DISCORD ID: 9tt2WKRweP

Published: 07/02/21

Act I - Chapter V

Part I

Dark Revelations I

A cool autumn breeze blew towards the huntress' face, tickling her bright pale, red cheeks. Resisting the temptation to wipe away the sweat gathering at her brow, she inched forward, careful to avoid fallen twigs on the forest floor with the efficiency of a wind spirit. The elements seemed to be on her side as the wind blew towards her, ensuring that the buck wouldn't be able to pick up her scent. Muscular and seasoned, its ears twitched as a nut fell from the tree; judging by its immense size and long, weathered antlers, the buck had seen many summers.

The huntress froze in place as the animal momentarily observed its surroundings before resuming to pick bark off of the tree before it.

Holding her breath, the huntress reached into the quiver fastened to the back of her belt and quietly drew out a single steel arrow. Nocking it without taking her eyes off the beast, she then drew the bowstring back even slower, the skin on her middle and index fingers toughened and calloused from years of archery.

With her bow and the shafts of her arrows made from the bright bark trees of Mondstadt, and her hooded cloak dyed bloody brilliant emerald to match the lush and green breezes of the wild, and of the lively forest's leaves. All in all, the huntress was engulfed in a sea of green and white. An outfit fit for a huntress like her. But what really would catch the attention of an observer was the peculiar items strapped around her cloaked body.

A beautiful white-wild flower that she picked off from a massive field of flowers that covered an entire mountain. Feathers, shiny and glossy, a fine fletching for her arrows. A pouch filled with the waters of the clear lakes. Her most notable one was her hat, a finely crafted one, and all throughout her years of hunting, unblemished without bloodstains.

Lately, she had a new contraption that was strapped on her side. It was a compass, an instrument of magic to point her to the huntress' desires. A prey to hunt, a lake to fish, a big tree to nap on, and all of which is her desire, the compass points at.

The huntress once walked barefoot, as nature beneath her foot was her guide, and the wind her ears and eyes. But then tragedy struck, and she can no longer feel the nature that had once surrounded her. She had to compensate in using the compass ever since.

Her bow was a piece of elegant creation as well, a green bow to obscure her figure within the lush woods. It was her bow, and it belongs to her and her only.

By the time the buck reacted to the loud twang of the bow, it was too late. Quickly firing another arrow into the dying animal's thick neck, the huntress nocked a third arrow before hurrying forward. None of her arrows were ever filled with hate or malice, only filled with a sense of solemn duty.

Bleeding profusely from the two fatal wounds in its neck, the deer gazed up weakly at the young huntress. With a quick inhale, the huntress knelt, softly caressing the buck's hide, and tenderly comforted the dying animal's life. The huntress awaited until the life force of the buck finally and peacefully left its eyes. After making sure it was dead, the huntress hummed a small prayer, then she removed the arrows and cleaned them with a cloth before walking away. And with that somber vow, the creature's life force returned to the Endless Plains. As it should be.

She returned shortly later with her homemade sled in tow.

While visibly shabby due to it being made out of scrap wood, it was sturdy as it was reliable. Pulling it to the side of the buck, she grabbed the buck's antlers and pulled with all her strength. At first the body refused to budge, but after several attempts, she finally managed to pull the massive beast onto her sled.

Rubbing her hands in exhaustion, the huntress then grabbed a coil of rope from the sled and tied the buck down to the sled. After the body had been secured, she took the sled's front reins and wrapped them around her shoulders and waist. With a tired sigh, she began the trek home.

It was not much of a home, according to some folks, but to her and her master it was.

The huntress was an orphan, that much she knows of, but why? It didn't matter much. Her master adopted her when she was still young, apparently wandering around the Whispering Woods by herself. Her master did his best on finding where she had came from, but when no clue or word of a missing child was apparent, he adopted her. Even if her master was blind and deaf, he was a master at navigating the woods. Far better than her, indeed. In that moment of her life, she became a hunter, living far from civilization.

With a certain device gifted to her, she and her master managed to communicate.

"We are children of nature, we are children of the flora around us. As long as there is grass and shade, we shall move unimpeded. No prey can escape our vision, we stalk the trees and grass, we are huntsmen."

