Chapter 5

Inazuma, one of the seven nations of Teyvat, is a secluded archipelago located in the far east of the continent.

Unlike Snezhnaya, which is dominated by the element of Ice, Inazuma, surrounded by thunderstorms and named after lightning, is primarily associated with the element of Electro.

Though lightning is fleeting, the Raiden Shogun, who rules Inazuma, believes in eternity.

No... to be precise, it's not Baal, but Baal's sister, Beelzebul.

Although Baal and Beelzebul share the title of Electro Archon, even the people of Inazuma might not know that their current ruler is not the original Baal, but her sister, Beelzebul.

The thunderstorms that even the "Ice Bridge Crossing True Monarch" would find troublesome were no issue for Bai Luo, thanks to the Mirror Maiden.

He finally understood why Pulcinella had insisted on bringing the Mirror Maiden along.

The water mirrors she conjured effectively shielded the fragile sailing ship from the terrifying thunderstorms, allowing them to pass through the endless tempest unharmed.

After emerging from the storm, even Bai Luo couldn't help but marvel.

No wonder the developers hadn't depicted the protagonist crossing the thunderstorm in the game—such a terrifying scene would have been too much for most phones to handle.

"Go rest for a while. I'll take care of the rest."

Bai Luo spoke to the Mirror Maiden as she dispelled the water mirrors.

This time, the Mirror Maiden didn't stand on ceremony. Protecting the entire ship through the thunderstorm had taken a significant toll on her.

After bowing to Bai Luo, she turned and returned to the cabin.

After instructing his subordinates to take good care of her, Bai Luo threw his dagger, which wrapped around the lookout platform.

With a light press of a switch, the wire attached to the dagger pulled him up to the platform.

"Is that Ritou?"

Looking at the red island on the horizon, Bai Luo couldn't help but sigh.

Even though he had seen its full appearance in the game, seeing it again still felt surreal.

Before Bai Luo arrived in Inazuma, the Fatui had already infiltrated this land of eternity.

According to the information he had, the Raiden Shogun, influenced by the early arrival of the Fatui, had issued the Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree.

Now, his task was to find the right opportunity to obtain the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis and bring it back to Snezhnaya.

"Bring it back, my foot!"

Every time he thought about this, Bai Luo felt a headache coming on.

No matter how you looked at it, Inazuma was indeed the easiest nation to target among the seven.

But as someone familiar with the plot, he knew full well that the Raiden Shogun currently residing in Tenshukaku wasn't Beelzebul, but a puppet created by her.

Even if he were lucky enough to meet Beelzebul, who was hiding in the Plane of Euthymia, Bai Luo wouldn't be able to take her Gnosis.

It wasn't just that he couldn't defeat her—the real issue was that the Gnosis wasn't even with her.

After Baal died in the war of Khaenri'ah, Beelzebul severed all ties with Celestia. The Gnosis, which represented her identity, had been handed over to Yae Miko, the head priestess of the Grand Narukami Shrine.

Who was Yae Miko?

The head shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine in Inazuma, overseeing all shrine affairs, and a familiar of the Electro Archon, Beelzebul.

Beelzebul herself once said that even if she were to strike at Yae Miko with her blade, Yae would dodge it.

The only one who could survive a single strike from Beelzebul was probably Childe.

As for Bai Luo... he'd need three strikes.

Anyway... it was time to land.

He'd figure things out after getting ashore.

For now, his identity as an envoy from Snezhnaya meant that the Raiden Shogun couldn't just strike him down.

...

Ritou, part of the Narukami Island group, was the gateway for foreigners entering Inazuma.

During the Sakoku Decree, anyone wishing to set foot on Narukami's territory had to pass through Ritou first.

This island, covered in maple trees, was under the jurisdiction of the Kanjou Commission.

People needed various permits to enter and leave, and obtaining these permits often required complicated procedures and special connections.

If one couldn't secure the necessary documents, they would be stranded on Ritou, left to admire the red maples, blue tiles, and the desolate fishing village alongside other滞留的外人.

For Bai Luo, the Twelfth Harbinger of the Fatui, this wasn't an issue.

Both the Kanjou Commission and the Tenryou Commission, two of the three major commissions in Inazuma, had already been infiltrated by the Fatui.

The three commissions were essentially the administrative bodies responsible for managing Inazuma's affairs: the Kanjou Commission, the Tenryou Commission, and the Yashiro Commission.

The Yashiro Commission, led by the Kamisato Clan, represented Inazuma's culture and was responsible for festivals and entertainment. It was the commission most deeply connected to the people.

The Tenryou Commission, led by the Kujou Clan, was in charge of public order and enforced government decrees. It managed all the Shogunate's armed forces, except for the Shogun's personal guards, and had the authority to issue travel permits.

The Kanjou Commission, led by the Hiiragi Clan, managed Inazuma's finances and was responsible for the nation's treasury. Like the Tenryou Commission, it had the authority to issue travel permits.

One of its duties was to strictly verify the identities of those entering and leaving Inazuma and to manage foreigners on Ritou.

As the ship approached the port, Ritou's features became clearer.

Unlike Snezhnaya's ports, which were covered in thick snow, the docks here were blanketed in crimson maple leaves.

There weren't many ships at the port—aside from fishing boats, there wasn't a single cargo ship in sight.

This was quite unusual for a bustling port.

As the ship drew closer, the soldiers dressed in Inazuman attire didn't show any hostility. Instead, they stood at attention, as if welcoming a VIP.

Led by a Pyro Agent, a group of Fatui members, accompanied by Inazuman soldiers, arrived at the dock.

"Instructor!"

If there was anyone in all of Teyvat who still respected the Twelfth Harbinger of the Fatui, it was undoubtedly the Pyro Agents.

After all, every Pyro Agent currently active in Teyvat had been trained by him.

"Long time no see, A-Qi."

Once they joined the Fatui's special training unit, they lost their original names.

All they had were code names.

Only after leaving the training unit and serving the Tsaritsa would they regain their names.

For example, Bai Luo's code name was BK201.

And this A-Qi's code name was 9527.

This wasn't a joke—he was literally the 9,527th person to join the Fatui.

"Instructor! I've arranged a table of authentic Liyue cuisine at the Chuyu Trading Company to welcome you!"

Bai Luo's Liyue origins weren't a secret within the Fatui.

The Fatui respected strength, and not all Harbingers were from Snezhnaya.

For example, La Signora was from Mondstadt.

There was even one Harbinger who was originally from Inazuma.

"A welcome feast isn't necessary. I'm here on important business. Arrange for me to go to Inazuma City as soon as possible."

Though Ritou's scenery was beautiful, the people Bai Luo needed to meet were all in Inazuma City.

He couldn't wait to see it for himself.

"Huh?"

As he stepped off the ship, he noticed a fox statue standing at the edge of the dock.

In Inazuma, such statues were common, often seen along the roads.

But...

He couldn't shake the feeling that the statue was watching him.