After bidding Verr Goldet goodbye, I had no energy left to keep up my polite front.
Without hesitation, I threw open the door and bolted into the room at full speed like my life depended on it.
Looking around, a soft, woody scent floated through the air, making me let out a content sigh without even realizing it.
The gentle yellow glow from the paper lanterns cast swirling shadows on the wooden walls, giving the whole space a cozy yet refined feel.The room wasn’t big, but everything was arranged with such care and intention.
In one corner stood a simple bed with a thick cotton mattress, topped with a bright red peony-embroidered pillow—an emblem of elegance and good fortune in Liyue.
By the window was a low wooden table with a pair of round stools, already set with a tea set and a ceramic vase holding a delicate branch of dried white plum blossoms.
Nearby stood a carved wooden cabinet with cloud patterns, and on top sat a small ivory quartz lamp, its flickering yellow glow twinkling like fireflies.
I was honestly stunned—this was the first time I’d ever seen the inside of Wangshu Inn for myself. But then again, it wasn’t exactly my fault. Mihoyo never even bothered to show us this much detail in the game.
— Oh well.
I stretched and let out a long breath, then kicked off my shoes and dove straight into the bed like it was my one and only savior.
The second my back hit the mattress, my body just melted into it. It was like all the chaos from earlier had completely drained me.
Hugging the warm, fluffy pillow close, I couldn’t help but whisper:
— Hello there, embroidered pillow friend. Let’s be besties from now on, okay?
Of course, I didn’t expect a response to my ridiculous comment. If this pillow did suddenly talk back, I’d probably faint on the spot.
I buried my face into it, taking in its comforting scent. It made me feel safe—and before I knew it, my mind wandered back to everything that had happened today.
— Seriously? I actually got isekai’d for real?
And I didn’t even bring anything remotely useful with me...
— I mean, I almost got wrecked by hilichurls right after landing here. Huhu.
— But hey... at least I met some super kind people—and most importantly, I met Xiao! Hihi.
Now that I think about it, I vaguely remember reading the lore about Wangshu Inn once.
If my memory serves me right, the inn is located on the Bishui Plains and was originally built for its strategic view and position. It’s been around for at least 500 years, ever since the disaster known as the “Black Tide.”
Currently, it’s run by Verr Goldet and her husband, Huai’an. Both of them are secretly working under the Qixing as undercover agents. On the surface, the inn’s just a business—but in reality, its purpose is to assist Xiao on his demon-hunting missions.
— Ugh, that’s all I can remember about this place...Guess the human brain has its limits after all.
— If only I had my phone right now… Just one quick search and boom—instant info.
I stayed lost in my jumbled thoughts for a while longer.At some point, drowsiness quietly crept in and lulled me to sleep, though I couldn’t even tell exactly when it happened.
________________________________________
"Morning – Wangshu Inn"
Mei was jolted awake by the harsh sunlight streaming through the window.
She let out a long yawn, then instinctively rubbed her belly like she had been starving it for a millennium. Turning toward the table, she noticed a bowl of water and a cloth towel set beside a ceramic jar. Without hesitation, Mei dipped the towel in the water and gently wiped her face.
The refreshing coldness of the water, combined with the sound of birds chirping outside, made her feel more awake—and a little disappointed.
- Mei: I really thought that just one night of sleep would be enough to send me back to the real world.
- Mei: What exactly was I hoping for anyway?
Grrrr... Her poor belly growled miserably in protest, interrupting her train of thought. With no energy left to dwell on it, she left her room in search of something to fill her stomach.
On the second floor, near a hidden corner next to a potted plant, she spotted a burly man with a stern, mature face standing frozen like a statue, clearly frightened.
- Mei (thinking): I remember him... In the game, he’s the chef of Wangshu Inn. His name is... Yanxiao, right?
- Mei: Whatever, doesn't matter what his name is....As long as he can cook something for me, it's all good.
Without overthinking, she strode straight toward the man.
Startled by her sudden appearance, the man flinched but quickly regained his composure.
- Mei: Hello there! I heard you’re the chef here. Yanxiao, right?