She spent a good decade of her life shadowing her master silently, observing and learning the ways of the hunt. He taught her to respect nature and its bounties. "We are the same as beasts, and the creatures that freely roam the woodlands of the north. As long as we follow the laws of nature, then we shall not fear death."

Every plant, creature, and being that shared these woods has a soul. Or at least what her master believes. She believes it too, of course, and the belief of an afterlife filled with an eternal hunt was something that fascinates her. "All those who follow nature, when their life reaches its last ebb, shall head towards that endless plain."

Recently, her master perished of old age, gently declaring that he'll wait for her, to join him in an eternal hunt in that beautiful afterlife.

Sighting the humble cottage ahead, the huntress picked up her pace. The sun was setting in a few hours, and the day of the hunt was over, as her bounty might cover her for the rest of the season of fall. She might have to pick up the slack if soon enough if she were to survive the cold, harsh winter ahead.

Winters in Mondstadt was mild, but there were raging snow storms and long winters every half-a-decade or so. It makes for a much more calm season for most folks, and a challenging one every now and then. It was the blessings of the Anemo Archon that such a unnatural feat was possible this far north.

Setting aside the sled, the huntress once again hulled the massive beast into a storage shed. She'll have to skin it properly, and that might take more time than usual because of the sheer size of her bounty.

Finally free from today's task, the huntress decided to roam the woods a little much longer, as she felt quite lonely in recent days. She always had depended on her master for company, but since he had passed recently, there was a gaping hole within her soul. It was because she was human too, and humans are creatures that seek comfort. For most, they would seek such things from family and friends, lovers if one was fortunate enough.

But the huntress only knows those words, instead of how they feel. She did try her best in fitting in at a few villages when she was there to sell her wares. But no words could escape her mouth, it was as silent as the whispering winds. She merely found solace in trying, and in the end she had gave up.

But then, when her master was still alive, he had given her a final gift before his departure. Her water pouch, but while it can hold water, there was another unique property to it. The huntress had once picked up a conversation in the wind, travelers that occasionally roam the woods would camp and share stories. She too wanted to join, yearning for that connection with other people. But she was different, she smelled different, she looks different, and she acts different.

The huntress feared no beasts, nor any dangers that the woods can oppose to her, and not even the vile temptation of the Abyss. What she feared most was a basic exchange of words to another person. She had forgotten how to speak with another human.

And so, when her master had instructed her that the Vessel, the water pouch in her possession, could capture the whispers around her she was eager to use it. Record it, and store it within. It also can do something remarkable, translate the words and whisper them into her soul, making her understand the words she had never spoke or heard from.

The huntress stalked much closer, but the folks camping were none the wiser, as she was gifted in natural agility and endurance. She opened the bottle and willed it to catch the whispers, the winds around the camp. And she did so, she can still remember what the conversation was about as she always would replay the words in her head when she had enough free time. The container was then filled with laughter and innocent chatter, all for her to use at certain times when she feels lonely.

It serves as a silent satisfaction, at least to pretend to be a part of a world she doesn't belong with.

...

"Did you hear...?...Wonderous feats of alchemy! I never knew there was such a thing..."

...

"...I wish I was as talented as...Joining the knights was my dream as a kid..."

...

"You can't believe how easy it was for...The academies really had some gems among them..."

...

No matter how hard she tries, it would seem that the huntress can only get a small gist of it. There were some words she couldn't comprehend like; academia? favonius? khemia? Such foreign words are alien to her ears, and leaves a bitter tone in her tongue, but she continues to strive ahead. Wishing, that one day she too will be part of that. Maybe, when that day comes, she too can speak and others can understand.

She wasn't as blind, though. The huntress already had a reputation to her in some parts of the woods, not that she cares much, but having to hear some folks call her a name made her giddy and curious. It made her feel part of their world, the reality she ever yearned for, even if it was insignificant at best.

It was a conversation between fellow hunters of the woods that made a revelation of clarity to her title. They whisper her name in reverence and awe, sharing stories of unnatural feats made by her hunts across the woods. They called her the Uncrowned Queen of Hunters. The Viridescent Venerer.

A title meant little to her, but it held a special place in her heart. It meant more to her that some people acknowledged her skills and talents. They praised something more than that, and it was her connection to nature and the silent part among them wishes to personally meet her. It was as if she was a "Living Legend" among mortals. The huntress never knew what those words mean, but they were important, and that's all what matters to her.

