Genshin Impact: The Sharpshooter of Teyvat

On the luxurious deck of the Pearl Galley, the wealthy merchants and scholars indulging in their daytime pleasures seemed unfazed by the bloodstains on the floor. They remained immersed in their revelries—some listening to opera with rapt attention, others sipping wine in serene contentment.

Time appeared to have stalled aboard this vessel, each second dragging like a torment.

The sun had already set, yet Luoxia had still not emerged from the cabin. Shao Yun's patience had run out. He bellowed, his voice echoing across the deck.

"That woman called Luoxia—what the hell are you dragging your feet for? Did you drop dead in there?! Where's Nianhua's keepsake? Hand it over now!"

His voice drew glances from those nearby, but they only cast a curious eye his way before retreating back into their own little worlds.

The bodyguards flanking the cabin door exchanged anxious looks, frightened by Shao Yun's roar.

One of them mustered some courage and stammered, "W-We don't know, sir…"

Shao Yun's expression darkened. He glared at the bodyguards as though he would tear them apart on the spot.

His fists clenched tight, veins bulging as if threatening to split open his skin. His voice came low and forceful as he barked at the trembling guards surrounding him.

"Then what the hell are you standing here for? Get in there and find it!"

Each word struck like a cold arrow, stabbing into their hearts.

The guards shook uncontrollably, like leaves caught in an autumn wind. They exchanged terrified glances, their eyes screaming: What do we do now?

One of them whispered, barely audible above the breeze, "We really don't know…"

Shao Yun's fury only flared hotter at that pathetic excuse. He drew his revolver in a flash, the cold barrel aimed directly at them.

His eyes were glacial and merciless, like a butcher surveying his flock.

"Get moving! Or I'll tear your damn boat apart!"

The guards, cowed by his wrath, lowered their heads and dared not meet his eyes.

They knew too well that Shao Yun's threats were not idle.

Left with no choice, they scrambled into the cabin, ostensibly to search for the keepsake—but whether they were actually searching or just hiding from his rage, Shao Yun no longer cared.

Minutes passed with no movement from within.

Shao Yun's restlessness grew. His eyes were locked on the cabin door, wide with tension. After a while longer, he had enough.

"Luoxia! You've been looking for that keepsake all damn afternoon! I'm giving you ten minutes—ten! If you don't find it by then, no one on this ship leaves alive!"

His voice rang across the sea like thunder, threatening to shake the Pearl Galley itself to pieces.

As his words echoed, the lively, elegant atmosphere of the ship instantly froze.

The singers halted mid-note. Wealthy merchants in silk robes, cultured scholars sipping wine—all were struck dumb by the sheer intensity of the threat. All eyes turned to Shao Yun in stunned silence.

At that moment, a man who looked like a scholar—Li the Ninth—staggered toward him.

Wearing glasses and reeking of alcohol, his azure robe fluttered gently in the wind, giving him an almost ethereal air—as if he were the only sober mind left aboard. He tried to reason with logic and etiquette to defuse the situation.

"How can you be so crude?" Though his voice trembled from the drink, it carried conviction. "You kill indiscriminately, without knowing right from wrong! I urge you—"

Shao Yun flicked a hand dismissively, as if waving away the stench of liquor.

A mocking smile tugged at his lips.

"So that's the stench—turns out it's just a piss-drunk pedant. How many jars of horse piss did you drink before you dared lecture me?"

Li the Ninth turned beet red at the insult. The alcohol only heightened his agitation. He pointed at Shao Yun, voice shaking with rage.

"Foul-mouthed ruffian! This is a place of elegance and refinement! We don't tolerate thugs like you running wild!"

Shao Yun burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the deck—a contemptuous melody that mocked Li the Ninth's naivety.

With a cold stare, he growled, "So you're not afraid to die, huh? In that case, don't blame me for what happens next."

In that instant, Shao Yun became like an enraged lion. He rose to his full height, towering over Li the Ninth like a looming mountain.

Li the Ninth, still lost in his drunken daze, looked up at the storm gathering in Shao Yun's eyes—his tipsy haze sobering in a flash.

"You… what do you want? I—I'm a poet!" he stammered, as if the title could shield him.

Shao Yun didn't respond. He reached out and slapped Li the Ninth across the face with a deafening smack. The scholar's cheek swelled red instantly, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Without pause, Shao Yun grabbed him by the collar like a rag doll.

Lifting him overhead with ease, he looked like a war god wielding overwhelming might.

Then, without hesitation, he carried the poet toward the edge of the ship. Li the Ninth kicked helplessly in the air, unable to break free from Shao Yun's iron grip.

"Wh-What are you doing?! You barbarian!" Li the Ninth shrieked. "Everyone on the Pearl Galley is watching you!"

But Shao Yun didn't flinch.

The crowd immediately looked away: What? The sea breeze's too loud—we didn't hear anything…

Without a word, Shao Yun hurled Li the Ninth into the sea.

The splash rang out starkly in the sudden silence. Li the Ninth flailed in the water, struggling to stay afloat—but Shao Yun didn't give him a chance.

He drew his revolver and fired several rounds into the sea.

Each gunshot was punctuated by a bloodcurdling scream, until a ghastly red bloom spread across the surface.

Shao Yun stood at the rail, watching the red bloom spread. His voice was low.

"You want to act like Lü Xiucai from Deadly Scholar, but first—be Lü Xiucai. And more importantly, I sure as hell ain't Ji Wuming."

He dusted off his hands and looked one last time at the poet—corpse—floating on the water.

Without another word, he returned to his seat.

He sat, took out a bottle of snake oil, and gave it a gentle shake as he waited for the ten minutes to expire.

