"Aiya, Qingge, I never imagined you had such a profound understanding of death. If everyone in Liyue were like you, this Director wouldn't have to come out and promote our services herself!"
"Director Hu Tao, you're truly diligent and capable. But since Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is the only establishment handling funeral matters in Liyue, everyone is destined to become your client, whether they like it or not—sooner or later."
Hu Tao immediately retorted:
"That's not the point! In Liyue, we believe in 'peace in the earth.' Our funerary rites are quite complex, so making arrangements in advance allows us to prepare properly based on the expected number of services."
"Besides," she added, her cheeks puffing up in indignation, "that Zhongli fellow has recently become obsessed with buying antique calligraphy and paintings. He never haggles, sometimes even bidding higher than the asking price, and always sends the bills to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
Hu Tao's small face puffed up with indignation as she continued, "One of the reasons I came to Wanmin Restaurant today was to settle his debts! That fiend! Xiangling should have kept him here washing dishes until he'd paid everything off before letting him leave!"
Mu Qingge: "..."
This was a tricky situation.
Her superior's superior was criticizing her direct supervisor. As a mere junior employee, it was best to keep her head down.
"What a coincidence running into you all here! I was planning to treat you to dinner, but since you've already eaten, let's save it for next time. I'll host then, and we can invite Xingqiu and Chongyun too. We'll have a proper get-together!"
Mu Qingge: "Sounds good, Director Hu. Enjoy your meal. We'll be going now."
Hu Tao nodded briskly and hurried to the kitchen to find Xiangling.
As the trio walked out of Wanmin Restaurant, they strolled down the bustling street. Lumine and Paimon hesitated several times, clearly wanting to say something but stopping themselves. Noticing their hesitation, Mu Qingge stopped.
"You two seem to have something on your minds. Given our friendship, I don't think there's anything you can't share with me."
Paimon floated closer to Mu Qingge. "Qingge, the Traveler and I are planning to head to Inazuma next, but the country is currently under the Sakoku Decree, and the sea is plagued by lightning storms. We were hoping you might know a way to get there."
"You're going to Inazuma?" Mu Qingge asked.
Lumine nodded.
After a moment's thought, Mu Qingge replied, "I do know a way to get to Inazuma, but you won't be able to go there now."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Many people want to go to Inazuma or leave Inazuma right now, but the only fleet that can ensure safe passage is the Crux Fleet, and they just set sail."
"When will the Crux Fleet return?"
"I'm not entirely sure. You could ask Ningguang—she's close to Beidou, the Big Sister of the fleet. It's possible she had something to do with their departure this time."
Having obtained the information they needed, Lumine and Paimon made as if to return to Wanmin Restaurant.
"Aren't you two full yet?" Mu Qingge asked, her gaze fixed unblinkingly on Paimon, her meaning unmistakable.
Paimon crossed her arms. "What do you mean? Of course I'm full! Paimon's stuffed! We're going to find Shenhe."
"Shenhe?"
Mu Qingge couldn't recall seeing Shenhe at Wanmin Restaurant earlier. Could she be out delivering meals?
Come to think of it, she and Shenhe were quite close. She'd been meaning to visit her anyway.
But since Shenhe wasn't here now, she'd have to come back another time.
After all, she'd promised her younger sister she'd return early.
If she got back late, the girl might not say anything, but she'd secretly resent Qingge for brushing her off and treating her like a child.
Thinking of this, Mu Qingge's lips curled into a faint smile.
She's just a child, yet she insists on acting like an adult.
On her way home, Mu Qingge pondered how to create a disturbance in Liyue as significant as the one in Mondstadt.
How can I cause such a massive event without harming too many innocent people?
Compared to Mondstadt, achieving this in Liyue would be far more challenging.
Moreover, that Mondstadt drunkard harbored a deep-seated hatred for Malice. If Malice dared to show its face in Liyue, he'd rush over to avenge Rola even without Zhongli's summons.
The Dragon Sovereign beneath the Dragon-Queller Tree might be able to restrain one Morax, but what about Venti? His power is not to be underestimated.
Should I release Osial again?
That might work!
The sea battlefield shouldn't affect too many civilians. If necessary, I can simply push the conflict further out into the sea.
The Adepti can handle the Vicious Chi in Qingce Village, and the Abyss beneath The Chasm can also be exploited.
There are a lot of moving parts here. I need to organize my thoughts carefully.
If I rouse the Abyss beneath The Chasm, Lumine's storyline in The Chasm would be disrupted. Although a new storyline would compensate, Jiang Mumu was particularly fond of that part.
When she first played through the Five Yakshas' storyline, she cried for ages.
The plan wasn't ready yet, and potential unforeseen circumstances hadn't been accounted for. Once initiated, it might spiral beyond her control.
If it caused too many casualties, Jiang Mumu's guilt would be immense.
Better to wait until The Chasm storyline concluded. In the meantime, she'd let Malice slowly refine the plan, ensuring absolute certainty before proceeding.
-
Inazuma.
Raiden Ei, weary of the fleeting illusions of the mortal world, yearned for the eternal path of pure lands.
In her own words:
"Though the scenery of this fleeting world remains unchanged for centuries, the lives of those within it are as ephemeral as morning dew and vanishing bubbles."
Vanity!
The Archon, seeking eternity, desired to freeze Inazuma in the river of time, thus she enacted the Sakoku Decree.
To suppress the burgeoning desires of her people, the Vision Hunt Decree soon followed.
Under the suffocating gloom of isolation, the Inazuman people's smiles grew fewer.
Inazuma City, within a courtyard.
"Ahem, Uncle, look, these are gifts we brought. Won't you let Shinobu and Yuna come out and meet us?"
"Just one word from them saying they want to leave the Arataki Gang, and we'll never bother them again. What do you say?"
The speaker was Arataki Itto, leader of the Arataki Gang.
With him were ordinary gang members Mamoru, Akira, and Genta.
Before the four stood two large crates of Lavender Melons, while facing them was a man in his fifties, his face cold, his eyes hostile, and a wooden staff in his hand.
"I've told you countless times already: get the hell out of here and go back where you came from! Take your things with you and don't you dare bother my daughters again!"
The man's face flushed crimson with rage as he glared at the four men before him, gritting his teeth.
It's all these hoodlums' fault for corrupting my daughters! And they corrupted both of them at once!
If their mother hadn't faked an illness to trick them into coming home, those girls might never have returned!
Seeing these "culprits" now, I'm being downright polite by not beating them out with this stick.
"Uncle, your daughters are grown up now, with their own ideas. The Arataki Gang isn't just some fly-by-night operation, you know. We're destined to become the number one gang in all the land! Our future is limitless..."
In an unprecedented move, Arataki Itto actually started trying to reason with him.
He had no choice. Shinobu and Yuna had been gone from the Arataki Gang for three days, and he was genuinely desperate.
The man before him was Shinobu's father, the gang's second-in-command, and that violent girl's dad. He had to be as polite as possible.