Chapter Text
It all began with death.
A world, once brimming with life and light, has been thrown into darkness and chaos by the actions of Archon: the mega corporation that practically owns all of Teyvat. Their research in biological warfare upset the natural order of things when they began experimenting with a cure to death.
An immortality drug gone wrong… That is what created this disaster. In a world like Teyvat, developed to the point it has become one large, densely populated city, there was no hope. The virus spread fast, wiping out a majority of the living before anything could be done to stop it.
Zombies, they were named before the televisions and radios went to static.
In an effort to save itself from what lurks beyond the stars, Teyvat became a hellscape that even the stars do not concern themselves with.
For the past five years, Zhongli has done his best to maintain order in his corner of a world upturned. It is his responsibility, his duty to humanity…however few there are left. They are his to protect.
He has gathered as many as he could, establishing a small safe haven- a sanctuary- in Liyue District. With his expertise in defensive tech, he has created a wall that the zombies cannot breach. The Jade Shield, as it has been named. Its golden radiance is the last barrier between humanity and its end.
Leadership is no stranger to Zhongli. But these past five years have tested him to his limits.
Every single loss in his small community weighs heavily on Zhongli’s shoulders. Every life he’s had to take to stop the spread of the virus is a scar on his heart.
It was necessary. Zhongli hardened himself. If he had not done so, the consequences would have been too grave. Even those closest to his heart could not be spared…
Little Liyue- as they call their small community- has established such an organized system of survival that it has been an entire year since anyone has fallen victim to the harsh new reality of their world.
Sequestered to the safety of what used to be one of Archon’s branch facilities, the majority of the remaining civilians live a decidedly peaceful life within the golden Jade Shield… given the situation.
Zhongli has made it so. Along with his close companions- the Adepti, as the common folk call them- he has seen to every defense, every need of the people. They do not want for much. And with time, they have come to no longer fear the outside world as they once did.
It is up to Zhongli and the Adepti to brave the wasteland of zombies and see to the peoples’ needs. Mostly, their community is self sufficient, but there are times when they must venture out.
Times like these.
Zhongli squats on a ledge high above the city, overlooking the scattered zombies wandering aimlessly through the streets.
The dense skyline used to be obscured by hovercraft traffic. Now, the skies are empty. He keeps watch across the rooftops for Xiao’s signal. Once he spots the familiar flash of reflected light, he stands. They are in position.
With a firm strike, Zhongli’s flare is lit.
He is the distraction.
A large antique drum rests on this rooftop, abandoned from before humanity’s fall. This is not the first time Zhongli has beat its weathered surface, but like every other time in the past, the horde soon gathers down below, drawn towards the noise.
One would think they would catch on to this trick after the hundredth time it has been played. But, well… zombies are not intelligent.
The mass of bodies way down on the street steadily grows as newcomers join the writhing wave of hobbled, broken flesh. It takes some time, but eventually the entire block is full, leaving the rest of Liyue District’s streets considerably deserted.
Xiao and the others should have an easy time completing their task.
Over the past five years, with this system, they have already scavenged most of the usable goods left over from the previous world from the surrounding buildings.
However, this time they are searching for something they had not prioritized before… medical equipment for infant care.
It is Zhongli’s pride and joy that his people are ready to begin anew. The first pregnancy of the new age was a joyous discovery. Xianyun would have liked to be a part of this excursion if she wasn’t the one it was needed for.
She will make a great mother. However…
Their doctor, Baizhu, had detected abnormalities in the pregnancy with his limited equipment. The news had been devastating, but for the hope that specialized equipment could be found.
After weeks of searching, they finally have it. Zhongli answers the light in the distance with a signal of his own and ceases the striking of the drum. They’re finished on their end.
Now, for the difficult part.
The wall of bodies surrounding the floor level of the building stretches nearly a mile wide. Luckily, he has prepared his exit strategy in advance.
Like many times before, Zhongli approaches the edge of the building. A thick cable stretches between this rooftop and the next building, sloping downward.
Unfastening his belt, Zhongli drops down, hooking it over the edge of the line, and lets gravity take him across.
The small gap on the other side closes in fast. He ducks just in time, through the open window, tucking into a roll that lands him in a defensive position. He’s never encountered a zombie on the other side before, but his defenses never lower unless he is back within Little Liyue’s Jade Shield.
Once he’s sure the coast is clear, he returns his belt to his waist and draws his plasma blade from the harness at his back, waiting to power it on. He proceeds through the dark hallway, silent as a wraith. He needs no light, having walked this path many times before.
