"Bang!"
Jiang Xiaofeng drove his spear through the last debt collector.
Jiang Xiaofeng had held back.
An injury like this was nothing serious for a Fatui Skirmisher.
He had still left him breathing...
Jiang Xiaofeng looked at the whole crowd and shook his head.
These cannon-fodder characters could do nothing to him.
They could not even give him a minor scratch.
After a pause, Jiang Xiaofeng said, "Isn't it time for the spectator to come out?"
"Clap, clap, clap."
A round of applause rang out.
"Splendid, truly splendid!"
"Your combat skills are truly impressive."
"What business do you have with La Signora? Perhaps I, Childe, could help you too."
Oh?
Jiang Xiaofeng looked toward the speaker.
A gray coat, orange hair, a red mask, and a blue Snezhnayan-style Vision.
Mm, it really is Childe.
Jiang Xiaofeng shook his head.
"No, I need La Signora."
"You can help with what I need, but only a little. You can't help with all of it."
Childe nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly laughed. "You haven't fallen for La Signora, have you? It's true, by your standards, she's certainly not bad-looking."
"If that's really the case, I can put in a good word for you with La Signora and let you two spend some time together."
Jiang Xiaofeng: "..."
Leaving aside whatever had gotten into Childe...
Was Childe really this friendly?
Normally, Childe certainly would not have been so friendly.
It was just that, having witnessed Jiang Xiaofeng's strength, he wanted to fight him to hone his martial skills. That was the only reason he was being so friendly toward Jiang Xiaofeng.
Had it been anyone else, Childe probably would not even have spared them a glance before throwing them straight out of the Northland Bank.
Not only that, Childe also wanted to recruit Jiang Xiaofeng into the Fatui...
After all, once they were colleagues, he would have a reason to spar with him to "hone his martial skills"!
Fortunately, Childe was a battle maniac, and Jiang Xiaofeng knew this side of him.
Otherwise, Jiang Xiaofeng would have beaten up whoever said that first.
Still, Jiang Xiaofeng was rather unused to Childe talking like this.
"All right, all right, I'll stop beating around the bush."
"Liyue Harbor's Rite of Descension is about to begin, right?"
Hearing this, Childe stopped joking and nodded.
"There's no need to mass-produce Sigils of Permission. Osial doesn't need that many Sigils of Permission to break the seal."
"When the time comes, the Geo Archon will fall. As for the Gnosis's whereabouts, you just need to find the Geo Archon's corpse."
Jiang Xiaofeng continued setting Childe up at his unhurried pace.
If Childe asks about it later, I'll just say I didn't see it coming either, and that'll be that.
Though Childe was not very likely to listen to him anyway...
Childe frowned.
"Are you telling me all this as part of some scheme?"
Jiang Xiaofeng looked at the Fatui Skirmishers lying all over the floor around them.
Childe understood, then led Jiang Xiaofeng out of the room to a room at the back of the Northland Bank.
"This is where the Fatui discuss business. It's very safe, with no one spying on us. Go ahead."
Jiang Xiaofeng and Childe sat down.
Jiang Xiaofeng nodded and said, "I need to join the Fatui."
Before Childe could feel pleased, Jiang Xiaofeng continued, "But not now."
"Not now?"
Childe was puzzled.
"You need to think about those Fatui members in The Chasm."
"I know you don't bother with all these twists and turns, but you should at least think about your colleagues."
"A considerable number of the Fatui under The Knave went to The Chasm to fight the lingering 'dark tide' from that war several hundred years ago. If we fall out with Liyue here, they're finished."
Childe thought for a moment, then asked, "Then what do you propose?"
Jiang Xiaofeng pointed at himself.
"You?"
"You mean you'll do the dirty work while I prepare to take the Gnosis?"
"But you'll be joining the Fatui afterward too!"
Childe had also worked out the reasoning behind it.
Although he did not get along with the Harbinger known as The Knave, the soldiers under him were people too.
They could not be treated as expendable pawns.
The Knave would abandon teammates, but Childe would not.
"You don't need to worry about that."
Jiang Xiaofeng spoke.
"When all of this has settled, I'll come back with another identity."
"When the time comes, no one short of a god will be able to uncover my identity."
Yes.
Jiang Xiaofeng had a vague suspicion, but he could not be certain.
This was also why he had hurried to Liyue.
He felt that the system was up to no good.
It was full of bad intentions, just like that mad fellow, The Collector.
So Jiang Xiaofeng needed a large influx of cells to see how the system would respond...
As for how to deal with it...
Jiang Xiaofeng felt that if The Seven could do nothing about his system, he could only go find Brother Dragon... ah, no, go find Aether.
We do have a bit of a friendship, after all. Asking him for a small favor wouldn't be too much...
With that thought, Jiang Xiaofeng stood up.
Seeing this, Childe stood up as well.
The two walked to the Northland Bank's front desk together.
Only then did Jiang Xiaofeng belatedly ask, "So you were the one who told this guy to say it was La Signora's order?"
As he spoke, he pointed at the trembling manager.
"Ah, yes."
Childe scratched his head.
"Well, you were the guy La Signora mentioned, so I wanted to see what you could do..."
Jiang Xiaofeng was exasperated. He was just about to leave the Northland Bank when he suddenly stopped.
"Childe, give me some Mora."
Jiang Xiaofeng held out his hand very calmly.
Childe: "..."
A while later, Jiang Xiaofeng happily left the Northland Bank with one million Mora.
The manager finally asked, "Lord Childe, that fellow is..."
Childe stopped him and said meaningfully.
"Remember to show a little more respect when you mention him. Perhaps, before long, we Fatui will have another Harbinger..."
Jiang Xiaofeng knew nothing of this.
He glanced at the Millelith watching him and left.
Jiang Xiaofeng had a clear destination.
He headed straight toward Tian Tie Zui.
Jiang Xiaofeng vaulted over the railing and jumped straight to the ground.
Then he slowly walked in that direction.
He had forgotten about his clothes the entire time.
Yes, Jiang Xiaofeng had forgotten to ask Childe for a new set of clothes...
Originally, Jiang Xiaofeng had not cared, but perhaps because he had not changed bodies all this time, he had stayed in this body too long, and it had begun to decay.
Although there was no smell of rot, the flesh could be seen continually turning to ash through the tears in his clothes.
The bones inside were clearly visible.
As Jiang Xiaofeng walked, he felt the changes in his body.
"The Malaise hasn't spared my host..."
"Is there any way to stop this decay?"
Jiang Xiaofeng pondered as he walked.
"If there's really no other way, I'll have to visit Liyue's ruins and see if there are any Treasure Hoarders who don't know what's good for them..."
Jiang Xiaofeng decided to abandon this Fatui body that was on the verge of rotting away.
As for right now...
A moss-like substance began to emerge from Jiang Xiaofeng's neck, continually spreading over his body.
Soon, Jiang Xiaofeng's appearance changed right out in the open on the street.
The familiar red scarf, battered armor, long trousers, and worn-out straw sandals.
"Hehe, this outfit still suits The Beheaded best."
Jiang Xiaofeng simply changed his appearance to conceal his decaying body, ignored the horrified looks of those around him, and continued toward the "storyteller"...