Chapter 415: Setting Sail (2-in-1 Chapter)
Liyue Harbor, Docks.
As they descended the stone steps from the street, they could see numerous vendors near the docks selling fresh sea fish.
Many dockworkers were using wooden cranes powered by manual labor to unload massive logs from a large ship docked at the port, stacking them near the shore on the right side.
"This batch of timber seems to be ordered from Sumeru by Ningguang, for rebuilding her Jade Chamber," Hu Tao said, hands clasped behind her back as she hopped down the steps playfully, her movements light and lively. "Keqing, the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, must be here to inspect whether the Millelith have properly managed any potential hazards."
The reconstruction of the Jade Chamber had been a hot topic in Liyue Harbor recently.
No other construction projects required such a large amount of timber, so it was obvious where the wood was destined.
"I see," Nolan nodded slightly.
Taking advantage of their elevated position and the wide view it offered, he scanned the area, searching for Keqing.
Eventually, he spotted her under a pavilion, flanked by two Millelith soldiers, arms crossed as she conversed with someone.
Wait—was that Beidou?
From a distance, Nolan recognized the figure with long black hair, dressed in a red qipao and over-the-knee high-heeled boots.
"Keqing and Beidou are over there. Let's go check it out," Nolan suggested, heading toward the pavilion.
"Oh? Beidou's here too? I definitely need to go introduce myself!" Hu Tao's plum blossom-shaped pupils sparkled with interest.
Beidou was a well-known figure in Liyue Harbor. Hu Tao hadn't had many opportunities to meet her before, but now that she had the chance, she thought it might be a good idea to befriend her.
"Is the situation serious?" Keqing asked the woman in front of her.
"Heh, those small-time thugs? Serious? They just harass ships passing by, demand tolls, and if you don't pay, they send people to damage the hull. Arrogant as hell!" Beidou replied with a scornful laugh, her hands resting on her hips.
"Keqing, Beidou—long time no see!" A familiar voice suddenly called out to them.
Keqing turned her head and was surprised to see Nolan and Hu Tao approaching.
"Nolan, Hu Tao? You two are here as well?" she asked, a bit taken aback.
"This guy wanted to discuss swordsmanship or something with you," Hu Tao said, pointing at Nolan.
"I do recall promising you that," Keqing sighed. "But things have been hectic lately, and I haven't had the time to find you."
"No problem, of course, your official duties are more important," Nolan replied with a smile. Then, his tone shifted with curiosity, "I overheard you talking about something serious. Did something happen?"
Keqing's light purple twin-tails swayed slightly in the sea breeze. Seeing Nolan's interest, she turned to Beidou.
"Could you explain the pirate situation at Guyun Stone Forest to them?"
"Haha, you want me to explain? Sure, why not. After all, I've seen those guys firsthand," Beidou laughed heartily.
She didn't dive straight into the topic, though. Instead, she slung an arm around Nolan's neck, clapping him on the shoulder as if they were old friends.
"Hey, I heard from Kokomi that the Vision Hunt Decree in Inazuma was repealed thanks to you and Lumine. And you paid quite the price for it, too!" Beidou grinned. "I knew from the moment I met you that you were destined for big things. Looks like I was right!"
Nolan was usually the one pulling girls close, so being embraced like this by Beidou was a bit of a new experience for him.
Still, he didn't pull away. Feeling the firm yet soft strength of Beidou's arm, he replied humbly, "It was nothing, really. We just happened to have something we could trade with the Raiden Shogun. And besides, your efforts in helping abolish the Vision Hunt Decree were equally significant."
"You sure know how to talk!" Beidou laughed again, loud and hearty.
Before Nolan and Lumine arrived in Inazuma, even with Beidou providing overseas supplies to the resistance, they hadn't managed to attract the Raiden Shogun's attention.
But after their arrival, Inazuma's myriad problems had been resolved within just a month or two.
Undoubtedly, most of the credit belonged to Nolan and Lumine. But hearing her own minor contributions acknowledged still made Beidou feel quite pleased.
[Beidou Has Developed Good Feelings Toward You. Obtained 300 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.5 (330/500)]
Nolan glanced at the notification on his character panel, then smiled and said, "Beidou, why don't you tell us more about the pirate issue at Guyun Stone Forest? If there's any trouble, maybe I can help."
