After first finding a place for Arama to wait, Victor Wang headed alone toward Vimara Village.
Just as night fell, people were welcoming the final burst of noise of the day. Along the riverway from Port Ormos to Vimara Village, merchant ships were repeatedly left behind by Victor Wang. Before long, he caught the scent of cooking smoke from Vimara Village, and with little effort, he found the Mirrormaster's ship.
Even pirates had to eat. Most of the crew, along with the Mirrormaster, seemed to be inside the cabin. Only Kuiyuan was on the bow, tirelessly pulling an empty bowstring in training.
Victor Wang requested to see the Mirrormaster, and Kuiyuan went to call the Mirrormaster out.
"What business brings you here?"
"Are you robbing people?"
"I advise you not to meddle in others' affairs."
"It's not meddling. You robbed my friend of an entire shipload of Mora. She asked me to come and seek an explanation."
The Mirrormaster shook his head confidently. "Impossible. I have already divined it. The targets we choose all carry large amounts of cash, and after we strike, there is little fallout."
"An entire ship of Mora isn't a large amount of cash?"
"You don't understand. We've stayed here for so long and never attracted any retaliation—except you…" He snorted coldly. "Escaping fate is truly troublesome. Tell me your friend's name."
"Dori."
The Mirrormaster casually waved his hand, conjuring half a mirror, but it was completely empty inside.
"I told you—we never robbed her goods. If she isn't someone like you, then you may leave. Hopefully next time, you'll come to join us."
"In Vimara Village, a group with a black-cloaked member and a young man carrying a greatbow, robbing Mora, fits all three traits… hiss… Could it be that I found the wrong people? Could you help divine the real culprits?"
The Mirrormaster turned his face toward him. Though his expression was unclear, Victor Wang felt those eyes staring at him with ill intent.
Shrugging, Victor Wang explained, "Either my friend misunderstood, or I found the wrong people, or your divination is flawed."
When the Mirrormaster dealt with 'The Doctor' back then, it hadn't been by direct attack, but by threats. He could indeed force 'The Doctor' to compromise, but his methods clearly came at a cost—possibly involving Mora.
Anyway, it shouldn't come to blows after just a few words, right?
The Mirrormaster actually spoke coldly, "You are provoking me."
"I'm not. That was an entire ship of Mora. Put yourself in her shoes—even someone like me, who doesn't care that much about Mora, would feel the urge to fight desperately if robbed."
"I've said it already. We did not rob that person."
"If you've been wronged, wouldn't it be better to help divine the real culprit?"
"There's no need for divination. In Vimara Village, aside from us, there are no such people."
"So, is it possible that your divination is inaccurate?" Victor Wang asked carefully. "To what extent can your divination reach?"
The Mirrormaster's tone grew increasingly hostile. "I have seen it—the fate that would follow if I chose to kill you. It would be useless and only make things worse. You wouldn't die, correct?"
Victor Wang's gaze sharpened. "Let's talk. You said that joining you would allow one to hear the 'voice of the heavens'. What does that mean?"
At this, the Mirrormaster became animated, his tone rising with excitement. "Naturally, it is the voice of Celestia! The guidance of Celestia! You—have you decided to join us?"
"But Celestia has already fallen asleep, hasn't it…"
"All lies!" the Mirrormaster shouted. "I personally saw Celestia's reflection in the mirror. Celestia responded to me! Do you know what an honor that is? From that moment on, I swore to devote everything to Celestia!!"
Celestia is still awake?!
Then why has it ignored everything happening in Teyvat… Whether it's the Cryo Archon collecting Gnoses, or the Hydro Archon destroying the divine throne in the future, those aren't small matters.
His thoughts raced as Victor Wang instantly arrived at three possibilities.
First, Celestia has its own plan.
Second, Celestia is awake but lacks the power to stop these events, and can only issue simple commands.
Third, Celestia is truly asleep, and what the Mirrormaster saw was not Celestia at all…
Facing the Mirrormaster's fanatic devotion, Victor Wang asked, "I don't believe you truly saw Celestia's reflection."
The Mirrormaster immediately rebuked him sharply. "You have no right to question this! No one is allowed to question this!!"
"In that case…" Victor Wang said slowly, "let me guess Celestia's form. A woman with long white hair and crimson-gold eyes—the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles?"
"?!"
The Mirrormaster's trembling, flailing hands suddenly froze.
"How do you know?!"
"…"
Victor Wang frowned.
Good news: the Celestia everyone knows is the same one—I can bluff a bit.
Bad news: Celestia may still have consciousness and be watching Teyvat.
After a brief silence, he answered, "Actually, I can also divine… not just divination. I can see predetermined fate."
"I know that 'The Doctor' intends to create a god. 'The Balladeer', who holds the Electro Archon's Gnosis, will become the new god—but he will fail. He will be defeated by the Dendro Archon and Lumine together. After that, the Dendro Archon will use the Electro Archon's Gnosis to unlock the clues left by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, use the power of Irminsul to erase Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's existence, forbidden knowledge will be eradicated, and the Withering will lose its source."
"…"
The Mirrormaster also fell silent.
Victor Wang pressed on. "This future is the same as what you saw, isn't it?"
The Mirrormaster repeated, "Why do you know this?"
"I am the chosen one. That much is beyond doubt, isn't it? The reason I never contacted you is because I did not see you in my future… You were never meant to appear before me. Someone has interfered with fate."
"Then what about Celestia? In the future you saw, did Celestia awaken?!"
So Celestia hasn't truly awakened… Victor Wang caught this detail and carefully weighed his response.
If he said Celestia would never awaken, the Mirrormaster would surely go mad again like he did when confronting 'The Doctor'. If he said Celestia would awaken, he couldn't give a specific time either. So, he shook his head. "It's too far away. I can't see it clearly."
"…You're lying to me. Celestia will definitely awaken!"
What a headache, Victor Wang thought.
"You're lying to me. You want me to lend you, my strength? I only believe in the future I see! But—but I can't see you… I can't see you… I can't see you… Who exactly are you…"
Using the Mirrormaster to oppose 'The Doctor' was indeed one of Victor Wang's hypothetical plans, but it was never going to be easy. Still, this might be a once-and-for-all opportunity…
Victor Wang spoke with utmost seriousness:
"Even an 'outsider beyond this world', as long as they interact with others, will leave traces of intersecting fate. Just like us talking right now—no matter how blank it is, there should be marks of fate crossing. Yet when it comes to me, all you can see is emptiness. That is because my fate has been concealed—and only Celestia can accomplish something like that!"
"To transcend divination and grasp predetermined fate is also something only Celestia can do!"
"I already told you—I am the chosen one!"
"I have my own mission to complete. I don't need your help. Likewise, do not interfere with my path!"
===BREAK===
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