Snezhnaya.
Cold winds howled as snow drifted through the air.
Inside a palace made of solid ice, the Eleven Fatui Harbingers had gathered together.
The attendants nearby didn't even dare breathe loudly, afraid of disturbing these powerful figures.
The Fatui were an organization from Snezhnaya, loyal to the Cryo Archon, the Tsaritsa. They were among the strongest forces in all of Teyvat.
The Eleven Harbingers were the top elites of the Fatui, each one extremely powerful and loyal only to the Tsaritsa.
Most of the time, they were scattered across different nations carrying out missions. For all of them to gather like this meant something important had happened.
At the head of the table sat Pierro, the Jester, the first Harbinger and overall leader.
On both sides sat the remaining ten Harbingers.
Each of them had a different expression. Some looked relaxed, some were playing with puppets, some looked uninterested, and one was even lifting weights.
"Ah, that felt great!"
After finishing a set of push-ups, Tartaglia shouted happily.
He took a towel from a servant and casually sat down.
"I say, calling all of us back from different nations… it's not just to sit here doing nothing, right?"
"With this time, I'd rather go home and relax."
The other Harbingers also looked toward Pierro. They had the same question.
"Of course not."
Pierro spoke calmly.
"I called you here to discuss the video chat group."
The video chat group.
Everyone immediately understood.
When it first appeared, it had shocked them.
Even people as powerful as them couldn't detect how it entered their minds.
They even suspected something supernatural at first.
So far, the Fatui had remained mostly inactive in the group.
They had bigger plans and didn't want to act recklessly before understanding the situation.
But now that Pierro brought it up, it meant they were considering joining.
"How to view it? Simple—just enjoy it."
Tartaglia spoke casually.
"The people there are interesting. It's fun to watch."
He happily shared funny things from the group, completely ignoring everyone's strange looks.
"Idiot."
Scaramouche said coldly.
"You want to fight?"
Tartaglia immediately rolled up his sleeves.
Pierro rubbed his forehead.
"Why did we recruit these two…"
Ignoring them, the others began discussing seriously.
Signora played with her hair and said,
"I think the chat group has great potential. Over 90% of Teyvat's population is paying attention to it. Many organizations have already started using it."
Dottore added,
"I agree. Many important figures are active there. Especially that Cao Zhong—he seems connected to many people across different nations."
Pierro listened carefully and understood that everyone saw value in the chat group.
They all agreed—it was worth entering.
"Since everyone agrees, how should we approach it?"
Dottore suggested,
"We proceed in two steps. First, build a positive image of the Fatui. Second, connect with influential people in other nations."
Signora smiled.
"The first step is easy."
"Attract attention, create presence—people will naturally follow."
At that moment, a hand suddenly appeared from under the table.
Tartaglia climbed up.
"I have an idea for the second step."
"We should build relationships with key figures in the group."
"Look at Cao Zhong, Kaeya, and Venti."
"They love relaxing, enjoy money, and don't take things too seriously."
"Perfect people to approach."
Another hand appeared from under the table.
"Come on, let's keep fighting!"
Pierro thought silently.
The plan was simple.
Influence, resources, and connections—the Fatui had all of them.
"Very well."
"We will proceed with this plan."
"The future of the empire lies ahead."
"Ura!"
"Meeting dismissed."