Northland Bank.
Thanks to its prime location and the bright, bustling port of Liyue, from the window Childe and Rosalyne could clearly see the feverish activity taking place in the plaza below.
The enormous wild boar was being cut apart piece by piece, until all that remained was a pale skeleton.
Its organs, flesh, hide, and tusks—
One after another, all were hauled away.
In the twilight hours, the scene looked almost eerie.
Childe's gaze remained burning hot.
That afternoon, the massive boar had passed right beneath his window. Even though its menace was less overwhelming than the pressure he had once felt from Keqing, it still filled him with a deep sense of danger.
And this was from a beast that was already dead.
He didn't even dare to imagine how thrilling it would have been to clash with such a monster while it lived.
What a shame it had died too soon.
Opponents of that caliber were rare even across the Seven Nations of Teyvat—and even rarer were those willing to fight him.
But beasts were different. They had no humanity. They killed any human they saw.
Childe loved such foes best: brainless, thick-skinned, and built for battle.
He slammed a fist against the windowsill with some regret.
"What a waste! If only I'd had a chance to fight that beast… it's such a pity."
"But there must be plenty of them in Mount Shu. I can't wait to get there—that's where I truly belong."
Rosalyne, listening, could only feel contempt for what she saw as the mindless ravings of a brute. After a pause, she spoke calmly:
"You've seen the Fatui's reports too."
"That boar was only at the late Foundation Establishment stage—it hadn't even reached Refining Essence into Qi."
Childe raised an eyebrow dismissively.
"So what?"
"It proves cultivation energy is far more terrifying than we imagined."
Rosalyne gave him a sidelong glance before continuing:
"Why do you think the Millelith advanced to the innate stage so quickly? Liyue must have been rearing these beasts long before now."
"The Millelith drank its blood and grew stronger. That tusk shattered a top-grade greatsword, and its bones even broke Liyue's ore-cutting machinery."
"Every part of the beast is a treasure…"
Childe chuckled.
"So what? You want to steal some, or rob them outright?"
"You saw Liyue's attitude. They're guarding it as if it were the most precious treasure in the land."
"Even the meat is being carried off by squads of innate warriors. And as for the skeleton, there are three hundred innate experts and a thousand postnatal Millelith guarding it."
"You want to try snatching some and see if you live to tell the tale?"
Rosalyne bristled, turning toward him with obvious annoyance.
"Use that pathetic brain of yours for once! Liyue right now is nothing less than a dragon's lair, a tiger's den."
"We don't even know how many innate and postnatal soldiers the Millelith have, not to mention the cultivators of Mount Shu."
"Even if the Tsaritsa herself came, do you think she could seize something from Liyue's jaws?"
"All you ever talk about is fighting! Can't you think beyond that?"
"I meant: could we buy some beast meat from them?"
Childe lounged back on the sofa, speaking lazily.
"Be honest, Rosalyne—if Snezhnaya had food that could make people stronger, would you sell it?"
"In my opinion, your idea of buying is no more realistic than my idea of robbing. At least mine's more straightforward."
Rosalyne didn't bother arguing. Her voice softened instead:
"The intelligence says that boar came from Jueyun Karst. Most of Liyue's beasts originate there."
"Could it be that…"
Childe looked at her with amused curiosity.
"You sound naive. Jueyun Karst? That's where Mount Shu is. A whole crowd of cultivators training there—and now it's a Liyue forbidden zone. Not even a fly could sneak in."
"If beasts really do thrive there, Liyue will guard it even more closely."
"Even if you somehow managed to slip inside—who would you send to capture the beasts? The Fatui? What, so they can go become the beasts' next meal?"
"And even if you killed one—how would you carry off something of that size?"
"Instead of chasing fantasies, why not focus on the real prize: entering Mount Shu when the next initiation begins?"
Rosalyne fell silent for a long time before sighing in frustration and looking away.
Everyone knew what that beast meant. Just a single bite of its flesh could make a person stronger.
But who would dare steal even the smallest scrap?
Three hundred innate warriors stood in plain sight, and who knew how many more lurked unseen.
Even Rosalyne herself admitted—if she tried, she'd be pinned to the ground in minutes.
One-on-one, she feared no Millelith, but against overwhelming numbers? Impossible.
