Ch 2

As soon as the traveler touched the statue, the golden engravings on it suddenly emitted the radiance of the Anemo element. Then, the entire statue resonated with the power of the wind element, gathering into a sphere in the hand of the Wind God.

Elemental particles, imbued with the Anemo element totem, fused into the traveler's body. In an instant, subtle changes seemed to occur.

At the same time, because of the activation of the Statue of The Seven, this part of the map in the north of Mondstadt was illuminated.

"Starfell Lake... Star Snatch Cliff... and Mondstadt City..."

Jean cross-referenced the map and found that, as she had expected, important geographical features had been faithfully reproduced in this mobile game world, while some less important areas were left out.

In addition, the relative proportions had been significantly reduced, giving it a sandbox-like feel. However, the level of detail here was far richer than in a typical sandbox game. Jean had a feeling that this was just the tip of the iceberg.

Back to the game.

Paimon exclaimed, "Wow, can you feel the 'Elemental' of this world?"

"It looks like you can gain the power of the Wind Element just by touching the statue."

"In this world, obtaining power isn't as easy as it is for you."

Jean was a perceptive person. She noticed that after the traveler activated the Statue of The Seven, the pendant on her body, which had initially been devoid of light, now emitted a radiant emerald glow, symbolizing the power of the Wind Element.

As Paimon had mentioned, harnessing elemental power typically required a Vision.

Jean subconsciously touched the Wind-attribute Eye of the God at her waist. She had observed the shop's owner before; he didn't have a Vision. So, could it be that the appearance of this "setting" in the game was because the owner himself harbored a desire to harness elemental power?

"From here, heading west will take you to the Free City of Mondstadt."

"Mondstadt is the City of Freedom, and it worships the Anemo Archon among the Seven."

"With the power you've gained from the statue, might you find clues about your sister there?"

"Moreover, Mondstadt has many bards. You might be able to inquire about your sister's whereabouts."

As their guide, Paimon gave a detailed introduction to the city they were about to arrive at.

As someone who had grown up in Mondstadt, Jean was naturally very familiar with the city, and what Paimon said also matched most outsiders' impressions of Mondstadt.

After resonating with the statue, the position that originally contained only the attack command now had an additional command for Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst. It seemed that this was the power they had just obtained.

Ahead, there were several Pyro Slimes. Jean tried to use her newly acquired Anemo elemental power to eliminate them.

"Blow them away!"

The traveler's Elemental Burst summoned a small tornado, a remarkable display of elemental control among elemental power users. After becoming familiar with her abilities, Jean continued toward Mondstadt City.

However, as she jumped down a set of stairs, a shadow suddenly appeared on the ground, and the viewpoint shifted to the sky.

"Roar..."

Jean cast a somewhat complex look toward Takumi. She took another sip of warm water to temporarily calm her mood. Indeed, as the owner had said, she might find answers to these questions in the upcoming game plot. And these answers would be of great significance to the issue of the Windborne Dragon's rampage in reality.

She refocused her energy on the game.

"Hey, you there! Wait a moment!" A familiar voice rang out. The screen showed a pair of red rabbit ear headbands. With agile movements, the figure leaped from a high platform. After the first somersault, she managed to barely stop her momentum.

"No way... Could it be..." Jean's expression turned incredulous.

"May the Anemo Archon protect you, traveler!" The girl's figure appeared in the center of the screen. It was indeed her! The Outrider of the Knights of Favonius, Amber.

Jean felt a wave of surprise. It was one thing to see the familiar Mondstadt in the game, but now, even Amber had made an appearance in the game! Furthermore, whether it was her behavior or appearance, it was remarkably true to the real Amber. It was like a perfect replica. Jean couldn't help but wonder how Amber would feel when she saw this scene after playing the game.

"Hello, I'm Jean," she said.

"That doesn't sound like a local name," Amber replied, looking at her. "And what's with this... mascot? Can you explain?"

At this point, two options appeared. Seeing the second option, Jean couldn't help but chuckle. "[It's emergency food]" seemed a bit too teasing. Jean opted for the more straightforward "[We're friends]."

"Anyway, you're a traveler, right?" Amber asked. "Recently, there have been sightings of a giant dragon around Mondstadt. It's better if you hurry and enter the city. Since it's not far from here, let me, as a knight, escort you."

