"Hey, did you see anyone?"
"I don't know, it seems like they ran past!"
"Quick, go look! We can't let a spy infiltrate!"
...The resistance soldiers, clad in crimson armor, moved back and forth within the encampment, searching everywhere for the source of that strange sound.
"If he doesn't want to reveal his name, then he doesn't have to, right? Is there a need for such a big reaction?" Outside the encampment, Ember's figure appeared by the wall.
He peeked into the encampment and saw that there were Sergeants between every tent. The resistance wouldn't even need to blow the reveille today.
After that commotion just now, it was likely no one could sleep even if they wanted to.
"Tsk, how unfriendly." Ember shook his head and ran directly into Musoujin Gorge, next to the resistance encampment.
As a massive gorge that ran through the entire Yashiori Island, Musoujin Gorge was the only way to Watatsumi Island.
Normally, this divine miracle from the Electro Archon, with its lingering elemental energy, greatly increased the difficulty of communication between Narukami Island and Watatsumi Island.
During wartime, however, this gorge became an excellent natural barrier. Even if the resistance was at its worst, she could retreat behind Musoujin Gorge.
If no other forces intervened, this natural barrier alone would be enough to give the Shogunate Army a hard time.
As soon as Ember entered Musoujin Gorge, the space before him turned into a violent, dazzling purple.
Countless surging Electro elemental forces seemed to find an outlet, rushing madly around Ember.
"Sizzle, sizzle!"
Purple lightning crackled and danced on Ember's armor, but no matter how violently it surged, it couldn't leave any mark on Ember's body.
"Purely just showing off."
Bathed in the lightning, Ember commented on Musoujin Gorge.
Such a leakage of power had no effect other than creating trouble.
Given the state of this gorge, traveling by land was definitely impossible. Ember estimated that the best way to travel between Watatsumi Island and Narukami Island was by sea.
Originally, they could travel by land, but now they could only travel by sea. What was that if not creating trouble out of thin air?
"Still needs practice, huh." Ember climbed upwards, muttering his commentary.
If he had been the one to strike, the destruction caused would definitely not have been so great.
Ember's attacks were all carefully calculated. The power contained within them was just enough to eliminate the enemy, with no excess whatsoever.
However, this was only when he was serious. Unfortunately, most of the time Ember was not serious.
He then realized that he seemed to have no right to comment on the Electro Archon's action of carving out Musoujin Gorge.
After all, the commotions Ember caused in Mondstadt and Liyue were not small either. If anything, wasn't the Golden Tree more magnificent than Musoujin Gorge?
After crossing Musoujin Gorge, quietly bypassing various large and small watchtowers and resistance camps, Ember finally reached the seaside.
"Why is this path so difficult to travel?"
Upon seeing the endless sea again, Ember finally couldn't help but complain. He had originally thought Yashiori Island and Watatsumi Island were connected, but he didn't expect that there would still be a need to cross the sea between these two islands.
So Inazuma really was just a scattered land, bits and pieces here and there.
"So troublesome." After a few low complaints, Ember obediently ran into the sea.
A rapidly moving white ripple immediately appeared on the calm surface of the sea.
Ember had initially thought he would at least have to move erratically in the sea for several days to find Watatsumi Island, but to his surprise, his journey of finding the way was unexpectedly easy this time.
For no other reason than Watatsumi Island was simply too conspicuous.
Not long after entering the sea, Ember saw a glittering, dazzling white mass of an island in the distance.
This made Ember wonder if Watatsumi Island was rich in silver ore.
Otherwise, why would it be so bright?
..."Splash, splash!"
Waves crashed onto the visibly whiter sand than elsewhere, and besides splashing water, they also brought up a pitch-black figure, completely unlike the snowy white surroundings.
"Hmm? Arrived?"
Ember sprang up from the shore with a carp leap, and then he regretted his decision.
"Quack! My eyes!"
After closing his eyes and adjusting for a while, Ember opened his eyes again.
Watatsumi Island seemed to be very different from other places; the beach was so pale it made Ember uncomfortable, let alone anyone else.
Quickly moving away from the beach, although Ember hadn't seen any Watatsumi Islanders yet, he could already draw a conclusion.
That was, the myopia rate on Watatsumi Island must be very high!
"Is there something wrong with this place?" Pushing aside the sparse vegetation, Ember dug up a handful of soil from the ground.
With a slight squeeze of his palm, the soil of Watatsumi Island did not clump together like soil in other places. Instead, the soil particles pressed against each other, eventually turning this already loose handful of soil into white dust, scattering with the wind across the land.
He looked up and around. It wasn't even midsummer, yet the grass blades were still lying on the ground, as if all their strength had been drained.
The few remaining trees nearby weren't much better. Naturally shorter than trees in other places, even the leaves on them were tinged with a hint of withered yellow.
They probably only looked slightly better than the tatarigami-infested areas on Yashiori Island.
"No wonder the Sakoku Decree had such a big impact on Watatsumi Island." Ember shook his head. He seemed to understand now why the resistance reacted so strongly to the Sakoku Decree.
This kind of land simply couldn't grow much grain. Watatsumi Island's main source of food should be various trade routes.
Once the Sakoku Decree was issued, all trade routes would surely be cut off. In such a situation, soaring grain prices would be considered good; that there wasn't a famine, Ember felt that Watatsumi Island's leaders were quite capable.
"Hmm, I'll give you +5 points!"
Pulling out a small notebook, Ember began to scribble. Although the resistance's score was still very low, at least it had gone up, hadn't it?
"Wheel tracks? Looks like there are people nearby, huh?" Ember wrote while wandering aimlessly.
Soon, human traces appeared on the barren sandy ground—distinct wheel tracks.
Given the geological conditions of Watatsumi Island, these tracks were so clear that they must have been left not long ago.
With this thought, Ember's steps quickened. He was already eager to interview the people of Watatsumi Island!
Soon, several figures surrounding a carriage appeared in front of Ember.
"Holy crap, Hilichurls… ah, no! Fatui!" After clearly seeing the figures in front, Ember immediately prostrated himself on the ground and hid.
The Fatui once again proved their title of "Human Hilichurls." Even on Watatsumi Island, there were traces of them!
As for how this title came about? Naturally, Ember had just come up with it.
Around the carriage, there were various soldiers like the Electrohammer, Anemo Boxer, and so on. Clearly, this was a standard Fatui squad.
"What kind of crappy thing are they transporting this time?" Ember looked at the carriage covered with canvas, thinking there must be something bad inside.
Fatui standard equipment? Potions that could enhance the body but had severe side effects? Or even some terrifying elemental weapon?
Ember conjectured about the contents of the carriage with the greatest malice. But no matter what was inside, for him to see it meant this group of Fatui was in for a huge misfortune!
Ember rolled up his sleeves, ready to unleash the iron fist of justice on this group of Fatui.
But someone was faster than Ember.
"Halt! This road is mine! This tree I did plant! If you wish to pass, leave your road toll!"
From the unusually dense bushes on both sides of the road, several figures jumped out.
They were all masked, looking like fierce bandits. However, their professionalism was truly not commendable.
Have you ever seen a masked robber whose eyes were also covered by the mask? Ember had never seen one before, but now his eyes were opened.
Pulling down the cloth from their faces, the "bandits" then saw the Fatui in front of them.
"..."
"Apologies for the disturbance."
The "bandits" suddenly changed from their previous fierce demeanor and became extremely polite.
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