After Lumine finished off the remaining two Fatui agents, Su Bai found a commission letter on the dying Electro Hammer Vanguard.
"Tsk, the interception force captain. So those roadblocks were your handiwork."
"By all logic, if you could make that many metal barricades, you shouldn't have only this many men left."
Su Bai glanced around. Even counting the ones blown up by the bomb, there were barely ten of them. From what he knew about Fatui ranks, a captain should have at least a hundred men under his command.
The Electro Hammer Vanguard was stubborn. He just stared at Su Bai, refusing to say a word. Any other time, Su Bai might have toyed with him. But now that Childe was confirmed to be causing trouble at the Golden House, he had no time to waste.
A flash of lightning streaked across. The Electro Hammer Vanguard gave his life for the Tsaritsa. Meanwhile, Lumine had found fragments of a Jumpy Dumpty in the blast site.
"Huh! Isn't this little Klee's bomb? What's it doing here?"
Paimon had seen Klee use her bombs to fish before. She never expected those explosions, which looked so tame in water, to be this powerful.
Su Bai had noticed the oddity too. He even sensed a trace of adeptal energy in the blast debris. Had Klee run into an adeptus?
He couldn't think of any adeptus who would play with Klee. But one thing was certain—the little girl must have charmed someone enough for them to waste adeptal energy on making her bombs.
"Su Bai, stop spacing out. Let's go. Childe's still waiting at the Golden House."
Lumine urged him on. They had already wasted some time here. Any longer and Childe might escape.
...
Outside the Golden House, Childe was still entangled with the Millelith stationed there. It wasn't that he couldn't deal with them. The problem was these soldiers had extremely powerful bombs at their disposal. They were giving him a real headache.
If he could trade blows like usual, he wouldn't be this held up. But Scaramouche's warning forced him to reconsider. He didn't want Teucer to see him like this. If his toy seller cover got blown, Teucer would be heartbroken.
"Captain, those bombs that little girl gave us are incredible. I think we should recommend to Lady Keqing that we procure more after this."
"Exactly. These things are way better than White Tassels. With these, that pretty boy hasn't been able to get the upper hand for a long time."
The Millelith guarding the Golden House had been prepared to fight to the death. Despite Ningguang's orders to prioritize survival, none of the soldiers stationed at such a vital location were cowards. It was this willingness to die that made Childe regret not bringing more men.
"I can't drag this out any longer. If I don't deal with these soldiers soon, the rest of the plan falls apart."
"Whoever gave the Millelith these bombs—I'll make them pay!"
A purple gleam flashed in Childe's eyes. He activated the first stage of Foul Legacy. Electro energy gathered around him, causing the Millelith to draw sharp breaths. An immense pressure weighed on their hearts.
...
Meanwhile, at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Azhdaha let out a massive sneeze while eating pastries. She rubbed her nose, wondering who was talking about her.
Childe's strength was undeniable. By the time Su Bai and Lumine arrived, dozens of Millelith soldiers were already down outside the Golden House.
A quick check confirmed they were only unconscious. Su Bai breathed a sigh of relief. Childe must have been in a hurry—after knocking down the soldiers, he'd gone straight into the Golden House without finishing them off.
But the lack of killing intent didn't mean Su Bai would let him off. He channeled his adeptal energy. After using some for travel, he still had enough left to deal with Childe.
...
Inside the Golden House, Childe surveyed the vast space. The sight of the dragon's corpse at the far end made him suspicious. He couldn't believe Ningguang would leave Rex Lapis's body so exposed. The area around it must be riddled with traps.
Acquiring the Gnosis was vital to the Tsaritsa's plans, so Childe had to be cautious. Opportunities like this wouldn't come again anytime soon.
This caution meant that when Su Bai and Lumine entered, their first view was Childe creeping along the wall like a mouse, slowly making his way deeper inside.
The strange sight was enough to pull even Paimon's attention away from the piles of Mora.
"Lumine, do you think Childe got hit in the head by a Jumpy Dumpty?"
"Probably not? Maybe it's some kind of Fatui performance art?"
Su Bai and Lumine walked toward Rex Lapis's body, chatting casually. They had no time for Childe right now. Their priority was confirming whether Rex Lapis had truly been assassinated.
Childe had noticed them long ago and sneered, waiting to see them fall into traps. But to his shock, Su Bai and Lumine walked right up to the Exuvia without incident. Su Bai even circled it for a closer look.
What was this? Something as precious as Rex Lapis's divine body left completely unguarded in the Golden House? No traps? No security?
Childe was stunned. But seeing Su Bai and Lumine about to touch the Exuvia snapped him out of it. He drew his bow and fired.
They were ready for him. They dodged as two water arrows struck the wall, leaving two dents. Though he hadn't had time to examine the body closely, Su Bai was certain—there were no wounds on its surface.
Childe seized the moment. Twin water blades formed in his hands as he charged at Lumine. She barely had time to react, channeling Anemo energy into her Blackcliff Longsword to meet his attack. The Swirl reaction between Hydro and Anemo soaked the ground, making the slippery floor hard for her to navigate.
Su Bai didn't waste the opportunity. Electro energy burst from his body, arcing toward Childe. The situation was turning dangerous for the Harbinger.