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Although she had decided against staying the night, Columbina found her curiosity piqued by Su Ran's research. As far as she knew, the new Second Harbinger was a scientific talent comparable to Dottore and Sandrone, the kind of rare expert the Fatui cherished precisely because their work could arm the entire organization.
Su Ran was currently calibrating the remote-controlled turrets he planned to take with him soon. This level of advanced technology was so far ahead of the curve that even Dottore would have been left scratching his head, let alone Columbina. She stood by, watching him tinker with the weapons in a daze, her heart brimming with curiosity.
"Is this a weapon?"
"Of course! And a very powerful one at that."
These turrets were, in essence, omnidirectional combat units capable of both precise sniping and devastating bombardment. This way, even if he couldn't transform into a giant of light, he could still project powerful beams of energy. Such technology was far too advanced for the people of Teyvat, but he had no intention of mass-producing them. He only planned to equip them for himself.
"Even a god would be left waiting for death when faced with my turrets."
Because the research and manufacturing time had been so short, he hadn't pushed the destructive power to its limits. He had focused primarily on portability. If he had actually tried to maximize the output, it wouldn't just be a god on the line; he could have leveled the entire planet without breaking a sweat. After all, his talent allowed for such feats, and he had the means to provide sufficient energy.
"That is quite impressive."
Columbina clapped her hands, her face remaining blank. Having joined the Fatui for less than a week, he had already built a weapon capable of killing a god? She might be a bit naive, but she wasn't a fool. Even Dottore wouldn't dare make such a bold claim. Who did this newcomer think he was? Why didn't he just say he could take on the Heavenly Principles in a one-on-one fight?
Su Ran smiled. "If you asked me that, I'd admit to it, too."
"Columbina, I am not lying."
With a flick of his intent, one of the turrets received his signal and hovered into the air, locking its muzzle onto the clapping girl. Even though it didn't fire a single shot, the simple act of being targeted sent a wave of intense crisis through her.
"Miss Columbina, ignorance is a terrifying thing. You have no idea what you are facing right now."
Su Ran stared at the young girl with a faint smile. If Dottore were here to question him, he wouldn't hesitate to let the man experience the bombardment firsthand. Dottore had so many segments that losing one wouldn't matter; if they all died, he wouldn't even have to worry about funding anymore. But since the one questioning him was Columbina, it was a different story. The girl didn't have a dozen spare bodies tucked away. If she died, she stayed dead, and Su Ran wasn't about to kill a girl he actually quite liked.
"Ignorance itself is dangerous. It leads you to make incorrect judgments, just like you are doing now by questioning my inventions."
Glancing around the laboratory, Su Ran still couldn't bring himself to demonstrate his new military hardware inside. He didn't want to tear his own house down just to show off in front of a pretty girl.
"Come on! Let's head outside the city. I'll let you witness the true power of technology."
He grabbed Columbina's hand and flew straight toward the outskirts of Snezhnaya, unable to resist giving her soft, delicate hand an extra squeeze as they went. The Seelie bloodline was truly something; her skin was far finer than any of the girls he had known before crossing over. Columbina, meanwhile, was stunned. It was the first time an outsider had ever held her hand, and she remained caught in a daze.
She didn't have long to process the shock before they arrived at an open field outside the city.
"There's no one around here. This will do."
Su Ran prepared to open her eyes to the truth. Columbina looked back at the city walls, feeling a flicker of regret for her previous dismissive tone.
"Is it really necessary to experiment this close to the capital?"
"Don't worry. They won't be harmed."
The turrets might not be as grand as a giant mech, but they were a piece of one. It was time to show these backward Teyvat natives what true technological might looked like.
Snap.
Su Ran clicked his fingers. The eight turrets hovering around him instantly locked onto the empty lot before him. Eight cannons fired in unison. A deafening roar shattered the silence, and a miniature sun erupted on the outskirts of Snezhnaya, illuminating even parts of the city interior. The terrifying noise jolted most of the residents from their sleep, leaving many to wonder if the Heavenly Principles themselves had come to lay siege.
"What is happening?"
Tartaglia, who had been practicing alone, noticed the commotion outside the walls.
"This power? Could it be a god?"
His heart pounded with extreme alarm. Why would a god be wandering near the capital of Snezhnaya? Did they not realize that the Tsaritsa herself was in the palace? Brimming with vigilance, he instantly manifested two hydro blades and sprinted toward the source of the blast.
Other Harbingers noticed the phenomenon as well, and an entire squad of Fatui soldiers immediately halted their duties, rushing toward the outskirts. The explosion had occurred too close to the main city for them to ignore. If this was an enemy raid, a moment's hesitation could result in catastrophic losses. The Fatui were infamous abroad, but in Snezhnaya, their reputation was entirely different; they were heroes, sworn to protect the people of the Tsaritsa.
Out on the snowy plains, Columbina had long since widened her eyes, staring blankly at the scene before her. She had been skeptical when Su Ran claimed he could kill a god. As a member of the Seelie race who herself possessed the strength of a god, she knew exactly how difficult they were to deal with. Unless a god surrendered willingly, humanity simply lacked the power to slay one. She had found his claim—that he had built such a weapon in under a week—impossible to believe.
Yet, she was forced to believe it. A crater five hundred meters in diameter and a hundred meters deep lay before her, a display of force not inferior to the full-strength strike of a powerful god.
"It seems there is still room for improvement, but overall, it's satisfactory."
Su Ran was pleased. Achieving such results on the first test was a success, though the commotion was admittedly a bit larger than intended. The Tsaritsa likely already knew what was happening and chose not to investigate, but the powerful figures—the Harbingers—were clearly on their way.
He turned around to face the first person who had arrived.
"Good evening."
"Good... evening..."