CHAPTER THIRTEEN: SUMERU
Jean's thoughts of Yelan's tactics had been within the limits of "too harsh," but Ganyu and Keqing's own separate thoughts on the matter remained the same. In their minds, there was no forgiveness possible, and Reshav, despite his reactions to the torture he'd endured turning out to be only an act of mockery, had deserved everything he'd gotten. However, in their victory came a whole new can of worms that made the horrors of the night Liyue Harbor was sunk seem mild in comparison.
Androids.
Hundreds of them.
All being powered by divine energy and strength.
This whole new threat had changed everything, and the only way to stop it was currently a mystery to all of them, minus Yelan. She'd led Ganyu and Keqing all the way to Sumeru City for some reason that they could only hope was a lead in this seemingly hopeless battle, and now stood before the entrance to the well-known school of scholars, sages, and professors known as the Academia.
It was the equivalent of trying to get into a private party or gathering, having been halted from entering just a foot's length from the double door entrance. Luckily for them, Yelan was a master of persuasion and had gotten the guard to at least fetch someone that could lead them to a place that related to the severed head of Reshav Starchovski.
They'd been waiting patiently for about ten minutes before the double doors had finally opened again, the guard they'd sent leading another person through the doorway. The new company was a tall middle-aged man dressed in the attire worn by most of the experienced professors of the Academia, his skin tan, face styled with a black goatee, and his eyes adorned with thin-framed glasses.
It was clear just by his appearance that he'd been a teacher of the establishment for a long period of time.
Upon his approach, Yelan shifted her body to a proper posture that the scholars of the Academia deemed respectful in a first meeting, to which Ganyu and Keqing followed by copying to avoid any chance of giving a bad first impression. The guard and professor halted just a foot from Yelan, said guard beginning the greeting with a proper introduction.
"This is Professor Oswalch, our most experienced scholar in the field of mechanics and machinery," the guard introduced. "If there's anyone in Sumeru who can potentially help you with your issue, it's him."
"Greetings," Oswalch followed up. "What may I help you ladies with today?"
Yelan took that as her opening to finally speak, so she followed up with a careful choice of words.
"Salutations, professor. I simply need help in dissecting a microchip from a failed experiment."
Oswalch expressed a look of bemusement, having not expected an answer as such.
"Interesting. However, microchips are normally pretty simple to extract, ma'am. Why is my assistance required?"
Yelan gave Oswalch a look that gave him full clarity that her next words were absolutely serious in every single matter.
"Because it's very important that I don't damage or corrupt anything within its memory or data, sir."
Oswalch caught onto her message and followed her lead with a nod of his head.
"I see. Well then, please follow me to my office. We can discuss more there."
"As you wish," Yelan assured, to which she, Ganyu, and Keqing followed.
The professor led them into the building, past the main lobby area, and into another room with a long narrow walkway. Off to the sides of the single walkway were two sets of stairs that lead down to the ground floor area, to which he turned right and directed them down the right set of stairs. From the ground floor, he led the three to a door, opened it wide, and closed it tight upon the three ladies being clear of the doorway.
Inside the room was a small and messy space that was littered with mechanical stripped parts, worn books with crippling spines and yellowed pages, and a single screen that lined the entire farthest wall. It was a sight that had bewildered Ganyu the most, having never seen such an advanced technological component before. She'd heard of such gadgets existing via past conversations she'd overheard while out on her usual break, but never had any interest or desire to ever see one.
The closest thing she'd ever seen or used that could be classified as "advanced technology" is a Kamara, and even the magical ability for a device to capture a moment in time with a flash of light baffled her ancient mind. The room suddenly erupted into light upon Oswalch switching on the massive machine that covered the entire north wall, static presented on the screen, eventually fading to a screen with only the insignia of the Academia present on the screen.
Upon the screen meeting its default screen, he turned to Yelan with a serious look.
"Alright, before we continue, I need to know what your true intentions are with this."
Yelan knew she'd been found out, but despite the foiling of her disguise as a mere amateur inventor, she just smiled and chuckled.
"Figures a major of your level would figure me out easily. Alright then, I'll give you the honest truth. This microchip is part of an android that is responsible for my once-home's eradication, and to prevent another nation from disappearing from existence, I need to know where it came from and analyze everything stored in its memory.