Trekking woods was always a calm affair, especially at the peak of summer. And yet, the woods were more than quiet. In recent days, since she had lost the connection to her patron God, the God of Nature. Something was amiss. Something terrible, and it slowly consumed nature.

There was only one explanation to the severed connection around her, and it was the death of the Dendro Archon, the God of Nature himself. But what did that mean to her? What would it mean to the creatures around her?

Suddenly, her thoughts ended when she had smelt the scent of a familiar wild flower, the same one as hers. Alerting the huntress immediately, she had crouched down low and hunkered in silence. It was impossible to even smell a scent like that in this woods, as the nearest fields of wild flowers were a long ways ahead, north of even the mountains of Mondstadt. And yet, the huntress can smell a scent that was unmistakably familiar and foreign to her.

Her ears twitch in reaction as the huntress heard a twig snap in a direction. Amateurs, a sound like that could potentially attract predators and scare prey away. Another scent caught her sharp nose, a foreign smell this time. It was nothing she ever had smelt before, it was a spicy yet alluring smell, filled with purpose and vigilance. The huntress had to resist scrunching her nose in disgust at the smell, it was too strong to belong in a forest.

What were these people doing here? People who smell like that belonged in the cities, the one place where she avoids like the plague. The huntress had once tried to visit the city on the lake, but trying to get closer was much harder, as the putrid smell of iron, waste, smoke, and other aroma nearly butchered her nose. The stench was unbearable, that is way the closests place she ever had visited filled with people like that were the villages, and yet she couldn't stay long lest she caught whiff of a strong stench.

Creeping slowly in the bushes, the huntress' sense of smell grew stronger. There were two people, one with the aroma of familiar wild flowers, and the other a walking stench factory. Moving from tree to tree, an explosion of voices greeted her, one soft, the other blunt.

It was then she sees a clearing the huntress took her approach slowly, and when the huntress found a shadow of two figures greet her curious sight. One was with bright clothing, and there was a sense of nobility and purpose to her stature, as it reminded the huntress of a creature with prideful aura and resilience. The other was much more curious to her, as the figure was tall, and covered with the most alluring clothing the huntress ever had witnessed her whole life.

There was also the aura of a dignified warrior, and a stern yet reflective feel to the tall one.

Those whispers then turned into much louder voices, as it had seemed that their conversation was tipping to an argument. A rare sight for her to see, but it was filled with frustration and helplessness. It was something akin to prey she had caught, all of which had an aura of being powerless. She felt bad, of course, but it was the way of nature and the huntress was thankful for the bounty she was given. For their deaths were the price to pay for her survival.

But this one was different.

Gently pulling out her Vessel, the huntress then captured to what these strangers were saying. The usual whispers of converse she always assume that was shared is now a different beast. Mutterings of anger and destitute of contentment filled with emotion as both strangers exchanged harsh words.

...

"...This isn't fair Dain!... The Gods wanted retribution of a crime we didn't commit!"

...

"...It isn't, but remember Lumine, this is what they wanted in the first place... If they continue to harass us, and if we openly deny their claims, then it meant we had let them do as they had wished... We cannot have that, as the powers at Celestia knows their advantage. But, if we were to wait a little longer, then we might have the leverage needed to-"

...

"...There is no time, Dain! If we let them fester any longer, they will become restless! They'll do something drastic. I know it."

...

The huntress then saw the tall one, Dain, soften his eyes at the girl, Lumine. He moves a little closer, and gently caressed the side of the girl's cheeks in comfort. To the huntress' surprise, the girl responded with leaning closer to the tender hand. It had reminded the huntress of some animals seeking comfort in more... intimate ways. The dawning realization of horror descended upon her, that she was trespassing upon a very privy moment between these two.

In her haste of desperately trying to leave, the huntress stepped on a small twig she did not see, causing her to momentarily panic. That was a cause of worry, as the tall one, Dain, snapped his head towards where she was crouching, and she tried not to flinch at his calculating gaze. It was the girl, Lumine, who charged forward without thinking. The huntress, with the agile ability of inhuman proportions managed to roll several meters away from her original spot within being spotted.

