The internal thoughts of the wind spirit remained a mystery to the assembly.
Zhongli studied the churning horde of undead below once more, confirming that they possessed neither tools nor the intelligence to quarry through stone.
At most, their mounting numbers created shifting ramps of rotting bodies, slowly lifting the swarm toward the lip of the parapet.
Reaching into his tactical satchel, Zhongli casually tossed a Splash Potion of Healing into the densest cluster. The burst of radiant restorative magic struck the undead like liquid fire, scattering broken limbs across the dirt.
Seeing the impact, Zhongli withdrew his gaze.
"This will suffice for tonight. There is no immediate danger to our perimeter."
"Even so, establish strict rotational watches along the ramparts to ensure no stray monster vaults over the parapet."
"Rotate the garrison regularly. Every soldier must receive adequate sleep to prevent Phantoms from ambushing us from the clouds."
"With a prolonged campaign before us, we cannot afford the luxury of swatting winged pests."
The commanders nodded in unified agreement.
They remained upon the high battlements a little longer, double-checking every sector of the defensive grid before assigning Dashi and the watch officers to oversee the night rotations.
With the watches set, the leaders dispersed toward their respective quarters.
As the vanguard pioneers of this boundless realm, each of them held private residences within Redstone Tech City, situated in the elegant villa district surrounding the City Lord Manor.
Ningguang had drafted those architectural layouts long before the first foundation stone was laid.
In truth, after spending months developing this world, the Archons and their inner circles had gradually mirrored Ryen's own habits.
To put it plainly: estates and villas now littered every cardinal direction of the continent, ensuring they possessed comfortable quarters wherever they set foot.
Tonight, however, the lights burned bright across Redstone Tech City.
Across the threshold, Liyue Harbor was equally bathed in sleepless illumination.
Behind closed doors and drawn curtains, every household offered quiet prayers into the night.
Though the citizens held absolute confidence in the Five-Nation Alliance, warfare was warfare. Facing crisis with supreme faith while observing rigorous preparation was an ancestral habit of Liyue.
Within Dashi's residence along the main thoroughfare, the quiet was heavy.
Having gently tucked her sleeping child into bed, Dashi's wife stepped softly into the parlor.
Atop the household altar rested a small, dignified clay statuette of Rex Lapis.
She closed her eyes, clasping her hands before her chest in earnest supplication, praying that the storm across the portal would pass without tragedy.
"You should get some rest," Dashi's mother murmured softly, stepping up beside her.
"Mother... I cannot close my eyes," his wife replied, her fingers trembling slightly. "The battle has already begun. I do not know how Dashi fares upon the field..."
The older woman shook her head with calm, maternal grace.
"Place your trust in Lord Morax and the ministers. Liyue has weathered countless wars throughout its long history, and our leaders command profound experience."
"Yet still..."
His wife started to voice her fears, but Dashi's mother cut in with gentle firmness.
"Dashi is a soldier of the Millelith, and you are the wife of a commander. In times of war, your heart must not dwell on private sorrow, but on the enduring strength of Liyue as a whole."
"We enjoy the bounties and honors provided by our nation; when the drum beats, we must fulfill our duty in return."
"Do not torment yourself with doubts. Whatever the trial brings, if Liyue stands victorious in the end, it is the highest honor our family can achieve."
His wife fell silent, nodding quietly as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek.
All across the harbor, thousands of families passed an identical, sleepless vigil.
A few avenues over, within the family estate of Hanxue, a similar scene played out.
Standing in the courtyard, Hanxue looked toward the quiet compound of his neighbors with a furrowed brow.
His younger son, who had previously been driven out of the house for youthful indolence, had slipped back home during the crisis, looking toward the adjacent gate with visible unease.
"Father... Third Brother will be safe over there, right?"
The words had scarcely left his mouth when Hanxue struck him soundly across the back of the head.
"Quiet that foolish tongue! When has our Liyue ever tasted defeat on the battlefield?! Rex Lapis personally directs the campaign, flanked by the allied hosts of the sovereign nations!"
His son rubbed his head, muttering with an aggrieved pout, "Never losing a campaign does not mean nobody bleeds... I am merely worried for Third Brother..."
"Which is precisely why you never possessed the discipline to earn a post in the Millelith! Your resolve is not even a fraction of your brother's!"
Hanxue glared at him with sharp exasperation, his cadence dropping into stern solemnity.
"When war descends, every citizen of Liyue must carry the unyielding will to defend our soil!"
"How many blessings from that other realm have you enjoyed?"
"Consider your food, your clothing, your medicine: which of it costs you a single coin nowadays?"
