Facing Hoshimi Miyabi and the others, Keqing remained cautious.
She didn't reveal her identity as a member of the Liyue Qixing, nor did she mention that they came from Liyue. Instead, she gave a simple excuse.
"We're residents from nearby. We accidentally wandered into this area. Would you be able to help us leave?"
Hearing this, Hoshimi Miyabi and Tsukishiro Yanagi exchanged a glance, then looked back at Keqing and the others, their brows furrowing.
It was obvious Keqing was hiding something.
Their clothing, their demeanor...
And most of all, their combat prowess.
Clearly, these weren't ordinary civilians.
Even so, since Keqing's group had just helped take down a high-ranking Ethereal, Hoshimi Miyabi wasn't inclined to confront them. She simply asked calmly:
"You don't have a carrot?"
"Carrot? What carrot?"
"The map for the Hollow. Entering an active Hollow without even a map? You've got guts."
Hoshimi Miyabi studied their expressions.
It was clear they weren't lying. They truly didn't know what a "carrot" was, nor did they have one.
In that case, getting lost in the Hollow made sense.
Seeing Hoshimi Miyabi fall into thought, Hu Tao spoke up with a smile.
"Since you've got maps, why not sell us one? Name your price—Mora's not an issue."
Keqing nodded. "Miss, if you have a spare map, please sell it to us."
"..."
Soukaku couldn't hold back a laugh. "They're seriously trying to buy a map from us?"
How odd.
In the past, any outsiders they encountered in the Hollows—whether raiders or rogue agents—would flee on sight, never daring to interact with Hollow Special Operations Unit 6.
But this group? Not only were they unafraid, they approached them directly.
And now they even wanted to buy a Hollow map from Unit 6?
They were bold. Too bold.
If Hoshimi Miyabi wanted to, she could enforce Hollow management law and detain them all as suspicious individuals.
But she didn't.
She had taken a liking to them—especially their skills. That intrigued her.
Looking at the hopeful expressions on Keqing and Hu Tao's faces, Hoshimi Miyabi took a deep breath.
"Sorry. We can't sell you the map. But you can follow Hollow Special Operations Unit 6 for now. Once we've completed our mission and exit the Hollow, we'll bring you out."
The real reason for keeping them close was to ensure they didn't cause any trouble. That way, she could keep an eye on them and avoid unexpected complications.
Keqing didn't hesitate. As long as they could leave this cursed ruin, she was willing.
At the same time, she was absorbing useful information from their conversation.
For example, the girl with fox ears was named Hoshimi Miyabi...
And this squad—Hollow Special Operations Unit 6—was apparently part of the official organization they had just mentioned...
...
Once everything was decided, Tsukishiro Yanagi took out the Hollow observation device and checked the current ether concentration and activity.
The readings hadn't returned to normal.
Which meant—there were still high-ranking Ethereals nearby.
Soon, Tsukishiro Yanagi pinpointed their next target on the map.
Hoshimi Miyabi said calmly, "Move out."
Tsukishiro Yanagi turned and called, "You all come with us, too."
Keqing, the Traveler, Hu Tao, and Xiao exchanged a glance and immediately followed.
...
Along the way, Keqing and the Traveler took the initiative to chat with Hoshimi Miyabi and Soukaku, hoping to gather more intel.
Their conversations yielded useful information, and the atmosphere gradually relaxed. Tsukishiro Yanagi even praised their skills and asked Keqing which organization she belonged to.
Of course, while Keqing was testing them, they were also quietly assessing her group.
...
Nearby, Paimon flew a circle around the group, then landed in front of Soukaku.
"Um... are you a Oni?"
Soukaku blinked in confusion. "A Oni? What's that?"
Paimon pressed on, "Do you know Arataki Itto? He's a Oni."
Soukaku shook her head. "Never heard of him…"
Paimon nodded seriously. "Next time I'll introduce you. He's a descendant of the Red Oni. Judging by your look... you must be... a Blue Oni! No—definitely a Blue Oni."
Traveler: "..."
Tsukishiro Yanagi laughed. "You're not wrong. Soukaku really is a lazy little oni who loves eating more than anything."
Paimon puffed up proudly. "I knew I guessed right!"
Traveler: "..."
Soukaku: "..."
Something felt very off.
...
Soon, they reached the target location.
Tsukishiro Yanagi immediately pulled out the ether observation device. The readings were sky-high.
"Everyone stay alert... the Ethereal is nearby—"
Ethereal.
So that was what these monsters were called.
Keqing quickly unsheathed her sword, carefully scanning the area.
But before they could locate the high-ranking Ethereal—
Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet cracked open.
A vine as thick as a streetlamp burst out from underground, lashing toward them.
Keqing reacted instantly, slicing the vine in one swift motion.
But more kept coming.
Thick vines, heavy branches—rising fast and in greater numbers.
Seeing this, Hoshimi Miyabi's expression darkened.
"Careful, everyone! This Ethereal is beyond Notoriety-class—it's a high-ranking threat."
She hadn't expected to run into a monster like this.
Clearly, their earlier intel was wrong.
This Hollow wasn't a normal B-rank.
It was an A+ class Hollow—extremely dangerous.
"Don't panic!" Hoshimi Miyabi shouted. "Cover me—"
Before she could even act, a figure had already leapt over the vines, charging straight toward the Ethereal's core.
Hoshimi Miyabi's brows furrowed and she gave chase.
All this time, she had prided herself on her speed.
But now, she was stunned to realize—she couldn't keep up with that tattooed boy's pace.
A flash of green light streaked forward.
The boy named Xiao was already in front of the Ethereal, spear in hand, striking directly.
Unlike the previous two encounters...
This time, Xiao went all out.
One spear thrust—and it blew a massive crater into the Ethereal, dealing heavy damage.
Seeing this, Hoshimi Miyabi was taken aback.
She had known he was powerful—able to fight high-ranking Ethereals alone.
But even then, she had still underestimated him.