Ren
Nue touched down just outside the harbor gate as the sun was getting low, and Ren slid off first followed by Zhongli.
"I have to thank you again, Zhongli. You really saved me a lot of Mora."
"You're welcome. But as I said, it's merely help from a friend," Zhongli said while adjusting his coat.
"I'm going to keep saying thank you regardless."
"I am aware." There was a faint quality to Zhongli's voice that Ren had identified as his version of being amused. "I will accept it gracefully."
Ren recalled Nue into the shadow and felt the weight of the Cor Lapis redistribute. It had gotten no lighter since the cave. He had been carrying it for several hours now, and his body had mostly gotten used to the weight.
They parted at the main gate, Zhongli heading to an inn where he would be staying while in Liyue Harbor, and Ren stood in place to think of what needed to be done next.
The ore situation was solved. More than solved, actually. He had enough Cor Lapis to make three armbands with a significant amount left over.
The surplus alone, sold at market rate, would cover his business expenses for at least three months. He made a note to look into who was currently buying raw Cor Lapis in the harbor district. Probably half the haul could go. Maybe more.
That was a problem for later.
The immediate problem was turning raw ore into finished armbands. Cor Lapis was workable, but not by an amateur. It needed proper tools and someone who knew what they were doing with dense mineral composites.
And Ren knew enough about metalworking to know that he did not know enough about it.
'Maybe I could ask the people at Mingxing Jewelry?' The thought popped into his head.
He had done a handful of deliveries for them. Documents mostly, occasionally samples, and the jobs had paid well enough that he had paid attention to who they were and what they handled. They dealt in precious stones and gems, as well as custom work, and were essentially a high-end jewelry brand in Liyue.
If anyone in Liyue could turn Cor Lapis into finished armbands, the people behind Mingxing were probably on the short list.
He thought about it for approximately thirty seconds before ruling it out.
The deliveries had given him a professional relationship with the company, though nothing personal. He knew their intake process and their general location.
But he did not know who their actual jeweler was, and even if he found out, anyone operating at that level was almost certainly under contract arrangements that would make private commissions complicated at best and impossible at worst.
Walking in and asking them to make armbands for a courier startup was not a conversation he was likely to win.
He needed a blacksmith.
Specifically, he needed a blacksmith who could work with a dense stone composite, produce clean finished pieces rather than rough utility items, and ideally someone he could establish an ongoing arrangement with rather than a one-off commission.
The armbands would need periodic work, as the CE imbuing process required the base material to remain in a consistent condition.
'Hmm, I guess there is a person I can go to.'
There was one name that came to mind without much deliberation. Hanfeng's Ironmongers had a reputation in the harbor district that Ren had heard mentioned enough times to take seriously. The man behind it, Master Zhang, had come up in conversation more than once.
He hadn't needed a blacksmith until now. He had filed the information away for later.
Later was apparently now.
He adjusted the weight in his shadow storage, ignored his body's continued complaints about it, and headed toward the Adventurers Guild district where Hanfeng's was located.
/ — /
Hanfeng's Ironmongers sat directly next to the Adventurers Guild, which Ren had walked past enough times to have stopped noticing it.
Now that he was actually looking at it as a destination, he had to appreciate the placement. Adventurers were the single most reliable consumers of quality tools in Liyue. Blades, picks, and reinforced equipment for people who had spent a significant portion of their lives in rough environments.
Putting your smithy next to the place those people reported to every day was smart.
As he walked up the steps, he saw that Master Zhang was finishing up with a customer. Zhang said something which made the man laugh. They exchanged a few more words, and then the customer headed down the steps past Ren.
Zhang turned and saw him.
His expression moved immediately into recognition. "Shadow Courier! Been a while since you've come through here."
"Master Zhang." Ren stepped up to the counter. "Good to see you."
The man was built, which was expected of most blacksmiths in Teyvat. Broad through the shoulders, and hands that looked like they could bend metal without tools if the situation called for it.
"I've been hearing things," Zhang said, leaning against the counter. "Word is the Shadow Courier is branching out. Taking on staff."
Ren rubbed the back of his neck. "Word sure travels fast."
"As they say, kid, the walls have ears." Zhang smiled. "So what brings you in? Something for the new operation, I'd guess."
