At noon, the sunlight poured over the docks of Liyue Harbor like scattered gold, glimmering across the rippling sea and illuminating the bustle of the prosperous port city.
Shao Yun, Lumine, Paimon, and Childe were busy recruiting dockworkers.
After some bargaining, they successfully hired a team of seasoned workers for 700,000 Mora. Watching them depart, Shao Yun licked his lips thoughtfully.
He recalled the earlier scene with those three thugs who'd tried to extort one million Mora each. His lip curled in disdain.
"Ridiculous," Shao Yun muttered, voice tinged with scorn. "What made those three think they could ask us for a million Mora each?"
Paimon waved her hand dismissively. "Let's not think about unpleasant stuff anymore. We've already got the workers. Now we can go find Zhongli!"
Shao Yun nodded in agreement.
Then, turning to Childe, his gaze held a layer of subtle complexity. It was time to create distance—otherwise, leaking the intel wouldn't go as planned.
"Lord Tartaglia, you don't need to follow us any further. Though my opinion of you has improved, how about giving us a little privacy?"
His tone left no room for argument.
Childe blinked, not surprised but still slightly disappointed. He rolled his eyes and gave a wry smile. "Got it. I understand. You want your space. I respect that."
He turned and walked away from the dock. Shao Yun watched him go, already anticipating the next step.
That guy's definitely going to eavesdrop. All I have to do is 'accidentally' spill everything—perfect.
Paimon watched Childe's retreating figure, then turned to Shao Yun, eyes full of hope.
"Shao Yun, this time can you—"
Shao Yun raised a finger to his lips, gesturing for silence. His expression grew serious, and he whispered, "Shhh, Paimon. Too many ears in Liyue Harbor. This isn't the place to talk."
In hiding, Childe cursed inwardly.
Damn, he's calm again. He's on guard—this won't be easy.
Paimon nodded, understanding the concern. She took a deep breath, calming her eager curiosity.
"You're right… This isn't the kind of place to share secrets."
Shao Yun pointed north. "Once we're outside Liyue Harbor, I'll tell you what Ningguang and I discussed. For now, we need to find Zhongli."
Paimon nodded and followed closely behind Lumine.
The three of them slipped through the crowded streets, heading for the city gates.
Behind them, Childe trailed in the shadows, eyes locked on their backs.
This is bad, he thought. Shao Yun's wary now. If I can't figure out where the Archon's molted form is, I'm in trouble.
He clenched his fists. The divine molting in the Golden House was vital. He couldn't let them leave without learning its location.
Determined, he continued to follow them—carefully, at a distance.
But Shao Yun was well aware. He glanced back and caught sight of Childe shadowing them, a cold smile flickering across his lips.
Got you right where I want you.
…
Outside Liyue Harbor, Paimon took a deep breath, finally relaxing. She looked around and asked excitedly, "Shao Yun, it should be safe here, right? Can you tell us what happened now?"
Shao Yun nodded slightly, turning his gaze back toward the city as if lost in thought.
He slowly pulled the intelligence report—snowflake paper—from his backpack. It was the classified material he'd gotten from Ningguang.
He handed it to Lumine and Paimon with a steady voice. "Take a look."
The two of them were instantly absorbed in the document. The image on it depicted an ancient talisman, and the text outlined the Fatui's plans in detail.
Paimon's eyes widened. "This symbol… why does it look so familiar?"
Shao Yun nodded. "That's because it's the same thing Childe offered us before we sought the Adepti. He called it the Sigil of No Taboos. I refused it."
He paused, then continued, "According to the intel I got from Ningguang, the Fatui are mass-producing copies of this. They plan to use them to awaken the sea-bound god sealed beneath the waves."
Paimon's face turned pale. "They've lost their minds! If they do that, Liyue Harbor could be destroyed! Shouldn't we tell Ningguang and plan something?"
Shao Yun patted her shoulder gently. "Ningguang already knows. She's prepared. We don't need to worry about that. What we should worry about is Childe."
Paimon looked puzzled, eyes full of innocent resistance. "But Childe's been helping us these past few days… Didn't he say he wanted to reconcile? He doesn't seem like the Lady—he's not that bad, right?"
Lumine gently tugged Paimon's sleeve, motioning her to stay calm. "Paimon, let Shao Yun finish."
Shao Yun glanced at Lumine and, seeing her nod, turned back to Paimon.
"Paimon, I get why you like him. But remember what Zhongli said. The Fatui appear helpful, but their real goal is the Geo Archon's Gnosis. Once they have it, they'll turn on us without hesitation. That's how they operate."
Paimon's eyes widened further, clearly shaken. "Then… where is the Archon's body?"
Shao Yun glanced around, confirming that Childe was lurking nearby. Then, with deliberate clarity, he said, "It's in the Golden House. Ningguang met me today to discuss exactly that."
"The Fatui are desperately searching for the body. Once they find it, they'll awaken the sea god and use the chaos to steal the Geo Archon's molted divine body. And I'll do everything I can to stop them."
Paimon's brow furrowed. She couldn't seem to accept it. She murmured softly:
"I thought… I thought Childe could be our friend…"
Shao Yun gently patted her head.
"At least you had a nice breakfast with him today, didn't you? Life's like that. Sometimes, people seem wonderful—until you see who they really are."
Paimon didn't respond. She stood there quietly, processing the revelation.
Shao Yun changed the subject. "Enough of that. I doubt Childe knows the body's exact location yet. Once we're done with today's work, how about we try a new dish at Wanmin Restaurant?"
The word "food" brought a small spark back to Paimon's eyes. She nodded. "Okay. Let's go!"
…
Shao Yun and Lumine rode off, hooves pounding against the earth, fading into the horizon.
Silence returned to the clearing—until a figure emerged where they had stood moments before.
It was Childe.
He sighed softly, speaking to no one in particular.
"You're wrong. Awakening the sea god was always Her backup plan. Mine was—and always has been—to retrieve the Geo Archon's Gnosis."
There was resolve in his tone, as if everything was within his grasp.
"I'll take the Geo Archon's Gnosis by my own strength." His eyes gleamed with challenge. "I don't want to turn Liyue into a battlefield—unless I have no choice."
Then a wry smile played at his lips.
He seemed almost excited about the coming confrontation with Shao Yun—the man who had even outmaneuvered the Lady.
"Shao Yun, what kind of man are you really?" he murmured. "I truly want to see just how terrifying this 'Fatui problem-solving expert' can be."
With that, Childe turned and strode back toward Liyue Harbor. Each step struck firm against the earth, echoing his resolve.
Back in the city, he began laying out his plan to seize the Vision's core.
He arranged distractions to occupy the Millelith and took measures to evacuate non-combatant Fatui staff.
Because he knew—once the clash with Shao Yun began, those without strength wouldn't survive.