Captain surveyed the carnage across the ground before fixing his gaze on Su Ran.
"I don't care for people like you, but lady Tsaritsa wishes to see you."
He had just received a transmission from Tsaritsa herself, ordering him to bring this man to Snezhnaya. She intended to grant a personal audience to this outsider, an outsider whose strength was nothing short of terrifying.
Though the Fatui were generally indifferent toward outsiders, the Captain, as a Harbinger, felt no shred of warmth toward Su Ran. In his eyes, the man was nothing more than a reckless wretch who trampled on honor. Yet, his power was exactly what the Fatui and the Tsaritsa required.
"Coincidentally, I have some interest in her as well."
Su Ran produced a small ring, sweeping it over the items scattered within the cave. The dense pile of living supplies and various scientific instruments vanished, stored safely away. It was a replica of a storage ring he had fashioned himself; moving house was a tedious affair, and a simple tool made the process far more convenient.
Captain watched the ring with profound astonishment. A storage device capable of holding objects was an incredibly precious treasure. While such immortal arts might exist in Liyue, they were unobtainable in Snezhnaya. If he possessed such a divine tool, he could save himself the logistical nightmare of transporting supplies during military campaigns.
Still, such an artifact was surely beyond measure, and since they had been enemies only moments ago, he could not bring himself to ask for it.
Su Ran remained oblivious to the Captain's inner musings. With the man wearing a helmet that concealed his expression, his thoughts were impossible to gauge.
If Captain had wanted one, however, Su Ran would not have minded gifting him one. Despite their apparent value, he didn't need many, and he had created a few flawed prototypes during his early experiments. Their quality was nowhere near the one he wore, but they would be more than sufficient for the Fatui.
With his belongings packed, Su Ran had no reason to linger in the cave. Now that his long-term experiments were complete, there was no necessity to remain here.
He preferred places with signs of human life over solitude; he was, after all, a creature of emotion, not a purely rational being who looked down upon the world.
Stepping out of the cave, Captain turned and unleashed a single punch that collapsed the entrance, sealing it off completely.
"They were proud warriors of Snezhnaya. Since they sacrificed their lives here, they deserve to rest in peace."
Sealing the cave meant no one would come to disturb the souls of the fallen warriors again.
"Wasteful."
Captain glanced at the nonchalant Su Ran. "A man like you could never understand how precious honor and peace are to a warrior."
"Oh."
Captain's disdain meant little to Su Ran. He was no warrior, so why should he care about so-called honor?
If it couldn't be traded for something substantial, it seemed entirely useless. Being remembered? People often find villains more memorable than saints, anyway.
***
Captain had set out with an entire squad, yet he returned with only one man. This individual was neither a member of the Fatui nor even from Snezhnaya.
Inside the palace of Tsaritsa, several Harbingers stood waiting. There was La Signora, wearing an expression of arrogance; The Knave, looking entirely detached; Il Dottore, his face full of intrigue; Scaramouche, looking indifferent; and Tartaglia, his expression one of pure curiosity.
With five Harbingers already present, Pierro stood expressionless on the steps below the throne. His posture reminded Su Ran of a school principal about to deliver a speech.
Behind him sat the deity who ruled all of Snezhnaya: the Tsaritsa.
Su Ran scanned her from bottom to top. Magnificent crystal heels, white silk stockings, and a gorgeous gown woven with light blue, white, and black lines. Her long, grey hair was styled in four helical drills.
"...."
There was no need for confirmation. It was another Bronya. Although he had failed to meet the version from the Astral Express, catching a glimpse of this one on the Teyvat continent was hardly a loss.
The only question was whether her core was the silly one or the stern one.
"A royal treasure indeed," Su Ran muttered to himself, eyeing the deity's throne.
The Harbingers cast curious glances his way, but he remained uninterested. This Bronya was far more captivating.
"I have brought him, Your Majesty." Captain knelt on one knee before Tsaritsa, a gesture of absolute fealty from a warrior to his liege. While other Harbingers might show respect, few would go to the lengths the Captain did.
"Your efforts are noted, Il Capitano. Rise." The Tsaritsa's voice was slightly detached.
*So, she's the silly one, not the stern one,* Su Ran noted.
Captain moved to the side to stand with his colleagues. Several of them were curious about Su Ran's identity, but with Tsaritsa present, they refrained from whispering.
Su Ran held Tsaritsa's gaze. The silence stretched between them for a long time until, at last, the Tsaritsa was the first to speak.
"Are you willing to join the Fatui and become a Harbinger?"
La Signora's brow furrowed. Tartaglia raised an eyebrow. "Interesting," Il Dottore mused, his curiosity piqued. Even The Knave looked on with suspicion.
Was this another character full of hidden stories? To become a Harbinger required more than just talent—whether in strength or other fields—it required a history.
At least, that was how The Knave viewed it, knowing the backgrounds of the other Harbingers.
[Mission Issued: Accept or Refuse to join the Fatui.]
The system's voice chimed in after a long silence.
"My strengths lie only in my brain and my research; I'm not much of a fighter. Even so, do you still intend to invite me?" Su Ran claimed to be nothing more than a scientist with no strength to bind a chicken.
Tartaglia's interest vanished instantly. Pantalone looked on with disdain. La Signora's face twisted with slight disgust, while The Knave's eyes sharpened with wariness. Beneath his mask, the Captain's mouth twitched, while Il Dottore's lips curled into a smile, clearly intrigued by this new peer.
"Of course."
Whether or not he could fight, Tsaritsa knew better than anyone. Had she not intervened, the Captain would likely have perished on Snezhnayan soil.
"Very well."
Su Ran agreed. He was a scientist, but he still needed to eat. Funding was important, after all, and he couldn't survive on looting and pillaging alone.