However, before Bai Luo could remove his mask, Beidou grabbed his wrist.
"Since Mr. Himura is willing to trust me, of course, I will give you the same trust in return. Rest well tonight. I'll report the situation to the client as soon as possible and try to set sail within three days."
After another glance at the reverse-blade sword in Bai Luo's arms, Beidou left his room.
Under the glow of the lanterns, her smooth back, partially revealed by her draped clothing, caught Bai Luo's eye, prompting him to mutter softly.
"Such a shame not to do some cupping therapy."
After Beidou left, although there were no obvious guards stationed outside Bai Luo's door, many eyes were subtly watching from the shadows.
In Bai Luo's perception, Beidou had indeed left the ship overnight, but she didn't head to the so-called client. Instead, she made her way directly toward the Jade Chamber.
Hmm... in a certain sense, the Jade Chamber really was her "client."
Before going to sleep, Kazuha finally managed to extricate himself from the festivities.
Perhaps out of politeness, he sat down and had a brief chat with Bai Luo before leaving.
After that, Bai Luo turned off the lights.
Inside the cabin, aside from the faint sound of snoring, there was no other movement.
Occasionally, a few murmurs of sleep-talk could be heard.
The sailors assigned to keep watch didn't enter to check, as Captain Beidou had specifically instructed them when assigning the task.
The person inside was no ordinary man. He was a special existence who could wound a god without relying on the power of a Vision.
Unless it was an emergency, they were to avoid disturbing him at all costs.
What they didn't notice, however, was that Bai Luo had already disappeared from the cabin. All that remained was a strange phonograph, endlessly replaying the sounds of snoring and sleep-talking.
After midnight, aside from the Jade Chamber in the sky, most of the buildings in Liyue Harbor had extinguished their lights.
With the daytime hustle and bustle gone, the entire city seemed to have fallen asleep, becoming eerily quiet.
"Lord Harbinger!"
In a corner of Liyue, a Pyro Agent materialized, bowing respectfully to the figure before him.
"How goes the investigation on that person?"
Perhaps due to the white mask, Bai Luo's voice sounded deeper and more oppressive, as if a venomous snake were watching its prey, causing the Pyro Agent's heart to tighten involuntarily.
"That person has strong anti-surveillance instincts. After descending from the Jade Chamber, he left Liyue overnight. We managed to steal a letter from him. Although it's written in code, the intelligence department is already working on deciphering it. We're just waiting to deliver the letter."
There was no excessive flattery or sycophantic praise.
As part of the Harbinger's direct forces, the Pyro Agent was well aware of his superior's temperament, so he reported only the essential facts.
"Did you alert him?"
"No, he has no idea the letter was copied. He still thinks he's well-hidden."
The Pyro Agent and Bai Luo were cut from the same cloth—no, more like they shared the same lineage! While some might not have the same natural talent as Collei, they excelled in ruthlessness.
If Bai Luo hadn't given prior instructions, that person would likely have vanished without a trace after leaving Liyue.
We, the Fatui, did promise not to cause trouble in Liyue, but once outside its borders... well, don't blame us for being merciless.
"Good job."
Things were progressing as Bai Luo had anticipated.
If the spy hadn't been carrying a letter, the plan could have been put on hold.
But since a letter was found, it was time to move to the next step.
"Where's the copied letter?"
"Reporting to you, sir, as per your instructions, I placed it in the abandoned southern district base. I planned to deliver it to the intelligence department at dawn for decryption."
At dawn, huh?
Bai Luo glanced once more at the brightly lit Jade Chamber in the sky, then at the southern district, which was noticeably darker than usual. He knew the fish had already taken the bait.
With a subtle movement of his left hand, a gleaming crimson bracelet appeared on his wrist.
The bracelet seemed both solid and ethereal, with what appeared to be molten lava slowly flowing within it.
"Magma Surge!"
As a Harbinger, Bai Luo knew more about the Fatui's bases in Liyue than anyone else. Naturally, he was well aware of the abandoned base in the southern district.
Raising his left hand, he lightly tapped the air.
The bracelet on his wrist transformed into a streak of light and vanished.
In the southern district of Liyue, there was a shipyard.
In addition to building ships, it also handled repairs and modifications.
As Liyue was one of the most bustling ports in Teyvat, business here was booming.
Even at night, the place was still brightly lit, with many workers laboring overtime.
"Old Li, doesn't something feel off today?"
Xiao Wang, the carpenter, removed a nail from his mouth as he laid down planks, asking his supervisor.
Working at night might be more exhausting, but the pay was better than during the day. Xiao Wang, relying on his youth and stamina, always took the night shift.
Normally, after his shift, he would go to a nearby tavern to buy some cheap wine to wash away his fatigue.
But today... aside from a few ordinary households, most shops had closed early, including the tavern he frequented.
"Just focus on your work. Don't ask too many questions."
Old Li was the shipyard's foreman. He probably knew something.
At Xiao Wang's probing, a hint of irritation flashed across his face.
Because his every word and action could be overheard by those with ulterior motives, and if any misunderstandings arose, even his position as foreman wouldn't help.
"Okay..."
Seeing the usually cheerful Old Li show signs of anger, Xiao Wang didn't press further and quietly returned to his work.
But his curiosity kept his eyes wandering into the darkness, as if searching for something.
No one noticed that in an accounting room within the shipyard, a red ring of light suddenly appeared.
This ring was strikingly visible in the darkness, but hidden behind the wooden walls, no one could see it.
As the ring's flickering grew faster, the energy contained within it finally erupted.
"Boom—"
A dazzling blaze shot into the sky, engulfing the bookshelves in the accounting room. Scalding lava flowed freely, as if it cost nothing, until the entire wooden room was set ablaze.
By the time the fire grew large enough for people to notice, the red ring and the lava had completely disappeared.
Even the faint smell of sulfur in the air was gone.
When nearby workers rushed to extinguish the fire, all that remained were the flames. There was no trace of elemental energy left behind.
No matter how you looked at it, this was just an ordinary fire.