It smelled like wine.
It looked like wine.
But when drunk, it was not wine.
Diluc glanced at Venti, suspecting that this was some prank by Mondstadt's drunken Anemo Archon.
Venti hurriedly waved his hands in denial. "Don't look at me. This has nothing to do with me."
"Is that so?"
Diluc raised an eyebrow, studying Venti for a moment before asking, "Do you have any thoughts on the wine suddenly turning bitter?"
Venti chuckled. "It's probably just someone's little prank."
"This kind of prank goes a bit too far."
Diluc sighed helplessly. He ran a winery business. For now, he could only hope this bizarre incident of wine turning into bitter liquid had occurred solely in this tavern.
If the wine from Dawn Winery had also turned bitter,
The losses he would face would be enormous.
At that moment, a male voice echoed out.
"I have been harmed by wine and pleasure, left so haggard and worn. From this day forth, I shall quit drinking!"
The entire continent of Teyvat heard the voice.
Everyone froze in confusion. Who was that?
Quitting drinking required a continent-wide announcement?
Venti's face stiffened. He knew that voice better than anyone.
It was his own voice.
The patrons of Angel's Share all turned to look at Venti.
"No, that wasn't me. I'm just an ordinary bard," Venti said miserably. "It really wasn't me."
Diluc gave Venti a long look before speaking. "You all know this drunkard. There's no way he would voluntarily quit drinking. That voice was merely imitating him."
That was true.
The regular drinkers at Angel's Share nodded in agreement.
The problem was—if the voice had declared quitting alcohol, it didn't seem to be quitting alone.
They cautiously took another sip.
Pfft!
Still bitter.
"Drinks are on the house today," Diluc announced.
"Alright!"
Cheers erupted.
The earlier frustration over the bitter wine vanished instantly.
The drinkers of Mondstadt were still fairly optimistic. They assumed only the wine at Angel's Share had gone bad.
Tomorrow they could go to The Cat's Tail instead. Any drink mixed by Diona would turn into unimaginably delicious liquor.
After everyone had left, Diluc folded his arms. "Is it them?"
Venti scratched his head. "With power like this, it can only be them."
"The people in that ship above Mondstadt?"
The Finality warship hovering above Mondstadt was visible to anyone who wasn't blind.
"Mm."
"You're not going to do anything about it? They're clearly targeting you," Diluc said.
Venti shook his head with a sigh. "Forget it. I can't manage them. There's nothing in Teyvat that can."
From Venti's words, Diluc understood.
These were beings even the Seven did not wish to provoke.
Liyue.
On the floor outside the grand gates of the Jade Chamber floating in the sky, Ningguang stood quietly, gazing in the direction of Mondstadt.
According to reports from below, a massive flying warship had appeared above Mondstadt. It was unknown whether it was friend or foe.
From all the gathered intelligence, that warship was certainly not a creation of Teyvat.
"You're back."
Hearing approaching footsteps, Ningguang turned to look at Keqing and Ganyu walking toward her.
"Spare the pleasantries," Keqing said bluntly. "If you want to know something, just ask. I'm short on time. I still have things to do."
"So you really were taken by them."
Ningguang smiled faintly. Keqing's safe return meant the other party harbored no ill intent.
"They didn't do anything to you, did they?"
"I'm fine. They just wanted me to help handle some of their accumulated work."
"Work? Why would they ask for your help?" Ningguang asked, puzzled.
"Because I'm diligent, responsible, intelligent, and capable. If not me, would they ask you—some profiteer who thinks about making money all day?"
After seeing what certain merchants in the Finality Empire had done, Keqing had realized something.
Liyue had serious underlying problems. Extremely serious.
When someone like Ningguang held both political power and commercial influence, it would be all too easy to exploit authority for private gain, appropriating public resources at will.
Ningguang might not do so now.
But her descendants—or future members of the Qixing—might.
"I am hardly a profiteer," Ningguang replied calmly.
"Monopolies, insider trading. Over there, they'd investigate you to the bone," Keqing said dismissively.
"Over there?"
"The Finality Empire. An absurdly outrageous empire. Even now I'm not sure whether it truly exists or if it's just some kind of game."