I plan to do nothing malicious, professor; I just want to figure out the origins of the microchip and the data stored on it. It could potentially save this place from a snow witch's plan to wipe it off the map."
Yelan gave it straight, making sure her goals and intentions were clear, as much as the potential consequences if he disagreed to helping her further. Her words had put Oswalch into a state of unease, having caught onto her message that she wasn't fibbing about anything clear as day.
"Alright, I understand," he responded, wiping sweat from his brow out of intimidation. "I can see that you are being upfront and serious, even though it sounds like some sort of ridiculous nonsense. Normally, I'd just send anyone else packing, but you have convinced me enough to believe you. Therefore, I'll do my best to help you."
"Wise decision," Yelan added, moving to the bag currently hanging from her right shoulder.
She opened the bag and pulled out the head of Reshav Starchovski, causing Oswalch to flinch, but calmed upon seeing the severed wires hanging out from where the neck was cleanly cut. He eyed the head for a moment before grabbing it from Yelan's grasp, clearly impressed at how much it seemed like a real human head.
"Very interesting," he started, continuing to analyze the head. "This creation is in no doubt the most realistic I've ever seen, and was in no doubt created by someone that is a master of this type of craft. This has been modified in a way that I can't quite describe, and is of the highest rank of mechanical engineering, even going outside of the usual blueprint for even the most common type of robot or android. Something that only a heavily experienced engineer could even successfully create."
"Do you think you can still fulfill my request?" Yelan questioned.
"No doubt I can, but given the design of this, it may take me a little bit of time to disassemble everything I need in order to reach the "brain" of this particular android," Oswalch explained. "The design of this assembly of parts and circuits is very specific, as if it were designed to only be modified by one individual. It's the equivalent of a lab rat trying to escape a maze, and needs to be disassembled very carefully to avoid any potential built-in security coding or triggers that can activate if I make one tiny mistake."
"That sounds dangerous, but fits the original source that this machine came from perfectly," Yelan explained. "Are you sure that you can do this without potentially endangering yourself and the students of the Academia?"
"If I take my time and analyze every bit of the circuitry as I work, it shouldn't be an issue," he clarified in a way that convinced Yelan that he wasn't in any way lying. "Besides, I wouldn't disassemble it here; I'd take it to my underground workshop in the rainforest. That way no students end up hurt if I misstep, and my shop is deep enough to not harm any life in the wilderness."
Yelan nodded in agreement at his show of sincerity on the matter.
"Alright professor, you've convinced me." Yelan replied. "However, I can't afford to just let you potentially run off with our most critical chance at stopping Teyvat's impending destruction. Therefore, I'll be going along with you to this workshop, and will be watching your every move while working."
Oswalch didn't object and just nodded his head in agreement.
"I can accept that, though I must warn you that this could take me days to do, depending on how secured the microchip is."
"I have all the time in the world, so I can afford a few days of making sure things go just fine," Yelan assured. "As for my colleagues…
Yelan turned to face Ganyu and Keqing, a smile of assurance on her face.
"I'm sure that you two don't want to spend up to three days underground in a cluttered space."
Ganyu and Keqing caught the message; she was inquiring them to stay behind and watch for any suspicious activity that Oswalch may manage to get past her halk-like eyes and senses. They saw it and nodded in agreement, to which Yelan winked at them to assure them that they'd caught her intentions correctly.
Yelan turned back to Oswalch.
"It's settled then. When's the latest we start towards this workshop?"
"As soon as I finish my shift, which is in another four hours," he assured.
"Very well, I'll go get these girls settled in for the next few days, and I'll meet you outside the building at the base of the first set of steps in four hours."
"Sounds like a plan," he finished, handing the head back to Yelan.
Yelan accepted the mechanical cranium of Reshav, sticking it back into her bag and turning to the exit.
"I do hope our business ends in a success, Mr. Oswalch," Yelan concluded, moving back to the door and opening it wide to allow her colleague's to exit.
Once Ganyu and Keqing had made their way out, Yelan took her own leave, closing the door tight and leading her fellow associates back outside of the building at the normal walking pace she'd entered with. Once outside and down the walkway that led back to the city below, Yelan led her two comrades to Puspa Café.
It was a small building right up from the Sumeru City docks, and upon the three moving into the establishment, an aroma of many Middle Eastern dishes embraced their senses like a warm hug.
