Because Su Yuan wasn't too sure whether, if he didn't go to sleep early, he would still be able to receive the daily intelligence hints that refreshed in the palm of his right hand, he decided to volunteer for the first night watch after discussing it with Aether and Eula.
That way, once his turn was over, he could still get some rest, and then wake up the next morning to receive the new intelligence prompt.
While keeping watch, Su Yuan looked at Albedo, who seemed to have already closed his eyes and fallen asleep, but he couldn't shake off a strange, indescribable feeling.
Although, in appearance, this Albedo looked no different, and after several trials and tests, everyone had basically accepted that this was the real Albedo…
Hopefully, tomorrow's intelligence prompt would provide him with more information about Albedo and Albetwo…
That was what Su Yuan was thinking, when suddenly he felt the surrounding space begin to shift into something dreamlike and surreal.
Startled, Su Yuan quickly grew alert.
Could this be an enemy attack?
Did that guy Albetwo use some sort of hallucinogenic smoke bomb?
He tried to shout loudly to wake his companions, but to his shock, no matter how wide he opened his mouth, he couldn't make a single sound…
Not only that, but he also realized his body could no longer move.
His plan to wake the others with physical movement had failed as well…
Su Yuan could only watch helplessly as the scene around him changed faster and faster, as though it was going to carry him into an entirely new place…
When the transformation finally stopped, Su Yuan found himself no longer in the snowy mountains, but in a lush, verdant forest.
Only, everything in this forest was different from a normal one—it all seemed to be made of folded paper, then painted over, like a scene straight out of a fairy tale kingdom of origami.
"Where is this place, and why did I end up here?" Su Yuan looked around in confusion, utterly baffled at what was happening.
"Su Yuan, I didn't expect to meet you here…"
At that moment, a familiar voice came from beside him.
Turning around, Su Yuan was stunned to find—it was the Wanderer!!!
Ever since they had parted ways in Inazuma, Su Yuan hadn't seen the Wanderer again.
He didn't know where he was, nor what he had been doing.
Yet, unexpectedly, they were now reunited here…
"Wanderer, where is this place? Did you bring me here? What exactly is your purpose???"
Su Yuan quickly stepped back a few paces, widening the distance between them, maintaining a safe gap as he spoke with full vigilance.
"Hey, hey, hey, don't look at me like that. It's seriously irritating!"
The Wanderer waved his hand, seemingly a bit helpless, and said:
"Your being here has nothing to do with me. I'm a victim too, brought to this world out of nowhere."
"That voice—whoever it belongs to—told me this world is called Shimuranka. Maybe it really exists somewhere in the real world, but right now, you and I… we're only inside a dream."
"Otherwise, Su Yuan, do you really think I'd waste my time chatting with you here? Wouldn't it be far easier to just ambush you, kill you, and take your remains? Wouldn't that be delightful?"
He pointed at a small sword hanging on his waist and continued:
"On top of that, I've somehow been forced into the role of a so-called Hero…"
As he spoke, the Wanderer tossed the small sword toward Su Yuan, who instinctively caught it.
"But here's the annoying part: this sword is made of some absurdly hard material. No matter what I do, I can't destroy it. And even if I throw it away, it always returns automatically to my waist, like this—"
Yet the next moment, the Wanderer froze.
He looked at his now-empty waist, then at Su Yuan holding the sword, and muttered in surprise:
"Huh? This time it didn't come back?"
"Well, that's fine too. I never cared about this stupid 'Hero' title anyway. Whoever wants it can have it!"
But Su Yuan wasn't focused on whether the Wanderer was really a hero or not.
What concerned him was the thought: If this truly is a dream, then my body outside must already be asleep…
He couldn't help worrying—had Aether and Eula noticed anything strange about him?
Would they switch someone else in to keep watch?
If not, and if that Albetwo used this chance to launch an attack, it would be disastrous.
And most importantly—if the Wanderer wasn't the one who summoned him into this so-called Shimuranka dream world… then who had brought both him and the Wanderer here?
"Su Yuan… Wanderer… hello…"
At that moment, a small figure appeared before Su Yuan and the Wanderer.
They both turned their heads and saw—astonishingly—a tiny flying dragon with horns on its head, crimson eyes, and bluish-purple skin.
"You little lizard with wings, who are you?" the Wanderer asked bluntly.
"I am Durin—the very same Durin who once nearly destroyed all of Mondstadt…"
The little Durin spoke slowly, word by word:
"This place was created by Mother. It is a fairytale world called Shimuranka…"
"According to the original story written in the fairytale book, next summer the Traveler and several people with noble and kind souls would have been summoned here, to venture through this world and spend a joyful summer together…"
"But now… all of that is impossible. Because the real me… has already perished completely…"
"Mother's plan was to use this world to gather power for me, to prepare in advance for my resurrection. But now, none of that can happen—it has all turned into nothing but an illusionary dream bubble…"
"So what does it matter to me whether you live or die? Dragging me and Su Yuan into this dream world—what is your intention?" the Wanderer frowned, still speaking without the slightest courtesy.
"Wanderer, Mother and her friends once said that you possess a noble and kind soul. That one day, you would save me, unravel the knot in my heart, and become my friend…"
"But now… I am on the verge of complete death. None of that will ever come true. I simply wished to meet you… that's all."
After saying this, little Durin turned his head toward Su Yuan and continued:
"The reason I summoned you into this dream… was to tell you this—"
"The one who pierced my heart with a sword, the one who truly killed me… was none other than the Albedo who now stands at your side."
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