Malice prowled along the invisible barrier, discovering that the entirety of Liyue seemed to be enclosed.
Tch, they're quick, he thought. I escaped as fast as I could.
He couldn't gauge the strength of this invisible wall, and he certainly wasn't going to test it. One wrong move, and two Gods might materialize before him.
Since escape was impossible, Malice decided to abandon the pretense of flight.
He set course for the heart of Liyue, beginning preparations for his grand finale.
-
The Chasm Entrance.
Ganyu, Shenhe, and Yelan finally arrived.
Though exhausted, they dared not delay, immediately plunging into The Chasm.
The overwhelming stench of blood assaulted Yelan's nostrils, driving home the gravity of the situation.
Ganyu: "We rushed here as fast as we could. I wonder how the battle is going. I hope we're not too late."
Shenhe: "There's no sound of battle."
Hearing this, Ganyu and Yelan's hearts clenched with dread.
Could it be...?
Did we arrive too late?
A massive wave of monsters had broken through the seals in The Chasm. The Millelith had fought to the death to hold them back, only sending for reinforcements when their lines collapsed. Now, silence hung heavy in the air, deepening their unease.
Crying?
Yelan's sharp ears picked up desperate sobs. Ganyu and Shenhe heard them too, and the trio quickened their pace.
Reaching the Chasm Entrance, Yelan immediately rushed to Qingxu's side.
Qingxu remained inconsolable, clinging to her sister's side and weeping bitterly. The others gathered around her, watching silently.
By then, Morax and Barbatos had already departed.
Yelan's gaze fell upon Qingge, who lay motionless on the ground. Her pupils dilated sharply, and her breath caught in her throat.
She crouched down, reaching out to touch Qingge's forehead, but stopped halfway, instead taking hold of Qingge's right hand.
Qingge's right hand was stiff and icy cold, covered in a dense network of wounds.
Yelan reached out with both hands, gently cradling Qingge's hand as two streams of tears traced paths down her cheeks.
Ganyu covered her mouth, retreating several steps.
Shenhe stared blankly at Qingge, her eyes fixed unblinking.
"What... happened?!" Yelan asked Chong Sui, her voice strained, as if a wad of cotton was lodged in her throat, impossible to swallow or spit out. Tears blurred her vision.
With reddened eyes, Chong Sui told Yelan everything he knew.
"Monsters kept pouring out from below, endlessly. Lady Mu ventured deep into the abyss alone to find their source. By the time we found her, she was..."
Yelan took a deep breath, fighting back the stinging pain in her heart.
Tartaglia, who had been sitting on the ground nearby in deep thought for a long time, finally approached.
"Lady Mu, even after losing an arm, single-handedly fought over ten thousand Abyss Monsters and ultimately emerged victorious. She destroyed the Abyss Gate beneath The Chasm. This battle was won because of her."
Tartaglia's words only intensified Qingxu's already grief-stricken tears.
He paused briefly, but didn't stop. "The true culprit behind Qingge's death—the Abyss Monster you've been searching for—is responsible. It severed Qingge's arm and summoned this overwhelming horde of monsters!"
Even Tartaglia didn't fully understand why he was telling them this. Perhaps he couldn't bear to see her achievements glossed over, her efforts diminished by even the slightest degree.
And the true mastermind behind this could never be allowed to roam free!
Lying beside her sister's body, Qingxu's sobs subsided as Tartaglia spoke of the monster "Malice." Her already blurred eyes now burned with boundless hatred.
Yelan's expression darkened ominously. She should have realized sooner—that creature's target had always been Qingge. It had been so obvious at the bottom of The Chasm!
Knowing full well that Qingge was in constant danger here, she had still left at this critical moment...
Foolishly believing that Qingge was strong enough and protected by the Mystic Barrier left by the Geo Archon, she assumed Qingge would be safe. How utterly stupid!
If only she had stayed, hadn't returned, and faced the powerful enemies alongside Qingge, none of this would have happened!
Yelan desperately wanted to slap herself, but regret was useless. There were no "what ifs" in this world.
Shenhe stepped forward and knelt beside Qingge.
"I will... avenge you."
Shenhe's pale eyes lit up as she mimicked Yelan, placing her hand on Qingge's before withdrawing it moments later.
Ganyu stood behind Shenhe, her head bowed in sorrow.
Paimon had been crying for so long in Lumine's arms that Lumine's shoulder was soaked.
Lumine sniffled repeatedly, her body and face stained with Qingge's blood, making her look utterly wretched.
"Paimon, the Abyss is our enemy. From now on, whenever we encounter the Abyss, we will make them pay for this!"
Paimon's face was red from crying, and she nodded fiercely.
First Rola, then Qingge... If she didn't avenge them, she wouldn't be Paimon!
-
Somewhere in Liyue.
Diluc was walking through the area, having sensed the recent commotion that had shaken the nation. Fully aware of his position, he harbored no lingering attachments to the past.
He had eagerly asked Venti about Rola's Vision lighting up, only to have his hopes dashed.
Rola hadn't returned. The activation of her Vision was likely connected to the Traveler.
Thus, Diluc had returned to Liyue, searching for signs of malice while hoping to encounter the Traveler and ask about Rola's Vision.
"Diluc."
A voice suddenly called out to him. Diluc stopped immediately and turned around.
"Lord Barbatos? You..."
It was indeed Barbatos who had hailed him, still clad in his Divine Regalia.
Barbatos explained:
"Liyue has faced its greatest calamity in millennia. The Abyss has unearthed Azhdaha, the Dragon Sovereign who once fought alongside Morax, unsealed a God imprisoned beneath the sea, and resurrected the evil Chi slain by Morax in Qingce Village. Under the Abyss's influence, these foes have become exceedingly formidable."
"And the culprit behind all this is the same one who plunged Mondstadt into chaos. It also stirred the Abyss beneath The Chasm, leading to the deaths of the current Kaiyang who sacrificed herself and many Millelith soldiers."
Diluc's face showed shock. "The current Kaiyang... sacrificed herself?"
Venti nodded, and Diluc fell silent.
The Kaiyang who swore revenge for Rola at the church... The Kaiyang who was about Rola's age and a prodigious talent... She sacrificed herself?!
Was this also that bastard's doing?!
For some reason, Diluc's heart began to ache again, the familiar grief from Rola's passing resurfacing in his chest.
Barbatos: "Old... Morax is furious. He's shielded all of Liyue with his Geo shield. That fiend is hiding somewhere within Liyue. You... should come too."
Bringing Diluc along had been Venti's plan all along. He had become obsessed with vengeance, and as long as that fiend lived, he would never escape this path.
Letting him witness the fiend's death firsthand would be the best thing for him.