"What about your family? Are they all okay?"
"Don't worry, I made arrangements for them before I escaped," Dupont replied with firm confidence. "Honestly, you don't need to worry about me so much. Being able to get out was already a stroke of fortune amidst misfortune. Just rest assured, everything's fine."
"That's good to hear. But how did you end up in North Inazuma after you went missing? And how did your family get there?" I vaguely recall…
"Dad, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, cough, just a little tired."
"Rest here for now. I'll go scout ahead." I remember it was pouring rain, with purple lightning repeatedly striking down from the sky. "Why is the weather on Seirai Island so terrible? How long will this rain keep going? Huh? What's that on the tree?" I ran over and found it was a Violet Melon. I picked two or three from the tree, planning to head back to my father, but when I returned, he was gone.
"So that's when your father disappeared?"
"Yes, I remember I spent the night in an abandoned house on the island. The next day, a rescue helicopter finally found me."
"Wait, then you should have been brought back, right?"
"Yes, I should have. But unfortunately, the helicopter was struck by lightning and crashed shortly after, killing everyone on board. Later, Inazuma soldiers found me and arrested me for illegal entry."
"What about your family?"
"Well, I didn't find them while I was in prison, but I reunited with them after my release. By then, Inazuma had undergone a complete transformation—electronic screens lined the streets, tall and imposing concrete buildings stood everywhere, endless broadcasts filled the air, and highly organized crowds moved about. Everything had changed drastically."
"Did you know? All these years, we've actually been looking for you."
"Really? I always knew you were aware of my whereabouts. You just didn't dare to act, I suppose." The conversation fell into a brief, awkward silence. Dupont then continued, "So, you might already know, I need to reclaim my position. I was meant to be the UN Senior Commissioner for Teyvat." Miller smirked. "Perhaps you should take a look around. Teyvat has already cut off all contact with Earth."
"What? What do you mean?" In a swift motion, Miller grabbed a handgun from a nearby cabinet. "You know as well as I do, the moment we laid eyes on each other, it was destined to be a fight to the death. I'll hold this position forever—yes, forever."
"You're a true dictator."
"If you took my place, I believe you'd do the same. Isn't this the best way, after all?" Dupont closed his eyes, bracing for the shot, but the gunfire never came. He opened his eyes again, only to hear the most devastating words. Miller was on the phone, saying, "How could you let this old man in? He's an illegal immigrant. Deport him back to North Inazuma immediately!" At that moment, Dupont, in a frenzy, began kowtowing on the ground, pleading for mercy. Miller muttered with disgust, "Good heavens, what a madman." Shortly after, security officers arrived and injected Dupont with a sedative. "This individual will be deported," they stated, and Dupont was taken away.
"Director! Director! Hurry, we need to leave—this place is about to be overrun by those rioters!" Chaotic shouts echoed repeatedly, and the crowd outside grew larger. Many held signs reading, "Oppose UN Interventionism! We Demand Autonomy!" UN forces were quickly deployed to the riot zone, initiating a series of military crackdowns. The air was thick with the smoke of conflict, mingled with cries of agony. People lay on the ground, beaten half to death, while fires raged in the distance. Some defiant individuals even launched suicide attacks, charging forward in waves only to be shot down in rows, transforming the scene into a hellish tableau.
Inside the prison, Dupont began reflecting on all the hardships of his life and the intricate details that shaped it. His thoughts drifted back to his father's disappearance on Seirai Island, a memory that now intertwined with the broader chaos of Teyvat. The Inazuma he described—transformed under oppressive rule with its screens and broadcasts—echoed the Eternal Father's propaganda in the Western Asian Republic, where Gray's Salvation Machine now dominated 80% of Earth. The riots outside mirrored the resistance against the Akademiya's technocracy in Sumeru, where Aether had fought for the Grass God's restoration. Dupont's plea for mercy before Miller reflected Miller's own ruthless ascent, shaped by the murder of his foster father—a trauma that hardened his belief in absolute control, much like Gray's rise through rationality after his parents' death. In this fractured world, from Teyvat's struggles to Earth's iron grip, Dupont's life became a microcosm of loss and survival amidst unrelenting power.