With the retreat of the two sea monsters, the turbulent waves began to calm, leaving only the towering purple energy giant standing on the ocean's surface.
At the harbor, Lumine, Ningguang, and the others gazed in disbelief at the scene unfolding before them. None of them had expected the disaster to end in such a dramatic way.
That man who called himself Li Feiyu had enraged Osial, destroyed the Guizhong Ballista—wasn't that all to ensure Osial would break through their defenses and wreak havoc upon Liyue?
If that was the case, then why had he stepped in to drive Osial back at the last moment?
Ningguang, who had always prided herself on her ability to maintain control over everything, now found herself confused and lost. No matter how complex or dire a situation, she had always been able to face it with poise. Yet now, for the first time, she felt like she was missing something vital.
Even when Osial and Beisht had appeared together, she hadn't been as perplexed as she was now.
As the group still struggled to process the unexpected turn of events, they watched the purple-armored giant, wielding dual blades, dissipate like smoke on the wind, vanishing as if it had never been there.
"Ningguang, that man called Li Feiyu... is he really from Liyue?" Keqing asked quietly, walking up to Ningguang as she stared out at the now-still sea.
Many within the Qixing, particularly those not publicly known, took orders directly from Ningguang. Although that man had destroyed the Guizhong Ballista, thus depriving them of one of their key defenses, he had also just helped to repel Osial and Beisht. Keqing was conflicted—was he an ally or an enemy?
"I have no information on him," Ningguang replied, her gaze distant. "Perhaps we should ask Miss Shenhe…"
Her eyes shifted toward the silver-haired woman standing among the shattered icebergs, holding her spear.
"Shenhe, what are you doing here? You've used too much strength, and this place is dangerous. Go back to shore and rest," Cloud Retainer called out, flying to Shenhe's side with concern in her voice.
"Master, about my senior sister…" Shenhe began.
"Do not worry, I will find her. You need to rest. We can discuss the rest later," Cloud Retainer reassured her.
But as she prepared to spread her wings and fly toward the battlefield, Shenhe shook her head, her voice low.
"Master, what I meant was... my senior sister... I think that man took her away."
"What?!" Cloud Retainer gasped in shock.
Meanwhile...
After forcing Osial to retreat, Luo Qing quickly dismissed the Susanoo form, not wanting to linger and risk being pursued by the Adepti. With Ganyu in his arms, he left the battlefield behind, moving through the storm toward the southern mountains.
It wasn't as if he had intentionally decided to carry Ganyu away. The problem was that she was utterly exhausted, unconscious, and her once-pristine black stockings were full of holes. Her celestial blue robes were tattered and stained red, mixing rainwater and blood as it dripped from her pale skin.
Luo Qing wasn't sure what kind of constitution Adepti had, but leaving Ganyu here in this state felt wrong. He couldn't, in good conscience, abandon her like this.
Glancing back at where he had been watching the fight with Zhongli earlier, he realized the old man had already left, leaving Luo Qing with no one to hand Ganyu off to. With no other option, he activated Time Zero at full power and ran south, cradling Ganyu in his arms.
Given the current state of Liyue, returning to the city wasn't an option. Fortunately, Luo Qing knew the locations of several Fatui outposts. One of them would have to suffice as a temporary resting place where he could tend to Ganyu's wounds.
With the combination of Time Zero boosting his speed by 25 times and his enhanced physical condition, it wasn't long before Luo Qing reached an outpost near Lisha. Most of the Fatui stationed there had been called to Liyue Harbor to wreak havoc, leaving the place deserted, save for some supplies and basic rations.
Luo Qing carefully laid Ganyu down on a simple grass bed. After ensuring there were no monsters nearby, he reached into his system inventory and pulled out a medicinal item.
[Tenfold Vitality Pill: Capable of healing all physical injuries, leaving the target completely restored.]
This blue-tier item was incredibly cost-effective, practically the king of healing items. But... its size and color...
Luo Qing glanced at the fist-sized, light brown pill in his hand and muttered to himself, "This isn't a pill... it's a lump of medicine."
Looking down at Ganyu's soft, pale pink lips, he hesitated. How was she supposed to swallow something this big?
Just shoving it in… seemed a bit too much...
He winced at the thought.
While Luo Qing pondered how best to administer the medicine, Ganyu stirred in his arms, murmuring softly in discomfort, her face twisted with pain.
"Maybe if I crush it... that should work, right?"
Luo Qing reasoned that the system didn't specify the pill had to be swallowed whole. Finding a porcelain bowl, he crushed the massive pill into small pieces, then ground it into a fine powder.
Sitting beside Ganyu, he gently lifted her head and rested it in his lap. With one hand supporting her neck, the other brought the bowl of powdered medicine close to her lips.
However, Ganyu's lips remained tightly shut. No way to get it in...
"Ganyu, be a good girl and take your medicine," Luo Qing coaxed softly.
Miraculously, the unconscious Ganyu seemed to respond to his words. Her delicate pink lips parted just slightly, enough for Luo Qing to begin administering the medicine.
Not wanting to risk diluting its effects, Luo Qing had chosen not to mix the powder with water. As the dry medicine hit her tongue, Ganyu's face scrunched up at the bitter taste, and she began to cough lightly.
"Almost done, Ganyu, just a bit more," Luo Qing whispered, using his finger to gently wipe the remaining powder from her lips and push it into her mouth.
Slowly, the effects of the medicine became apparent. Ganyu's wounds began to close, and the internal damage healed rapidly.
As Luo Qing focused on feeding her the last bit of medicine, Ganyu's eyes fluttered open.
Her vision was still blurry, but she could just make out the figure of a man in a hood and mask, carefully feeding her something.
For some reason, something about this man felt familiar.
Meanwhile, Luo Qing was busy, softly murmuring to the unconscious Ganyu as he finished the medicine.
"Good girl... almost there..."
Finally, the bowl was nearly empty. It had gone much more smoothly than he'd expected. But just as he was wondering why Ganyu had become so cooperative, he glanced up—only to lock eyes with her.
The two stared at each other, momentarily speechless.
"..."
"Who are you?" Ganyu asked, her voice weak.
"Uh… someone you don't know. Don't overthink it."
"…Luo Qing... it's you, isn't it?"
"..."
Damn it, Luo Qing cursed inwardly. I should have kept my mouth shut.