Three days at sea felt like an eternity for Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon.
For the first two days, they were surrounded by endless thunderstorms. The sky seemed torn open, unleashing torrential rain.
The sea winds howled, threatening to tear the Alcor apart.
Yet under Beidou's calm and steadfast command, the ship skillfully avoided countless monstrous waves.
During those long, agonizing days, Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon had no choice but to remain inside the ship. Apart from the relentless crashing of waves against the hull, the only sounds were their occasional conversations and long stretches of silence.
They tried every way they could to pass the time—talking, playing games, even just staring into space.
Life at sea was rough…
Just when Shao Yun was about to lose his mind, the skies finally began to clear on the afternoon of the third day. The thunder's roar faded into the distance, replaced by a tranquil, peaceful ocean surface.
Beidou led the Alcor through the final barrier of Inazuma's outer seas, reaching the much-coveted calm waters.
Unable to wait any longer, Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon rushed onto the deck, inhaling the long-missed fresh air and exhaling all the exhaustion and tension of the past two days.
In the distance, Narukami Island glowed under the golden hue of the setting sun, with Mt. Yougou's silhouette coming into view first.
As the ship slowly approached, the stunning landscape of Inazuma gradually unfolded before them.
Fiery-red maple leaves adorned the trees like blazing flames, and uniquely styled Inazuman buildings added their exotic charm.
Lumine and Paimon were captivated by the sudden beauty, eyes wide as they took it all in.
Shao Yun, standing silently to the side, pulled out a small notebook and began to sketch.
When the Alcor finally docked steadily at Ritou's harbor, Beidou led the trio ashore, setting foot on Inazuman soil.
A young man immediately caught their attention.
He had green eyes and medium-length blond hair tied into a neat braid at the nape of his neck with a tasseled red cord, giving him a particularly dashing appearance.
He wore a form-fitting black inner shirt and a red-and-black high-collared leather coat, exuding a balance of composure and energy.
This young man was Thoma. He'd been idly tossing Mora when the Alcor arrived, but he perked up the moment he saw it, his face lighting up with a warm smile.
"You're finally here, Boss. I've been waiting forever!"
Beidou crossed her arms and complained, "Blame your precious Shogun. The storms around Inazuma's waters were worse than ever this year. If my crew weren't hardened veterans, we'd be fish food by now."
After that, Beidou stepped aside and brought the three into the conversation.
"Right, Shao Yun, Lumine, and Paimon—let me formally introduce you. This is Thoma, our key contact in Inazuma. He's not only a reliable ally but also a trusted friend."
Thoma waved energetically and greeted them with enthusiasm. "Ah, it's an honor to finally meet the three of you! Welcome to Inazuma!"
Shao Yun gave Thoma a once-over. Though he knew the man had a good reputation, caution—and the need to establish presence—made him lean toward Beidou and ask quietly, "Can we really trust this Thoma guy?"
Beidou answered without hesitation.
"Don't worry, Mr. Shao Yun. Thoma's character and abilities have both stood the test—he's solid."
With Beidou's firm reassurance, Shao Yun stepped forward and extended his right hand for a handshake.
"When dealing with strangers, I usually go by Tacitus Kilgore. But since Miss Beidou trusts you, I'll dispense with the pleasantries. You can call me 'Shao Yun.'"
Thoma quickly reached out and shook his hand tightly.
"A pleasure, truly! I've been looking forward to this. Your names are so well-known, not even the fiercest ocean storm could drown out the stories."
That piqued Shao Yun's curiosity. After finishing the handshake, he asked, "So what exactly is our reputation in Inazuma? Is it… loud and proud?"
Thoma scratched his head with an awkward smile.
"Ah… well, yes and no. I mean, things like 'the golden-haired traveler who defeated the dragon,' or 'the hero who saved Liyue'—that sort of stuff."
Shao Yun chuckled and shook his head.
"You're talking about Lumine. What about me? What's my reputation here?"
Thoma's expression turned sour. He stammered, "Well… uh… it's… complicated."
Shao Yun patted Thoma's shoulder with a mischievous grin. "It's fine. Go ahead and say it. I promise not to kill you."
