[Because your blunt remarks left Yukong with no way to save face, she never even got the chance to play either good cop or bad cop. After a brief silence, she decided to have someone lead you all away to sit and rest.]
[Yukong understood that with the Express's arrival, even if you weren't friends, you absolutely couldn't be allowed to become enemies. Besides, the Astral Express's name resounds across the cosmos. Faced with the Express's goodwill, the Xianzhou Luofu could hardly pretend it didn't exist.]
[Faced with Yukong's predicament, you choose…]
[Option 1: Take the initiative.
You decide to seize the moment and pressure Yukong directly, stating flatly that her stance and methods are no longer enough to handle the current situation. In front of everyone, you propose that she step down and send someone more capable to meet you instead.
Perhaps this will win the Express crew the greatest possible initiative and force the Luofu to re-evaluate any potential cooperation with you.
(Possible outcome: Yukong may be forced to give ground, but the upper echelons of the Luofu may develop a subtle wariness toward you.)
(Reward: Yukong's Archery. All the archery experience Yukong has accumulated over her lifetime.)]
[Option 2: Hard refusal.
You don't give Yukong the slightest way out. You state your position outright: the Express crew will not accept any attempt to win them over, nor will you allow yourselves to become anyone's chess piece.
You declare that you will only act according to your own judgment, refuse the Luofu's arrangements, and make it clear that if the Luofu continues to test your limits, the Express won't mind resolving things in its own way.
(Possible outcome: The Luofu may become even more guarded against you, but at the same time might begin to seriously acknowledge your strength.)
(Reward: "Ingenium Heart." A core component of Xianzhou automata, the hub of Ingenium arts. Its gyres churn like a living heart, letting machines think as though alive. Do not panic, Your Excellency. Remove this heart, and it — not he, not she, but it — will lose its mind while the metal shell remains.)]
[Option 3: Wait for your moment.
You don't rush to declare a stance. Instead, you go along with Yukong's arrangements on the surface and quietly observe the Luofu's internal movements, waiting for the right opportunity.
With Yukong caught between advance and retreat, you choose to play the role of a "cooperative, but not subordinate" partner, secretly searching for a better breakthrough point, while making the Luofu speculate even more about your true intentions.
(Possible outcome: Yukong may temporarily stabilize the situation, but you gain a deeper chance to infiltrate — and might even find an unexpected ally.)
(Reward: Compact Starskiff. A latest-model starskiff from the Xianzhou Luofu. Forged with cave-heaven technology, it can shrink and expand at will. Specific functions: please experience them yourself.)]
As the three options appeared,
the text on the system panel suddenly flickered, as if the whole interface had stuttered for a second.
A heartbeat later, new lines surfaced.
[Faced with Yukong's predicament, you choose to wait for your moment, deciding to quietly search for a better breakthrough in the time to come.]
[Congratulations. You have received the Option 3 reward: one Compact Starskiff, available for extraction at any time.]
"Starskiff?"
Seeing the reward, Kairo's expression turned a little strange.
This could be a reward too?
That the choice had already been locked onto the third option didn't surprise him.
Back in Mondstadt, when he'd faced Acting Grand Master Jean, he'd also chosen to take the initiative and act first, triggering his reward in advance.
The only drawback to this approach was that he couldn't see what the rewards for each option were ahead of time and choose accordingly.
But judging from how things had gone so far… the benefits he'd received hadn't been bad at all.
He glanced at the reward again. The starskiff was now his to extract whenever he wished.
"Here we are."
At that moment, Keqing spoke up.
Kairo looked up.
A spacious inn stood before them.
Keqing's tone was as crisp and succinct as ever, her long violet hair swaying lightly in the night breeze.
The warm glow of glazed lanterns cast soft light over her robes, outlining gentle curves without dulling the sharp clarity and authority in her bearing.
"This is an inn here in Liyue Harbor that provides lodging," Keqing continued, introducing it to Kairo, Lumine, and Paimon. "It's built along the water near the commercial district, so travelers from afar can rest with peace of mind."
She led the three of them inside.
The inn's tall wooden doors loomed overhead, the eaves carved with intricate auspicious beasts. Red lanterns hung beneath the eaves, bathing the entrance in a welcoming glow.
Several busy attendants wove back and forth, greeting the stream of arriving guests.
The air held a faint fragrance of sandalwood, mingled with the aroma of tea, making the whole place feel unusually comfortable.
Crossing the threshold, they stepped into a wide main hall.
Rosewood tables and chairs were neatly arranged. In a corner by the wall, a long glazed lamp burned, casting a gentle halo of light.
Keqing strode quickly to the front counter. After a brief exchange with the innkeeper, she finished the arrangements and turned back to Kairo, Lumine, and Paimon.
"Your rooms are ready," she said softly. "They're on the second floor by the windows. It's quiet and should be more than enough for you to rest."
"The innkeeper will take you up shortly."
"Thank you!"
At her words, Paimon rubbed her hands together in excitement. "Yu-Heng Xing, you're so thoughtful!"
"Liyue welcomes guests from afar."