Inside the cabin, time stretched like drawn wire. Each second bore a weight that couldn't be named.

In the final minute, a sudden commotion erupted from within, shattering the silence.

Shao Yun frowned slightly, then began to count down aloud.

"Ten! Nine! Eight…"

Suddenly, the cabin door burst open and a figure stumbled out.

It was Luoxia—her hair disheveled, face drenched in sweat, but eyes gleaming with frantic excitement. She scrambled on all fours to kneel before Shao Yun, hands trembling as she offered him a hairpin.

Her voice cracked with desperation.

"Found it, I found it! Please… take a look!"

Her heart pounded like a war drum, nearly bursting from her chest.

She had turned the entire ship upside down searching every nook and cranny.

Finally, she discovered the pin in a famed performer's jewelry box—a hairpin that once belonged to Nianhua. The only surviving keepsake. Everything else had been discarded.

When Shao Yun's eyes landed on the delicate hairpin—gold and jade with a peacock motif—his gaze flickered with complex emotion.

A soft golden sheen and gentle jade glow radiated from it, whispering of former glory.

The peacock carving was vivid and lifelike, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.

Is this even real? Or did she just grab something to fool me because she couldn't find the real thing?

A system chime echoed in Shao Yun's mind.

[Miss Nianhua's Hairpin: Quest Item]

So, it's real… but you made me wait all damn afternoon. A bit much, isn't it?

With a snap of his wrist, Shao Yun smacked Luoxia's head with the hairpin, his tone icy.

"A single goddamn hairpin took you all afternoon? If I hadn't threatened you with that ten-minute warning, would you still be stalling? You trying to play me?"

Luoxia flinched violently, shaking her head in panic.

"No! I swear, I really did my best…"

Shao Yun sneered, testing her further.

"Oh? You stalling to buy time for someone to kill me, huh?"

Her face turned ashen. She dropped to the floor and kowtowed in terror.

"Miss Nianhua left the Pearl Galley half a year ago. Her belongings were cleared out long ago. I only found this in someone else's jewelry box—I swear, I'm not lying!"

Looking at her trembling in fear, Shao Yun felt a pang of guilt—but the wasted afternoon still fueled his temper.

"You wasted my whole damn day! How are you going to make that up to me?"

Luoxia swallowed hard and spoke cautiously.

"Whatever amount of Mora you want… I'll give it to you!" Her voice trembled, struggling to mask the panic.

Shao Yun looked down at her coldly.

"I don't need money. I have questions."

Still kneeling, Luoxia raised her head to look at him, eyes sparkling with desperate hope—like someone spotting a lifeline.

"T-Tell me what you want to know… If I know it, I'll tell you everything."

Shao Yun took a deep breath. The image of the boy Yi Zhu flashed in his mind.

"I want to know about Miss Nianhua. Tell me more about her."

Luoxia blinked, then quickly recalled the past.

"Miss Nianhua… she was sold to the Pearl Galley by her parents when she was twelve…"

Shao Yun's brows tightened, a flicker of fury in his eyes.

"You people still engage in human trafficking?!"

Startled by his intensity, Luoxia stammered.

"A-a contract of indenture is… still a form of agreement. That's how Liyue operates. As long as both parties consent and no one dies, the Qixing usually don't interfere…"

Shao Yun's rage ignited. He yanked out his revolver and pressed the barrel against Luoxia's forehead.

"Go to hell with your 'mutual consent'! You call this disgusting garbage voluntary? Are you f***ing kidding me?!"

Luoxia trembled, hastening to explain.

"P-Please calm down! I—I'm telling the truth. Where there's light, there's shadow. It's not ideal, but… compared to over a century ago, we've made progress. Back then, beatings and mutilations were routine…"

Shao Yun's chest heaved, fury boiling just beneath the surface. But he forced himself to hold it back.

He inhaled deeply, reminding himself that he wasn't here to be some savior—his duty was to protect Lumine and Paimon.

"Go on."

Luoxia shivered under the chill of his presence. She wiped her brow and continued.

"Miss Nianhua was exceptionally talented in music—especially with instruments like the plucked zither. Her playing was divine. So, we nurtured her here, hoping she'd become our star courtesan."

She paused briefly in recollection.

"But when she turned eighteen, she made an unexpected choice. She broke the Pearl Galley's rules, fell in love with a guest, and… had a child. She hid it cleverly—we had no idea until half a year ago. When we found out, we expelled her."

Shao Yun's frown deepened. He recalled what Ying'er had said—Nianhua bought her own freedom.

This version didn't add up.

"You're lying," he said coldly. "I've been to her home. I know the truth."

Luoxia's face drained of color under his sharp gaze. She had tried to spin a lie—but Shao Yun's groundwork shattered it instantly.

Realizing she'd been caught, she panicked. After a breath, she steadied herself and tried again.

"Technically… she chose to redeem herself for a new life. She signed a contract that granted her 'freedom'…"

Shao Yun scoffed.

He remembered Yi Zhu saying several 'uncles' had come to visit her—doubtful any came to offer warmth.

In a flash, Shao Yun fired a shot into the sky.

The crackling bang rattled Luoxia to her core.

He glared at her, his voice sharp as a blade.

"Tell me the truth—or this ship becomes your grave!"

Fear washed over Luoxia like a tidal wave. She knew she had no more outs—only the truth could save her now.

"O-Okay… I'll tell the truth. Half a year ago, when we learned she broke the rules, we… punished her severely. Then we forced her to sign a contract saying she'd buy her own freedom—but we made her owe us money. Then… two months ago… she died. So, the debt became a loss."