Chapter Forty-Two: Apprehension

The Stone Gate served as a crucial checkpoint in the realm of Liyue, and many people came and went through it.

"Shh! Don't say anything, look over there!"

The crowd, engrossed in their conversations, heard this and turned their heads to see a group of fools approaching.

Xianyu, upon seeing this, thought to himself, "This is not good." He quickly turned his head away, refusing to acknowledge them.

Since this group of people didn't seem to be conducting individual searches, it was highly likely that they didn't know he was here and were just passing through.

Xianyu didn't believe that Tartaglia could arrive so quickly.

The journey from Liyue Port to the Stone Gate would take at least two to three days unless the other party was using some form of flying transport.

Sure enough, these people didn't linger; they simply set up camp at a nearby intersection.

Naturally, this behavior would not sit well with the Qianyan Army.

Soon, a squad of soldiers went over, but before long, the group produced some kind of token. Xianyu had no idea what it was, but when the Qianyan soldiers saw it, they didn't continue their approach and instead left.

Seeing this, Xianyu was astonished. What kind of maneuver was this? How could the Qianyan Army allow these fools to camp at such a crucial traffic junction?

His bewilderment didn't last long, as one of the guards who came over for tea explained the situation to him.

"I have no idea what Qixing is thinking, giving these peoples such an assistance order."

Another middle-aged guard didn't seem particularly surprised after hearing this.

"Hey, this isn't our concern, you know? Those Fatui might be offering some unimaginable benefits to the higher-ups in Liyue. After all, it's just a dozen or so of them, and they'll be under the watchful eye of our Qianyan Army the whole time. How much trouble can they cause?"

"Furthermore, they won't be staying for long. That token they showed only has a seven-day expiration date, and they'll have to leave after that."

"But...,"

Before he could finish, the middle-aged guard cut him off.

"But what? Don't worry about them. Those folks are probably just conducting a search for someone. We're in a better situation here in Liriyue. You don't know how chaotic it is over in Mondstadt; it's a real headache."

"Not only do they have a large number of fools outside the city, but they've also requested that the Knights of Favonius join the search. Compared to them, the fools in Liriyue are tame."

"..."

The younger guard, hearing the words of his senior, couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. "We're still better off here in Liriyue, huh..."

"I just wonder why these fools are causing such a commotion this time. It's puzzling."

The older guard, who initially didn't want to say anything, succumbed to the human urge to "vent."

After glancing around to ensure they were alone, he continued, "This matter isn't that hard to figure out. Have you heard about what happened in Mondstadt recently?"

"This whole thing, to be honest, isn't that big of a deal. It's probably just a scare tactic, you know? After all, those fools got themselves killed by a young lad right under the noses of the Knights of Favonius and the Thieves' Guild in Mondstadt. They're bound to take some action, or else it wouldn't look good for them."

"And besides, we have Lord Ningguang..."

"Ah, forget it. I tell you, but you wouldn't understand. Let's just have our tea, we'll be on duty soon anyway."

...

"Scare tactic? Do I look like a weak chicken to you?"

Well... reluctantly, kind of, maybe... I guess?

"And they just mentioned Lady Ningguang? What does she have to do with all of this?"

Ningguang is quite the enigmatic figure. Even though Xianyu has never met her in Liriyue, he knows she's no ordinary person. Anyone who can reach the higher echelons of Liyue must be extraordinary, especially if they're one of the Seven stars.

Xianyu admits he can't figure out all the intricacies, so he doesn't dwell on it.

Since he's not going to speculate, Xianyu decides it's best to leave sooner rather than later.

In a place like this, once discovered by the fools, they might not act immediately, but his whereabouts would likely become crystal clear to them in the future.

"These Fatui are probably just waiting around, hoping to track my movements. This guess is probably spot on. Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent so few, and they certainly wouldn't dare make a move under the watchful eyes of the Qianyan Army."

Xianyu was, after all, a resident of Liriyue, and letting the fools attack him here wouldn't be acceptable. While others might not know his identity, it was highly likely that Ningguang had at least some information about him, thanks to her extensive intelligence network.

Who knows, his current whereabouts might already be exposed.

As for Ningguang herself, Xianyu can't quite put a finger on his feelings towards her.

Back in the days of gaming, he used to like her a lot, after all, who wouldn't? Fair skin, beauty, and those long legs – what's not to like?

But now... well, it's hard to put into words, but there's definitely more apprehension.

As one of the Liyue Qixing, she wields immense power and is incredibly wealthy. Her complex thoughts, vast ambitions, and the influence she exerts, as seen in the Jade Chamber, are all clear signs.

To dominate seven nations! Can you even fathom such ambition as an ordinary person?

Xianyu knew he didn't have such grand aspirations. He just wanted to survive, and to do that, he needed power that could stand up to a god.

That's how he saw it, and that's how he's been working towards it.

He glanced at the grand structure faintly visible in the sky and lowered his head, heading towards the horizon.

His departure went unnoticed by anyone because he wasn't the only one who kept moving on and off.

The Fatui also remained oblivious, standing there like machines, observing the passing pedestrians.

...

Liyue is a land with many unknowns and dangers, and the presence of gods is not a rarity. Even in the area where Xianyu was, there's a magical creature within a certain valley or lake.

It's the same species as the Spring fairy he once saw in Springvale, but the one in Liyue is undoubtedly much more powerful than the one in Springvale.

And its temperament isn't that easy to deal with.

Rhodeia of Loch. Xianyu might have considered wanting to see them before he encountered the spring fairy, but now he had no interest in that.

Once you've seen something, the curiosity tends to fade, especially when dealing with beings that are very unwelcoming to outsiders. If they appeared, it could lead to a violent confrontation.

"Help! Someone help me! Please, can anyone help me! Sob... sob..."

The sound of sobbing continued incessantly as a disheveled young girl repeatedly sought assistance from passersby. But despite her pleas, no one was willing to help her. Instead, they pushed her away. Even though she faced continuous rejection, the young girl never gave up on seeking aid.

Finally, at one moment, her eyes lit up, and she dashed toward Xianyu.

Her tone was excited and filled with surprise. "Is it you? Is it really you? Big Brother Yu!"

"Uh...?"

Xianyu stared at the girl in front of him, whose face he couldn't clearly see, and felt uncertain if she was someone he knew. He wasn't sure because, in his memory, she should be in Mondstadt. How could she possibly be here in Liyue?

But in Liyue, there weren't many who knew his name, and she even addressed him as "Big Brother Yu," which added to his confusion.

"Are you... Little Pepper or Little Raspberry?"

Hearing Xianyu's familiar yet unfamiliar words, the girl, Zhang Lingmei, couldn't hold back her tears.

"Waaah... Big Brother Yu, please, I beg you, save my grandpa and sister, they're...!"