Outside Tianqiu Valley
The investigation team paused to rest and regroup. Several Millelith soldiers had been sent ahead to scout the valley's interior.
Before long, one of them rushed back, his breathing slightly labored. "Master Lu! Mr. Ji An!"
Master Lu straightened up immediately. "Report. What's the situation? Why are you alone?"
The soldier wiped the sweat from his brow. "We've spotted Fatui troops inside, sir. My two comrades remain in position, monitoring their movements."
"The Fatui?" Master Lu's brow furrowed deeply. Though his primary craft was artistry, his standing in Liyue Harbor granted him considerable insight, and his connections with the Qixing were well-established. He knew all too well that the Fatui from Snezhnaya were stirring trouble across Teyvat, their meddling fingers in every nation's pie. "What business could they possibly have here?"
"Their exact purpose isn't clear, sir," the soldier replied. "There are about a dozen of them, all outfitted with advanced elemental gear. We didn't dare approach—just observed from a distance under cover." He hesitated, then added, "But from their actions… they seem to be systematically searching the area around that ruin for something."
"And the autonomous machines that were gathered there before?" Master Lu pressed, getting to the heart of the matter. "Are they still present?"
The soldier took a moment to recall. "Now that you mention it, Master Lu… it's strange. During the initial reconnaissance, the Ruin Guards were densely packed around the site. Now, there are only a handful scattered around the perimeter."
"Where did the rest of them go?"
Hearing this, Ji An and Master Lu Ban exchanged a glance, identical looks of puzzlement crossing their faces. However, while Master Lu's concern was general bewilderment, Ji An's thoughts ran along a more specific track.
He understood the core directives of these ancient constructs. When not provoked into combat, their primary imperative was self-preservation—specifically, the relentless search for energy to sustain their dormant systems. That was why the previous Ley Line disturbance, with its massive energy resonance, had acted like a beacon, drawing machines from ruins far and wide.
So, the disappearance of the Ruin Guards from Tianqiu Valley pointed to one of two possibilities: either they had been eliminated by a third party with all evidence meticulously removed, or given the Fatui's timely arrival, it was tempting to pin the blame on them.
Yet Ji An's instincts leaned toward a different, more plausible explanation: a powerful new energy source had emerged nearby, just as it had at the ice valley, pulling the machines away from the ruins like iron to a lodestone.
"Miss Xiangling, Director Hu Tao," Ji An said, turning to the team's designated protectors. "If we run into that Fatui squad in the valley, are you confident in handling them?"
"Mur~!"
He glanced at the cheerfully hopping Guoba.
Correction: three protectors.
Xiangling hefted her spear with practiced ease, a confident grin on her face. "No problem at all! My master taught me well, and I've got Guoba watching my back!"
Hu Tao's response was even more blasé. "The Fatui? Please. I do business with those scheming types all the time. They're quite reliable customers for the Wangsheng Parlor. I'd be happy to provide them with a… final sendoff."
"That settles it, then," Ji An nodded, his decision made. He looked to Master Lu. "Shall we proceed, Master Lu? They're in the open; we have the shadows. No need to announce ourselves."
The team moved into Tianqiu Valley with practiced stealth, eventually regrouping with the two remaining scouts behind the cover of a massive, weathered boulder.
Ji An and Master Lu Ban peered cautiously around the rock, observing the distant Fatui patrol.
After a few minutes of silent scrutiny, they arrived at the same conclusion simultaneously.
"They're searching for the mechanism to open the ruin's entrance," Master Lu Ban muttered, his voice low with irritation. "Those insufferable Snezhnayans! This is Liyue's matter. What gives them the right to interfere?"
In his view, the Fatui must have caught wind of Lady Ningguang's investigation. They likely assumed anything warranting such attention from the Liyue Qixing must be valuable, and were now trying to claim it for themselves.
"Then let's remind them they're not welcome," Master Lu declared, his annoyance getting the better of him. He raised his voice slightly. "Lu Xian! Lu Tai!"
"Master!" Two young men from the artisan contingent stepped forward promptly. They carried several sleek, complex-looking crossbows. Lu Xian handed one to Master Lu.
It seemed the craftsmen were prepared to become combatants.
"Those are Master Lu's repeating crossbows," Hu Tao whispered, sidling up to Ji An. "I hear they cost a fortune to make. They say the firepower rivals those fancy elemental rifles the Fatui love so much." She gave a soft, almost imperceptible hmph. "Thanks to those, field artisans aren't the premium clients they used to be for us."
What followed was a swift and decisive engagement.
They had surprise on their side.
And overwhelming force.
"Guoba, spit fire!"
"Time for you to taste Pyronado!"
"Pyre, pyre, pants on fire!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ji An added his own contribution, picking off targets from a concealed position with his elemental pistol.
The skirmish was over almost as soon as it began.
The Fatui lay in a bruised and groaning heap, securely bound together.
One particularly stubborn Electrohammer Vanguard, nursing a fresh bruise, glared up defiantly. "A cheap ambush! Liyue rats! You'll answer for this—you're violating diplomatic accords between Snezhnaya and Liyue!"
"Save your breath," Ji An said flatly, walking over and leveling the muzzle of his pistol at the man's forehead.
The Vanguard's bravado evaporated under the cold, dark stare of the barrel, and he fell silent.
"Why were you searching for the ruin's entrance?" Ji An asked, his tone leaving no room for evasion. "What do you know about what's inside?"
"Ruin? I don't know what you're talking about," the Vanguard grunted, trying to salvage some pride. "We're just here on orders to survey a potential training site. Since when does that require Liyue's permission?"
"A training site?" Master Lu's voice dripped with sarcasm as he stepped forward. "You traveled thousands of miles to set up camp in this desolate gorge? Do you take us for fools?"
Xiangling crossed her arms. "Yeah, seriously! Who do you think you're fooling?"
Hu Tao twirled the end of her pigtail, a sweet yet unnerving smile gracing her lips. "Need a funeral director? Group rates are very reasonable for a party your size."
"..."
Yet, despite the palpable fear that had flashed across every captive's face, their collective resolve held firm. One by one, they clamped their mouths shut, a wall of silent defiance.
Frustrated, Master Lu pulled Ji An a few steps away from the prisoners.
"What now?" he muttered, rubbing his temple. "Do we bundle them up and ship them back to the Jade Chamber? Let Ningguang's people deal with them?"
The presence of a suspicious Fatui squad at their very objective was a troubling variable. Operating in the dark about their intentions was a risk they couldn't afford.
"Let me try a different approach," Ji An said, a contemplative look in his eyes.
He returned to the group and instructed the Millelith to separate the prisoners, ensuring they had no chance to communicate or coordinate stories. He would interrogate each one alone.
In a makeshift, isolated questioning area, Ji An employed a simple but effective strategy. To each Fatui agent brought before him, he laid out the same terms: Cooperate, provide truthful information, and you earn a chance at redemption and a guarantee of safety—your identity protected. Refuse, lie, or hold out, and you gamble with everyone's life. The first to break gets the deal; the others face the consequences.
The pressure of mutual distrust proved potent.
They held out only until the third interrogation.
The delicate-featured Electro Cicin Mage, her composure finally crumbling under the weight of isolation and the grim ultimatum, broke down in quiet sobs.
"I… I'll talk," she whispered, her defiance utterly spent.
-------
A/n: Hey over on my patreon there are currently two for the time being exclusive books which are
Honkai Impact 3rd, I Can Transform into a Valkyrie!
patreon.com/deadlygoober