"Initial diagnosis... she died from a fall."
After the doctor hesitated for a long moment before delivering this earth-shattering conclusion, the crowd fell silent in stunned disbelief.
"Doctor, are you saying she really just tripped and died on flat ground?" Ganyu asked, her voice tinged with incredulity.
"Absolutely!" the doctor declared emphatically.
"But her face is tinged purple, her complexion looks pale and fragile... could she have died from excessive blood loss?"
"Ah, that's a complication arising from the fall!" the doctor explained. "But the primary cause of death remains the fall itself."
"But falling face-first onto the ground shouldn't be fatal, should it?" Ganyu hesitated before slowly voicing her doubts.
"Hey, Miss Ganyu, who's the doctor here, you or me?" The doctor's face flushed with irritation. "I've been practicing medicine for decades! Would I really joke about something like this with you?"
"If you don't trust my expertise, feel free to consult another physician."
"Mr., that's not what I meant! Please don't be angry!"
Despite Ganyu's gentle persuasion, the doctor simply brushed her off and stormed away.
Seeing this, Ganyu hastily instructed Yuehai Pavilion staff to chase after him and offer compensation to appease his anger. She would have preferred to apologize personally, but the others surrounded her, begging her not to leave.
Left with no choice, Ganyu resolved to apologize to the doctor in person another day and arranged for another physician to be summoned.
"Fell to his death," the new doctor declared immediately upon arrival.
Ganyu was stunned.
"But Doctor, haven't you even examined the body thoroughly yet?"
"Does it really need close examination? Isn't it obvious? That massive bump on his head clearly indicates he fell to his death!"
"Mr., isn't this a rather hasty conclusion?"
"What? Miss Ganyu, if you doubt my medical expertise, why summon me in the first place?"
"This is infuriating! Miss Ganyu, you'd be better off seeking a more qualified physician!"
"Mr., that's not what I meant—"
The same scene repeated itself. Feeling the strange gazes around her, Ganyu wished she could bury her head in the ground from shame.
Both doctors had reached the same conclusion. Could I be so narrow-minded? Is it really possible for a fall to cause such severe complications?
Before long, Ganyu had a third doctor summoned. After a brief examination, he stated bluntly:
"Miss Ganyu, the woman died from the fall."
Hearing the same verdict from three doctors, Ganyu finally faced reality: the woman had indeed died from the fall.
To die from a fall on flat ground... Is fate truly inescapable?
Fear gripped not only Ganyu but also the onlookers.
"Miss Ganyu, please stay with us! And you too, Mr.!"
By this point, they were so terrified they no longer cared about comfort. Their only desire was to survive this crisis.
They had initially believed that with so many people watching nearby, any accident could be promptly addressed. But the woman's sudden death right at the gate sent them into a panic.
In the end, everyone crowded into a single courtyard. Naturally, there weren't enough rooms for everyone, but no one cared anymore. They spread bedding in the main hall and felt safer there.
The doctor settled into one of the rooms. Initially, the others were reluctant to let Ganyu suffer alongside them and urged her to choose a room as well. However, Ganyu insisted on staying in the main hall with the group to keep watch over them.
Ganyu moved her work to the hall. After all, as a half-Adeptus, she could go without sleep for days. She divided her attention, dedicating a portion of her mind to monitoring the others while focusing the majority of her energy on her tasks.
Seeing Ganyu nearby gradually put everyone at ease.
As dusk fell, the group washed up, chatted briefly, and settled down to sleep on the floor. Soon, the hall filled with the rise and fall of snores.
Ganyu continued working, the snores barely disturbing her concentration.
This pattern persisted until dawn the next morning. After finally finishing her tasks, Ganyu stretched, easing her stiff muscles.
But then, she froze mid-motion.
In her perception, she realized that, at some point during the night, one of the sleepers had stopped breathing.
After a moment of stunned silence, Ganyu immediately woke the still-sleepy doctor. The groggy doctor hurried over to the motionless figure.
"Hmm, they passed peacefully in their sleep," he declared.
As the doctor stroked his long white beard and pronounced his conclusion, Ganyu turned in a daze to look at the deceased, who was only in his fifties. Her mind went blank.
