Chapter 93 - 93: You've Got Another Duck Out There
The night was silent, but the rooms in Northland Bank were brightly lit.
"Tea, lodging, entertainnt... How can these cost so much?"
Staring at the bill, Tartaglia found himself questioning everything.
He looked over the bill's origins again: Mondstadt, Stone Gate, Wangshu Inn...
Hiss. It all seed to check out, especially the charges from Stone Gate, where it looked like soone had racked up expenses with the might of an army.
What, did Bai Luo pick up the tab for the Millelith?
Although Tartaglia could afford this much money, the real issue was why Bai Luo would use his na to indulge in such extravagance. After all, Bai Luo was also a Harbinger and should have access to funds of his own.
Rubbing his temples, Tartaglia felt like he'd just found another reason to fight Bai Luo. The thought made him even more eager for the coming day.
According to the Ninth Company's reports, Bai Luo's group would arrive by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Once he arrived, there'd be no escape.
And those bills? No need for explanations—they'd settle it with fists.
Besides... for now, Liyue was Tartaglia's turf. On his own turf, there was no way Bai Luo could get away again, right?
If he did run...
Tartaglia's eyes scanned the room before settling on the bow hanging on the wall.
Tartaglia was a master of all weapons, capable of wielding any with ease. But bows? They were his least favorite.
Which is why he had his subordinates find him this bow—so he could practice with it in his spare ti.
"If Bai Luo escapes again this ti, I'll use nothing but a bow until we settle things once and for all!"
Frozen tundra, icy plains—liars' tongues will freeze and break!
When Tartaglia made a promise, he kept it!
Unfortunately for him, he had no idea that when Bai Luo wasn't playing human, he truly wasn't human.
As a result, Tartaglia would find himself bound to the bow for life...
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The Next Morning
The heavens rarely cooperate when people are in good spirits.
From early dawn, a light drizzle began to fall.
In the hazy rain, Liyue Harbor appeared like a celestial palace cloaked in mist—breathtakingly beautiful and otherworldly.
The docks bustled on as usual, unaffected by the weather. People ca and went, their colorful oil-paper umbrellas creating a srizing mosaic from above, like vivid blossoms adorned by the rain.
Tartaglia and a group of Fatui stood at Liyue's entrance early, waiting for soone.
Their black oil-paper umbrellas gave off an unapproachable air, and the Millelith nearby had their hands full keeping order, doing their best to shoo away curious onlookers.
It wasn't clear how long they waited, but eventually, a procession appeared at the end of the road.
They moved solemnly through the rain, their faces somber. The Electro Cicin Mage leading the group even sobbed occasionally, clearly upset.
Tartaglia: "???"
What was going on? Were they attacked? But their numbers hadn't decreased.
As the Anemo Sli carrying Bai Luo slowly floated closer, Tartaglia finally understood.
Bai Luo lay bundled in soft bedding, his face pale as a ghost, lips completely drained of color. He looked utterly frail, as though on the verge of death.
"What... happened?"
Tartaglia leaned toward Katarina and asked in a low voice.
"On the way, the Ausbilder encountered an old acquaintance. It seems they had a sparring match, and he ca back in this state," Katarina replied, her voice tinged with regret.
She couldn't help but wonder: if their group had kept up, could they have saved the Ausbilder?
Tartaglia's expression was a sight to behold.
You've got another duck out there?!
The revelation that Bai Luo had willingly sparred with soone else but constantly avoided him left Tartaglia feeling wronged, a grievance so palpable it was almost visible on the screen.
But considering Bai Luo's usual self-preserving tendencies, Tartaglia couldn't help but wonder if this guy was just faking his near-death state to avoid fighting him.
"How bad are the injuries? Let
see."
Tartaglia climbed onto the Anemo Sli cart, forcing the already exhausted Anemo Sli to flap its little wings even harder.
With Katarina's help, Tartaglia unfastened Bai Luo's coat, exposing the wound on his abdon.
"This... who did this?"
Tartaglia's scalp tingles at the sight of Bai Luo's injuries.
Judging from the size of the wound, it was caused by a katana. The sheer brutality of the strikes was shocking, with each cut penetrating deeply. The third strike was the worst—after piercing Bai Luo's flesh, the attacker had twisted the blade, attempting to shred his internal organs.
Now Tartaglia understood why Bai Luo was in such a weakened state. Under these circumstances... The fact that Bai Luo was even alive was a miracle.
Fight? Forget it. Tartaglia figured he could probably scare Bai Luo to death just by quacking a few tis in his current state.
"The Ausbilder said the attacker's na was Zhongli," Katarina explained earnestly.
She didn't know much about Zhongli, but based on Bai Luo's account, the man was incredibly powerful. If Bai Luo hadn't sacrificed himself, it was unlikely that the Ninth Company would've made it back at all.
"Zhongli?"
Hearing the na, Tartaglia's expression shifted to one of contemplation.
He wasn't unfamiliar with the na. Zhongli was well-known in Liyue Harbor, not least for his eccentric tendency to ramble about the Geo Archon. But aside from that, he displayed profound knowledge on a variety of subjects.
Zhongli was said to be a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, highly regarded for his expertise. On matters related to funeral rites, he spoke with authority and precision, even delving into the intricate details of the Rite of Parting—an ancient tradition that few in Liyue still rembered.
This reputation made Zhongli a celebrated figure in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Tartaglia had previously tried to get close to him, but Zhongli exuded an air of indifference and weariness that belied his age. He seed like a man on the verge of retirent, spending his days bird-watching or enjoying operas, often listening to storytellers at Third-Round Knockout.
Most of the ti, Zhongli was simply absent. Despite the Fatui's extensive network of spies in Liyue, his whereabouts often remained a mystery.
If Tartaglia's intel was accurate, Zhongli had indeed been seen heading toward Stone Gate recently—possibly crossing paths with Bai Luo.
It was hard to imagine that soone like Zhongli could inflict such grievous injuries on Bai Luo. His ruthlessness defied his calm deanor. Appearances truly could be deceiving.
Clearly, Tartaglia would need to forge a closer relationship with this mysterious consultant in the future.
"Take him to Bubu Pharmacy first."
After tucking Bai Luo back into his bedding, Tartaglia spoke softly.
He understood that with the Fatui's current resources in Liyue, they couldn't fully heal Bai Luo, and might even delay his recovery. Sending him to Bubu Pharmacy was the best option.
"Lord Harbinger, are you still planning to head to the Chasm?"
The subordinate holding an umbrella for Tartaglia asked hesitantly.
"No, I think I'll head to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor first."
Looking at the rain-shrouded Liyue, Tartaglia removed his mask. Whether Bai Luo's injuries were Zhongli's doing or not, he needed to investigate.
Little did he know... this would be a path of no return.
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