Aether's attempt to steal the Holy Lyre der Himmel failed at the crucial moment, snatched away by a Fatui Cicin Mage who had been lying in ambush.
Worse yet, he alerted the Cathedral guards.
During his escape, Aether spotted the Deyi Coffee Shop still brightly lit, so he didn't hesitate to rush inside with Paimon.
Upon entering, he saw Lin Yide playing a game with a young man with slightly dark skin. Only black and white pieces silently faced off on the board.
"Boss Deyi," Aether urgently asked, "the Cathedral guards are chasing us. Do you have anywhere we can hide?"
Lin Yide's expression didn't change. He simply waved his hand lightly, saying, "Don't worry, they won't find you here." Having said that, he re-immersed himself in the game.
His words conveyed an indescribable calming power, making Aether instantly feel at ease.
Indeed, just as Lin Yide had said, when the Cathedral guards passed by the coffee shop, they showed no intention of searching inside, even deliberately taking a detour to avoid it.
Seeing this, Aether finally breathed a sigh of relief, a heavy weight lifted from his heart.
At this moment, Lin Yide formed a line of five black pieces on the board, declaring his victory in the game of Five-in-a-Row.
Kaeya, across from him, showed a dejected expression, casually tossing the white piece in his hand onto the board. "Such a simple game, and I haven't won a single round all night."
"You can go play against that guy Thunderclap, you're guaranteed to win," Lin Yide said with a smile.
Kaeya pouted, looking unenthusiastic. "Win against him? There's absolutely no challenge in that. It feels like any normal person could beat him."
Lin Yide suggested to Aether: "Aether, are you interested in playing a few rounds with Kaeya? The rules are simple, you win by getting five pieces in a row."
After hearing this, a glint of eagerness flashed in Aether's eyes.
Paimon also watched excitedly from the side. For her, this simple yet challenging board game on the continent of Teyvat was the first of its kind she had ever seen.
Lin Yide stood up and offered his seat to Aether.
Aether quickly grasped the essence of Five-in-a-Row. Although he lost the first few games quickly, as he became more familiar with it, his playing skill became more refined.
Eventually, he actually won a game against Kaeya.
Throughout the entire game, Lin Yide quietly observed from the side.
He keenly noticed that while Aether didn't appear particularly intelligent, his learning and thinking abilities were actually very strong, capable of defeating the highly intelligent Kaeya in a short amount of time.
Truly worthy of being the world's protagonist!
Based on this discovery, Lin Yide decided to make appropriate adjustments to his strategy.
"That's enough!" Kaeya's mood became even more dejected after losing another game. "Traveler, you're a monster too!"
Aether scratched his head sheepishly, saying humbly, "It was just luck!"
Lin Yide smiled and took over the conversation: "Being able to defeat our former Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius is certainly not as simple as mere luck."
Aether was very surprised; he hadn't expected this seemingly casual Kaeya to have such an illustrious past.
Kaeya, however, waved it off nonchalantly. "Don't mention my former position, it's nothing to brag about."
Then, Lin Yide turned to Aether, his tone becoming serious. "Aether, what exactly happened?"
Aether recounted in detail the process of his attempt to steal the Holy Lyre der Himmel.
After listening, Lin Yide fell into thought. "If my guess is correct, the ones who snatched the Holy Lyre der Himmel at the crucial moment must be the Fatui!"
"The Fatui?" Aether's expression was puzzled; he had clearly never heard this name before.
Lin Yide slowly explained: "They are the most powerful extremist terrorist organization on the continent of Teyvat. Their power is terrifying, and they stop at nothing."
Kaeya continued: "They have already committed countless heinous crimes in Mondstadt. This time, I wonder what kind of trouble they're planning to stir up?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Aether immediately declared his resolve: "No matter how powerful they are, I will stop their wicked deeds."
Paimon put her hands on her hips and chimed in: "And me! The Traveler's companion, Paimon!"
Lin Yide nodded with satisfaction. "Aether, since you are so resolute, I will tell you where the Fatui are hiding."
Aether confidently patted his chest: "Please rest assured, I will definitely retrieve the Holy Lyre der Himmel."
Afterwards, Lin Yide revealed the Fatui's secret stronghold outside the city to Aether.
Upon receiving the information, Aether turned and left without hesitation, even though it was late at night.
Lin Yide watched his departing back and couldn't help but think of himself in his previous life – willing to grind all night for Primogems.
"Master Yide," Kaeya exclaimed sincerely, "The Traveler is truly extraordinary! No wonder you value him so highly, even meticulously arranging such a grand spectacle to temper him."
Lin Yide smiled faintly but didn't explain further.
He subtly changed the subject. "Speaking of which, have the Fatui in Mondstadt been well-behaved recently?"
Upon mentioning this, Kaeya's expression turned quite strange. "The Fatui's funding seems to have run into some issues. Recently, they've been frequently robbing people in the wilderness, not even sparing the Treasure Hoarders."
Lin Yide also showed a look of surprise upon hearing this. "Have the Fatui fallen this low now?
Contact Thunderclap and Kazuha. Have them step in and warn these Fatui that Mondstadt is now under the protection of the West Factory.
If they dare to rob again, just peel their skin off directly!"
Kaeya couldn't help but shiver slightly after hearing Lin Yide's words.
He knew that when Lin Yide said "peel off their skin," he meant it literally.
The West Factory, when it comes to punishing evil, has only one principle: fighting violence with violence.