"That kid wouldn't have gone to the trouble of sending a message like this for no reason."
The head of Fontaine's Ship Bureau looked perplexed. "The letter says he's already on his way back. He wants to explain everything in person. Apparently, this ship belongs to Liyue's Crux Fleet—specifically, Captain Beidou."
"The Crux Fleet from Liyue? I've heard of them. Captain Beidou… that sounds right."
"Yeah, isn't their flagship called the Alcor? It's a decent vessel. The Crux must have spent a fortune building it."
"True. The Alcor dominates the waters around Liyue Harbor and projects power outward. It's a solid ship."
"Even so," another engineer scoffed, "it can't compete with our standard steamships. To say it 'rules the seas' is an exaggeration. The ocean is vast. Compared to Fontaine's fleet, the Alcor is primitive."
"Did Zhang Xuepeng really send a bird just for this?"
"I don't believe Liyue has a ship more advanced than ours. Do you?"
"No way."
The experts at the Fontaine Ship Bureau laughed and chatted, dismissing the news.
They knew of the Crux Fleet, but only as a regional power. In Liyue waters? Sure, they were kings. But in Fontaine? They wouldn't last a day.
The Alcor was impressive for a wooden ship, but it was still just that—wood and sails.
"I haven't finished reading. Listen to this," the Chief interrupted, reading further.
His brow furrowed as he reached the last few lines. "Zhang says the vessel docked in Liyue Harbor isn't called a 'ship.' It's called a 'battleship.' It's a higher class of vessel entirely. He claims it is constructed entirely of steel—a material he couldn't identify—yet floats effortlessly. It can hold over a thousand people at once."
"Impossible!"
"All steel? That's ridiculous! Even our latest steamships are only one-third steel plating, covering vital areas."
"Exactly! And even that took us years to engineer. A ship made of 100% steel would sink like a stone!"
"And what is a 'battleship'? I've never heard the term. Better than a ship? Nonsense. Fontaine has led Teyvat in shipbuilding for centuries. If such a classification existed, we would have invented it."
"Some theorists proposed the idea of 'ironclads,' but it was dismissed as impractical. But a full-steel hull? In Liyue? I don't buy it."
"Me neither. Liyue is rich, sure. Their harbor moves the most goods in Teyvat. But their Ship Bureau isn't capable of building something better than us."
The room erupted in skepticism.
It was laughable.
"Zhang also included a sketch on the second page," the Chief said, unfolding another sheet of paper.
Everyone crowded around.
On the paper was a rough drawing of the Steam Battleship, sketched by Zhang Xuepeng.
Arrows pointed to various parts with hasty notes: Steel hull here. Steel deck here. Rotating turrets here.
"No way…"
The Chief took a deep breath, staring at the drawing. "How could such a steamship exist?"
"What is it, Chief?"
The engineers leaned in closer. When they saw the sketch, their jaws dropped.
"Whoa… what the hell is that? It looks… aggressive."
"Holy crap, is that really all steel? Look at the size of it! It's huge!"
"And look here—what are those? Cannons? I've never seen cannons designed like that."
"This is madness. Based on the steel annotations, a ship this size is impossible to build. It defies physics."
"Does Liyue really have this? I don't believe it. Zhang probably just doodled some sci-fi fantasy he dreamed up. It's easy to draw a cool ship; it's another thing to build one."
The experts were incredulous.
Even if such a ship existed, it would have to be wood painted to look like metal. Or maybe a wooden frame with light plating.
But Zhang's notes described luxurious cabins, a mess hall, separate bedrooms… spaces that simply didn't exist on naval vessels. Ships were cramped. Sailors slept in hammocks, stacked like sardines. Only the Captain got a room.
"I say Zhang drew this himself," one engineer declared confidently. "He's got an imagination, I'll give him that. If a ship like this actually existed, it could ram our wooden hulls into splinters without scratching its paint."
"True. It would be the undisputed ruler of the ocean. Even our iron-plated steamers wouldn't stand a chance."
"Zhang probably got drunk in Liyue, saw something inspiring, and designed this blueprint. Hey, maybe we can try to build it one day?"
"Impossible," another countered immediately. "Too much steel. The weight would be astronomical. No steam engine could move it. I've spent my life studying naval architecture—this thing is a fantasy."
"We'll wait for Zhang to return," the Chief said, rubbing his temples. "If it's a prank, it's elaborate. Zhang isn't usually a liar about work matters. But if it's real… then this 'battleship' is terrifying. The logistics alone are mind-boggling."
He stared at the drawing with a mix of doubt and unease.
As the head of Fontaine's Ship Bureau, he was an expert. His professional knowledge screamed fake.
But Zhang was rushing back personally. That urgency suggested he had seen something real.
"Yeah, let's wait for the kid."
"When he gets back, he owes us a drink for this scare."
"Agreed."
The tension in the room dissipated into laughter. They dismissed the drawing as a curiosity, nothing more. They were more interested in teasing their colleague than fearing a hypothetical super-ship.
"Who wants to take a boat out to meet him?" the Chief asked. "Intercept him outside Fontaine waters?"
"Nah, who knows which route he's taking? We'd miss him."
"Just wait at the harbor."
"I'll go. I want to see his face when we tell him his 'prank' worked."
"Alright then. Meeting adjourned until Zhang returns."
...
Meanwhile, outside Liyue Harbor.
The massive engines of the Steam Battleship roared to life. Smoke billowed from its stacks as it cut through the waves, leaving the harbor behind.
On the deck, Beidou stood tall against the wind. In her hand was the B-Rank Mission Scroll.
They were setting sail anyway; now was the perfect time to activate it.
Hum.
She unrolled the scroll. A brilliant light flashed, and lines of glowing text projected into the air.
[B-Rank Mission]
Destroy ten pirate ships in the waters surrounding Narukami Island. Capture ten pirates alive and bring them back to Liyue for imprisonment.
Target locations are marked. Simply sail to the coordinates.
(Note: Pirate ship locations may shift. Monitor the Mission Map constantly.)
Reward: Unknown.
As the text faded, a holographic map appeared before her.
A green dot represented Beidou. Far across the ocean, near the distinct shape of Inazuma's islands, ten red dots blinked unevenly.
Beidou's eyes widened slightly.
Narukami Island? Inazuma?
She hadn't expected the mission to be so specific—or so far away. And the reward was unknown?
But given the miracles she'd seen from the jar shop, she knew the payout would be worth the trouble.
Besides, hunting pirates was what the Crux did best.
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