Takumi descended the wooden steps of Wangshu Inn with a renewed sense of purpose—and a healthy dose of panic. The fresh Geo Vision at his waist pulsed faintly, as if reminding him:
You signed a contract with a literal god. Don't mess up.
After thanking Verr Goldet for the lodging (and pretending he totally, absolutely would pay next time), he headed toward the road leading east.
His destination: Liyue Harbor.
His mission: Transform Liyue into the world's first industrial nation.
His mood: Somewhere between terrified and excited.
Crossing Guili Plains — Echoes of the Past
Guili Plains lay stretched before him like a vast stone graveyard. Crumbling pillars. Fallen rooftops. Faint traces of long-gone glory. If Wangshu Inn sat watching the marshlands, then Guili Plains was a place that watched time.
Takumi slowed his steps.
"So this is… the city Zhongli and Guizhong once built together," he murmured.
He remembered the lore—Guizhong's laughter, her dream of wisdom, Zhongli's silent devotion.
"Finally… Zhongli," he sighed. "Guess everyone returns to where they began, huh?"
He shook away the sadness creeping into his chest.
"Nope. No time for tragic romance arcs. I need to study my powers."
He summoned the calm System window only he could see.
[SYSTEM]
Elemental Interface Stable.
Herrscher Core: Partially Active.
Recommended: Beginner Skill Testing.
Takumi flexed his fingers. Elemental energy thrummed at his command.
"Alright. Let's try… the wall."
He raised his hand.
"A Thousand Mile Wall!"
BOOM.
A thick yellow rock pillar erupted before him, its surface etched with ritual patterns. Simultaneously, a shimmering shield wrapped around him.
Takumi admired it. "Not bad. Almost like Zhongli's shield."
He snapped his fingers and dismissed it.
"Now, elemental burst…"
He held out his palm.
"Sword of the Cliff."
The earth beneath him growled. A ring of golden symbols flashed. Then—
WHAM!
A massive jagged rock blade erupted from the ground, slicing upward in a gleaming arc before dissolving.
Takumi grinned. "Looks like that bird who always gets bullied finally got his revenge."
He heard rustling in the distance.
A squad of Hilichurls spotted him and began charging.
Takumi cracked his knuckles. "Ah, perfect test subjects."
He focused his thoughts. Elemental power gathered.
A basic one-handed sword materialized in his grip—simple steel, sturdy, functional. Equivalent to a decent three-star weapon.
Takumi admired the balance. "Not bad. Good enough for slicing monsters. And hey, it's stylish."
He kicked off the ground.
"Sword of the Cliff!"
He plunged the sword into the earth.
CRACK—BOOM!
A three-meter spike of rock shot upward beneath the Hilichurls, sending them flying before they dissolved into black smoke and scattered.
Silence returned.
Takumi dusted his hands. "Yep. This is actually fun."
He stored the sword inside the Vision's pocket space—a feature he discovered the moment he touched it.
"Spatial storage. Nice."
He tied the Vision to his waist using a rope.
…Which made him look like he was carrying house keys on his belt.
"Ugh. Definitely buying proper clothes when I reach Liyue."
A Traveler's Pace — And A Thinker's Dilemma
Walking through Teyvat was painfully slow.
Uneven roads. Rocky paths. No teleport points.
No car.
No bike.
Not even a sad donkey.
Takumi groaned. "If I industrialize Liyue, the first thing I'm inventing is public transportation."
As he crossed the ancient ruins, he chewed on problems like a strategist.
"How do I transform Liyue… exactly?"
Liyue was prosperous. Cultured. Economically strong.
But…
"It's basically ancient China mixed with early Republic era tech," he said aloud. "Great for tradition, terrible for industry."
Most people lived in:
Liyue Harbor
Qingce Village
Everywhere else was either:
Wilderness
Ruins
Adepti territory
Dangerous mountains
"Liyue's map looks big in-game, but man… in real life this is undeveloped land."
He sighed.
