Lumine finally sorted out her thoughts.
Emotionally speaking,
compared to the Fatui Executive known as "Childe,"
she was more willing to trust Mu Yang.
After all, back in Mondstadt, the Fatui had constantly been throwing obstacles in her way.
Mu Yang was different.
Not only had he told her information about her brother,
but over something as trivial as a glass of juice,
he had helped her reclaim the Lyre of Winds.
And today, he had even stepped in to protect her.
Moreover, everything Mu Yang had done for her
had not been framed as some kind of commission, like in Mondstadt.
It felt more like concern between friends.
Thinking of this, Lumine's heart warmed.
Finally, Mu Yang told Lumine and Paimon
to be careful of the Fatui.
They were not as simple as they appeared on the surface.
Perhaps they had something to do with the Geo Archon's death.
Paimon stomped her feet in midair.
"Those Fatui really are up to no good, just like that 'La Signora'!"
Mu Yang pretended to be surprised.
"You've met La Signora too?"
Lumine told him about what had happened outside Mondstadt Cathedral.
She was still rather indignant about it.
If La Signora had not ambushed her,
she definitely would have given her a beating.
Paimon suddenly seemed to remember something.
"Ah, we totally forgot after meeting Mu Yang! We came here to look for the adepti!"
Lumine did not think much of it.
"Mu Yang is fine anyway. There's no need to rush."
Upon hearing Ying's words,
Guinaifen could not help herself.
"Oh no, why does it feel like little Ying has become love-brained?"
"Did she seriously forget that another purpose of finding the adepti was to clear her suspicions?"
Actually, I forgot too. The Geo Archon was gone anyway, so just run off with Mu Yang.
I think that could work.
Story planner: 6
That makes sense. The Geo Archon was already gone, so what would it change even if they found the murderer? Wouldn't it all be pointless effort?
This might be related to Mu Yang's identity. Look at little Ying's expression—how could she possibly leave?
Guinaifen chimed in as well.
"Exactly. Mu Yang's hints are already this obvious. Given the protagonist's personality..."
"she'll definitely help him."
Paimon was speechless at Lumine's words.
What was wrong with her?
Paimon reminded Ying,
"We're still wanted by the Liyue Qixing, you know."
"Mu Yang might be included too, since he ran away back then as well."
Mu Yang followed Paimon's train of thought.
"Before this, I only had two clues: Guili Plains and Mount Aocang."
"Now that I've heard what you two said, I've finally sorted it out."
"I must have subconsciously known that something had happened to the Geo Archon."
"And that I was meant to go to those two places to find the adepti."
Paimon asked Mu Yang,
"Can you remember anything about the adepti who live here?"
Mu Yang naturally shook his head right away.
"I don't remember."
He knew that when he appeared in the players' view,
he was meant to play the role of a game character.
It would not do for him to steal too much of the spotlight.
Mu Yang could have directly knocked on the door to Cloud Retainer's Serenitea Pot.
If he did that, Cloud Retainer might come rushing over at once.
The three of them could meet her without even needing to run through the domain.
But that would be no fun.
Solving puzzles was so much more fun, wasn't it?
Go solve those puzzles to your heart's content, hahaha.
Lumine said that there was nothing they could do if he could not remember.
They could only look around for clues.
She noticed that there seemed to be a line of tiny writing where she was sitting.
"There are words here. 'The Geo Archon sat here'?"
Paimon leaned closer for a look.
"There really are! There are words here too. Hmm... 'Guizhong sat here.'"
Mu Yang said, "Mine says, 'Cloud Retainer sat here.'"
Paimon held her chin with one hand, deep in thought.
"'The Geo Archon'... does that refer to Rex Lapis?"
"'Guizhong'... I don't know what that means. And 'Cloud Retainer'..."
"Right! Among the adepti that Moon Carver mentioned, there was one called Cloud Retainer!"
Lumine looked at the tea cups on the table.
They seemed to still be in normal use.
There were no cobwebs or dust on them.
She picked up a tea cup.
"Look, there are still signs of use. This should be where Cloud Retainer and the other adepti gathered for meals."
