"Why… why did you betray me… why did you abandon me… what did I do wrong?"
"Allen? It must be you! No… no, no, no… Allen is dead! Iverson is already… dead? Impossible… only he bore me a grudge… I killed him… I already killed him… I really did kill him!"
"…Frank! Or Borenka? Why! Who was it?! Whoever it was, the First Lord Harbinger will never let you off!!"
"It was you who destroyed the First Lord Harbinger's Tatarigami Experiment… you will take the place of the people of Watatsumi and face the Tatarigami! It was you who ruined that First Lord Harbinger's plan to escalate the conflict… you will be torn apart a thousand times, yet you will not die!"
"The First Lord Harbinger will poison your throats so you can no longer scream! They will cut out the tongues you used to betray your comrades! They will gouge out the eyes that cannot see the right path! But you will not die… every inch of your skin, every joint, every muscle, every bone… will be used for live experiments!"
In the damp, dark prison, a broken figure curled up in the corner, yanking at his own hair, muttering nonsense, like a man driven insane after cruel torture.
But the problem was… ever since he was locked in here, no one had even touched him.
"Hey, you done talking yet?"
"N… no… it wasn't me… I didn't do wrong… the plan failing wasn't my fault! You can't blame me… I fulfilled my duty! I was betrayed! It really wasn't me!!"
"How could you not eat properly? What if your body collapses? Look, I even gave you an extra chicken leg in today's meal!"
"No… don't treat me like this… please… don't!!"
Victor Wang could not understand—how could a person end up like this?
"Hey!!!"
Startled by the sudden shout, Nathan trembled violently, staring at the other side of the bars in panic.
"Want to know a secret? I really am the Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius. But those so-called files about you? I made them all up. I don't even know who you are."
Nathan's mouth gaped open, his neck twisted unnaturally to the left, his hollow eyes flashing strangely. He glared at Victor Wang, then like a mad dog, he lunged from the corner and slammed himself against the iron bars.
"You admitted it! This man admitted it! He admitted it! You're slandering me… is anyone there… he's slandering me! Everyone, come see, he's slandering me!!"
"Idiot."
Victor Wang shook his head.
"You're really an idiot. The file I forged is in Mondstadt, no one here can even see it. And yes, I did in fact predict your moves days before you even carried them out. So, no matter how you argue, no one will believe you. After all, facts are facts. Want to know how I was able to predict your actions?"
"Why? Why! Why?"
"Here. A letter that arrived on Watatsumi Island days ago."
A plain letter. No stamp, no signature, no sender.
Victor Wang lifted it slightly in his hand. Nathan, struck like lightning, pressed his withered face against the bars, twisting his body as he desperately reached out an arm to snatch it.
"Seeing you so pitiful, I'll give you a hint. The truth is very close to what you've already guessed. But as for who it is… under normal circumstances, you'll never figure it out."
"Who is it?! I'll tear his skin off! Drink his blood!"
"You don't deserve to see this letter. Better to enjoy your last meal on Watatsumi Island. Don't you dare waste food."
"What do you want from me?!"
"I'm giving you back your freedom. Moved?"
"Giving me… freedom…?"
Nathan froze for two seconds, clearly never having expected such an outcome. Then, without hesitation, he gripped the bars with both hands and smashed his head against the iron in front of him.
Before the mission, his superiors had drilled it into him a thousand times that under no circumstances could the Resistance or the Shogunate have even the slightest excuse to accuse the Fatui of infiltration.
And that was after the mission was supposed to succeed. Now, before it was even complete, the Resistance had already discovered him.
Freedom?
While locked in prison, there was still hope the traitor who sold him out might be caught. But outside this cell, freedom meant death. Failure was failure. The First Lord Harbinger would accept no excuses…
"Eh? So young, and you're already giving up on life?"
Luckily Victor Wang was quick. No choice—the prisoner was too unstable, couldn't even finish his last meal. So, he knocked him unconscious and tied him up.
…
"You're really going alone?"
"Well, I told you about our saying—'Even at war, a messenger is never slain'?"
"Of course I knew, but still…"
"As the art of war says, the highest form of strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting. The art of war also says, besieging cities is the lowest tactic, conquering hearts is the highest. Just wait for my good news."
Carrying the tightly bound Nathan, Victor Wang said farewell to Kokomi and Gorou. Then, riding his sword, he sped across the vast sea. To remain discreet, he pulled out a small boat from his Inner Space, pretending to row across as if he had come by sea, slowly approaching the Shogunate's camp on Yashiori Island.
The current commander of the Shogunate army was Kujou Masahito.
Though he was the eldest son of the Kujou clan—the firstborn of Kujou Takayuki, and elder brother to Kujou Kamaji and Kujou Sara—he was scarcely mentioned in the game.