- Chef: That’s right. Can I help you with something?
- Mei: I'm starving. Could you maybe whip up something to eat?
- Yanxiao: No can do.
- Mei (unable to hold it in): Why... why not?!
- Yanxiao (slightly confused, but still answering): We’re out of cooking ingredients.
- Mei (arms crossed seriously): Can you at least give me a more believable excuse? Like maybe you injured your hand? Or broke your leg?
- Yanxiao: I’m on my break right now. Please stop bothering me.
- Mei (speechless): ...
- Mei (thinking): I'm seriously starving here... I'm gonna lose it. Guess I have no choice but to bust out the secret weapon.
- Mei: Hey, Mr. Chef! Don’t you know who I am? I'm the landlady’s VIP guest!
- Mei: When I woke up this morning, she specifically told me that if I wanted anything to eat, I could just come ask you.
- Yanxiao (skeptical): Did she really say that?
- Mei (nodding furiously): Of course!
The two locked eyes in a silent battle of wills, neither looking away. But soon enough, Yanxiao sighed and gave in.
- Yanxiao (sighing): Alright, I’ll tell you the truth. The kitchen… is haunted. I’m not going down there.
- Mei: Huh??
- Yanxiao: I swear it. I was peeling radishes when a little ghost kid zipped past me and started playing tricks.
- Mei: Are you sure you weren’t seeing things?
- Yanxiao (firmly): One hundred percent sure. That thing's been messing with me all morning.
- Mei (unconvinced): Fine. I’ll go check it out myself.
Before Yanxiao could say another word, Mei had already marched off toward the kitchen.
When she got there, a sudden chill made her shiver. The air was cold and gloomy. She cursed Yanxiao under her breath for planting creepy thoughts in her head.
Then, a soft, eerie voice began to sing, as if rising from the depths of the underworld.
- Mysterious voice: Big hilichurl is sick, little hilichurl keeps watch...
As the voice echoed, a ghostly figure of a young girl suddenly appeared in front of Mei. Her pale, mist-like hand rose gently, putting a finger to her lips in a "shhh" motion—as if warning Mei that if she said a word, she was done for.
Mei turned pale and stumbled back, bumping into a shelf and knocking over a neatly stacked pile of vegetables. She screamed at the top of her lungs, heart pounding like crazy.
- Mei (terrified): A-a-a ghost!! Oh my Archons!!
Without wasting another second, Mei sprinted out of the kitchen like a gust of wind.
- Yanxiao (sympathetic): Judging by your ghost-white face, I guess you saw it too, huh?
Still pale and shaken, Mei simply nodded.
- Yanxiao: Here. Take this mora bun. Eat it to calm down.
- Mei (still dazed): Th-thank you...
She slowly took a bite. Her eyes lit up. The savory-sweet meat filling perfectly complemented the soft bun. Paired with her empty stomach, it tasted like a heavenly blessing.
- Mei (thinking): So good... but still scary. Isn’t this whole thing just like the ghost story arc at Wangshu Inn in Liyue? I swear it is.
Just then, Verr Goldet came down the wooden stairs. Seeing the two of them sitting on the bench looking stunned, she spoke up.
- Verr Goldet: Well now, Mei and Yanxiao? What are you two doing here?
- Yanxiao: Uh... just enjoying the breeze.
- Mei (halfway through a bite): Boss lady, there’s... there’s a ghost in the kitchen!
- Verr Goldet: Haha, really? You two look so shaken, all over a little ghost?
- Mei: You’re not scared?
- Verr Goldet: I’ve seen plenty of ghosts and ghouls in my time.
- Verr Goldet (sighing): Sigh... that little rascal again. I suppose I should send someone to the harbor and ask a few exorcists to come take care of it.
- Mei (thinking): Exorcise the ghost? Oh! Right! In the original story, the Traveler used the exorcist sigil at the inn to suppress the spirit.
- Mei (thinking): If I help them now, maybe they'll let me stay longer. And maybe... just maybe, I'll find a clue to get back home.
- Mei (thinking): Okay, let’s do this!
- Mei: Boss lady, how about you let me handle that ghost for you?
