Once Zhong Baiye calmed down, the first thing he did was turn around and look for Xiao.
He still had a few questions he wanted to ask Xiao.
But no matter where he looked, there were only four people there. Xiao had long since vanished without a trace.
Shenhe could tell who Zhong Baiye was looking for. She pressed a hand to her forehead and told him,
"When you two were hugging, I saw Xiao swallow, then disappear. That's what you get for not watching how you behave."
Zhong Baiye and Keqing automatically ignored the latter half of Shenhe's remark. Since they couldn't find Xiao now, they could only return to Liyue Harbor and report to Ningguang first.
And so, Zhong Baiye, Keqing, and Shenhe set off for Liyue Harbor amid that awkward atmosphere.
Along the way, Zhong Baiye took the initiative to destroy every Ruin Guard and similar monster he came across.
Finally, just before they reached Liyue Harbor, Zhong Baiye decided he had gathered enough Energy Cores. He used the Breakthrough Cube while resting that night.
Zhong Baiye felt nothing when he used the Breakthrough Cube. A blue light simply drifted into his three Visions, and that was it.
Just as he began wondering whether the system's description had been wrong, an intense hunger suddenly surged through him.
His body rapidly began to change as well. Both his body fat and his bones felt as though they were being drained dry.
Zhong Baiye couldn't even stay on his feet. He could only sit down, leaning against the bed.
Fortunately, just as he was about to pass out, his Visions suddenly absorbed the Monster Cores he had spent so long collecting.
The last thing Zhong Baiye felt was a warm current flowing through his body before he lost