"For the Tsaritsa!"
"For the Tsaritsa!"
Every time a Fatui agent tore off their long-held disguise and entered the Northland Bank, the gatekeeper, Vlad, would exchange this oath of loyalty with them… and at the same time, offer a final farewell.
The Millelith in Liyue Harbor were busy with rescue and relief efforts. The guards who usually kept watch here had been frozen by The Fair Lady, leaving no one to interfere with their operations—for now.
At least, that was the plan.
But it wasn't long before a few youngsters showed up… along with Zhongli.
"Mr. Zhongli, who are these people?"
"No need to concern yourself. Just let us through."
"Hmph! This is a critical time. Out of respect for your cooperation with Childe, I'll overlook this once. Back off while you still can!"
Zhongli crossed his arms with a helpless sigh and stepped aside.
"See? I told you there's something shady about the Northland Bank!"
"We just wanted to withdraw some money. Why aren't we allowed in?"
"Business is temporarily suspended. Leave now, or I won't be polite!" Eyeing the Visions on these young men and women, Vlad quickly calculated—there was no way he could win a fight, but he couldn't let them see what was happening inside either. If outsiders witnessed the scene, it would ruin The Fair Lady's grand plan.
"Then we won't be polite either!"
Realizing things were going downhill, Vlad turned and shouted into the Northland Bank: "Enemy attack!"
He then pulled out a small dagger and prepared to fulfill his duty.
But two fists are no match for eight hands. In a blink, he took punches to both eyes—he didn't even know who landed them—and his mask shattered. As he clutched his face in pain, Zhongli sighed and knocked him out with a single spear shaft blow.
"What's the point of struggling?"
When the Bubblegum Squad pushed open the door, they were stunned by what they saw: the entire hall of Millelith soldiers frozen mid-action, all facing the bank's front desk.
Zhongli approached one of the ice blocks and gently touched it, then breathed a sigh of relief. "They're still alive. But whatever you do, don't break the ice. That could harm the body. Wait until things settle down and then use a heat source to thaw them."
"But who did this?"
"The answer likely lies ahead."
Directly across the lobby, aside from the Bubblegum Squad, the only person still able to move was Ekaterina. She gave a bitter smile. "Mr. Zhongli, was this really necessary?"
"Zhongli was forced by that stupid Childe," Hu Tao responded loudly, then turned to her guest consultant. "Right?"
"..."
It had originally just been a made-up excuse, but now he'd been dragged into this mess. Still, the contract only required the Fatui to cooperate fully with him. That meant lying or breaking the deal was still technically within bounds… right?
Zhongli nodded silently.
"...As expected, two nations are like two blocks of ice. Unless one melts, they'll never truly become one."
Hu Tao tilted her spear. "What kind of weird metaphor is that? Who wants to become one with anyone?"
Ekaterina's face stiffened. Her proud metaphor of "water and ice" was actually mocked?
"Hmph. Well, now, the one who's going to melt you has arrived!"
Heavy footsteps echoed. From the right-side corridor behind the bank counter—strictly off-limits to outsiders—emerged a group of Fatui troops originally meant to head for the Jade Chamber. Most were the more conspicuous Fatui Legionnaires and Vanguards: Cryogunner Legionnaires, Hydrogunner Legionnaires, Anemoboxer Vanguards, Electrohammer Vanguards —hardly subtle units.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Northland Bank, two more groups of scattered Fatui members arrived just in time. Most were Debt Collectors, Electro Cicin Mages, and Cryo Cicin Mages—people who could blend in easily with a change of clothes. Who knew if some belonged to the House of the Hearth…
In short, two formidable groups of enemies began to close in on the Bubblegum Squad.
Seeing that battle was inevitable, Victor Wang summoned a gust of strong wind, blowing the frozen Millelith soldiers to the sides of the hall to prevent them from getting harmed during combat.
It cost a lot of energy, but he clenched his fists, looking calm and composed.
When he woke up this morning, he felt more mentally powerful than ever. Though he hadn't tested it yet, he suspected he had reached the "Lake" level.
This classification came from a not-so-serious book he'd once read called Approaching Elemental Power. The author had divided mental strength into five levels: Cup, Pool, Lake, River, and Sea.
With no better metric available, Victor Wang had always used this system.
At the time, his mental strength had been at the "Pool" level. He had diligently trained every day, exhausting his strength to improve. But even as of yesterday, he was still at "Pool."
The sudden breakthrough could only be attributed to yesterday's near-death experience… where he reversed and dispelled some karmic burdens—others gained karma by killing, he gained it by being killed.
Defeating those burdens had raised his mental capacity. He hadn't noticed it at the time, especially since his mind was nearly drained after so many fights. It wasn't until he slept and woke up replenished that he realized the change.
He would've died in that stone chamber if Hu Tao hadn't saved him with a talisman. That was the great fortune she had brought him.