"What do you think, Mu Yang?"
Lumine saw that Mu Yang seemed somewhat distracted.
"Mu Yang, are you okay? Did you remember something?"
Only then did Mu Yang come back to his senses.
"I'm fine. I remembered some images, but they aren't very clear."
"Your guess was right. People did gather here."
Lumine set down the tea cup.
She comforted Mu Yang.
"Don't force yourself if you can't remember. It's okay."
"You rest here. Paimon and I will look around."
Mu Yang accepted Lumine's kindness.
He sat on the stone bench to rest.
Watching Lumine and Paimon search the area for clues.
That had not been an act just now.
It was real.
Was Lumine's constitution really that special?!
Was the lie he had just made up really going to come true so quickly?
Lumine and Paimon walked a little farther away.
The two quietly discussed it.
"Mu Yang doesn't seem to be in very good condition right now, so let's not disturb him for the moment."
"Mm."
Lumine looked at her little companion.
"Then do you have any ideas, Paimon?"
Paimon might usually not be much use.
But whenever food was involved,
her intelligence would reclaim the high ground.
"If this is where the adepti held feasts, then we could make some food that adepti like."
"Wouldn't that attract Cloud Retainer's attention?"
Paimon's most useful moment yet.
She only used her brain when it involved food.
After all, she was Emergency Food.
Lumine also felt that this method made some sense.
But there was still a problem.
"What kind of tasty food would adepti want?"
That stumped Paimon as well.
"Hmm... honey-roast carrot skewers?"
Ying put her hands on her hips.
"That's something you like to eat, isn't it?"
Paimon said, "Hehe... let's look around nearby. Maybe someone made offerings here before."
"Hopefully, they left us some advice to refer to."
Guinaifen controlled Ying as she wandered around the camp.
She found several recipe pages and some ingredients.
After preparing the food,
she did not hurry to offer the dishes.
Instead, she was suddenly struck by a terrible impulse.
She controlled the character and moved closer to Mu Yang.
"Everyone, let me show you a trick."
"From here, if you change the angle and look up, you can see Mu Yang's..."
"And then, we do this..."
Holy crap, streamer, that's beyond cursed.
Xiao Guizi is so gross.
Suddenly struck by a terrible impulse?
This is absurd. Screenshot taken.
The officials are fixing this overnight. That's so gross.
Guinaifen laughed. "You all are just pretending in the chat."
"Who knows how many of you are secretly pulling out your phones to log in and run over here right now?"
Oh no, she predicted it.
I'll be honest, I just want Mu Yang's body.
What's wrong with looking?
Can can need.
Over on Teyvat's side,
Lumine naturally would not suddenly lose her mind like the Fourth Calamity.
Following the traces around the area,
she found the first cooking spot.
After gathering the ingredients,
She took the recipe from the ground.
"Jade Broth."
After that, Lumine walked a few steps to the side.
She found a second set of cooking traces.
The place was a complete mess.
It seemed whoever had cooked here had been extremely careless.
Flour had been scattered everywhere.
There was also a sheet of paper on the ground.
Lumine picked it up and took a look.
There were footprints on it too.
Disgusting.
She memorized the recipe for "Mora Meat."
Then she threw the paper away.
Afterward, she circled the outskirts of Mount Aocang.
She found a third set of cooking traces.
This place was much cleaner than the last one.
"This looks more like a place for making offerings to the adepti."
Paimon nodded in agreement.
"I think so too."
Lumine patted Paimon's little head.
"Looks like Paimon guessed right this time."
"Hehe, whenever food is involved, my mind feels especially sharp."
Paimon rummaged through the neatly organized box.
"Matsutake, and beast meat."
"Look, there's another recipe here."
Lumine took it and looked it over.
"Matsutake Meat Rolls."
"These should be the only three places. Let's try making all three dishes."
Lumine gave a nod.
She started a fire and began cooking.
Mu Yang came over to help as well.
The three of them worked together to make the three dishes.
They placed them as offerings on the table where they had been sitting earlier.
Then they heard the sound of the stone gate opening.
Before you continue