It was only thanks to her outfit that she managed to hide in the bushes effectively. Both strangers passed her by without knowing that she was there, and the huntress gave a brief sigh of relief when she saw both were on the other side.

Having slipped pass them, the huntress rushed back to her part of the woods, thinking on the dark revelations she had privy to.

Time was a cruel concept, at least to Ganyu.

She remembered the day when the Archon War ended. It was filled with joyous occasions and drunk nights. It was the same night when Rex Lapis himself joined the festivities, dining with the many Adepti present, he even invited the Anemo God from Mondstadt to join in, but there was no sighting of him. The only person from Mondstadt to arrive was but a drunk bard.

His performance was exemplary on its own kind, but the prude language and innuendos were unnecessary!

Rex Lapis gave a speech of mortality and what it truly meant for humans. Of how fragile they are, but still strives forward, no matter the cause. They acknowledged their fragility, and yet still does not hesitate? Truly, a wonderful sentiment, but a confusing one for her. Why fight when they can't win? Why struggle when they are weak?

Rex Lapis' answer? It is because they must, or else, they too would fall apart. Inaction can cause more damage than having to do something. Doing things that is right rather than what is easy, a compelling ideal. Each mortal knew that their end was inevitable, that is why they live their lives to the fullest of their extent. Whether by age, plague, or war, humans struggle through, surviving another day till their end.

Ganyu can't seem to relate to their ideals. Was this why Rex Lapis was adamant to protect them, because he saw an untold amount of potential within? Most gods protect humans to gain followers, so they could worship them, and in turn, give them the divine right to rule. Archons were the same weren't they? They won the war so they could protect humans the same way Rex Lapis did, right?

No, there was something else, as who she saw that night at his speech was a forlorn god, speaking words that do not belong to him. If those sentiments for humans were not his, then who's? And no matter where the Geo Archon got those feelings from, she could not deny the message.

For beings like her, a Qilin, time was but a small factor in her life. Time to her was a schedule, a meeting agreement, day and night, whatever comes into her mind. Ganyu wasn't worried at all, because to her mind, she had all the time in the world.

But for the humans, time was as inevitable as death. No matter what form, natural, murder, or suicide, death always come for them. Ganyu knows death, she was familiar with it, but still can't comprehend it all the same.

That night was the night when Ganyu started to envy humans. Never she had in her life did Ganyu understand what it meant to live with borrowed time, and the unique promise of a coming end. Death was inevitable, Rex Lapis said. And yet, nothing is impossible for humans, Rex Lapis said.

And he was right, regardless of what Ganyu knows, humans had once built a civilization without a god, they had built wonders without the aid of Visions, and they still managed to stave off the Abyss. Ganyu was starting to see the point of the Adepti that had left the harbor, always saying that their era has come to an end, and that humans can survive without the aid of the gods.

What did mortality meant for her? For Ganyu? Even to this day, Ganyu couldn't say. But she still kept trying to find that answer. That is why she accompanied the humans even when most Adepti left, Ganyu stayed within the city even as the Adepti felt their time was over, and yet she still could not find an answer.

She was stuck. Even if she had all the time in the world, she felt like it was more of a disadvantage. Without that sense of urgency, what did time mattered to Ganyu? That is why she still works at the Qixing without questioning everything.

Ganyu did her duty to her upmost capabilities, without question, without hesitation. But the image of the peace that had reigned over Liyue was shattered when she heard that explosion. Without hesitation, as always, she answered the call. But in the end, Ganyu was only disappointed.

To herself.

'How did I missed this?' Ganyu thought, helplessly watching the many Millelith going over the warehouse, putting out the flames, and gathering up the bodies. 'This doesn't make sense, why was a violent confrontation present in Liyue? This is...'

There was no words to describe her confusion and inability to make sense of what she was witnessing. Back in the Archon War, everything was as straightforward as battles and confrontations go, but the situation right now? Ganyu felt left out, she felt blind when she had first entered in the courtyard.

She admitted that it might've been a serious accident since it was near the port, but that surefire conclusion was busted when Ganyu saw a dead body. Most accidents have two or three casualties, especially at a serious case, but this was something else.

"Lady Ganyu," called out one of the Millelith soldiers. According to his attire, he was a lieutenant. "My boys and I tallied the body count. Seven dead, four unconscious. We made sure to comb out the rest, but these folks were it." Ganyu spotted a tone of satisfaction laced within his brief report. Something that Ganyu was not privy to.

