Soon after, the southern beach of Suigetsu Village echoed with rapid bursts of gunfire and the distinct pop of balloon-like explosions.
The sounds came in waves, but the skirmish didn't last long. Soon, silence returned to the shoreline.
After successfully eliminating the elemental wisps, Shao Yun pulled a cigar from his Legend of the East satchel, lit it, and began to smoke.
As tendrils of smoke rose into the sky, a look of satisfaction settled on his face—tinged with a subtle trace of melancholy.
"I've earned Kokomi's trust, but those radishes on Watatsumi Island are about to be harvested. That's definitely not good news. If the harvest goes well, they might survive this crisis. So how do I push them to the brink?"
Shao Yun murmured to himself, already calculating his next steps.
Unless he pushed Watatsumi's people to the edge, his plan to lead them in an eastern crusade against Inazuma was doomed to fail.
After all, to burn one's boats is to fight with no retreat—to survive, one must risk everything.
Just then, someone—or rather, some "one" from Watatsumi Island—appeared behind him.
A young man in Watatsumi attire, wearing glasses, clapped his hands as he walked toward Shao Yun.
"Thanks a lot! Without your help, those wisps could've destroyed a ton of farmland."
Startled by the clapping, Shao Yun turned around and gave the young man a once-over. "And you are?"
The man introduced himself with a calm smile. "My name is Enjou, a villager from Suigetsu."
What? Enjou?! Isn't that one of my brother-in-law's employees?
Shao Yun quickly dropped his cigar and stomped it out, his expression tightening. "What did you say your name was?"
Still smiling, the young man repeated, "Enjou. Is there a problem?"
Shao Yun narrowed his eyes. "Oh~? And how's your dear prince doing these days?"
Enjou feigned confusion. "Sorry? I don't know what you're talking about."
Shao Yun sighed. "Cut the act. I heard about you from 'Aether.'"
"Your colleague—'Wicked Torrents'—I killed him in Liyue, in one of your little ruins. Does that ring a bell?"
Of course, Aether had never told him anything of the sort—Shao Yun just needed a plausible excuse to show he knew about Enjou. And it wasn't like Enjou could verify it.
But Enjou bought it. He genuinely believed Aether had spoken of him.
The charade now over, Enjou dropped the smile. "Alright, fine. I'll stop pretending. I am with the Abyss Order—Abyss Lector: Fathomless Flames, currently using the alias 'Enjou.'"
"As for Wicked Torrents, Prince Aether worked hard to resurrect him through the ley lines. His memory's spotty, but otherwise he's doing fine."
Shao Yun blinked. That guy came back? The ley lines really are strange…
"So, you came here just to find me?" he asked.
Enjou nodded. "Prince Aether heard his blood relative was injured. He sent me—his operative in Watatsumi—to check on the situation."
With that, he pulled out a small package and handed it to Shao Yun.
"This is a tonic from Sumeru—said to be excellent for recovery. The prince couldn't deliver it himself, so he asked me to give it to you."
Pure brotherly love, in tangible form.
Shao Yun took the package, his expression softening as he bit his lip. "Is Aether angry? Does he want to kill me?"
Then, half-jokingly, he added, "Let me guess—he said something like, 'How blind was I to entrust my beloved sister to a bastard like him,' right?"
Enjou thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No. His words were: 'I'm lucky to have her in his care. Tell him not to blame himself. If they can't stay in Inazuma, help them leave safely.'"
Shao Yun was stunned by Aether's compassion. He had braced himself for insults—but to be met with warmth instead? It pierced deeper than any blade.
He bowed his head and murmured, "No… I didn't do well enough…"
Tears welled up in his eyes. He wiped them away, trying to stay composed.
With a choked voice, he whispered, "Why didn't he scold me? Why didn't he curse me out?"
If Aether had yelled at him, maybe the guilt would've been easier to bear. But this understanding kindness? It was a soft knife straight into the heart.
Enjou watched, a bit confused. "The prince truly didn't scold you."
"And speaking of which—I've prepared a small boat. If you want to leave Inazuma with the princess, we can use Abyssal Mages to temporarily calm the offshore storms. You'll have safe passage."
Shao Yun took several deep breaths, trying to transform grief into resolve.
"Thank you… but tell Aether this: I won't let him down. As long as I live, I will take revenge. I will cut off the Raiden Shogun's head myself!"
Enjou nodded. "Understood. If I get the chance, I'll relay your message to the prince. If that's all, I'll be going—"
But just as he turned, a spark lit in Shao Yun's mind.
"Wait. Enjou—what exactly is your mission here on Watatsumi?"
Enjou paused, puzzled. He considered brushing the question off, but remembered Shao Yun's earlier words and suspected that perhaps the prince had some deeper connection to this man.
So, ensuring they were alone, he whispered, "What I'm about to say must remain a secret. Do not tell the prince's sister."
"My original assignment was to infiltrate Enkanomiya. But the seal below Sangonomiya is far too complex—so I've been stalled."
Enjou didn't really believe Shao Yun could help. But to his surprise, Shao Yun asked a pointed question.
"Is there any way," Shao Yun asked, "you could accelerate the corruption process on Watatsumi Island? Or at least fake the symptoms—make the land look barren, lifeless?"
Enjou nodded, albeit suspiciously. "That's not hard… but why would I? My orders are to access Enkanomiya, not ruin Watatsumi."
But Shao Yun was already spinning a brilliant new plan—one that would push Watatsumi to collapse, distract Lumine and Paimon, and benefit both him and the Abyss Order.
He gave Enjou a sly smile. "Have you heard of the 'Watatsumi Goryou Matsuri Ritual'?"
Enjou's eyes lit up. "Yes! Elders in Suigetsu Village spoke of a sacred rite held to resist the land's decay. It involves… venturing into Enkanomiya, I believe?"
"Exactly," Shao Yun said smoothly. "During that rite, Sangonomiya will unseal the entrance to Enkanomiya. That's your opening."
Enjou's expression shifted from revelation to excitement. "I see it now! Why didn't I think of that? Thank you… lover of the prince's blood kin."
"Back in the Order, everyone loathed you—but now, I'm starting to like you. How about joining us? Help the prince—and us—reshape the world?"
Fat chance, Shao Yun thought. Your prince is "Aether," not "Lumine." What would I want from you?
Still, he gave a crafty smile. "Let me be clear—this is about deepening the food crisis on Watatsumi. My goal is to push them into desperation."
"I'll corner them until there's no way out—then lead them in a crusade eastward to Inazuma, where I'll cut down the Shogun. You and I? We're just using each other."
Enjou nodded in agreement.
As someone who had spent a long time hiding among the villagers, he understood how thin the line was between survival and collapse. Still, he hesitated.
"I'm no fan of humans. But I've seen enough here to know—your plan will kill many. Famine, war… blood will flow. You know that, right?"
Shao Yun's smile twisted into something cold.
"I only care about Lumine and Paimon. The rest? They're collateral. For Lumine's sake, I'd bargain with devils. What's a few thousand lives?"
At that moment, his system coldly pushed out a notification:
["For ten years, under his governance, the Qin people rejoiced—no theft, no bandits, full granaries, peace. Brave in war, docile in peace. The countryside was in harmony." – Records of the Grand Historian, Shiji]
Enjou stared at him, awestruck.
"If only our prince had this kind of ruthless determination," he thought, "the Abyss Order might've ruled the surface by now."
Seeing Enjou remain silent, Shao Yun smirked. "Say nothing, and I'll take it as a 'yes.'"
Without hesitation, Enjou replied, "I have no reason to refuse. One week from now, I guarantee—Watatsumi Island will be more desolate than any desert."