[Hara God Simulacrum] Floating World Floating Life Between a Thousand Rocks

Time rewound. Even before being roughly confined within the solitary confinement cell of Yuheng Hall by Yaoguang, Keqing had a premonition of ill fortune, sensing an impending storm with herself at its epicenter. "Stay put!" Yaoguang's parting warning was followed by her unceremoniously tossing Keqing into what could hardly be called a room, more of a cavern. The heavy iron door slammed shut behind Keqing, severing the pitch-black chamber from the sun-drenched harbor. Utter darkness and silence reigned, a true void where one could not see their own hand. Keqing adapted to the darkness for a while before beginning to survey her new dwelling. This dark room was less a prison cell and more a cave carved directly from the rock, with no escape, cramped and chilling. The damp environment made standing for long a frigid ordeal, and the perpetually murky air exuded a foul stench. Within the narrow cave walls, only the sturdy iron door stood out. Drips of water seeping from the rock face dampened Keqing's shoulders, reminding her to shift her position. The weight on her person served as a stark reminder of her status as a prisoner awaiting judgment. Keqing tried to move her hands; they felt impossibly heavy. Unyielding shackles bound her wrists, held fast by the pressure of a wooden cangue, specifically designed for martial artists who were serious offenders, rendering the simple act of raising an arm a futile endeavor. Her Vision, the very source of the power she had questioned yet wielded, was no longer with her. It had been confiscated the moment she was apprehended, the orb now locked away in Yaoguang's drawer, housed within a specially crafted immortal case designed to contain such divine gifts. As for her feet, the drag of her shackles against the darkness produced a metallic scraping sound. These heavy iron blocks, connected by chains, exerted immense pressure not only physically but also psychologically. The restraints meant to subdue the wicked, glinting coldly in the dim light, carried an aura of inescapable finality, leaving the young woman to sit in confinement as if awaiting judgment. The oppressive weight of the shackles settled heavily upon Keqing's heart, causing her to tremble and fear. She could not see her future. The boundless darkness rendered her mute, unable to discern the nature of her alleged crimes. She punished herself with self-recrimination, ashamed of her predicament. The humiliation of imprisonment stripped her of her fiery confidence. The stark contrast in her circumstances wrapped around her like venomous thorns, injecting the coldest, most ancient ice into her very being. In the endless darkness, she felt weary and disoriented, unaware of the passage of time or the outcome of her fate. She was abandoned here, utterly alone, with no contact. Thanks to her辟谷 (bigu - abstaining from grains), she felt no hunger or thirst, but the terror in her soul was unavoidable. She longed for an end, but the conclusion refused to reveal itself. Keqing closed her eyes, leaning against the now-numb stone wall. Here, there was only cold and darkness. An unknown amount of time passed, perhaps days. Keqing's consciousness grew hazy; she was still waiting. Her worst fear was being utterly abandoned here, to become a skeleton within the cave, but she fought to push that thought away. She still yearned for light, and with her weakened legs, she instinctively shuffled towards the door. Her feet, having gone numb, felt unnaturally stiff. The shackles felt like a mountain, utterly immovable. "Ugh!" Keqing strained to drag her shackles, disregarding the pain of the forced movement. Using the friction of her stocking-clad feet against the iron door, she attempted to sense any ripple of activity from the outside world. But there was nothing. Her legs ached and felt numb, her body stiff and unresponsive, like a broken doll desperately awaiting its master's salvation. Keqing began to feel drowsy. Perhaps she would truly die within this cave...

