Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [114]
Meanwhile, Gu Sanqiu strolled down the quiet Mondstadt streets, stifling a yawn.
"Must be a lingering effect of the Cryo element," he murmured. "Mondstadt's usually warm year-round—getting hit with sudden frost is a bit… jarring."
He dragged his feet, even though he knew perfectly well that a quicker pace would get him back and resting sooner.
"Why am I getting so sleepy…?"
…
Soft whispers drifted into his mind, faint yet unrelenting, like thousands of jumbled phrases and murmurs rearranging themselves chaotically—or as though he were surrounded by elderly ladies playing with loudspeakers at the crack of dawn.
"Wait… no." His expression darkened.
"This isn't ordinary drowsiness. Someone's pulling something here."
Light flashed as his spear appeared in his hand. Gu Sanqiu held his breath, activating a protective shield as he scanned his surroundings, every sense on high alert.
The night in Mondstadt was silent, with even the breeze holding its breath, as if Barbatos himself had hushed the winds out of sympathy for his resting people.
"Show yourself."
Taking a wary glance around, he quickly downed a detox pill, spear quivering as elemental energy pulsed through it, ready to strike.
Yet, despite the antidote and his shield, the fatigue in his mind seemed to grow even heavier.
If, moments before, it had been a simple desire to catch a nap, it was now the type of drowsiness that hit during a particularly dull lecture on arithmetic.
To put it plainly, Gu Sanqiu was getting dangerously close to passing out.
Were it not for his resilient spirit, he doubted he'd still be standing. The persistent haze in his mind, now a potent "sleeping poison," was eroding his strength, and every breath threatened to loosen his grip on his weapon.
The whispers in his head grew louder, and his expression twisted as he fought to hold them at bay, all while staying hyper-aware of his surroundings and wrestling with his own urge to succumb to sleep.
It was a grueling game, and he had no doubt now that his assailant intended to wear him down.
If this were a turn-based combat game, he would be loaded with every negative status effect imaginable—paralysis, poison, sleep, and burn stacked up as the enemy simply waited to wear him down.
"Well, well, seems like someone has a taste for strategic warfare," he muttered, jumping onto a nearby rooftop before leaping again, distancing himself from the area.
Whoever his attacker was, it was clear they had "set up shop" in the vicinity. Had he let paranoia keep him there, he'd have likely drifted off to sleep, only to wake up reporting to Hu Tao at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Fortunately, this strategy had a simple counter: flee the field. By putting distance between himself and the source, he could end the effect.
The fresh night wind took away a sliver of his drowsiness, yet he didn't dare look back, half-expecting his assailant to wield a Medusa-like skill that would only deepen his stupor.
"Lucky for me," he thought, "they're probably inexperienced. Otherwise, they could've thrown in a few tricks to stall me in that area—and I'd be a goner."
Gu Sanqiu sighed in relief. While he had no idea who was behind the attack, it was clear anyone brazen enough to cause trouble within Mondstadt's walls wasn't likely to be weak.
"No wonder they have this 'Darknight Hero' character running around. Is nighttime Mondstadt a pocket dimension? Like a secret dungeon?"
The whispers surged, louder than ever, pushing him to the brink of unconsciousness.
"This isn't right."
On the rooftop, Gu Sanqiu tightened his grip on his spear and raised his left hand, letting the wind carry a faint scent to his nose.
Barely noticeable, the scent slipped into his lungs, and he felt a fresh surge of drowsiness in his mind.
"This isn't just simple trickery—someone's layered this 'sleeping field' over the entire city!"
Forget the cost or the planning; the audacity alone was astonishing. What on Teyvat could command such a powerful presence here in Mondstadt?
"If they're going through all this just to come after me, I have to know the reason."
As if putting on a show, Gu Sanqiu took a staggering step, loosening his grip on his spear, and deliberately fell from the rooftop, landing on the cobblestone with a resounding thud.
"Argh, why'd I land on the steps…"
Though he knew his body could handle the fall, it didn't change the fact that it was deeply uncomfortable.
But he was sure his opponent was too cautious to immediately swoop in. They'd wait, observing from afar before making any move.
Which meant he had to stay in this undignified pose for just a bit longer.
Steady breaths.
Slowly, his breathing evened, the sound soft and tranquil as if he had genuinely succumbed to sleep.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a figure cloaked in black appeared. It was as if they'd been standing beside him the whole time, yet gone unseen.
As dawn broke over Mondstadt, a warm breeze wafted through, signaling the start of another day.
The Millelith and merchants exchanged greetings and went their separate ways, each with tasks in mind.
And as for Gu Sanqiu, their supposed leader, his regular disappearances had grown so routine that no one even noticed his absence.
"Clink, clink."
Gu Sanqiu opened his eyes and immediately tried to flex his limbs.
The metallic sound of chains quickly put an end to that idea.
And then he noticed it: a blanket with an illustration of a knight draped over him.
...
If he wasn't mistaken, the figure on the blanket was Varka, beloved by the people of Mondstadt.
So, then, was his captor no more than fifteen years old?
Captured… by a kid?
Gu Sanqiu's bewilderment turned into irritation as he braced himself to snap the chains through sheer force, determined to meet this mysterious captor face-to-face.
"Uh, I wouldn't recommend brute force," came a shy voice.
Gu Sanqiu looked up to see a green-haired girl with cat-eye glasses.
"The chains are forged from ground-down remains of the Lionfang Warrior's weapon, mixed with high-quality ores from Liyue," she explained, adjusting her glasses. "It's the best alloy we could make for holding someone of your… particular talents."
She pointed to the four chains connected to fragments of an unusual purple crystal. "All four chains are enhanced with fragments from Aleph's body. Excessive movement could trigger a shock, so… just a word of caution."
For a moment, Gu Sanqiu's mind froze.
Wait… Sucrose?!
This is what Mondstadt considers "harmless sweetness"? Are you serious?!
"Alright, so why am I here?"
Sucrose offered an apologetic smile. "Oh, capturing you wasn't my doing. I was only tasked with restraining you."
"The one who captured you is… my teacher."
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