At that moment, a long-lost and familiar voice echoed behind him.
The Man with a Top Hat—that ever-mysterious and ominous figure—appeared silently behind Shao Yun.
"You think I'm your servant? That I come and go at your beck and call?" The voice was calm and deep, laced with a subtle, mocking tone.
Shao Yun spun around, a flicker of emotion flashing in his eyes. This was his final lifeline.
He looked at the Man with a Top Hat, his voice trembling. "I need your help."
With hands behind his back, the man slowly walked toward Shao Yun, each step pressing on Shao Yun's frayed nerves.
"Weren't you the one who didn't want to see me before? I respected your wishes. But now, why are you so desperate to summon me again?" There was mockery in his voice, sneering at Shao Yun's helplessness.
"When a man falls into despair, he always clings to those mysterious, unfathomable beings for hope. Pathetic and laughable."
But Shao Yun ignored the scorn. He shouted, almost hoarse, "I need you! Help me sever Aether from the Abyss Order—or make it so they can never find us again! I also want Lumine to end this meaningless journey!"
The Man with a Top Hat stopped, now standing only a meter from Shao Yun. He frowned slightly, puzzled by Shao Yun's request.
"I recall you promised Venti and Zhongli you'd leave Dragonspine tomorrow. Are you deceiving them?"
Shao Yun let out a cold laugh, his eyes burning with determination.
"I didn't lie. If you help me remove the Abyss Order's threat to Aether and us, I'll leave this damned place tomorrow—without fail!"
The Man with a Top Hat nodded. Demons had no reason to refuse a deal. He asked again, "So, what will I get in return for fulfilling your wish?"
Without hesitation, Shao Yun pointed to himself and spoke the price. "My soul. In exchange, I'm willing to offer you my soul."
The demon shook his head mockingly. "You're a fool. Why would I kill the hen that lays golden eggs just to feast on one meal?"
Seeing the refusal, Shao Yun pressed on, unwilling. "Then what do you want in return for your help?"
The Man with a Top Hat circled him, muttering, "Since you've barred me from touching the girl and that floating thing, my options are limited..."
Shao Yun's anxiety surged. "What will it take? What do I have to do to make you agree?"
The man finally stopped in front of him, slowly uttering three chilling words.
"Go kill people."
Shao Yun's heart trembled, but he forced a calm front. A faint glimmer of dark hope flickered in his eyes. "Who?"
The demon tilted his head, calculating. Then, coldly said, "Let me see... kill everyone in Mondstadt and Liyue. Men, women, young, old. Wipe them all out—and I'll help you."
Shao Yun's smile froze, disbelief overtaking him. This wasn't murder. This was genocide. He wasn't that far gone!
"Are you insane?!" he roared. "Forget how twisted this is—if I actually did that, Venti and Zhongli would treat me like I was Khaenri'ah from five hundred years ago! No—like a demon from the ancient wars!"
The demon nodded nonchalantly, unmoved by the outrage.
"But I believe you can defeat the both of them. Am I wrong?"
Shao Yun tried to negotiate again, desperate. "How about this: I kill Venti and Zhongli, and offer my soul too. Would that be enough?"
The demon shook his head firmly.
"This is non-negotiable. Either do as I said—or listen to your little girlfriend and continue your journey."
Shao Yun clutched his head, feeling like it might burst. Cold sweat beaded on his brow. He took a moment to calm down, then cursed through gritted teeth. "You devil! How did I get so unlucky to be targeted by a bastard like you!"
The Man with a Top Hat remained unfazed and delivered his final ultimatum.
"It's time to choose. Agree to my condition—or surrender to fate."
Shao Yun hesitated. He couldn't bring himself to kill everyone. Even if he hardened his heart, killed them all, including Venti and Zhongli—what then?
What if Celestia came down, slaughtered him, Lumine, Paimon, and Aether? He couldn't gamble on a demon's mercy. For all he knew, this was just a ploy.
Even if the demon cleaned up afterward, and he truly discarded all conscience—how would Lumine look at him? Would she accept freedom paid with the lives of two nations?
