With that thought in mind, Childe moved silently toward the cinema.
Even with the Millelith patrolling the streets, no one detected him.
He moved like a ghost, swift and silent under the cover of night.
Within moments, Childe arrived at the back of the cinema.
Although Millelith guards were still patrolling the perimeter, they posed no challenge to a Harbinger.
He slipped through the back entrance with ease.
But the very next second after he stepped inside, a finger jabbed toward him with lightning speed, completely silent.
In a split second, Childe shifted the position of the basketball in his hand to intercept.
In that same instant, the basketball changed form entirely. It flattened, turning into something resembling a sheet of paper.
Childe's pupils contracted sharply. Disbelief washed over his face.
Without a moment's hesitation, he retreated. His figure blurred as he vanished back into the darkness.
"That guy was the Fatui Harbinger from the Northland Bank."
Inside the cinema, Baixiao, her eyes active with the Byakugan, frowned. "Lady Ningguang was right. If we hadn't been stationed here, someone really would have broken in tonight. If anything had been damaged, it would have been a disaster."
"I missed just now," Baishi said, sounding a bit vexed. "I was hoping to touch him, turn him into a flat piece of clothing, and maybe wash away the evil in his heart while I was at it. If his evil was washed away, maybe he wouldn't serve Snezhnaya anymore."
She had only touched the basketball, not Childe himself.
If she had touched him, she truly wanted to test if her Devil Fruit ability could cleanse the Harbinger's inner darkness.
As a Fatui commander, she doubted Childe's heart was devoid of "evil."
"Let's report this to Lady Ningguang tomorrow," Baixiao said, picking up the flattened object Childe had dropped. "And what is this?"
It was the basketball, now pressed flat.
Baishi released her power, and the object popped back into a round sphere.
"It's made of leather, hollow inside," Baishi noted hesitantly. "Just an ordinary item. Let's wait for Lady Ningguang."
"Mmh," Baixiao nodded. "We won't sleep tonight, just in case he comes back. The Millelith outside can't stop him."
"Agreed."
"What kind of ability was that?"
"Why did it turn the basketball into a sheet of paper?"
"Is it a special power from the jar shop?"
Back at the Northland Bank, Childe sat in thought, frowning deeply.
He hadn't felt any elemental fluctuation.
Yet, the moment he entered, someone had poked at him.
If his reaction hadn't been fast enough to block with the basketball, would he have turned into a flat sheet like that ball?
Seeing the ball flatten instantly upon contact had triggered an instinctual retreat.
The more he thought about it, the more unsettling it felt.
This bizarre ability was just like the one Andrei possessed.
As he suspected, it likely came from the jar shop.
Sure enough, even though the Tianquan had left, she had arranged for guards with special abilities to watch the place.
It seemed a stealthy infiltration was off the table. He would have to wait for the cinema to open officially and walk in through the front door.
Unless the Tianquan explicitly banned him, he could blend in with the crowd.
Forget it. Sleep first, deal with it tomorrow.
Childe shook his head, dismissing the thoughts. It was too late, and with that weird ability guarding the place, he wasn't going to risk alerting the Millelith by forcing his way in.
He headed to his quarters behind the bank.
The night passed without further incident.
The next day.
Morning light pierced the dawn sky, waking the sleeping earth.
A warm, bright sun illuminated Liyue Harbor, the sunlight feeling as fresh as flowing water.
Outside the cinema, a crowd was already gathering excitedly.
It was Saturday, a rest day for many.
Hearing that Lady Ningguang was opening a "cinema," many rushed over right after breakfast, congregating at the entrance.
"When does the cinema open? I'm so excited..."
"Not sure. We just have to wait. Lady Ningguang said it opens today, so it will."
"But she didn't say morning. Maybe you should leave and come back in the afternoon? Maybe it opens then?"
"Why don't you leave? I know your game. You just want to get in first. Shameful."
"Yeah, you're a piece of work."
"I wonder what the movies inside are like. Will it be like Young Master Xingqiu's mystic realm domain? Something fantastical?"
"Xingqiu's domain leans toward horror. I saw people running out of there crying and crawling, looking absolutely terrified."
"That scary? Good thing I didn't go. If they start charging for that, who would pay to be scared? Isn't that paying to suffer?"
"Heh, you must be single."
"???"
The crowd buzzed with speculation, all eyes fixed expectantly on the cinema doors.
"Lady Ningguang is here!"
Someone shouted excitedly, causing an uproar. Everyone turned to look.
Sure enough, Ningguang was approaching, flanked by Keqing and Ganyu.
"All three ladies appearing at once? That's rare."
"Yeah, Lady Ganyu, Lady Keqing, and Lady Ningguang together in public? Usually, we only see that during the Rite of Descension."
"I heard Lady Ganyu basically lives at Yuehai Pavilion, handling all of Liyue's affairs. Sometimes you catch her at the docks in the morning. As for Lady Keqing, she usually heads straight home."
As the crowd whispered, inside the cinema, Baixiao and Baishi heard the commotion and hurried out to meet them.
"Lady Ningguang."
Baishi immediately presented the basketball to Ningguang. "Lady Ningguang, the Harbinger from Northland Bank tried to infiltrate last night. Baixiao and I stopped him. I didn't manage to touch him with my Devil Fruit ability, only this object he was carrying."
"Oh?"
Ningguang narrowed her eyes.
She had anticipated someone might try to break in, which was why she stationed her secretaries there.
"We'll discuss this later," Ningguang said softly. "First, let Keqing announce the opening plan."
Keqing stepped forward, holding a stack of papers. Her voice rang out clearly.
"Everyone."
"When the cinema opens shortly, we will admit one thousand people at a time. Everyone will have a chance to watch."
"Once inside, simply take a seat and watch the film. Regardless of what you see, please control your reactions."
"Since one episode is roughly an hour long and the series has over twenty episodes, I have decided that for now, the cinema will play the same content all day. Each viewing session will last one hour."
"After watching, if you wish to see the next installment, you must wait for the next day's release."
"Do not panic if it isn't your turn yet. Each screening takes an hour. We will be open for fifteen hours a day, meaning fifteen thousand people can watch daily."
"Those who have finished watching can queue again, but I advise against it. There are others waiting. Watching again takes a spot from someone else. Although it is free for now, please be considerate."
"The cinema will be free for three days. We will show the first three episodes. Whether you are a local of Liyue or a visitor, viewing is free. Afterward, tickets will cost 30 Mora per viewing."
"That is all. Those who wish to watch may begin lining up. The Millelith will maintain order."
Keqing signaled the Millelith to organize the crowd.
Hearing the announcement, the people's eyes lit up as they automatically formed lines.
"Free for three days! That's amazing."
"Hehe, I was thinking of watching it twice, but since it takes up someone else's spot, I'll stick to one hour."
"30 Mora isn't expensive at all."
"And it's free right now! Free for three days, then paid."
The crowd murmured excitedly.
While they lined up, Keqing and Ningguang entered the cinema.
"Baixiao, stand at the door and guide people to their seats. Once everyone is seated, notify Baishi to start the film from the control room."
Keqing issued her instructions. "Baishi, you know how to operate it. I'll arrange for two Millelith guards to watch the control room door so no one wanders in."
"Yes, Lady Keqing."
Baixiao and Baishi nodded respectfully.
Read ahead with 100+ chapters now with daily updates!
@patreon.com/Zefyrus