1 Kill or be killed

I don't think we were ever supposed to meet with Pierro, also known as The Jester. No one under the 3rd rank had ever met with him. Usually, we would receive a letter with the necessary information and get to work right away. Pierro's chair was number one in our organization which meant he alone communicated with the Higher Order: this also meant he was extremely busy and prefered asking Dottore or Columbina to meet with us when necessary… and that rarely happened itself.

Our secret organization, Fatui, was fabricated by the Higher Order in order to resolve highly dangerous crimes to keep the peace between countries in Teyvat. The Secret Organization Of the Higher Order, or SOOHO, took the name Fatui from an old, collapsed government experiment that failed a long time ago. Funny way to say history repeats itself. Anyway, every member of the Fatui is called a Harbinger and there are eleven in total.

Furthermore, every one of us was an international criminal who's committed unspeakable crimes and have been kept a secret from the public to avoid controversy or panic. The Higher Order didn't like disturbing the peace. I can respect that, most people would prefer that, and it worked well for as long as it did. However, the ulterior motives of the HO weren't as peaceful. Especially when these master criminals were given as much power as we were allowed. Of course, there were a few who tried abusing that power, but they were made into examples shortly after. You see, the moment we agree to sign off from our life or death sentences, we are chipped with a special detector: just like how a metal detector detects metal, our 'criminal detector' detects disallowed activity and kills us mercilessly. Why I agreed to this is beyond me. I'm more shocked that this exists at all, and, in fact, I'm not certain the public would've approved of it either. Then again, they wouldn't have approved of us roaming the streets sweeping problems under the rug.

As you can probably guess by now, I was a member of said SOOHO, a Fatui Harbinger. I was the eleventh chair and the newest member at the time, known as 'Tartaglia' within the organization and 'Childe' by the public. The people knew about the existence of the Fatui, but didn't know what it was. They were told by the Higher Order that we were with the police, like some kind of really important department within the police who only came out if it were an emergency. Some people, a lot of them actually, were very suspicious since we wore masks and refused to answer too many questions. They were right to be. As illegal as it was, the Higher Order made sure the public was protected no matter what.

No matter what.

This brings us to our main point in this story: when I was called into Pierro's office. I had never been so uneasy entering a room until then. Yet, I was unbothered before coming in. I couldn't describe how cold his expression appeared, how piercing his left eye seemed and how nerve racking his posture was. The moment the dark door closed behind me, my guard was up. I kept trying to fight the urge to look around the room, wondering if I was about to get assassinated every second I spent listening to his words.

I couldn't help but analyze my surroundings anyway though; there was a single lamp lighting the office in the corner of the room behind his seat. It wasn't a bright light, it looked more like a candle effect than a lightbulb. The man had shelves full of books arranged in alphabetical order. I noticed right before sitting down that he hadn't been through some documents since they were in a chaotic order, stacked on top of each other. He had a finger tapping on the latter, suggesting his priorities for the day.

"…People have been disappearing in Liyue, close to the borders of Windrise land. The HO suspects the old Mondstadt ruins have something to do with it, but I think it might be something else."

It was a miracle I was able to keep my focus while my body was failing me. Even knowing it was for a mission, I was still paranoid. All I could do was nod in response to his frightening tone.

"You will have to go gather information in Liyue Harbor, as that is the last location the missing travellers have been reported." He pulled out a very tidy document with information that seemed to be over 30 missing persons' profiles.

I reluctantly skimmed through page after page of different faces and names, some I even recognized from missing ads left on boards in places I've been to. All people from Liyue. All people that should have been found days, weeks, months… even years ago. I dared looking at the last case in the document, dating as far as 15 years ago. I remember mumbling "impossible" under my breath, earning a dry scoff from my superior.

"Your first task is to gather the intel you need before reporting back to us. This means: note down any suspicious activity, document those notes and get us a real reason for the disappearances as fast as possible." He paused, though I'm sure why. I felt like I was being analyzed. "I have a feeling you'll agree with me when I say it's more likely part of a bigger thing, or am I wrong?"

I was stunned at how featureless he was able to be for such a long time. He had barely moved, let alone give me a wrinkle of emotion. After a split second, I replied. "This has to be some kind of conspiracy."