The Man with a Top Hat caught the flicker of hesitation in Shao Yun's eyes, and a subtle smile played at the corners of his mouth. He began his usual manipulation.
"You're wavering. So why the reluctance? Is it that faint sliver of goodness in your heart? Or is it fear? Fear that after giving everything, she might follow in the footsteps of Dutch van der Linde?"
Shao Yun's face darkened instantly. At some point, he had thought that. The demon had pierced the secret in his heart. Enraged, he shouted back.
"She's not Dutch! She's Lumine! She's the most precious person in my life!" His voice trembled with emotion. "You promised you wouldn't hurt Lumine or Paimon! Where is that promise now?!"
The demon remained calm, his voice smooth and bewitching. "I never directed malice at her. I only reveal the truth. Why didn't she choose to stand by your side earlier? Since you arrived in this world, this was the first time you felt true despair… even cried."
Shao Yun steadied himself, realizing the demon was trying to drive a wedge between them. He replied firmly, "You're trying to turn us against each other! I won't betray Lumine—just as she'll never betray me. She is not Dutch!"
But the Man with a Top Hat wasn't done. His next words were heavy with implication.
"The last 'you' also believed with unwavering faith that it was all Micah Bell's plot… never realizing it was a reflection of Dutch van der Linde's true self."
Shao Yun roared in rage, nearly losing control.
"I'm not Arthur Morgan! What do you gain by turning me into him?!"
The Man with a Top Hat's smile deepened, his eyes locked onto Shao Yun.
Shao Yun felt that intense gaze and was suddenly seized by a strange daze.
He reflexively slapped himself hard across the face, shaking off the trance and regaining clarity.
"I'll prove it to you—Lumine will never betray me!" His voice carried a note of grim resolve.
"She's not Dutch van der Linde. Everything she's done has her reasons. She stopped me because she didn't want me to go astray—didn't want me to destroy what's still important. She's not as ruthless as I am. Her kindness and reason led her to a different choice."
His voice rose with intensity. Then, he realized—there was no point in staying.
He couldn't accept the demon's terms. If the demon wouldn't help, then this was over.
With a sigh, Shao Yun stepped past the Man with a Top Hat, striding down the mountain. He cursed under his breath, venting his bitterness.
"Damn it, I never should've come to you! Nothing good ever happens when you're involved! If Lumine wants to keep traveling, let her—I give up!"
The demon turned slowly to watch him, his voice low and resonant.
"So, you're giving up? Yielding to the hand fate has dealt you?"
Shao Yun halted, still with his back to the demon. His voice brimmed with frustration and resignation.
"I did all this because you said you'd help me. But your terms… I can't accept. So, what else can I do?"
He took a deep breath and turned to face the demon directly.
"She supports me unconditionally. So, I should support her the same way. That's one of my principles."
The demon nodded slightly, unsurprised by the answer. But he made one last "effort."
"Seven days of fleeing and struggle… and this is all you got in return. Are you truly willing to accept that?"
Shao Yun clenched his teeth, fists creaking with tension.
"Of course not! But what can I do? I can't accept your condition, and there's no other way. I have to accept it. 'Just like no one can defy gravity.'"
With that, he started walking again, not looking back. His voice drifted through the wind.
"I'm going. While I still have time—I have something to do. Lumine's brother is back. I need to propose to her. I don't have time to waste on you."
The Man with a Top Hat watched his departing figure and softly muttered an honest truth.
"It's not that I don't want to help you… it's that your heart is tied down by bonds and concerns. Just like 'Eliza' and 'Isaac' once were. If they had lived, you wouldn't have walked this path. That… is a good thing."
Shao Yun's figure had already vanished, but his voice rang back loud and clear.
"To hell with you! I never should've summoned you, damn demon!"
The Man with a Top Hat, having spoken his truth, raised his voice one last time.
"Very well. I'll wait here for one night. If you regret it before the sun rises, come back. For those with a goal, any means is worth it."