Chapter 7: Mysterious Pursuit

Night had fallen on the already quiet streets of Ritou, leaving them deserted. Inside a temporary residence, Bai Luo sat by the window, sipping tea and gazing in the direction of Inazuma City, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Instructor, are you sure you don't want to meet with the Hiragi and Kujou clans?" asked Ah Qi, Bai Luo's most trusted Pyro Agent, who was standing by his side.

"Even if I did, it would just be a bunch of flattery. I'd rather not bother," Bai Luo replied dismissively. Before becoming a Harbinger, he had often encountered such situations. Back then, he had neither the authority nor the reason to refuse. But now, as a Harbinger, he was second only to the Tsaritsa herself. In the Fatui hierarchy in Inazuma, his status was the highest. A little indulgence in ignoring formalities wouldn't be a problem.

"That's true. As the Tsaritsa's personally appointed envoy to Inazuma, it wouldn't be those from the Tri-Commission who would receive you, but the exalted Raiden Shogun herself."

"Poof—"

Before Ah Qi could finish his sentence, Bai Luo spat out his tea.

"Ah Qi."

"Yes?"

"You make a good point, but please don't say that again."

"???"

Even though Bai Luo's mission was to obtain the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis, he had no desire to face her directly. Firstly, the Gnosis wasn't with the Shogun, and secondly, he didn't want to risk being struck down by her. Ah, Liyue was so much more comfortable...

"Hmm?"

Just as Ah Qi was about to report on the plans for the next day, Bai Luo raised his hand slightly, signaling him to stop. Having trained together for so long, they understood each other's gestures well. Even a small movement held different meanings between them.

"After traveling all the way from Snezhnaya, I'm exhausted. Whatever it is, let's discuss it tomorrow. I'm going to bed."

"Understood, sir."

Ah Qi naturally left the room, closing the door behind him. Bai Luo yawned and casually placed his teacup on the table. As he walked towards the bed, he began unbuttoning the luxurious, winter-colored coat of Snezhnayan design.

When he undid the last button, Bai Luo grabbed his coat and swung it violently.

"Swish—"

Hidden beneath the motion of the coat, his custom dagger flew from his hand, embedding itself firmly in the ceiling beam above.

"Clack—"

The mechanism at his waist activated, and the steel wire hoisted him up to the beam of the house, where he landed smoothly. What he found on the beam surprised him—a small daruma doll with distinctly Inazuman styling.

It was well hidden, and if Bai Luo weren't an expert in stealth, he might have missed this little object. After a brief standoff, the daruma doll was the first to make a move.

Yoohoo Art: Mujina Flurry

The daruma suddenly glowed with a pale green light, and in the next moment, a fierce gust of wind swept through the room. A small figure leaped from the daruma, rolled across the floor, and darted out through the open window.

Ah Qi, stationed outside the door, was left bewildered. Did these so-called ninjas never use doors?

"Ah Qi, check for any traces. I'm going after them," Bai Luo ordered.

"Understood, sir!"

After receiving Ah Qi's response, Bai Luo deftly leaped out the window, chasing after the small figure bathed in moonlight.

Yoohoo Art: Fuuin Dash

The small figure, realizing Bai Luo was in pursuit, almost had her tail stand on end in fear. She knew all too well how dangerous Bai Luo was, so she didn't hesitate to use her escape technique. She jumped high, formed a hand seal, and then curled up into a ball. Upon landing, she began rolling rapidly across the ground, propelled by a strong breeze.

In no time, she had put a considerable distance between herself and Bai Luo. As long as she could make it to the forest ahead, a place she knew intimately, Bai Luo wouldn't be able to catch her.

From Bai Luo's perspective, her escape method didn't quite fit the profile of a trained ninja. Although this elemental skill allowed her to escape quickly, it left behind very clear traces. The grass she flattened during her escape would be easy for even an untrained person to follow, let alone someone as experienced as Bai Luo.

Even in areas where the environment didn't leave obvious marks, the elemental energy lingering in the air was visible to the naked eye, giving away her path. Though she was now out of sight, Bai Luo followed the trail to the edge of a forest.

By day, this forest might not have seemed particularly threatening, but at night, it was truly eerie. The night wind rustled through the trees, creating a whispering sound that almost seemed like voices.

Flipping his right hand, Bai Luo grasped the dagger he had previously sheathed and cautiously stepped into the forest.

"Whoosh—"

As soon as he entered, a flock of birds took to the sky, their harsh caws echoing as they scattered into the night. Crows—truly unpleasant creatures.

Maintaining his guard, Bai Luo continued to search for any signs of the little ninja's hiding place. He had to admit, once inside the forest, the ninja's concealment techniques reached their peak. After the crows had disturbed the area, it became almost impossible to find any useful traces on the ground.

However, the occasional flickering shadows in the surrounding bushes created the illusion that he was surrounded by people, yet no one could be seen.

The moon was hidden behind the thick canopy, letting no light through. Yet this didn't hinder Bai Luo's vision, as the forest was dotted with clusters of blue flowers that emitted a soft, eerie glow in the darkness. The ethereal light from these petals made everything look sinister and ominous. The strange, moss-covered statues added to the haunting atmosphere—an environment where even the locals of Inazuma wouldn't dare linger for long.

Yet, in this unsettling setting, Bai Luo encountered someone.

Bai Luo wasn't even sure if what he had encountered was a human being.

"Who are you?" she asked, holding a bamboo basket, her brows slightly furrowed.

Unlike most women, this one had short, practical hair and wore a uniform reserved for the Shogunate soldiers. However, compared to regular soldiers, her outfit was far more "luxurious." Most striking was the red bird-like mask she wore on her head. If Bai Luo didn't know for certain that the Fatui didn't use such masks, he might have mistaken her for one of their own.

"I'm chasing a thief from my household; I followed them here," Bai Luo replied calmly, discreetly retracting the dagger hidden in his sleeve. He had already realized who this woman suddenly appearing in the forest was—or rather, what she was. She wasn't human but a tengu, one of the mythical beings of Inazuma.

She was also the general of the Shogunate forces—Kujou Sara,