Their inner force could be replenished endlessly with pills and qi, recovering as they fought.
Her elemental power, by contrast, took time to restore. Once it ran out, she'd be helpless.
The thought alone left her restless.
She slumped angrily into a chair, silent.
Childe glanced at her and spoke carelessly:
"Don't pout. Once I'm in Mount Shu, beasts like that will be ours for the taking."
"I'll have all the fights I want, and you'll have all the beast meat you can eat. Maybe even demon beasts."
"That's why getting into Mount Shu is the top priority right now!"
Rosalyne grew even more irritated listening to his smug tone. She ignored him and turned back to the reports.
Her brow suddenly furrowed.
"Wait—the intel says that beast evolved because it absorbed too much spiritual qi from Jueyun Karst."
"It's just like in the cultivation novels—you've clearly never read them carefully."
Childe waved her off. "And?"
Rosalyne's voice grew serious.
"I mean—the spread of qi started at Jueyun Karst, and now it's spreading outward."
Childe's eyes narrowed; he sensed the gravity of it immediately.
Rosalyne tapped the report.
"Recently, more and more monsters and animals around Liyue have been growing stronger. That means the spread isn't limited to Jueyun Karst."
"The Fatui's intel says that even as far as Stone Gate, mutated monsters are appearing."
"At this rate… the spread of qi will continue until it covers all of Teyvat."
Childe's brows rose, and he grinned.
"Isn't that a good thing? You'll have beasts to hunt in Snezhnaya too."
Rosalyne snapped.
"Are you brainless?"
"Sure, it's good to have beasts—but who do you expect to fight them? The Fatui's modified soldiers? Ordinary citizens of Snezhnaya?"
"Think about it! Liyue isn't afraid of beasts because they have martial arts, because they've prepared their entire populace for combat."
"Snezhnaya only has modified soldiers to rely on. If that boar had appeared in our land, how many would have died before we brought it down?"
"And that was only a late Foundation Establishment beast, not even Refining Essence into Qi!"
"What if a Refining Essence beast appeared? How could we resist it?"
Childe finally sobered, sitting upright, frowning deeply.
"You're right… the future of Teyvat will only grow more dangerous."
All of it traced back to cultivation.
But to wish cultivation had never appeared? Impossible.
Compared to a world shaken by beasts, people would always choose the promise of immortality and power.
"If qi spreads across all of Teyvat, then beasts will emerge everywhere. Any nation without martial arts or cultivators will be doomed."
Rosalyne pressed her lips together, anxious.
"The only thing I can do now is find a way into Mount Shu, and quickly spread martial cultivation techniques."
Childe thought for a moment, but offered no real plan. He was too fixated on joining Mount Shu.
Rosalyne ignored him, setting pen to paper. After outlining the situation, she summoned a Fatui debt collector.
"Deliver this message to Her Majesty immediately."
"And whatever you do, make sure none of the other Harbingers see it—especially the Doctor."
The man bowed and hurried off.
Rosalyne let out a long sigh.
"Teyvat is heading for chaos. I only hope Snezhnaya can keep up with the change."
"Otherwise, in the vast upheavals to come, Snezhnaya may lose its place entirely."
She turned to Childe.
"The future of Snezhnaya rests on you now. If you cannot find a true path forward in Mount Shu, then…"
This time, Childe didn't brush it off. He nodded gravely.
"Don't worry. My brothers and sisters are still in Snezhnaya. For their sake alone, I'll make sure we can withstand what's coming."
"When I get to Mount Shu, I'll learn everything as quickly as I can—and search for a way forward."
Rosalyne's sigh carried a trace of sorrow.
"I hope so… In the meantime, Jueyun Karst is off-limits, but Liyue's wilds should be fair game."
"Send your men to spread out and find more of these beasts. Whatever happens, we have to try."
This time, Childe didn't refuse. He summoned men and gave the order.
And so, news of beast evolution spread swiftly across Teyvat—
A storm of a story that would shake the entire world.
Fontaine, Palais Mermonia.
After days of travel, Clorinde finally returned to Fontaine. Without pause, she hurried to the Opera Epiclese to find Furina.
After searching high and low, she at last found Furina seated, watching a farcical play.
"Lady Furina! Urgent news! Liyue is really starting cultivation!"
"???"
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