At the end of the hall, he reaches the stairwell. The steps are metal, so it can’t be helped that his boot makes a slight sound when it lands, echoing down the shaft stretching deep into the darkness below.
One step is all it takes to know something is wrong.
Zhongli pauses, listening closely.
There it is again. A second footstep, this time echoing up from below.
He waits, not making a single sound, for the zombie below to move on.
Tap.
Zhongli’s face hardens.
This building should have been blocked off from the street below. How did one even get in? His next zip line is four floors down. If it’s just one zombie, he won’t have an issue taking it out and moving on. But how many are there…?
There’s no use in waiting.
Zhongli makes a quick descent down the stairs, less concerned about noise. If he can reach the line first, it doesn't matter if he’s spotted.
The footsteps below quicken, growing in number. Sure enough, his foe down below is not alone. There must have been a breach. Having heard Zhongli’s footsteps, the zombies making their way up the stairwell begin to moan and groan, eager for flesh.
Reaching his destined floor, Zhongli is met with a mauled face, gnarled limbs reaching up towards him. It is not uncommon for zombies to attempt eating one another before realizing the meat is already long spoiled.
Zhongli activates his plasma spear, thrusting it through the zombie’s skull, cleaving it in two. As the zombie falls, another pops up from its shadow, only to get its arms sheared off by Zhongli’s scorching blade.
With mere moments until the next wave arrives, Zhongli spins towards the window, ready to throw his belt over the next zip line…
Zhongli freezes in place. It’s gone. The edge of the cable is still there, fastened to the bar by the window. But it has been cut clean through.
Zhongli doesn’t get time to examine it closer as the echoing footsteps grow louder, the zombies invigorated by the sounds of the living.
Zhongli’s face sets firmly. There is no way out now but the path he will have to carve through this wall of flesh.
Gripping his blade tight, Zhongli’s boot falls upon the next stair.
He descends into hell, golden blade casting light and shadows in the dark narrow space with each arc. His mindless foes climb over the split bodies that reached for Zhongli first, heedless to the fact they stand no chance of reaching him.
While he tears a path down towards the ground floor, Zhongli’s mind races, trying to come up with a plan for when he reaches it. There is always a way out. He just has to find it.
There are so many. It’s his own fault. He’s the one who summoned the horde. But shouldn’t they all be focused on the place he’d struck the drum? Why are they here?
There’s no time to ponder. He’s nearing the first floor and the sea of zombies inhabiting it.
As experienced a fighter as he is, even Zhongli doesn’t know if he can face that many zombies alone. Just as he begins to rethink his course of action, taking a step backwards up the stairs, something grabs his ankle from between the steps.
Most zombies’ muscles have deteriorated by this point, leaving them slow and weak. But there are some that have mysteriously retained their strength. It is just Zhongli’s luck that the one holding his ankle has such a firm grip. He has no choice but to-
His plasma blade cries eerily as it slices through the metal staircase, cutting the zombie’s arm off as it goes.
The whole stairway lurches, dropping lower as it crumples beneath its own weight. Zhongli holds tight. Maybe he can still climb his way back up.
Before he can find a way, he must take care of the zombies creeping up the slanted stairs. Clinging to the rail with one arm, Zhongli swipes at them with his other, fending them off. But they just keep coming.
This is no good.
Zhongli’s eyes hollow out, his mind going blank as he releases the stair rail, dropping straight into the horde.
For a moment, all is calm as he disappears beneath the sea of bodies. And then, in one elegant arc, every zombie within the radius of his blade’s reach falls. Zhongli stands in the void left behind, prepared as the horde spills in to close the gap.
His blade is a blur of golden light, ceaselessly cutting down any zombie that gets within reach. There has to be an end somewhere. He just has to hold out.
But his muscles begin to fatigue, his blade slowing… and still there seems to be no end.
How could such a routine mission come to this? Zhongli’s mind flits to the cut zipline before focusing back on the predicament at hand.
If he can find an exit…
There are two doorways. Both have zombies spilling in through them. But one is smaller, and luckily closer to his next destination. Once he makes it to the next building, he can slip through the barricade and he’ll be back on track returning to Little Liyue.
Without letting his blade rest for even a moment, Zhongli begins steering the fight towards the smaller exit.
One small misstep… that’s all it takes. His foot lands, unbalanced, slipping in the pooled zombie guts, and Zhongli goes down.
Crunch.
Time seems to slow in the moment it takes for his elbow to hit the ground. His ankle is…
The blood rushing through his veins drowns out the noise of the horde. Zhongli acts purely on instinct, rolling to one knee and lashing out with his blade just before those grimy hands reach him.