Only then did Thoma muster the courage to answer. "Some say you're… a ruthless butcher, a devil's envoy… others say you're a man-eating demon…"
Hearing this, Shao Yun's smile deepened. He licked his lips and replied slowly, "Well, aside from the whole 'man-eating' nonsense, the rest sounds pretty accurate."
Relieved that Shao Yun wasn't angry, Thoma chuckled. "Haha… By the way, Mr. Shao Yun, are you from Fontaine?"
Shao Yun blinked. It had been a long time since anyone asked where he came from. If he remembered right, only Amber had ever brought it up when they first met.
"Nope. Why do you think I'm from Fontaine?"
Thoma rubbed his chin. "Well, some light novel authors in Inazuma wrote stories inspired by your rumors. The one that stuck with me the most was this one book—what was it called…"
He knocked on his head, thinking hard, until the name returned to him.
"Right! It's called 'The Gunslinger Butcher from Fontaine'. It's selling like crazy at Yae Publishing House! It's about a gunslinger fugitive from Fontaine, goes by the name 'Huoyun' in the story."
"In volume one, he's a born psychopath who breaks out of prison in Fontaine. He wanders into Mondstadt, sees a Lawrence noble he hates, and slaughters the whole family with a gunlance. Super brutal—ends up getting hunted by the Knights of Favonius."
"In volume two, he escapes Dragonspine and flees to Liyue. After witnessing its prosperity, he starts robbing and killing again, even dismembers people in the streets. Fights over a hundred Millelith and doesn't even break a sweat."
"Because it sold so well, I got curious… so, where are you really from?"
After hearing this, Shao Yun frowned slightly at the protagonist's name. Huoyun? Huoyun the Evil God?!
"Does the story have this line: 'I want to kill both of you—or be killed by you.'?" he asked tentatively.
Thoma froze, then his eyes lit up. "Huh?! You read it too? That's the best part of volume one! That's what 'Huoyun' says when he's discovered and confronted by the Acting Grand Master and the Cavalry Captain."
"I remember it so clearly! The knight captain demands to know his motives, and the protagonist calmly, menacingly says, 'I want to kill both of you—or be killed by you.' That line had every street in Inazuma buzzing!"
Seeing Thoma so excited, Shao Yun shifted the topic with a grin. "Hold on. How did the author come up with that story?"
Thoma recalled a Yae Publishing author's newsletter from two weeks ago.
"The author wrote a piece on their creative process. Said except for the Lawrence massacre—which was made up—the rest was based on stories from Liyue merchants in the International Trade Association here in Ritou."
Shao Yun laughed. "He's got talent—maybe even the gift of prophecy."
Thoma eyed him nervously. "Wait… are you saying some of it's true?"
Shao Yun organized his thoughts and clarified.
"Well, there's some heavy artistic embellishment and the timeline's messy. For one, I've got no beef with the Knights or the Millelith. And the Lawrence family thing happened after I got to Liyue. I didn't kill them all—I spared someone who renounced the family."
Thoma's jaw nearly hit the floor. He cried out, "What?! I thought it was all fictional—but it's actually partly autobiographical?!"
Shao Yun's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Maybe the next volume's set in Inazuma. I predict this: 'Huoyun,' chased by the Millelith, sneaks into Inazuma and lands at Ritou. There, he battles a dozen Tenryou Commission samurai—and slaughters them all. Their corpses are later found hanging from trees… strung up by their own intestines."
Thoma looked horrified, lips twitching as he muttered, "T-That's… a bit too graphic…"
Shao Yun burst out laughing and clapped Thoma on the shoulder. "Whether it's pure fiction or a subtle rewrite of reality—well, that depends on how you behave."
Thoma instantly understood and nodded earnestly. "Don't worry! I'll do everything I can to make your journey here smooth."
At that moment, Beidou chimed in from the side. "Looks like you're getting along with Thoma just fine. I'll be heading out now—got a wanted man still hiding aboard. Shouldn't linger."
Paimon waved goodbye. "Captain Beidou, until next time!"
Beidou turned as she walked back toward the ship, calling out, "Best of luck on your adventure in Inazuma!"
Once she was gone, Thoma stepped aside and gestured courteously.
"This way, please. Everything else has been arranged. Once again, welcome to Inazuma."
Shao Yun extended his hand in response. "After you, Mr. Thoma."