Ying's attitude toward Childe...
Did not anger him in the least.
"Hey, I'm a Fatui Executive, at least. Don't be so disrespectful."
"I'm not a bad person..."
"Uh, I guess I am a bad person, but I'm not here to cause you trouble."
When Childe said those things...
He had none of La Signora's lofty Fatui Executive airs.
He even seemed kind of cute.
My name isn't Hey, it's Chu Yuxun.
"I'm not a bad person. I guess I'm a bad person."
You have to admit, he's kind of cute.
Lao Mi has us completely wrapped around his finger.
Guinaifen listened to Childe's remarks.
"Does miHoYo just love doing this kind of contrast?"
Childe gestured for Ying to sit down and have a proper talk.
Ying saw that he truly did not seem hostile.
She lowered her guard.
And sat back down on the sofa in the private room.
She had mainly come here to ask about Mu Yang.
Ying got straight to the point.
"We can talk, but tell me this first."
"How is the person who stopped you just now?"
Childe did not tell Ying the truth.
"Oh, that guy? I'm not sure. After you left, I ran away."
"There were quite a few Millelith at the scene. That guy should have been able to get away too."
Hearing that answer...
Ying became somewhat worried.
Childe studied Ying's expression and asked her.
"Is he your friend?"
When Ying nodded...
Childe continued.
"If you're friends, then you should listen to what I have to say even more."
Childe began from the start.
Because he had heard about Ying's exploits in Mondstadt...
He had paid extra attention to her during the Rite of Ascension.
He knew Ying had done nothing suspicious.
Someone else had wanted to harm Rex Lapis.
That was why he had stepped in to help Ying.
He just had not expected their friend to misunderstand.
"After all, the Fatui don't have a very good reputation. It's normal for people to misunderstand us."
"However, this friend of yours has quite the background."
Ying hurriedly asked what he meant.
"Have you heard of the Yakshas?"
"The Yakshas?"
Ying had heard Paimon mention them before.
It seemed Liyue had a group of powerful adepti.
But this was the first time she had heard this particular title.
"North of the city, west of Guili Plains, lies a stone forest called Jueyun Karst."
"Liyue's people believe it is where the adepti's Cave Dwellings are located."
Paimon looked at him in confusion.
"What does that have to do with Mu Yang?"
Childe folded his hands together.
"Your friend is an adeptus."
Childe showed Ying the intelligence La Signora had gathered on Mu Yang.
It proved that Mu Yang was an adeptus.
Ying questioned Childe in return.
"Even if Mu Yang really is some so-called adeptus, so what?"
"What does that have to do with our current situation?"
Childe analyzed the situation for Ying.
From the current circumstances...
One thing was certain.
Neither the Fatui nor Ying had murdered Rex Lapis.
But the Qixing clearly did not think so.
The Fatui had a poor reputation.
As a Fatui Executive, Childe was naturally the prime suspect.
And Ying had just been spotted fleeing the scene.
She was probably wanted by now.
The Qixing would not listen to their explanations.
Childe continued.
"The Qixing sent out the Millelith to search among the ceremony attendees for the assassin."
"But could a mortal assassinate that War God who had swept through countless armies?"
"Rex Lapis never abandoned his divine power."
His meaning was obvious.
Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Qixing...
Was an exceptionally capable woman.
Such a crude response clearly did not match her standards.
Ying caught the implication behind Childe's words.
"You mean the Qixing are the real culprits, and they want to frame someone else."
"So we became scapegoats to conceal the real murderer?"
Paimon was shocked.
"How could this happen?!"
Childe did not confirm Ying's guess.
Nor did he deny it.
Instead, he continued.
"Liyue was founded jointly by the Geo Archon and the adepti."
"The adepti will not remain indifferent to the Geo Archon's death."
"And besides..."
Childe trailed off.
Paimon: "And besides what?"
Childe: "Do you think the Qixing will allow your adeptus friend to investigate at the scene?"
"My suggestion is that you hurry to Jueyun Karst and seek help from the other adepti."