But there are so many hands. And teeth. Gnawing and gnashing, reaching and grabbing for Zhongli. He wrenches himself out of their grasp.
Forcing himself to his feet, Zhongli winces as his weight bears down on his twisted ankle.
Staggering, Zhongli lurches towards the exit, but there are hands on him now, pulling at his legs, his clothes, his hair… He can feel their rotten teeth gnawing at his armored mesh sleeves, trying to get to the skin beneath.
One bite is all it would take.
Zhongli’s senses are overwhelmed as he is grabbed and pulled, dragged into the horde.
His hood is pulled from his head, exposing him further.
No.
The world slows down.
Zhongli will not let it end this way. His people rely on him. He knows them. The Adepti will not return through the Jade Shield without him. There’s much left to be done before he…
Zhongli must make it back at least one more time.
With a fierce yell, Zhongli pulls with all his might to free himself, feeling his shoulder give in the process.
Through sheer force, Zhongli cuts down the zombies that dared hold him down. Swinging his blade wildly with one arm, he manages to cut a path to the doorway, out into the alleyway, and across the street to his destination.
This old hotel has been sealed off in advance, just like the last building should have been. Zhongli cuts the chain on the door and slips inside, slamming it shut behind him and barring the handles with a metal pipe.
On the other side, Zhongli braces himself against the wall, taking deep ragged breaths to steady himself. The zombies groan in rage at his escape, banging on the door.
Exhausted, Zhongli lets out a mild laugh. He made it.
It’s too soon to lower his guard, though. There’s no time to rest, either. With one hand clutching his dislocated shoulder, Zhongli pushes himself off the wall and hobbles on his injured ankle towards the hotel’s lobby. If he remembers correctly, the stairs should be around…
Zhongli pauses as he rounds the corner.
The lobby is a mess, littered with mangled zombies, some of which still twitch and groan softly. This is not how this place appeared last time Zhongli was here.
Moving quietly, Zhongli approaches one of the corpses, inspecting its wounds. The limbs have been sliced clean through, seared at the edges just like…
A plasma blade.
Did Xiao and the others decide to come looking for him? Archon tech is not common.
Zhongli rises back up, unsteady.
A subtle movement stirs the shadows in Zhongli’s periphery. His thumb rests on the activator of his blade as he slowly turns, but he puts just a little too much weight on his ankle, causing his step to lurch.
In that single moment of weakness, the figure in the shadows lunges at him. It’s fast for a zombie, closing the distance in an instant. Body caked in mud and guts, it is surprisingly whole, too.
Zhongli swings his blade, activating it mid-attack, to cleave the zombie’s head from its shoulders. Its face is wild, covered in blood. But the eyes-
Zhongli’s eyes widen.
Human!
There is only a split second to decide. He can see the exact moment that the other man also realizes. Beneath the hood, blue eyes glimmer, illuminated by the glow of his pair plasma blades flying to take Zhongli’s head.
Zhongli’s blade halts just shy of the other’s skin, heart hammering in his chest. Did he make the right decision?
He’s still alive.
The man’s blade has also stopped, hovering scorchingly hot by Zhongli’s own neck.
Trusting strangers is a dead practice these days. Humans are just as deadly as the undead after the fall of society.
It has been years since Zhongli has come across an outsider, though.
“Lower your blade,” he commands.
The man’s mouth stretches into a wry smile. “You first.”
The man's piercing blue eyes are calculating, measuring Zhongli up and down. There is something wild in them… something not quite human. A side effect of surviving in this plagued world, no doubt. It’s no wonder Zhongli mistook him for a zombie at first.
As a leader, it is necessary to be a good judge of people. Zhongli only has a moment to determine the nature of this man, but within him, he sees enough reason.
As Zhongli’s blade lowers, the man also pulls his blade from his neck. Zhongli eyes the weapon and its match in the man’s other hand.
“Where did you get those?”
The man’s lip twitches. “Where did you get yours?”
Zhongli’s eyes narrow. This again. The man is unwilling to give an inch without gaining one first.
“Archon facility,” he answers. It is far too soon to reveal the existence of Little Liyue to this person, so he leaves it at that.
Another knowing smile creeps on the stranger’s face. “Same here.” He begins to slowly circle Zhongli, examining his gear.
Zhongli’s eyes narrow, but he stands his ground. If this man is a scavenger, then he is in a precarious position right now.
“Did you do all this?” Zhongli asks, gesturing to the zombie corpses covering the floor.
“Mhm,” the man hums.
“Alone?”
The stranger pauses behind Zhongli’s back.
