Chapter 54

"Hahahaha!" Akio burst into laughter upon hearing Tartaglia's words, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. 

"Tartaglia, the 11th Harbinger of the Fatui, also known as Childe," Akio said, looking at Tartaglia. "Am I right? The infamous Fatui?" 

"The Fatui!" Lumine immediately became wary of Tartaglia, recalling her unpleasant encounter with La Signora in Mondstadt. 

La Signora was the 8th Harbinger, so this 11th Harbinger couldn't be a good person, right? 

"Hey, hey, no need to look at me like that," Tartaglia said, noticing Lumine's gaze. "Although we're colleagues, I don't get along with that woman." 

"Besides, I'm only here to help you. I'm not a bad guy… well, I might be a bad guy," Tartaglia admitted. "But at the very least, the help I'm offering can clear your name." 

"And him," Tartaglia pointed at Akio, "he's the most likely suspect in Morax's assassination, don't you think? You don't seriously believe a mere mortal like me could kill the Geo Archon, do you?" 

With that, Tartaglia handed Lumine a talisman. 

"What's this?" Lumine frowned. 

"Who knows? Sometimes the simplest things money can buy don't even have names," Tartaglia said. "In short, this is a token that will ensure the adepti won't harm you." 

"Are you suggesting we seek out the adepti?" Lumine asked. 

"Exactly. Only they can clear your name," Tartaglia nodded. 

"The talisman can indeed grant you a wish from the adepti," Akio interjected. "This guy wants to use you to get the adepti to suppress Liyue." 

However, Lumine now looked at both Akio and Tartaglia with suspicion. Even if Akio was a god, he could still be a former enemy, and the Fatui were notorious for being untrustworthy. 

"Paimon, what do you think?" Lumine turned to Paimon, who was also feeling confused. It seemed like neither of them was trustworthy. 

"I… I think we should go and inform the adepti. The adepti helped build Liyue alongside the Geo Archon, so they probably wouldn't harm it," Paimon whispered, hiding behind Lumine when she noticed Akio's slightly menacing gaze. 

"It's only natural! Besides, Lumine and I just got caught up in this mess out of nowhere! We don't want to be treated like criminals forever," Paimon said defiantly, looking at Akio. 

"That's a fair point," Akio glared at Paimon. "But for some reason, I feel really annoyed! Little Paimon, one day I'm going to stew you." 

"Waaah! Don't eat Paimon!" Paimon was on the verge of tears. Being targeted by a god was not a pleasant experience. 

Since Lumine didn't trust him, it wouldn't hurt to let her experience the harshness of the world and learn that the Fatui were not to be trusted. 

"Since you don't trust me, go ahead and seek out the adepti. I won't stop you," Akio waved his hand dismissively, then turned to Tartaglia, narrowing his eyes. 

"As for you, Fatui Harbinger, you've made me very unhappy." 

"Oh? It seems Mr. Akio wants to fight?" Tartaglia grinned, his fighting spirit ignited. 

For Tartaglia, whether it was a god or a monster, as long as it had a physical form, it could be defeated. His warrior's heart made him fearless in the face of any opponent. 

"The atmosphere feels… really tense," Paimon gulped, and Lumine nodded in agreement. 

"Good, very good," Akio smirked. "So, you think you're tough, huh?" 

"Just kidding, I'm super tough," Tartaglia's body crackled with Electro energy as he prepared to unleash his Foul Legacy Transformation. Facing a god, he had to give it his all to stand a chance. 

However, in the next moment, to the shock of Lumine and Paimon, Akio appeared in front of Tartaglia in an instant, grabbed his face, and slammed him into the ground with such force that the earth cracked and dust billowed up. 

"!!!" Lumine's eyes widened in disbelief. The formidable Tartaglia had been taken down just like that? 

Tartaglia lay on the ground, his eyes filled with doubt. Every part of his body felt like it was being torn apart. 

But Akio wasn't done. He picked up Tartaglia and began pummeling him relentlessly. 

Lumine and Paimon, watching from the sidelines, shivered. How could someone so handsome be so violent? The once-boastful Tartaglia was now a bruised and battered mess. 

"So scary~ I'm adding him to Paimon's list of people not to mess with," Paimon said with a tearful face. "Lumine! I think I made Akio angry earlier, you have to save me!" 

Lumine glanced at Paimon and silently took two steps back. 

"Lumine!" Paimon shouted in frustration. 

The one-sided beating finally came to an end, with Akio holding the dazed and battered Tartaglia by the collar. 

"Off you go!" Akio aimed at the Northland Bank in the distance and kicked Tartaglia in the rear, sending him flying like a cannonball toward the bank. 

Akio had no intention of killing Tartaglia. He just wanted to vent his anger, leaving him in pain but alive. 

"Lumine~ Paimon~" Akio turned to the two, a bit of blood from the beating still on his face, and gave them a "friendly" smile. 

"..." But the smile only made them more terrified. 

"Um… we'll go… find the adepti now," Paimon forced a nervous smile and tugged at Lumine's hair. 

"Oh right, we'll be going now," Lumine managed an awkward smile and quickly fled with Paimon. She couldn't stay in this place for another second! It was absolutely terrifying! 

As expected of a god! Even a Fatui Harbinger was beaten to a pulp without any resistance. If they stayed any longer, they might end up the same way! 

"Huh… am I really that scary?" Akio raised an eyebrow as he watched the two run off. With a wave of his hand, the blood on his face disappeared. 

"Look at how you scared those poor girls," Kitsune Saiguu, who had been nestled in Akio's arms, poked her head out and said with a grin. 

"She didn't trust me," Akio snorted. Even if Lumine had no reason to trust him, couldn't he be a little petty? Setting aside the facts, wasn't Lumine at fault too? 

Meanwhile, at the Northland Bank, a figure crashed through the wall, startling everyone inside. 

Someone ran over to check and exclaimed, "Who are you?" 

"Idiot! It's me, Tartaglia!" Tartaglia roared in anger. 

"Lord Tartaglia!" The person finally recognized him by his familiar attire. 

The once-arrogant Tartaglia had been reduced to a bruised and swollen mess. 

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