"Alright, enough chit-chat, let's deal with the immediate problem."
With a flick of his coat, the Childe revealed that the water element had reformed into a pair of azure blades in his palm.
The playful smile on his face vanished, replaced by a clean and decisive expression.
"These Millelith are really annoying. Let's go together for now."
"Catch them!"
"The suspect is behind the water curtain!"
On the other side of the water curtain, the shouts of the Millelith grew closer and closer.
That water curtain won't last long.
"Squat down!"
The Childe suddenly shouted.
The fluorescence reaction is extremely fast.
She grabbed Paimon, who was trembling with fear, and ducked down to avoid him.
Almost simultaneously, Bai You pulled Varesa into her arms, and the two of them bent down at the same time.
The Childe unleashed a sweeping water blade.
"Whoosh--"
A wall of water, wider than before, swept over everyone's heads, forcing the Millelith, which was surging forward from the front, to retreat repeatedly.
At the same time, Ying drew her sword.
With a flash of sword light and a tricky angle, he deflected two spears that were thrusting at him from the side.
The gun barrel hit the ground with a crisp sound.
"This way!"
The Childe was the first to rush towards the corridor.
His movements were astonishingly fast; his water boots splashed water across the slippery stone slabs, and the water blades cleared a path ahead, tearing a gap in the water.
Ying cut off the rear, his sword flashing repeatedly, forcing the pursuing Millelith to retreat one by one.
Bai You shielded Varesa, sandwiched between the two.
She did not use the Light Realm Power.
Because those Millelith were just stronger civilians, the pillars of countless families.
However, she didn't do nothing at all.
The ground was covered in water created by Elemental Power.
Following the current of the water, she subtly brought it to life.
He supported the soles of their shoes, making each of their steps half an inch faster.
Then, a layer of slippery water film was quietly wrapped around the feet of the pursuers, slowing their every step by half a beat.
That slight difference in speed, seemingly insignificant, repeatedly widened the gap between them and the Millelith in this chase.
Almost no one noticed.
The Childe assumed it was because he had cleared the way well, while Ying assumed it was because he had covered the rear quickly.
The corridors are winding, like a maze.
The Childe knew the terrain of Yujing Terrace as well as his own backyard.
He weaved and twisted his way through the gaps in the Millelith's defenses.
"Climb over that wall!"
He was the first to rush to the base of the wall, and with a leap, the hem of his coat swept across the edge of the wall.
He flipped himself up onto the wall, turned around, and reached out his hand.
First, he grabbed Paimon, who was thrashing about in fright, and lifted him up.
Ying stayed behind to cover the rear.
Her sword flashed repeatedly, forcing back the three Millelith who had caught up with her, before she suddenly turned around and leaped into the air.
Bai You and Varesa, standing in front of the camera, glanced back instinctively at the last moment before climbing over the wall.
Through the eaves and dust of the Yujing Terrace, she saw the golden dragon lying quietly in the center of the high platform.
She withdrew her gaze and leaped down.
On the other side of the wall was a narrow back alley piled with clutter.
The group landed and dared not linger. The Childe led them as they continued walking through the alley.
Turn left ahead!
"There's a doorway there!"
"Drill through another wall!"
He moved nimbly through the narrow, crisscrossing alleys of Liyue Harbor, like a fish swimming back to its nest.
Behind them, the shouts, whistles, and chaotic footsteps from Yujing Terrace gradually faded into the distance.
After going through countless twists and turns, the Childe finally stopped in a secluded dead-end alley.
He leaned against the wall, took off his hat, and caught his breath.
"Hoo..."
" Millelith and his gang are really hot on their heels."
He straightened up, revealing a young and dashing face.
Orange hair, deep blue eyes, and an undeniable sharpness in his eyes and brows.
"Huff, huff..."
Paimon slumped onto Ying's shoulder, his body stiff with fear, and it took him a long time to catch his breath.
"Thank you so much..."
"If it weren't for you, we would have both been arrested just now."
"It's just a small favor."
The Childe waved his hand and laughed heartily.
"It wouldn't look good if word got out that the Millelith, with so many men, was chasing after two outsiders."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted and landed on Bai You.
That belligerent light resurfaced.
"However, speaking of Bai You..."
He looked her up and down.
"What brings you to Liyue? Are you really just here for fun? Liyue's not exactly peaceful right now. And I heard you went to Mondstadt with Columbina and the others."
"Yeah, Varesa and I are coming to Liyue for a visit."
"Alright, with your strength, there's nothing to worry about. However, now that the Rex Lapis outside is dead, the Liyue Qixing have sealed off the entire area to find the murderer."
"You two," he glanced at Bai You, "You'd better not wander around the streets anymore."
Bai You nodded.
Ying remained silent.
At this moment, she finally spoke, her voice calm.
"Why did you save us?"
"And," her gaze fell on him, scrutinizing him, "Who exactly are you?"
The Childe looked at her and smiled.
He laughed openly, without any pretense.
"I almost forgot to introduce myself."
"The last seat of the Fatui' Harbinger, no, it's the eleventh seat."
"Childe," Tartaglia.
He straightened up, his azure eyes shining.
"You can just call me Childe."
Ying's hand rested on the hilt of the sword.
" The Fatui."
"They are Fatui."
The Childe readily admitted it.
"But now, I am not your enemy."
"On the contrary," he gestured around, "I'm probably the only person in Liyue Harbor who can prevent you from being captured by the Millelith."
