[Araumi – Interdimensional Gate Base]
The Lost Soul Array was a nasty piece of work.
It wasn't just a fog machine. It attacked the mind, stripping away a person's sense of direction and time. For a military base housing a gate to another world, it was the perfect perimeter defense.
Su Han sorted through the loot from the Black Dragon King.
3,000 High-Quality Jade Stones.20 Core Array Stones.1,000 Pre-Carved Runes (courtesy of Immortal Gu Yue).
"A massive haul," Su Han nodded. "The Diren didn't use them, and the Dragon King was too lazy to learn. Their loss."
He turned to Raiden Ei, who was staring blankly at a butterfly.
"Ei, want to test the array?"
"Sure."
Su Han arranged 108 Jade Stones around the base.
"Lost Soul Array... Activate!"
Hum.
A thick, unnatural fog rose from the ground, swallowing the entire Araumi base. From the outside, the gate vanished completely.
Raiden Ei flew into the fog.
One minute passed. Two minutes.
She found herself flying in circles. Her sense of direction was inverted. Up was down, left was right.
"Interesting," she murmured. "My perception is being manipulated."
After five minutes, the fog lifted. Su Han stood in front of her, grinning.
"Well?"
"It works," Ei admitted. "Without using brute force to blow it away, I would be trapped for at least half an hour. For a mortal army or spies... this is an impassable wall."
"That's the point," Su Han said. "If a God attacks, we fight. But for Fatui spies? This is enough."
[Rito – The Port]
Next, Su Han traveled to Rito.
As the main port of Inazuma, it needed heavy protection.
Kuki Shinobu and the Arataki Gang greeted him.
"Boss! You're back!" Itto cheered. "What cool stuff are you building today?"
"A security system," Su Han said. "If enemies attack by sea, this will drown them."
He began setting up the Nine Dragon Strange Whirlpool Killing Array.
This was a lethal offensive array. It required 365 Jade Stones and massive amounts of Hydro energy. Luckily, Rito was surrounded by the ocean.
Su Han infused the stones with his Pure Yang Flame to refine them, then tossed them into the bay.
"Formation... Open!"
BOOM.
The sea boiled. Dark clouds gathered overhead.
From the depths, nine massive water dragons, each hundreds of meters long, rose into the air. They roared silently, their bodies churning with the power of the tides. They formed a defensive perimeter around the island, looking down with menacing intent.
The merchants and sailors at the port stared in horror and awe.
"By the Archons..."
"Is that Lord Su Han's power?"
"With this, Rito is impregnable!"
A sense of absolute safety washed over the people. Who would dare attack a port guarded by nine water dragons?
[A Nearby Island]
On a cliff overlooking Rito, a figure in a large hat watched the spectacle with narrowed eyes.
Scaramouche (The Balladeer).
He crushed a stone in his hand.
"Damn it... Su Han again."
He had been lurking in Inazuma, planning to sabotage the Festival. He wanted to blow up the docks or poison the water supply.
But he couldn't.
First, he ran into a bard selling apples who gave him a look that made his blood freeze (Venti).
Then, he saw a man in a brown suit shopping for tea who radiated the weight of a mountain (Zhongli).
With two Archons casually strolling around, Scaramouche didn't dare make a move.
Now, Su Han had installed a super-array that summoned water dragons.
"Sir," a Fatui agent whispered. "What do we do?"
"We leave," Scaramouche spat. "Inazuma is a lost cause. Su Han has locked it down too tight. We're moving to Sumeru."
He turned away, his face twisted in frustration. He knew when he was beaten.
[Tenshukaku – Evening]
Su Han returned to the palace, satisfied.
Baiwen greeted him with good news. "The shipment from Yashiori is here. 8,000 High-Grade Orobashi Bone Jades. They are even better than the ones from the Sky Trace world."
"Perfect."
Su Han looked at the map.
"Now we can build the Underwater City."
Hanachirusato munched on some Fried Tofu. "Where are you putting it?"
"Near Watatsumi Island," Su Han decided. "It will boost their economy and secure the trade route to Liyue. Plus, the water depth there is ideal."
With the arrays in hand and the materials ready, Su Han was about to change the geography of Teyvat once again.
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