A squad of guards clad in black escorted the young woman into Yaoguang's mansion. This private residence would serve as Keqing's temporary prison and the base of operations for Yaoguang's private soldiers. Keqing was currently shackled by a wooden cangue, her head locked tightly within the narrow opening, forcing her to accept the cumbersome wooden block. She had never experienced wearing a cangue before, only seeing them on prisoners, and hadn't given it much thought. Until now, it was her turn. The heavy wooden planks clamped shut, leaving only her head and hands exposed, and once the pin was locked, escape was impossible. The rough edges of the opening chafed her neck, and the narrow confines around her wrists prevented her hands from moving freely. The cangue, weighing twenty pounds, clamped her firmly, making breathing difficult. Coupled with the forced upward tilt of her head and limited vision, walking became a cautious endeavor, not to mention the shackles on her feet. Yaoguang's courtyard was vast and winding, and with the twenty-pound burden on her shoulders, it felt like a forced march. The leg shackles were also an annoying instrument of torture. Thick, dark iron chains, with two large rings, locked Keqing's proud, beautiful legs tightly, like black hands, making movement exceptionally awkward. Her slender ankles were pressed by the thick shackles, and her steps became heavy and dragging. The extremely short chain made it difficult for Keqing to stride, and the heavy, secure shackles severely restricted her movement, as if she had forgotten how to walk. A short distance took an eternity, stumbling and faltering. The guards behind her urged her on, further humiliating Keqing. These private soldiers, loyal only to Yaoguang, had no regard for tenderness or pity. Their forceful urging filled the courtyard with the clanking sound of Keqing's chains. "Creak!" The gate closed behind them, and Keqing was shoved into a room that appeared to be a side chamber. The simple furnishings consisted of a bed. She was pushed to the bedside, and the restraints were removed. Feeling a sense of relief, Keqing turned to look at her wrists. Just from the friction of wearing the cangue, the rough wood and stray splinters had already left several noticeable red marks on her wrists. Her neck, now free, relished the ease of breathing. Her feet, encased in black silk stockings, were relatively better, though there was a distinct numbness and tingling. She wondered if the iron shackles, possibly rusty, had caused some abrasions. The guards then brought out ropes, intending to bind her again. Once her hands and feet were bound by the hempen ropes, she would have no chance of escape. But she dared not resist. Although it was nominally house arrest, she was now effectively Yaoguang's private prisoner. Her arms were twisted by the guards' iron-like hands, the excessive force making her attempt to resist futile. The guards, clearly quite skilled, deftly dodged her struggles, reversed her grip, and then bound her hands tightly behind her back, forcing her arms into a doubled position. They did not spare Keqing's sensitive ankles either. Their rough palms unceremoniously grabbed her silk-clad legs, and she squirmed in indignant resistance. Two men, one on each side, seized her ankles. Despite Keqing's desperate struggles, her feet were forced together and bound with ropes wound round and round. Keqing had never imagined that being restrained in this manner could be so tight; she couldn't even wiggle a finger. No wonder so many female prisoners could only submit to bondage. The art of rope binding was truly marvelous. The guards then produced three more ropes. The first, along with the rope binding her hands behind her back, was threaded through the top of the frame bed, securing her upper body within a confined space, leaving no room for struggle. Her ankles were also tightly bound by hempen ropes, connected to hidden anchors on the floor, rendering them immobile. Finally, a rope was wrapped around her slender waist, and together with the upper and lower ropes, it tethered Keqing to the bed, forcing her into a seated position on the edge of the mattress. Her futile struggles made Keqing cry out in frustration, but there was nothing she could do. As the guards left, they remembered to take a piece of rag from their pockets. The simple, rough cloth, its age unknown, was stuffed directly into Keqing's mouth. She mumbled and sputtered for a long time, unable to overcome the rough hands. The coarse fabric blocked her mouth, absorbing moisture along with everything else, swelling her mouth uncomfortably. Externally, a solid wooden gag was secured tightly. A ball of solid hardwood, polished smooth, was thrust into her fragrant lips, its sides fastened securely behind her head with leather straps. The tight width of the straps forced Keqing to bite down on the gag with her teeth, her saliva uncontrollably overflowing. She tried to push the ball with her tongue, hoping to create more space for movement in her mouth, but the tightly secured gag was exceptionally firm, preventing any swallowing or articulation, completely stripping her of her ability to speak. Keqing could only emit muffled cries, her tongue performing useless work. Perhaps this was a special experience for female prisoners.

Today is the public trial of Keqing. As the prime suspect in the murder of the Geo Archon, the Liyue Qixing has chosen to hold a public trial. Simultaneously, with the imminent resurgence of the sea demons, this trial also serves to bolster the morale of Liyue's forces. The entire Liyue Harbor has spontaneously ceased work today to witness this trial of a god-slayer. Streets and alleys, save for foreigners and fools, are filled with everyone who could make it, having arrived early at the Feiyun Slope to witness this grandest of trials. Keqing was unsealed from her amber prison ahead of schedule. The escorts from the Ministry of Justice produced specially made demon-sealing shackles and instructed Keqing to lift her foot. The custom-made leg cuffs were opened, her foot placed into the semicircular notch, then clamped shut and secured with a padlock. The impending judgment sent a flicker of solemnity through Keqing's heart. She dared not resist, obediently complying with each command. The heavy shackles on her ankles were not enough, so a short chain lock was added to her knees. The firmly restricted stride left Keqing feeling hollow, as if struck by lightning, an ineffable dread coursing through her. Her hands were cuffed in front, also of the ultra-heavy variety, so much so that she couldn't lift them. Yet, they were smooth, not chafing her arms much. The black hand restraints contrasted with her snow-white hands, her slender wrists passing through the cuffs with no gap, appearing pitifully delicate. In addition to the hand restraints, several other iron locks bound her wrists along with the shackles. The orange-yellow sunlight cast down, making her hands appear even fairer beneath the dark chains, almost dreamlike and unreal. The waiting soldiers, seeing that the time was near, grabbed Keqing and hurried her out. Their pace was swift, and Keqing could not keep up. Her small feet dragged, half-walking, half-being pulled. This tense process had already instilled fear in Keqing. She tried to empathize with the past experiences of deceased female prisoners, and her predetermined fate made her tremble uncontrollably. But it was too late. No matter how much primal fear she felt now, the outcome was already set. With a "clatter and scrape," her slender bare feet, attached to steel cables, grew smaller and smaller, finally disappearing around the corner...