Ying remained silent, not letting her guard down.
"Let's go."
The Childe turned and walked deeper into the alley.
"If we dawdle any longer, the Millelith patrol will be here soon."
"I'll take you somewhere."
"That's where Liyue Qixing ' hand can't reach yet."
Ying watched his retreating figure, then glanced at Bai You beside her.
When she was in Mondstadt, Bai You told her that she was Fatui.
Seeing how familiar Bai You and the eleventh Harbinger were, she roughly understood what was going on.
"Are you two very close?"
Ying asked in a low voice.
"... Colleagues."
Ying looked into Bai You's eyes for two seconds, then nodded.
After all, Bai You didn't seem to have any ill intentions towards them along the way, so they should trust them.
She picked up her sword and followed.
Paimon quickly followed.
Bai You, holding Varesa's hand, walked at the back.
The Childe took them to the Northland Bank.
The money exchange opened by the Snezhnaya in Liyue Harbor is located in the busiest part of the harbor, in an impressive three-story stone building.
On the surface, this place deals in money deposits and withdrawals, and caravan remittances.
In reality, it is the Fatui's open base in Liyue.
The Millelith could blockade Yujing Terrace and check pedestrians in the streets and alleys, but they could not easily break into a money shop that displayed the emblem of the Snezhnaya.
That's about the face of nations.
At least for now, that's the case.
The two Fatui guards at the gate straightened their backs and bowed respectfully when they saw the Childe return.
" Childe Master."
"You're back?"
"Hmm."
The Childe responded and led the four men inside, their steps never faltering.
"Get a quiet room, and have someone bring some hot water and food."
Yes.
As the guard accepted the order, he couldn't help but glance quickly at the people behind him out of the corner of his eye.
A blonde, unfamiliar the Damselette carrying a sword.
A little floating spirit?
There are two more...
One of them was a stranger, a woman with blue hair.
The other one was hidden behind the blue-haired woman.
But the guard still saw her face clearly and was stunned for a moment.
" Bai, Bai You- sama?"
He instinctively bent his waist even lower.
"Twelfth Seat Lord, how could you...?"
The Childe led them into a simply furnished secret room on the second floor.
Once the door was closed, the noise and footsteps outside were completely shut out.
"Please sit down."
He pulled up a chair himself, sat down casually, stretched out his long legs, and showed no airs whatsoever.
"Take a break first."
"Hot water will be available soon."
He clapped his hands as he spoke.
Immediately, a maidservant brought in hot water and tea, set them out respectfully, and then withdrew.
Paimon was starving and had been chased all the way, so when he saw food, he didn't care about being polite and grabbed a piece of pastry and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Um... he's alive... he's alive again..."
Ying did not move.
She stood in the center of the room, her hand never leaving the hilt of her sword, her gaze fixed on the Childe.
"Now,"
Her voice was calm, "You can speak now."
"Why did you save us?"
What do you want?
The Childe picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip.
"Don't rush, we'll take it one at a time."
He put down his teacup, his expression becoming more serious.
"First, tell me about your current situation."
The Rex Lapis died in front of so many people at the Yujing Terrace.
" The Liyue Qixing must give the people of Liyue an explanation."
"But the assassination of the Rex Lapis was an earth-shattering crime. The Liyue Qixing simply can't find the real culprit in a short time."
What if we can't find the real culprit?
He looked at Ying, speaking each word carefully.
"They need someone, someone to take the blame."
"And you, an outsider of unknown origin, without any identification or credentials, who did not kneel when the Rex Lapis arrived, and who is also the closest to the Rex Lapis, are the most suitable candidate."
"If you're captured by the Millelith, you're the murderer."
"No matter how you explain it, no one will believe you."
Ying's face darkened.
She knew the Childe was telling the truth.
She clearly saw the way those Millelith looked at her just now.
That wasn't the look of someone seeking to uncover the truth.
That was the look in his eyes, as if he wanted to grab someone and get a satisfactory answer.
"So you saved me."
Ying said.
Yes.
"What are you after?"
"Because I can help you."
The Childe met her gaze openly and without the slightest hesitation.
"And you can help me too."
"Didn't you come here for the Rex Lapis?"
Ying neither confirmed nor denied it.
"I really want to see the Rex Lapis."
"That's right."
The Childe snapped his fingers.
"You want to see the Rex Lapis, to know how Rex Lapis died, and to clear your name."
"But right now, the Rex Lapis's immortal body is hidden by the Liyue Qixing, and you can't even get close."
"At this rate, with you being chased by the Millelith, there are only two possible outcomes."
"Either get caught and take the blame."
"Either, run away forever."
"Neither of these is what you want."
Ying fell silent.
She had to admit that this Fatui Harbinger had a very clear understanding of the situation.
"Then tell me, what should I do?"
"I'll show you a way."
The Childe stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to the crowd.
"In Liyue, there is a group of people who are more qualified than the Liyue Qixing to meet the Rex Lapis."
"If the Rex Lapis is truly dead, what the Liyue Qixing fear most is not the murderer, but them."
Who?
"The immortals of Liyue."
The Childe turned around and uttered these five words.
"They are the Rex Lapis's former subordinates, the immortals who fought alongside Rex Lapis 3,700 years ago to conquer Liyue."
"With the Rex Lapis present, they live in seclusion, never concerning themselves with the mortal world."
"But the Rex Lapis died, right under the noses of the Liyue Qixing."
"Just imagine, what would the immortals think if they knew about this?"