The guard soldiers realized that it didn't matter who sent the letter, only the letter itself was important.
Who was this Mr. Feng Yi? Why did Master Tartaglia seem to attach such importance to him?
"Thank you, Master Tartaglia, thank you, Master Tartaglia..."
Uncle Jack, overjoyed, took the check and left with a spring in his step.
He had expected it to be a thankless task, but he hadn't anticipated such an unexpected bonus.
The reward of 500,000 Mora was more than he earned from running ships between two countries.
What surprised him even more was that Mr. Feng Yi, the Honorary Knight of Mondstadt, was such a good friend of Master Tartaglia of Snezhnaya.
If he could seize this opportunity and cultivate his relationship with Mr. Feng Yi, he wouldn't have to worry about finding help if he encountered difficulties in either Mondstadt or Snezhnaya in the future.
With this in mind, he immediately changed direction and headed towards the liveliest market in Snezhnaya, intending to prepare some Snezhnayan specialties as gifts for Mr. Feng Yi.
...
Meanwhile, Tartaglia, holding the letter, returned to the Executive lounge in the office building. He hung his coat on a nearby rack, closed the door, and then opened the letter to read it carefully.
The first half of the letter contained common pleasantries and shared anecdotes.
The latter part, however, caused Tartaglia to sit up straight.
[Dududuck, be careful of "The Doctor." He harbors great ambition and, as far as I know, is dedicated to researching the remnants of Archons with the ultimate goal of creating a god artificially.
The Delusion should be a partial achievement of "The Doctor." If he gives you one, don't just be happy about it. That thing likely puts a heavy strain on the body, most likely at the cost of draining life force and physical potential. Be more cautious and absolutely do not become dependent on it...]
[Dududuck, help me keep an eye on "Scaramouche." Although we have reached some initial cooperation, I always feel he won't be so honest and will definitely cause some trouble...]
[Also, if you have the chance, help me investigate "The Columbina." This person's identity is too mysterious, and she seems to have deep ties to a forbidden past...
If you really can't find anything, just give up. Absolutely do not act rashly, and especially do not try to fight her. Trust me, you are no match for her...]
At the end of the letter, Feng Yi mentioned that he looked forward to meeting Tartaglia in Liyue again when the opportunity arose, and he would definitely treat Tartaglia to a good drink then.
After carefully reading through the letter, Tartaglia couldn't help but smile. From this letter, he could feel Feng Yi's hidden concern for him, especially regarding "The Doctor."
They hadn't seen each other for many months, but their friendship had not faded with time. When they next met in Liyue, it would be his turn to treat.
"Ahaha~ Dududuck, is that a letter from your friend? He seems to have mentioned me..."
Suddenly, a lazy yet ethereal female voice echoed in the silent room.
"Who?"
Tartaglia's senses immediately heightened. He stood up abruptly, raising his hands in a defensive stance, ready to fight.
"Columbina, is that you? When did you get in?"
Recognizing the newcomer, Tartaglia frowned. It was none other than Columbina, the third-ranked Fatui Harbinger, "The Columbina."
The doors and windows were tightly shut, showing no signs of being opened. Tartaglia couldn't fathom how she had entered his room, and he hadn't even detected her footsteps.
"Just now, just now. Tartaglia, we are both Fatui Harbingers, no need to be so tense..."
"The Columbina" lightly covered her mouth and smiled faintly, signaling him to relax, as she was not an enemy.
"What is it?"
Tartaglia frowned, highly displeased by her sudden intrusion without knocking.
"It's the Tsaritsa's latest command. The arrangements in Liyue are nearing completion. You are to depart immediately for Liyue and bring back the Gnosis of the Geo Archon for Her Majesty..."
"The Columbina" jumped down from the table and looked around Tartaglia's office.
"I understand. I was planning to do so. Please allow me to bid farewell to my family, and then I will depart for Liyue."
Tartaglia nodded. He was not surprised by this command from the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya.
Since the Tsaritsa had chosen Liyue as the location for the trial, his subsequent assignments would most likely be in Liyue as well.
"The message has been delivered. I should be going now."
"The Columbina" smiled slightly and opened the door, preparing to leave.
"Wait, Columbina..."
Tartaglia, looking at Feng Yi's description of Columbina in the letter, suddenly called out to her. It wasn't for any other reason than to see if "The Columbina" was indeed as formidable as Feng Yi had claimed.
"You want to fight? Ahaha, let's not. Your friend was right, you are no match for me. If you want to challenge me, at least defeat 'The Captain' first..."
"The Columbina" turned and saw the intense fighting spirit ignited in Tartaglia's eyes. She waved her hand dismissively.
She understood Tartaglia's penchant for battle, so before he could speak, she directly refused him.
"How do we know I can't win if we don't fight?"
Tartaglia stretched his joints. He had sparred with "The Captain" before and had to admit that "The Captain" was incredibly strong, ending their match in a draw.
Hearing the tone of "The Columbina," it was evident she possessed strength far surpassing "The Captain." How could he not fight such an opponent?
A warrior could only identify their weaknesses by continuously challenging stronger opponents.
"The Columbina," who had always disliked fighting, saw Tartaglia gradually approach her. She then lightly tapped the floor with her toes, her entire being instantly becoming illusory. Finally, she vanished silently from the room like a phantom, leaving behind only a sigh of helplessness.
"She disappeared?"
Tartaglia stopped in his tracks, staring at the spot where "The Columbina" had vanished for a long time.
"The Columbina" had entered and left the room as silently as a whisper, without any energy fluctuations. Her method was simply inconceivable.
Based on this alone, Tartaglia knew that "The Columbina" possessed extraordinary strength.
At the very least, he currently had no effective means to defend against "The Columbina's" elusive movement.
'As expected, a worthy opponent!'
Tartaglia thought to himself, then pocketed Feng Yi's letter and left the room.
Unbeknownst to anyone, "The Columbina," who had vanished like a phantom, was now sitting on the rooftop of the building, covered in thick snow, silently watching Tartaglia's receding figure as he left the barracks.
Facing the direction where Tartaglia was, she extended an arm as white as the falling snow and gently beckoned. The letter immediately appeared in her hand...