"I'd love to, but more importantly, I have things I must tend to," Bai Luo said, glancing back toward Inazuma City.
Had he really just been playing around these past few days?
Admittedly, from any perspective, it looked as though he was merely flirting and causing mischief with Yae Miko.
But there was one thing no one should forget: the Electro Archon's Gnosis was currently in Yae Miko's possession. He wasn't about to pass up such a golden opportunity to get close to her.
Even Yae Miko likely didn't expect that someone other than herself and Ei knew the exact location of the "Heart of God."
"That makes sense. You must be much busier in the city than I am out here," Ksenia replied.
Was she disappointed? Not at all. If Bai Luo was busy, it meant he was thriving within the Fatui ranks—a much more promising future than delivering letters with her in the wilderness. She was actually happy for him.
"Later, I'll find a way to arrange a suitable partner for you. If you run into any trouble, go find Tatyana on Watatsumi Island; she'll help you settle it."
A large part of why he had come personally was to set up this job for Ksenia. He didn't trust anyone else with it. If some loose-lipped fool shouted in front of her, "I'm here on the orders of Lord Harbinger Bai Luo," the game would be over. For now, he didn't want Ksenia to know his true status.
"Actually, I can handle it alone," Ksenia said, sounding a bit resistant. She had intended to share her earnings with Bai Luo, but if another person joined the mix to take a cut, the profits would dwindle.
"Leaving the Resistance aside for a moment, you at least need someone from the Shogunate Army to verify your identity so you can pass through the blockades smoothly."
Bai Luo was thinking of her safety. While the Fatui had thoroughly infiltrated the Kuki clan and the Kujou administration, there were still individuals like Kujou Sara who were impossible to sway.
If someone like her noticed Ksenia's suspicious activities, they wouldn't turn a blind eye like the others. A proper partner was a necessity. And in his mind, he already had the perfect candidate.
After a brief farewell, Bai Luo watched Ksenia head off on her delivery route. As for him... he looked toward the other side of Kannazuka. He had an acquaintance there.
Bai Luo didn't use his "Ultimate" move—which had long since finished its cooldown—and instead walked over step by step. He was mostly afraid his colleague's heart was too fragile and might mistake a sudden appearance for an attack.
Wait... that wasn't quite right. His colleague didn't have a heart to begin with.
A tattered banner bearing the Mitsudomoe crest fluttered in the wind, snapping with a sharp sound. The youth who called himself a "Wanderer" sat at the very edge of the cliff, lost in thought.
Bai Luo instinctively patted his pocket. 'Darn, I didn't bring a Sunsettia today. Not sure how to start a conversation with this guy.'
"Just a few days back in Inazuma and you've already brought noise back to that dead city. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less from you, Bai Luo."
Scaramouche noticed the person behind him but didn't stand up. He continued to gaze toward the horizon as if reminiscing about something.
It was just as he said: Bai Luo was like a drop of water falling into a vat of boiling oil; wherever he went, things got heated. Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma... even Watatsumi Island had been stirred up by him.
"Can't help it. I was born loving a good crowd."
Bai Luo looked down the mountain, a thoughtful expression on his face. If he remembered correctly, there was a special place below them: the Shakkei Pavilion. It was the place where Scaramouche had once slumbered. Was he here for a nostalgia trip? Or... was he here to deal with the barrier over Tatarasuna?
"I heard you took Watatsumi Island for yourself?"
Scaramouche didn't know everything about Bai Luo, but he had heard enough. This seemingly frivolous man had a habit of burying countless hidden threads when no one was looking—sometimes with a casual word, sometimes with a simple order. These threads eventually pulled together to create results beyond anyone's imagination.
It reminded him of someone: Yae Miko. He feared the fox's "Insight into Heaven and Earth" far more than he feared the deity of this nation.
That fox had a habit of preparing for everything in advance. Bai Luo's method of planting hidden schemes bore a striking resemblance to her style. It made one wonder...
"My own things are always safer when I keep them in my own hands," Bai Luo said, opening his palm and then clenching it into a fist. It was a subtle warning to Scaramouche: Don't mess with Watatsumi Island.'
Bai Luo's control over Watatsumi had indeed reached his desired outcome. According to his intelligence, not only had "Regrator" (Pantalone) backed off, but even the obsessive "Doctor" (Dottore) had abandoned his designs on the island. The Doctor had even sent funds and equipment—effectively a gift to Bai Luo.
Was it because he valued Bai Luo as a former subordinate? Bai Luo didn't think so. That man likely just viewed Bai Luo as a kindred spirit who saw the place as a toy to be discarded once it was broken. He probably just wanted Bai Luo to dig out as many secrets as possible before he got bored of it.
If Bai Luo were to use the words of a certain "life-and-death friend" he knew, he'd want to reply to the Doctor with: "Boring! Incompetent! Useless!"
[A/N: Anyone got the reference? ]
"Is that so?" Scaramouche placed a hand over his chest. His massive hat completely shadowed his face, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
He had indeed obtained the "heart" he had dreamed of, but it was nothing more than a prop for lies and deception. One day, he would grasp what truly belonged to him. When that time came, even this "false body" would ascend to the pinnacle of worldly power.
However, the person most capable of obstructing him right now was the colleague standing before him. Should he use Bai Luo's authority to take back what was his? With Yae Miko as a cautionary tale, Scaramouche wasn't sure if he could out-scheme the "Instructor," but he would certainly look for a chance to trick him out of Inazuma when the time came.
Come to think of it, "The Jester" (Pierro) had recently contacted him, telling him to prepare to hand over all local affairs to the Instructor, as a new mission would be arranged for Scaramouche soon.
'Hmm... perhaps I can find a way to dump that mission onto the Instructor.'
Any mission that The Jester inquired about personally was bound to be a headache. Once the dust settled, Scaramouche might finally have that heart that truly belonged to him. At that point... nothing else would matter.
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