Keqing herself was uncertain. Isla could take her across worlds at will. That meant they truly could cross universes, traverse the stars, and establish an empire spanning hundreds of universes.
"An empire beyond Teyvat? If even you call it outrageous, it must be immensely powerful," Ningguang said thoughtfully.
"Is there any possibility of cooperation between us and this empire?"
Her interest was piqued.
If trade relations could be established with an empire beyond Teyvat, the profits would be immeasurable.
Cooperation? What are you thinking?
Keqing did not bother explaining. Ningguang was, at heart, a merchant.
Given the Finality Empire's methods, before any talk of cooperation, there would likely be a wave of Astartes descending from orbit.
Conquer first.
Resources would then belong entirely to them.
Negotiate cooperation? Did Liyue possess the capital or strength for that?
As Ganyu listened to their exchange, curiosity stirred within her regarding the empire Keqing mentioned.
"I have been harmed by wine and pleasure, left so haggard and worn. From this day forth, I shall quit drinking!"
The sudden voice in the sky startled the three women.
"..."
Keqing looked up at the sky. Though it was a male voice, her intuition told her this had something to do with Isla and the others.
"Keqing, you heard it too?" Ganyu asked.
"I did," Keqing nodded.
"I thought I was hearing things because I hadn't eaten enough," Ganyu said in relief.
"Isla."
Keqing extended a slender finger and drew it downward in the air. A blue holographic panel appeared.
"Yes?"
"That voice just now..."
"The Anemo Archon of Mondstadt. He's quitting drinking."
"Are you sure? I have a feeling it was—"
"Not me. I didn't do it. Don't make baseless accusations."
A triple denial.
"..."
So it really was you.
Keqing was slightly surprised. Until now, Isla had given her the impression of a serious, all-capable girl who rarely joked around.
She hadn't expected Isla to make this kind of joke.
"Keqing, who are you talking to?" Ganyu asked, watching Keqing speak to the air.
"You can't see it?" Keqing froze.
"See what?" Ganyu looked confused.
"I've set it to invisible and inaudible to outsiders. So she can't see or hear me," Isla explained.
"Do you want to switch it so others can see and hear?"
"Change it. If there's nothing there in other people's eyes, it looks too strange."
Keqing could imagine how she must appear to others—talking to thin air, waving her hands around like a madwoman.
The next second, the blue holographic panel became visible within Ningguang and Ganyu's sight.
Isla flew out from the panel, transforming into a physical form, and floated before Ganyu.
"H-Hello," Ganyu greeted politely.
Something felt off. She had only seen that kind of gaze before in certain men who harbored improper thoughts toward her.
Isla's eyes settled on her chest.
Ganyu instinctively covered herself with her arms and took a few steps back.
"Why are you staring at Ganyu like that?" Keqing demanded.
"Do you want to know? It's my secret," Isla said in a deliberately mysterious tone.
"No, I don't," Keqing replied flatly.
"Since you want to know, I'll tell you my secret."
Ignoring Keqing's response, Isla continued, "Keqing, I like pretty girls. I really, really like pretty girls."
"I can tell. You don't need to continue," Keqing said dryly.
"Beautiful girls are simply the best."
"Stop talking."
Keqing covered her face with one hand. She did not understand how Isla had suddenly gone so off-script.
"Keqing, is this a new friend of yours? Like the Traveler, she's quite interesting," Ningguang said with a soft laugh.
"Isla, did you catch a virus?" Keqing asked suspiciously.
Isla glanced at Ningguang before turning her attention back to Ganyu.
"No. I'm simply attracted to her body. I'd like to merge with her on both a material and spiritual level."
Ganyu hurriedly hid behind Keqing.
"Can you act normal?" Keqing said helplessly.
"Just a joke." Isla withdrew her gaze, returning to a poised and aloof demeanor.
"Alright, Miss Keqing. You still have thirty-seven thousand six hundred and twenty-three abandoned planets to process."
"I know."
Keqing nodded.
She had once asked Isla why she did not handle those matters herself. The answer had chilled her.
Though Isla could understand emotions, she felt nothing toward lives she neither liked nor found interesting. No attachment. No mercy.
Her method of handling rebellious planets would be to maximize the utilization of all resources.