"When sickness strikes, the government provides free milk and alchemical draughts to purge ailments instantly, while daily rations are distributed without charge!"
"You reap the bountiful harvest of Liyue every single day, yet when the nation calls for sacrifice, you calculate petty personal losses?"
"Let alone the fact that Rex Lapis's command ensures our casualties will remain minimal; even should blood be shed, it is a glorious legacy!"
"If you ever possessed the courage to march to the frontier and fight for our expansion, I would personally carve a dedicated page for your name in our ancestral genealogy!"
His son scratched his cheek, muttering under his breath, "Am I truly your biological son? You talk as though you wouldn't mind if I fell in battle..."
"Cease your idle babble!" Hanxue snapped, pointing toward the door. "Get back inside and sleep!"
The boy shrugged, turning reluctantly toward the inner chambers.
"Hold your step!"
Hanxue called out once more, pausing for several seconds before speaking in a lowered, gentler tone.
"Over these next few days, visit your third brother's estate regularly. Assist his household with whatever heavy chores they require. Do you understand me?"
"You hardly need to tell me that," his son replied, rolling his eyes fondly. "Third Brother treats me like his own blood. During the Lantern Rite, he even took me flying on a dragon mount! His parents are my parents, and his wife..."
Hanxue's eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare.
The boy choked on his words, frantically correcting himself. "No, wait! I mean to say, his wife is my esteemed sister-in-law! Third Brother is risking his life on the front lines to carve out new territory for Liyue; I will naturally guard his hearth so he carries no worries from home!"
"That sounds more like it. Now clear out!"
Hanxue waved a dismissing hand, turning back to look into the night sky. He stood in the courtyard for a long while before letting out a soft, contemplative sigh.
Carving out new frontiers never came without its toll.
Yet this was the grand thousand-year destiny of Liyue, an era of unprecedented prosperity that no soul could ever refuse.
Even if the river ran deep and murky, the nation had to wade through.
The limitless resources of that vast universe were enough to sustain Liyue for ten thousand generations, ensuring eternal flourishing.
Neither the government nor the common people would ever turn their backs on that future.
Beneath Mt. Tianheng, the Millelith forward garrison burned with equally vigilant lamplight.
Standing atop the wooden towers, officers gazed toward Ryen's quiet courtyard in the distance, their expressions heavy with concern.
A brutal war raged across the threshold, and though protocol prevented them from charging through the gate, they stood ready to relieve their brothers on the battlements at a moment's notice.
It was fortunate that the existence of Totems of Undying and Totems of Rebirth remained an absolute state secret.
Had the common soldiers known that death was merely a fleeting inconvenience, the reserves would have stormed the portal on their own initiative, eager to die a few times over just to claim glory on the field!
Ryen and his inner circle remained blissfully unaware of the restless night gripping Liyue Harbor.
Having watched the opening assault of the zombie siege and confirmed that the horde presented zero systemic danger beyond sheer numbers, Ryen had returned to the City Lord Manor.
Following his usual evening routine, he tucked Klee and the little ones into bed with patient lullabies.
Once they were fast asleep, he walked back to his private chambers.
Ningguang and the other women had retired early tonight. After an energetic afternoon gathering, they needed to conserve their vitality for tomorrow's extensive responsibilities.
Ningguang and Ganyu had to manage administrative directives for Liyue, while Hu Tao needed to review the business accounts of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Even if she remained away from the harbor, mortal business could not grind to a halt.
Guizhong had to oversee the structural adjustments and defensive traps along the perimeter.
Even Lisa needed to inspect the alchemical brewing lines tomorrow morning; across forty-nine days of siege warfare, restorative draughts were a lifeline that could never run dry.
Lisa commanded the broadest mastery over potion brewing and munitions manufacturing, possessing the technical knowledge to construct tactical nuclear ordnance.
Tomorrow, she planned to assemble several tactical nuclear warheads to serve as their absolute final reserve.
When all duties were tallied, only Lumine and Yae Miko were left with relatively clear schedules.
Yet Lumine was incapable of sitting still; she had already slipped through the portal to assist Ningguang's logistics coordinators in Liyue Harbor.
Though bureaucratic paperwork was not her forte, she could oversee the transport of bulk supplies from the Ministry of Civil Affairs to the gateway.
In a prolonged campaign of forty-nine days, the garrison could not afford distractions. Relying solely on the stockpiles of the block world placed immense strain upon local reserves, requiring Teyvat to share the logistical weight.
As for Yae Miko, she was entirely at leisure.
Daily governance of the Grand Narukami Shrine had been passed into the capable hands of Hanachirusato.
As for why the mantle had not fallen upon Kitsune Saiguu...