"Miss Ganyu, he often engaged in strenuous physical labor. It's perfectly reasonable for him to have a shorter lifespan!"
"I'm a doctor—trust me, I'm always right!"
After hearing his explanation, Ganyu forced herself to accept it.
Drawn by the commotion, the others soon began to awaken. When they saw the dead man on the ground, they huddled together in terror, trembling uncontrollably.
Yet before one crisis could abate, another arose. A Millelith soldier approached Ganyu with a grave expression to report:
"Miss Ganyu, someone went to the restroom and hasn't come out for an unusually long time. Fearing something might have happened, the Millelith called out repeatedly, but when there was no response, we forced our way in and found a drowned corpse..."
"Drowned?!"
The word hung in the air, freezing everyone in place. Their faces paled.
Restroom, drowned...
The connection between those two simple words sent a chill down their spines.
Tragic... utterly tragic!
"Mr...."
Hearing Ganyu's call, the doctor flinched violently, then hoisted his medical bag and fled without another word.
"Miss Ganyu, I'm just a mediocre physician. You'd be better off finding someone more skilled!"
Another doctor had fled. Combined with the three deaths, the group's numbers were dwindling rapidly. So many deaths in a single night had truly terrified them.
From then on, they stuck together like shadows. Even bathroom trips were group affairs, and at night, at least three people kept watch, their sole duty being to continuously check the others' breathing.
Even Ganyu dared not focus on her work anymore, devoting all her attention to monitoring the group. Her duties naturally fell to Baiwen, Baishi, and Baixiao.
During the handover, Ganyu noticed the trio looked pale and unwell. Fearing they might collapse on the spot, she couldn't resist asking if they had received any flyers from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Only their negative response reassured her.
Yet despite these precautions, accidents continued to plague them, one after another.
First, a man woke up one night to a terrifying face looming over him. Forgetting about the night watchmen, he died of fright on the spot.
The next day at noon, during lunch, someone dropped a plum. A passerby stepped on it and slipped, falling to the ground. The scalding tea he had just brewed splashed onto another person's head. The fallen man died instantly, while the person scalded by the tea received medical treatment but steadily weakened until they eventually passed away.
Then...
Ganyu's arrangements had been in place for only two days and three nights when the remaining survivors finally realized they couldn't escape their fate. Utterly despairing, they all returned to their homes.
As they walked the streets, their eyes were vacant, as if their souls had fled. This sight naturally sparked widespread rumors, and Liyue Harbor erupted into chaos!
Hu Tao and Chen Feng earned their new titles: "The Living Kings of Hell" from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Many particularly superstitious and wealthy families began relocating.
If we can't afford to provoke them, we can at least hide!
The incident had significantly reduced foot traffic on Liyue Harbor's main streets.
Ganyu, deeply shaken and bewildered by the ordeal, decided to visit Cloud Retainer on Mount Aocang, entrusting her duties to her colleagues.
Baiwen, Baixiao, and Baishi, who had hoped to simply endure until things calmed down, fainted upon hearing the news.
Ningguang, abandoning all pretense of waiting for the opportune moment, immediately produced the revised Liyue Law and ordered Keqing to negotiate with the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor without delay.
-
Fontaine, Mont Automnequi
Aether emerged from a Domain, leading a group of Abyss Order members.
Shortly after they exited, the Spatial Rift behind them gradually shrank until it vanished completely.
This occurred because Aether had extracted the core energy that sustained the Domain. He now held a turbid, swirling mass of energy that radiated a terrifying aura.
The energy was immense. Aether could sense that its power far exceeded that of the Chaos Core developed by Khaenri'ah—several times over, in fact!
The discovery left him speechless with shock. In his mind, Khaenri'ah's technology was far superior to anything else on the continent of Teyvat. Yet here in Fontaine, he had found an energy core utterly beyond his comprehension, yet whose terrifying power he could sense with unmistakable clarity.
Despite possessing such horrifying energy, it was nearly a hundred times smaller than a Chaos Core!
Moreover, the energy within was extraordinarily unstable, yet it had been somehow confined to a minuscule area. Even when subjected to Archon-level attacks, it hadn't detonated like a bomb, releasing its full destructive potential.