"Any sign of the perpetrator?" Her gut told her that it was a dangerous individual to have come challenged them, but for what? What can a man experience to do such a desperate move?

"No, ma'am, but there was a sign of entry at one of the warehouses." Her lilac eyes spotted the shattered door at the main warehouse, a sign of forced entry if she were to closely observe. Weirdly enough there was nothing notable in the warehouse, except for some documents as some had reported to her. The lieutenant saluted when Ganyu sent him off after his report, leaving her alone to gather her thoughts.

The signs were clear, these were criminals, but why were such elements in the city? Surely, the Qixing would have known of this... Or did they already? It was hard to find a logical reason, at least to her, why were the Qixing letting these people in without a sanction?

Such a thing would result in a termination order, a full arrest and apprehending of criminals in the city, and a manhunt for every memeber. Not a speck of dust regarding criminal activity would be present, and that is just the normal procedure. So why were they present in a public area, right next to the fish market and the ship yard, a business center without any sanctions?

"What a mess," remarked one of the guards inspecting the rubble of the gate ruins. "And here I thought they would not cause trouble, a bunch of morons. I never knew why Kaiyang let them get away with this."

Lord Kai? The administrator of foreign affairs? Indeed, why would he do such a thing? And Ganyu can't seem to imagine the senior Qixing member would let them. Criminals were rampant across the city, and she wasn't even aware of it? Ganyu felt shame creeping back to her, not since the moment Lord Rex Lapis saw her being swallowed by the regisvine and survived after it chocked on Ganyu's waist did she ever felt embarrassed.

"Um, excuse me, soldier, what did you mean by that?" Ganyu asked, as she approached the crouching Milllelith. The man himself was startled by her voice and straightened his posture to answer her, but when he saw her face the Millelith paled. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and her guts were telling her that something wasn't right. A millileth should stand firm, but when faced with trouble they should not hesitate to act on it. How could have the Millelith fallen so far? Another failure that she must repent.

"What? L-Lady Ganyu?! Why are you here?"

"I should be the one asking the questions here, soldier," Ganyu had a long day, and this man was only making this night more complicated than it seems. "Now tell me, what did you mean when you said that Lord Kai had something to do with the criminals here?"

"W-Well, these folks aren't exactly criminals..." The Milleith desperately continued when Ganyu glared at the poor man, "But technically, these guys were permitted to do business in the city, in exchange for not making such a fuss like right now! It seems that they broke the agreement..."

"I do not care what rules they broke, I only care for why they were here in the first place!" Losing her patience, Ganyu grab hold of the Millelith's collars and yelled, "This is a serious violation of Morax's code of citizen protection conduct! Do you think I'm blind to just accept these people were here only to "conduct" business in Liyue?!"

Ganyu violently gestured a free arm towards crates of contrabands and illegal products scattered throughout the warehouse's courtyard. Along with the pile of dead bodies and injured, pieces of drugs, weapons, gems and tools lay dispersed indiscriminately. Such a sight was an eyesore. It really peeved her off, knowing she could have done something about it. "You see this? This isn't what you would call a merchant's product! Illegal drugs, smuggled weapons, and even unsanctioned crystals and tools! Tell me why! How could Lord Kai let this happen?!"

"You didn't know?" The millelith muttered in shock, he was genuinely confused as to why she was asking, and it caught Ganyu off-guard. "I-I thought the rest of the Qixing knew. K-Kaiyang made a deal with a Syndicate leader, Sheng, to help expand the Syndicate's business in Liyue. In exchange, no gang members were to cause trouble, as long as that agreement is in place, we are to leave them be."

Having to release the man, Ganyu felt wronged all over a sudden. Criminals in Liyue? That thought alone managed to make her fearful of the people's safety, but the Syndicate? That was something else entirely! She had heard of the Syndicate's massive influence in the courts of Fontaine, of how they had every member of the court of justice in their hands. It was a scary thought. But it was confirming that Lord Kai had something to do with this, and Ganyu felt atrociously stabbed in the heart. Betrayed.

