The Yanshang Tea House: Shadows of Liyue
The Yanshang Tea House appears to be nothing more than an upscale establishment for wealthy merchants in Liyue Harbor. In reality, it is the heart of the city's intelligence network.
Under the dim, amber glow of the lanterns, a woman with short, sleek hair leaned back in a wicker chair. Her long, slender legs were crossed elegantly, and one arm supported her head in a posture of practiced boredom. This was Yelan, a special intelligence operative reporting directly to the Tianquan, Ningguang.
She flicked through a series of notes with lazy eyes, discarding each one until only a few remained. Standing by her side, a waiter named Chu Yi held his breath. He knew better than to disturb her "lazy" aura; Yelan was like a coiled orchid, beautiful but lethal.
"Chu Yi," Yelan sighed, stretching her body into a graceful S-curve that showed off the fluid lines of her silhouette. "Is this all? Liyue is far too peaceful lately. If nothing interesting happens soon, I might as well head back to the Chasm to see if the mud has anything new to say."
"Lord Yelan, peace is a blessing," Chu Yi stammered. "Though... there is one small thing. Some time ago, the herb-gatherer Qiqi brought a seriously injured youth back to Bubu Pharmacy. After being treated by Dr. Baizhu, he stayed on as a temporary worker. He claims to have amnesia, remembering only his name: Uchiha Renji."
"Uchiha?" Yelan tasted the name, her eyes narrowing. "A bit clunky for a local. It sounds like it comes from Inazuma. With the Sakoku Decree in full effect, many are fleeing the Raiden Shogun's lightning storms, though few survive the trip. Even Captain Beidou took in a ronin named Kaedehara Kazuha recently. Is this 'Renji' a Vision wielder?"
"No Vision was found on him," Chu Yi replied quickly. "However, his physical abilities are... abnormal. Witnesses saw him leap from a cliff dozens of meters high and land without a scratch. He can clear several meters in a single vertical bound. My subordinates fear he might be a spy."
Yelan's interest finally piqued. "Inazuma has a profession called Ninja. The Kamisato Clan has their 'Shumatsuban,' which functions much like my own web. If he's a trained ninja, his skills would explain the lack of a Vision. Find out where Qiqi found him. I think it's time I 'explore' the reality of this Uchiha."
While Yelan watched the dark sea from her balcony, Renji lay in his room at the back of Bubu Pharmacy.
The name Uchiha was a curse and a blessing that didn't belong in Teyvat. Back on Earth (Blue Star), Renji had been an ordinary guy until a "truck to another world" sent him to the Naruto universe. He had been thrilled—until he realized he had arrived during the Second Great Ninja War.
He wasn't a protagonist; he was an Uchiha grunt. He had barely graduated from the Academy before being tossed into the meat grinder of war. His last memory of that world was the cold feeling of steel and the realization that "foresight" means nothing when you're outnumbered and outclassed.
"I died as cannon fodder," Renji muttered, staring at the ceiling. "But I woke up here."
The smell of medicinal herbs filled the room. This wasn't Konoha's hospital. The architecture was different, the energy in the air—what the locals called Elemental Energy—was far more vibrant than the Chakra he was used to.
[System Notification: Host has rested sufficiently. Current Debt: 100,000 Mora. Please remember your status as a 'Foreign Ninja' is under scrutiny.]
Renji sat up, his Two-Tomoe Sharingan flickering briefly in the dark. He wasn't the "fat guy from Blue Star" anymore, nor was he the "disposable soldier" of the Uchiha clan. In this world of Archons and Adepti, he had a second chance to build a legacy—if he could survive Yelan's investigation first.
Just as Renji was lost in thought, a small figure wearing a purple hat suddenly appeared beside his bed. A mysterious yellow talisman dangled from her forehead, fluttering slightly as she spoke in a soft, timid monotone.
"You are awake," she said. "I carried you back. Now... I will go get your medicine."
The unmistakable outfit, the petite stature, and that rhythmic, haunting way of speaking made Renji's head spin. He stammered, his voice trembling, "Qi... Qiqi?"
The girl, who had already turned to leave, paused and looked back over her shoulder. "Ah... do you know me?"
"Of course I know you!" Renji blurted out, a wave of gacha-gamer nostalgia hitting him. "You were my first five-star character!"
Qiqi tilted her head, her expression blank. "Qiqi... doesn't understand. But... I'm sorry, I don't remember you. I will write your name in my notebook so I won't forget you next time."
With that, she shuffled out of the room. A few moments later, Renji heard a set of footsteps—much heavier and more deliberate than Qiqi's—approaching the door.
When the newcomer entered, Renji's heart nearly leaped out of his chest. It was a man with long, flowing hair and a white snake draped around his neck like a scarf. The snake's golden, slitted eyes stared directly at him.
Renji's scalp went numb. Having just escaped the horrors of the Second Great Ninja War, his mind immediately screamed one name: Orochimaru.
"Haha, don't be afraid, my friend," the man said, his voice smooth and soothing. "Changsheng is quite harmless; she is my partner. By the way, I am Baizhu, the owner of Bubu Pharmacy."
Renji forced himself to breathe. Right. This is Liyue, not Konoha. He's a doctor, not a Sannin. "Thank you for saving me," Renji replied, trying to steady his voice. "My name is... Uchiha Renji."
"You are most welcome. It is a physician's duty to bring harmony to the world," Baizhu said, stepping closer. "However, you should truly thank Qiqi. She carried you all the way back from the heights of Caiqiao Valley. It is quite a mystery, though... how did a young man like you end up in such a dangerous, remote place?"
Renji clutched his head, putting on his best performance of a confused victim. "I... I don't remember."
Baizhu leaned in, performing a series of basic medical checks. Throughout the examination, the white snake, Changsheng, never stopped staring. To Renji, those slitted eyes felt like they were peeling back his skin to look at his soul. The "Orochimaru PTSD" was real.
"Well," Baizhu finally concluded, stepping back. "It seems the trauma of your injuries has affected your memory. Physically, you are recovering remarkably well. For now, you should rest."
As Baizhu left the room, silence returned. Renji lay back on the bed, his body finally relaxing into the soft mattress. A subtle, wry smile played at the corners of his lips.
Compared to the mud, the blood, and the constant fear of a kunai in the dark during the Great War, the world of Genshin Impact felt like a dream.
Teyvat... he thought. I think I'm going to like it here.