Like the real Amber, she was very enthusiastic and friendly. Jean now had a strange feeling, as if she had really assumed a new identity and arrived in Mondstadt as a traveler.

After the conversation with Amber, a notification appeared on the screen, indicating that Amber had been added as a character.

"Being able to control Amber, this game has gone beyond my expectations," Jean thought. "I wonder if I'll meet Kaeya, Lisa, and the others when I enter the city later."

With the help of the on-screen text prompts, Jean roughly understood Amber's attack style. "It's unbelievable that they made Amber a controllable character... She uses a bow, possesses the Elemental Vision of Fire. Without a doubt, she's Amber..."

Amber had a mission this time when she left the city. However, she stated that escorting the travelers into the city did not conflict with her mission. As they continued in the direction of Mondstadt, a wandering Hilichurl caught her attention.

"Recently, these creatures from the wilderness have been approaching the city, and my mission is to clear their camp," Amber explained.

Following the Hilichurl's path, they soon arrived at a camp built by these creatures. Jean had a sense of déjà vu in this scene. Because she had issued such missions before, allowing Amber, as an Outrider, to clear the Hilichurl camps outside the city within her scope of abilities. This scene now seemed like Amber's perspective while on a mission.

Clear the camp, unlock the chest; Jean had become quite adept at it.

Paimon raised a question, "Don't these Hilichurls usually establish camps further away from the city?"

Amber replied, "Yes, they should only roam the wilderness. But recently, the Windborne Dragon has been appearing frequently, orchards have been destroyed, trade routes have been affected, and people have been injured during storm outbreaks. So, the Knights of Favonius have to be vigilant."

Jean's expression became serious. Through Amber's words, a simple yet accurate portrayal of the impact of the "Dragon's Wrath" was revealed. As the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, she had recently been troubled by these issues herself. It seemed that this game was indeed built on a foundation of reality. Therefore, if a way to eliminate the "Dragon's Wrath" could be found in this game, it was very likely that the same approach could be used to solve it in reality. Moreover, she had enough resources in the game to try various possibilities. If she failed, she could simply start over until she found the best solution. With this in mind, Jean's eyes lit up slightly. She hadn't expected that by entering this magical game center tonight, she would have the opportunity to find a complete solution to the "Dragon's Wrath." This had been a problem that had troubled her day and night, not only because she had to take responsibility for the Knights of Favonius and the people of Mondstadt but also because of the diplomatic pressures arising from this matter, which had truly burdened Jean.

Now that she had a goal, she was naturally excited. Next, it was time to enter Mondstadt for real. She wondered how faithfully the game's version of Mondstadt would recreate the real city. As a traveler, what kind of experiences would she have in the city?

===

"Allow me to introduce properly, the City of Freedom, where the wind and dandelions sing their ballad—the Free City of Mondstadt!" Amber enthusiastically introduced it to the travelers and Paimon.

Jean smiled faintly. That's exactly how Amber is. Every traveler from afar would be infected by her warmth and smile.

Paimon rubbed her hands in excitement. "Finally, we won't have to camp in the wilderness anymore, but everyone in the city seems a bit down."

"Because the whole city has been troubled by the Windborne Dragon recently... But with Jean here, everything will be fine!" Amber proudly put her hands on her hips.

"Jean?"

"The Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius—Jean, the Guardian of Mondstadt."

"With Jean by our side, even disasters like the Windborne Dragon can be overcome." Amber was confident.

While watching this scene, Jean herself couldn't help but blush. Was this how Amber saw herself? Viewing this trust from her perspective made her feel a bit embarrassed. However, Jean also felt a warm feeling inside. Everything she had done for Mondstadt, her efforts and hardships, suddenly felt worthwhile!

Shifting gears, Amber expressed her gratitude to the travelers for helping her clear the Hilichurl camp by offering a small gift. Following the directions, they made their way to a high point in the city, taking the opportunity to enjoy the scenery of Mondstadt.

Although it wasn't as bustling and vast as the actual Mondstadt, it had all the necessary structures, with some adjustments made to roads and less important buildings. It was essentially a small-scale Mondstadt. Here, one could completely immerse themselves in the feeling of being in Mondstadt.

"So, the promised gift is... the Wind Glider."

