Chapter 3: Beidou

Chapter 3: Beidou

Boom—!

Bai Luo, who had been lying in bed casually reviewing Inazuma’s storyline, was jerked upright by a violent tremor.

The thunderous explosion echoed through the ship, shaking the floor beneath him.

‘What the hell was that?!’

It sounded like they were under attack.

But on the continent of Teyvat, who would be crazy enough to assault a ship flying the Fatui insignia?

“Lord Ausbilder! We’re under pirate attack! Lady Mirror Maiden has used her water mirror to block the incoming cannon fire for now. Should we retaliate?”

A young Fatui operative—his hair tied into a short braid—banged on Bai Luo’s door, flustered and out of breath.

The Fatui were used to running unchecked across Teyvat.

It wasn’t often they met resistance—let alone a direct assault.

So naturally, the crew was panicking.

“Retaliate!”

Bai Luo snatched the white mask from his belt and pulled it over his face.

Stepping out onto the deck, he looked toward the massive ship looming ahead—easily several times the size of their own.

“The Alcor? Beidou?”

The moment he laid eyes on the dragon-headed vessel, Bai Luo recognized it instantly.

In the game, he’d spent plenty of time messing around on that ship.

He had been wondering who would dare to come after a Fatui vessel like his.

But if it was Beidou…

Yeah, that definitely tracked.

It was exactly the kind of thing she’d do.

As the woman with the Blackcliff greatsword soared through the air toward them, Bai Luo calmly reached back and hurled a dagger in her direction.

=+=

Skill: Black

Throws a dagger in the target direction, dealing piercing physical damage that can pass through multiple enemies.

(Counts as a flying projectile; can be blocked by certain abilities.)

Landing a critical hit increases the user’s crit rate by 10% for 8 seconds, stacking up to 5 times.

=+=

‘Huh...?’

Beidou had noticed a Fatui elemental barrier—clearly the work of a Mirror Maiden.

She had leapt forward, sword in hand, intending to shatter the shield with a powerful lightning-infused strike.

After all, if she could sink the vessel and fish out a few survivors, she might squeeze some answers out of them.

But then—on the deck—she spotted him.

A tall man in a dark coat, wearing a full-face white mask unlike any she’d seen on other Fatui agents.

A jagged, purple lightning sigil glowed ominously around the right eye of the mask.

Just beneath that, a deep red marking stretched across the face like a cruel smile—its ends curling upward in a mockery of amusement.

The “mouth” looked disturbingly realistic.

As if it weren’t painted on with ink… but human blood.

Beidou’s instincts immediately honed in on him.

She saw the dagger flash in his hand—and responded instantly.

CLANG—!

The dagger met the flat of her Blackcliff greatsword mid-air, and a violent shower of sparks and lightning erupted on contact.

Beidou’s body was knocked back by the force, sending her hurtling through the air—until she slammed down onto the deck of the Alcor.

SPLASH—!

Her landing caused the whole ship to sink several inches into the sea, waves rippling outward.

“That force…”

Beidou stared in disbelief as the dagger spun through the air and returned to the masked man's hand like a loyal pet.

She slowly opened her right hand.

Blood had begun to trickle from a tear in her palm—her grip split open by the impact.

Flickers of electricity crackled along her skin—not hers, but his.

Her Vision might’ve been Electro, but this wasn’t her own power.

This foreign charge had paralyzed her limbs for a split second, rendering her momentarily helpless.

All that… from a casual throw?

‘Just who the hell is this Fatui operative?’

The masked Fatui now stood still on the deck, mask glowing faintly in the sunlight, cloak billowing in the ocean wind.

He made no further move.

Only watched… and waited.

Beidou slung the greatsword back over her shoulder, stepping up to the rail of her ship.

“Whoever’s in charge over there… how about we talk this out?”

If the full Crux Fleet had been with her, Beidou wouldn’t have hesitated to go all-in and reel in this big fish.

But now, she only had the Alcor, and most of her elites weren’t present.

It would be reckless to clash head-on with such a formidable enemy.

“Why did you attack us?”

The man in the white mask casually retrieved the dagger, responding in a calm, even voice.

“Ah, apologies. I didn’t notice you were friends from Snezhnaya at first. Thought you were some rogue samurai from Inazuma.”

“My mistake. Let’s call it even, shall we?”

Beidou let out a hearty laugh and threw a subtle glance to the side.

The sailor who caught her look was quick on the uptake—without a word, he shuffled off and returned, hugging a barrel of fine liquor in his arm.

Beidou grabbed the wooden cask one-handed and tossed it toward the Fatui ship.

The elegant woman—clearly a Mirror Maiden—raised a hand.

A wave rose up from the sea, gently cradling the barrel and delivering it neatly to the masked man’s feet.

“Top-grade Dandelion Wine from Mondstadt,” Beidou called out.

“A little apology gift.”

Mondstadt’s wine, Liyue’s food—both were famous across Teyvat.

Especially Dandelion Wine, which had practically become currency in some places.

And on the sea? A barrel of it could settle just about any dispute.

“You think offending the Fatui can be made right... with just a barrel of wine?”

The masked man stepped casually onto the barrel, his tone flat, emotionless.

With that mask covering his face, there was no reading him.

Then, as if responding to his words, the Mirror Maiden shifted her stance—her fingers weaving a new sigil.

The shimmering aqua barrier enveloping the Fatui ship began to twist, refracting sunlight through razor-sharp icicles now aimed squarely at the Alcor.

“Our Crux Fleet has always had a solid relationship with the Eleventh Harbinger, Tartaglia,” Beidou said, tone light but eyes sharp.

“Out of respect for him, let’s just move past this, yeah?”

Even as she spoke, she subtly gestured to her crew behind her.

If things went south, she would strike first.

Beidou might’ve opened with diplomacy, but that was just to get a read on the situation—and hopefully carry some intel back to shore.

But if the other side wanted a fight?

She wouldn’t flinch.

She hadn’t climbed to the top of the Crux Fleet just by swinging a sword.

She knew when to fight—and when to hold the line.

“Tartaglia...”

The name finally caused a slight shift in the masked man’s tone.

Beidou caught it—a pause, a change.

That was all she needed.

She exhaled quietly.

As long as Childe’s name carried weight, there was still a way out of this.

Even if she didn’t actually know the guy all that well.

Didn’t matter. His name opened doors—and shut down hostilities.

“Then tell me... do you know who I am?”

The masked man twirled his uniquely shaped dagger with casual grace.

His voice now held a note of amusement.

Beidou squinted at him.

“Anyone recognize this guy?”

She turned to her crew.

Just because they sailed the open sea didn’t mean they were cut off from the world.

They had plenty of intel—like how the Eleventh Harbinger had recently arrived in Liyue.

But this masked man…?

Not a single crew member could place him.

“Ausbilder,” the man finally said, placing a hand over his chest.

“Twelfth of the Fatui Harbingers—The Ausbilder.”

“...”

The words left Beidou briefly speechless.

She had expected a small fish at worst.

A fat fish, maybe.

But this?

This was a shark.

A Harbinger. The highest echelon of Fatui strength and command.

No wonder his casual attack had such overwhelming power.

And now… it looked like she wouldn’t be getting out of this easily.