"W-Why...?" Ganyu wishes to cry, but there was another emotion she felt. Not since the final hours of the war did Ganyu ever felt pure-unadulterated rage, and the malevolent feeling of resentment for a person she had trusted.

Decades back then, when Ganyu had first met Lord Kai, he was but a minor secretary for the Tianshu. Young, impressionable, and wide-eyed around him, Lord Kai was but a child in wonder when he began working in the Qixing. He had earned his position after twenty years of hard work, and Ganyu felt happy when she heard the news. It was because both Ganyu and Lord Kai were in a relationship, but it fell apart after Ganyu decided to let him go, knowing the heartbreak if she were to get too close to him.

Ganyu had many lovers in the past, and each lover was but a way to understand humans better. In the end, it either broke with her lover's death or tragedy. Ganyu moved on with each and every one, making sure to at least remember their names and face. It was getting much harder to do so as each passing person to win her heart perishes away in a blink of an eye. But this, Kaiyang's betrayal of her trust, and subsequent endangerment to the people of Liyue, it was entirely different.

If she were to have no nightmares, wake up on time to do her duty for the Qixing, and never spent an hour of rest, Ganyu would have been too busy to even realize her mistake. How long were criminal elements present in the city under her watch? Months? Years? Decades? Centuries? Since the beginning of Liyue? Truly, she felt like a cold bucket fell over her, shocking her system and making her chill.

Ganyu chuckled, truly, Fate has a funny way to show her displeasure. After years of faithful service, Rex Lapis had generously acquitted to her request of serving the Qixing. And his generosity was awarded with this? Ganyu's laugh turned into soft whimpers, as she imagines the face of Rex Lapis looking down on her in disappointment, or worse, loathing and displeasure.

Knowing that doing something right now would only tire her out more, she decided to take a rest and retire to her chambers, and Ganyu never felt this tired in her life. She only hopes that she can go to bed without any of the nightmares last night. And she really wants to go back to work, and discuss with Uncle Tian on what he knows about the Syndicate's growing influence in Liyue, and what to do about what Kaiyang had done. Just thinking of saying his name made Ganyu feel bitter inside.

The Syndicate was dealt a serious blow this night, so why bother chasing a shadow that isn't there anymore? It was best to recuperate her mind, and deal with it the next day lest she exhaust herself to death.

A crowd had gather around the entrance way of the warehouse, and Ganyu can spot them whispering in contempt. It seems that these criminal folks had troubled them for a while, and that confirmation alone made her feel sick to her stomach. These people were suffering because of the Qixing's lack of action against them, and she knew they were not whispering of the criminals, but of the Millelith finally doing their duty or something.

It even made it worse, knowing that it wasn't an official that had dealt with them, but an unknown individual. Ganyu flinched when a child with beautiful white hair and ruby eyes stared at her expectantly, as if a reminder of her failure. She quickly dodged the crowd and left the area with haste that even the famous conqueror of demons would look on with envy.

Ganyu was immortal, she can live long, and yet she was blind to the problems around her?

Truly, time is a cruel concept. And it only serves to remind her that she had the time, but never thought that Ganyu might have not enough.

Ganyu sighed, 'If only I can turn back time.'

Ningguang watches in morbid fascination as the crowd whispers in conspiracy.

Holding tight on Mister Aether's bag, she wonders what had happened here. Surely, this was an accident, right? At least those scary soldiers were busy with the current mess to focus on her, and Ningguang can watch without worry. Looking around the quickly gathering crowd, she felt part of the mass as whispers grow louder.

It was silenced a little when a figure came marching out of the ruined compound and Ningguang found this figure absolutely gorgeous. Spending the few hours roaming the market, Ningguang can easily gauge a person's worth in their clothes and stature. She didn't know how she could do that, but it seems she just has a natural talent for such value.

And this lady's clothes were otherworldly. Sure, it was a bit rumpled across the lady's curvy figure, but Ningguang was mesmerized anyway. The lady even had an aura of authority with her, making her presence quite suffocating. But she couldn't help but stare anyway.

When the lady made contact with her eyes, Ningguang wanted to say something, but when the lady rushed off, she was disappointed in her lack of self-confidence. Ningguang needed to improve, if she must earn the right to live in this city. That no one would call her out, or question her place here.