“I’m always alone.”
Zhongli considers him. The wise thing to do, if this man were truly alone, would’ve been to lie. However, there is a weight to those words… an incomprehensible pain. Despite the situation, the man seems to have told the truth.
Zhongli can hardly imagine having spent these past five years after the fall of humanity on his own. The will it would take to survive… the strength.
The skill…
As the man circles back around to face him, a familiar greed crawls up Zhongli’s spine. He wants this man.
Little Liyue would benefit greatly. Depending on the character of this person, that is.
Just as he thinks this, he finds the opportunity to discover the man’s true nature. A loud crash echoes from the direction Zhongli had come. His makeshift barrier on the door must have broken.
The groans of the dead spill in from the hall as the zombies clamor over each other to get to the humans first.
“You’ve brought the horde,” the man teases, raising his blades as he turns to the doorway with confidence.
Zhongli leans heavily on the handle of his spear, creating an image of weakness.
“You-” The man glances at Zhongli. “Can you fight?”
“I can…”
Seeing the way Zhongli’s shoulder hangs useless, the man’s eyes sharpen and he adjusts his stance.
“Hang on,” he says.
The first zombie emerges, swiftly slain by the twin plasma blades wielded by the man. Undaunted by the sheer number of zombies spilling into the room, he cuts through them with ease. His movements are practiced, but wild. He fights like he takes pleasure in ridding the world of each and every zombie felled by his blades.
Zhongli has nothing to do but watch, not a single undead making it past the stranger.
When the chaos finally stills and the man is covered in even more guts and blood than before, Zhongli deactivates his blade.
“Impressive…”
The man grins at the praise. “Thanks. I’m Childe, by the way.” He deactivates his blades, clipping them onto the harness at his back.
“I am Zhongli,” he responds in kind. “You have my gratitude for dealing with those.”
“They’re unusually rowdy today. I’ve been trapped in here since the horde suddenly appeared. Was that you making all that ruckus earlier?”
“...” Zhongli frowns. “It would seem I have caused you some trouble.”
Childe brushes him off with a smile. “Nothing I can’t handle. I live for the hunt.”
The young man’s demeanor has completely changed now, all sharp edges hidden carefully away. Zhongli would be a fool to believe they don’t still exist.
However…
“Could I offer you a deal?” Zhongli asks.
There’s that sharpness again, just behind Childe’s eyes as he asks, “What kind of deal?”
“Help me return to my community and you will be welcomed to stay.”
“Your community?”
“Little Liyue. We have a safe place. You could lay down your weapons if you wanted to.”
Zhongli watches his reaction closely, searching for any ill-intentions. Childe seemed genuinely shocked to hear about the community. Most would jump at the opportunities such a place would bring- whether their intentions be good or bad. However, this man’s mouth turns down at Zhongli’s words.
Sure enough, the idea of laying down his weapons doesn’t tempt this person. Zhongli changes his approach, revealing his true desires.
“...Or you could become one of its defenders.”
Childe crosses his arms, leaning against the wall as he considers Zhongli’s offer. He puts on a good show of seeming reluctant.
“I don’t mind helping you back and checking it out… but I’m actually pretty content out here in the open. Will I be free to leave after you’ve shown me?”
“Of course,” Zhongli answers. He doubts anyone would truly leave after seeing what Little Liyue has to offer, though.
He takes a moment to look the young man up and down. Could he truly be so carefree as to wish to live out here on his own? Does he not fear death or worse: the bite of the undead? Even his clothing does not offer much protection. He wears little armor and his arms are bare. Confidence or foolishness?
“Then you have a deal,” Childe says, pushing off the wall and stalking towards him.
Zhongli doesn’t give any ground as the other intrudes into his space. He tenses as the man reaches for him, though.
“Let’s do something about this, first.”
Realizing his intentions, Zhongli lets the man take his arm into his hands.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” he asks.
“A bit. This will hurt.”
Zhongli grits his teeth as his arm is pulled, forced back into the correct position with the shoulder joint back in the socket. Thankfully, his pride remains intact as only a low grunt escapes him.
Childe winces, holding Zhongli steady and pressing his arm tightly to his chest.
“Good?”
Zhongli silently nods.
After a moment, he becomes aware of how close the other is, blue eyes locked onto his face with interest.
Zhongli turns away, doing his best not to limp as he makes his way to the front desk of the hotel. There must be something here he can use as a splint. His ankle gives out just before he reaches it.
“Woah, hey,” Childe says, swooping in to pull Zhongli’s good arm over his shoulder. “C’mere.”