A multitude of scents from spicy and exotic foreign dishes engulfed their nostrils, immediately causing their clear hunger to become evident. At least, that was the case for Keqing and Yelan, their stomachs having grumbled like a restless person getting up early in the morning. Ganyu had appeared repulsed by the scents of clear meat-oriented dishes that she had gained a slight sense of nausea from.
"You two go ahead," Ganyu said, clearly trying to hide her nausea out of respect. "I'm going to see if the nearby fields have anything to offer."
Before the two could answer or comment, Ganyu had already exited the building, to which Keqing took the initiative to explain a clearly-confused Yelan.
"Hehe, let's get a table, and I'll explain everything," she sheepishly explained.
Yelan just agreed, leading her attendant to a table in a far corner where their conversation wouldn't be heard easily by eavesdropping.
Upon seating themselves, Keqing laid her arms lazily upon the table's surface and explained the reason why Ganyu had taken herself elsewhere. Yelan had been surprised at the information, having known little about the Qilin or their strict vegetarian diet. Less to say, she had taken the lesson to heart and swore to be more thoughtful of Ganyu's preferred non-meat lifestyle.
After the lesson had been closed, the two had been served and had placed their orders for the thing that seemed the most appetizing to their stomachs. Yelan had ordered some kind of spiced rice dish, while Keqing had went more simple with an exotic meat dish. She usually didn't order a serving as such with her half-adeptus co-worker around, so seeing she had free rein, she took the opportunity to try a new thing that she wasn't sure she'd like.
The waiter and owner of the café had said it was a high selling favorite of the customers, so she figured that was enough to confirm that she wouldn't be wasting mora on a meal that was far from cheap. Their food wouldn't be ready for a good while, so Yelan had decided to take that time to speak her thoughts with her trusted colleague.
"So, what did you think of our professor friend, Lady Keqing?" she asked in a voice that clearly answered how she felt about Oswalch.
Keqing was a little confused at first, up until she realized what Yelan meant, speaking her views on their new compadre.
"I think he's suspicious," she answered simply.
Yelan nodded her head with a smile.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who could see it," Yelan added. "He agreed too easily, and didn't even question the whole "Teyvat's destruction" part of the equation."
"Indeed. Something felt wrong the entire time we were there, as if he knew who we were and why we were there in the first place," Keqing admitted. "Do you think he's connected to our current situation?"
"No. I highly doubt he has any connection to it," Yelan answered. "I've dealt with plenty of the Fatuus, and he didn't act like any of them, not even the most amateur ones I've faced. It's more like he's aware of where our piece of Reshav came from, and wants to extract the microchip for further information."
Keqing pondered for a second on what to say, analyzing and breaking apart Yelan's hypothesis carefully and connecting the dots.
"If I'm hearing you correctly, you're saying that he isn't involved with the Fatui or Tsaritsa, but is more interested in the assumption that the microchip and its contents are connected to the Fatui and the Tsaritsa?"
"Exactly, but even if he may appear as a curious scholar looking to learn more about a more advanced technological android that was created by some mad bastard, we cannot assume he's just that. Given the Tsaritsa is looking to start a war with an army of god-powered androids, the fact that our enemy turned out to be one of them, and that meaning that anybody we interact with could also be an android, means that she's set up her defenses to protect her position."
"Protect her position?" Keqing questioned with a raised eyebrow. "I don't understand."
"Think about it as if you were in the Tsaritsa's position. You'd want your eyes to be everywhere, watching to see if anything were on the rise of potentially interfering with your plans. It's clear that the army she's building is not complete, because there's been no other reported major attacks. She's also in need of the other archons energy to execute her plans, so as long as we prevent her from getting the archons, nothing happens.
That means, from here onward, we must be careful with what we say, which is why I waited until I was absolutely sure our professor friend wasn't one of her spies to say anything regarding our situation. We can't let the Tsaritsa have any advantages to advance her plans, so from now on everybody besides the people we have associated with prior are a potential enemy."
Keqing understood and agreed with a nod, adding her own thoughts to the mix.
"That said, do you think we may be being watched as we speak?"
"Most likely, but I'm not worried about it," she claimed.
"What about androids like Reshav?" Keqing countered. "They aren't your average spies and exist to kill."
Yelan nodded.