Keqing nodded lightly, then added, "However, I still have official duties to attend to, so I can't stay to accompany you."
As she spoke, she looked at Kairo deeply.
A flicker of hesitation crossed her violet eyes, as though she still had more to ask.
But in the end, she only said, "If you run into any trouble in Liyue Harbor, you can ask the Millelith directly. They'll provide whatever assistance is necessary."
With that, Keqing didn't linger.
Her steps were steady as she turned to leave, the hem of her robe tracing a smooth arc through the night.
She didn't look back, disappearing into the lamplit streets.
Kairo watched her go, his gaze thoughtful.
This Yu-Heng of the Liyue Qixing truly lived up to her name.
Decisive in action, swift in judgment — there was no trace of hesitation.
"Waaah—"
The moment Keqing was out of sight, Paimon clutched her chest and let out a sigh. "That Yu-Heng of Liyue is really something! So quick and to the point!"
"Once she decides to leave, she just goes — not even a little bit wishy-washy!"
Hovering in the air, Paimon spun in a little circle, blinking at Lumine and Kairo. "But that kind of person is super impressive!"
"No wonder she's one of the Liyue Qixing!"
Lumine nodded.
Keqing's ability and efficiency would be top-tier even among the Qixing.
Not even the Millelith dared slack off in front of her.
Yet compared to Keqing's brisk departure, Paimon's mind had already wandered elsewhere.
"Hehehe! Since our rooms are all arranged… doesn't that mean we can go stroll around the night market and have a big feast?"
Paimon waved her tiny hands, face full of anticipation, excitement bubbling in her voice. "Just think about it—Mondstadt doesn't have night markets! At night, the taverns and shops all close up. There's nothing fun to do at all!"
"But Liyue is different!"
"This is the most prosperous commercial city around. I heard Liyue's night market is super lively, with all kinds of food stalls…"
"There are storytellers, performers, and you can even buy all sorts of rare and strange things!"
The more she talked, the more excited she became. In the end, she grabbed Lumine's sleeve with both hands, pleading, "Lumine, Lumine! Let's go to the night market!"
Lumine couldn't help but laugh, nodding gently. "Alright. Let's go. We can take a look at Liyue's night view too."
Paimon instantly spun in place with joy. "Hehehe! Let's go, let's go!"
"Excuse me, honored guests."
Just then, the innkeeper walked over and bowed respectfully to Lumine. "Your rooms are ready. May I trouble you to come with me for a moment?"
"Oh, right."
At that, Paimon scratched her head.
She trailed after the innkeeper with Lumine and Kairo up the stairs, found out which rooms were theirs, and watched the innkeeper take his leave.
Once they knew where they were staying, Lumine headed back downstairs as well.
She and Paimon walked out into the streets of Liyue Harbor.
By now, the night shrouding Liyue's streets was fully ablaze with light.
Vendors' cries and travelers' chatter wove together into a picture of bustling, living prosperity.
Following the main street forward, a rich smell of grilled meat suddenly drifted through the air.
Charcoal smoke and sizzling fat blended into a mouthwatering aroma that made one's stomach rumble.
"Grilled meat! That's grilled meat!"
Paimon sniffed hard, eyes lighting up at once. Like a little creature that had just scented its favourite food, she clapped her hands in delight. "We have to go check it out!"
Following the scent,
they quickly spotted a busy barbecue stall with a long line of customers.
The stall owner was a burly middle-aged man, expertly turning skewers over glowing coals.
The charcoal burned red-hot, skewers rolling over the flame.
He brushed them with a special secret sauce; fat dripped down onto the coals, hissing as it fell and sending up curls of tempting smoke.
"Come, come! Fresh off the grill — spicy beef skewers with a secret marinade, numbing and fiery, one bite and you're hooked!"
He was shouting at the top of his lungs. Golden, glistening skewers of lamb and beef, chicken wings, and squid tentacles lay piled neatly on the wooden board, their aroma filling the street and drawing in hungry customers.
"Three beef skewers for me! And two orders of wings!"
"Grilled squid! I want grilled squid! Extra spice!"
Among the crowd were young people from Liyue and travelers from other lands.
All of them were drawn in by that intoxicating smell, quickly taking out Mora to pay.
Paimon practically launched herself at the stall, slapping Mora onto the counter. "I want this one, this one—and that one! Extra sauce!"
The stall owner grinned, scooped up the Mora, and deftly handed over several freshly grilled skewers.
Paimon chomped down at once. Her mouth filled with crisp, tender, spicy flavour. Her eyes shone. "Mmm! This is amazing! Liyue's grilled meat really is divine!"
With a skewer of lamb in one hand and a grilled wing in the other, half a squid tentacle still clamped between her teeth, Paimon hovered from stall to stall in a "must eat all of Liyue" frenzy.
She sampled this stall, then that one, stopping for almost every new snack she spotted.
In no time at all, her hands and mouth were stuffed with food,
and even the little pouch Lumine had prepared for her was bulging with pastries and treats.
"Mm… this honey-glazed fish is amazing!"
"Crab-roe buns! They even have crab-roe buns? I want one!"
