"Hiss—"
From the dense network of pipes, scorching hot steam erupted.
The Fatui researcher, holding a notebook, swallowed nervously, his pace quickening.
He knew that if he got lost in these ruins, his master would absolutely not waste time looking for him.
After all, Lord [Dottore]'s time was more important than anything.
He was currently inside a ruin in Liyue.
Although Dottore's interest in many things was fleeting, anything that caught his eye would inevitably be thoroughly tampered with by him.
For example, this ruin.
After realizing its connection to the Ruin Guards, he had modified this place, turning it into his own "Toy Research Institute."
Looking at the war machines being gripped by giant steam claws, this researcher couldn't help but shiver again.
Dottore certainly wasn't afraid of these so-called Ruin Guards, but he himself was a genuine researcher.
Dealing with "lab animals" was one thing, but facing this kind of thing... he'd rather not.
He cleared his throat and continued to report the recent situation to his master.
"K423 has been a bit unstable again recently, but we have done our best to resolve the issue."
"Mm."
"Progress on the Sumeru side is not going smoothly. It seems... someone is deliberately targeting us."
"Mm."
"Watatsumi Island has reached a consensus with us, the Fatui. Her Majesty the Tsaritsa is already arranging for the advance forces to be stationed on Watatsumi Island."
"Mm... Hmm?!"
Dottore had been somewhat absent-minded, but he seemed to have remembered something, and his previously hurried steps came to a halt.
The subordinate behind him almost bumped into him.
"What did you just say?"
Dottore turned around, his tightly furrowed brow making it easy to guess his mood.
He was likely very displeased right now.
"The... the Sumeru side..."
"I'm not asking about Sumeru! I'm asking about Watatsumi Island!"
Watatsumi Island has reached a consensus with the Fatui?
How is that possible? Weren't they irreconcilably opposed to the Fatui?
Could it be that the high and mighty Raiden Shogun finally couldn't hold back and took action?
"Well... Lord Instructor, with the force of a thunderbolt, took down the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island in a single night and quickly reached a consensus with her, allowing Watatsumi Island to accept Her Majesty's protection."
The specific process of how Bai Luo took down Watatsumi Island was not known to many.
After all, the person who sent back this news was Bai Luo himself; he could fabricate the process however he wished.
"Bai Luo, is it? It does indeed sound like something he would do."
The tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed, but the researcher waiting by his side didn't dare to breathe.
Because this Doctor was notoriously moody. If he were to accidentally anger him... he might be transformed into a mindless monster.
Why had the Fatui never taken down Watatsumi Island?
Was it really as Il Dottore said, that there was no profit to be made there?
Or was it simply to have it interfere with the Shogunate army, and then use the chaos to infiltrate Inazuma City?
In fact, it was neither.
From the fact that the Fatui had kept an incompetent fellow like Igor on Watatsumi Island all this time, one could see that the Fatui had not, in fact, ignored this place as it appeared on the surface.
The Fatui had simply been using Watatsumi Island, a place without a god's protection, as their own experimental ground.
If it resisted the Fatui, then it would seem only natural for the Fatui to take action against it.
But if it submitted to the Fatui... then Dottore could no longer continue to target it.
Even the plans that had already been formulated would be aborted because of this.
After all, rashly distributing those untested Delusions on Watatsumi Island would give the nations that were already cooperating with them a reason to break free from their influence.
This was not what Dottore wanted to see, nor was it what the Tsaritsa wanted to see.
That was why Dottore's reaction was so strong.
If the ones who had done this were Scaramouche or Childe, then Dottore would absolutely go and have a word with them.
Because if those two were to do something like this, it would be nothing but stirring up trouble for no reason.
Especially Tartaglia.
Everyone knew he was a battle maniac. Perhaps he had seen that the Divine Priestess's reputation was too great and wanted to challenge her, and in the process, accidentally took down Watatsumi Island.
[A/N: I think Tartaglia is genuinely capable of doing such a thing]
But if it was Bai Luo...
Then Dottore had to consider other aspects.
He had not forgotten the matter of Mondstadt City; after all, he had lost two subordinates there.
Although they were just insignificant nobodies, they were also two suitable test subjects.
But after seeing the report submitted by his subordinate, his previous dissatisfaction was surprisingly all dispelled.
What surprised his subordinate even more was that he had personally opened a bottle of Fire-water and happily poured himself a capful.
One had to know, Dottore disliked drinking this kind of thing while working more than anything.
Everyone else only saw that Bai Luo had ruined Her Majesty the Tsaritsa's plan and had limited the Fatui's influence in Mondstadt.
But only Dottore had noticed two things.
First, was the girl who bore the remnants of a demon god.
To others, Bai Luo was just excessively doting on a girl of unknown origin.
But in Dottore's eyes, he was merely conducting some kind of experiment. The so-called "doting" was just a convenience for writing observation logs.
Second, and something that no one else had noticed.
A Vision.
According to his subordinate's report, when that girl was first discovered by Bai Luo, she had no Vision on her at all.
Apart from the power of the demon god's remnants, she possessed no other supernatural abilities.
But later, when Bai Luo sent her to Sumeru, the little girl had a Dendro Vision on her.
In other words... that fellow Bai Luo had never given up on his research into Visions. In fact, he had exceeded his expectations and had figured out a way to make people obtain Visions.
Combining the above two points, then Bai Luo's taking of Watatsumi Island was worth deep consideration.
Had he discovered something new again? Or, in terms of Visions, had he made new progress?
If not for the fear of disturbing Bai Luo's research, and the fact that Inazuma was not easy to enter recently, he would have absolutely rushed to Watatsumi Island at the first opportunity to have a good discussion with Bai Luo about the relationship between Visions and Delusions.
"Has there been anything else happening on the Watatsumi Island side recently?"
After understanding the full picture, Dottore asked the researcher behind him.
"Uh... the main difficulties are probably in terms of funding and supplies. Due to the war between the Shogunate and Watatsumi Island, Watatsumi Island can currently only purchase weapons, equipment, and provisions from the international merchant guilds, as well as support from Liyue."
The researcher wiped the sweat from his brow and described the current situation on Watatsumi Island.
"In my name, withdraw a sum of funds from the Northland Bank and send it over, along with the new equipment purchased by the institution. Also... the recruitment plan on Watatsumi Island is to be temporarily halted. Without my orders, no one is to touch the people there."
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