This Domain had been discovered by Ziyun, his Electro Abyss Herald—the same one who had told Aether that Enjou still resented his defeat by Lumine and later provided Enjou with the precise coordinates.
Ziyun was Aether's most trusted lieutenant, having made invaluable contributions to the Abyss Order and earning Aether's complete confidence.
During a recent exploration, Ziyun had accidentally stumbled upon this Domain. After preliminary investigation, he realized it was part of the energy core from Fontaine's legendary ark that had broken apart. He immediately reported this crucial finding to Aether.
Aether hadn't initially taken the Energy Core Shard seriously, sending only a few subordinates to retrieve it from the Domain. To his surprise, three consecutive teams vanished without a trace. Finally, Aether himself led the next expedition.
After losing a third of his forces, Aether finally obtained the Energy Core Shard. Even as a fragment, its value far surpassed that of a Chaos Core.
Aether was confident that with this shard, he could transform the corpse of the Overlord of the Vortex Osial into a mechanical construct rivaling its peak strength!
With such a formidable new weapon, Aether's confidence in his grand plan soared.
"You've done well this time. I'll reward you handsomely upon our return."
Aether carefully secured the Energy Core Shard. Though it had withstood an Archon-level impact without damage, the sheer energy contained within still made his scalp tingle. Caution was paramount.
If this thing exploded, it would likely obliterate all life within a thousand-mile radius, and he himself would suffer grievous injuries at the very least.
To be honest, holding this thing, Aether's empty heart still felt a faint tremor of anxiety. But with so many subordinates behind him, he couldn't afford to show any weakness.
The Abyss Monsters behind Aether, witnessing his composure, their eyes burned with even greater reverence.
"Your Highness, this is my duty—all for the glory of the Abyss Order!"
Ziyun showed no hint of arrogance upon hearing Aether's praise. Instead, his expression grew solemn as he bowed slightly.
"Your Highness, our harvest this time has been bountiful. I propose we hold a celebration ceremony here before returning."
"Hmm, granted," Aether replied.
Though Aether considered such ceremonies a waste of time, a proper leader must attend to the morale of his subordinates. As long as their requests weren't excessive, he would not refuse, especially after they had achieved such a significant victory.
"Thank you for your benevolence, Your Highness!"
With Aether's approval, Ziyun immediately ordered the Abyss Order members to light torches, begin prayers, and perform dances.
Meanwhile, Aether strode toward a distant mountain peak, admiring the scenery at its base.
Gazing at the long aquabus route stretching from north to south, Aether's curiosity about Fontaine grew stronger.
He had initially dismissed the rumors as exaggerations, but after careful observation over the past few weeks, he had completely abandoned his condescending attitude. Even he had to admit that Fontaine's military power was formidable.
Despite the internal strife, either faction, without divine intervention, possessed the potential to overwhelm the other Six Nations.
This was the power of technology!
Long ago, Khaenri'ah had also stood at the world's apex through technological prowess. Had Celestia not destroyed them, Aether wondered which civilization would have surpassed the other in technological advancement by now.
As Aether pondered this, an Aquabus appeared on the distant horizon.
He initially paid it little attention until he noticed a striking yellow-haired figure on board.
Aether's brow immediately furrowed. Upon closer inspection, he confirmed that Lumine was indeed on the Aquabus, bound like a dumpling.
A question mark slowly formed above Aether's forehead.
No way! His sister had only been in Fontaine for such a short time, and she'd already been arrested?!
Good grief, she's really racking up the countries!
Come to think of it, given her ties to Snezhnaya, being wanted by Fontaine was practically guaranteed. So, does that mean Natlan is the only place she does not have any relation to?
Faced with his sister's imminent achievement of becoming a world-renowned fugitive, Aether was utterly speechless.
The most absurd part was that he couldn't fathom how Lumine had been captured by a bunch of ordinary people.
How utterly embarrassing!
Regardless, Lumine was still his sister. He couldn't just pretend nothing had happened.
So, Aether approached Ziyun and said directly, "That shipping route is a vital artery for Fontaine's transportation. Take some men and destroy it."
Ziyun glanced at the shipping route, then noticed the conspicuous golden-haired figure sailing into the distance. He immediately understood Aether's meaning.
"Yes, Your Highness! I'll gather the men and depart at once!"