Pierro had finally given me an expression, a hint of an emotion: a smirk. He wasn't impressed, I don't think that's what it was. I think he was smirking because he knew something I didn't, and this claim I was making wasn't just some innocent assumption. This 'conspiracy' I was thinking of was part of a much bigger plan, and he was in on it. I should've known better.

He finally gave me one last command before dismissing me: "Don't fuck up." Of course. Infiltration was my specialty; as well as assassination, organizing crimes and manipulation. So much more, but if I listed it all, we'd be here all day.

With that, I left with the document to study it on my way to Liyue. Page after page, I kept finding something new. It was never the same case, I could never find a pattern except for the fact they were always travelling far from home. Over 15 years of 30+ people going missing… some found only to be sent to a mental institution. Others were discovered dead in the forests of Windrise. It was the conditions in which their bodies were recovered that fascinated me: dismembered from head to toe, some drained of their blood only to be scattered across a tree like a picasso painting, other bodies were buried or decayed to the point of being unrecognizable.

Thank Gods the Fatui were the ones taking care of these cases. I imagined the police abandoning this kind of mass disappearance and murder, being too overwhelming for them to handle. The thought alone earned my facial features an overly-confident smirk. I was ecstatic to work on it. I knew exactly where I would start investigating: The police station that worked on the very first disappearance. Something told me they missed out on a few details.

Upon landing from a very unpleasant plane ride, I was immediately met with an officer of the law I had encountered in the past: Ningguang. I assumed some information had been leaked of my arrival, though she only admitted to having been in contact with some Fatui newbies… which I don't doubt. She greeted me and, of course, asked me what my purpose was. Obviously, I wasn't in the liberty to tell her the details, so I had no choice but to try and deflect the questions.

"I stay here quite often, Ningguang, I don't know if you've noticed." I mumbled the last part with a chuckle. She wasn't charmed, but brushed it off with an apology nonetheless. I told her I was hoping to look into a disappearance case, to which was met with a snarky comment. It's pretty clear the police and the Fatui didn't get along, but we were all we had when it came to peace upon worlds. I trusted her with some surface level information and was able to start the investigation.

We sat down at a nearby cafe since it was pretty early in the day. I hadn't slept well in the plane and already felt jet lagged. A nice coffee would help lower the tensions at least. Small talk ended the moment we received our drinks from Liyue's famously friendly service. I guess I should have never winked at that nice waitress… I never called her.

This cafe has always been my favourite place to stop for a drink. When on vacation, it was my go to for dates or breakfast. When I was in Liyue, I had to stop there. The service was my favourite part. Always talkative and kind. I even got to know the owner of the shop and, whenever he would see me, he would pay for my drink and tell me whatever happened during the week. The place had colder colour themes as well, which was a nice difference from every other shop in Liyue. It was peaceful to have an escape from reality.

"It's unsettling how Fatui would be suddenly interested in a disappearance case from over 15 years ago…" She openly voiced her concerns about the matter. Understandable, however, she wouldn't like the truth any more than the next person. "I remember it though."

Her statement attracted my attention. I leaned on the table and settled for a more appropriate expression before she continued.

"One of my past detectives, back when I was lieutenant, worked on this specific case." Ningguang looked down at her hands, I think to study her jewelry. Then back to me. "He actually retired because of this case. No one knows why." She took a sip of her drink and added one more thing before throwing the ball at me. "I think, maybe there was something else…"

"Something else?" I interrogated her to know exactly what she knew. "Like some kind of… theory?"

"Don't act dumb, Childe. We're both not idiots." Her comment made me back off for a second. "You're obviously working on something bigger, starting with this case. And I know for a fact that my officers were in way over their heads." Her eyes became fixed, she knew something.

"How's that, exactly?"

"Before that, I want you to assure me you won't bring this here. I don't want anything to do with… whatever Fatui mess this ends up being. You're lucky enough I didn't make your 'case' public." Her index finger pointed right at my heart, while her tone became threatening. I love a good challenge. Although, I didn't remember her being like that prior to that conversation.

"Fine. And anyway, it's not supposed to. Unless Liyue has something to do with it." My tone stayed casual, as if we weren't just discussing the case of a century or my criminal record. I trusted her, though. If she really wanted to get rid of me, she would have done so years ago.

That's how we met.