Possessing an identical temperament to Miko, could anyone honestly expect the newly revived Saiguu to sit quietly behind a shrine desk and attend to daily rituals?
One could deduce the answer with closed eyes.
Though Hanachirusato had inherited Saiguu's memories, she lacked her erratic, mischievous tendencies, serving dutifully as an upright, diligent shrine maiden.
Stepping into the master bedchamber, Ryen found Yae Miko waiting for him.
Catching sight of him coming through the door, her lips curled into a brilliant, teasing smile as she shifted comfortably toward the inner pillows.
Patting the empty space beside her, she purred with playful warmth.
"Come, come, my darling. Your little fox has been waiting entirely for you."
Ryen let out an amused chuckle, kicking off his boots and sliding under the silken blanket beside her.
"You certainly maintain an enviable leisure. Ei is standing watch beside Makoto along the battlements, Aether is directing the Khaenri'ahn engineering corps, and everyone else is working themselves to the bone."
"Yet here you lounge without a single worry?"
Miko rested her chin upon her hand, tossing him a playful pout.
"Aether is merely seeking the spotlight, desperate to display his worth before your eyes."
"Ei was corralled by Makoto's stern gaze, and Lumine was sweet-talked by Ningguang into running errands."
"The shrine is watched over by Hanachirusato, and since the Narukami Shrine commands no standing military division, there is little practical aid I can provide on the walls. Why should I linger in the cold night air listening to dry tactical treatises that bore me to tears?"
Ryen smiled, offering no rebuttal.
Wrapping an arm naturally around her waist, he pulled her soft frame against his chest, his tone dropping into quiet contemplation.
"For the moment, the threat remains modest. The zombies possess staggering numbers, but their combat intellect is virtually non-existent."
"In fact, the mutations introduced by the first three, four, or even six Blood Moons will remain largely manageable."
"The true crisis ignites after the seventh Blood Moon."
"The horde will shed their vulnerability to sunlight, marching and striking in broad daylight. Though they will still spawn primarily under cover of darkness, facing an army that ignores the sun and actively dismantles blocks is another matter entirely."
Ryen let out a slow, quiet breath.
"When that final week arrives, clever maneuvers will be useless. Every single zombie roaming this continent must be eradicated to preserve the city."
Miko fell silent for a few moments, resting her head against his shoulder.
"So when you spoke of an assault scaling into the millions, you were referring to..."
Ryen gave a solemn nod.
"The initial waves will burn to cinders the moment the morning sun crests the horizon, posing little systemic danger."
"The true peril is the accumulation of immortal, daylight-tolerant mutant undead in the final seven days. That is the authentic cataclysm."
"Still, there is no need to fret prematurely. If our conventional lines buckle, I will simply saturate the wilderness with tactical nuclear warheads."
Leaning down, Ryen gently brushed his lips against the soft curve of her fox ear, murmuring reassuring words.
"Do not worry. I hold countless hidden aces in reserve; we will clear this hurdle."
Had it been Ganyu, she would have fretted that Ryen was softening the truth to comfort her.
Miko, however, placed absolute, unwavering faith in his capability.
Since he had brought so many impossibilities into living reality, why doubt him now?
"Let us speak of brighter matters!"
Miko wrapped her slender arms around his neck, pointedly ignoring the casual, practiced placement of his hands.
Her violet eyes danced with bright, ambitious intrigue.
"Once Guizhong and the others officially secure their server administrator privileges, could you instruct them to grant me Creative Mode authority as well? Even if it is strictly confined within Redstone Tech City, I desperately wish to experience it!"
Ryen laughed softly, giving her hip an affectionate squeeze.
"You hardly need to prompt them. To ensure seamless municipal management, granting administrative Creative Mode to the leadership is an inevitable step."
Miko beamed with radiant satisfaction. Looking down, her gaze took on a sultry, meaningful glow.
"Then let us attend to an even more delightful affair. At an hour like this, modesty hardly suits your reputation."
"Come, my darling. Be direct."
Ryen rolled his eyes playfully, leaning his head back against the plush headboard.
"I have expended far too much energy today; I lack the motivation to lead the charge."
Miko clicked her tongue with an amused, wicked smirk, her violet eyes narrowing into charming slits.
"Very well! If you refuse to move, your little fox shall provide the labor herself!"
With graceful, deliberate movement, Miko shifted her posture, drawing upon every ounce of refined artistry she possessed.
Ryen smiled comfortably, resting his hands behind his head as he closed his eyes, savoring the eager, self-reliant devotion of his companion.
Beyond the stone windows, the muffled shrieks of the undead washed against the outer ramparts without end, yet their fury failed to pierce the warm, radiant tranquility of the manor within.