After Kuki Shinobu left, Shao Yun still leaned against the stone wall, eyes closed, his face expressionless as he pondered something.
Time ticked by, and after who knew how long, Shao Yun let out a long sigh and slowly opened his eyes.
Just as he was about to get up to look for Lumine and Paimon, he suddenly felt a faint breeze blow against his back. Immediately after, a voice that filled him with both fear and fury echoed out.
"Greetings."
Hearing that voice, Shao Yun bared his teeth, his expression twisting with impatience as he turned to glare at the devil.
"Well, well, the devil shows up again. Too bad for you—I'm not so desperate right now that I need to pay some price for your so-called help. I'm only here to check out this mysterious domain."
The Man with a Top Hat clasped his hands behind his back, scrutinizing Shao Yun from head to toe. He shook his head with no change in expression, then spoke.
"I didn't come here for that. I came because of your curiosity."
The moment Shao Yun heard the words curiosity, his heart tightened, but he forced himself to retort with feigned calm.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
The Man with a Top Hat let his eyes sweep across the rocky surroundings, then replied in the tone of someone explaining a riddle.
"I imagine you're quite puzzled by everything happening during your time here in the Chasm."
Shao Yun's chest constricted—this devil had struck straight at the questions buried in his heart. He'd expected as much, yet still, being seen through so easily left him uncomfortable.
"What do you mean by that?"
The Man with a Top Hat easily pierced through his clumsy act, answering flatly.
"Don't bother pretending. You've got plenty of questions gnawing at you—such as 'Who exactly am I?','Why does my head split with pain when I suddenly remember certain things?', and 'Why is that pain gone now?' That's why I'm here."
He added calmly, "That phrase, 'I know you', doesn't merely mean 'I recognize you'."
Hearing this, Shao Yun clenched his teeth so hard his jaw ached, his glare burning with hatred as he spat in a low, venomous growl.
"This is all your doing!"
The Man with a Top Hat shook his head slowly, correcting him without emotion.
"Not entirely. More accurately, this is the result of that fool you speak of and I… reaching for each other."
At that, Shao Yun no longer cared to chase down who was to blame. Whether it was this devil or that fool, neither was worth a damn.
"You two despicable bastards. One's a pathetic addict, the other's a scheming devil. I don't ever want to see either of you again—get lost!"
His rage burst out in a roar as he prepared to clap his hands over his ears and shut his eyes, determined to block the creature out entirely.
But before he could, the Man with a Top Hat spoke again.
"Very well. This will be your last chance. Do you want to make a deal?"
The flare of curiosity rising unbidden in his chest made Shao Yun curse under his breath.
'Damn it… he's got me again. What sort of price do you want this time? Another round of drawing cards?'
Though unwilling, Shao Yun was left with no real choice but to accept the bargain. After all, with a fate like his, what else could he do? He had, after all, been shackled to that fool.
The Man with a Top Hat produced a deck of cards, his tone flat as ever.
"Since you mentioned drawing cards, let's start with a little warm-up. Harmless to you, just something to liven up the atmosphere."
"One draw?" With a flick of his thumb, the deck fanned open like a folding fan before Shao Yun.
Shao Yun narrowed his eyes at the cards, his voice sharp.
"You just said this is harmless. No tricks!"
He plucked a card at random.
When he saw what he'd drawn, a mocking smile tugged at his lips, as though this result was only natural for him.
He flipped the card to show the devil, smugness in his tone.
"The King of Spades? Seems my luck hasn't run dry yet. Last time it was the King of Diamonds."
The Man with a Top Hat took the card, expression unchanged.
"Indeed. Your luck remains as uncanny as ever."
Then he laid out the true stakes.
"Now comes the deal. We'll play Texas Hold'em—one round, best of three, best of five, best of seven. You may choose."
Shao Yun's brow furrowed. "And the result? What do I gain, what do I lose?"
"If you win," the Man with a Top Hat replied, "depending on how many rounds you win, I'll answer that many questions. If you lose, then for each lost round, you'll choose someone who cannot leave this place. Of course, you can walk away from the game right now."
High risk, high reward. Exactly what he'd expect of this fiend. But sometimes, one knew better than to push their luck.
After weighing it in silence, Shao Yun gave his answer.
"One round. Winner takes all."
The Man with a Top Hat inclined his head, shuffling the deck once more before handing it to him.
