After leaving the Lambad Tavern, Lu Chen couldn't wait to test Zhongli's unsettling theory.
The six of them headed toward Treasure Street. Unlike the bustling atmosphere at the city gate, this street was nearly deserted, with only a handful of pedestrians and very few vendors.
"Is it usually like this?" Lu Chen asked Nahida in confusion. For the main district of one of the Seven Nations, this bleak scene was far too strange.
"Of course not..." Nahida looked around, frowning as she compared the sight with her memories.
"Treasure Street is normally the liveliest place in Sumeru City. Merchants from every nation gather here, tourists come and go endlessly. It should never look like this..."
"Really?" Lu Chen muttered, walking up to a fruit stand.
"Boss, two Sunsetias."
"Oh... alright..."
The stall owner looked drained of energy. Even when a customer appeared, he sluggishly picked out two fresh fruits.
"Here you go..."
After Nahida paid, she casually struck up a conversation. The vendor's response was almost the same as Lambad's—he admitted he'd been feeling unusually tired and lacking energy lately.
Still, he didn't think much of it. As for why the streets were empty, he guessed it was because more Withering Zones had recently appeared outside the city, scaring off tourists.
But Lu Chen wasn't convinced it was that simple. Everything they had seen so far proved that something was happening in Sumeru City—something people themselves had no idea about.
After asking around a bit more, they regrouped outside the tavern at an outdoor table.
"The old man's guess might really be right," Lu Chen said, spreading his hands. "This isn't just about the tavern—something's wrong with the entire city."
"The atmosphere changed completely once we passed through the gate into the main district," Ei added thoughtfully. "Could that mean it's being manipulated?"
"It suggests..." Lu Chen turned to Nahida, "the bustling scene at the main gate was fake, staged just for us?"
"That's possible." Nahida frowned deeply. "In Sumeru, only the Akademiya could pull off something like that. But why would they..."
"Feels like a grand conspiracy..." Venti, unusually serious, murmured.
Lu Chen thought back to the upheaval in Inazuma not long ago. "If the gates had looked deserted as well, no outsider would have dared to enter. So... a lure? What kind of trap are the Akademiya setting?"
"Could it be related to the Sabzeruz Festival the tavern owner mentioned?" Venti suddenly wondered.
"But..." Nahida muttered, "the Sabzeruz Festival was already a week ago..."
With no immediate leads, Lu Chen decided their best option was to find Lumine and Paimon.
Since Lumine was well-known at the Adventurers' Guild, there was bound to be news there. Nahida led the group toward the guild, but before long, everyone stopped in their tracks.
"Looks like we don't need to search." Venti pointed helplessly at a nearby sign.
"What's this..." Lu Chen squinted at it.
A wanted notice?
"Seriously? How do those two manage to get wanted everywhere they go?" Lu Chen was dumbfounded.
Nahida read aloud: "Emergency Notice: A blonde foreign traveler and a small, flying white-haired elf are wanted. Both are considered dangerous individuals with distinct features. Avoid contact and report any sightings immediately to the Akademiya or the Eremites..."
"Last time they crossed the Shogunate, now it's the Akademiya," Ei said with a faint smile, glancing at Lu Chen. "Your companion is truly remarkable."
"To get wanted no matter where you go... that's quite the skill," Lu Chen thought bitterly. He didn't know what exactly got them entangled with the Akademiya this time, but it was almost certainly tied to the current conspiracy.
If they could find the two, they might be able to unravel what was happening in Sumeru City.
Even though Lumine and Paimon were wanted, Lu Chen still held on to a sliver of hope as they entered the Adventurers' Guild.
A familiar voice greeted them at the reception desk.
"Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild."
"Long time no see, Miss Katheryne." Lu Chen smiled at the receptionist.
"Long time no see, Mr. Lu Chen." Katheryne's expression remained calm, her professional smile unchanged. "You're here to ask about the traveler, aren't you?"
"That's right."
"Half a month ago, the traveler arrived in Sumeru City and completed some daily commissions for the guild. However, after the Sabzeruz Festival, they lost contact with us—and were declared wanted by the Akademiya. The guild does not know the reason."
"No new leads, then..." Lu Chen thought for a moment before asking, "Before they disappeared, was there anything unusual?"
"The traveler had been inquiring about the Dendro Archon," Katheryne answered without hesitation. "Since the Sabzeruz Festival is tied to the Dendro Archon, they also helped with the preparations."