- Verr Goldet (skeptical): Are you sure, Miss Mei? Will you be alright?
- Mei: Don’t worry. Just lend me the exorcist sigil from the inn, and I’ll take care of it.
- Verr Goldet: The exorcist sigil? How do you even know we have that here?
- Mei (thinking): Crap, I blurted that out!
- Mei: I....I heard someone mention that the inn has a magic talisman called the exorcist sigil. It’s supposed to ward off evil spirits, right? I think it’ll help me face the ghost.
- Verr Goldet: Oh? I see.
- Verr Goldet (after a pause, smiling): Well, if you’re brave enough to offer, then maybe you do have some real guts. Let’s give it a try.
- Mei: Wait, if I manage to subdue the ghost, can I stay here a while longer?
- Verr Goldet (smiling): That depends on how hard you work, Miss Mei.
- Yanxiao: If you drive it away, I’ll cook you anything from the inn’s menu. Deal?
- Mei (excited): You promised! Boss lady, you heard him! Okay then, no more delays—I’m off!
Following Verr Goldet’s directions, Mei made her way to the right side of the stairs to retrieve the sigil. Heart pounding, she gripped it tightly, took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and slowly descended the stairs, ready to face the ghost.
________________________________________
I held the exorcism charm tightly in my hand, still fumbling around trying to figure out how the heck to use it.
— Weird... In the game, the Traveler just had to hold it up and voilà, done... right?
Suddenly, the talisman gave off a soft golden glow. Waves of gentle energy pulsed out from it, as if scanning the area for any lingering resentment or negative energy.
Right then, I spotted a swirl of dark mist wafting in from one direction… the bridge leading to Guili Plains.
— That’s the direction, huh.
I swallowed hard. My feet hesitated for a split second, but then I pushed myself forward, stepping onto the old wooden bridge.
Once I reached Guili Plains, a vast stretch of flatlands spread out before me. The chilling wind whispered past my ears, making me shiver. Not long after, I arrived at a shadowy, deserted forest.
The deeper I walked in, the darker it became—like the trees were trying to swallow me whole. The fog grew thicker and thicker. I could even hear children laughing faintly in the distance, followed by some kind of eerie lullaby being softly sung.
— Ghost voice: “Big hilichurl got sick... little hilichurl's babysitting...”
I gripped the talisman tighter, exhaled slowly, and mustered what little courage I had left to move on.
Just as I took a step forward, my foot tripped over something. A flickering Geo Seelie suddenly appeared, lighting up the area in front of me. That’s when I saw it—a giant Ruin Guard, slumped against a tree, seemingly inactive.
At that exact moment, the exorcism charm began to shine violently, like it was trying to drive something really dangerous away.
Then boom—a wave of black mist exploded out, blanketing the forest in gloom. The ghost girl reappeared, letting out a high-pitched giggle before she spoke again.
— Ghost: “Wanna play with Ming?”
As soon as she said that, she vanished into thin air… and entered the Ruin Guard. Its eyes lit up, and the sound of mechanical groaning filled the air as the massive body powered on.
My arms and legs trembled uncontrollably. My heart was pounding like crazy, like it was about to quit its job and leave me behind.
I managed to turn and sprint a few steps, but dark mist swirled around and trapped me again. The Ruin Guard stomped toward me, raising its massive fist to strike.
At that moment, the talisman floated up into the air and created a glowing barrier around me.
I didn’t even have time to breathe a sigh of relief before the Ruin Guard began slamming down its fists on the shield like a jackhammer. Each strike made the light flash violently.
I stood there shaking, my false sense of safety hanging on by a thread. I just kept praying that the barrier would hold long enough to keep me alive.
But then—crack—a sharp snapping sound rang out.
The shield shattered.
I couldn’t even react fast enough to run. The next thing I saw was a fist flying straight toward me.
My heart was beating faster than ever—like it was about to explode and file a resignation letter.
I loosened up, resigned to my fate, just like a lag spike victim waiting to get wiped in a boss fight.
— Well... if I die now, maybe I’ll wake up back in my real world. Or at the very least, win the 50/50 on the next banner.