Beneath the Surface is a quest in Beidou's Hangout Event: Act I - When the Crux Shines Bright.
Steps[]
- Go to the small vessel that Beidou has prepared
- Go to the Skirmisher Boats
- Complete the boat handling challenge
- Collect Wavesplitter Insignias: 0/13
- The challenge timer is 2 minutes.
- Talk to Beidou
- The Crux of Our Duties
- Meet Beidou in Liyue Harbor
- Follow Beidou to meet with the trading partner
- Talk to Nei
- Follow Beidou to Wai's Amateur Fishmonger's
- Talk to Wai
- Follow Beidou to meet with the warehouse owner
- Talk to Mr. Iron Abacus
- A Strange Transaction
- Go to Guyun Stone Forest
- Wait till early morning (00:00–05:00)
- Talk to Mr. Iron Abacus
- Take a walk by the beach with Beidou
- Talk to Beidou
Gameplay Notes[]
- Completing this quest gives the Memories of the Heart achievement Guyun Buyers' Club.
Dialogue[]

Beidou invites you to experience the boat handling training conducted by The Spear of the Crux...
Training: The Spear of The Crux[]
- Beidou: These are some older Skirmish Boats that we keep on The Alcor as backup.
- Beidou: Although they've been made redundant by newer models now, they're still fully kitted out.
- Beidou: They are perfect for when we need to do simulated battles as part of crew training.
I thought I'd be steering The Alcor in a battle simulation.
- Beidou: Hahaha, disappointed? So this isn't quite on the scale that you had in mind, huh?
- Beidou: To be honest, The Alcor going into battle is the last thing I'd ever want to see.
- Beidou: In fact, out of all the confrontations we've ever had, almost all were resolved by negotiation.
- Beidou: Only when negotiations fail do we consider deploying our armed fighters and Skirmish Boats, and they alone are enough to handle most situations.
- Beidou: The only reason The Alcor would ever need to open fire would be if it were a fight to the death.
- Beidou: The Alcor serves only two purposes, to deter or to destroy.
- Beidou: We are an armed fleet with a strong sense of justice, not war-hungry lunatics.
- Beidou: We are very careful about determining when to use force and exactly what level of force to use.
- Beidou: All of this is to say that mastering a small attack craft is quite enough for new crew members.
- Beidou: Do you have any experience piloting small armed vessels?
Sure do, I can even sail and fire at the same time.
- Beidou: You mean you can do the jobs of a helmsman and a gunner simultaneously...? That's quite an achievement.
- Beidou: Even in The Crux, there are few who can do that.
- Beidou: Seems like you're a natural.
Of course, I can even navigate a ship right through a whirlpool.
- Beidou: Hahahaha, you're the first person I've ever met who is so dismissive of the power of the sea.
- Beidou: But I guess to put it another way, you're already a seasoned veteran, huh?
- Beidou: In that case, I will skip the basics on how to operate your craft.
- Beidou: The goal of this exercise is simple: Steer your Skirmish Boat along the prescribed route and return here within the time limit.
- Beidou: You can start when you're ready. I'll be waiting here, so I can observe your skills.
- (If you talk to Beidou before starting the challenge)
- Beidou: Start whenever you're ready. Don't keep me waiting too long — show me how it's done.
- (Go to the Skirmisher Boats)
Doing Ok in the Challenge[]
- (Talk to Beidou)
- TravelerTraveler), huh? Beidou: Hah, not so on form today, (
Yeah, I'm a little rusty.
I fazed out a little.
- Beidou: I'm sure the boat is partly to blame. It's a pretty old craft, so it can be a little sluggish to operate.
- Beidou: So, don't worry about it. Just remind me to have Juza make some improvements to it when we get back.
- Beidou: Anyway, that was all just to get you warmed up...
- Beidou: What I really want to show you is the more serious side of The Crux's business.
- Beidou: Come with me. We're going to Liyue Harbor.
- (You lose one heart)
Completing the Challenge Perfectly[]
- (Talk to Beidou)
- TravelerTraveler), that was a joy to watch. Beidou: Nicely done! (
- Beidou: Perfect timing on the turns, and you kept your craft stable on the straightaway. It was like watching a well-rehearsed show.
I'd call that pretty routine.
I've had a lot of training in sailing.
- Beidou: Hahaha. Alright — it's high time I introduced you to some of the more serious business that The Crux takes on.
- Beidou: Come with me. We're going to Liyue Harbor.
