Not long after
Werner curls up under the tree, trembling.
Now that the truth is out, Paimon shoots him furious, disdainful looks.
"Coward. There's a saying in Liyue — pitiful people often have something hateful about them."
Lumine neither agrees nor disagrees.
With someone as weak as Werner, a little intimidation is enough to make him obedient.
"So it really was the Kanjou Commission behind this… That tax officer — Keijiro!"
From Werner's confession, Paimon develops an instant dislike for the Kanjou Commission.
The ashigaru responsible for tax collection had already inflated the tax rate before informing the merchants. The excess Crystal Marrow collected was secretly stockpiled. Once merchants ran out of supply, Werner would resell it at an inflated price.
A perfect, cost-free scheme.
And not just taxes — even the Outlander Affairs Agency charged fees based on favoritism.
Ritou is rotten to the core.
Everything they've seen since arriving makes Lumine and Paimon uneasy.
Mondstadt represents freedom.
Liyue represents contracts.
But this so-called land of Eternity has shown its ugliest side from the very beginning.
"You will not tell those people behind you about this. Understood?"
Lumine narrows her eyes. After her recent display of force, her intimidation factor is undeniable.
Werner nods frantically, not daring to hesitate.
His golden-haired figure curled beneath the tree looks almost comical.
After ensuring no one witnessed the confrontation, Lumine warns him once more before leaving.
Planning the Next Move
"What do we do next?" Paimon asks quietly.
"We find Keijiro. Get proof of his collusion with Werner. Once we have evidence, even if the Kanjou Commission is corrupt, they'll have to step back temporarily."
After all, the International Trade Association still has some influence.
And when corruption surfaces, political rivals are always eager to push someone down.
Lumine understands human nature.
"With evidence, Kurisu and the others will have breathing room."
Paimon nods, then remembers something.
"But Kurisu asked us to stop Harrison. When do we do that?"
Lumine thinks for a moment.
"We'll find Harrison first. Convince him not to do anything reckless."
Force isn't always the solution.
It must be used on the right person, at the right time.
Like with Werner.
With that decided, they head toward Harrison's residence.
Meanwhile — Outside Ritou
After parting ways with Lumine and Paimon, Luo Li walks several li away from the harbor, to the shallows beyond the island.
He gazes out across the waves.
On the horizon, a dark speck flickers faintly.
"The Thousand-Gated Void Vessel…"
Murmuring the familiar name, he stands there for a long while.
In his mind surfaces the smiling face of a tengu girl who once clung to him five hundred years ago.
"Guangdai… I wonder how you are now."
After some thought, he steps onto a small, moss-covered boat drifting at the water's edge.
The boat is old but intact — likely abandoned.
He does not teleport.
He wants this journey.
A moment to steady himself.
Without visible movement, the lone boat begins gliding across the sea, carried by rippling waves.
Under the setting sun, the ocean glimmers.
Salt air drifts gently on the breeze.
Even for Luo Li, the thought of meeting someone from five centuries ago stirs complicated emotions.
Near the Thousand-Gated Void VesselBlade-Lock Island
Northeast of Ritou lies Jinren Island — two isolated islets separated by the sea.
Normally silent.
Today—
It is crowded.
Pirates. Treasure hoarders. Ronin.
"You're sure the information's accurate?"
A burly kairagi grips his blade, armor clanking as he speaks.
The pirate leader snorts.
"My men saw it themselves. The pavilion's master left and hasn't returned."
"Even so," one of the treasure hoarder leaders adds casually, "the place is full of traps. Getting in won't be easy."
"Spare us the warnings," the pirate replies coldly. "We're all here for the same reason — to loot while the owner is gone. Let's compare intelligence instead."
Greed overrides fear.
The Thousand-Gated Void Vessel has drifted the seas for centuries. Who knows how many treasures lie within?
Many have died trying.
But—
Fortune favors the bold.
"If we want results," the pirate leader continues, "we must cooperate. No one knows when that great yokai will return. This is our only chance."
They agree.
Information about mechanisms and traps is shared, cross-verified.
The pavilion never stays in one place long.
This opportunity may never come again.
So for once—
Pirates, ronin, and treasure hoarders set aside grudges.
Treasure is ahead.
Even enemies can become temporary allies when profit is involved.