Genshin Impact: Villain Life Sim

[However, now is not the time for grief. As the commander-in-chief of the army, you cannot allow personal matters to affect the war effort. Still, the news of your wife's passing quickly spread through the Millelith ranks.]

[Huixin, the daughter of the former Tianshu and wife of the previous Tianshu, never let her status inflate her sense of self-importance. She worked diligently at Yuehai Pavilion, earning widespread respect. Her death saddened many soldiers deeply.]

[To boost morale, you delivered an impromptu speech before the battle. You said: "My wife has passed away, and I am devastated. But I do not have the right to wallow in grief, because behind us stand the parents, wives, and children of countless men of Liyue. To protect them, we must move forward—we cannot retreat. For Liyue, we will break through the Northlands and storm the Winter Palace!"]

["Kill! Kill! Kill!" Your words transformed the soldiers' sorrow into strength. Already high morale was elevated even further, to the point that the boundless ice and snow of Snezhnaya seemed no longer cold.]

[The armies of Snezhnaya, already weakened from their losses, found their morale shattered even further. In contrast, the Millelith charged forward like an unstoppable tide, breaching even the seemingly impregnable gates of Snezhnaya.]

[Though the Fatui Harbingers were formidable, they couldn't fully counter the overwhelming strength of the Millelith's advance. As a result, the great rebel bear of the northern territories finally retracted its claws, sending a Harbinger as an emissary to negotiate with you.]

[This emissary was not Signora, but another "old acquaintance"—the Doctor.]

[Even after more than a decade, the Doctor's appearance remained completely unchanged. Of course, this was to be expected. Even you couldn't fathom the depths of her abilities. Her expertise in medicine and toxicology far exceeded your own.]

["Long time no see. I didn't expect us to meet again under such circumstances, my most excellent student," the Doctor said with her characteristic smile, showing no sign of acknowledging her side's disadvantage. "The little kitten I casually saved all those years ago has grown into a ravenous tiger, biting its master in return."]

["Not a feral tiger, but a hungry tiger," you retorted coldly, not backing down. "A bone may feed a starving dog, but it's far too stingy for a tiger. If you can't feed it, of course it'll hunt for itself."]

[What struck you as odd was that, despite her words, the Doctor's tone carried no trace of reproach. Her gaze as she looked at you wasn't one of scorn for a traitor—it was more akin to the pride of an artist admiring their masterpiece.]

["Let's get down to business," the Doctor said, producing an invitation and handing it to you. "Tomorrow at noon, Her Majesty the Tsaritsa invites you to the Winter Palace for negotiations. All nine remaining Harbingers will be present."]

["Nine?" you asked, puzzled. "Aren't there supposed to be eleven Harbingers? Even excluding the deceased Childe, there should still be ten, shouldn't there?"]

["The Harbingers are a position of quality over quantity. Until a suitable candidate is found, the seat will remain vacant rather than being filled carelessly," the Doctor explained. "As for the other missing Harbinger, 'The Balladeer,' he is currently on a mission abroad and is not in Snezhnaya."]

[You accepted the invitation, but the topic of whether you should attend the negotiations sparked heated debate within the army. After all, no one could guarantee that this wouldn't turn out to be a trap. As the army's supreme commander, your safety was paramount, and any harm that came to you would deal a massive blow to the Millelith.]

[Nevertheless, you resolutely decided to attend. If the Fatui truly dared to harm you, it would only give the Millelith a legitimate reason to completely flatten Snezhnaya. Refusing the invitation, however, would bring dishonor to Liyue.]

[The next day at noon, you donned a brand-new Millelith officer's uniform and officially stepped into the Tsaritsa's palace.]

[Of course, you weren't unprepared. You had already stationed the Stars of Fortune, your elite secret unit, in hidden positions nearby. If anything went awry, they were ready to risk everything to rescue you. Additionally, with Signora acting as your insider, keeping yourself alive shouldn't be too difficult.]

[As you entered the Winter Palace, you were greeted by the sight of nine Harbingers seated around the negotiation table, arranged in order of rank. Across from you sat Pierro, "The Jester," the leader of the Fatui.]

[Entering Immersive Mode]

The scene before you was strikingly reminiscent of a moment from the Winter Night's Lazzo teaser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmaAOV4SJNQ

From left to right, they are Capitano (The Captain), Sandrone (The Marionette), Pulcinella (The Rooster), Columbina (The Maiden), Pierro (The Jester), La Signora (The Fair Lady), Arlecchino (The Knave), Pantalone (The Regrator), and The Doctor.

Once again, Scaramouche was absent, and this time, the seat of the deceased Harbinger was occupied by Childe instead of Signora.

In a past simulator scenario, Lucas had taken the position of "The Doctor" and interacted with these very same Harbingers. However, the Harbingers in this timeline carried some notable differences from the ones he had encountered before.

After all, every simulator represented a different parallel world, and changes in the Harbinger lineup were to be expected.

Each Harbinger exuded a distinct aura of immense power. If an ordinary person were present, just standing in the same room without collapsing under the pressure would have been a challenge in itself.

"Well, this is lively," Columbina said softly, letting out a small yawn. "The last time we all gathered like this was at Childe's funeral. Though, his body still hasn't been found."

Of course it hasn't, Lucas thought with an inward smirk. His "body" is still standing guard in the bustling streets of Liyue Harbor.

"What a shame," Pulcinella sighed. The short, odd-looking Harbinger with sharp ears and nose lamented, "I personally nurtured Childe's career. His siblings still can't accept the fact that he's gone."

"And now," added Pantalone, his cold and elegant features giving him an air of sinister charm, "we're sitting at the same table with the one who killed him. Isn't that just… ironic?"

"Silence."

With that single command from Pierro, the room immediately fell silent once more.

"Welcome, Tian Kui," Pierro said, his voice deep and authoritative. "Today, we have invited you here to discuss negotiations regarding this war."

"Negotiations are fine," you replied calmly. "But before we begin, I'm curious: isn't the Tsaritsa herself supposed to attend these talks?"