Shao Yun leaned against the wall, the blood on his body long since dried. The arrows from the hilichurls hadn't struck any critical spots—just flesh wounds. Even if they had been serious, a quick pull and a bottle of healing potion would've fixed it.
The real problem now was his throat—dry, sore, and constantly triggering a harsh cough. That raspy sound echoed against the city gate, making it especially grating in the silence.
He reached up to touch his neck, muttering in a hoarse voice, "Next time, I should switch to snake oil… or booze-based tonics. Cough… damn, this is unbearable."
Beyond the soreness, Shao Yun's body exuded a pungent mix of strong tobacco and bitter medicinal herbs—so heavy in the air even he felt nauseous.
He brought his collar up for a sniff and nearly gagged.
"Yeah… I need a bath before Lumine gets back."
His gaze drifted toward the bridge once more.
The wildlands beyond lay still and quiet now. If it weren't for the lingering ash from explosions, the chaotic footprints, and the cart still blocking the center of the bridge, no one would believe he'd held off thousands of hilichurls alone.
A flicker of golden light flashed through his mind—Aether's figure during the fight. A smirk curled on his lips, a hint of challenge in his eyes.
"You brat. What, just because you're traveling with your sister?" He chuckled and shook his head. "Didn't even wait for the timer to end before you sent the wave—grudge much? Don't worry, next time I see you and Lumine, I'm definitely bringing that up."
After resting for over ten minutes, Shao Yun's tired eyes turned back toward the city. The streets were calm, and a quiet sense of relief crept in.
The Fatui, for all their usual arrogance, hadn't caused any trouble during the monster siege. At least that was unexpected.
He found himself re-evaluating them. Maybe they weren't entirely useless… they could at least act human, sometimes.
"Maybe I'll go easy on them. No killing… just a beating."
But just as the thought finished forming—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion ripped through the quiet, tearing the night apart like a jagged blade.
Shao Yun's smile vanished in an instant. Too soon.
The warmth in his expression evaporated, replaced by a bone-deep chill.
"Son of a— I must be out of my mind for thinking the Fatui were people."
He shot to his feet, fury burning in his eyes.
Without a word, he stalked toward the column of smoke rising in the distance.
What greeted him stole the breath from his lungs.
Rubble everywhere. Smoke thick in the air. A house lay in ruins, debris scattered across the street.
Several knights lay in pools of blood. In some places, there was nothing left but shattered armor—no bodies.
And then, like a cruel twist of fate—
Noelle was there.
She was kneeling beside one of the fallen knights, her hands trembling as she tried to administer treatment.
Her uniform soaked in blood, her expression cracked with grief. She looked like a rose caught in the storm—wilting, weeping.
"Don't sleep… hang on, I'll bandage you up right now…"
Her voice shook as she pressed gauze to the knight's chest, wrapping a severed arm, desperately trying to bring him back.
Like a modern-day Asclepius fighting Death itself, she clung to hope, to purpose—despite how clearly it was lost.
Shao Yun's heart sank.
He hadn't expected to find her here. And not like this.
He approached gently, reached out, and touched her arm. "Noelle… this isn't where you need to be."
But she shook her head, voice unwavering in its sorrow. "No. I won't leave."
Shao Yun tightened his grip, trying to pull her away.
"This isn't for you—leave!"
Noelle wrenched herself free and stood, eyes blazing with anguish. "I'm not leaving!"
He looked into her tear-filled eyes—once bright and full of dreams, now clouded by pain and disbelief.
She was so young, too young to see this.
Her shoulders trembled. Her voice broke.
"I… I…"
And then she collapsed into his arms, clutching him tight.
"Aaaahh!" she sobbed, burying her face in his chest. Her tears soaked through his bloodstained clothes.
She wept, hard and unfiltered. She poured everything out into that cry.
Shao Yun felt her small frame tremble against him. Her cries shook too.
He gently stroked her hair. Letting a fifteen-year-old see this... it's too cruel.