"That's right." Ren straightened. "I need custom work done. Specific material, specific specifications. I was hoping—"
Zhang's expression changed before he finished the sentence. Not rudely, but it was more like a wince.
"I have to stop you there," he said. "I'm sorry, Ren. I genuinely am. I'm buried right now. Three weeks behind on existing orders, got two guild commissions I promised delivery on before the month's end, and I've got my nephew helping out temporarily, which, Rex Lapis bless him, is not exactly speeding things up." He shook his head. "I cannot take on custom work for at least a month. Probably closer to six weeks."
"Six weeks?!"
"I know. Terrible timing."
Ren absorbed this for a moment. Six weeks wasn't that bad. The armbands weren't needed until after the contracts were finalized and the employees were trained enough, which had its own timeline.
But six weeks of Cor Lapis sitting in his shadow storage while waiting for a slot felt wasteful, and more practically, he had momentum right now. Stopping it felt wrong.
'Looks like this is a dud,' he sighed internally, 'Just when things were going so smoothly…'
"It's alright. I'll find someone else who can take it on. It's not urgent."
"I'm sorry I can't help..."
He suddenly paused, putting a hand under his chin as something seemed to come to mind. "Actually, there might be someone."
"Oh?"
"There's a young blacksmith I know. Self-taught. Goes by Hengyi." He stopped for a second, carefully choosing his words, "He's been trying to get established for a while now, and well, he hasn't had the easiest time of it, customer-wise. But his skills are good, believe me. If the timing were different I'd have taken him on as an apprentice already."
Ren frowned slightly. "Self-taught? Is he affiliated with anyone? Another smithy?"
"No, he's working independently," Zhang said as he suspiciously turned his eyes away from Ren's own. "He's in Qingxu Village, set up his own little operation there."
'Why is he doing that?'
"You said he's been struggling for customers." Ren kept his voice neutral so as not to accidentally sound insulting. "Why? If his work is as good as you're saying, then shouldn't he have customers flooding to him?"
Zhang let out a long sigh. "His work is good," he said firmly. "He is just… the kid is unique. You'll understand when you meet him."
Ren looked at him with a blank stare.
Zhang responded with a pleasant look and said nothing else.
'Unique sounds worrying.' Ren thought. Coming from a man who had clearly seen enough of the world to have a fairly broad definition of normal, having him call someone unique was troubling.
He considered the situation. An unknown blacksmith was definitely a risk, but Zhang's endorsement wasn't nothing.
The man had a reputation precisely because of his trustworthiness, and he had just called this person's skills good enough to apprentice.
'On the bright side. If things worked out, I'd get a personal blacksmith long term… I suppose that's worth some uncertainty.' Ren reasoned.
"Where in Qingxu?"
Zhang looked happy that Ren didn't brush him off and gave him the details, which were no more than a general location, since Zhang had forgotten where Hengyi's house was. Ren thanked the man anyway and headed back down the steps.
Ren looked at the sun's position. It was already quite late, but he could definitely make it to Qingxu before it was night out.
'Time to get myself a blacksmith.'
/ — /
Volkov
'I can't believe I'm assigned to the Shadow Courier. AGAIN!'
The last time Volkov had been assigned to observe the Shadow Courier was in Guyun Stone Forest. After seeing a courier beat up dozens of Treasure Hoarders AND a Fatui Agent easily, he did not want anything to do with him.
He had submitted a formal request to be reassigned to literally any other posting after that. Nod-Krai. The Chasm.
The request had been denied.
To the higher-ups, he was doing a fantastic job, and they saw no reason to move him elsewhere.
And so here he was, standing outside Hanfeng's Ironmongers in a civilian disguise. Wearing plain clothes matched with a hat he had borrowed from a colleague that was slightly too large for his head, watching the Shadow Courier head towards Qingxu.
Volkov sighed quietly and followed at a safe distance.
The assignment was straightforward on paper. Observe, document, and report the Shadow Courier's activities. Nothing that required direct engagement. His handler had been very clear that this was only a surveillance operation. So there would be no confrontation that would result in Volkov having another encounter with whatever those things were that came out of his shadows.