When I was about to get convicted and SOOHO took me in, Ningguang was heavily investigating me without the police's knowledge. It didn't take long for her to find out what my past—and still ongoing—crimes were. But the HO got rid of all and any trace of criminal activity about me. Later, months later, I was sent on a small mission in Liyue Harbor and Ningguang made certain of letting me know of her discoveries. However, with the lack of evidence, she couldn't quite arrest me. Not only that, but I was part of a very rich and protected organization who 'gets rid of' any threat opposing it. So, in a way, she was saving my life by staying quiet and I was saving hers for knowing who I really am.

After we made our deal, she answered my earlier question. "The detective that was on this case discovered something too big for only one man, so he asked me to build him a team, to which I agreed. At best, I could get three other officers to work on the case. They all had a distinct job and spent endless hours trying to solve it. They never could." She brought her chin between two fingers, trying her best to think back. "This girl who disappeared, she was young, but…"

"…But…?" I raised an eyebrow in response to her pause. I waited impatiently for any kind of pattern, and I knew she was about to give it to me on a silver platter.

"I'm afraid she lost her parents in a tragic accident. What was it… I think it was a fire?" Her gaze had dropped while thinking, but when she recalled something peculiar, she had a glimmer in her eye. As if an old passion reignited. "That's right. We wanted to investigate the fire, but the court never let us look into it."

My head subconsciously fell on my right as the bridge of my nose crunched up. "Why did you want to investigate in the first place? Was there anything mysterious about it?" I could feel uncertainty rise, though my interest was much greater.

"Actually, yes." Ningguang stopped to think. "But I don't think I can be of much help here. You could try to interrogate my officers, if you want. Although, I doubt they'll want to communicate with a Harbinger." She rested her hands on top of each other, forgetting about her cup of tea.

I myself had forgotten about it at that point. "Are you certain you can't tell me anything right now? Anything at all that you remember as being weird?" I had become much more serious, not paying attention to any of my surroundings and neglecting the scenery which was out of character for me.

"Well… I suppose I could warn you about the forest." She sounded reluctant. Her eyes followed after a few people, making sure no one was watching or listening to us. It was strange; she wasn't usually the paranoid type. "Avoid the forest at all costs. No one has ever survived, and those who have always come back injured or mentally ill. I think whatever is kidnapping people has to do with the forest." She knew her warnings wouldn't—well, couldn't—stop a Fatui member from facing danger, but Ningguang had to look out for people. It was her job after all.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Ningguang, I appreciate all you've told me today. If you'll excuse me, I have some people to question." I gave her my utmost polite goodbye with a signature smile. We bowed to each other and parted ways. Ningguang stayed behind, though. I looked back out of curiosity and noticed her getting lost in thought. It surprised me. She was never that willing to help out. I supposed she wanted to fix an issue that was truly horrific and out of her hands.

Before going further into this mission, I had to check into my hotel of choice: a nice little building next to the sea with the highest view. Couldn't get this kind of luxury in prison… That was one reason to stay in Fatui. My room was large with a seperate king-sized bedroom. It was, to say the least, delux. The colours stayed in Liyue's themes of reds and oranges. I could never get sick of those colours. Like an eternal autumn season. The kitchen had an island, perfect for me since I would need to prepare my meals for the next week… or month. The windows were immense compared to what you would get in the deserts of Sumeru or anywhere in Snezhnaya.

Once I was settled in, I quickly began to note anything useful and, frankly, there was a lot more than I originally thought. From the moment I first took a look at the documents, I could tell how bizarre all of it was. The comment about the young woman's parents really stuck out to me. I recall thinking: 'why isn't the death of her parents written in her paperwork?' A detail like that could really help find a reason for her kidnapping or even willingly leaving her home to disappear. Motives.

One idea escaped my mind, though. I should have noted that right away, but decided against it. I didn't think it was related at all.

'What if the fire was staged?'

As soon as I finished up in my room, I grabbed my coat and hurried outside before it got dark. On my way to the police station, I caught myself thinking about all the missing people who were sent to mental institutions after being found. How were they found? Did they come back on their own? Were they injured from the forest? I wanted to go to the Liyue institution to see if I could speak with one of the survivors.

"Priorities, Ajax, priorities…" I mumbled as quietly as possible.