Victor Wang only remembered two occasions related to him. But even from those two, one could see much.
The first was during the Tatarigami Disaster of Yashiori Island.
When the plague spread after the Tatarigami Disaster broke out, morale among the front-line Shogunate soldiers plummeted. Kujou Masahito wrote to Kujou Takayuki, subtly suggesting a retreat from Yashiori.
Instead Takayuki was furious. He dispatched inspectors to investigate and ordered Masahito to launch a decisive assault on the Resistance headquarters, or else be stripped of command in favor of Kujou Sara.
The inspectors came, fell victim to the Tatarigami's corruption, and reported back truthfully.
Still, Takayuki refused to retreat. He dismissed the "Tatarigami" as a minor issue, and even thought about it as propaganda to lessen morale, and secretly ordered to lure the sick islanders onto boats, sink them mid-way, then frame the Resistance…
Afterward, the inspectors all died—some of disease, some sacrificed to the Crazed Washizu. None survived. Perhaps the Tenryou Commission finally grasped the true horror of the Tatarigami, or perhaps Masahito pitied his men. Either way, the Shogunate eventually pulled back from Yashiori Island.
This shows: the gulf between Masahito and Takayuki was vast. Masahito, at least, valued his soldiers' lives, while Takayuki did not.
The second was his dialogue.
At Kujou Encampment, when encountering him, Masahito expressed surprise at civilians on the battlefield, urging them to leave for safety. He even hinted at doubt over Inazuma's current policies.
Later, when Hiiragi Shinsuke and Takayuki were both exposed for colluding with the Fatui, sentenced to imprisonment and house arrest respectively, Masahito remained stationed at Kujou Encampment.
This shows: he was likely uninvolved with the Fatui, and knew nothing of Takayuki's dealings.
The third, was learned through talks with Gorou and Kokomi:
Masahito truly cared for his soldiers. He was steady, defensive, rarely forceful.
This made clear why Takayuki, who craved an all-out push against the Resistance, grew dissatisfied with Masahito.
"First time doing this sort of thing… can't help but be a little nervous."
Reviewing these three points, Victor Wang gave himself courage. The classic counter-espionage tactic he was about to employ was based entirely on these details. Its success rate, he estimated, was over 80%.
Also worth noting: in the game, Masahito's title later changed to "Shogunate Officer," while Kujou Sara's became "General of the Tenryou Commission." At Nazuchi Beach, it was Sara who commanded.
Masahito had, in the end, been stripped of command.
"Halt! Who goes there? Why trespass in our camp?"
It had begun.
Taking a deep breath, Victor Wang declared loudly: "I am an envoy of Watatsumi Island! The people of Watatsumi and Yashiori were rescued by the Shogunate army the other day, and I have come bearing gifts of thanks, as well as urgent matters to discuss!"
His voice carried across the entire camp.
"An Envoy of Watatsumi? The Shogunate rescued Watatsumi? And Yashiori? What nonsense. Begone at once, do not jest with us."
"The Fatui seek to destroy Yashiori's wards, release the Tatarigami, and intensify the conflict between the Shogunate and the Resistance! This is no trifling matter. If you fail to report it, and disaster follows, you cannot blame us for not warning you!"
"The Fatui?"
"The Tatarigami!"
The guards, patrols, soldiers at nearby tents and training grounds—all strained to listen. Discipline kept them silent, but their minds were hooked by Victor Wang's words.
"What are you waiting for? Report this at once to the highest commander present!"
The guard, cowed by Victor Wang's authority, finally nodded and ran into the camp. He returned shortly after: "The General will see you."
"Good. On the boat I also bring a chest of millennia-old Sango Pearls, and this captured Fatui—Second-Class Naval Lieutenant Nathan. Please have some men help carry them in."
Millennia-old Sango Pearls?
A whole chest of it?
Some soldiers swallowed nervously. By the time they thought to move it, Victor Wang was already ahead. They rushed to follow.
…
Sure enough, the commander was Kujou Masahito. After hearing the story, Victor Wang spun his lies: "Nine days ago, a benefactor in disguise sent a letter to Watatsumi, revealing that the Resistance had been infiltrated by a Fatui spy."
"Mmmph… mmph!"
Bound and gagged, Nathan struggled wildly. Victor Wang pointed casually at him and continued: "Five nights ago, during a thunderstorm, we caught this man. He incited the radicals, planning a night raid on Yashiori to destroy the ward and unleash the lingering power of 'Watatsumi Omikami'"
"Believe me or not, but from now on, please guard the wards well. The Resistance seeks a just war, not a dishonorable one. We will never resort to such vile means."
Masahito nodded slowly: "The Fatui's plot—that I understand. The ward's safety is indeed critical. Even the Guuji of Narukami Shrine once urged us to guard them more closely. It seems we must reinforce protection… but then, why are you here to thank us?"