Zhongli lets the man guide him over to a nearby sofa and settle him onto it.
“I don’t have many of these with me, but… under these circumstances…”
Childe pulls out a small capsule with the Archon logo on the side. He takes the cap off, revealing a sharp needle.
Zhongli’s eyes hone in on it in disbelief. The Liyue branch of Archon never received any of the shipments before humanity fell, but there had been rumors… Archon’s development team had successfully designed a fast-acting healing agent that could mend flesh and even bones within moments.
If the company had decided to quit there rather than furthering their search for the cure to human mortality, the whole world wouldn’t be in this mess.
For Childe to have these…
“You must be from Snezhnaya district.”
Childe’s eyes widen in surprise. “You’re well-informed,” he says, pulling the armored fabric of Zhongli’s pant leg out of his boot, exposing skin.
“...”
Zhongli watches as the needle descends towards his ankle, doubts flooding in at the last moment.
He snatches Childe’s hand just before contact.
Childe lets out a soft, wry laugh. “I understand why you don’t trust me… but I have nothing to gain from harming you now, Zhongli.”
That is true… Childe could just as easily leave him to die on his own. But there are things worse than death.
“You’ve tested this serum before?”
Childe’s eyes appear hollow for a moment as he answers, “I can assure you it works.”
Perhaps it is due to these serums that the young man has managed to survive for so long. Not that they would help if a zombie were to get its teeth into him. If that were the case- if Archon had a cure to zombism, Teyvat wouldn’t be in the state it’s in now.
“Very well,” Zhongli relents, allowing Childe to press the needle deep into his tissue.
It burns.
The injection site feels set aflame, his whole ankle throbbing as the flesh sets itself right. He grips the edge of the sofa tightly, body going stiff as he is mended. By the time the serum is finished, however, the pain is completely gone.
Zhongli stands, taking a few steps around the lobby to test his ankle. Besides some slight swelling, It’s as though it was never injured…
Childe plops himself down on the sofa, arms and legs spread wide.
“Feel better?”
“Indeed. Thank you, Childe.”
“I’m sure you’ll make it up to me when we get to your community.”
Ignoring the odd lilt to that comment, Zhongli focuses on the next task at hand: Getting back to Little Liyue safely. But first…
“Take your clothes off.”
Childe raises a brow, gesturing at him, “You first.”
“I am not taking my armor off. Surely you can see that there is no way for a zombie’s teeth to reach me.”
Childe looks him up and down, taking in the thin cloth-like armor of his pants and sleeves. Combined with his boots and gloves, every inch of Zhongli from the neck down is covered.
The man makes a spinning gesture with his finger, prompting Zhongli to turn around.
He does so willingly, letting Childe see for himself that there are no tears in his defenses. The only part of his clothes that are torn are the non-armored outer layers.
Or so he thinks.
Childe waves him closer, not satisfied until Zhongli is standing directly between his spread legs. Only then, do Childe’s hands settle on his waist, earning a hard look of warning from Zhongli.
He must have missed it in the adrenaline. Childe’s fingers slip through the smallest of cuts in the armored fabric at Zhongli’s waist.
The unexpected sensation of bare skin touching his own, just inside the dip of his hip, has Zhongli shuddering and pulling away from Childe’s reach.
How long has it been since he felt another human’s skin? Even just a fingertip is…
Zhongli’s face heats against his will as he sticks his own fingers through the hole in his clothes, feeling for any scratches.
“It’s just the clothes,” he says. “Your turn.”
Childe holds his gaze for a moment longer, something knowing behind those sharp blue eyes. And then, without breaking eye contact, he stands, unclasping his harness and pulling his hood off.
Ziip!
Childe’s shirt comes off, landing softly on the sofa.
Zhongli is struck, first, by how built Childe is despite his slim frame. Then he remembers that he’s meant to be searching for bite marks.
He closes in on the man, trying to ignore the grime covering Childe everywhere his shirt didn’t hide. He inspects closely, for any wounds. Bringing back an infected could cause their whole community to collapse. He can make no mistakes.
“Remove your arm bands.”
Childe complies readily. There are no zombie bites hiding beneath them, but his skin is marred with many scars… many of which seem like they’re older than five years.
With the upper body check completed, Zhongli waits, arms crossed, for Childe to continue.
“Alright, alright…”
Perhaps due to a lack of trust or due to his vulnerability, Childe’s gaze never leaves Zhongli’s as he unfastens his belt and pops open the button of his pants.
Zhongli carefully maintains his expression as the man’s pants fall. He clears his mind, circling and inspecting for signs of infection.