"Very well. You shuffle, you deal."
So, the two crouched down, the deck riffling through Shao Yun's hands as the game began.
The five community cards landed face up: the 5 of Spades, the 7 of Spades, the 9 of Spades, the Jack of Hearts, and the King of Hearts.
The Man with a Top Hat looked at his hole cards, then laid them down.
The 3 of Diamonds and the King of Clubs.
"A pair of Kings. And you?"
Shao Yun smirked, flipping his own cards.
The 6 of Spades and the 8 of Spades.
"Straight flush. You lose." Tossing them onto the ground, he stood with relish.
The Man with a Top Hat rose as well, adjusting his tie.
"Your luck is remarkable. I'll answer one question. Ask."
Rubbing his chin, countless questions swarmed Shao Yun's mind. At last, he chose.
"Earlier you said… you stirred my curiosity. Why is it that during my time in the Chasm, I suddenly get splitting headaches when I remember certain things, and why do I sometimes recall them, only to forget again? What's happening to me?"
The Man with a Top Hat folded his hands behind his back again, contemplative. After a long pause, he finally spoke, cloaking the truth in metaphor.
"Picture a ship sailing through a vast ocean, shrouded in thick fog. What does it need to keep from losing its way?"
Shao Yun frowned, murmuring, "I'm no sailor… but maybe a compass, or a lighthouse on shore to guide it. What are you getting at?"
The Man with a Top Hat's sharp gaze pressed him to think deeper.
"Hmm…" Shao Yun muttered, piecing it together. Then he sighed.
"I think I see your meaning. For me, Lumine may be… that guiding light, the one that helps me regain my senses, my reason…"
But here he faltered, unable to find the right word.
The Man with a Top Hat gave a small, satisfied nod.
"Exactly. You could put it that way. Recall when we first met, then consider what came after."
Shao Yun's thoughts flashed back—back to Mondstadt, back to the moment Lumine kissed him. When he faced this devil after, the fear vanished instantly.
In that moment, it was as though he'd found a new sense of direction—a compass for the soul.
With a wry chuckle, half bitter and half in jest, he asked, "So then… does that mean my feelings for her are fake? That they're not true love from the heart? Is it just my nature, a creature clinging to reason?"
The answer frightened him even as he sought it.
"Oh, what a mad thought…" he muttered, self-mockery in his tone.
This time, the Man with a Top Hat indulged him with an answer.
"Love is only an intense, positive emotional and mental state. No different from instinctively seeking benefit and avoiding harm. But tell me—knowing this, would you betray that girl behind her back?"
Without a heartbeat's pause, Shao Yun shook his head.
"No."
"Hmm… 'Even if you find no reason, even if truth turns to lies, you will persist. For loyalty is both your salvation and your curse.' He was right about you," the Man with a Top Hat said, his voice tinged with meaning.
Shao Yun's eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger stirring.
"I'm not him. It's because of you and that fool that I'm forced to borrow his everything!"
The Man with a Top Hat's face betrayed nothing, his voice as flat as ever.
"Call it what you wish. You don't remember who you are—only him. So how can you be so sure you're not him?"
Shao Yun opened his mouth, ready to retort, but no words came. He froze, bereft of reply.
And then, something wholly unexpected occurred.
Without warning, a string of corrupted text shimmered before his eyes.
[Q&*$#…Z Barbatos&￥@# Now! *&...]
The glowing symbols writhed and twisted, utterly indecipherable.
Shao Yun stared, wide-eyed.
"What the hell is this? Just gibberish! Barbatos? Now? What are you trying to say, you useless bastard? You weren't even supposed to meddle anymore!"
The Man with a Top Hat also took notice, sighing faintly.
"Ah… a reckless one who never learns."
He gave Shao Yun a curt nod.
"Well then, until our next deal… Arthur Morgan."
That name sent Shao Yun's blood boiling.
"I'm not him! You damn devil!"
But before he could curse further, the figure vanished once again without a trace.
Left alone, Shao Yun looked down at the cards scattered across the stone floor. With a weary sigh, he crouched and began gathering them one by one.
When the last card returned to his hand, he couldn't help but snarl again.
"Nuts!"
Then another thought hit him. Hadn't that fool already struck some bargain with this devil?
So why now a flood of scrambled words—telling him to seek out that drunken bard?
Bah, what was the point of thinking so much…