"It is I. I am channeling Sumeru's Ley Lines to establish this temporary link."
The Tsaritsa's voice resonated with cold, measured calm. Arlecchino raised her hand, signaling Candace and the escort vanguard to halt their march.
"Your Majesty, I have entered the borders of the rainforest," Arlecchino replied respectfully, keeping her tone low. "At our current pace, we will cross into Liyue within three days. What are your orders?"
A brief silence followed on the other end before the Tsaritsa spoke again.
"Can you reach the foot of Mt. Tianheng within five days?"
"Five days?!"
Arlecchino frowned, pressing her lips together as she calculated the route.
"Your Majesty, five days is an immense challenge. Even after clearing Sumeru, the transit corridor across Liyue is vast. A forced march of that intensity would leave the troops..."
Before she could finish, the Tsaritsa cut in, her cadence firm and unyielding.
"We have no leisure to deliberate. You must arrive within five days. Force the march or arrive in staggered echelons, but you must bring a vanguard detachment to the gate within five days."
Arlecchino fell silent, genuine concern rising in her chest.
Though rumors across Teyvat painted the Cryo Archon in harsh colors, Arlecchino knew her sovereign was fundamentally gentle. She never raised her voice without cause, nor did she issue unreasonable logistical ultimatums.
Something catastrophic had occurred.
Candace opened her mouth to inquire, but noticing the sharp tension in Arlecchino's expression, she held her tongue and waited patiently.
After a long pause, Arlecchino tightened her grip on her weapon.
"Your Majesty, I can take five hundred elite soldiers on a forced march, coordinating with Sumeru's Dragon Knights to arrive within five days. But... may I ask what has happened?"
The line went quiet for a moment, followed by a soft, weary breath from the Archon.
"The situation is grave."
"Upon completing municipal construction on our primary metropolis in that realm, we triggered an apocalyptic zombie siege."
Arlecchino's crimson pupils constricted violently.
"A... a zombie siege?! Your Majesty, are you unharmed?"
Beside her, Candace straightened with sudden alarm. In any language, a zombie siege sounded like an unmitigated disaster.
"I am entirely safe; the opening assault has yet to begin," the Tsaritsa assured her calmly. "However, the operational parameters are severe. A single misstep could see the entire city reduced to ash."
"The siege will last forty-nine consecutive days, fielding a combined hostile horde estimated in the millions."
"Our total allied military presence across the entire realm numbers barely thirty thousand."
"The defensive pressure is immense. I require your detachment to reach Liyue and cross the threshold at maximum speed."
A cold prickle traveled up the back of Arlecchino's neck.
Several million undead...
A million slimes alone would be enough to drown Snezhnaya in pure chaos. In that strange world where physical laws were flattened and zombies hit with bone-shattering force, an army of millions over forty-nine days was beyond comprehension.
Arlecchino glanced back at the columns behind her. A few thousand troops looked imposing on a forest path, but tossed into a sea of millions, they would barely register as a ripple.
"Your Majesty, facing a horde of millions, multiplying our numbers tenfold would still leave us stretched dangerously thin..."
Millions...
Candace felt a shudder run through her frame, steadying herself against the flank of her mount.
Having witnessed the horrific fate of Grand Sage Azazar, she understood the terrifying nature of those block entities better than most. A horde of millions descended upon a city was a force capable of tearing Teyvat itself apart.
"The tactical layout is complex; simply bring your vanguard as ordered," the Tsaritsa replied, a trace of strain in her voice. "Our doctrine is purely defensive, and the horde will arrive in nightly waves rather than an instantaneous flood."
"Bring what troops you can, and we will brief you on site."
"This crisis doubles as an invaluable opportunity. It will allow your officers to adapt to the realm under combat conditions and accumulate practical siege experience."
"Snezhnaya's own municipal center is nearing completion. Once we install redstone infrastructure, our capital will inevitably face an identical trial."
"Experiencing it now will prepare our commanders for our own sovereign ascension."
"In short: arrive within five days with whatever numbers you can muster."
"The opening wave strikes tomorrow night. Ensure your entry occurs during daylight hours."
"Most crucially, cross the gate before the seventh day. When the Blood Moon rises on night seven, the undead will begin mutating."
With those final words, the resonance link severed.
Arlecchino called out twice, but met only static. Exhaling a long breath, she turned to Candace.
"Did you hear?"
Candace nodded slowly, her expression taut with worry. "A siege of millions... Is that truly what awaits us?"