- (You gain one heart)
The Crux of Our Duties[]
- (Meet Beidou in Liyue Harbor)
- Beidou: You may be aware that as an armed fleet, The Crux is kinda like the maritime equivalent of a Guard for Hire.
- Beidou: We work as an armed carrier, earning our keep by successfully delivering the goods entrusted to us from A to B.
- Beidou: Aside from that though, there is also one other important way we make income...
Bounties for capturing pirates on the Ministry of Civil Affairs' wanted list?
Consultancy fees for running fast-track training courses for other crews?
Remuneration for completing Adventurers' Guild commissions?
- Mora-Grubber: Actually, it's trading. In certain kinds of goods.
- Beidou: Hey! My hotshot accountant! Nice of you to join us.
- Mora-Grubber: Cut it out, boss.
- Mora-Grubber: Juza sent me here with a message. He says preparations are now underway. If you give me the all-clear, I'll head straight over.
- Beidou: Okay. Be careful.
What's your bookkeeper doing here?
- Beidou: Well... She has something to take care of.
- Beidou: Mora-Grubber was right though. The other important side to our business — the less official side — is doing exactly what merchants do.
- Beidou: Importing here, exporting there. The only difference between us and regular merchants is that our transactions aren't entirely above-board.
- Beidou: You'll see what I mean by that shortly. I'm taking you to see one such transaction for yourself.
- Beidou: Come on, let's go meet our trading partner for the day.
- (Talk to Nei)
- Nei: Fresh seafood! Fresh seafood! Catch it while you can!
- Beidou: What do you have?
- Nei: Hello there! Here at Nei's Professional Fishmonger's, we got everything you could ask for.
- Nei: So what do you need?
- Beidou: I want a bass head with all the teeth removed. If there's a single tooth in there, I don't want it.
- Nei: Huh? ...You know bass have pharyngeal teeth, right? In the throat? How do you expect me to get all those out?
- Beidou: Then I'll have a bass trunk with two swim bladders. Again, if it's short by one swim bladder, it's not the bass I want.
- Nei: You're not making this easy for me... One bass means one swim bladder. 'Fraid that's not up to me.
- Beidou: Okay, then I'll take a bass tail with scales that are yellow on the outside, black on the inside. Also, it's gotta have a total of 81 scales, that's 7 times 7. No more, no less.
- Nei: What kind of fish scales are yellow outside and black inside? You sure this is a fish you're talking about?
- Nei: In any case, you can try all you want but seven times seven is never gonna get you 81...
- Nei: Pardon my asking but you're not a fish expert, are you? I'm sorry, Ma'am! But I'm afraid I don't have any of the things you're looking for.
Didn't you say you have everything we could ask for?
- Nei: Look, I'm a professional, and so are most of the people I serve. I can accommodate anything they ask for. Seems you two are amateurs, so I'm sorry, but you'll have to go someplace else.
- Beidou: Anywhere you'd recommend?
- Nei: Hehe, like I said, Nei's Professional Fishmonger's is for professionals. For amateurs, the place to go to would be Wai's Amateur Fishmonger's.
- (Follow Beidou to Wai's Amateur Fishmonger's)
- Beidou: I bet you're wondering why that guy was saying he didn't have what we wanted.
- Beidou: That was just the first step in the transaction, to confirm our identity. The real deal will come later.
- (Talk to Wai)
- Wai: Fresh seafood! Fresh seafood! Come take a look!
- Beidou: Is this Wai's Amateur Fishmonger's?
- Wai: That's the one! We have all kinds of amateur stuff here. The more amateur, the more of it we've got!
- Wai: What would you like?
- Beidou: We'd like a bass head.
- Wai: No problem! Ours are all toothless, mind you.
- Beidou: And a bass trunk.
- Wai: No problem! I'll stick an extra swim bladder in there for ya, on the house.
- Beidou: And a tail.
- Wai: Sure thing! I'll paint the scales yellow on the outside and black on the inside, so you can tell at a glance: This ain't no ordinary fishtail!
Do the scales add up to 81, or seven times seven?
- Wai: If it's seven times seven you want, I can do you 81, 138, or even 648! It's up to you!
- Beidou: Great! I like your style. We have a deal.
- Wai: Appreciate your patronage! Please take your order to our warehouse manager over there.
Don't you have the fish here?
- Wai: Hehe! A real amateur if I ever met one! Proud to have you as a customer.
- Wai: No, we don't have the fish here. All fish sold at Wai's Amateur Fishmonger's are still swimming in the sea.
- Wai: Once we get the order in from the customer, we go fish it out for them. The warehouse handles that side of things.