Biological resources included.
They might be turned into food. Or materials.
"Keqing, is she from that empire you mentioned?" Ganyu asked softly from behind her.
"Yes. Her name is Isla," Keqing introduced.
"Miss Isla, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ningguang, one of the Liyue Qixing," Ningguang said gracefully.
Isla's eyes flickered faintly.
"You want to do business with me?" she asked bluntly.
"Indeed," Ningguang smiled.
"Very well. I have an item that can help you control the Seven, Celestia, and unify all of Teyvat. I can give it to you for free."
Before Ningguang could respond, a crimson crystal bead shaped like an eye appeared out of thin air in her palm.
The moment she touched it, knowledge of how to use it surfaced in her mind.
Desire surged within her.
It felt as though all the wealth of Teyvat lay before her. If she wished, she could claim it all.
But as a merchant, Ningguang understood one truth.
The most expensive things were often the ones labeled free.
"Ningguang, don't do anything reckless!" Keqing warned.
She could guess what it was—a type of psychic control device the Finality Empire favored. It could forcibly control all life on an entire planet.
Unless someone possessed special resistance or extraordinary spiritual strength, escape was impossible.
Ningguang held the control bead, suppressing the surging desire within her.
Just as she intended to return it, the device activated.
An invisible wave instantly spread, enveloping and controlling every living being across Teyvat.
All eyes turned vacant and lifeless.
"Congratulations. You are now the master of Teyvat, the supreme ruler above the Seven and Celestia. You now barely qualify to do business with me," Isla said with a smile.
Ningguang stared at Keqing and Ganyu, now puppet-like with hollow eyes. Her hands trembled.
"You can modify their consciousness and make them loyal to you. Don't you want to try?" Isla whispered softly beside her, like a demon tempting human nature.
Ningguang's heart pounded.
She only wanted Mora.
A great deal of Mora.
If she altered everyone's consciousness, all the wealth of Teyvat would belong to her. She would become its supreme ruler.
Was she tempted?
Of course she was.
But she had to remain rational.
"Well? Won't you try?" Isla continued.
Suppressing her desire, Ningguang willed it—and the psychic control over all of Teyvat was lifted.
Ordinary people merely felt momentarily dazed.
The strong clearly sensed they had just been controlled.
Even though it lasted only an instant, being seized without resistance was enough to instill fear.
Zhongli, who had been observing in secret, emerged from control with a grim expression.
His figure vanished in an instant. He appeared beside Ningguang and seized the crimson bead from her hand.
The moment he understood its function, he did not hesitate. He crushed it.
A device capable of controlling even the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles was not something anyone in Teyvat should wield.
"As a guest in Liyue, isn't this sort of joke rather inappropriate, Miss Isla?" Zhongli said, turning to face her.
This new arrival from beyond the world was far too powerful.
To the Seven—and even to the Sustainer—she was an existence operating on an entirely different dimension.
He could sense that Isla had acted with the mindset of a mere prank.
But when a being of such overwhelming power played pranks, even a joke could spell catastrophe for Teyvat.
"Zhongli?"
Seeing that the person who had snatched the object was Zhongli, the consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Ningguang froze for a moment before realization dawned.
Zhongli was the Geo Archon who had faked his own death.
Regaining awareness, Keqing noticed Zhongli's sudden appearance and understood she had indeed been controlled moments ago.
"Ningguang, you didn't alter our consciousness, did you?" Keqing asked, genuinely uneasy.
Those whose minds were altered rarely realized it.
"What happened?" Ganyu shook her head.
"Don't worry. I did nothing to you. Rex Lapis has arrived," Ningguang replied, shifting the focus.
Rex Lapis.
As a devoted admirer of the Geo Archon, Keqing's eyes lit up. She scanned everyone present before finally fixing her gaze on Zhongli.
"Rex Lapis is Zhongli."
"As the ruler of Liyue, casually destroying a gift I offered—don't you think that's rather disrespectful?" Isla said with a faint smile.
"If you can't give me a satisfactory answer today, I might just lose my temper."
"Rex Lapis..." Ganyu looked at Zhongli confronting Isla, worry in her eyes.
The friend Keqing had made was far too dangerous.