Like the rest of him, Childe’s legs are toned and scarred. It’s no wonder he’s survived this long. He certainly must have lived a hard life even before humanity’s fall…
Speaking of hard…
Having circled back around to Childe’s front, Zhongli clears his throat, ignoring the bulge in the man’s underwear to focus on the task at hand.
Despite himself, his eyes keep straying to the… elephant in the room.
He pries his eyes away, lowering them to Childe’s ankles. His pants have pooled around them, making it impossible to inspect…
“Still not satisfied?” Childe asks in a disinterested tone… as if he isn’t very obviously turned on by this encounter.
Lashes lower over heated blue as Childe’s thumbs dip beneath the edges of his underwear. Something in his sharp, focused gaze sends panic through Zhongli.
He holds out a hand, stopping him. “That is quite alright. I have seen enough.”
Childe huffs quietly, as if he’s somehow amused by the situation. “Have it your way,” he says, pulling his pants back up.
What other way was there to have it?
“Do I pass your inspection?” Childe asks before Zhongli can consider that any further.
“Yes. Let’s go. There’s no more time to waste.”
Every moment his team has to wait on him is a moment longer that they’re in danger.
Zhongli leads the way up the hotel’s grand staircase to the next zip line. They’ll make their way across two more buildings before reaching ground level again. By then, they should be out of the horde.
Sure enough, when they step out onto the street, there are only a handful of zombies staggering around. Zhongli grips his plasma spear with his good arm and lets Childe take the lead.
It’s best to hang back and observe while he can.
Childe effortlessly cuts down each and every zombie- even going out of his way to finish off the ones that can’t move anymore. From his moves, the man has clearly been trained in combat, retaining his own fighting style. He doesn’t seem old enough to have been in the military long before the zombies, though.
“The Rendezvous point is just ahead,” Zhongli directs.
—
The watchful eyes on Childe’s back as he kills are hard to ignore. It’s difficult to read what’s going on behind those eyes. But sometimes Childe can feel the greed within those golden depths.
For him.
How thrilling.
Childe rips his blade out of a zombie’s skull and looks to where Zhongli has pointed. His gaze doesn’t stay on the building for long, though, drawn by the golden shimmery barrier further in the distance.
The impenetrable fortress of Archon’s Defensive Branch headquarters…
When the virus overtook the world, Archon’s communications with the Liyue headquarters were lost. It was assumed that the base somehow fell to the undead… until recently.
All at once, Childe is surrounded as masked figures drop from above and appear from the shadows.
A green plasma blade points itself at Childe’s chest.
“Xiao,” Zhongli warns. “He’s with me.”
The blade deactivates immediately as the masked man turns to Zhongli.
“You’re injured.”
The shorter man’s voice comes muffled behind his mask, but his anger cannot be masked.
“It is nothing serious,” Zhongli says. “The mission had a small hiccup. Thankfully, our guest showed up just in time or I would not have made it out with just a small injury.”
Childe glances at him sideways, That’s both a downplay of Zhongli’s situation and an exaggeration of Childe’s aid.
“Did you retrieve the equipment?” Zhongli asks Xiao.
“Yes. It was all there,” Xiao answers, leading them to an armored hovercraft. He slides the door open, showing them the medical equipment stuffed inside. “We were just about to come looking for you…”
“...”
Something about the disapproval on Zhongli’s face says that that isn’t protocol.
Scanning the equipment, Zhongli nods. “Mission complete. Let’s go home.” He lifts his hood and his face disappears behind a hologram mask.
Childe lets out a low whistle as the masked warriors fall in line behind Zhongli, heading towards the large gates just inside the golden barrier.
It would seem Childe managed to catch a big one. No wonder his plan failed.
This might just work out in his favor, though.
As they reach the barrier, Zhongli scans his wrist to the surface and a small opening forms in the shimmery surface, allowing them to pass through.
Inside, guards wait at the gate, watching a screen as the first masked figure passes through with a small beep.
“Running a little high, Zhongli.”
“There was some trouble,” Zhongli answers the guard as he passes through.
“It must be from exertion,” Xiao says, following after.
When it gets to Childe’s turn, the gate gives the same small beep, but the guards stop him from entering.
“Who’s this? His temperature is…”
“I run low,” Childe says, flashing his teeth in a smile.
“I checked him,” Zhongli says. “He’s clean.”
“If you say so, Mr. Zhongli. I will send word to Medical that you’re coming.”
“There is no need to trouble Baizhu over a dislocated shoulder. I will take care of it.”
The guard is reluctant to argue with Zhongli. Childe is surprised that they are all allowed to pass with just a simple temperature check. How has their community remained virus-free all this time?
