The Guili Plains hummed with new life.
Construction machines groaned and chattered like beasts of steel and alchemy. Wheels the size of carts rolled across the prepared earth. Clouds of dust rose and settled. Slimes were fed, collected, and cataloged like livestock. Copper wires stretched across long tables like metallic veins waiting to form the nervous system of a new civilization.
Takumi stood in the center of it all, hands on his hips, watching the excavator cloud Retainer had just finished.
It was big.
It was loud.
It could bite half a hill in one scoop.
And he loved it.
1. Cloud Retainer's Triumph (and Arrogance)
Cloud Retainer extended her neck proudly, wings folded with theatrical elegance.
"Hmph! Did I not tell you, mortal?" she declared. "There is nothing this Adeptus cannot construct once given sufficient reference patterns! Observe—hydraulic pressure balanced through embedded sigils, leverage amplification through mechanical multipliers… truly, those primitive ruins of Khaenri'ah pale in comparison to MY creation!"
Takumi gave a thumbs-up.
"You did great, Cloud Retainer."
"OF COURSE I DID!"
Every alchemist in the room silently vowed never to brag about anything ever again.
Takumi climbed into the driver's compartment and tested the controls. The excavator's arm swung with smooth precision, carving a clean trench in a single movement.
Klee watched with sparkly eyes.
"Brother Takumi! It's like a big digging Jumpy Dumpty!"
"Please," Albedo muttered from behind her, "never throw one of those into the machinery."
Cloud Retainer's eye twitched. "Yes. Please refrain."
Takumi clapped the dust off his gloves and stepped down.
"Good. Load it onto transport. It'll be used at the new pier."
"And what of the automated production lines you mentioned?" Cloud Retainer asked.
"Still needed," Takumi said. "Cars need to be mass-produced. We can't hand-build each one forever."
Cloud Retainer puffed up, feathers shimmering.
"Hmph! A production line so efficient it will make even Rex Lapis stunned—leave it to ME!"
2. Albedo's Laboratory: Electricity Comes Alive
The alchemy workshop next door was filled with sparks—literal ones.
Electro Slimes sat in containment jars like living batteries, discharging small jolts through regulator pads. Wires snaked across the tables. And a lone light bulb flickered, glowed, then flashed steadily.
Albedo, sleeves rolled up, adjusted the dial with delicate precision.
Klee clapped every time the bulb lit up.
"It's glowing! Brother Albedo, it's glowing again!"
"Yes, Klee," Albedo said patiently, "and it is precisely within acceptable fluctuation rates this time."
Takumi stepped into the room just as an Electro Slime sneezed, overloading a coil and causing a pop of electric sparks.
Takumi raised a brow.
"Progress?"
"Close to completion," Albedo said. "As you suggested, each household's electricity use will be recorded. I've completed water measurement in tons. Electricity… I'm currently measuring it by the daily discharge of a single Electro Slime."
Takumi stared at him.
"…You're serious?"
"It is an intuitive unit of measurement," Albedo said with scientific sincerity.
Takumi rubbed his forehead. "Fine. If Teyvat wants to measure electricity in 'Slime-Days,' so be it."
3. Blueprint System: Silent Architect
As Albedo explained the stabilizer circuits, Takumi's inner interface flickered to life.
[BLUEPRINT MODULE: ENERGY NETWORK]
— Power flow mapping ready
— Load balancing estimates calculated
— Materials required: Copper × 12 tons, Insulation fibers × 3 tons
— Safety guidelines: Recommend voltage caps to prevent slime explosions
Takumi mentally approved the suggestions.
No one else could hear the system humming in his mind. And no one else would. This world needed help, not miracle dependency. His role was to guide, not dominate.
If Liyue became a powerhouse, it would be because its people chose to grow—not because a foreign artifact built it for them.
4. Plans for the Power Plant
"Perfect," Takumi said after watching the bulbs glow steadily. "Once we finalize the stabilizer, we'll start construction on the first official Hydro-Electro Power Station."
Albedo brightened with interest.
"I've been hoping you would say that. I would like to build a smaller generator in Mondstadt as well."
Klee's eyes shone.
"Brother Takumi! Can Mondstadt sparkle at night too?"
Takumi nodded. "If we get the power plant up and running, sure."
Klee jumped happily. "Yay!"
Albedo adjusted his gloves.
"I will assist in Liyue's plant first. I wish to understand the full integration before building one in my lab."
"Good. We'll need you."
5. Stone Gate: The Road That Will Change Everything
That afternoon, Takumi gathered a group of Qianyan soldiers and engineers.
"Klee, you're up."
She raised her hand like she was in school.
"Yes! Klee is ready to explode responsibly!"
Takumi pointed to the mountain blocking the future road to Mondstadt.
"This obstacle has to go. Your job is to blast it carefully. No damage to Qingce Village. No stray bombs rolling around. And no fishing in the river today."
Klee saluted with vigor.
"Yes, sir!"
Qianyan soldiers whispered nervously.
"Is… is she safe?"
"She's with Mr. Takumi. If something happens, he can handle it."
Cloud Retainer landed nearby with a dramatic swoop.
"Hmph! This child has potential. I shall supervise!"
Takumi nodded gratefully.
"Good. Qingce Village is depending on this."
6. Klee's Grand Explosion Operation
Klee placed her charges with surprising professionalism.
"Here, here, and here! And this one is extra sparkly!"
"Klee," Takumi said calmly, "we discussed this. No sparkly extras."
"Aww…"
Boom.
The mountain shook, dust billowed into the air, and a massive section of rock crumbled cleanly. The road to Mondstadt began to take shape from the rubble.
Qingce elders, watching from a distance, clapped.
"That child has talent!"
"She reminds me of little Linyue before he became a carpenter."
"She could blow the whole region flat if she sneezes."
Takumi overheard the last one and coughed.
"Klee is safe. Mostly."
7. Messages from Mondstadt
By evening, a knightly messenger from Mondstadt arrived, breathless.
"A letter from Acting Grandmaster Jean!"
Takumi took it and skimmed the contents:
'We will send funding and support. Klee… please don't blow up anything dangerous. Thank you for watching over her.'
Klee peeked over his arm.
"Oooh! Captain Jean wrote!"
Takumi flicked her forehead gently.
"Behave when she comes."
Klee nodded vigorously.
"I'll be extra good! I won't even blow up slimes! …Unless they attack first."
"Progress," Takumi muttered.
8. The Coming Era
That night, as Takumi stood on the balcony of Wangshu Inn overlooking Guili Plains, he saw lights flicker along the new roads. Test lamps glowing. Cars being driven in practice loops. Workers transporting stone with the new dump trucks. Slimes powering small units in fenced stations.
A civilization awakening.
Keqing approached quietly.
"We're changing Liyue."
Takumi shook his head.
"Liyue is changing itself. I'm just giving it the tools."
Keqing smirked. "You're too modest."
He sighed. "If everything goes well, the first power station will go up next month. After that… factories. Electronics. Mechanized agriculture."
"Entertainment industry," Keqing added. "You keep mentioning it."
Takumi chuckled.
"One step at a time."
9. System Notification (Hidden)
Only Takumi heard it:
[CIVILIZATION PROGRESSION: 17% → 19%]
New unlocks available:
— Public Broadcasting Networks
— Refrigeration Techniques
— Mass Steel Production Methods
Takumi exhaled slowly.
The world was ready for more.