Back at the camp…
Although Luo Qing claimed he was just going for a walk, Natalia and the others immediately sensed that their commander had encountered something unsettling outside.
“Lord Luo Qing, did you see something unpleasant while you were out?” Natalia asked softly. She had served as Luo Qing’s personal assistant long enough to recognize that it was rare to see him in such a somber mood.
“Nothing much, just watched a tragedy play out,” Luo Qing replied, shaking his head. Then he added, “Natalia, tell the others to change their outfits tomorrow. We’re going to dress up as adventurers.”
Natalia looked puzzled. “Lord Luo Qing, aren’t we heading to Narukami Island? Why do we need to disguise ourselves as adventurers all of a sudden?”
“No reason, just making a detour to go fishing,” Luo Qing said calmly.
The next morning…
Although it was technically morning, the ever-present thunderstorms blanketing Yashiori Island blurred the line between day and night. The non-stop storms kept Natalia and the others from getting a decent night’s sleep, leaving them groggy when they woke. It felt like they could still hear strange voices echoing in their minds, a sensation that made them marvel at how the Fatui’s vanguard troops stationed here managed to endure.
The camp had a few spare adventurer outfits, and after dressing up, Natalia’s group looked reasonably convincing as adventurers—at least enough not to be mistaken for dangerous members of the Fatui.
“Lord Luo Qing, where are we headed now?” Natalia asked. The original plan was to travel to the Kujou encampment. The Tenryou Commission had deep ties with the Fatui, and through their assistance, they were supposed to reach Inazuma City.
However, with Luo Qing mentioning a change in plans last night, Natalia wanted to confirm.
“We’re still going to the Kujou encampment, but remember, we’re adventurers from the Adventurers’ Guild. We got stranded by the storm, so we’re heading to the Kujou encampment to ask for help,” Luo Qing reminded them sternly.
He glanced over and saw Theresa teasing a small Electro Slime with her Naku Weed Lamp, his brow furrowing. “Theresa, do you think Guild adventurers would play with Electro Slimes like that?”
“Ah… sorry, Lord Luo Qing!” Theresa quickly pulled the Electro Slime back into the lamp, stowing it away in her pack and falling in line behind the others.
“Have you all hidden your weapons?” Luo Qing turned his gaze toward Natalia and the others.
They didn’t have access to a system inventory like he did, so the modern weapons Luo Qing had issued to them were usually kept on their person, making them stand out a bit among the Fatui.
“They’re all hidden, Lord Luo Qing, inside the false compartments,” Natalia said, patting the black, long leather case she was carrying.
“Alright, let’s move out,” Luo Qing nodded, leading them toward the Kujou encampment.
As for Higi Village, Luo Qing had dealt with Jinjou for them, and whatever fate awaited the remaining villagers was in their own hands now.
The group followed the cliffs along Musoujin Gorge, heading in the direction of Nazuchi Beach. The dense Electro energy in the gorge made Natalia and the others uncomfortable. A single glance at the glowing purple sea below sent chills down their spines, as if some unseen presence weighed heavily upon them.
Combined with the frequent lightning strikes, they found themselves constantly grumbling about how uninhabitable the island was, wondering how the people of Inazuma managed to survive here.
Fortunately, the thunderstorms only affected Yashiori Island. Once they left its shores, the weather improved considerably on Nazuchi Beach, allowing them to relax a little.
Even Theresa, who had spent a whole year stationed alone at Guyun Stone Forest, admitted she was grateful she hadn’t been reassigned to Inazuma. Even the isolated Guyun seemed a hundred times better than this cursed island.
At that moment, the battlefield at Nazuchi Beach, where the Shogunate forces and the Resistance frequently clashed, appeared abandoned—no sign of life. In the distance, Tatarasuna was heavily fortified, with Shogunate soldiers visible in the watchtowers.
“You all better not mess this up,” Luo Qing warned them again as they neared the Shogunate’s defensive lines. “We’re adventurers. Got it?”
If his subordinates slipped up, he would lose his leverage over Kujou Takayuki.
“Don’t worry, Lord Luo Qing! We’ve got this!” Theresa pounded her chest confidently.
Luo Qing glanced at Theresa, feeling she was the least trustworthy of the group.
Soon, they reached the defensive barricades of the Kujou camp, where armored Shogunate soldiers approached to intercept them, blocking their path.
“Who are you? Where do you come from?” one of the soldiers barked.
“Greetings, sir. We’re adventurers from the Adventurers’ Guild. Our ship was caught in the storm and ran aground. We heard the Kujou camp might be able to help us get to Narukami Island,” Luo Qing explained with perfect deference, exuding the air of a genuine adventurer.
“Adventurers?” The guard eyed the group from head to toe.
Five adventurers, three men and two women, all dressed appropriately in the Guild’s distinctive green attire. However, what caught his attention were the large cases each member carried.
“What’s in those cases?” the guard asked, pointing to the large one slung over Igor’s shoulder.
“Oh, just excavation tools for archaeological adventures,” Luo Qing replied with a smile.
“You there, open it up,” the guard ordered, pointing at Igor.
“Of course, sir,” Igor said respectfully, setting the case down and opening it.
Inside were various digging tools. Igor had even tilted the interior compartment to make it look deeper than it was.
“Alright… move along,” the guard said, casting a cursory glance at the contents before waving them through. Given their foreign appearances, they were clearly not Watatsumi rebels.
The group had just passed the fortifications when another soldier blocked their path.
“You came from Yashiori Island?” he asked.
“Yes, we did. Why?” Luo Qing replied, feigning confusion.
“Just as I thought… Yashiori Island…” The soldier’s expression darkened as he scrutinized them. “Have any of you been feeling dizzy, nauseous, or heard voices in your heads recently?”
“Well…” Luo Qing played along, putting on a serious face. “Yes, sir. How did you know?! That’s exactly why we wanted to get back to Inazuma City as soon as possible—to find a cure!”
“I see…” The guard nodded, pointing toward a small island in the distance. “Head to the garrison over there. A ship will be arranged to take you to Narukami Island for treatment. Understood?”
“Understood, thank you, sir!” Luo Qing nodded repeatedly, quickly leading Natalia and the others in the direction of the Kujou garrison, fearing the soldier might change his mind.
Once Luo Qing’s group was out of earshot…
The two Shogunate soldiers began whispering to each other.
“They said they were adventurers… so why did you send them to that ship too?”
“What’s the problem? Lord Jinsaijin said that anyone showing signs of spirit corruption can’t be allowed back to Narukami Island. If those people make it back alive, and Lord Takayuki blames us, do you think we can handle the fallout?”
“But…”
“What’s there to ‘but’ about? It’s always been like this. If it’s not them, it’s us. Why else do you think the rebels are fighting us?”
“…Yeah.”
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