Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Foolish Fatuus

The conversation between John and Xianyu left the three people next to them a little confused, but they didn't interrupt and sat quietly to listen. Siya, surprisingly, was quiet and listened attentively, displaying good behavior, likely influenced by their tutor.

"Is that so? I didn't expect that. As a renowned craftsman, he must wish to craft a magical weapon, right?"

"Even if he has forged one before, he probably wouldn't mind creating another magic weapon, would he?"

Xianyu's words made John ponder for a moment before unconsciously nodding.

"You're right. You can give it a try. I know where he lives. I can take you there tomorrow to have a look."

Accepting John's offer this time, Xianyu nodded, indicating his agreement.

"Good."

After agreeing on the meeting time, Xianyu continued with his meal, while John and the others left. They had their own busy schedules to attend to, so with everyone gone, it became a peaceful meal for Xianyu.

John wanted to arrange accommodation for Xianyu, but he declined any further assistance. It was a minor matter and not something others needed to concern themselves with.

After finishing his meal, Xianyu signaled to the waiter and left the restaurant. Once he departed, the group of people who had been at the neighboring table also left. Their actions didn't bother him; after all, they had come to eat, and it was normal for customers to leave once they had finished their meal.

However, as he continued walking, he noticed the group following him, which felt more like a coincidence.

Of course, he merely considered it a coincidence. Xian Yu had never had any grudges or Debts with The Foolish Fatuus, so there was no reason for them to trouble him. It didn't make sense.

While Xian Yu saw it as a coincidence, back in the restaurant, John suddenly exclaimed, "Oh no! I forgot to warn Xian Yu to be careful with The Foolish Fatuus!"

"What's wrong, Dad?"

Upon hearing his son's words, John hastily explained, "A while ago, The Foolish Fatuus sent a debt collector into the mountains, but they lost contact with him. During that time, they've been patrolling the area where people exit the mountains. What we just said must have been overheard by them. Now they've left one after the other. I'm afraid of a conflict between the two groups."

John's son remained quite composed after hearing this.

"I think you're overthinking it, Dad. From the way you described that young man earlier, he seems pretty capable. I doubt anything will happen."

John replied, "I know, but we're in Mondstadt now, and they outnumber us. I'm worried that if things get heated, the consequences could be dire."

"Fine, I told you. You just don't understand. I have to go out and take a look."

After Old John left, he saw The Foolish Fatuus blocking a young man, and there was a crowd gathering around to watch.

Seeing this, John knew that things were going south.

...

"What is the meaning of this, everyone?" Xianyu looked at the four people ahead, sounding a bit puzzled.

Perhaps they sensed Xianyu's composure, and the leader, Chachi, didn't immediately try to restrain him as before and inquire.

"Sir, I'm Chachi, a team leader of the Foolish Fatuus, and I overheard your conversation in the restaurant. You mentioned coming from Dragonspine Mountain, is that correct?"

Xianyu wasn't sure what the question meant, but he did just come from the mountain, and if they were intent on it, they could have investigated him. Xianyu hadn't hidden his movements along the way, and with their influence, tracking his actions wouldn't have been too difficult.

So, although he wasn't sure what they wanted, he openly admitted it.

"Yes, I did come from Dragonspine. What can I help you with?"

Chachi said, "Oh, it's not a big deal. I just wanted to ask you a few questions."

Xianyu remained silent, waiting for more.

As expected, Chachi continued, "I just want to know if you've seen someone dressed like this." He then presented a portrait.

Xianyu took a look and immediately understood the reason behind this. The person in the picture should be the debt collector he had tracked down originally. He didn't expect that the individual had actually met their end. It seemed that the Wild Boar King was indeed quite formidable.

"Oh, this attire? I have seen it before, but it was a long time ago. I only encountered it while entering the mountain, and I haven't seen it since. Is there anything else you need?"

After hearing this, Chachi contemplated for a moment and asked, "Can you tell me how long ago you encountered him?"

"It was probably around four or five months ago. I don't know the exact date. If you're inquiring about this person, you might have better luck searching in the mountains. It would be more efficient."

With that, Xianyu looked up at the starry sky.

"It's getting late, and I have important matters to attend to tomorrow. If it's only about the person in the picture, I've told you what I know."

With that, Xianyu began to leave.

As he walked a few steps, the other three people, apart from Chachi, seemed like they wanted to take action, but in the end, they didn't do anything.

Xianyu's departure unharmed left the onlookers somewhat puzzled, and even Chachi's subordinates couldn't quite understand.

Old John, on the other hand, heaved a sigh of relief. Although Xianyu and he weren't particularly close, the events in the mountain made him not wish any harm upon the young man.

"Who is that young man? How come he wasn't arrested for questioning? This doesn't seem like the Foolish Fatuus's usual style!"

"I reckon that young man might be from one of Mondstadt's prominent families. His behavior and demeanor suggest he's extraordinary. The Foolish Fatuus might have been cautious, which is why they didn't act."

"Oh, come on, are your eyes playing tricks on you? From his attire, you can tell at a glance that he's from Liyue, and how far is Liyue from Mondstadt? Even if he's from one of Liyue's prominent families, if the Foolish Fatuus wanted to act against him, the Liyue folks would be powerless."

"So, in my opinion, that young man is probably quite powerful, which is why the Foolish Fatuus didn't make a move."

The discussions all around didn't seem to have much impact on the Foolish Fatuus. After all, this was Mondstadt, not Snezhnaya. While their actions were overbearing, they couldn't silence everyone, and they couldn't act without any restraint.

"Captain, why didn't we apprehend that young man just now for questioning? He looks like he might know more than what we asked."

Upon hearing his subordinate's words, Chachi gave him a sharp look, making the subordinate feel uneasy.

"Apprehend? Where do you think we are? Snezhnaya? Can you just arrest anyone you like?"

"Besides, whether we can catch him or not is unknown. Didn't you notice the butterfly on his head? And the calm look on his face? If we act, there's no guarantee we'll come out of it alive!"

Chachi's words left his subordinate somewhat puzzled, but as a subordinate, he kept his curiosity to himself.

Seeing the puzzled expression on his subordinate's face, Chachi decided not to explain further. After all, the subordinate had recently joined the Foolish Fatuus, had limited experience, and lacked insight.

"That's enough! Let's leave that young man aside for now. Don't worry about him. Lady still isn't in the city, so let's not cause any unnecessary trouble."

"You guys keep an eye out for people coming from the Dragonspine Mountain. If you find anything, notify me. Don't act on your own. If there's no news after another month, there's no need to inquire further!"

"Yes, Captain!"