- Wai: Pay first, then we bring you the goods! That way, you get the freshest catch!
- (Talk to Mr. Iron Abacus)
- Mr. Iron Abacus: Are you two here to collect your order? Huh? Bei... Ahem!
- Beidou: Yes, Sir. We're here about that bass.
- Mr. Iron Abacus: I didn't expect you to come in person. But we still need to follow procedure.
- Mr. Iron Abacus: The bass you want is not a standard specimen. Our fishermen need to wait for the right moment to catch it.
- Mr. Iron Abacus: You know the rules, I take it?
- Beidou: Of course.
What rules?
- Mr. Iron Abacus: Hehe. As you know, timing and location are everything when it comes to fishing. You have to wait till all the conditions are just right: that means the tide, the moon, and the wind.
- Mr. Iron Abacus: So let me ask you this. When will the tide come in?
- Beidou: The fishing song will sound out at midnight.
- Mr. Iron Abacus: How drunk will the moon be before the party's over?
- Beidou: It won't stop while the star of death shines.
- Mr. Iron Abacus: I see, yes... Which way will the sea breeze be blowin'?
- Beidou: The breeze should be bound for Guyun.
- Mr. Iron Abacus: Alright then. Well received, I will go and make arrangements. Ahem...
- Beidou: Great! I think that wraps up everything we needed to do in Liyue Harbor. Let's head back and wait for the delivery.
That's it? But where's our fish?
- Beidou: Haha, I thought we were pretty clear, weren't we?
What did all those riddles mean?
- Beidou: The three people we just met are our business partners. Nei's Professional Fishmonger's and Wai's Amateur Fishmonger's are just cover names.
- Beidou: The bass, obviously, is the code name for the goods. The numbers of teeth, swim bladders, and scales all represent different specifications.
- Beidou: Meanwhile, the conversation I had with the warehouse keeper was the instructions for the deal itself. Lemme translate it for you...
- Beidou: Tonight at midnight, the deal will take place in Guyun Stone Forest. The Alcor will wait there as long as needed.
- Beidou: As for what the actual goods are, well, you'll see tonight.
This is all so mysterious... is it as shady as it seems?
We're not doing anything illegal here, are we?
- Beidou: What if I were to say yes? What would you do then?
Try and persuade Ningguang to give you a light sentence...
Pretend I didn't see anything...
I need to think about it...
- TravelerTraveler). But don't worry, everything will be fine. Beidou: Hahahaha, thank you, (
- Beidou: I deeply value you as a friend, but ultimately, you're not with The Crux.
- Beidou: I definitely don't want to cause you any trouble just because you hung out with me.
- Beidou: So rest assured, we haven't broken any laws — at least not today.
A Strange Transaction[]
- (Talk to Mr. Iron Abacus)
- Mr. Iron Abacus: Captain Beidou. You gave me quite the surprise when you showed up in person earlier today.
- (himhim/
herher) how The Crux handles some of its important business.
Beidou: Well, my friend is visiting, so I wanted to show - Mr. Iron Abacus: I see. You two must be close.
- Beidou: You got that right! Now, down to business.
- Beidou: Have you brought the goods?
- Mr. Iron Abacus: Yep, all here. Please, feel free to take stock.
- Yijian: Stop! Nobody move!
- Yijian: We have received certain information pertaining to a potential illegal business transaction at this location.
- Yijian: Apologies, Captain Beidou, but I'm going to need to inspect those goods.
(Oh no. Should I run for it?)
(Oh no. Should I distract him while Beidou retreats?)
- Beidou: Oh? An illegal business transaction, you say? All the goods are here. If you have any suspicions, please inspect them at your leisure.
- The Millelith checks the goods.
- Gui'an: C—Captain, everything's been checked. It's just a bunch of potatoes, flour, and so on, and... all the paperwork checks out too.
- Yijian: Huh?
- Gongjun: Everything's been checked thrice over... there's not a single contraband item here. The paperwork was approved by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the tax declarations are all in order...
- Beidou: Looks like you've managed to clear everything up — I suppose we can put this down as a simple misunderstanding?
- Yijian: Yes, apologies... this was a mistake on our end.
- Yijian: C'mon, let's go!
- Mr. Iron Abacus: Bravo, Captain Beidou. This was rather ingenious.
Wait a second. What's going on?
All this mystery over some potatoes and flour?
- Mr. Iron Abacus: Seems like your friend still has a little catching up to do.
