Lumine exclaims in surprise, "Mu Yang, what are you doing here?"
She had heard from Shenhe that Mu Yang left Liyue Harbor over a month ago.
Why would he be in the Chasm?
No, that doesn't add up.
If Mu Yang had been in the Chasm all this time, how had she not seen him even once?
Mu Yang explains, "There were some things I needed to investigate."
"But what about you? Why are you in a place like this?"
Mu Yang turns the question back on them, noting that this place is quite dangerous.
Paimon says, "When we were investigating here before, I saw something glowing."
She looks around. "Huh? Did I see it wrong?"
Mu Yang says he just arrived and came over when he heard voices.
Yanfei spreads her hands. She's been here for a while but hasn't seen the shiny thing Paimon mentioned.
"However, there's someone who might know."
She shouts toward a stone wall, "Yelan, are you there?"
The perspective, as always, is reliably cinematic.
Starting from the feet, moving up to the waist, then to the grand…
Yelan leaps down from the stone wall.
[Very deliberate camera work.]
[Yanfei: Seriously, you guys weren't gonna show up unless I called, huh?]
[So many big shots in this tiny place?]
[What's with the "grand"?!]
Yelan steps in front of the group, teasing,
"Is [Three Bowls Won't Cross the Harbor] planning to expand its business here?"
Present are the owner of [Three Bowls Won't Cross the Harbor], the boss lady? The server, and the nominal legal consultant.
The whole crew showed up, family in tow.
And Yanfei still has the nerve to say this isn't a place you can just waltz into? That's hilarious.
But Yelan's just joking.
Everyone here has exceptional skills, and there's really nothing she can do to stop them from going wherever they want.
Besides, her identity operates in the shadows.
Unlike Ningguang, she can't openly suppress anyone.
Even if this place is restricted, there's nothing she can do about it.
Lumine looks at Yelan, feeling a sense of familiarity.
"Aren't you the employee from the Ministry of Civil Affairs who often visits [Muyu Snow City]?"
Yelan raises an eyebrow. "Oh? The great hero pays attention to a small fry like me?"
[Isn't that obvious? You don't exactly blend in with the NPCs!]
[No kidding, in Teyvat, you can tell who's a key character at a glance.]
Lumine stares at Yelan. "The Ministry of Civil Affairs isn't your real job, is it?"
Yelan glances at Mu Yang. Did an Adeptus tell her?
Mu Yang remains impassive, eyes on his nose, nose on his heart, giving nothing away.
Lumine continues, "It was you who helped me that day, wasn't it? I could feel the Hydro elemental power coming from you."
"It was the same as the power that struck the nail."
Though Yelan knows Lumine can wield multiple elements simultaneously,
she's still shocked to hear this.
She has no choice but to admit, "Correct. Yelan, employee of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, is just one of my identities."
"As for my other identities…"
She has no intention of elaborating.
Seeing no one else speaking, Paimon steps up to liven the mood.
"Is Yanfei calling Yelan out to ask if she's seen the shiny thing?"
Yanfei nods. "That's one reason. As far as I know, Yelan, you've been working here for a while."
Yelan says she hasn't seen anything.
That day, she helped Lumine by firing an arrow and left immediately after.
She didn't see anything shiny.
Mu Yang asks, "Could Paimon have seen it wrong?"
Paimon scratches her head. "Maybe…"
In truth, Paimon didn't see it wrong.
Mu Yang asked on purpose.
The object is already in his possession,
currently stored in his system space.
He knew Yelan was roaming the Chasm,
so he entered stealthily, grabbed it, and stashed it away.
Afterward, he touched the Celestial Nail
and entered a white room similar to the one in Dragonspine.
This time, he didn't act recklessly.
He knew the "Perilous Trails" storyline would unfold here soon,
and there was something he could use to his advantage.
So, for the sake of character popularity points, he decided to play it safe.
Having already figured out the composition of the nail's power, he left with ease.
Since then, he's been concealing his presence, waiting for Lumine's arrival.
The group decides not to pursue the matter further.
Yelan changes the subject.
She can't stop these people from investigating the Chasm.
In fact, as part of her Ministry of Civil Affairs duties to "monitor the Chasm,"
she's supposed to accompany them.
"But I have other pressing matters this time, so I can't stay with you the whole way. Do as you please, just don't cause any big disturbances."
Yanfei feels a bit uneasy hearing this.
She called Yelan out not just to ask about the shiny object but for another reason.
Her will-related commission—she was hoping Yelan could help with it.
In the end, she speaks up.
"For the sake of our past acquaintance, could you spare a little time to help me with this will?"
Yelan crosses her arms. "Asking for my help requires some sincerity."
Yanfei knows there's a chance when she hears this.
"No problem. You pay for a guide, right? I happen to have some fine tea. If you don't mind, let me treat you to a cup."
Mu Yang takes a look—well, well, isn't that the tea he picked from that special place
when Slime was causing trouble, worried that his friends in Liyue Harbor wouldn't get good tea?
Yelan got some too, huh?
But that makes sense. Mu Yang hasn't interacted much with Yelan, and Yanfei might not even know they're acquainted.
Sure enough, the moment Yelan sees the tea, the corners of her mouth curl up.
She loves this stuff.
Just as she's about to ask Yanfei for details,
Itto's voice suddenly booms, "Hey! You guys!"
[Hahaha, guess it really isn't a place you can just waltz into!]
[This place's lockdown is way too tight.]
Paimon hears the voice and panics. "Oh no, how did Itto find us?"
After all, they tricked him and sent him in the wrong direction.
Now that he's caught them red-handed, there's no way to talk their way out.
Itto comes running over.
"Gotcha! You deliberately sent me the wrong way, huh? You're not siding with your bro!"
Lumine says she had no choice—both sides are friends,
and she didn't want them to clash.
Itto then notices Mu Yang nearby, and his frustration boils over.
"Shinobu, look! It's that Liyue kid!"
"I saw him already, boss. Calm down."
Mu Yang just gives a slight smile, offering no explanation.
Sure, he played a little trick on Itto that day, no question.
But back then, he was a swordsman testing his blade. Now he's an Adeptus.
In Liyue, why should a grand Adeptus swordsman explain himself to you?
As expected, when Itto steps forward to confront Mu Yang, Yelan stops him.
"Sorry, this area is a restricted zone in the Chasm. Outsiders, please halt."
Itto's not the type to follow rules obediently.
"What's that supposed to mean? There's no sign or fence here, and you're telling me I can't walk?"
[Oh man, this is gonna be good!]
[Mu Yang knows Itto too, huh?]
[Let's go, fight, fight, fight—epic showdown!]