Lumine and Paimon successfully gathered intelligence, confirming that Master Maocai was indeed in a shady partnership with the Fatui.
Master Maocai: "I know, I know. I will make sure the order is completed without a hitch."
Fatui Agent: "That would be best. As I've said before, the Fatui only value results."
Lumine and Paimon retreated from the scene.
Paimon: "I wonder if that Bookworm has made any progress."
They found Xingqiu sitting on a high ledge, focused entirely on his book.
Paimon: "You Bookworm! You just changed locations to keep reading!"
Xingqiu: "It's just as I suspected. Don't worry, the plan is already formed in my mind. I have a letter here; please take it to the Feiyun Commerce Guild's servant. He will know what to do."
Xingqiu: "As for the contents of the letter, there is no need to look."
[Thoma: Xingqiu is mobilizing his own guild's resources.]
[Yun Jin: With the Feiyun Commerce Guild's power, dealing with a merchant like Master Maocai is indeed easy.]
[Ningguang: However, I doubt it will be that simple. Based on what I know of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, incidents like this have happened more than once.]
[Xingqiu: As expected of Ningguang of the Qixing.]
The moment Paimon took the slip of paper...
「Ding—Live Q&A: Guess how the Feiyun Commerce Guild servant identifies the letter?」
1: Through a grand heroic act that moves the guild.2: A secret code unique to the Feiyun Commerce Guild.3: Xingqiu's formal signature at the bottom.4: Handwriting that is cosmically, world-endingly ugly.5: The guild was notified in advance; this is just a random token.
「Ordinary Live Room: 100 people will be drawn to answer. Correct: One piece of high-quality ore. Incorrect: Drink ten buckets of water within three hours.」
「Elite Live Room: Xingqiu, Hu Tao, Chongyun, Xiangling, Yanfei, and Yelan cannot answer or be chosen. Two people may snatch the slots.」
"Pfft—!"
"Ten buckets?!"
"Hahaha, I'm sitting this one out. Good luck everyone."
"You'd literally drown from the inside out!"
"High-quality ore is worth about 100,000 Mora! I'm Shitou, the Liyue ore merchant, and I know my stones."
[Arataki Itto: Brothers of the Arataki Gang, we HAVE to snatch this...]
[Arataki Itto: Waaaah! Otherwise we really won't have Mora for food. We were eating tree bark yesterday!]
[Genta: Waaaah, Boss!]
[Akira: Waaaah, Boss!]
[Xinyan: You guys... are actually that miserable?]
[Xingqiu: No! Stop! Don't look! Don't guess!]
[Amber: What's wrong? Why is he starting to cry?]
[Yanfei: I've already started laughing.]
[Yelan: I know the answer too. Hahaha!]
[Chongyun: I'm not laughing, Xingqiu. You have to believe me.]
Sangonomiya Kokomi rubbed her chin.
[Kamisato Ayato: This looks like a choice between 2, 3, and 5. Ayaka, want to try?]
[Kamisato Ayaka: I am currently in silent meditation...] (The Eldest Young Lady is in social withdrawal).
[Ganyu: Since we know he's the second son, the answer should logically be 2, 3, or 5.]
Inside Wanmin Restaurant, the atmosphere was chaotic.
Beidou: "What's so funny? Why are you guys losing it?"
Hu Tao: "I can't say! If I say it, I'll get punished!"
Chongyun: "As Xingqiu's poetry friend, Director Hu has seen it many times."
「Countdown: 3, 2, 1... Snatch!」
「Ding—Keqing and Yae Miko have snatched the slots.」
[Ningguang: Keqing's speed is quite good.]
[Tartaglia: Dammit! How are you guys so fast? I haven't gotten a single one!]
[Kamisato Ayato: Lady Guuji made a move. Does she know the answer?]
[Ganyu: Keqing, what did you choose?]
[Keqing: We know Xingqiu is the second son. He's trained in the arts and martial sects. Logically, I ruled out 1 and 4 immediately. Between 2, 3, and 5... in Liyue, merchants have codes. So I chose 2.]
[Ningguang: Good analysis. Liyue merchants always have codes. There are no less than three codes just to enter my Jade Chamber.]
[Yanfei: Keqing... have a safe trip.]
[Hu Tao: Hahahahahaha!]
[Keqing: ????]
「Ding—Keqing chose 2. Incorrect! Punishment: Cut ten carts of beef offal in Liyue Harbor within ten minutes and sell it all within five days. If the total is less than 500,000 Mora, suffer severe punishment. Excess Mora belongs to Keqing. No helpers allowed.」
Keqing: "What? Cutting offal? Selling it in five days?"
Instantly, the screen showed Keqing being teleported to the busiest square in Liyue, with ten carts of offal appearing out of thin air.
[Yanfei: @Keqing, start cutting! Ten minutes! If you don't finish, there's another punishment!]
Keqing snapped into action. She drew her sword, rinsed it with water, and began.
The entire continent of Teyvat was watching.
[Kaeya: That's too slow. She needs to speed up.]
[Thoma: She can't have help, and time is tight!]
Keqing's face set in a look of grim determination. She kicked a whole cart of ingredients into the air.
"Witness the power of the Qixing! Sword light, follow my bid! Cut to the chase!"