"You two seem to have misunderstood something," Xingqiu waved his hand dismissively. "Using my family's influence means they're well aware I'm gathering all these bizarre things. Explaining it to them wasn't exactly easy, even with my eloquence."
"Indeed, Xingqiu has put in tremendous effort for my sake. It's a great favor," Chongyun chimed in, making Xingqiu feel even more justified in his actions. He unconsciously puffed out his chest, standing a bit taller as he spoke.
"Hah, it's nothing, really. We heroes don't expect rewards. There's no need for such gratitude," Xingqiu said, clearly pleased with himself.
Gu Sanqiu put a hand on his forehead. "Wipe that smile off your face. Your expression practically screams, 'Praise me! Praise me!'"
"Oh? Is it that obvious?"
Xingqiu quickly masked his face with a fan, trying to regain his serious demeanor. "How about now?"
"Even with the serious face, you can't hide how much you were grinning a moment ago."
Drama queen!
As the group bantered, the old-timers on the stage began their demonstrations—whether it was crushing the arena with a single punch or summoning lightning and rain, their displays left the younger crowd wide-eyed in awe.
Of course, some of the elders were also eager to regain some face after Tartaglia's impressive performance. They wanted to show that Liyue still had its share of powerful figures, hence the dramatic displays.
"What fascinating abilities. Without even using a Vision, ordinary people can reach such levels of power?" Tartaglia mused, clearly impressed. "I've learned something new today. You wouldn't see such things back in Snezhnaya."
"Well, it's different here. Our development paths have always diverged," Gu Sanqiu said, keeping his expression neutral. He still remembered his first encounter with the Fatui, when he saw their soldiers using a combination of machines and elemental energy in battle. It left him momentarily dumbfounded.
Director! Someone's wandered into the wrong movie set!
Especially afterward, when he had to face off against the Fatui with their impenetrable shields. Back then, it was downright frustrating…
From what Gu Sanqiu knew of history, Snezhnaya had long been pushing toward diversification in its military strength. While the Fatui's vanguard relied on technological enhancements, the Electro Cicin Mages were delving into the darker, more forbidden realms of research.
As for those rumors about "Cicin Mages being obsessed with mistgrass"? Nonsense. If it were that simple, Cicin Mages wouldn't be an exclusive Snezhnayan force.
"Still, your Millelith's standard equipment is all cold weapons. That would be unimaginable in Snezhnaya—only impoverished regions use such primitive gear."
"No, no. I'd rather not live in a place where daily shootouts are the norm. Who knows if the next bullet will have your name on it?"
"But how do you handle criminals? Some of them are quite skilled. A setup like ours in the vanguard would be much more effective."
Gu Sanqiu and Xingqiu exchanged glances.
Should we tell him that the Millelith can perform long-range attacks with cold weapons?
After a quick look, they both decided: Nope.
Let Tartaglia figure that out himself. If they ever clashed in the future, the Millelith would be able to catch the Fatui off guard.
Still, that didn't stop Gu Sanqiu from seizing an opportunity.
"How about this—you give me five sets of your Fatui vanguard gear, and I'll teach you how to summon lightning using pure manpower."
Gu Sanqiu gestured toward one of the old-timers demonstrating on stage. "See that guy? My family knows that move too. Guaranteed results, and no need for lightning rods during training."
"Tch, the vanguard's equipment is all logged. I couldn't give you any even if I wanted to," Tartaglia scoffed. "Also, I know Liyue has its share of legendary thieves throughout history, but no matter how skilled they are, it wouldn't matter."
"If anyone dares steal from us, those Cicin Mage girls will teach them the meaning of fear."
"Tch."
"Tch."
(;￢＿￢)
Both Gu Sanqiu and Xingqiu responded in unison, their expressions identical. Meanwhile, Chongyun licked his popsicle, utterly confused by the sudden chill in the atmosphere.
Did I accidentally release some of my Cryo energy?
(＿ ＿)ノ｜
Tartaglia was getting exasperated. "Can't you at least hide your plotting against my subordinates a little better when I'm right here?"
"You're really considering hiring thieves for this?"
"No." Xingqiu shook his head. "The ones we know aren't nearly as skilled as we are. Hiring them would only make you more alert and waste our money. Plus, there'd be no benefit to us."
"Even the so-called master thieves are... nothing special to me," he added.
"Exactly," Gu Sanqiu said calmly. "So we'll do it ourselves. Liyue Harbor may be vast, but we have connections everywhere. Your Fatui aren't robots who don't need to eat or dress, and especially not those fashion-conscious Cicin Mages."
"You mentioned the Cicin Mages guarding your gear. All we'd need to do is monitor the Fatui's purchases of women's products. Before long, we'd narrow down your operations and locations."
"As long as you interact with anyone from Liyue, every person and every shipment could be our ally."
"For us, the local powers, it's almost impossible for you to hide your stashes in the wild. Even the Treasure Hoarders wouldn't be able to match us there."
Xingqiu nodded. "Though we look down on the Treasure Hoarders, they've managed to survive this long for a reason."
Tartaglia was at a loss for words, mentally retracing the conversation to see if he had inadvertently revealed anything critical.
He'd only mentioned that the Cicin Mages were guarding their equipment, yet these two had already deduced an entire plan of action. It was baffling.
Alright, I'm definitely switching up the guards and moving the stash after this!
(°ー°〃)
Wait.
What if they're just baiting me into making a move, so they can follow the trail and steal the gear?
The more he thought about it…
Damn, that's entirely possible!
Now I'm stuck. Do I change the guards or not? What if I end up leading them straight to the stash?
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
Damn crafty Liyueans!
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