That the Millelith light infantry had been feeling somewhat dispirited was something Ryen had heard Keqing and the others mention in passing before.
However, for several reasons, he had not paid it much mind at the time.
First, Ryen's attention had been focused more on the military forces stationed in the Minecraft world.
Second, when Ningguang and the others discussed the issue back then, their tone was not especially troubled, more like a helpless aside than a pressing concern.
Third, and most importantly, the Millelith's discipline and morale had always been solid. There was no fear of collapse.
What Ryen did not expect was that, in less than two months, this issue had surfaced as something Ningguang was openly worried about.
On closer reflection, it actually made perfect sense.
When Ryen had only just begun developing the Minecraft world, and Liyue had only recently joined in, everything progressed at a slow pace. At that time, the strongest forms of enhancement were limited to alchemical potions, enchanted weapons, enchanted armor, and even trained wolf packs.
All of these were standard equipment for the light infantry.
Back then, the Millelith heavy cavalry consisted mainly of Minecraft warhorses fitted with iron saddles. Soldiers wielded heavy weapons, taking advantage of the horses' fearlessness toward monsters and their exceptional carrying capacity to form devastating cavalry charges.
It sounded impressive, but when you broke it down, much of that strength actually came from the warhorses themselves.
As a result, during that period, the true elite force of Liyue was the light infantry.
As the ace unit, every light infantry soldier took pride in their role.
But then, the Minecraft world developed far too quickly, and so did Ningguang and the others.
Alchemical potions soon lost their rarity, becoming mass-produced consumables that could be manufactured at will. Abundant resources led to a complete overhaul of armor and weapons across all units.
Even enchantments, once difficult and precious, became easy to apply.
Alchemy, enchantments, armor, and weapons…
These had once been the exclusive strengths of the light infantry. In the blink of an eye, they were fully standardized across all forces.
Even the heavy cavalry had them.
The defining traits and advantages of the light infantry were completely overshadowed by the heavy cavalry.
Then came the next leap forward.
Liyue's development skyrocketed as if riding a rocket.
First came the Redstone naval forces. Redstone warships cut through stormy seas without wavering. Once the redstone cannons fired, no sea beast, no matter how fearsome, could survive.
Granted, naval forces were a separate category, so comparisons were unnecessary.
But after that, the firearms corps emerged.
Once massed together, firearms units didn't even bother with enchantments. Each soldier wielded a firearm, and a single concentrated barrage was enough to threaten even gods.
With their astonishing feats in battles against divine beings, the firearms corps instantly became Liyue's true trump card.
Even if the light infantry and heavy cavalry were combined, they still couldn't stand against a thousand-strong firearms formation. A thousand guns firing in unison was enough to force even a god to retreat.
And then,
The true uncrowned king of the Millelith appeared.
The Dragon Knight Corps.
Even without having undergone a full-scale war test, no one in Liyue doubted their combat power.
With the passage of time, Liyue's elite mantle, once held by the light infantry, passed from hand to hand, until it finally rested on the Dragon Knights.
Even so, the firearms corps remained among the strongest. Even Dragon Knights would feel immense pressure if they faced a concentrated firearms unit at close range.
After that, the heavy cavalry swept across Teyvat, storming cities and breaking fortresses, unstoppable wherever they went.
And what of the light infantry, once the pride of Liyue?
Now, their defining traits had been replaced by others. Their position had become painfully awkward.
What they had, others also had.
What others had, they did not.
In a single turn, they fell from Liyue's ace force to the bottom of the six major corps.
That psychological gap alone would have crushed most armies. If not for the Millelith's famously steadfast mentality, depression and disintegration would have come long ago.
Even so, despite the discipline and mutual respect, despite other corps never mocking them, the light infantry still felt the weight of decline.
Morale dipped. Combat effectiveness suffered.
Reforming the light infantry was no longer optional, it was urgent.
Ningguang let out a quiet sigh and spoke with some helplessness:
"To be honest, we once considered formally redefining the light infantry's role, assigning them primarily to maintaining public order, if no better solution emerged."
"After all, their existing attributes could already be handled by the heavy cavalry."
"But we feared that such a decision would scatter morale and weaken the Millelith as a whole, so we never approved it."
She paused, then continued more seriously:
"Yet the reality remains, the positioning of the light infantry is too awkward. If we ignore it, not only will their training and morale deteriorate, but rumors among the people of Liyue will inevitably arise."
Beside her, Jean nodded with equal seriousness.
"We face the same problem in Mondstadt," she said.
"Liyue's military reforms are extremely systematic and rational, so we've largely followed Liyue's direction."
"At the beginning, Mondstadt's light infantry easily swept through most monsters, and their resource consumption was minimal."
"As Keqing once put it, small cost, big results."
She paused briefly, casting a subtle glance at Ryen before continuing:
"Later, just like Liyue, we formed heavy cavalry units, firearms corps, and even began planning Dragon Knights…"
"Although Dragon Knights haven't yet appeared in Mondstadt, our firearms units and heavy cavalry have already been deployed."