- TravelerTraveler). Come on, take a walk with me, and I'll lay it all out for you. Beidou: Hahahaha, I know you have a lot of questions, (
- Mr. Iron Abacus: I'll leave you both to it. Captain Beidou, I look forward to doing business with you again. Take care.
- (Take a walk by the beach with Beidou)
- Beidou: You probably thought that there was some sort of nefarious business going on behind all the secrecy today.
- Beidou: The truth is, that was exactly what I wanted the Ministry of Civil Affairs to believe.
- Beidou: What you might not know is that I, as the leader of The Crux fleet, and you, the great hero of Liyue Harbor...
- Beidou: ...have both been on the Ministry of Civil Affairs' watch list for a long time.
- Beidou: In other words, whenever you or I crop up in Liyue Harbor, it almost always draws their attention.
- Beidou: Not that there's any animosity behind it, mind you. In their words, it's a security precaution to prevent people like us from causing unnecessary trouble.
- Beidou: Hah, I have no qualms about that. They're just doing their job, keeping the land safe.
- Beidou: But how does that saying go again? Ah yes: Sometimes, the closer you are to something, the less you can see.
- Beidou: Did you figure it out yet? That's right, Mora-Grubber, the accountant.
- Beidou: With you, me, and a few sacks of potatoes and flour serving as a front, the deal she's overseeing on her end should go off without a hitch.
- Beidou: After all, the Ministry of Civil Affairs sent the Millelith to us.
- (Talk to Beidou)
- Beidou: Looking at the time, it should be any second now.
- (Turning around to where Beidou is looking, the Traveler witnesses a single firework streak into the sky above the Domain of Guyun and explode.)
Beidou: Look, that's the signal!
- Beidou: Haha, tonight's real deal is officially done.
- Beidou: Do you have any more questions?
I have a feeling Ningguang is not so easy to fool.
- Beidou: You're right. Never underestimate her. But as long as we don't take things too far, she won't look into it too closely.
- Beidou: She knows that neither you nor I would do anything to harm Liyue.
- Beidou: In any case, there's another higher-level watch list at the Ministry of Civil Affairs above the one we're on. It's top-secret. Even I don't know whose names are on it.
- Beidou: But I do know that the individuals and organizations on that list are the ones the Qixing are really wary of.
- Beidou: Haha, I've gotten off-topic. On some level, Ningguang and I are actually business partners too.
- Beidou: Reason being, I'm the only one who can get her some of the more obscure treasures she wants.
What is the real deal?
- Beidou: It's complicated.
- Beidou: All you need to know is that what might be easily attainable for some people can often be a lifesaver for others who can't get their hands on it.
- Beidou: That's where we come in. It's as simple as that.
Do you mean... weapons?
Do you mean... medicine?
- Beidou: Hahahaha...
- TravelerTraveler)... you still have some important things to take care of, don't you? Beidou: (
- Beidou: As long as you don't know what I was referring to, you'll be safe.
- Beidou: So I'm sorry, but I can't tell you for now.
- Beidou: Of course, if the day comes when you've traveled to every corner of the world, found your sibling, and neatly tied up all your loose ends along the way...
- Beidou: You are welcome to come back here, and I will tell you all about it.
- Beidou: You will always be welcome in the Crux Fleet. I hope I get to see you onboard again someday.
Ending: Once Everything is Over[]
Once Everything Is Over | |
---|---|
Aether | Lumine |
![]() |
![]() |
Beidou hopes to see you onboard again someday. |
Other Languages[]
Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
---|---|---|
English | Beneath the Surface | — |
Chinese (Simplified) | 海面之下 Hǎimiàn Zhīxià | Beneath the Sea Level |
Chinese (Traditional) | 海面之下 Hǎimiàn Zhīxià | |
Japanese | 海面の下 Kaimei no Shita | Below the Sea Level |
Korean | 해수면 아래 Haesumyeon Arae | Below the Sea Level |
Spanish | Bajo la superficie | Beneath the Surface |
French | Sous la surface | Beneath the Surface |
Russian | В морских глубинах V morskikh glubinakh | In the Sea Depths |
Thai | ภายใต้ผืนทะเล | |
Vietnamese | Dưới Mặt Biển | |
German | Unter der Meeresoberfläche | Under the Ocean Surface |
Indonesian | Di Bawah Permukaan | Beneath the Surface |
Portuguese | Sob o Oceano | Beneath the Ocean |
Turkish | Yüzeyin Altında | |
Italian | Sotto la superficie |
Change History[]
Released in Version 2.3