Chapter 15: The Delusion Factory

The war that had shaken Inazuma centuries ago was shrouded in an eerie atmosphere of mystery and uncertainty.

Take, for instance, the serpent god Orobashi. The death of the tengu warrior Sasayuri seemed almost like a deliberate act to provoke Raiden Shogun. And when the Shogun finally delivered her fatal strike, Orobashi made no effort to resist. To the Shogun, it seemed as though Orobashi had willingly dropped his guard and impaled himself on her blade.

Perhaps sensing something deeper, Raiden Shogun refrained from annihilating the people of Watatsumi Island, allowing them to continue their existence on the land Orobashi had once protected.

This brings us back to Orobashi's remains on Yashiori Island. Being a god-level entity, Orobashi's death resulted in the creation of substances known as "Archon Residue" and "Crystallized Bone Marrow," both of which were essential materials in the production of Delusions.

When Bai Luo first arrived in Inazuma, Ah Qi had informed him about the Delusion Factory. The factory was under Dottore's jurisdiction, and even though Dottore was not in Inazuma at the moment, Bai Luo chose not to involve himself in those affairs. It wasn't just because Dottore had once helped him, making Bai Luo reluctant to do anything that might seem disloyal. More importantly, Bai Luo didn't want to get too entangled with Delusions.

Those things were far too dangerous and mysterious.

"Yes, you've only recently become a Harbinger, so it's not appropriate to hand over matters concerning the Delusion Factory to you just yet," Scaramouche explained, not hiding anything from Bai Luo.

It wasn't that Snezhnaya didn't trust Bai Luo; rather, he hadn't undergone the necessary training and was completely unfamiliar with the operation of the Delusion Factory. It was unrealistic to expect him to manage those affairs.

"Then... are you going to take over matters related to the Gnosis?" Bai Luo asked cautiously.

According to his memories, Scaramouche would eventually deceive La Signora by obtaining the Gnosis from Yae Miko with the help of the Traveler, and then sever his ties with the Fatui. Childe, in an effort to investigate this matter, would even chase him all the way to Inazuma.

Eventually, Scaramouche would defeat Childe and hand him over to the World Government, leading to his younger brother, Teucer, launching a rescue mission from Impel Down and storming the World Government.

Childe would sacrifice himself to protect his brother, only to be pierced through the chest by one of the three Admirals, Admiral Patrick.

In the end, during this conflict known as the "Summit War," the Tsaritsa would famously proclaim:

"One Piece! does exist!"

Wait a minute... something about this storyline seemed off.

"I already told you, I won't interfere with your mission," Scaramouche said, showing remarkable patience for this new Harbinger.

His good mood was perhaps due to being back in his homeland, where he could once again cause trouble for his "mother." He decided it would be amusing to let this "Instructor" attract some attention for him first.

"Then... as a senior, would you mind giving this junior some guidance?" Bai Luo asked, feeling no pressure at all as he called Scaramouche his senior.

Scaramouche was indeed his senior in rank, as well as in age and experience.

Scaramouche had initially planned to cut the conversation short, but something made him change his mind.

"I don't see why not. But I'll give you just one piece of advice: The one in the Tenshukaku might not be the real Raiden Shogun."

As Scaramouche spoke, the brim of his large hat tilted upward slightly, revealing a face that was surprisingly gentle—yet this gentleness was starkly contrasted by the cruelty in his eyes, like a lone wolf fixated on its prey.

Wolves were dangerous, but a lone wolf was even more ruthless. Without the support of a pack, it had to rely not only on bravery but also on cunning to survive in the wild.

"..."

Seeing Bai Luo's bewildered expression, Scaramouche nodded in satisfaction. After finishing his tea, he left Bai Luo, who appeared to be questioning everything, and headed towards the Delusion Factory in Inazuma.

In truth, Bai Luo only had one thought in his mind:

Did you really think I didn't know that?!

To others, this might be an explosive piece of information, but to Bai Luo, it was as trivial as Raiden Shogun's bust size.

With that conversation over, Bai Luo had no reason to stay on Ritou any longer. He met briefly with the head of the Kanjou Commission, discussing some cooperative matters, and then prepared to leave after a few days of setting things in order.

After summoning Ah Qi, who had made the arrangements, Bai Luo boarded a carriage bound for Inazuma City.

To be honest, Bai Luo might be the most comfort-seeking Harbinger in the Fatui. Unlike the others who preferred to act alone, he didn't mind lowering himself to do things they wouldn't bother with—like riding in a carriage.

Though, the carriage wasn't pulled by horses. Instead, it was powered by one of the most common creatures in Teyvat: Anemo Slimes.

The Anemo Slime, tethered by reins, bobbed along in a gentle, almost rhythmic motion. It took a bit of getting used to, but once accustomed, Bai Luo found it rather pleasant. Watching the Anemo Slime flap its tiny wing-like appendages with determination, Bai Luo chuckled softly, his gaze drifting towards the surrounding forest.

Compared to the forests of Snezhnaya, the landscapes of Inazuma were far more vibrant. Though he hadn't paid much attention during the night, the daylight revealed the island's true beauty, and even Bai Luo couldn't help but be captivated by the scenery.

The fiery red maple leaves reminded Bai Luo of a famous ancient poem:

"I stop my carriage and sit to enjoy the maple forest in the evening."

If the word "stop" were replaced with "do," the image might carry even more aesthetic appeal, he mused.

However, as the carriage left Ritou and entered the domain of Narukami Island, the red maples gradually gave way to greenery, with the occasional glimpse of strange, luminescent flowers visible even in daylight.

"Shh, shh, shh..."

While Bai Luo admired the scenery, there were occasional rustling sounds from the forest. These small disturbances were sometimes followed by bird calls or the flash of a tanuki's tail—plausible enough for most observers. But Bai Luo knew better; these were likely ninjas from the Yashiro Commission, assigned to monitor him.

The Yashiro Commissioner sure is thorough, Bai Luo thought.

He made a mental note to have a conversation with Kamisato Ayato later.

Lowering the carriage's curtain to block out the outside view, Bai Luo closed his eyes, retreating into his thoughts.

The carriage journey was mostly uneventful. Firstly, once they entered Narukami Island, the exploitative practices seen on Ritou had eased considerably. Secondly, many of the guards stationed at the checkpoints were members of the Kujou Clan, part of the Tenryou Commission. While the Tenryou Commission wasn't as deeply infiltrated by the Fatui as the Kanjou Commission, they were still influenced enough to let the carriage pass without much scrutiny.

Thus, Bai Luo smoothly left Ritou and arrived in Narukami Island's largest city, the capital of the nation—Inazuma City.