"Indeed. We must transition into a forced march immediately, moving every available soldier toward Liyue. We have no time to spare. I will explain the operational details along the trail."
Candace did not hesitate, turning back to divide her vanguard into rapid-march columns alongside Arlecchino's division.
As they quickened their pace toward the eastern horizon, the weight of the coming storm pressed heavily upon both commanders.
While the block world mobilized around the clock, Liyue Harbor was thrown into sudden, intense motion.
Citizens woke to find that alchemical draughts, enchanted weaponry, dairy supplies, and stamina-replenishing provisions had vanished from storefronts overnight.
Unease quickly spread through the markets. Having grown accustomed to a higher standard of living, the abrupt disruption sparked wild rumors.
Recognizing that rumors would breed panic, Ningguang acted decisively, issuing an official public notice through the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
The announcement sent shockwaves through the streets.
"Our settlement in that other realm is facing a siege by over a million zombies, so all strategic reserves are being diverted to the front line?"
"A continuous campaign lasting forty-nine days?!"
"Lord Morax preserve us... What kind of calamity is a million-strong horde?"
"Can our garrison hold?"
"Do not fear. Even if the walls buckle, it will not spill into Teyvat."
"What kind of disgraceful talk is that?! Is that city not Liyue's sovereign soil?"
"Precisely! Our brave Millelith spent months laying every stone with their own hands! That is the future sanctuary where our families will settle!"
"Not one inch of Liyue territory shall be surrendered! Why belittle our own strength? We will hold the line!"
"Yet... that is an army of over a million! When has Teyvat ever seen warfare on such a scale?"
"That monster count rivals the entire population of our nation!"
"Have faith! The entire alliance is sending reinforcements! Trust in the Qixing, trust in our Lord Morax, and trust in the Millelith!"
"Rex Lapis and the adepti have already deployed, and the Archons of the other nations stand beside them! How could a pack of rotting corpses breach our walls?"
"During the ancient Archon War, our Lord triumphed over far deadlier gods! With Rex Lapis personally commanding the battlements, what reason is there to doubt?"
"War is at hand, and you dare mutter defeatist poison in the rear? Our duty is unyielding support! Whoever spreads cowardice should be driven out of the harbor!"
"Liyue has never lost a war!"
"Defend the homeland! Protect our city! Third Light Infantry Battalion of the Millelith requests deployment!"
"While the Millelith stands, the mountains shall not move! Seventh Heavy Cavalry Battalion requests immediate transfer to the front!"
Within hours of the notice being posted, Liyue Harbor was consumed by a roar of patriotic fury.
The thought of an encroaching million-strong horde was chilling, yet this was not an abstract threat; it was a direct assault on the legacy their own brothers and sisters had forged with blood and sweat.
That city was their future home.
Initial dread gave way to fierce, defiant rage. Thousands of reserve Millelith clamored for deployment, and even common laborers volunteered to carry stone and steel to the front.
High above the clouds within the Jade Chamber, Ningguang heard the rising roar of the streets.
Her brow furrowed slightly as she summoned Baishi, gesturing for her secretary to handle the crowd.
Baishi descended to Yujing Terrace, addressing the assembly through a brass amplifier.
"Order! Liyue stands on the eve of a great campaign, and our leadership is coordinating strategic logistics. Maintain discipline and do not disrupt public order!"
"Our armed forces are fully prepared, supported by the sovereign armies of our allies. Holding the walls requires no civilian panic."
"Return to your posts, attend to your duties, and place your absolute faith in Lord Morax, Lady Ningguang, and the Millelith."
"We possess complete confidence in our victory!"
"Disperse at once. Do not burden our commanders while they prepare for war."
Her clear, authoritative words steadily quieted the fervor, though the soldiers remained on edge.
"Lady Baishi, it is our sacred duty to defend our people," an officer called out. "That city across the threshold is Liyue's territory. How can we stand idle in the harbor?"
Baishi offered a composed, reassuring nod.
"Our frontline deployment is currently sufficient. Maintain security within the harbor. Should tactical reserves be required, your divisions will receive the summons immediately. Disperse now, and let our leaders work without hindrance."
The crowd gradually dispersed, carrying the news into every tea house and workshop across the harbor.
Though anxiety lingered over the sheer scale of forty-nine days against millions of undead, Liyue Harbor stood resolute, united behind their god and their government.
Across every barracks, Millelith regiments sharpened their polearms and cleaned their rifles, waiting for the horn to sound.
Liyue was wound tight as a drawn bowstring, ready to snap at the first sign of an enemy.