"Mm, Bai Ye, I've used up almost all my mental energy. I'll rest for now until we obtain a new Floating Stone."
"Please get some rest, Master. Once things are settled here, I'll obtain a new Floating Stone."
Bai Ye spoke to his master.
Then,
he and Yelan stepped out of the maze.
By the time Bai Ye and Yelan emerged, the sky was already bright.
Even though they had taken far fewer detours within the maze, they had still made it out only in the morning.
Bai Ye picked up the automaton diagram from the ground.
"This thing is really useful. When I buy up Treasure Hoarders outside Liyue Harbor in the future, I won't have to keep tying them up with ropes. This way, I can catch more Treasure Hoarders."
He tucked the automaton diagram into his robes.
Having passed through the maze, the automaton now belonged to him.
After creating it, the Adepti who had made it had never intended to keep it. Instead, he had chosen to make whoever cleared it within the time limit the owner of this automaton diagram.
Of course, Yelan, who had emerged alongside him, also possessed usage rights second only to his. As long as he did not object, she could operate the automaton as well.
With this automaton diagram in his hands, it would be extremely useful in the future, whether as a prison for captives or a device for temporarily restraining enemies.
Those Debt Collectors, Mirror Maidens, and other Fatui soldiers had all been locked inside the automaton diagram by Bai Ye.
Moreover,
this automaton was a different type from the Art of Automata his master had taught him. Studying it could help him draw parallels and deepen his understanding of the Art of Automata.
Bai Ye was envisioning a wonderful future,
when Yelan could not help saying, "That's a fine dream, but don't count on it anytime soon."
"Why not?"
"Most of the Treasure Hoarders have already fled. According to the intelligence I know, several of the largest Treasure Hoarder groups have started fleeing to Mondstadt or Sumeru. Even if you keep searching the wilderness now, you won't find any Treasure Hoarders."
The moment Bai Ye heard that, his face fell.
It was over.
What was he supposed to use to earn money in the future?
Hilichurls and slimes were worth little at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and they did not have stolen goods like the Treasure Hoarders did to bring in extra income.
Seeing Bai Ye worry like this, Yelan pursed her lips.
In the end, she still could not help telling him, "Actually, there's another kind of person in the wilderness besides Treasure Hoarders—and there are far more of them."
"You mean the Fatui? But I can't take them to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to claim a bounty."
Liyue and the Fatui still maintained superficial cooperation. The Fatui acted in secret, and it was normal enough to kill them in the shadows, but bringing it into the open would turn it into a dispute between nations.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs definitely would not accept them.
"You can come to me to exchange them for money. Bring them to me, and I'll take every Fatui member."
Yelan said this to Bai Ye.
"Really? That's great!"
Bai Ye was delighted to hear Yelan say that.
Still, he asked Yelan with some suspicion,
"But do you really need that many Fatui?"
"Yes. Every Fatui member is a source of intelligence. Of course I need them."
Yelan folded her arms, turned her face aside, and spoke blandly.
This money would be a bit difficult to approve.
But if she interrogated every Fatui member she encountered more thoroughly in the future, she would always be able to force out some useful intelligence. Then the money would be easier to obtain.
"Oh, I see."
"By the way, be careful. Those Fatui Harbingers are far stronger than these Debt Collectors. Don't go looking for trouble with them."
"Don't worry. I know about those Harbingers. I'm not certain I could defeat them."
As the two spoke, a short-haired youth was walking toward them along the road in the distance.
As he walked, he held a book in his hands and kept reading.
When Bai Ye saw him, he could not help grinning.
He bent down, picked up a stone from the ground, raised his hand, and threw it at Xingqiu.
But just as the stone was about to strike near Xingqiu, Xingqiu instantly slung his book onto his back and kicked off with both feet, performing a backflip to evade the stone.
Then he drew the longsword at his waist and activated Hydro.
A flash of blue light shattered the stone.
After doing all that, Xingqiu immediately assumed a defensive stance.
"Who is it?"
"It's me. Reading while walking so early in the morning? Aren't you afraid there might be a hole in the ground and you'll fall right into it?"
Then he saw Bai Ye.
He immediately relaxed.
"Even if there were a hole, I'd be able to react in time."
Xingqiu walked over and said with a helpless laugh, "You, why are you here so early?"
"I was handling something here last night," Bai Ye explained to Xingqiu.
"Oh, I see."
Xingqiu nodded in understanding.
Bai Ye was a bounty hunter, so naturally he often wandered through the wilderness around Liyue in search of his "prey."
Then, at that moment,
he noticed Yelan standing nearby.
A puzzled expression appeared on his face again.
"Meeting you again, Young Master Xingqiu."
Yelan greeted him with a smile.
"You're the one from yesterday?"
Xingqiu stared at her face in confusion for a moment before recognizing Yelan.
Yelan replied with a smile, "That's right. I was the one selling fans yesterday. At the time, we went there to investigate the Fatui..."
However,
her words cut off halfway through.
Yelan turned to look at Bai Ye.
Bai Ye turned to look at her as well.
"Wait, we almost forgot! There's still something we need to deal with!"
Bai Ye and Yelan looked at each other, then spoke in unison.
"There should still be time! Come on, let's hurry over!"
Bai Ye said urgently.
Yelan nodded.
"Mm."
Xingqiu was somewhat confused by their conversation, so he curiously asked them,
"Hm? What needs to be dealt with? Is there anything you need my help with?"
"The Fatui set up an ambush over at Mt. Tianheng. There's someone we need to rescue."
Seeing that Yelan had already begun gathering her elemental power, Bai Ye explained to Xingqiu.
"Then I'm coming with you."
Seeing that Yelan had already set off, Xingqiu immediately said he would go with Bai Ye.
"Perfect. This concerns you too, and you'll be a help there."
Bai Ye nodded.
"It concerns me?"
Xingqiu looked blank when he heard Bai Ye say that.
"Mm. The ones being ambushed are your father and your brother."
"..."
Xingqiu said nothing more and immediately sprang into action.
Before you continue