The situation was critical!
Seeing the retreat path down the steep slope about to be surrounded by other Hilichurls, Ryan's mind raced.
He ducked behind a tree, dodging a crossbow bolt and several thrown stones.
He recalled last night's daily quest was Hilichurl language communication.
When bored, he'd watched videos and learned a few pronunciations!
His expression hardened, embracing the idea of treating a dead horse as if it were alive.
He poked his head out, revealing a friendly smile.
"Ya yika!"
His pronunciation wasn't standard, with an English accent!
The Hilichurl froze.
Ryan thought it worked and pressed on.
"Nini zido!"
Silence… A crow seemed to caw as it flew by.
He felt uneasy, sensing the Hilichurls' gazes turning hostile.
Did he say it wrong?
Ryan picked up an arm-length branch.
Like memorizing English words, after one mistake, he couldn't distinguish the correct one, hesitating and choosing wrong during a test.
"Biadam!" (Go to hell!)
An unprecedentedly fierce tone responded to Ryan.
Ryan thought, "Not good!" He protected his head with his left hand, leaped down the steep slope, swung the branch wildly, and felt power surge again, running fast.
He brushed past several Hilichurls.
A stone hit his back; a wooden club struck his arm.
A crossbow bolt, thanks to his serpentine movement and tree cover, shot into the soil.
He was relieved this wasn't an open area.
A Dendro Slime blinked and flew into the air, thrown by a Wooden-Shield Mitachurl, far and accurate.
With a bang, it exploded!
Green mist with glowing particles spread circularly.
Ryan rolled and crawled, dropping the branch hooked on a tree, covering his ears, hiding behind the thickest tree.
His body burned, as if hit by a grenade.
Bruised, swollen, and suffering from elemental toxins harmful to ordinary people.
Knowing Teyvat's setting, Ryan endured, reassuring himself it wasn't fatal unless exposed long-term.
His injuries could heal with a Vision-wielding healer.
He stumbled along.
Perhaps to enjoy breakfast, the Hilichurls didn't pursue relentlessly.
After ten minutes, Ryan escaped their aggro range.
Sweat poured, blood surged, Vision blurred.
Lungs burned, legs heavy as lead.
A small pool appeared, with lush plants, white buds, and orange-red petals.
Lively Black-Back Bass swam, mouth-watering.
"Dendro Slime!"
"Black-Back Bass!"
Ryan swallowed, eyes wolf-like, glowing green.
Hunger and exhaustion paled his face, visibly emaciated.
His wounds screamed!
After intense activity, his body craved nutrition.
With a splash, he jumped in, trying to catch fish like in the game.
His slow paddle disturbed the Black-Back Bass, who flicked their tails, dodging easily.
In three minutes, Ryan couldn't hold on, starving and dizzy.
A wrong decision!
After gulping tasteless lake water, he scrambled to shore before drowning.
"Forget it, I'll call it a bath!"
Soaking wet, Ryan stared at the sky, licking his lips.
His dry mouth was moistened.
His stomach rumbled, absorbing water, replenishing lost moisture.
Hungry again.
Without a rod or fire, he couldn't catch or cook fish, drooling at the lake's feast.
The terrain was undulating, forest dense, no way out soon.
Temporarily safe, Ryan eyed the plump Dendro Slime.
"I remember this is edible, right!" he pondered, recalling most plant materials in-game were edible for cooking.
He grabbed a Dendro Slime, pulled it out, washed it slightly, and ate.
His brows furrowed.
Astringent, bitter, like licking tomato skin or biting bitter gourd.
But after chewing, a hint of sweetness and pleasant aftertaste.
Ryan ate one, felt hungrier.
He circled the pond, eating Dendro Slimes, eyes scanning for Sunsettias.
Slightly satiated, he drank more water.
"I hope Teyvat doesn't have parasites or diarrhea!" Ryan rubbed his stomach, planning to rest, then find a path and people.
His head grew groggy; he lay down and fell asleep.
His body alternated hot and cold, affected by Dendro elemental exposure and water soaking.
His immune system fought the elemental energy, causing fever, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea…
This woke Ryan from a nightmare.
Squatting in the grass, nearly paralyzed.
His transmigrated body signaled either it or the elemental energy had to go.
What a trash Golden Finger!
Ryan's spirit collapsed repeatedly.
From meeting Hilichurls, he'd prayed to gods, wishing to go home.
Forget plot characters or wives—he wasn't familiar with them!
Without game friendships, he'd be socially anxious, unable to flirt.
He wasn't Aether or Lumine.
His left hand drooped, hit by a Hilichurl's club, bruised, possibly fractured.
After half a day of misery, symptoms subsided, body improving.
But hungry again!
His mystique relied on his stomach for energy.
He ate more Dendro Slimes, took a straight stick, and left the pond.
His will to survive kept him going, cautiously exploring.
He saw cooking smoke from the forest's four directions.
Hoping for Adventurers, he checked, finding only Hilichurl camps.
He retreated after one glance.
Absurd!
This is Mondstadt, right! This is Mondstadt, right!
He repeated twice!
What are the Knights of Favonius doing?
The sun set; Ryan didn't dare wander.
He found seven or eight Sunsettias and a bag of Mushrooms.
Life + 300!
Sour, unripe, likely why Hilichurls left them.
But for Ryan, sweeter than Dendro Slime, it was delicious.