As the mission team enters the building straight into a locker room and the layers of gear start to come off, Childe understands.
They hold each other accountable.
He should follow their example, but… Childe is reluctant to part with his plasma blades.
“It will be returned to you shortly. Everything must be decontaminated.”
With Zhongli’s assurance, Childe parts with his weapons. It would be a shame to lose them here, but he is by no means dependant on them if it comes down to a fight.
He places his clothes and mask into a cubby labelled “decontamination”, and makes his way confidently into the shower room. As expected, it is one large communal space with no walls for privacy.
The elite warriors are now completely bare and painfully human as, together, they wash themselves of the outside world.
Childe is well aware of the many sets of eyes on his naked body, subtly examining him from head to toe. It’s not just him, though. They look each other over in the exact same way, checking for bites or scratches.
Of course a community that has thrived for so long does not rely simply on trust.
Zhongli gets the most attention, of course. Having been separated from the group and reappearing in the state he did… His companions would naturally suspect the worst may have happened. They respect him too much to possibly ask, though.
It is as Childe suspected from the moment he first laid eyes on him… He and Zhongli do share very similar builds.
His eyes trail over wet skin, lingering here and there on toned muscles. Most notably, Childe struggles to pry his eyes from the man’s surprisingly plush ass.
Distracted, Childe’s hands linger on his head as shampoo makes its way down his face. Only when the shampoo gets in his eye is he freed from that tempting view.
After wiping his eyes, he opens them to a completely different view.
“What are you looking at?” Xiao demands, standing right in front of him and blocking his view.
“...” The left side of Childe’s lips turn up.
Xiao scowls. “You-”
Zhongli interrupts, “Childe is our guest. He saved my life, Xiao.”
“But, he…”
Xiao’s eyes narrow, but he holds his tongue.
Childe lifts his hands placatingly. “Hey, I’m just checking everyone out- same as you guys.”
“I’m sure you were,” Xiao replies, bitingly.
Zhongli angles himself between them with a soft smile and every bit of venom in the smaller man is washed away.
As Xiao aggressively makes his way out into the next room, Zhongli apologizes. “You will have to forgive him. He doesn’t trust outsiders.”
“For good reason, I’m sure.”
Zhongli gives a small smile at his understanding tone.
Childe’s eyes get stuck on that subtle movement of Zhongli’s lips. The man has hardly expressed anything besides seriousness since Childe met him. But it seems that within the Golden Barrier, he can make such an expression.
With Zhongli’s long hair spilling wet down his back and across his shoulders, he makes quite a sight. Childe has to put effort into swallowing, finding himself speechless.
Once rinsed off, Childe follows Zhongli into the next room where clothes have been prepared for them.
The team all dress themselves in outfits exactly identical to the ones they wore before, but without the dirt and zombie grime. And in Zhongli’s case, without the rips and tears. They even don masks again, despite being within the safety of the compound.
Childe is not so lucky. What’s been left for him is a plain set of clothes: a fitted sleeveless shirt… dark pants… boots… no mask.
No weapons.
His eyes go to Zhongli, who is bent over, pulling his tight pants on, and just so happens to be watching Childe back.
There’s a knowing look in Zhongli’s eyes, like he expects Childe to demand his plasma blades back. But Childe can be patient.
What’s most important now is building trust.
So, he puts the clothes on and doesn’t complain as he follows the rest out of the small room and into the main building.
It’s his first time inside Archon’s Liyue branch, but the building is designed pretty much exactly the same as the Snezhnaya branch. It is the shape of a septagon, towering high into the sky. The inside is spacious, with the main lobby having a ceiling several stories tall. The upper levels will be offices and management. The underground levels will be where the research and storage facilities are located.
The building is sterile and its furnishings stark. The overall landscape is familiar, but that’s where the similarities end.
Unlike Snezhnaya’s branch, where command remained fully operational, Liyue’s branch has been transformed into something far less corporate and far more… liveable.
The inside of the massive building has practically been transformed into a small-scale town with make-shift shops and food stalls here and there. Stuff has been brought in from the outside, completely changing the atmosphere as these people have made the place their home.
Even the large exterior windows are all set to display a false scenery. Instead of the run-down outside world, these people are shown hologram images of the bustling cityscape from before the fall of humanity.
One thing Childe truly did not expect, coming here, was the sheer number of people living comfortably.
There are hushed whispers as they pass through the community.
“They’re back!”
“The Adepti are back…”
A crowd forms as the excursion team passes by, murmuring their praise. They watch in awe as the masked warriors return from their successful mission.
