In the innermost secret chamber of Northland Bank, the never-ending cold wind of Snezhnaya was locked outside. The metal walls were not made of ordinary iron, but were embedded with intricate Cryo-elemental runes. A faint azure glow rippled across the cold surfaces, casting the entire space in a hue reminiscent of the deep sea. The air was stagnant, heavy with the spicy aroma of potent "fire-water" liquor mingled with the crisp, metallic scent of gear lubricant, creating a bizarre atmosphere that kept the nerves on edge.
At the center of the secret chamber, an intricate miniature sand table of the Liyue Harbor ruins dominated the space. The fractured Yujing Terrace, the capsized merchant vessels, the skeletal remains of the Jade Chamber... every detail was rendered with startling precision. At the edge of the sand table, marking the location of The Chasm, a faint red light pulsed stubbornly beneath the rock strata model, much like a dying heart.
Pantalone—the "Richbode"—stood before the sand table. The golden thread embroidery of the Snezhnaya emblem on his cuffs glinted in the dim light like frozen flames. His fingertips twitched as he rolled a translucent ice crystal chess piece, the chill radiating from it almost condensing into physical substance. In the shadows, a Fatui Skirmisher stood like a statue melded into the background, head bowed in readiness, with only the occasional minute adjustment of stance betraying that he was alive.
Chapter 114