"Should I build a new city from scratch? Or expand an old one? Or… maybe develop the empty territories first?"
"…Overcrowding in Liyue Harbor is going to explode sooner or later."
He shook his head. Too early.
"I need manpower. And funds. And approval. And—ugh—bureaucracy."
His System chimed.
[SYSTEM]
Recommended: Infrastructure Phase 1 – Territory Development
Resource Required: Liyue manpower
Funding Status: 0 Mora
Warning: Poverty Detected.
Takumi: "Stop announcing that out loud!"
[SYSTEM]
Noted. Volume reduced by 1%.
Takumi groaned.
Meanwhile in Liyue Harbor — The Secretary Awakens
Far away, within the bustling jade-and-gold city of Liyue Harbor, a blue-haired secretary stirred from her nap.
Ganyu blinked groggily.
"Hm…? Is it time for—"
A voice echoed directly in her mind.
"Ganyu, please receive a traveler named Takumi."
"He will arrive today."
"Assist him fully. He carries Liyue's future."
Her eyes snapped open.
"T-The Emperor?!"
She sat upright, breath quickening.
"The Emperor… sent a personal command?!"
Her long qilin ears twitched anxiously.
"Entrusting Liyue's future… to an outsider…?"
It was unthinkable.
Even the Liyue Qixing had never received such a message.
She reread the divine message repeatedly, until her racing heart calmed.
"If the Emperor decided this… then Takumi must be someone he trusts deeply."
She stood, smoothing her clothes.
"Then I must not fail."
In the office, some of the Qixing staff watched her rush out.
"Huh? Secretary Ganyu left suddenly?"
"She never leaves early!"
"Something big is happening…"
"Should we tell Lady Ningguang?"
"Absolutely not. She'll descend from the Jade Chamber instantly."
The Last Stretch — And a New Determination
Takumi continued walking, fighting gravity and boredom in equal measure.
He defeated Hilichurls.
Studied his abilities.
Practiced summoning tools.
Reminisced about AK rifles (and how he couldn't build one yet—tragically).
Hours passed.
Finally, the towering stone gates of Liyue Harbor came into view.
Takumi's heart thumped.
"There it is… Liyue."
The harbor shimmered with life—lanterns, ships, voices, the bustle of a prosperous nation.
And standing at the gate…
A girl with blue hair, delicate qilin horns, and the posture of someone who carried the entire bureaucratic system on her shoulders.
Ganyu.
Her eyes widened when she saw him.
"You must be Takumi," she said gently.
Takumi stopped in his tracks.
"…holy… she's even prettier in real life."
Ganyu blinked. "P-Pardon?"
"N-NOTHING! I didn't say anything! I swear!"
She tilted her head politely. "The Emperor has informed me of your arrival. I will be in your care."
Takumi almost fainted.
Zhongli told Ganyu already?!
He bowed awkwardly. "I'm Takumi! Please treat me kindly! I have no money!"
Ganyu blinked again. "W-Why did you mention that?"
"I felt it was important to clarify."
The Secretary And The Outsider
Ganyu began walking alongside him.
"Lord Zhongli said you will play a vital role in Liyue's future."
Takumi scratched his cheek. "He… kind of threw the entire nation at me."
Ganyu smiled softly. "The Emperor trusts humans. He always has."
Takumi swallowed. I hope I don't let him down.
As they walked, he couldn't help asking:
"Does everyone know I'm… uh… from another world?"
"Only the Emperor and I," Ganyu reassured. "For now."
Takumi exhaled.
"By the way," Ganyu added politely, "may I ask how you plan to proceed?"
Takumi froze.
He absolutely did not have a concrete plan.
But he smiled anyway.
"I'm… going to industrialize Liyue."
Ganyu tripped on air.
"You're going to WHAT?!"
Takumi coughed. "Ahem—introduce new tools. Factories. Agriculture machines. Food processing. Entertainment technology—"
Ganyu stared at him, dazed.
"I… I need to sit down."