Chapter 59: Guess Where the Milk Came From?

Hilichurls are indeed a species with low intelligence. In the 'boy who cried wolf' scenario, humans usually need to be fooled three times before completely losing trust in their companions, whereas Hilichurls only need to be fooled once.

No matter how loudly the guard Hilichurl shouted, none of its companions responded.

As Collei approached with a dagger in her hand, the Hilichurl was utterly helpless.

"Nimesila!"

Seeing that Collei had no intention of sparing it, the Hilichurl mustered its courage and raised its bone club.

Hilichurls are a bit stronger than the average adult human, but Collei was far from ordinary. Even without a Vision, her skills surpassed those of many who possessed one.

So, unsurprisingly, she beat the Hilichurl to a pulp.

Still, Collei didn't kill the Hilichurl, because Bai Luo had asked her not to. It seems he needs the Hilichurls for something.

After setting up the mechanical bird, Collei quietly slipped out of the Hilichurl camp without alerting the others. However, as she left, she didn't forget to give another kick to the Hilichurl that was pretending to be dead on the ground.

She holds grudges.

When she returned to the temporary campsite, Bai Luo had already prepared lunch.

"The fish is from Mondstadt, the firewood is from Mondstadt too. A pure Mondstadt grilled fish. Want to try some?"

Holding up the grilled fish, Bai Luo beckoned to her.

Bai Luo's cooking skills were... average at best. While not extraordinary, they were certainly better than a certain otaku girl.

"Hmph."

Collei accepted the food Bai Luo handed her without hesitation and began eating in silence.

Over the past two days, she had tried escaping several times.

But each time, she hadn't made it far before Bai Luo would drag her back. Either that, or she'd trip over some hidden wires he set up, getting tangled and trapped.

It was as if he was constantly by her side, no matter where she went.

After a few attempts, she simply gave up.

What else could she do? She couldn't beat him, and she couldn't outrun him either. For now, she decided to bide her time and wait for another chance.

"This is the last one. After we're done, pack your things. We're heading back."

Bai Luo, stirring a pot of milk, spoke casually as if he didn't care.

Collei couldn't figure out where he had gotten the milk. After all, when they left, he hadn't brought any of this stuff.

"Do we really need to carry all those stones?"

Collei glanced nervously at the pile of stones in the tent.

According to Bai Luo, she'd have to carry them all the way back to Mondstadt.

The distance from Dadaupa Gorge to Mondstadt was so daunting it made her want to give up just thinking about it.

"You'll thank me later."

With a knowing smirk, Bai Luo glanced at the pile of rocks and crystals but didn't offer much of an explanation.

'Yeah, right.'

she muttered sarcastically, Collei didn't realize that she had already begun to lower her guard around Bai Luo and was unconsciously following his instructions.

Over the years, Bai Luo had trained many soldiers. He had plenty of methods to subtly influence others into trusting him.

Do you think his "Instructor" title was for nothing?

Even the rooster admired his method.

The milk in the pot was nearly ready. Any longer, and the taste would start to change.

Bai Luo poured a bowl and handed it to Collei.

At first, she only took a small sip. But after savoring it, her eyes lit up, and she gulped down the whole bowl in one go.

As much as she enjoyed it, Bai Luo didn't touch the milk at all.

"Where did you get this milk? I didn't see you carrying any on the way."

Wiping the milk from her lips, Collei couldn't suppress her curiosity any longer and asked about the milk's origin.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Bai Luo spit out a fish bone, giving her an odd look.

"Is... is it not okay to ask?"

Collei glanced around nervously, suspecting there might be a hidden Fatui outpost nearby. Otherwise, how could Bai Luo magically produce so many supplies?

Now that she thought about it, would knowing such secrets mean Bai Luo would silence her?

"It's not that you can't know."

Bai Luo didn't think this was some big secret, so he told her everything.

"The pot is from the Northern 'Meat-Lovers' tribe, the milk came from the Southern 'Deep Sleepers' tribe's big jar, and as for the bowl you're holding, it's from the Eastern 'Black Sun' tribe."

"..."

Hearing this, Collei suddenly felt the rich flavor of the milk change in her mouth.

She scrambled over to the nearby bushes, gagging.

"Ugh—"

The so-called Meat-Lovers, Deep Sleepers, and Black Sun tribes were, in fact, three large Hilichurl tribes.

Who knows what those pots had been used to cook?

And the milk... who knows if it even came from cows?

Most disturbing of all, she now understood why Bai Luo had only sprinkled seasoning on the grilled meat and fish when serving her. That stuff was definitely questionable.

"Tsk, is that all you can handle?"

Watching Collei's pale face, Bai Luo grinned maliciously.

He had suffered a similar ordeal when Ksenia had pulled this trick on him in the past, and he hadn't enjoyed it.

But now that the tables had turned, it was surprisingly... satisfying.

What an oddly delightful experience.

After the meal, and under Collei's resentful gaze, Bai Luo packed up their things and set off for Mondstadt with her.

There wasn't much to carry anyway. The campsite had originally been set up by hunters as a rest spot.

The only real hassle was that pile of stones.

But those were all for Collei to carry.

Bai Luo had wanted to stay a few more days, as there were still many things Collei hadn't learned.

However, the medicine on her bandages was losing its effectiveness, and with the Windblume Festival approaching, they couldn't afford to delay any longer.

At the very least... they needed to return to Mondstadt before the festival began.

Before reaching Mondstadt, the two of them could already feel the atmosphere of the festival.

Windblume posters were plastered everywhere along the roads, travelers and merchants they passed by were all discussing the festival with excitement.

"When we get back, take those stones to Wagner's smithy."

Ignoring Collei's resistant expression, Bai Luo ruffled her slightly messy hair.

"It'll be late by the time we get there. Won't the smithy be closed?"

After spending two days with Bai Luo, Collei had grown accustomed to being bossed around. Still, she couldn't help but complain. It was her last bit of defiance.

"If it's closed, we'll knock it open. The Fatui need his help, even if he's in bed making a baby with his wife, he'll have to pull it out and work for us"

"..."

Collei wasn't surprised by Bai Luo's words. After all, that was typical Fatui behavior.

What did catch her off guard was his somewhat vulgar metaphor, which made her lower her head, pulling at the bandages on her face to hide the blush creeping across her cheeks.

"I'll wait for you at the city gate. After you drop off the materials, come find me. We'll change your bandages, then I'll take you to meet someone."

"Who?"

"A very strong, very capable big sister."

"...Huh??"