The problem was that Volkov had been on "straightforward" assignments involving the Shadow Courier before, and they had a pattern of becoming considerably less straightforward once they were actually happening.
It was just yesterday that he got a report that the man could seemingly sense others energy. This made spying considerably harder as he needed to conceal his presence when in close proximity, which was very tiring.
What was worse, another report said the Shadow Courier was in personal contact with an Adeptus!
'What kind of courier gets personal attention from the Adepti?!'
But Volkov kept his complaints to himself. He adjusted his hat, kept his distance, and tried to look like someone who was simply also heading to Qingxu village for entirely ordinary reasons of his own.
He watched the Shadow Courier turn a corner ahead and quickened his pace slightly to keep him in sight.
For some reason, his left eye twitched.
/ — /
Ren
Qingxu Village wasn't far from the harbor. It was close enough that Ren made it on foot before the last of the daylight had fully gone.
It was a small but nice village. Just slightly smaller than Qingce Village, though this one was a little more popular for tourists and adventurers because it was directly next to Qingxu Pool.
He stopped the first person he found who looked like they'd lived here long enough to know their neighbors.
"Excuse me," Ren said. "I'm looking for a blacksmith by the name of Hengyi. Do you know where I can find him?"
The woman stopped walking.
She looked at him with a weird expression, like she was trying to figure out whether he was being serious or joking.
"Are you sure?" she repeated.
"Yes?"
She pointed him vaguely eastward without another word and kept walking, shaking her head at something.
'That was weird…'
The second person he asked was a middle-aged man mending something outside his house, who gave him essentially the same response. This one at least provided clearer directions before adding, "You sure about that?"
"Yes, I am sure."
The man raised his eyebrows slightly, which seemed to settle something for him. He pointed Ren toward a small house at the far end of the village's eastern side and went back to his mending without further comment.
Ren walked. He passed two more people on the way, neither of whom he asked, but both of whom glanced at the direction he was heading and then at him with an odd expression.
'Rex Lapis, please don't make Hengyi another weird person.' He prayed internally. He had had enough of meeting strange people. Just once, can he meet someone who didn't have weird energy, wasn't overpowered, and wouldn't try to kill him?
The house at the end of the cluster was small but tidy. A workbench visible through a side window with tools arranged on it. A faint smell of metal and heat that meant the forge somewhere nearby had been used recently.
Ren didn't waste any more time and knocked on the door.
There was a sound from inside, and the door opened not long after.
The person standing in it was younger than Ren had expected. Not much older than him, maybe a few years at most, with the lean build of someone who worked physically and the particular expression of someone who had been interrupted while doing something important. He had a Geo Vision at his hip that Ren clocked automatically.
His irritated expression only confirmed that he did not appreciate the interruption. "What do you want?"
Ren was caught slightly off guard at the hostility, but kept his expression professional. "I was looking for a blacksmith, and Master Zhang recommended you. I was hoping to use your services."
Hengyi's eyes went wide. His mouth opened slightly, like he was having trouble believing what had just come out of Ren's mouth.
"...Are you serious?" Hengyi said.
"Yes—"
SLAM.
The door closed in his face.
Ren stood on the step and stared at the closed door.
"That was rude…" he muttered under his breath.
He had no clue what had just happened. He was pretty sure he hadn't said anything to warrant having a door slammed on his face, so what was that about?
He raised his hand to knock again—
Only for the door to suddenly open. Making Ren yelp in surprise.
The person standing in it was wearing the same clothes as before, his hair had been quickly straightened, his posture had shifted into something upright and composed, and his expression had been replaced entirely with pure professionalism.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, kind sir," Hengyi said, in a tone that bore no resemblance whatsoever to the one he had used thirty seconds ago. "You are here for my services?"
"..."
He nodded.
"Please come in," Hengyi said, stepping aside to let him in.
/ — /
The inside of Hengyi's house was small but functional. Most of the space was given over to work. Some reference materials were stacked along one wall, diagrams pinned up to show what Ren assumed were ongoing projects, and samples of metalwork arranged on a shelf. The living space had been pushed to one corner as an afterthought.
'At least he's dedicated.'
Hengyi set tea in front of him without asking, which was standard enough in Liyue that Ren didn't think twice about it.