So far, her progress has been steady. Ningguang's adventure at the central market was worth her time, as she finally had found the clothes she wanted to wear, appropriate to the city's standard. Whilst her outfit was still cheap to most, it made an illusion of belonging.

Her pure-white attire with a streak of gold was a striking look, as most kids her age must have than one color to their dress. It hugged tightly to her figure, as embarrassing as it was, but the patient lady at the clothes market was ready to point out that a certain degree of exposing form must be present to give out the look of confidence in the dress. It helped when the lady said it could catch the eye of a person Ningguang likes.

There was a person that comes into her mind when the lady presented her pitch sale, but Ningguang denied that was the case. To her, Mister Aether was a friend. A close friend! But nothing more. Or there could be more? Ningguang wasn't so sure yet.

"Please disperse the crowd, there's nothing to see here. Move along now." A millelith soldier declared, not wanting to get more attention than they are comfortable with. It was just best to keep things quiet, but at this rate every soul in Liyue had already knew what had happened quite a while ago. That is why even Ningguang was here, it was because on her way to the fish market, an explosion rang.

Everybody heard of it, not a single person in Liyue would have not demand answers in the next morning, and that itself was a headache for the Administration of internal affairs.

Ningguang, along with some of the crowd, gave faces of displeasure, but complied nonetheless. No one would dare go against the Millelith, especially Ningguang, as she already had troubled mister Aether once. She was determined to not trouble him again.

He had given too much for Ningguang to betray his trust. Too much.

Ningguang still wonders how she could pay him back, but nothing still came up.

Deciding to continue her shopping crusade in the fish market, Ningguang follows mister Aether's instructions; go find a man who was interested in buying her starconch, and meet up at the Liuli Pavilion.

Spotting a market stall with nothing but starconches was a good sign for her to start. The person manning the stall alone was an aging man, maybe in his 50s, if Ningguang were to guess. Still, if he was not the person she was looking for, then maybe she can ask him where this mister Wu Lang was. The man spotted her approaching him, but did nothing. It was only when Ningguang was observing the man's starconches did the old man himself spoke.

"Need somethin', missy?" The old man grunted, wondering why a young girl like her would be interested in his wares. "If ya came here for the pearls, sad to say that this place 'ere ain't the one for ya."

"Are you mister Wu Lang, by any chance?"

The question off of Ningguang's lips manage to catch the man's attention. It still did not nudge his interest, but he was listening. "Even if I am, what's it to you miss?"

"I have starconches." The man hummed as Ningguang brought out her worn-out box filled with her wares, opening the top to showcase them proudly. "I heard from a friend that a Wu Lang from the fish market might be interested."

"And interested he is." The man, old man Wu, took a single glance at her wares and smirked. "I can see why ya came here lookin' for me. Now, these 'ere are a beauty! Where'd ya get these ones anyway? Most of what I sell came from the south wharf, the beach there holds quite a treasure trove."

"Around the yaoguang shoal, I mostly picked them fresh from the sea," Ningguang embarrassingly replied, a bit shy that someone can actually peruse the value of special shells like these. "I picked and cleaned them myself." She couldn't help but have a sense of pride in her hard work.

"I can see that," chuckled old man Wu. "Now, normally when a seller comes to me to sell whatever they can find, a starconch is worth around five-hundred mora."

Five-hundred?! That's twenty times the price Ningguang was selling at the shoal! Truly, the city of Liyue was a place of opportunity, and still can't help but marvel at the endless possibilities. If she were to sell all of her thirty shells in this moment, she would have made a profit worth her entire year! Fifteen-thousand Mora! In an instant.

Whilst Ningguang was marveling at her progress, old man Wu gave another closer look at one of her wares in his hand. Giving the starconch a scrutiny worthy of a jeweler, Wu blinked in surprise at the quality she had delivered. Ningguang's wares were more than a simple trade of a basic commodity. This was a gold nugget in his hands.

"That's not all, missy," Wu's words managed to bring Ningguang back to reality, snapping out of whatever fantasy she had. "Yours is much more valuable than whatever some bunch of lazy asses ever brings here. In fact, yours is worth eight times the value. I cannot let an opportunity like this passes. So, what do you say, missy? Care to do a trade?"

