Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [100]
"Oh? Getting curious about Mondstadt, are we?" Tartaglia scratched his head. "Alright, I'll show you what we've got, but you have to give me something of equal value in return."
"Oh wow." Gu Sanqiu replied with exaggerated surprise. "So that means the info on Mondstadt must be worth something if you're going to that length."
"Next time we negotiate, try not to be so sharp," Tartaglia sighed. "But it's nothing major, so here, take a look." He handed Gu Sanqiu a few sheets of paper. "Everything's right here."
"Hm… Let's see… Big gathering of monsters in Dadaupa Gorge, wiped out all nearby plants and animals. Apparently, a ritual went underway with an extra ten or so hilichurl brutes joining the celebration."
He flipped to the next page. "Normal winds at Cape Oath, though slightly more humid. Mondstadt's expected to have persistent rain in the coming days."
Another page. "Monsters have resumed their rampage on the outskirts of the Cecilia Garden domain. Mondstadt's Adventurers' Guild deployed Bennett, their seasoned member, along with Intelligence Division's Fischl and Recon Knight Amber, to handle it."
Gu Sanqiu paused as his eyes narrowed on the last sheet.
"Cat's Tail Tavern is having a half-price sale on all drinks. The drinks taste great, and Diona is so cute! I'd marry her and cuddle her every day if I could…"
…?
He raised a brow and handed the paper to Tartaglia. "Looks like you've got some questionable entries in here. Take a look yourself."
Tartaglia's face darkened as he crushed the page in his fist. "That's just some local's diary accidentally mixed into our intel. This has absolutely nothing to do with the Fatui."
"Uh-huh, whatever you say," Gu Sanqiu shrugged. His skeptical look only added to Tartaglia's irritation, who silently vowed to cut Amir's monthly stipend.
"This sort of trivial information… are your people stationed in Mondstadt writing a Field Guide to Mondstadt and Its People?"
Sanqiu rolled his eyes. "If you're calling all this 'intel,' I could just as easily tell you things only a Liyue native would know, like which sailor's a notorious flirt or which Millelith soldier is always starving."
"You call that intel?"
"Exactly what I thought about this mess." Gu Sanqiu shrugged again. "If this nonsense counts as intel, then so does my trivia."
"Alright, enough fooling around. Here's the real intel." Tartaglia held up a small tile that looked suspiciously like one of Liyue's roofing tiles.
"…Is this a common material in Mondstadt?" Sanqiu's brow shot up. "Don't tell me there's a leyline problem down there spewing materials, and you're planning to make a quick profit."
"…'Spewing materials'? And do you really think of the Fatui as some kind of bottom-feeding bandits?"
Tartaglia sighed, visibly exasperated. "Since you're looking for information, does that mean you'll be heading to Mondstadt?"
"What do you mean 'also'?"
"I'll be going too." Tartaglia grinned as if it were obvious. "The Vision Symposium and the combat tournament—I doubt Mondstadt would leave the Fatui out of something like that."
"A chance to test myself against Mondstadt's best is rare enough on ordinary days," Tartaglia said, visibly excited. "I'd be crazy to miss it."
"That tracks. You'd never get them to accept a random fight challenge otherwise."
"Well, I could say the same about you." Tartaglia chuckled. "Want to travel with the Fatui team? The Lightning Mages at camp have been itching for a rematch with you."
"No, thanks." Sanqiu waved him off. "This is official Liyue business. I can't be strolling around with you all, or I'd look like a clueless moron with zero tact."
He rolled his eyes and pointed at the tile. "Now, back to that thing. What exactly is on it? Tell me, and I'll even toss in a little gift."
"A gift, huh? Like what?"
"A formula for a basic alchemical pill for training. The ingredients are so easy to get, you could buy them wholesale from any pharmacy or Bubu Pharmacy here. But the effects are top-notch. How about it?"
"A pill formula? Are you sure you want to give me that?" Tartaglia's grin widened. "I thought that was one of the top three secrets among Liyue cultivators. You'd really let it go?"
"Whether you're really considering my interests or just curious, I have to say you know how to dig deep," Gu Sanqiu chuckled. "But it's nothing too crucial, so what do you say? I even picked one that could help your Fatui soldiers train more effectively."
"Or I could've given you a top-secret formula so rare that even if you gathered every ingredient, you'd be lucky to find an alchemist who could make it. Take your pick."
"Deal." Tartaglia agreed readily. "You're not worried that if we get stronger, it'll cause Liyue even more trouble?"
…
Gu Sanqiu fell silent, and Tartaglia, realizing his point, shrugged.
"Fair enough. I suppose the Millelith are always well-supplied with top-grade materials."
Not entirely wrong, but Sanqiu kept his thoughts to himself. Even after his little standoff with Zhongli, the research into firearms was sure to continue, with the Archon likely keeping a close eye on developments and supply costs.
In any case, unless the Fatui learned to be invincible against every weapon, Millelith soldiers armed with ranged weaponry could handle them—no "martial arts masters taken down by a single brick" situation needed.
A simple pill recipe? He could jot down twenty similar formulas that served the same purpose, modified as needed.
In other words, a trade that he—Gu Sanqiu—would definitely profit from.
Once he handed the formula over, Tartaglia nodded in satisfaction, placing the tile on the table and pushing it toward Sanqiu.
"Take a look. With your skills, you'll probably notice the anomaly right away."
"Tch, just a reinforcement material? What, you think I'm some pauper? I've seen Mondstadt's goods before."
Even though this "tile" had quite the backstory, Gu Sanqiu had just recently brawled with "Tuzi Bro" over some fancy Azure Dragon bricks. To him, this wasn't anything new.
But the moment he touched the tile, a strange sensation surged through his fingers—a faint yet palpable surge of rage, raw power, and a sort of domineering pride that almost jolted the tile from his grasp.
"The aura… It's alive?!"
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T/N: Bruh now THIS chapter is 100...
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