the Serenitea Pot.
Suddenly he remembered Mona was already inside—and hurried to warn her.
"By the way, when you go in, you'll see a girl. Don't attack her. She came with me to rescue you."
Keqing nodded obediently.
The next second, her surroundings changed. The dark cave vanished, replaced by a quiet interior realm.
And standing before her was a twin-tailed girl with delicate features, arms crossed, staring at her like an examiner.
"So you're Keqing? I knew it. Only someone like you would make Kael run around saving you…"
Keqing blinked, confused.
Kael…? Kael… that's his name?
So this was the girl he warned her about.
Keqing straightened politely. "Hello. May I ask who you are?"
Mona's lips curled in triumph.
Finally. Finally she had a lead over everyone else.
Not just some coworker or housemate—his lover.
She lifted her chin like a proud senior.
"I'm Kael's lover."
Keqing froze.
---
Outside, after storing Keqing away, Kael opened the map to teleport straight back to Liyue Harbor.
Just then, the tent flap flew open.
"Yuheng, have you considered my propo—"
La Signora's words stopped mid-sentence.
Her gaze sharpened instantly when she saw Kael standing alone in the tent.
"Who are you?"
She noticed Keqing was gone and cracked her whip with a furious snap.
Kael had already raised his guard the moment she appeared. He dodged her strike by leaping aside, letting the whip carve a deep frozen scar into the ground.
Crystals of ice spread across the dirt.
Kael glanced at it and smirked.
"The Yuheng is far too busy to waste time entertaining small fry like you. Obviously she's already returned to Liyue."
"You bastard! How dare you ruin my plans?!"
La Signora's body flared with icy power as she lunged, whip slicing through the air with blinding speed.
Jagged ice rained from above with each crack of her weapon.
Kael summoned fire, triggering his Elemental Skill, Flame Extinguishing Rain.
A torrent of embers poured from the sky, melting every shard of ice.
The firestorm lit the tent ablaze. The moment the flames touched the fabric, it disintegrated into ash.
Kael and La Signora stood fully exposed in the center of the camp.
Fatui soldiers immediately rushed forward.
"Executive, we're here to assist!"
Kael looked at La Signora's furious, flame-lit face and gave her a polite smile.
"Thank you for hosting the Yuheng. We'll be sure to repay the favor."
He tapped the teleport waypoint on his map.
[Teleport?]
"Yes."
His body vanished instantly.
La Signora stared at the empty space where he'd been standing.
That smile… that mocking smile…
She had worked so hard to abduct the Yuheng, and now the girl had simply vanished?!
Her entire plan was ruined?!
"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"
La Signora threw her head back and screamed, whipping the ground in a frenzy.
Each strike blasted ice shards everywhere. Several soldiers were frozen solid before they could dodge.
She didn't care. She only cared about unleashing her fury.
Finally, panting, she lowered her arm.
"Find him. Find out who that man is! Send people to Liyue—dig up everything!"