Eight. Eight times the worth. If she did her math right… That's over a hundred thousand Mora! That's twice of whatever Aether had given her at his gift! The enchanted pouch could theoretically hold around seventy-thousand Mora. It might've as well let her live a comfortable life at the shoal with granny, never having to worry about Mora anymore.

But a trade that is worth over a hundred thousand? That's more than whatever she ever dreamed of. 'I could start a business with this type of capital!'

"YES! I-I mean, of course, I would be happy to." Ningguang tried not to blush too much at her outburst of excitement. "But, um, I do not have the appropriate means to store the Mora agreed upon." Ningguang might need to get another pouch from mister Aether if this trend continues. She's getting richer at a blink of an eye, and it's only been one day!

"That won't be a problem, I assure you." Wu was confident that he still has connections from the administration to open the- what's they call it again? The Northland Bank? Yeah, reserving a spot at the new bank might be an opportunity for him as well. 'I wonder if Tianshu is interested as well.'

Wu doubts that, the old Qixing member was very suspicious of foreign entities that enters Liyue. A hypocrite, if Wu was to be asked. Tian let some bunch of rowdy nobody's from the woods and cause untold trouble for some folk at the district. It was more than that, if Wu had ascertained from the few of the thugs that had entered the market quite a while ago.

The old man recognized it immediately, organized crime.

When distinguished men, lieutenants, if Wu was correct, had entered the harbor unimpeded Wu knew something was not right. He had used a few of his personal sources to gain a semblance of information of who these men were. And what he learned, Wu was saddened and outraged that the Qixing had let this happen.

"Are you sure?" Ningguang asked, reluctant in accepting the offer.

"Don't worry much, lil' Lady," Wu laughed as he retrieved a box from a safe spot behind him. He opened it, pulled out a massive bag of Mora, and steadily handed it out to the befuddled girl. "This is just the down payment, I'll sent a contact at once when your transaction is complete."

She accepted it, of course, having the bag of Mora safely tucked within her newly acquired enchanted bag gifted by mister Aether.

Astonished, Ningguang only nodded at the old man, agreeing that the bargain was good for her. It wasn't as if she needed the money immediately as she already has enough to spare. According to the size and ratio of the bag, she estimated that around twenty-thousand was given as the down payment. Ningguang has a good feeling that this was start of an illustrious venture with the old man.

The future never seemed so bright than ever before!

Knowing that the child might have important matters to attend, Wu knows he has as well, he bid her goodbye, and began closing up in his store. He also safely stored away Ningguang's recently sold wares and closed shop.

Ningguang bid the old man goodbye as well, and hastily left the fish market, heading for the central district to meet up with mister Aether. She couldn't contain the gleeful smile on her face, as her recent endeavor was a success! Her hard work finally had paid off.

She knew that planning to go to the city was a good idea! But if she hadn't met mister Aether at the beach and unlocked her Vision, Ningguang would have never imagined to even comprehend braving the city on her own. Ningguang knew, that in her heart, it was mister Aether that had inspired her to go the distance.

It wouldn't have been possible for her to be where she was now, at the city with her new clothes, a profit unimaginable to her made in a single night, and a valuable gift without having to accompany the man himself. Fate was a funny thing, Ningguang concluded. She wonders if she hadn't met a aspiring man such as he. Maybe she would still be selling starconches at a pathetic price, never knowing a man like mister Wu to value her hard-earned goods better than anyone else.

Ningguang owed a lot to mister Aether, and she wonders. How could she ever pay him back?

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This chapter is just a small part of five total chapters at the final end of Act I! Having to write them and post it in one singular chapter would take a long time, so it was best to divide Chapter V into four parts with an extra small epilogue in the end.

So, how was the chapter? I was debating within myself, again, if I were to add the Lore of Artifacts and Weapons of Genshin Impact. They do play a significant role, especially at the time of the "Collapse", an interesting time period five hundred years ago. This was where Lumine awakened much early compared to her brother, the fall of Khaenri'ah, the crisis of the Alchemist Gold and the rise of Durin and the age of monsters, and even the subsequent change in the role of the Archons; The Dendro Archon's death, the Pyro Archon's replacement, and the horrors that the Tsaritsa had endured.

That age of turmoil attracts less attention than it should have, but hey, I am here to do just that. Do not worry for the next chapter, I'll probably post it in the next friday or so.