"Taro cake! Taro cake! We can't skip that either!"
All the way down the street, Paimon was completely lost in a sea of food, her mouth working nonstop, every bite full of bliss.
Lumine and Kairo didn't sweep the stalls as aggressively as Paimon did, but they were inevitably drawn in by the night-market atmosphere.
The two of them strolled along the street, taking in the unique charm of this prosperous harbor city.
Before they realised it, they'd reached the coastal district of Liyue Harbor.
The harbor's bustle was utterly different from the noise of the night market.
Here, there were no vendor cries —
only the orderly rhythm of merchant ships docking and workers busily loading and unloading.
Along the piers, massive merchant vessels lay moored with sails billowing in the sea breeze.
The water shimmered with reflected lights from countless lanterns across Liyue.
A few merchants in traditional Liyue long robes stood at the docks, discussing cargo with the captains of departing ships.
Some were rapidly working abacuses, calculating heaps of Mora.
Others were inspecting the packaging of goods, making sure nothing was amiss.
From here, one could overlook all of Liyue Harbor's splendour.
Buildings clustered together in neat rows, every level aglow with lantern light.
Reflected on the water, the lights resembled a river of stars spilling from the sky.
Crowds flowed ceaselessly through the streets; caravans came and went without pause. The whole scene thrummed with vibrant, thriving prosperity.
Kairo narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at the harbour's nightscape with a faint sigh.
This was Liyue.
A place where human life and warmth flourished most brightly — a commercial capital built with wisdom and sweat.
Compared to Mondstadt, he truly preferred this city.
If he really had to choose somewhere to live, he would pick Liyue without a second thought.
"Waaah…"
Stuffed and satisfied, Paimon lifted her head to stare at the glittering lights of Liyue Harbor in the distance. "Liyue's nights are just too lively… It's completely different from Mondstadt!"
Lumine nodded gently, her gaze soft as she watched this city brimming with mortal life. "Yes. Liyue's prosperity is like nowhere else."
While Lumine and Paimon were talking,
Kairo suddenly thought of his recent reward. An idea stirred in his mind.
He had never piloted a starskiff before.
In Teyvat, a craft like that would make an excellent means of travel.
If he could, he might as well extract it now and get used to handling it.
He couldn't just leave it sitting there forever.
Without any hesitation, Kairo headed toward an open stretch of the harbor.
The area ahead was empty now — the perfect place to take out a starskiff.
"Eh?"
Seeing Kairo suddenly stride off, Paimon stared. "Kairo, where are you going?"
"Getting a tool ready."
He answered without looking back.
Summoning a starskiff in front of Paimon and Lumine wasn't anything strange at this point.
Both of them had long since accepted how mysterious he was.
"Huh?"
At that, Paimon and Lumine glanced at each other, then hurried after him.
Soon, they followed Kairo to the edge of the harbor, where the sea stretched out before them.
Under the night sky, the waters of Liyue Harbor rolled and surged, waves lapping lightly against the stone steps of the quay.
Moonlight spilled over the sea, spreading a silver sheen across the surface like flowing shards of broken glass.
Kairo focused his will.
In an instant, he chose to extract the starskiff.
A ring of dusky blue light blossomed in front of him, like a mysterious energy slowly spinning into motion.
The sea breeze seemed to soften. Strange ripples began to spread across the surface of the water.
A low, distant rumble rolled through the air,
like some ancient, slumbering thing slowly waking.
"Boom—!"
The next moment, a vast, archaic flying vessel materialised before their eyes.
Its body resembled a finely carved seafaring ship, yet it hovered above the waves.
Soft blue-violet radiance wound around its hull, making it look like a legendary flying fish from ages past descending quietly into the world.
It was a starskiff.
This starskiff's form lay somewhere between ship and aircraft.
Its hull was long and sleek, its silhouette both steady and full of motion.
The whole body was a deep indigo, like the night sky, etched with star-like sigils that glimmered faintly with hidden power.
The prow stretched forward and tilted up slightly, like a whale breaching the surface — or a great bird poised to take flight, full of poised grace.
On either side of the hull, metal structures spread like wings, every surface engraved with intricate patterns in the Xianzhou Luofu's style.
Delicate tassels and ornaments hung from the edges, swaying in the breeze and adding a touch of ancient mystery.
At the stern, a streamlined propulsion array lay half concealed.
Gentle rings of energy coiled around it, like traces of a starry trajectory, making the whole starskiff seem as if it were floating atop an invisible sea of stars.
Set into the flank of the hull, a massive circular energy core slowly turned.
Unknown sigils gleamed faintly within, pulsing with dim blue light, as though constantly drinking in the power of heaven and earth to keep the starskiff aloft.
It preserved the solid framework of a traditional sea-going vessel while blending in the Luofu's unique flying-engine tech, allowing it not only to sail upon the water but also to soar through the skies — a true boat of the stars.
"Not bad at all."
Looking over the starskiff's form, Kairo raised a brow.
Visit my patreon for more chapters
Advance 60+ Chapters Available
patreon.com/ZeusOp