"Bring them information that has not been distorted."
"If you arrive too late, I'm afraid..."
Ying believed in Mu Yang's strength.
But the enemy was hidden while they were exposed.
If the Qixing exploited the adepti's trust in Liyue and resorted to underhanded tactics...
Mu Yang alone could not fend off so many opponents.
He was indeed in considerable danger.
She was worried that something might happen to Mu Yang.
As the saying went, concern bred confusion.
Ying stood up, ready to rush to Jueyun Karst.
Childe told her to wait.
She should let him finish first.
He then took out a talisman.
Ying accepted it and looked it over. "What is this?"
"A token."
Childe said.
"Judging by the way you look, you probably don't know any other adepti besides Mu Yang."
"With this token, the adepti will not harm you."
"And they will listen to you until you finish speaking."
Ying took the token.
Not daring to waste even a moment...
She left Northland Bank at once.
And hurried toward Jueyun Karst.
Childe let out a small sigh of relief.
Mu Yang's appearance had indeed caught him by surprise.
But fortunately, he had still brought the plan back on track.
Liyue needed to become lively.
Only then would it be convenient to act.
As for Mu Yang...
After leaving Yujing Terrace, he had headed toward Mount Aocang.
At that moment, he sat atop the mountain with his aura concealed.
Staring blankly at the table on the platform.
This was where he and Fujin had first met Cloud Retainer.
Through Cloud Retainer's introduction, they had met Guizhong and the others.
After that, this group of friends often gathered here.
How lively those days had been.
They sampled delicious food here.
Exchanged stories from their travels.
Appreciated music.
And held all kinds of interesting competitions.
"Charge, Lingyuan!"
"Don't treat people like mounts!"
"I want to report this! Cloud Retainer is cheating with mechanisms!"
"The mechanism was personally made by me during the competition. How can that be called cheating?"
"How embarrassing, Cloud Retainer. You need to use adeptal mechanisms even for a little contest like this."
"Guizhong, tell us yourself. How many acceleration talismans did you hide in your sleeves?"
Why were those memories...
So vivid?
It was as if they were right before him...
Mu Yang reached out.
Wanting to grasp those phantoms.
But he caught nothing.
When he came back to himself...
He realized his eyes were a little sore.
He had been lost in thought just now.
He had not noticed his own tears at all...
The system gently reminded him.
"Clean yourself up. Lumine will be here soon."
Mu Yang snapped his fingers.
Letting the frost wash over his face.
He needed to clear his head.
Sigh, before the simulation...
Mount Aocang had been nothing more to him.
Than the mountain where that woman lived, a place where he could fish.
Mu Yang rose to his feet and spotted Lumine.
After she approached the table.
He lightly touched down.
Not far from her.
"Why did you come here?"
Hearing that familiar voice.
Lumine turned around.
"Mu Yang?!"
She rushed over to Mu Yang in a single stride.
Wanting to give him a hug.
But she held herself back in the end.
It seemed they had not yet reached that level of intimacy.
She took Mu Yang's hand.
And anxiously asked whether he was hurt.
How had he escaped?
Had the Qixing made things difficult for him?
Guinaifen watched Lumine's expression.
And could not hold it in any longer.
"Look how worried our little Lumine is."
"That expression—ooh, ooh, ooh. Don't be so in love, okay?"
It looked like Lumine had wanted to hug Mu Yang.
Yeah, you could tell she suddenly held herself back.
Holding hands works too. If we round it up, we've already married Mu Yang.
I don't see you giving anything up, though.
So it's all about getting in, huh? Get in hard.
KSWL
The official content is forcing fanfiction writers to death. This sense of distance is absolutely perfect.
Seeing how nervous Lumine was.
Mu Yang guessed Childe had been spreading rumors.
I didn't expect Childe to be this vindictive.
All I said was that the lowest-ranked Harbinger wasn't qualified.
Did he really have to make me sound this weak?
As if the Qixing could catch me?
Before you continue