He figured lending a hand might boost their affection even more.
"Oh, it's not really much trouble," Beidou said, releasing Nolan as she rested her hand on her chin with a slight chuckle. "Ningguang, being the wealthiest person in Liyue, had her Jade Chamber crash around that area. The wreckage is scattered all over the sea…"
"Then, some greedy Treasure Hoarders and pirates caught wind of the news and figured that the Jade Chamber's destruction was so sudden, Ningguang wouldn't have had time to retrieve all the treasures stored there.
"So they banded together to search the area, hoping to get lucky. But it seems they didn't find much. Maybe feeling frustrated, they started robbing passing ships.
"Now, many merchant vessels are forced to take longer routes around Guyun Stone Forest, which not only wastes time but also increases transportation costs. It's causing quite a bit of trouble for the people of Liyue.
"I was just about to suggest to Keqing that she take a few squads of the Millelith to wipe out those greedy bastards!" Beidou finished, her tone laced with irritation.
After listening to Beidou, Nolan quickly pieced things together. It was just some Treasure Hoarders and pirates coveting the treasures supposedly left behind on the Jade Chamber.
But seriously, the Jade Chamber's explosion was powerful enough to blast the ancient sea god Osial back into his seal. Any treasures on board would've been obliterated.
No wonder those scavengers came up empty-handed.
Thinking of this, Nolan couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. If only he could have collected some of those ancient paintings and antiques from the Jade Chamber—it would have been perfect for expanding his Wonderland Space.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Nolan nodded and said, "If this is already affecting the people, then we definitely need to take action. Whenever you're ready to move, I can come along."
With that, he looked toward Keqing, awaiting her final decision.
"Hmm," Keqing mused, a smile forming on her fair face. "I was planning to bring the Millelith with me, but since you're here, I have a new idea."
"Oh? You mean like last time?" Nolan, being sharp-minded, immediately caught on to Keqing's plan.
"Exactly." Keqing nodded slightly.
"Hey, hey! You two secretive folks—what are you talking about?" Beidou and Hu Tao asked, their faces filled with curiosity.
"There are too many people here. Let's discuss it on the ship," Keqing decided, ready to set sail for Guyun Stone Forest and explain things to Beidou and Hu Tao along the way.
"Uh, we're heading out now? Not bringing any Millelith along?" Beidou, while confident in her and Keqing's abilities, still felt uneasy. Guyun Stone Forest was vast—catching all those thieves with just a handful of people wouldn't be easy.
"No need to make such a big scene," Keqing replied firmly.
She instructed the two Millelith soldiers behind her to maintain order at the docks.
Then, together with Beidou, Nolan, and Hu Tao, she prepared to board the Alcor, docked next to the timber transport ship.
The Alcor wasn't unloading timber, though. It was filled with specialty goods from Inazuma.
With the lifting of the Sakoku Decree, Inazuma had gradually resumed trade with foreign nations, slowly regaining its former prosperity.
---
Sea of Clouds
Under a bright, clear blue sky, a massive wooden ship powered by paddle wheels resembling waterwheels was sailing toward Guyun Stone Forest.
Inside the captain's quarters, Nolan, Hu Tao, Keqing, and Beidou gathered.
By now, Keqing had thoroughly explained to Beidou and Hu Tao how she and Nolan had dealt with the Treasure Hoarders in the Sal Terrae region.
"You actually used some special ability to force them into behaving and even made them act as undercover agents for you? And while doing that, they helped guide more people toward reform? That's a pretty clever idea! But... did it work?" Beidou asked, intrigued.
"Of course it did," Keqing replied with a light chuckle.
"Thanks to Nolan's Command Seals, any intel they gather gets immediately reported to our intelligence officers.
"Because of this, the Millelith have managed to dismantle several deeply hidden Treasure Hoarder strongholds over the past few days. We've arrested no less than fifty Treasure Hoarders, and they'll soon face justice in court!"
[Keqing Has Developed Good Feelings Toward You. Obtained 260 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.6 (360/600)]
Perhaps it was the effectiveness of the Command Seals, but Keqing's favorability toward Nolan had slightly increased once more.
