"It's a little something I freeloaded from the outside world.
Once injected, you can understand the language of any living being."
If it's a good thing, of course he would inject his own people first.
As for why Scaramouche didn't get one—
Su Ran knew perfectly well that this guy would betray them sooner or later.
And they weren't close. Why waste a dose?
Even if Scaramouche might not turn against the Fatui one day, there was still no need to spend a Synesthetic Anchor on him.
After finishing his little joke, Su Ran walked over to Columbina, took her arm, and injected her as well.
Now the only exception was Scaramouche.
But he didn't mind.
He assumed it was simply because he was a puppet— the device probably wouldn't work on him.
No way would he think he was being excluded.
"Outside…?"
The Tsaritsa's expression stirred slightly.
She knew of the false sky— but crossing it into the outside world wasn't something just anyone could do.
Did this "Genius" do something outrageous again?
"Yep. I built a space station out there.
A pretty big one, too.
And I freeloaded that as well— so none of you better get any ideas."
The station was something Su Ran stole from Herta.
How could he let others freely use it?
If anyone used it, it had to be his people.
And not just any—only those he was very close with.
Ningguang worked for him.
Yae Miko let him pet her tail.
Those were close.
But among the Fatui?
He wasn't on great terms with most of them.
"We are not so greedy,"
Pierro said, shaking his head at Su Ran's dramatics.
With the Tsaritsa backing them, the Fatui never lacked Mora.
A space station?
None of them had any use for such a thing.
If they did need it someday, they could simply buy one.
But that was Pierro's thinking.
The Tsaritsa saw things differently.
This man created a dream world in Inazuma, revived Baal, bestowed godlike power on Childe in Liyue, and even personally killed a demon god.
His abilities already surpassed current understanding.
How could something he built "outside" be ordinary?
"That thing… must be extraordinarily precious, yes?"
"Not really," Su Ran waved dismissively.
"I freeloaded it, after all.
But judging by Teyvat's tech level, even in ten thousand years you still wouldn't be able to build one."
The room fell silent.
This was what he called "not precious"?
Even ten thousand years wasn't enough for Teyvat to replicate it?
Was he bragging, or was it really the truth?
"It's basically a bigger version of Celestia.
Except its technology surpasses Celestia in every possible way."
Indeed.
The external hardware and systems were comprehensive— not quite as perfect as Herta's station, but still overwhelmingly advanced.
"You mean…"
the Tsaritsa's voice trembled slightly, "you built an even larger Celestia…
above Celestia?"
Su Ran simply nodded.
That was exactly what he meant.
The Tsaritsa felt her worldview cracking.
He barely made any noise in Snezhnaya, aside from that massive crater he left behind.
And yet, after just a few days in Inazuma—
He built a super-Celestia in the outer sky?
Was being a Harbinger too… small for him…?
Should she give him half her divine authority?
Or perhaps allow him to take the role of Cryo Archon instead?
"That's about right. Celestia's within my monitoring range now, though it feels… dead up there."
He had no ill will toward Celestia.
Just glanced at it and ignored it.
"I don't understand," Sandrone frowned.
"If something so valuable exists, why would anyone give it to you for free?"
She was deeply dissatisfied.
Why did the Genius encounter such impossible luck?
Why had she never seen such opportunities?
"Because I'm a genius, idiot."
Su Ran reached out and ruffled her hair—
destroying her carefully styled bangs, turning them into a messy bird's nest.
"Geniuses have privileges.
Everyone knows what I'm capable of— so they try their best to curry favor.
Compared to my goodwill, a space station is worth nothing."
Sandrone slapped his hand away violently, eyes blazing with fury.
"We are NOT close! Don't touch me!
If not for Her Majesty's presence here, I would have already dismantled your limbs!"
"Remember what you just said," Su Ran sneered.
"There's a genius out there a ten thousand times smarter than you— and even she has to beg me."
Sandrone's hostility didn't bother him.
If anything, he was looking forward to the moment when she realized the gap between them—
and came crawling back to cling to his thigh.
At which point he would simply look down on her:
Ridiculous.
This thigh has been hugged by Herta.
You think you deserve the same one?
Sandrone scoffed.
"My talent isn't for the likes of you to define!"
If she weren't wary of his Rank Two position, she would have punched him already.
She angrily tried to straighten her hair— completely ruined by his rough hands.
Rude, uncouth, shameless MAN!
"Genius," the Tsaritsa interrupted, "the climate across Teyvat has changed recently.
All seven nations are experiencing anomalies.
Do you know the cause?"
Space station matters could be discussed in private.
Right now, she wanted answers.
The skies felt perpetually dim.
And for some reason… she felt uneasy.
Everything seemed calm—
too calm.
Was a storm coming?
"I don't have opinions,
but I know the cause."
He pointed a thumb at himself.
"Because the culprit is right here."
"…You didn't…
cause this too, did you?"
Signora asked warily.
Ever since the incident with the missing Geo Archon, she had reevaluated the extent of Su Ran's chaotic capabilities.
If he dared imprison Morax, what wouldn't he dare do?
"Smart! Rosalyn—
I always thought you were a cute airhead like little Rosalyn, but looks like you actually have a brain."
Su Ran seemed genuinely surprised.
In his memories, Signora was the stereotypical "chest big, brain empty" type.
Her attitude toward the three Archons had made that painfully clear.
Had his presence actually raised the average IQ of the entire Harbinger group?!
Maybe the saying was true:
Those who stay near vermilion become red; those near ink become black.
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