He understood her pain—just like Jack Marston watching his father fall. That helpless grief.
Noelle stayed in his embrace, her weeping echoing through the shattered streets.
Footsteps interrupted the moment.
Kaeya came running, visibly shaken. The sound of crying had tipped him off.
Seeing Noelle collapsed in Shao Yun's arms, he froze.
"Shao Yun… the threat outside is… over, right?"
Shao Yun didn't answer at first.
He carefully pushed Noelle away, offering a forced smile.
"Don't cry anymore, kid. I'll go check what's going on."
Noelle looked up through blurry eyes, nodded faintly, and walked to a nearby corner, quietly sobbing to herself.
Then Shao Yun turned to Kaeya—his eyes sharp enough to cut glass.
Kaeya's heart seized.
"The outside's done," Shao Yun said, voice cold. "But you are about to have a serious problem."
"Shao Yun, I—"
Shao Yun didn't let him finish.
He grabbed Kaeya by the collar, yanked him forward, stared into his soul.
"How are you maintaining order?! Letting a kid see this? Is your brain made of apple cider?! Should I slap some sense into you?!"
Kaeya was stunned, intimidated. For once, he had no smile to hide behind.
Pointing shakily to a nearby alley, he stammered, "The Fatui… they did try to seize control. One of them set off the bomb… I—I was dealing with them with Lisa, I—"
Shao Yun shoved him back and glared.
"Where?"
Kaeya blinked. "W-What?"
Shao Yun barked, voice like thunder, "The Fatui!"
Kaeya flinched. "Lisa has them detained—just past the alley."
Shao Yun nodded slowly. "Thanks."
Then cracked his neck and muttered, "They think I'm easy, huh? Some kind of clown?"
Kaeya wisely followed, hoping to stop any… rash actions.
They turned the corner—and Shao Yun's eyes narrowed.
A group of fully armed Fatui sat on the ground, bound and defeated, surrounded by knights.
Lisa stood nearby, a crackling orb of lightning in her hand, expression darker than a storm cloud.
When she heard footsteps, she dismissed the lightning.
Seeing Shao Yun's bloodshot eyes, she felt a chill. "Thought a demon had arrived. Those red eyes… terrifying."
He gestured for calm.
"Tell me what happened."
Lisa steadied her tone. "They tried to seize the defenses during the chaos. We stopped them in time. Otherwise… it would've been catastrophic."
Almost the same as what Kaeya said.
Shao Yun clenched his teeth but forced a smile.
"Is that… the truth?"
Lisa felt her throat tighten. She nodded. "It is. We lost knights. Because of them."
The Fatui froze. Like prey sensing the predator's breath.
Shao Yun walked among them, one step at a time. One of the vanguard—wielding a thunder hammer—made brief eye contact.
"Wh-What are you going to do?!"
"Who's in charge here?" Shao Yun asked, voice cold as death.
The Fatui looked at each other. No one spoke. But everyone understood.
Someone was about to pay.
Shao Yun smiled coldly.
He took his time, slowly pacing among them, spinning his revolver idly in his fingers.
"That outpost near Springvale—yours, right? What happened to those still alive?"
He stopped, pressed his revolver to a vanguard's forehead.
The man swallowed. "They… they went mad. Still haven't recovered."
Shao Yun let out a low, bitter laugh.
"Mad, huh? Good. Better than seeing the world as it is."
He moved from head to head, letting the barrel tap against helmets.
Until it landed on a black-robed officer.
Not armored. Just a long robe.
"You're the one in charge, huh?"
The man paled.
He opened his mouth—no sound.
Shao Yun said nothing. Just grabbed him like a chicken, dragged him from the group.
The man's legs went limp.
"You didn't say no—so that's a yes."
"I'm not—! I swear I'm not!"
Shao Yun ignored him, reached into his robes, and pulled out a rank badge.
Tapped it against the man's skull.
"You're definitely not, huh?"
The man fell to his knees, shaking.
"N-No—please—!"