"Not bad. Now I can fight with no restraints!" Though surrounded, Hu Tao's fighting spirit burned bright.
"To help the good and punish evil—I won't back down," said Xingqiu, forming a sword seal with his left hand and sweeping it across the blade's spine, executing a graceful sword flourish.
"My spear is sharpened and ready!"
Everyone drew their weapons from their Visions, ready for battle.
"We Fatui always come to collect debts. Who dares to bring it to our doorstep? You're asking to die!"
"You'll get frostbite!"
"Time to fry!"
"Time to fulfill our mission!"
A mob of burly Fatui charged forward. The Bubblegum Squad formed up in position—Hu Tao and Xingqiu engaged the enemies inside the bank, Xiangling and Chongyun handled those coming from outside, and Victor Wang and Zhongli held the center.
"A touch of frost!"
Chongyun slammed his claymore into the floor. At the tip, a frosty seal formed. After a short delay, a Chonghua's Layered Frost burst forth. Allies inside the field felt a surge of energy, their weapons now wreathed in cryo and their bodies noticeably lighter.
"Palm Vortex!"
Victor Wang shouted, pointing each hand in a different direction. Wind elements twice as powerful as before surged toward him. Two massive Palm Vortexes—infused with cryo—formed in front of the enemies, drawing them in with immense suction while slicing and applying cryo status.
This setup enabled reactions with hydro and pyro elements.
The Fatui had counters of their own.
From the vanguard, an Anemo Boxer raised a wind shield to protect his allies. A Geo Guerrilla soldier deployed a geo field to block Victor Wang's vortexes.
On the other side, the Debt Collectors and Cicin Mages used their deeper connection with Delusions to endure the shallower wind blades. Those with stealth went invisible; others unleashed their insects.
One inexperienced Electro Cicin Mage quickly summoned a lightning shield. The phantom lantern on her shield tip flickered uncertainly—too far to reach the enemy, and too risky to strike her own side.
Xiangling leapt into action. She left Guoba behind to breathe fire, then stabbed her spear into the hardwood floor and launched herself into the enemy's midst.
"Heh… ha!"
The Debt Collectors fought with small daggers. She wielded a spinning flame wheel—superior in both range and power. They couldn't get close. As for the Electro and Cryo Cicin Mages, elemental reactions kept them heavily countered. Several were severely injured and forced to retreat.
The Fatui vanguard inside the bank were tougher. They had close-ranged Electro Crushers and Anemo Boxers, plus long-ranged Pyro and Cryo Musketeers.
"Raincutter!"
Xingqiu cast Raincutter, shielding the entire Bubblegum Squad, then added Rain Screen to Hu Tao, granting her support from Cryo, Hydro, and Pyro.
Hu Tao didn't hesitate. She used her unique butterfly-step to vanish and reappear behind the Anemo Boxers, bypassing their wall-like formation.
"Spears guide to the Yellow Springs… Butterflies lead to the bridge of the next life…"
In a barely audible whisper, she chanted an incantation. The Staff of Homa glowed with pyro energy, while excess flames transformed into butterflies fluttering around her—Guide to Afterlife.
The Anemo Boxers, who had been blocking in front, were caught off guard. Victor Wang's cryo-infused vortexes struck from the front; Hu Tao's pyro spear followed with Xingqiu's sword rain, tearing open their ranks. Xingqiu then joined the fray.
Victor Wang maintained his dual Palm Vortexes, sweeping up enemies while silently observing. The Liyue Exploration Squad's coordination and elemental synergy were undeniably strong.
But Zhongli, who stood beside him, arms crossed and eyes shut, remained motionless.
"Don't look at me. I have reasons for not joining the fight."
"Uh…"
Chongyun's Chonghua's Layered Frost and Xingqiu's Raincutter remained active for several minutes. Xiangling's Pyronado and Hu Tao's Guide to Afterlife had heavier energy costs and only triggered in bursts.
This long, high-intensity battle reminded Victor Wang of reality: unlike a game, elemental energy didn't come with easy rules or gauges. Only true strength mattered.
Still, his Palm Vortexes had never stopped. The increased elemental capacity gave him that edge.
The floor was now littered with defeated Fatui. No more emerged from the Northland Bank, though the occasional straggler appeared outside. The Bubblegum Squad quickly decided to push down to the next floor and get to the bottom of this.
Ekaterina gave another warning through metaphor: "You think you can challenge a true iceberg just by chipping off a corner? You'll regret this."
"Blehh~" Hu Tao replied with a silly face.
"Tch!" Ekaterina's temple twitched. If she weren't so clearly outmatched, she'd leap over the counter and punch Hu Tao right now.
Downstairs, The Fair Lady, who had been studying the activated Non-Directional Teleportation Array, finally looked up after several minutes of no word from her soldiers.
"What's going on up there?"
She muttered as she began climbing the stairs.