So this is why they cleaned up so thoroughly. It’s to make their job look easy… and so the people won’t worry.
Besides the admiration directed at the returned warriors, they are also garnering wary attention. As a newcomer, Childe is a spectacle.
They point and whisper as he passes, some with interest… others with distrust.
“Zhongli!” Someone calls. “Did you rescue someone new after all this time?”
Just like that, the calm shatters.
Childe crosses his arms as Zhongli is swarmed with questions. The man doesn’t stop to answer them, however. Of course not. He would have to admit he got rescued, not the other way around.
Childe shakes his head as Zhongli lifts his injured arm to the crowd like there’s nothing wrong with it.
Zhongli addresses them with a short wave, “I am taking him to see Rex Lapis. You can meet our guest later.”
Rex Lapis?
At the name, many of the people relax.
“Rex Lapis will be the judge,” someone breathes in relief.
The name ripples through the crowd with reverence.
Childe’s eyes narrow. Whoever this Rex Lapis person is, he must be the one in charge. It’s him Childe will need to get close to and figure out. No ordinary person could have pulled off a take-over of Archon’s Defense Branch from the inside and established such a community…
He is led into an elevator by Zhongli and Xiao. The rest all cram inside, as well, forcing Childe and Zhongli shoulder to shoulder.
Whispering, Childe leans closer and asks, “Is Rex Lapis going to honor the deal you made with me?”
“You made a deal with him?” Xiao cuts in.
“I did,” Zhongli answers evenly. “Do not worry, Childe. Rex Lapis is a man of his word.”
“I’m sure he is,” Childe snarks, “but will he be a man of your word?”
The elevator is filled with soft noises of amusement.
Ding!
They stop at the top floor. The doors open to reveal a scenery that Childe is much more familiar with. This level has been left exactly how Archon designed it, cold and corporate. The people up here wear serious expressions, all seeming to be very busy.
Childe doesn’t miss the guards stationed at every main exit.
They make their way to a large set of double doors.
“Rex Lapis is expecting you,” an elegantly dressed woman greets just outside. She leads them into a large office.
Childe eyes the rooms for any other doors, but finds none… Which is odd since the large desk that must belong to Rex Lapis is vacant.
One by one, the warriors come to a stop, forming a semi-circle before the desk and removing their masks. All but one.
Zhongli continues forward, taking his own mask off and turning to face them, leaning against the desk.
“I apologize for the theatrics, Childe. I can’t have my people knowing that I’m the one leading the excursions beyond the Jade Shield.”
“You’re… Rex Lapis?”
“Technically, yes. But the name I gave you is my real name. You can continue to call me Zhongli when we are alone.”
Childe glances at the others. Suddenly, Zhongli’s inside joke in the elevator makes sense.
“The Adepti and the Lady Ningguang are the only ones who know of my identity. The identities of the Adepti are all confidential as well.”
“You’re telling me this because…?”
Zhongli’s eyes seem to pierce into him. “Because I hope that you will choose to stay.”
As he says this, a compartment in the wall opens with a hiss. Zhongli pushes off his desk and retrieves an item from it.
Childe recognizes his plasma blades and harness as Zhongli approaches.
“You could be an asset here,” Zhongli says. “...Or you could be our downfall. Until I am certain which you are, you are to remain by my side. I will return these to you, in the meantime.”
A rush of excitement courses through Childe at the challenge presented. If Zhongli is giving these back to him now despite having not fully gained his trust… it must mean that Zhongli believes he is capable of keeping him under control through force.
He keeps that thought off his face as he accepts the blades.
Zhongli addresses the other warriors- the Adepti, “You did well today. Go get some rest.”
A secret door opens up in the back of the office, leading to a narrow hallway. As they file out, Zhongli turns to Childe.
“Come with me. I need to change out of this, and then I will show you around. Remember… Outside, I am Rex Lapis.”
Childe follows “Rex Lapis” into yet another changing room where the man trades out his armor for a casual black turtleneck and jeans with a thin dark coat. He finishes the look off by taking out his contacts and replacing them with glasses. It’s a much more relaxed look than Childe would’ve expected for the man in charge of this place.
As Zhongli leads him out of the office without even a second glance from the security guards, Childe realizes just how lucky he’s gotten.
At first, he considered it bad luck that his target had survived the horde and ruined his original plan to disguise himself with his mask and armor… But it’s even better this way. Having gained some trust with the leader of this place before he even entered… What a stroke of luck. Now, his search will be way easier.
Just like that, stage one of Childe’s mission is over.
Infiltration complete.