I passed person after person in the streets, realizing how distrusting I was getting. I knew I couldn't treat this like any other mission, like it was some vacation. This is where I began to wonder why I was the only one working on it since it was turning into such a huge investigation. My mind drifted back to The Jester and how unsettling the meeting with him was. I felt heavy again thinking about his dark tone, his dim room, the way the chair creaked under my body… I felt a shiver. How can someone from Snezhnaya feel so cold in Liyue?

At last, I arrived at my destination. I came back to my senses, relaxing my shoulders as I walked into the department. I made sure I had my recorder, a pen and a notepad, and asked for a visitor's badge at the reception. It honestly felt like I was some amateur reporter, not a top agent from a highly respected organization. Only when people questioned me did I need to pull out my 'vision': a passport, so to speak, to prove my allegiance with SOOHO. Yes, just like a police badge.

The police station was quite large. Traditional Liyue decor covered every wall, ceiling and window frames. It was a very breathable building with enough daylight to keep the officers from feeling too isolated. The view from inside had always amazed me; one side showed the mountains of Liyue and the other showed the city. Sometimes walking in the building felt like it was just glass. For a police department, it was definitely one of the most beautiful structures in Liyue Harbor.

The official hall of desks was a little more disorganized, though. Some policemen preferred leaving their paperwork scattered across their tables and others didn't clean the coffee stains left by white mugs. The place had a smell, too. Cigarettes and sweat with an after-smell of caffeine and sweets. It was nauseating at times.

"I need to speak with whomever worked on a certain missing person's case." I stated to an officer who didn't seem very pleased to see a Harbinger. Ningguang said this would happen.

"Who's asking?" As expected, his voice was stern and he was purposely unwelcoming. It was clear he wanted me gone and wasn't going to let me go past the door frame.

"What's the issue with my vision?" I kept a friendly face, as manipulative as that sounds… I had no real reason to be otherwise. I also love to play dumb to dumber people who truly believe they have authority over me. I understood very well what he was asking me, I just wanted him to say it.

"I don't care who yer affiliated with, no one does here, I wanna know who thinks they can just waltz in here interrogating the police—" the man was cut off by another officer, a woman whom I hadn't seen in that department before, Jean. She seemed young to me at the time, then again, I was a young law-breaker as well. I sensed there was a theme there… This was the second time a woman came to my rescue. Sort of.

"Sorry about his behavior." She calmly said. I was ultimately met with a hand, hers, for a friendly shake. My assessment was that she wasn't from Liyue and definitely not used to the customs. "Jean Gunnhildr, 1st rank detective and currently on a case. Also, apparently, keeping this asshole from damaging our reputation. Nice to meet you…?" This long greeting was unexpected, but greatly appreciated. Her name, position and strength were already noted. She was very strong.

"Childe, at your service." As I replied, I introduced my vision which up close actually tells what my own rank is. "11th chairman of the Harbingers. I won't be in your shoes too long, detective. I just have a few questions regarding an old case." I made sure not to waste too much of her time, since she mentioned being on a job as we were speaking. That was why she was telling me, I imagined.

She crossed her arms, wondering in her mind whether she would let me do as I pleased or not. That would prove bothersome, but I wasn't to force myself in a situation with the police if it ever happened. Especially with Ningguang breathing down my neck. "A Harbinger wants to know about some random case? How old?" I could tell she had her suspicions.

"Over 15 years ago, a girl went missing in Windrise. Ningguang told me I could talk to some of the officers who were involved in the events." Always staying casual, I took out my recorder as a tactic. Whenever I had to openly investigate something, taking out my notepad or recorder always pressured people into submission. However, the other officer got irritated and Jean looked unimpressed after staring down at the gadget.

"It depends who you want to speak to."

"I don't know who worked on that case. Ningguang failed to mention names, I'm afraid."

"So, the Captain of this department allegedly gave you the okay to ask officers, without knowing who to ask, about some 15 years old missing person police investigation? I apologize, sir, but I doubt we can help you."

We were gradually getting on each other's nerves, disrespecting our differences in authority. Jean Gunnhildr: a physically very strong woman who knew how to hold her ground and how to counter a situation with perfect passive aggressiveness. And then there was me, Childe: the annoying Harbinger who was secretly once a criminal sentenced to life in prison. I have to admit, she was an impressive person. Yet, there was something about her. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, something seemed off. I wish I would have seen it then. It wasn't obvious, but it was enough for me to note it down.

