7: The Undercurrents of Liyue Harbor

Jade Chamber, Ningguang's Office.

The mature woman, wrapped in a golden silk qipao, stood at the window, gazing blankly at the rising sun. The delicate fabric did little to hide her graceful, voluptuous curves—instead, it accentuated them. The silhouette framed in the early light was both dignified and intoxicating.

She had stood there all night.

The incense burner on her desk had long since cooled. She'd forgotten to call anyone to refresh it—not that it mattered. For the first time, the cunning and calculating Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, the great Lady of Strategy Ningguang, found her mind utterly blank.

That woman.

That loud, brash woman, reeking of seawater, who always barged in uninvited demanding drinks and laughing like she owned the place…

Gone. Forever?

Her nose tingled, her eyes stung—dry but sore. Was it fatigue? Should I go lie down? she thought vaguely. Maybe if I sleep, she'll barge in again while I'm dozing off, annoying me with some nonsense. But sometimes… sometimes she brought useful intel too.

What had she said last time? Something about… Inazuma? The Sakoku Decree?

No, that was Inazuma's problem, nothing to do with Liyue. Then it must've been Mondstadt—she'd mentioned Fatui activity near Dragonspine. That was closer to home, something to monitor.

None of it mattered now.

Her famed mind for intelligence and analysis had failed her completely. Ningguang pressed a hand to her mouth. I'm Tianquan. I must not cry.

But…

"Fatui," she whispered aloud.

She forced her gaze down to the paperwork scattered across the floor—documents she'd neglected for two full days. She didn't bother organizing them. Instead, she took a fresh sheet of fine paper from the shelf and began to write.

At the docks, unloading was proceeding smoothly.

Tartaglia had arrived the moment he received the news. Though not known for scheming, the Eleventh Harbinger wasn't stupid. He just preferred action over manipulation. When problems arose, his first instinct was always: punch it.

Still, he hadn't become a Harbinger by being reckless.

He grasped the situation immediately.

That woman—the one Saphir had killed—was clearly someone important. If this wasn't handled properly, it could escalate to Liyue annulling their agreements. Worse, it might trigger an all-out conflict.

All he could do now was tighten control over his own men and prevent the Qixing from finding any easy targets for retaliation. The rest depended on how Liyue's leadership chose to respond.

Still, he wasn't too worried.

After all, everyone knew where true power in Liyue resided: Morax, the Geo Archon himself. As long as he remained uninvolved, everything else was maneuverable.

"…Seriously though, what's that Saphir girl doing? Wasn't she just passing through? How'd she manage to cause a mess like this?"

He rubbed his temple and gave out orders to his men. Originally, he'd planned to meet with a local contact today—someone connected to Liyue's underground circles. He was curious to see what kind of people ruled the streets here.

But now?

Everything had to be rescheduled. Hopefully, showing up late to their first meeting wouldn't offend the man.

Private room in Xinyue Kiosk.

Tartaglia entered with a wry smile.

"Apologies—I'm late. Some things came up at the last minute."

The man seated at the head of the table set down his teacup with deliberate grace. Dressed in ornate robes embroidered with ancient motifs—squares, keys, dragons—he exuded the timeless elegance of Liyue.

"No harm done," the man said calmly. "You gave notice. That shows consideration. And now that you've come in person, there's no breach of trust. On the contrary—rushing here through chaos speaks of your respect for our contract. Why would I fault that?"

Tartaglia scratched the back of his head, a little flustered by the praise.

"Ahaha… You're too kind, sir. May I ask your name?"

"Zhongli," the man replied. "Once a nameless wanderer, now merely a guest consultant at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Nothing of note."

The dishes were soon served—Xinyue Kiosk's famous seafood delicacies. Crab, shrimp, scallops, fish—nearly the entire table was covered in ocean's bounty.

Zhongli, however, barely touched his food. Tartaglia, on the other hand, was still struggling with chopsticks. Even with his mastery of all weapons, these twin sticks from Liyue seemed impossible.

Noticing Zhongli's lack of appetite, he set his utensils down.

"Not to your taste, Mr. Zhongli?"

Zhongli gave a faint smile.

"The food here is exquisite. But I've been troubled by certain thoughts lately. I apologize if it's affecting the mood."

Troubled?

Tartaglia's instincts kicked in. He's here to ask for something. Good—this might work in my favor.

"If something's weighing on you, feel free to tell me. I may not be local, but I have my own network. Perhaps I can help?"

Zhongli took a slow sip of tea, letting the warmth clear his senses.

"Have you heard of Fate Stars, Mr. Tartaglia?"

"Of course," Tartaglia answered without hesitation, waving for the server to bring him a fork. "The stars of Teyvat reflect our destinies. Everyone has their own unique Constellation, formed of six stars. For those with Visions, it's common knowledge."

He even showed off his Hydro Vision as he spoke.

Zhongli nodded.

"Typically, a Constellation forms at birth and fades at death. Yet recently… an anomaly was observed. A single star—not tied to any known Constellation. Alone. Unrecorded. Suddenly appearing in a region of the sky that was previously dark."

Tartaglia sat upright.

He didn't know much about astrology, but he knew enough to understand: this wasn't normal. A rogue star, unaffiliated with any existing path? A lone brilliance piercing the void?

"And what would you have me do, Mr. Zhongli?"

Zhongli placed his cup down slowly.

"You wish to trace the paths of the Adepti, do you not? I happen to know that a Taboo Talisman is currently in the Yanshang Teahouse here in Liyue Harbor. With your Fatui methods, I trust acquiring it won't be a problem. In exchange…

Next time we meet, I ask only that you provide me with reliable readings—observations from astrologers who know their craft."

With that, Zhongli stood, took his cane, and departed without another word.

Tartaglia was left staring at the untouched dishes before him, lost in thought.

Liyue Harbor Docks.

The Death Omen Star was docked, but something was off.

Normally, docking here was a holiday for the Crux crew—a chance to gorge on good food, reunite with loved ones, drink till they dropped, or blow off months of pent-up tension from the sea.

But today?

No one left the ship.

A stifling silence blanketed the deck.

Their captain—Beidou—had sacrificed herself to buy them time. They weren't ungrateful. For the last two days, only one thought burned in their hearts: revenge.

Their souls still bore the mark of the Southern Cross.

All they waited for was Ningguang's word.

Once she gave the order, they would charge—no matter the cost. Even if they fell in the process, they'd pave the way for their comrades to avenge their Captain.

And then—

Huixing returned from her mission to deliver the report.

She brought back Ningguang's words:

"Remain in place. Tianquan Ningguang is considering action against the Fatui."

The mood shifted instantly.

Excitement, tension, and quiet, burning fury surged through the crew.

The moment was coming.

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