"Thank you, Katheryne," Lu Chen said with a nod.
"You're welcome. Goodbye."
Back with the others, Lu Chen told Nahida, "Before disappearing, Lumine and Paimon were with the organizers of the Sabzeruz Festival. If we want to find them, we should track down those people."
The organizers were surely all devotees of the Dendro Archon—finding them shouldn't be too difficult.
"I see..." Nahida nodded. "I'll help you ask around."
"Alright."
The group split up for now. Most stayed in Treasure Street and secured a good inn, while Lu Chen followed Nahida on a circuit through the Grand Bazaar.
As night fell, Sumeru City grew eerily quiet.
When they returned, the old man was already fast asleep, while Venti yawned and looked at them.
"You're finally back. Did you find anything?"
"After the Sabzeruz Festival, the Bazaar crowd dispersed," Lu Chen sighed. "By the time we got there, it was already late, so we came back."
"Tomorrow we should try the Lambad Tavern again," Nahida suggested. "It's a good hub for information. A few acquaintances of mine go there often."
"That's all we can do..." Lu Chen sighed again.
He looked out the window into the night. The city was dark, with only a few scattered lights glowing faintly—like a dead city.
...
The night passed quietly. The next morning, the six of them returned to the Lambad Tavern.
But to Lu Chen's surprise, the place was bustling with life. The moment they opened the door, they were greeted with noise, laughter, and the aroma of food. Nearly every table was full.
Lu Chen frowned as he took it all in.
He spread his senses carefully, but detected no danger. Everything appeared normal; the patrons were just ordinary people.
And yet—after what they saw yesterday, this sudden return to "normal" felt anything but. Ei's brow furrowed slightly, while Scaramouche instinctively stepped back, almost drawing his weapon.
"Something's off..." Venti muttered, heading to the counter with suspicion.
"Boss, why's business so good today?"
"Huh?" Lambad looked puzzled. "When has business ever been bad? It's always like this!"
"That's not right..." Nahida stared at him seriously. "Yesterday you told us business had been slow, with hardly any customers!"
"Eh...? Did I?" Lambad scratched his head, muttering, "I feel like I might've said something like that... Strange, when did I..."
Nahida's expression grew strange.
Lu Chen also noticed the discrepancy. Not only was the tavern lively, but Lambad himself looked far more energetic—completely different from his weary state yesterday.
Something clicked in Lu Chen's mind. He fixed his gaze on Lambad.
"Any open tables? I'll have your fish rolls, curry shrimp, and bean soup."
"Of course, there are seats upstairs. Oh, would you like to try some coconut charcoal cakes as well? They're a specialty here."
Remembering Nahida's exchange yesterday, Lu Chen shook his head. "No, just those dishes."
After passing the order to the kitchen, Lambad turned back to them with a smile. "Are you locals? You seem to know a lot about the food here."
"We're from Sumeru, but it's our first time in the city." Lu Chen forced a flattering smile. "Lambad Tavern has been famous for a long time. Even outsiders know the name of its great owner."
"Hahaha, is that so?"
Lambad's face lit up with delight.
"I never thought I'd be so famous! Haha! I wonder if the stories of my travels have spread too. Back in the day, I was the greatest sailor on the Sumeru Sea—no lie! I braved storms fiercer than the Raiden Shogun's wrath. I shattered glaciers harder than the Tsaritsa's ice. I—"
"You also broke through the thickest glaciers, stronger than the Tsaritsa's frozen might," Lu Chen finished for him.
"Eh? How do you know that?" Lambad scratched his head, muttering, "Could it be my tales really spread that far..."
Lu Chen looked back at the group. Their expressions had all turned grave.
The six of them sat in silence, so out of place amidst the noisy, cheerful tavern.
At their table, Nahida murmured, "The exact same words as yesterday... The boss boasted about his adventures again."
"Yesterday's events... repeated?" Venti whispered in disbelief.
Scaramouche removed his hat, a crooked smile spreading across his face. He had expected this trip to be dull, stuck under the eyes of gods—but now, something truly interesting had appeared.
Lu Chen thought back on everything they'd seen since entering the city. The exhausted people of Sumeru, the empty Treasure Street, the false bustle at the gate, the overly lively tavern, and now this uncanny repeat of yesterday...
"What does all this mean? What kind of power could make something like this happen?"