This result was expected by Jean. After all, she was a Wind Glider expert. In this game, it seemed that many factors like wind direction and terrain had been simplified. Just as they were flying towards Fountain Square, the screen suddenly darkened.

Jean knew that this marked the beginning of a new plot, and this time, the plot seemed to take a major turn. The sky suddenly darkened, and there was a feeling of an impending storm.

Just when Amber was puzzled, outside Mondstadt, a colossal blue dragon broke through the mist and flew towards Mondstadt! It circled on the city walls, smashed the eaves of a house, ascended into the sky, and let out a furious roar.

A terrifying storm gathered over Mondstadt, and a black tornado descended from the sky. The citizens panicked and fled, and in the process of evacuating, Jean, as a traveler, was accidentally swept up into the tornado.

In an instant, she was carried into the sky but managed to activate the Wind Glider she had just received, avoiding the fate of falling from a great height. Then, she evaded a fatal strike from the Windborne Dragon hidden in the mist.

This series of actions would have killed an ordinary person many times over, and Jean could only be grateful for the traveler's extraordinary luck. She didn't know about the concept of a protagonist's plot armor.

"Huh? Can the Wind Glider stay in the air for such a long time?" Paimon expressed confusion.

"It's me who asked the millennial Wind to assist you, preventing you from falling..."

A mysterious voice sounded.

At this point, it seemed like they had reached a very high altitude, and they could even see the clouds swirling below. In front of them, the Windborne Dragon continued to flap its wings and move at high speed, seemingly uninterested in turning around to attack.

Jean also realized that she could use the wind elemental energy to continuously attack the colossal dragon ahead. Shortly after, the Windborne Dragon seemed to grow tired of this meaningless pursuit, let out a dragon's roar, and the strong winds directly pushed the travelers behind. Then, it displayed even greater agility as it broke through the clouds and disappeared.

The travelers had no more means to chase after it and used the Wind Glider to slowly glide down, landing in the square in front of the Statue of The Seven.

"Are you okay?"

Amber rushed over anxiously, gripping the traveler's arms with concern.

Clap... Clap... Clap...

Accompanied by rhythmic applause, a man slowly stepped onto the stage. "To possess the power to battle a dragon, are you our guest or a new storm?" It was Kaeya... Was this unexpected or within expectations? Kaeya also appeared in this game. However, this storyline made Jean's heart feel somewhat uneasy.

Currently, the Windborne Dragon was only causing disturbances in the outskirts of the city. Although it had already caused a lot of trouble, it hadn't yet escalated to a "direct threat" level. But if the plot in this game were to unfold as it seemed, would the Windborne Dragon attack the city directly? Although the plot didn't provide detailed depictions of the extent of Mondstadt's damage, Jean was well aware that the consequences of such an event would be immeasurable.

Just those few black tornadoes would claim the lives of many Mondstadt citizens. Jean absolutely couldn't allow it to happen! "The battle against the dragon just now was witnessed by the protected citizens."

"Acting Grand Master, we are very interested in both of you, and we hope to meet at the Knights of Favonius headquarters," Kaeya said calmly.

Jean was slightly taken aback. Was the plot now about herself? If such a thing were to really happen, she would definitely want to meet this traveler who could battle the dragon firsthand, wouldn't she? But all of this hadn't happened yet. Things seemed to be heading in an unbelievable direction.

Just as Jean was about to continue experiencing the next part of the plot, Takumi walked over to her. "I'm sorry, Miss, but your two-hour experience time has already ended."

"What? So fast?" Jean looked up at the clock on the wall and realized it was already past 3 a.m. Not only had two hours passed, but she had even exceeded that time. How could she not have noticed?

===

"Dear Customer, if you want to continue experiencing the mobile game, you'll need to pay with Mora," Takumi said with a smile.

Jean checked her pocket and found that she didn't have much Mora with her. She had been working at the Knights of Favonius headquarters and had only intended to go out for a stroll and some fresh air. It was already late at night at that time, so she naturally didn't think to bring Mora with her. Now, she only had a few thousand Mora in small change, not even enough for an hour.

However, at this critical juncture of the plot, Jean urgently wanted to know what would happen next.

"Boss, can you put it on my tab for now? I'll have the Knights of Favonius pay for it later," Jean requested.

"Sorry, but we don't extend credit in this establishment," Takumi refused without hesitation.

