After putting away the note, Sushang hesitated for a long time.
In the end—
She made a simple decision.
"Then I'll just go now."
If she didn't understand when "dawn" was—
Then she'd just wait there.
Following the direction she got earlier, she headed upward through Liyue Harbor—
Toward Yujing Terrace.
When she arrived—
She immediately noticed something different.
Far more Millelith soldiers.
Patrolling.
Moving in formation.
"Yellow uniforms… white tassel spears…"
She memorized their appearance carefully.
Then found a hidden corner and sat down.
Waiting.
Time passed.
The viewers were already uneasy.
[Herta]: She's really just going to sit there all day?
[Ruan Mei]: …Seems so.
[Ningguang]: I wonder what version of me exists there…
Meanwhile—
Sushang waited quietly.
The sun began to set.
The sky turned red.
Not the warm orange of dusk—
But something deeper.
Unnatural.
"…This doesn't feel right."
At that moment—
The doors of the Ministry opened.
Two figures stepped out.
Keqing
and Ganyu.
Sushang's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…That's not the same Ganyu."
Earlier—
She had seen Ganyu in the restaurant.
Different clothes.
Different feeling.
And Keqing—
Even stranger.
At this hour… shouldn't she still be working?
Yet here she was—
Leaving early.
"…Both of them are wrong."
Sushang shrank back into the shadows.
Avoiding their gaze.
Then—
She noticed something else.
Yujing Terrace—
Was emptying.
One by one—
The Millelith disappeared.
Quickly.
Almost unnaturally fast.
Within minutes—
No one remained.
"…That actually helps."
At least now—
She could easily spot whoever came to meet her.
Then—
Night fell.
The last traces of sunset vanished.
And in their place—
A crimson moon rose.
The entire city was bathed in red light.
Visibility dropped.
The air felt… wrong.
Then—
Footsteps.
"Step… step… step…"
A squad of Millelith emerged.
Marching.
But—
Something was off.
Their bodies—
Twisted.
Crooked.
Like they couldn't stand straight.
"…What the hell is that?"
These weren't normal patrols.
They looked like—
Hunters.
Suddenly—
The leader stopped.
Turned.
And stared directly at Sushang's hiding place.
"…Who's there?"
Every spear—
Pointed at her.
Silence.
The viewers held their breath.
There was no escaping now.
"…I-I'm coming out!"
Sushang raised her hands and slowly stepped out.
The leader approached.
Step by step.
His body bending unnaturally.
"Do not come closer…"
Sushang's heart pounded.
The leader stopped in front of her.
Studied her.
Then—
Lowered his weapon.
"It is night. What are you doing here?"
"…I…"
She froze.
Couldn't answer.
"Speak!"
The shout made her jump.
And at that moment—
She decided.
Run.
She lunged forward—
Grabbed the spear—
Twisted—
And threw the leader to the ground.
Then—
She bolted.
"I'm out!"
Even with her strength suppressed—
This much, she could still do.
Behind her—
"Chase!"
The twisted Millelith pursued.
But—
Their movements were clumsy.
Slow.
They couldn't catch her.
Soon—
She vanished down the terrace.
Back at the Ministry—
A figure stepped out.
"…What is this disturbance?"
It was—
Another Keqing.
The viewers froze.
Two Keqings?
Then—
It clicked.
Rule 3:
Keqing and Ningguang can be trusted—only at night.
Which meant—
Those twisted Millelith…
Might actually have been—
On her side.
And she—
Had just attacked them.
Somewhere in the distance—
Sushang kept running.
Completely unaware—
That she may have just made—
Her first fatal mistake.
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