[The Sea Between Watatsumi and Liyue]
Strategically, the location was perfect.
While Watatsumi Island connected to the dark depths of Enkanomiya, placing the new city closer to Liyue's artificial islands would create a golden trade route. It expanded Inazuma's borders while knitting the two nations closer together.
For the past twenty-four hours, the top minds of Teyvat had been working non-stop.
Hanachirusato (Saiguu) and Rosalyne handled the delicate work of inscribing runes onto the thousands of jade stones. They were the software engineers of this project.
Su Han was the hardware engineer.
He spent the entire day smelting Orobashi's remains. The Serpent God's bones, naturally infused with Hydro energy, were the only materials capable of withstanding the crushing pressure of the deep sea.
By late night, 9,300 Array Cores lay finished. Thousands of tons of god-bone had been condensed into these artifacts. Even with Su Han's immense strength, the spiritual fatigue was heavy.
He returned to his quarters in Tenshukaku, rubbing his temples.
To his surprise, the lights were dim, and Raiden Ei was waiting for him.
She wasn't wearing her usual kimono. Instead, she wore a translucent violet silk nightgown that draped over her curves like water. Her long hair was loose, cascading down her back. Under the moonlight, she looked less like the terrifying Shogun and more like a gentle, waiting wife.
"You worked hard," she said softy, standing up. "Come to bed."
Su Han blinked, momentarily stunned. "You..."
"What?" Ei tilted her head, smiling faintly. "Why aren't you speaking?"
"Nothing," Su Han exhaled, walking over to embrace her. "I just think you look exceptionally beautiful tonight."
Ei's smile brightened, radiant and genuine.
They embraced, and the exhaustion of the day melted away in the warmth of the night.
[The Next Morning]
Productivity didn't stop for breakfast.
Baiwen delivered the morning report while Su Han ate. "Kaeya's team has already entered the Feudal Era instance. They started recruiting laborers overnight. They move fast."
Su Han chuckled. "Kaeya is efficient when he wants to be. And Albedo?"
Sucrose, who was joining them for breakfast along with Mona and Shenhe, pushed up her glasses. "Master Albedo says his research on the 'Fish-Men' from the Sky Trace world is promising. He's developing a serum to enhance their intelligence. He believes they can be the primary workforce for underwater construction."
"Excellent. We're heading out to build the city now. Come along, Sucrose. You'll need to coordinate the power grid placement."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Thirty minutes later, the group gathered above the designated sea zone.
Mountains of materials had been transported here overnight.
Su Han floated in the air, his eyes glowing with spiritual pressure.
"Begin."
Thousands of Jade Stones shot out of his inventory, diving into the ocean like a meteor shower. They embedded themselves into the seabed in a precise geometric pattern.
Next came the Orobashi Bone Cores.
Su Han guided them into the critical nodes of the formation.
"Super-Large Water Ripple Emerald Array... Open!"
HUMMMM.
The ocean surface trembled.
Miles below, a pulse of emerald energy erupted. It pushed the millions of tons of seawater outward, creating a massive, dry bubble on the ocean floor.
100 Square Kilometers.
A vacuum was carved out of the deep. The seabed, once crushed by darkness and pressure, was now dry land protected by a shimmering green barrier. Fish flopped in confusion on the sand before being swept away by the receding water.
The array stabilized.
"Let's go," Su Han smiled. "Time to see our new territory."
"Yay! Underwater adventure!" Hu Tao cheered, grabbing Qiqi's hand. "Let's go find a ghost shark!"
"Qiqi... wants to see... whales."
The group created a water bubble around themselves and dove.
[The City of the Deep]
They landed on the seabed. It was pitch black.
"I can't see anything," Hu Tao complained. "It's spooky."
"Allow me," Rosalyne stepped forward.
She released hundreds of Night Pearls into the air. Controlled by her magic, they floated up to the dome of the array, embedding themselves in the barrier.
Flash.
Soft, cool light flooded the cavern.
"Wow..."
Gasps echoed through the group.
Above them, through the transparent emerald shield, was the ocean.
Schools of neon fish swam overhead. A massive whale glided past, its belly white against the dark blue water. Bioluminescent jellyfish drifted like floating lanterns.
"It's... it's magnificent," Xiangling whispered. "It's like we're living inside a giant aquarium."
"This is just the foundation," Su Han said, surveying the muddy ground. "We'll build towers, gardens, and train stations here. It will be the most unique city in Teyvat."
Hanachirusato immediately directed the Hakushin foxes to start clearing the sludge. Sucrose began planting markers for the research labs. Hu Tao ran off to play with the marine life visible through the shield.
Su Han went to the perimeter to install the secondary defensive arrays.
[The Shogun's Sorrow]
While everyone busied themselves with tasks, Raiden Ei stood alone near a coral formation, staring blankly at the sand.
Shenhe approached her quietly.
"You look troubled."
Ei glanced at the white-haired woman. "Do you ever feel... useless?"
"Useless?"
"Su Han is building cities. Rosalyne is creating arrays. Kokomi governs. Even Sucrose contributes to science." Ei looked at her hands. "I... I only know how to kill. When there is no war, I have no purpose. I just stand here and watch."
For the Electro Archon, peace was a strange, uncomfortable state. She was a warrior, not an administrator. In this new era of rapid development, she felt obsolete.
Shenhe looked at her, her expression calm and stoic.
"I used to feel the same. I was raised by the Adepti as a weapon against evil. I know nothing of commerce or politics."
"But," Shenhe continued, "Su Han once told me something. Love is not a transaction. He does not love us for our utility."
Ei blinked. "He doesn't?"
"No. He loves you because you are Ei. Because you are the Raiden Shogun. Because you protect him."
Shenhe looked up at the whale swimming above.
"If a God-level enemy attacks this place, Hu Tao cannot stop them. Sucrose cannot stop them. Only you can. We are the swords. Let the others be the pens. We guard the dream so they can build it."
"Besides," Shenhe added a rare, faint smile. "If you can't cook, just let Xiangling do it. Don't force yourself."
Ei stood silent for a moment. The heavy weight in her chest evaporated.
"We are the swords..." She clenched her fist, feeling her resolve return. "You are right. Thank you, Shenhe."
[Two Hours Later]
Su Han returned after installing 16 Defensive Arrays and 2 Counter-Attack Arrays. He had exhausted his jade supply, but the city was now a fortress.
He found Ei and Shenhe chatting animatedly near the entrance.
"All done?" Su Han asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Yes," Ei smiled, looking lighter than she had in days. "We're going back to Tenshukaku to train. I felt inspired. Shenhe agreed to spar with me."
"Ideally, I wish to learn how to refine my killing intent," Shenhe nodded.
"Alright, take care," Su Han waved.
Ei sliced open a portal, and the two women left arm-in-arm, looking like best friends.
Su Han stood there, scratching his head.
Wait. Did they just bond over being violence-obsessed introverts?
Why do I feel like the 'yuri' vibes just skyrocketed?
He shrugged. As long as they weren't fighting each other, it was a good day.
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