Jean took a deep breath, surprised that the boss was unwilling to give her any leeway. She asked seriously, "Do you know who I am, boss?"

"I apologize, miss. Regardless of your identity, when you're in my shop, you're my customer. The only difference is the amount of Mora you pay, which determines the level of service you receive."

The shop's owner still maintained his indifferent demeanor, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes, indicating that he was aware of her identity.

Through the magical nature of this mobile game, Jean concluded that the owner was definitely not an ordinary person and seemed completely indifferent to her role as Acting Grand Master.

"Alright, boss, I'll go back to get the money," Jean said decisively, picking up her shawl, preparing to return to the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

However, Takumi "considerately" reminded her, "Jean, judging by the fatigue on your face, it seems you haven't had a proper rest in many days. I suggest a balanced work-rest schedule."

Jean, who had reached the door, heard these words and her expression shifted slightly. She turned back and smiled kindly at Takumi. "Thank you."

Back at the Knights of Favonius headquarters, Jean didn't heed Takumi's advice to rest but instead began working at her desk. The experience from last night served as a significant warning, and she needed to formulate a set of city defense measures.

If things were to develop as they did in the mobile game, Jean needed to be prepared to minimize the risk of an attack on Mondstadt.

Unknowingly, the view outside the window shifted from the darkness of night to the light of dawn. The office door was pushed open, and a mature and charming woman walked in, yawning.

"Jean, another all-nighter?" she teased as she approached.

"Doing this too often isn't good, you know. Lack of sleep is the greatest enemy of a young girl's beauty," she added with a smile, not minding Lisa's jest.

Jean, with a serious expression, put down her pen and walked towards Lisa. Seeing Jean like this, Lisa couldn't help but shake her head, sensing that there was some trouble brewing.

"Lisa, last night in Mondstadt, I discovered something worth our attention."

"Oh? What happened?"

Lisa lazily leaned against the railing, listening to Jean's account of what she had seen last night. As she listened, Lisa's demeanor shifted from casual to serious. Her lounging posture turned into a more upright stance.

"From what you've said, it seems that the owner of this 'Game Hall' might not be ordinary..."

A subtle gleam passed through Lisa's emerald pupils.

"What concerns me more right now is the Windborne Dragon. If it attacks Mondstadt, it will cause significant losses. Therefore, I worked overnight to create a series of enhanced city defense plans," Jean said, presenting various documents on her desk to Lisa.

Seeing Jean's dedication, Lisa gently patted her on the shoulder. "No need to show me. I trust you. But that owner of the game hall does pique my interest."

"That's actually what I wanted to ask for your help with," Jean said seriously. "I'll have to personally carry out these measures next, so I won't have the time. But the matter with the game hall is also very important. So, Lisa, I'll have to ask you to experience it yourself."

Lisa nodded. She was also curious after hearing Jean's description.

"Oh, and there's this," Jean pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket. "The owner said this is my 'account' and 'password.' If it's not this account, you'll have to start the game from scratch."

Lisa showed a keen interest as she took the piece of paper and said, "I understand," before heading straight to the address Jean had mentioned.

...

"Hidden quite well," Lisa remarked as she gazed at the shop at the end of the street. The sign outside read "Mobile Game Experience Hall." This was the place, no doubt about it. The location was somewhat remote; most people wouldn't notice it unless they were specifically looking for it.

"Welcome to the Mobile Game Experience Hall," a young man smiled and greeted her.

"You're the owner of this shop, and I didn't expect you to be so young," Lisa commented.

"Respected customer, you're also very young and beautiful," Takumi replied.

"Hehe..." Lisa chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. "What sweet words you have. Someone introduced me here, and I heard that new customers can experience it for free for two hours, right?"

Takumi nodded. "Yes, but unfortunately, that was a promotion for the opening event yesterday. After maintenance at four in the morning, the promotion has ended. So, if you want to experience the mobile game now, it's one hour for ten thousand Mora."

Lisa noticed the price board inside the store. "I see. So, if I want to play now, I need to pay ten thousand Mora for an hour?"

"That's correct. Although the free trial for new customers has ended, there's a new promotion: recharge one hundred thousand Mora and get fifty thousand Mora as a bonus. It's available for a limited time, so don't miss it."