"Fair point, but I doubt they'd attack in a place with many witnesses," she replied. "It would cause a rupture in the Tsaritsa's plan, seeing it would lead to an investigation into the Fatui, thereby halting any progress in her ploys. Just keep your eyes open, and once the time is right, we'll deal with them."
"Alright, my eyes are open," Keqing agreed.
"Excellent."
Upon the conclusion of their conversation, Yelan and Keqing awaited their food's arrival. It came around ten minutes later, two steaming plates being placed carefully in front of them and following with a much-deserved feasting of their separate dishes.
Keqing had a cube of the exotic meat forked and ready for her taste buds to dance at, up until she thought of something, and halted any further action of eating her meal.
"Wait!" she warned, managing to stop her colleague before she managed to ingest any of her spiced rice.
"If you're worried about our food being poisoned or anything, you can rest your thoughts," Yelan assured calmly.
Keqing was shocked. Yelan had practically read her mind before she could even say anything.
"How can you be so sure?" Keqing questioned, still unsure about even touching her meal.
"Poisoning two former Liyue Harbor government officials in a public space would only stir up problems for the Tsaritsa, given the whole disaster with Osial and the Eleventh Harbinger. It would be a divot in the Tsaritsa's motives, leading to her plan for Teyvat's doomsday to be put on hold."
"I…guess that makes sense," Keqing replied unsurely.
"Exactly, so don't worry about being killed by poisoned food, and just eat," Yelan assured, taking her long-awaited bite of her sweet and spicy delicacy.
"I've suddenly lost my appetite…
Yelan just shrugged and continued to eat, completely unaffected by any potential deadly ingredients.
After having their fill, Keqing and Yelan exited the establishment, finding Ganyu rather easily. She was seated on a bench just outside, a light smile on her face while admiring the sights and folk of Sumeru City. Upon Yelan and Keqing's exit, Ganyu's gaze turned to her fellow comrades, getting up from the bench and walking to their position.
"Did you two have a nice lunch?" she asked.
"I certainly did," Yelan replied. "I'm not so sure about the Yuheng however."
Yelan's gaze turned to Keqing, standing with a look of guilt on her face.
"I'd rather not risk my life over food," Keqing defended.
Ganyu raised an eyebrow.
"Why would you face any risk of danger with restaurant food?" Ganyu questioned.
Yelan followed up by explaining how any stranger could be an android spy of the Tsaritsa, along with how Keqing was being too paranoid about her food that had gone to waste. Ganyu could understand Keqing's reasoning, and followed with something her colleague wasn't expecting.
"How about…I make you something later?" Ganyu offered shyly. "That way…you know nothing is wrong with it."
Keqing looked completely surprised at the offer, having never assumed Ganyu a cook at all. However, her surprised expression shifted to a look of assurance, confident Ganyu wasn't just saying that because she just felt bad for her.
"I'd love that," Keqing accepted with a smile.
Ganyu jumped at the answer, clearly happy but also embarrassed.
"G-good! I p-promise to make it as tasty as possible!"
Yelan playfully rolled her eyes at the two, finding it cute and entertaining to watch.
"Alright girls, this is where we go separate ways," Yelan stated. "Watch yourselves, and here, you'll need this."
Yelan dug her right hand into her bag and pulled out a small sack that rang the sound of clinking coins. She tossed it to Keqing, then continued to speak.
"Extra mora that'll get you two by in the time I'll be gone. Make sure to spend it wisely, and remember to watch what you say in regards to why we're here."
Keqing caught and stored the extra currency away safely on her person, nodding her head in agreement.
"You be careful as well, Ms. Yelan," she added with a serious tone. "We need you in this fight, so stay safe and alive."
"It's going to take a hell of a lot more than some mechanics professor to take me out, Lady Keqing, but I'll be sure to watch myself out there," Yelan agreed.
"Alright, we'll see you in a few days," Keqing concluded as a goodbye.
"Catch you ladies then," Yelan finished, then turned in the direction of the Academia, disappearing into the crowds of Sumeru City citizens.
Once Yelan had fully departed, Keqing turned to Ganyu and spoke.
"Let's go check into the inn first, then we can go to the local markets and get what you need for what you plan to cook tonight."
Ganyu nodded in agreement, following with the two taking off deeper into the bowels of Sumeru's capital, not sure what to expect in the coming days of Yelan's absense.