Genshin Impact: I'm The Envoy of Snezhnaya
Chapter 62: Bai Luo's Plan
It almost never rained in Mondstadt. According to the nuns in the city, this was the blessing of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. Disasters would never be allowed to ravage this city.
The wind here never stopped blowing, and the clear sky was completely devoid of clouds. Even the starry sky seemed to possess a unique charm.
Collei emerged from the bathroom in her slippers, carrying the clothes she had just changed out of. Although her injuries prevented her from taking a proper bath, she still liked to wipe herself down whenever she could.
"It seems like you've never taken a bath before."
After carefully putting away her clothes, Collei turned to look at Bai Luo, who was standing by the window.
In her impression, Bai Luo was always dressed in that black trench coat. Even when camping outdoors, he would sleep without taking it off, as if... he were constantly maintaining that same state of vigilance.
"I don't need to bathe."
Without taking his eyes off the starry sky, Bai Luo replied indifferently.
Collei pouted. Although her nose was covered by bandages, she still quietly approached Bai Luo and gave a little sniff, trying to catch a whiff of something.
However, Bai Luo didn't give her the chance.
With a swift movement, he reached back, scooped her up, and pinned her onto his lap.
At first, Collei struggled, but her resistance gradually weakened until it eventually disappeared altogether.
That was because her attention had been captured by the stars above.
Ever since she had awakened in that abandoned little house years ago, she had been wandering across the Seven Nations, constantly struggling just to secure enough food and shelter.
Where would she have found the time to admire the night sky?
This was the first time she had realized just how beautiful Teyvat's starry sky could be.
"In astrology, everyone's fate is engraved upon the stars. The countless stars represent the destinies of countless people."
"Do you have one too?"
Collei asked absentmindedly.
"BK201. That's the codename of the star that belongs to me."
"Is it that one?"
Collei raised her bandaged arm and pointed toward the brightest object in the sky.
For some reason, she really hoped that the brightest star belonged to Bai Luo.
"That's the moon."
"..."
After releasing Collei, Bai Luo also closed the window again. There was no point in looking at this artificial starry sky any longer.
Under Collei's resentful gaze, Bai Luo yawned, walked straight over to the soft bed, lay down, and promptly fell fast asleep.
Meanwhile, countless thin steel wires had somehow appeared across the window.
"Tch. What a cautious fellow."
Looking at the razor-sharp wires and then at her own frail body, Collei took her little blanket, spread it out on the soft carpet, and crawled underneath it.
Even though she knew that Bai Luo wouldn't be affected by her illness at all, she was still unwilling to share the same bed with him.
When someone has spent so long living in a state of humiliation and helplessness, even indulging in a little selfishness every now and then can feel like an unaffordable luxury.
"Good night."
"Good night."
Compared to the peaceful atmosphere surrounding the Fatui, the Knights of Favonius headquarters was already in an uproar.
Inside the conference room, Jean stared at the mechanical bird in front of her while pacing back and forth around the table.
If the intelligence was accurate, these things should have been scattered throughout nearly every monster gathering place in and around Mondstadt.
This was certainly not good news for Mondstadt.
"What did the Grand Master say?"
Lisa, who had already changed into her formal attire, looked at Jean and asked.
"The Grand Master's instructions are to leave this matter entirely in my hands."
With the expedition approaching, Grand Master Varka had to entrust the Knights of Favonius to someone he could truly rely on.
And that person was Jean.
This was also a test of sorts.
If she could successfully resolve this incident, Grand Master Varka would undoubtedly feel even more confident about entrusting the Knights of Favonius to her.
"The Windblume Festival is approaching. We absolutely cannot allow something like this to happen in Mondstadt. So... what do you think about the Ausbilder's proposal?"
The documents Bai Luo had given her only briefly mentioned the relevant plan without providing any specific details, which was why she remained so concerned.
"When dealing with the Fatui, we must be extremely cautious. We should only make a decision after confirming everything beyond a shadow of a doubt."
Mondstadt had already suffered once at the hands of the Doctor. They absolutely couldn't afford to fall into the Ausbilder's trap this time.
Otherwise... Mondstadt would suffer another devastating blow.
Jean didn't want to gamble on this matter, nor did she dare to.
At the moment, she was waiting for someone.
As long as that person returned with the evidence, it would prove that Bai Luo hadn't been lying. Only then would she consider making a deal with him.
Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long.
"My people have already confirmed it. Most of the monster gathering places around Mondstadt have these strange devices. Furthermore, based on my analysis... the special fragrance contained inside these things can not only attract monsters but also drive them into a frenzy. They're quite troublesome."
Diluc and Kaeya walked into the conference room together, placing the mechanical bird they were carrying onto the table.
"The men under the Spindrift Knight command have confirmed it as well. Even the more distant Hilichurl camps have these things. According to their reports, these devices are hidden extremely well. They searched five whole times before finally finding one inside a Hilichurl's milk jar."
Kaeya hadn't actually come with Diluc. He had simply run into his sworn elder brother outside the Knights of Favonius headquarters and entered the building alongside him.
However, the intelligence he brought back was no less valuable than Diluc's.
This also meant that even if they devoted a large number of personnel to investigating the matter, some devices would inevitably slip through the cracks. Perhaps this was one of the reasons the Ausbilder dared to use the situation as leverage.
"Can the Knights of Favonius hold off these Hilichurls?" Diluc asked.
If things really came down to it... he would have to take action behind the scenes himself. He still didn't know how his subordinates were handling the matter of the blue wig.
"We can hold them off, but there's no point in doing so."
Looking at the intelligence brought back by the two men, Jean's brows furrowed more and more deeply.
For Mondstadt, this was no longer simply a disaster. Perhaps it was even worse than the incident involving the dragon Ursa.
What a troublesome time of year...
"Exactly. Even if we can hold them off, what would that accomplish? If something like this happens during the Windblume Festival, the reputation of Mondstadt will suffer among tourists who have traveled from far away. And those Fatui, who seem to have their fingers in everything, will undoubtedly seize this opportunity to once again launch an aggressive campaign promoting recruitment and their presence in the city."
This was also one of the reasons Lisa had rushed to find Acting Grand Master Jean in the middle of the night.
Although Bai Luo's documents hadn't explicitly revealed the Fatui's plans, how could someone as perceptive as Lisa fail to recognize what was going on?
"Lisa, about your teacher..."
Jean looked at Lisa somewhat apologetically as she asked.
If they decided to follow the Ausbilder's proposal, it would undoubtedly mean troubling Lisa's connections back in Sumeru.
After all, connections were not something one could simply call upon whenever they pleased.
"I already sent a letter to my teacher before coming here. I'm sure reinforcements will arrive within a few days," Lisa answered with a soft laugh.
She understood all too well just how terrifying the Ausbilder could be. Jean simply had no way of refusing his conditions.
Besides... her teacher would undoubtedly be very interested in learning about that girl's condition as well, wouldn't he?
"Mm. Please make the necessary arrangements. I'll meet with the Ausbilder tomorrow."
"Leave it to me."