He settled into the chair across the table and took a sip from his cup while Hengyi sat opposite with the composed bearing he had apparently put on with his straightened hair.
Now that he had a moment to actually look at the man properly, Ren ran a quick assessment out of habit.
The Geo Vision sat at his hip, with little decoration. Ren extended his senses briefly, getting a read on Hengyi's energy, as he did with most people he was about to do business with.
He was pretty standard for Vision Wielders. Nothing out of the ordinary.
'Thank goodness.'
"So," Hengyi said, in the professional tone that was doing a lot of work covering whatever had happened at the door. "What is it that you require?"
Ren set down his tea. "I'd like to commission you to make me some armbands. Sturdy ones, meant to sit around the upper arm, around the bicep area. And I'd like them to be made from Cor Lapis."
"You want me to make… armbands?
"That's right."
"You came to a blacksmith for armbands."
"Yes."
Hengyi was quiet for a moment before his eyes narrowed dangerously at him. "Are you insulting me?"
"N-No!" Ren quickly answered, "I assure you, I am as serious as a person can be."
Hengyi picked up his tea, took a deliberate sip, and set it back down. He seemed to be making peace with something.
"I see." His expression losing its edge. Ren took it as a chance to explain further. He grabbed a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Hengyi.
It was a picture of the design he wanted for the armband.
"I should also tell you upfront that I'm looking for a long-term arrangement, not a one-off commission. I want someone who can make these consistently, on an ongoing basis. If that works for you, we can talk about the details. The full purpose of the armbands I can't disclose until we have a formal contract in place."
Hengyi became silent again, but Ren could see that he was trying to control his expression and failing terribly.
The man seemed not to want to show his excitement at Ren's proposal, much to Ren's confusion.
"I see," he said again. "It would only make sense that someone of your standing would seek out expertise of the highest caliber." He set his cup down with more flair than was necessary. "Worry not. My skills are second only to the gods themselves!"
'Oooookkkk. I'm not touching that.'
"Before we talk long-term, I need to see your work," Ren said. "I'll commission one armband first. Depending on the outcome, we can proceed with a formal arrangement. Fair?"
"Completely fair," Hengyi said, his voice failing to hide his excitement.
"Good. So what's your price for one armband made to my specifications?"
Hengyi considered. He looked at the middle distance for a moment, running calculations in his mind while humming loudly.
"Fifty thousand Mora."
Ren's heart stopped.
Not metaphorically. The beat was just absent for a full second while his brain processed the number.
'Fifty thousand Mora for one armband is insane!' He would eventually need three of them, potentially more as the business scaled. He ran the math against his will and arrived at a figure that made his stomach twist.
He looked at Hengyi with a baffled expression.
Hengyi looked back with complete seriousness. He was not joking. There was not a trace of humor in his expression. Fifty thousand Mora was his number, and he meant it.
Though after closer observation, there was a very faint line of sweat at Hengyi's temple.
The cost was steep. Horrendously steep. Fifty thousand per armband would hit his margins hard, and if the long-term arrangement maintained anywhere near that price point, the Cursed Tool project would become significantly more expensive than he had budgeted for.
But he thought about Master Zhang's face when he said the skills were good enough to apprentice.
Zhang was not a man who handed out that kind of endorsement casually. And he thought about the workspace behind him, which was the setup of someone who took their craft seriously even when no one was paying them to.
From what Master Zhang said, Hengyi had no customers at all. Yet he was still willing to price his products so high because that's what he believed they were worth.
Ren had to admit that it took some courage.
He thought about himself months ago, trying to convince Katheryne to let him take commissions with no track record and no credentials. The harbor hadn't exactly been lining up to give him a chance either.
But he wasn't going to hand over fifty thousand Mora out of sympathy. That wasn't how business worked, and it wouldn't do either of them any favors.
But the confidence behind that number. Setting a price that high when you had no customers, not out of delusion but out of genuine belief in your own work, that was something Ren understood.
"Thirty thousand,"
Hengyi's eyes widened. He was clearly waiting for a different response. But he recovered fast.
"Forty thousand," he countered.
"Thirty-five." Ren extended his hand across the table.
Hengyi looked at the hand. Then at Ren.
Finally, he reached out and took it.
"Deal."