"That benefactor, though disguised, let slip certain traces: he came by small boat. His posture, his habits—were those of a trained soldier."
"You mean… he was one of my men on Yashiori? You suspect he was ours?" Masahito thought deeply, then denied it. "With all due respect, even I knew nothing. How could my soldiers?"
"You say you knew nothing. I can't know if that's true. Just as you say your men knew nothing. I can't know if that's true either. But here, look at this letter—"
After glancing at others in the tent, Victor Wang dismissed them with a wordy excuse, then handed Masahito the very letter he himself had forged, backing it with his lies.
It read: "Though cooperating with unjust thieves, I still have a shred of conscience. This plan, sacrificing all of Yashiori's residents and unwitting soldiers just to heighten the conflict, is too cruel. So, I write this warning: in the Resistance, there is one called Nathan, a blond man of Mondstadt. His true identity is confirmed as Fatui Second-Class Naval Lieutenant. His deeds and words can never be trusted."
"…."
Masahito's face darkened after one reading. He waved away the others, read again, and muttered: "Unjust thieves? Referring to the Fatui?"
"Most likely."
"Then since it mentions 'cooperation,' the sender wasn't Fatui themselves?"
"Most likely."
"Mmmph… mmphhh!"
On the ground, Nathan writhed like a worm. Of course, he knew of the Fatui's ties to the commissions. Hearing Masahito's words, he felt something explode in his mind.
So, it was the Inazumans!
But if he spoke that secret, it would be considered as betrayal! The Fatui cared nothing for excuses—mission failure was already a crime. Adding betrayal to that list… then there was no way out.
Only the Raiden Shogun herself could shield him from their pursuit. Otherwise… better for him to choose a quick death.
"You seem to have something to say?"
Masahito pulled the filthy rag from his mouth. Nathan fell silent again.
Victor Wang reminded: "This man, fearing Fatui punishment for failure, has a strong death wish. And little truth in his mouth. Handle with caution."
Sighing, Masahito studied the letter again. "But if he hid his identity, why leave clues in the letter? In all of Inazuma, aside from the Fatui, there are only Resistance and Shogunate…"
"That I cannot say."
"Could it be… this man meant to frame us? But we serve the Shogun alone. Never could we collude with the Fatui."
"That I cannot say."
"In the end, this is only your word. It could just as well be your plot."
"I said from the start, believe me or not. I leave you the letter, and Nathan. Whether you pry information from him, or release him, is up to you. Just protect Yashiori's wards. If another accident occurs, we won't take responsibility."
The truth was: once both sides knew the Fatui were targeting the wards, the Fatui could no longer act. Doing so would be tantamount to declaring war on Inazuma itself…
Even Ei herself once said of them: "The Fatui's actions have not yet threatened Eternity. Otherwise… they would have been purged."
Too blatant a move, and the Fatui knew it. That was why they used Nathan under the Resistance's guise.
"…."
Masahito fell silent. He did not know the bigger picture. He only knew the wards must be guarded.
"The will of Lady Kokomi has been delivered. I shall take my leave—"
"Take that chest of pearls back. I will never admit the sender was one of us."
"Heh, even better. Saves us the expense."
Victor Wang hefted the chest and departed. But he knew—the matter was already sealed.
To Nathan, the fact that someone outside knew what only insiders could know meant there was a traitor. Who it was didn't matter—only that such a person existed.
For Kujou Masahito, whether he investigates the "mole" within the Shogun's army or not, the fact remains that he met with the envoy from Watatsumi Island—who claimed to have come to express gratitude—and dismissed his subordinates to hold a private conversation with the envoy. In the eyes of Kujou Takayuki, who was already dissatisfied with the lack of intensity in their offensive, this would undoubtedly reflect very poorly on Masahito.
For the ordinary soldiers, as well as potential informants of Kujou Takayuki and Fatui spies, the fact that Nathan—who attempted to destroy the wards on Yashiori Island—was captured, and that Watatsumi Island specifically sent an envoy to thank Kujou Masahito, has successfully established Masahito's image as someone collaborating with Watatsumi Island against the Fatui. In the eyes of Kujou Takayuki, who is colluding with the Fatui, this would further damage Masahito's standing.
If Kujou Masahito were to investigate the mole within the Shogun's army, or if the Fatui pressured Kujou Takayuki to deal with Masahito, or if the Fatui conducted their own internal investigation, the situation would descend into utter chaos.
Although it's somewhat unfair to Kujou Masahito, as the eldest son of Kujou Takayuki, he is unlikely to face any real danger. The most probable outcome is that Kujou Takayuki would urgently strip Masahito of his position as general—the only person perceived to be in the know—and transfer authority to Kujou Sara.
And that… is exactly what Victor Wang wants.