Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [302]

"I promise you, Sister."

Gu Sanqiu held Ningguang in a firm embrace, resting his chin on her shoulder as traces of elemental energy began to gather in his mouth.

"I'll make better preparations next time. I won't let myself fall into such life-threatening situations again. I swear this in the name of the people of the Incense Hall."

"Now, get some proper rest, Sister. You're exhausted—so just sleep for a while."

Drowsiness washed over her. Ningguang pushed Gu Sanqiu away, her face showing a helpless expression.

"You little brat…"

Gu Sanqiu carefully picked her up, placing her on the bed and covering her with a blanket. He lit a soothing, revitalizing incense in the room.

Watching the sleeping Ningguang, Gu Sanqiu leaned down and gently kissed her forehead before stepping out of the room.

Changing destiny—a grand, ambitious concept, one fraught with untold dangers.

Humans live their lives, sometimes driven by passion, sometimes by calculated motives. Many reasons compel them to fight for grand and abstract ideals.

But as they move forward, they often unknowingly leave behind those who care for and worry about them.

Sometimes, it's the distance between life and death itself.

No matter the circumstances, the starry sky of Teyvat will always hold your place.

No matter where you are, remember this: your loved ones are waiting for you, hoping you'll return home safe and sound.

Gu Sanqiu formed a few hand seals, dispelling the lingering elemental energy in his mouth. He then donned his black robe with gold embroidery and stepped into the winds, flying toward the Jade Chamber.

"Ningguang, you're back… huh? Oh, it's you, Xiangjun."

Baiwen came out of the main pavilion to greet him, momentarily stunned to see Gu Sanqiu instead.

He walked step by step from midair onto the deck, his specially chosen robe blending into the night, with only faint traces of gold patterns visible.

There was something… different about him. Unlike the usual Gu Sanqiu, who carried a faint smile, there was an air of authority about him now, rising from deep within.

"So late at night, Xiangjun, what brings you here?"

"Have the pending documents been handled yet?"

"They haven't."

Gu Sanqiu nodded. "Fetch me all the backlog. I'll take care of it. Summon the other two secretaries to the main pavilion as well. Tonight, I'll need your help."

"Understood."

Baiwen saluted and left to notify the others, while Gu Sanqiu, familiar with the layout, headed straight to Ningguang's office.

"Seriously? That much?"

His eyelid twitched at the sight of the mountain of paperwork piled high on the desk.

"Should I call Ganyu for help?"

After a moment of thought, he shook his head. Overworking an elder employee like that would be too much. Besides, she was probably working overtime somewhere else too.

"I'll handle this myself."

Gu Sanqiu removed his robe and hung it on the back of the chair. Picking up a pen, he began reviewing and approving the overdue documents.

Fortunately, he didn't have to worry about vision problems. Otherwise, wearing glasses might have made him look even more professional.

"Why is Xiangjun here so suddenly tonight, and for paperwork of all things?"

The three secretaries whispered cautiously as they worked.

"No idea. He's acting really different today, though. When he glanced at me earlier, I felt like Ningguang herself was standing there issuing orders."

"Don't overthink it. It's probably some personal matter between the Lady Tianquan and Xiangjun. Let's just cooperate and finish up so we can sleep."

A few hours later, Gu Sanqiu glanced at the three secretaries who had fallen asleep at their desks. He placed a small bottle of restorative pills on each of their tables.

Once they rested and took the pills, they'd recover just fine. He couldn't very well carry them back to their rooms like he did with Ningguang.

"So exhausting. Compressing several days' worth of work into a few hours is brutal. Just reading those documents almost made me want to puke."

Lighting a cigarette, Gu Sanqiu leaned against the deck railing. This was his first time smoking in the Jade Chamber—undeniably a bold move on his road to self-destruction.

He gazed down at the still-glimmering lights of Liyue Harbor below, his thoughts drifting far away.

"If the Jade Chamber were to fall one day, would I lose this view for a while?"

He looked upward toward the higher sky. "Interesting. But nothing to fear for now. If I'm going to deal with trouble, I'll start big and work my way down."

This wasn't like dealing with corrupt officials by targeting the smaller ones first to avoid desperate retaliation.

A certain entity, one who sought to reshape the world itself, wielded far greater power. For now, though, they were beyond his reach.

"Competing against the heavens, huh? How did I end up in such a high-stakes plotline all of a sudden?"

He chuckled to himself. "Still, it's intriguing. If I really pull this off, the family annals will have plenty to record. My deeds will need an entire chapter at least."

---

"Xiangjun? What brings you to our secret vault today?"

Gu Fei's face was a picture of shock upon seeing Gu Sanqiu. His expression resembled that of someone witnessing an elder actually pay with cash instead of putting it on a tab.

"Why can't I come? If you have a problem with me, this isn't the way to express it."

Gu Sanqiu waved for Gu Fei to lead the way. "How's the replication project coming along?"

"Xiangjun! Careful—walls have ears," Gu Fei cautioned, glancing around nervously.

"First of all," Gu Fei continued, "you've always seemed to avoid the secret vault like the plague, so your recent visits are… unusual."

"And the second?"

Gu Fei inputted a complex code to unlock a door.

"It's proceeding steadily."

Gu Sanqiu gazed ahead at the battered yet imposing artifact, its design still exuding a commanding presence.

"How far have you gotten with the replication?"

"We're still working out the energy operation structure, but we've made some breakthroughs. We expect initial results in a month or two."

"A month or two? That's progress."

Gu Sanqiu nodded. "What about the materials for the ballista?"

Gu Fei explained, "Based on the records and technology you provided, there seem to be two models of the Ballista of Finality. One operates directly on elemental energy, using it as ammunition."

"The second is more complex, enhancing the damage by forging arrows like magical artifacts."

"Our preliminary estimates suggest the cost would be unimaginably high—unsustainable for conventional warfare."

Gu Fei maintained a neutral expression. "We've imported advanced metal formulas from Fontaine to experiment with innovations. But that's another expense."

"And even if the replica succeeds, it likely won't match the original in power."

"Don't tell me to ask the Qixing for funding," Gu Sanqiu said dismissively. "I can only provide you with more records."

"The power isn't an issue. Replicating it is about expanding our armory and giving Liyue's soldiers better tools to survive."

Gu Sanqiu gestured firmly. "You'd better speed things up. We need both models ready as soon as possible. Liyue doesn't lack people—we'll make use of every type. Equipping the Millelith is crucial."

Gu Fei's expression darkened. "Xiangjun, does this mean we're preparing for war?"

"It's not that we're preparing for war. It's that many strange forces have been preparing to start one."

Gu Sanqiu clapped Gu Fei on the shoulder. "Everyone's gearing up for different kinds of battles. Liyue can't afford to fall behind in this race."

"And if anyone dares come for us, we'll strike back with all we've got!"

---

"..."

- Gardevoir

(End of Chapter—Support the translator at [patreon.com/WiseTL]!)