Gu Sanqiu walked to a secluded corner, tilted his head back, and gazed at the sky. It wasn't that he felt an inexplicable sense of loneliness—it was more that he'd suddenly remembered what he needed to do next.
"Well, isn't it obvious?" he muttered to himself. "It's time to visit you, Second-Generation Wallet."
Taking out his coin pouch, he smirked. "As a friend, how could you come back from Mondstadt without telling me? At the very least, you should let me, a local, give you a proper welcome!"
---
About half an hour later, Childe spotted a sight he absolutely did not want to see at the Northland Bank.
There sat Gu Sanqiu, legs crossed, sipping tea like he owned the place.
"What are you doing here?"
"Nothing much," Gu Sanqiu replied lazily, gesturing toward the pile of food and supplies next to him. "These are for you—my thoughtful little welcome gift. Pretty reliable of me, don't you think?"
"Reliable? If you were reliable, you wouldn't have hit me so hard last time," Childe retorted, taking a seat across from him. "Do you know how long it took me to fully recover my sense of balance after escaping your bizarre gravity array? Three days!"
"What can I say? You were holding something I wanted," Gu Sanqiu replied with a mischievous grin. "By the way, where's Signora?"
Childe's eyes narrowed instantly, his expression turning guarded. "I don't know."
"Relax, relax," Gu Sanqiu waved him off. "You're keeping an eye on things in Liyue, and she's escorting the Gnosis north. I can figure that much out on my own."
He chuckled. "And don't worry—I'm not about to ask you about her route or anything like that. I'm not interested in the Gnosis."
Childe didn't relax. Instead, he pressed a button on the table, summoning a group of Fatui agents into the room.
"Send word to our scouts. Tell them to remain vigilant for any factions that might interfere along the route."
He shot a glance at Gu Sanqiu. "There's a certain troublesome person who might get involved."
"Troublesome? I haven't done anything!" Gu Sanqiu exclaimed, feigning offense. "Look, I even brought you gifts!"
"Or maybe you're here to keep me tied up so I can't lend support," Childe countered.
Gu Sanqiu tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… judging by your reaction, the transport's already on its way, isn't it? Maybe not too far yet."
Childe pulled out his twin daggers. "Should we settle this now?"
"This is the Northland Bank. If we fight here, it'll be expensive to repair the damage. I'm confident I can protect the citizens of Liyue, but can you say the same for your people from Snezhnaya?"
Gu Sanqiu activated a Geo shield, the shimmering barrier a subtle reminder of how difficult it was to break through.
"Oh, by the way, if we do end up fighting, here's something for you."
He handed Childe a card.
"What's this?"
"A discount voucher for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Bring this and you'll get 20% off. Buy in bulk, and there are additional discounts."
Childe's hand trembled slightly as he held the card. "You're not planning a massacre here, are you?"
"No, no, it just crossed my mind to give you one," Gu Sanqiu replied nonchalantly. "At first, I thought about having the Ten Pull Guild spread rumors that the Fatui's northbound convoy was carrying a priceless artifact. But on second thought, I decided against it."
His expression softened. "The folks in Mondstadt treated me well. Something like the Gnosis being stolen shouldn't be carelessly leaked."
He paused, then continued, "Even most ordinary Fatui members don't know much. To them, the Gnosis is just a pretext—a tool for solving Snezhnaya's problems through expansion."
"Must be nice," he mused, looking up.
Childe's vigilance didn't waver.
"Relax," Gu Sanqiu said with a faint smile. "I'm someone with a reputation to uphold. If I say I won't do something, I won't go back on my word."
Childe scoffed. "You? Not going back on your word? That's rich, coming from a lunatic."
Gu Sanqiu clapped his hands, feigning surprise. "Wow, you've uncovered Liyue's greatest secret! Shouldn't you compensate me with an equally juicy tidbit?"
"Everyone already knows you're a lunatic. It's hardly a secret."
Childe waved dismissively, signaling for his agents to leave. "Get out of here. And don't think I won't keep an eye on you. I may not get along with my fellow Harbingers, but I won't let some outsider stir up trouble."
"What if I told you I really wanted to kill one of them?"
Gu Sanqiu's tone grew serious, and his gaze turned sharp. "What would you do if I said I intended to take out a Harbinger?"
"I'd tell you this: a Vigilant Yaksha can't protect everyone, and even adepti have their limits."
Childe's expression hardened. "You've been watching me—manipulating the Ten Pull Guild to keep me in check. But I've gathered some useful intel, too."
He leaned forward. "Aside from Ganyu in Yuehai Pavilion, there are other adepti hidden in the city. But even they can't protect all of Liyue."
"So, tell me—do you think killing one Harbinger is worth risking countless lives in Liyue Harbor?"
The air between them grew icy. Gu Sanqiu's gaze was cold as he scrutinized Childe's every weak point, as if calculating the easiest way to take him down.
Finally, Gu Sanqiu moved his hand.
Childe's response was immediate—his daggers glowed with Hydro energy, slashing through the air in a deadly arc.
"Relax," Gu Sanqiu said, raising his shield. "I was just going to show you something."
He pulled out an object and held it up.
"This is what you've been looking for, right?"
"The Forbidden Curio?" Childe froze, withdrawing his elemental energy. "You're giving this to me?"
"That depends on whether you can offer me information of equal value," Gu Sanqiu replied, pocketing the item again. "Oh, and if you can tell me why the Fatui want it, your chances of getting it increase significantly."
Childe's eyes narrowed. "You don't want to kill me?"
"Of course not," Gu Sanqiu snorted. "What would I gain from killing you? You're just a brawler. If I took you out, someone else would take your place—maybe even a bigger problem. Do I look like I have that kind of time?"
"Brawler?!" Childe's indignation flared. "For your information, I was top of my class in military academics! I nearly broke records!"
"And yet, you're all still brutes," Gu Sanqiu replied with a smirk. "But honestly, I'd rather keep you around. Who knows what kind of person would replace you? At least you're easy to deal with."
"You're just mocking me," Childe muttered, rolling his eyes. "Fine. Who's your target? Let's see if this is worth a Forbidden Curio."
Smooth. Skipped my other condition entirely. Not that it matters—I already know what you're up to.
Maintaining his calm smile, Gu Sanqiu asked, "Harbinger No. 9, codename 'The Rich'—Pantalone. Know where he's been lately?"
---
T/N: should i just change Ten Pull to Ten Gold