High atop the Jade Chamber, Madame Ping gazed down at the unfolding battlefield and let out a soft sigh.
"Ah, this old woman thought the three of them would be enough to restrain the Conqueror of Demons, but it seems I underestimated the situation."
Ganyu, standing beside her, looked over and asked, "A-Ping, are you going as well?"
"Hahaha! This old body might have been quiet for many years, but I can still handle myself just fine." Madame Ping gave a gentle chuckle. "Ganyu, this isn't a battle for mortals. Make sure they all stay far away."
In truth, Madame Ping was the only person present who wasn't worried about the situation spiraling out of control. Ever since Lumine had come to her to borrow the Cleansing Bell, she had known that Zhongli had only faked his death. As long as Rex Lapis was alive, no crisis was truly insurmountable.
Seeing that Rex Lapis had yet to make a move himself, Madame Ping could guess his intentions. Since that was the case, she could no longer simply sit by and watch.
"Then I will go with you," Ganyu said firmly.
"Hahaha, no need for that. Besides, Cloud Retainer's two disciples are quite capable; why not have them come and help instead? As the secretary of the Liyue Qixing, your duties don't lie on the front lines of combat."
As she finished speaking, Madame Ping's aged form began to ripple and shift, gradually becoming younger. A long spear appeared in her hand out of nowhere, and with a sudden blur of motion, she flew toward the harbor.
"Lord Childe! This is bad! Liyue Harbor is under attack!"
At that moment, the Northland Bank was still relatively quiet. Although the disturbances at the docks and the sudden lockdown order issued by the Qixing had caused massive chaos within the city, the Fatui's territory remained calm.
"What's the panic? Liyue Harbor is being invaded, not Snezhnaya," Tartaglia replied coolly before asking, "What happened?"
"We aren't entirely sure of the details. We only know that several Adepti in Liyue Harbor have already engaged an invader. The situation is unclear, and the identity of the intruder is still unknown.
The docks have been completely sealed off, and the residents of Chihu Rock are being evacuated away from the port area as per the Qixing's orders. Almost every member of the Millelith in the city has been mobilized to set up defenses around the harbor."
"Lord Childe, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Hearing his subordinate's report, Tartaglia's eyes lit up. "Exactly! Liyue Harbor is in a total mess. No one will be paying attention to the Golden House until this crisis is resolved! I'm leaving immediately. Maintain your disguises and make sure no one knows I've left. Understood?"
"Yes, Lord Childe!"
"Lumine, has something happened at the docks?"
Shenhe, who was currently walking through Liyue Harbor with Lumine, turned her head to ask.
Lumine shook her head. "I'm not sure... but if the Qixing have sealed the port, it must be something big."
Shenhe looked toward the harbor and continued, "I can sense familiar auras... it's Master and two of my martial uncles, as well as an Adeptus senior I don't recognize. The aura of the person they are fighting... feels a bit like the Conqueror of Demons."
Lumine gasped. "Eh!? What could have happened?"
"Should we go tell Su Ming?" Paimon piped up.
Shenhe nodded. "We should inform him; after all, this is a major event. Does he always take his seclusion this seriously? He wasn't like this before. With such a massive commotion, he should have noticed it with his level of strength."
"Lumine, look who that is!?" Paimon suddenly tugged at Lumine's sleeve, pointing frantically in a certain direction.
Lumine followed Paimon's finger and saw an orange-haired figure sneaking through the narrow alleys, heading out of Liyue Harbor.
"Is that Childe? He's heading toward... the Golden House!" Lumine realized instantly.
Paimon cried out in surprise, "That guy is taking advantage of the chaos to make his move! How sneaky!"
"Wait, where did he get his information from?" Lumine was puzzled, but she made a quick decision. "Regardless, we have to stop him!"
According to Su Ming, a Gnosis might not be all that important to the gods. However, Lumine couldn't simply sit back and do nothing after seeing Childe's suspicious movements.
Furthermore, during her time in Liyue, she had been well-taken care of by the local people. She couldn't allow their god's body to be desecrated even after death. She had to act!
"I thank you for your willingness to help, but please, let him go."
Just as Lumine was about to give chase, an elegant voice rang out.
Lumine turned around to find the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, Ningguang.
Ningguang gave a slight bow and said, "A pleasure to meet you. Before we begin our formal discussion, I would like to apologize on behalf of the Qixing for labeling you as an assassin and issuing a bounty for your arrest.
To make amends, the Qixing has passed a resolution: you may make one request of us, provided it is within our power and does not compromise the fundamental interests of Liyue. The Qixing will do its utmost to satisfy it."
"As for the Exuvia inside the Golden House..." Ningguang paused, then smiled. "While the Exuvia was indeed held there previously, we have already moved the real one thanks to the guidance of a certain expert. The current Golden House is nothing more than a trap to lure in those with ulterior motives."
Ningguang then looked at Lumine and Shenhe. "However, as you can see, Liyue is currently facing some unexpected trouble. While the trap remains, we find ourselves short of capable hands to apprehend the villains. I wonder if the two of you would be willing to assist us? Once the deed is done, the Qixing will reward you handsomely."
Lumine replied, "Helping is no problem; we were planning to head there anyway. But... who was that expert? How did he know the Fatui were after the Exuvia?"
Shenhe also nodded, clearly curious about the expert's identity.
Ningguang looked a bit surprised. "You truly didn't know? That expert was Mr. Su Ming. He reminded me of this when I invited him to meet with me previously. Did he never mention it to you?"
Shenhe's reaction was calm; she simply smiled. In her heart, she marveled at her junior brother, who truly was a dragon among men. He was not only powerful but also incredibly sharp-witted.
Lumine, however, was stunned. When Ningguang had spoken with Su Ming, the Rite of Parting was only just beginning to be prepared! Could it be that he knew Childe had a hidden agenda after meeting him only once?
Despite her shock, Lumine didn't dwell on it for long. She immediately set off toward the Golden House alongside Shenhe and the Millelith led by Ningguang.
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