At the docks, wooden cranes operated by strong dockworkers were steadily loading cargo onto the ships. Sailors busily inspected the hulls, ensuring everything was in order.
After all, they would be living on these ships for a long time. If anything went wrong, they'd sink along with the vessel—no one was willing to gamble with their lives.
Beside the port was a small marketplace.
At first, it had been just a few fishermen selling their catch. But as foot traffic increased, vendors started selling vegetables, fruits, and other goods, gradually transforming it into a lively market.
Because some supplies had to be purchased in person, Beidou had been at her desk since early morning, carefully listing and selecting the essentials.
However, every so often, she would glance toward Chihu Rock, waiting for Kaedehara Kazuha.
Today was the last day of his leave, and she had no idea whether he had found the man calling himself "Battousai."
Both Beidou and Ningguang took this man's presence very seriously.
They had sent people—both openly and secretly—to track him down.
They had heard rumors of a wandering swordsman from Inazuma. They knew he had clashed with the Fatui, and even the Fatui themselves were searching for him.
But his exact whereabouts remained a mystery.
Battousai was undoubtedly a highly dangerous individual.
If he had remained in Inazuma, Beidou wouldn't have cared. Even if he possessed the power to slay gods, it had nothing to do with Liyue.
She might have even respected him as a warrior.
But now that he was in Liyue, things were different.
A man with the power to kill a god was a potential threat.
That kind of power needed to be under control.
Liyue had been through too much turmoil recently.
The Fatui Ausbilder had sailed across the ocean to arrive on the mainland.
The Inazuman swordsman, Battousai, had also arrived.
And then there was that mysterious pillar of light piercing the sky.
It seemed like every powerful force had gathered in Liyue.
Beidou felt an oncoming headache just thinking about it.
Wait a minute...
Battousai had appeared alongside the Fatui Ausbilder.
Could it be that... they had traveled from Inazuma together?
And if so... did that mean they had some kind of relationship?
"Hm?"
Another glance at the street—and this time, Beidou finally saw them.
There was Kaedehara Kazuha.
And walking behind him—a red-robed swordsman from Inazuma.
But this man wasn't as stern and mature as Beidou had imagined.
On the contrary...
His steps were light and unburdened, and from what little of his face was visible beneath his mask, he seemed younger than expected.
Was this really the same man who had wounded the Raiden Shogun?
"Kazuha, if you came back a day later, we might've left without you."
Beidou greeted him half-jokingly before turning her gaze to the man walking beside him.
"And this must be..."
"Captain, this is the swordsman I told you about—Battousai."
"He's considered a hero within the Resistance."
What Kazuha said wasn't wrong at all.
Even though Bai Luo had never officially joined the Resistance, his reputation had at one point even surpassed that of Sangonomiya Kokomi, making him a symbol of hope for many.
Even when rumors spread that he had fallen at the hands of the Raiden Shogun, people still held onto his legend, treating him as a spiritual icon.
Because if the rumors were true—
Then this was a man who, with nothing but his swordsmanship, had managed to injure the Raiden Shogun without relying on any elemental power.
His very existence had given hope to those who were never blessed by the gods.
But whether this was truly hope or just another form of despair, that remained unknown.
"Himura-san, this is Captain Beidou, the leader of The Crux and the captain of the Alcor."
When Kazuha introduced Beidou, there was both respect and a subtle sense of pride in his voice.
It seemed that after spending so much time with The Crux, he had already come to see himself as one of them.
No wonder that after the Vision Hunt Decree was lifted, he never returned to Inazuma.
Perhaps, to him, the Alcor was his only real home.
"I am Himura Kenshin, a wandering swordsman who roams the world."
Bai Luo gently rested his Reverse Blade Sword in his arms and bowed slightly, greeting Beidou in the traditional Inazuman style.
"Kenshin, huh? That's quite a fitting name for a swordsman."
Beidou's gaze lingered for a moment on the Reverse Blade Sword in Bai Luo's hands, her tone carrying a hint of curiosity and admiration.
Both she and Ningguang had speculated—was his ability to injure a god because of this weapon?
A Reverse Blade Sword—a weapon designed not to kill—how could it belong to such a fearsome swordsman?
There was only one possible answer:
This blade possessed a power that ordinary weapons could never reach.
More importantly…
Something about Kenshin's voice felt strangely familiar to Beidou.
Like she had heard it somewhere before.
But when she tried to recall, she couldn't pinpoint exactly where or when.
Maybe this masked swordsman had crossed paths with her without the mask once before.
Or maybe… she had only heard his voice in passing.
"I used to be called Shinta, but my master said that name was too soft, so he changed it to Kenshin."
"Sounds like a pretty strict teacher. Want to come aboard?"
"Gladly."
Bai Luo had intended to board the ship anyway.
Now that Beidou had personally invited him, why would he refuse?
At Beidou's command, the crew and dockworkers started carrying the newly purchased supplies onto the Alcor.
Among the laborers, one figure stood out.
A small, frail man, clearly suffering from some kind of illness.
He was much thinner and shorter than the other workers.
Yet he was struggling to carry his share of the load.
The others looked out for him, making sure he only carried the lightest, smallest crates.
Even so, it was still too heavy for him.
As he stepped onto the plank leading to the Alcor, his body suddenly tilted, and the crate on his back nearly slipped off.
Luckily, Bai Luo caught him just in time, steadying both him and the crate.
"What the hell are you doing?! Watch yourself! If you can't handle this, then don't come! Wouldn't it be easier to just take a guard job at the Ministry of Civil Affairs?!"
The foreman, who happened to pass by, immediately rushed over, scolding the young worker with a fierce expression.
But despite his harsh words, his eyes betrayed concern.
It seemed like he wanted to take the blame himself, giving the worker a light scolding to prevent Bai Luo from punishing him.
The worker nodded meekly, doing his best to stand tall as he delivered the cargo onto the ship.
Even in a prosperous city like Liyue, there would always be shadows lurking behind the light.
Poverty and hardship existed everywhere.
Thankfully, some people on the docks still had good hearts—otherwise, this would have been just another tragic tale.
But Bai Luo had noticed something.
The crate he had helped stabilize...
It seemed to be a fruit crate.
Hiss— Could it be filled with Sunsettias?
. . . . .
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