"Even Mondstadt's light infantry have begun to suffer from wavering morale," Jean continued calmly.
"After all, they once made tremendous contributions to Mondstadt. Disbanding them outright would be… far too heartless."
As her words fell, Rosalyne and Kujou Sara both nodded in agreement.
Their own nations had not developed quite as explosively as Liyue's, indeed, most of the forces the Cryo Archon could mobilize were already stationed in the Minecraft world, but this was a problem they would inevitably face in the future as well.
As for Kujou Sara, she had already begun preparations for forming Inazuma's light infantry units. This was destined to become a headache she, too, would one day have to confront.
Ningguang pressed her lips together in a faint smile and spoke softly:
"To be honest, the light infantry issue had been troubling me for quite some time. Then… the Twilight Forest appeared."
"The Twilight Forest offers special weapons, Blazing Iron Swords, Froststeel Swords, Frost Bows, Tracking Bows…"
"These may all be equipped to the light infantry."
"When that happens, a force whose positioning was once awkward can transform into a highly mobile elemental reaction army."
"With Tracking Bows, Triple-Shot Bows, and similar weapons added in, even their ranged combat gains unique characteristics."
"Though they still cannot compare to the firearms corps, at the very least they will stand on equal footing with the heavy cavalry."
"By redefining the light infantry's focus and role, their duties will no longer conflict with other units."
"And once that happens, morale will naturally recover."
Hearing Ningguang's plan, Jean and the others visibly brightened.
Not only would this resolve the light infantry's loss of confidence, it would also strengthen them overall.
In future battles, they would no longer be mere background support.
"After the reform, the light infantry will be designated as Elemental Light Infantry," Ningguang said with a soft chuckle.
"Every unit will possess Melt-based elemental reaction capabilities. Such a force will be a true surprise weapon."
"What do you think?"
Ryen nodded deeply, his expression solemn.
"I think my Ningguang is incredibly smart."
"..."
Rosalyne and the others, suddenly forced to swallow a mouthful of blatant affection, turned their heads away with faint irritation.
Ningguang slapped Ryen lightly.
"Be serious."
"That's the entirety of my plan."
Ryen spread his hands helplessly.
"I already told you, I won't be coming to the Twilight Forest much after this. And even if I do, it'll just be with you all, or with Klee and the others, for a vacation."
"You can handle the development of the Twilight Forest yourselves. Do whatever you like. Once it's cleared, it resets anyway."
Ningguang shook her head with a sigh.
"While this may be your trust in me… it really feels more like you're just too lazy to manage it."
"That's right," Ryen replied cheerfully, patting her shoulder.
Ningguang decided not to dwell on it and spoke directly:
"Then we'll follow the old precedent. Twilight Forest exploration and resource extraction will be handled the same way as the Overworld and the End."
"We'll manage the mining and clearing ourselves. If you need anything, just say the word."
"As for the staves obtained during exploration, and the Master-tier staves and Tachi swords dropped by the final goblin…"
"They'll all be placed under your centralized control."
Ryen couldn't be bothered to think too deeply about it.
"You don't need to ask me about that."
"But having more staves is good. I plan to use them as prizes during the Lantern Rite events we'll host in this world, competitions, games, that sort of thing."
Ningguang tapped him lightly, exasperated.
"Honestly… other than playing around, can you think of anything else? This is the only time you ever put real thought into things."
"That's not fair," Ryen replied with a knowing smile, gazing deeply at her.
"There are other things I take very seriously. Surely you're aware of that?"
Ningguang rolled her eyes, her cheeks faintly flushed.
"You're hopeless."
"Hopeless?" Ryen teased.
"Is tonight going to be proper then? But proper is boring, wouldn't something more exciting be better?"
Ningguang immediately covered his mouth, mortified.
"Don't say things like that in public! We'll talk tonight!"
"You still haven't told me how we're playing tonight."
"I said tonight!"
"So… free play?"
"…Use what you like best first."
Ryen grinned smugly.
"See? Ningguang understands me best."
She shot him a glare. She truly didn't understand how he always managed to steer conversations in that direction, but it hardly mattered.
As long as he was happy, Ningguang was willing to indulge him without limits.
Of course, Ryen would never truly make things difficult for her.
"Ryen…"
Jean stepped forward, lips pressed together. After a brief silence, she spoke slowly:
"About the Doctor in Sumeru… I want to, "
Ryen raised a hand gently, smiling.
"I know what you mean. You want to personally lead a force to deal with him, right?"
Jean nodded. Her eyes burned with unmistakable killing intent.
This was the first time in her life that Jean had ever felt such a powerful resolve to see someone dead.
"The grudge with the Doctor is a blood debt shared by all of Mondstadt. As Acting Grand Master, I have the authority, and the duty, to avenge Mondstadt's people."
"The dead are gone, but they cannot be allowed to die in vain."
"I will make him pay."