"No wonder I heard there's been a noticeable drop in Treasure Hoarders around Liyue lately! Looks like the Millelith's precise strikes have scared them stiff!" Hu Tao remarked, nodding knowingly with her arms crossed.
"So, you're planning to repeat the same strategy this time?" Beidou quickly grasped Keqing's idea.
"Exactly. We've already got a group of Treasure Hoarders under our control on land, but we need a group at sea as well. Let those scoundrels fight among themselves—it'll make things much easier for us!"
Keqing seemed quite satisfied with this plan.
Every Millelith soldier protecting Liyue was invaluable. If there was a way to reduce the risks they faced, it was definitely worth using.
"So, once we get to Guyun Stone Forest, all we need to do is find one group of Treasure Hoarders, put them under control, and get them to reveal their base. Then we can wipe them out in one sweep! Hah, not bad at all. You and Lumine really are people who bring change to the world!"
Beidou could already imagine it—with an ability like this to forcibly restrain criminals, while it wouldn't eliminate crime completely, it would definitely minimize its impact. At the very least, gang activities that destabilize society would become much rarer!
[Beidou Has Developed Good Feelings Toward You. Obtained 220 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.6 (50/600)]
"So that means next time I visit Wuwang Hill, it'll be hard to find Treasure Hoarders to spook with my little ghosts? What a shame!"
Though Hu Tao sounded regretful, she was actually pretty happy about the decrease in bad guys.
[Hu Tao Has Developed Good Feelings Toward You. Obtained 230 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.8 (350/800)]
Seeing a string of affection notifications pop up on his character panel, Nolan chuckled and said,
"Being able to contribute to Teyvat's peace and prosperity makes me quite happy."
He decided to find an opportunity to replicate Liyue's successful strategy in Mondstadt and Inazuma as well. Maybe he'd gain the favor of more girls who'd appreciate his efforts!
Yeah, he'd have to plan that out properly!
---
Time drifted by like the sea breeze, gently brushing against the sails as the Alcor sped across the waters.
By now, the afternoon sun blazed even more intensely, and the silhouette of Guyun Stone Forest had come into view.
Standing at the ship's prow, Nolan and the others gazed ahead. Keqing, her light purple twin-tails fluttering in the wind, crossed her arms and suggested:
"Why don't we fly over? Let's have the Alcor drop anchor here. Otherwise, it might be too conspicuous and scare those scoundrels away."
Beidou, the "Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean," was a name that struck fear into the hearts of pirates and Treasure Hoarders alike. Seeing the Alcor approach, it was almost certain they'd scatter.
"Sounds good to me," Beidou agreed.
She then instructed the crew to lower the sails and drop anchor. After that, the group used their Wind Gliders, with Nolan enhancing them with his Anemo abilities, as they soared toward Guyun Stone Forest.
---
The aerial view provided a clear vantage point. It wasn't long before they spotted floating sentry posts set up by the thieves to intercept passing merchant ships.
Around the floating posts were two small boats. Two people disembarked from one boat and climbed onto the platform, while the two already stationed there boarded the other boat and began rowing toward the shores of Guyun Stone Forest.
It was clear—they were changing shifts.
"Once we land on that floating post, we can subdue those two and get information on their operation and hideouts. Then we can swiftly take them all down. How does that sound?" Nolan asked, looking at Keqing and the others.
"Hehe, sounds good to me!" Hu Tao grinned. "But we should wait for that boat to row a bit further out, or they'll notice something's off."
She pressed down on her hat to keep it from being blown away by the sea breeze. Her pale legs dangled in the air, swaying slightly since there was nothing to rest them on mid-flight.
Keqing and Beidou nodded in agreement.
---
About ten minutes later, they estimated that the departing boat was far enough. Even if they looked back toward the floating post, all they'd see was a tiny black dot.
Without hesitation, the group suddenly folded their Wind Gliders and let themselves free-fall.
Just as they were about to hit the floating post, they spread their gliders again, stopping their descent and hovering in place.
As long as the Wind Gliders were of good quality, this maneuver wasn't difficult.
"Who's there?!"
The sudden sound of gliders unfolding caught the attention of the men on the post. They instinctively looked up toward the source of the noise.
But before they could even fully raise their heads, a sudden jolt surged through their minds, and their consciousness was instantly cut off—they collapsed unconscious on the floating platform!
(End of Chapter)
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