"Look. I get you don't believe my claims and I can see where I'm not wanted, but this isn't just some random thing I'm asking around. Fatui has sent me to find out why people keep disappearing under your noses." Out of patience entirely, I raised my voice slightly to adjust to the population of the department. My arms and shoulders were moving out of exasperation. "I'm just doing my job."

"If you think doing your job is to tell us we're not doing ours, you can get the fuck out." Some angry voice remarked from a crowd forming in the room. At that moment, I noticed a man who seemed to refuse to join the others. He was observing the episode unfolding with mild interest. He appeared experienced, maybe who I was looking for.

But I didn't want to stick around to find out. "Alright jeez. If you care so little about the people of Liyue, I'll get my answers elsewhere." I clicked my tongue against my teeth as I walked away from the crowd of grumps. My facial features wrinkled with irritation and a pinch of exhaustion. The perfect recipe for a headache.

Upon coming back to the hotel with barely anything new to go on, I decided to give a call to the Institution of Mental Healthcare in Liyue. Maybe I would have more answers there, but to no avail. I had to think…

I started to talk outloud to sort through my thoughts better."First thing's first: I can't find a pattern on any of the victims so far." I ripped a piece of paper with some of my written notes from my mini spiral pad, taping it to the nearest wall of the living room. "Then, Ningguang mentioned how dangerous the forest is and a girl who's parents are dead," I wrote a few words on multiple post-its, also sticking them on the wall where I kept adding my notes. "but it could be murder." This thought was important. It was definitely the key to finding out the truth. So, I wrote 'murder?' on a post-it in the middle of my wall of fame and stuck a note that read 'victim #? parents died in a fire'. "The police are no help, but I want to keep an eye on Jean…" This one had caught my attention the most. She made a scene out of my presence to purposely turn the police against me and make me an enemy. I went to the extreme and wrote 'could be related to disappearances' on a note. "What else…" I stood in front of my wall for a minute, observing the puzzle pieces carefully. My ocean blue eyes tried to connect every single clue together, but nothing had a connection yet. I needed just one push in the right direction. "The Institution seems to be a dead end, but I should take a look regardless. I should probably interrogate civilians too."

I was certain these two things would do it. At least if the mental institution was unhelpful, I would find answers in the streets. I knew I would have to be stealthy, however, since the law would be keeping an eye on me from then on. I was right. For the Institution, I decided to pose as just a reporter, so I would leave my vision behind as well as my mask.

Although, the night had already fallen. It was late and it was dark, so I chose to sleep. It was only my first day, after all. There was probably so much more I could do for the next week, I thought.

But the night wasn't any easier. Never had I dreamt of such horrors. I was a killer, an assassin, but perhaps this case would finally bring my conscience to justice? No, I didn't dream of the lives I had taken, rather, I had nightmares about the victims who went missing. It was a first for me…

Faces I had thoroughly studied haunted me in a ghostly form, names I memorized were heard through loud winds, physical descriptions I read for hours came true and all the notes I took drowned me in my sleep. All the gory imagery of the bodies found in the woods became alive and ran after me. A wave of blood took the forests of Windrise where nothing was left but a single, bloody, cobblestone path. This serpent road was taking me to an island: it was unrecognizable, but my brain fabricated some kind of house. It was a house from an old memory, from a long time ago. However, the house was different… It wasn't the same wood or the same size. It was much bigger, darker and the aura around it had colours of the rainbow before quickly fading into near white shades. Just like polar lights.

I forced myself awake with a gasp as I felt a pair of rough hands choking me. It was only a dream, I kept repeating to myself. My breaths were swift, my back was sweaty and my body felt heavy. I needed a tall glass of water and a shower. As I got up, I checked the time while walking to the kitchen: 4am. I supposed it was a good enough time for me to start the day. I wasn't sure I would have slept any more even if I tried.

"Fucking shit. What even was that…?" Upon realizing what I had just been through, my face fell into my palm in dismay. A short lived laugh escaped me as a coping mechanism. I came to my senses and started up the cold water to wash it all off.