"Your Physique is truly impressive!" Amber praised Ryan as he dismounted the cart and began walking.
This suspicious stranger's injuries weren't faked; she had personally witnessed his element poisoning reaction.
His skin was covered in burns, blisters, and festering wounds…
Any ordinary person would likely have been covered in a white sheet halfway there.
But this miraculous young man, after lying down for a day and getting through the most uncomfortable period, ate all the food in the box and even had her hunt a wild boar for him.
Such a large wild boar.
Such a small stomach.
Yet, he finished it in three meals.
"However, I still recommend you get checked by a doctor!" Amber patted Ryan's shoulder.
"It's nothing!"
After nutritional replenishment, his body's immune System had overcome the element power.
Ryan had completely recovered!
What about the cost of seeing a doctor! He couldn't afford it!
Gazing at Mondstadt City, which was even more stunning than in the game, Ryan slung the treasure chest onto his back, the Mora, iron pot, and Materials inside clanging.
He looked like a junk collector.
On the wide bridge, spacious enough for a hundred carriages, a few leaves swirled in the Anemo, looking a bit desolate.
Amber explained beside him, "It used to be very prosperous, with an endless stream of merchant caravans and carriages. People from Liyue, Sumeru, and even Snezhnaya could block the gates completely."
Ryan nodded, "Is it because of the Dragon flying around in the Sky every day?"
"Yes! The Four Anemo… Guardians!" Amber's mood became a little somber.
The two walked along the right side.
Ryan looked around and suddenly saw a small boy standing on the opposite side.
On the bridge, which didn't have many people, he stood out quite clearly.
"What is he doing?" Ryan asked.
Amber followed Ryan's gaze.
The little boy was holding something in his hand and climbing onto the bridge's railing.
"It's Timmie!"
Amber quickly rushed over and pulled him down.
"What are you doing? That's very dangerous! You'll fall into the water!"
Timmie lowered his head, his hands behind his back.
"I'm feeding the ducks! I haven't fed them in many days!"
"Big sister, can you help me?"
Amber lectured, "You can't do this anymore, especially climbing the railing!"
Seeing Timmie on the verge of tears, Amber covered her forehead, "I'll go help you feed the ducks! Ryan, wait a moment!"
Through their interactions, Amber had learned Ryan's name. Now, she apologetically informed him in Liyue language.
"It's nothing!" Ryan waved his hand, telling Amber to take her time.
He curiously looked at the little boy he used to bully every day in the game.
"Big brother, did you just come back from outside?" To Ryan's surprise, the boy stammered out a sentence in Liyue language.
This was a child from the big city of Mondstadt, how impressive!
Ryan was surprised; Timmie seemed very clever.
"Yes! I came back from the Whispering Woods!"
Timmie's eyes lit up.
He often stood on this bridge, listening to merchants and Adventurers from all over Teyvat discuss their affairs.
To find out about his father, he had taught himself foreign languages.
"Then… did you see any white pigeons? The pigeons on Mondstadt Bridge were scared away by the Sky Dragon!"
"Some of them flew in the direction of the Whispering Woods."
"Hiss…" Ryan gasped, taking a cold breath.
A Soul-searching question!
His expression was slightly unnatural. The fat pigeons he had shot down one by one in the forest and eaten, surely they weren't the ones from Mondstadt Bridge!
Those pigeons flew a bit too far!
"Uh… I didn't see any!"
Ryan looked away, "My condolences. I saw many Hilichurls over there; the pigeons might have been killed by them!"
Blame-shifting, achievement plus one!
Timmie froze.
Tears immediately fell, "Waaah! My pigeons! They're like my dad, they won't come back!"
When Amber returned after feeding the ducks under the bridge, she saw Timmie crying.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Ryan shrugged, "He asked me if I saw any pigeons in the Whispering Woods! I said they might have been killed by Hilichurls. And then he was like this!"
"Ah, this…" Amber knew Timmie valued his pigeons greatly, and hearing that must have made him very sad.
But Ryan had just arrived and didn't know the situation, so telling the truth seemed to be nothing wrong.
She could only comfort Timmie and have a Knights of Favonius Knight escort him home.
Ryan also felt a bit regretful.
This world was full of living people; his previous game mindset was unacceptable!
In the future, he needed to pay attention to his impulsive behavior.
This small interlude made him once again feel the reality of the world and the vibrancy of its people.
It corrected his slightly distorted Heart-Nature from spending over ten days alone, killing monsters.
Walking across the bridge and entering the city gates.
"Sunsettia, fresh Sunsettia!"
"dendro slime, fresh dendro slime!"
The shouts of vendors made the city lively.
Ryan looked left and right, like a country bumpkin entering the city.
The people around him were used to seeing Adventurers return in disarray, so they weren't surprised by Ryan's appearance.
Carrying a large treasure chest, he must have had a great harvest!
Following Amber up the stairs.
Just like in the game, the main buildings occupied the most prosperous street section, on the central axis of Mondstadt's main gate.
Ryan's first glance landed on the familiar Adventurers' Guild.
The sheer size!
How spacious!
"Allow me to formally introduce you to the City of windblume ode and dandelions, the City of freedom—" Amber extended her hand beside him.
Ryan felt like he was back at the game's launch.
windblume ode, Cat's Tail Tavern, General Goods… he found them one by one.
After walking for a long time, Ryan suddenly smelled a fragrance, and his stomach rumbled.
Standing in the Grand Fountain Plaza and looking to the left, a well-decorated restaurant with a distinct Mondstadt style caught his eye, making him look again and again.
"Hungry?"
Hearing Ryan's stomach growl, Amber suppressed a laugh.
She had wanted to generously say, "Let's go! My treat, eat whatever you want!"
But remembering Ryan's large appetite, and calculating the Mora in her pouch, she chickened out a bit.
She chuckled, "As compensation for the Knights of Favonius not clearing the monsters in time and causing you harm, today, let me treat you to honeyed carrot fritters at Good Hunter!"
"Thank you very much!"
Ryan, who had been hesitating, immediately strode towards the Good Hunter restaurant.
"Young Miss Sara, two orders of honeyed carrot fritters! And add one order of sweet flower chicken!"
Ultimately worried that Ryan wouldn't be full, the little angel Amber ordered him an additional Mondstadt delicacy.
Ryan eyed the menu in the restaurant. Although he couldn't read the words, he could tell the price of each dish by the pictures and numbers.
So expensive!
The prices were as outrageous as in the game.
Seeing Amber spend Mora without batting an eye, Ryan asked curiously.
"Are these prices normal? Aren't they too expensive!"
Amber waited for the food, "These prices are acceptable, I suppose!"
Hmm? Ryan had a black person's question mark over his head. Are all you Teyvat people so rich? Does everyone have a mine at home!
Amber looked at Ryan, who was like a miser, moving his treasure chest close to him, and couldn't help but laugh.
"These prices are a bit higher than before."
"After all, Stormterror attacked the town, destroyed many orchards and farmlands, and blocked trade routes… Resources are tight within Mondstadt."
"Coupled with the wandering monsters in the wilderness, it's very dangerous outside."
"Aside from necessary weapons, the prices of all other edible items have naturally risen."
"Acting Grand Master Jean is trying to find a way to resolve this and lower prices. It involves several large Families and merchants who are hoarding and speculating…"
Amber suddenly stopped and said no more.
She was a bit annoyed; she had again violated the Knights of Favonius handbook by not showing the traveler the best side of Mondstadt.
"Oh, oh, oh!"
Feeling like he had learned something new that he didn't know from the game, Ryan saw Young Miss Sara, the owner of Good Hunter, already serving the honeyed carrot fritters, and immediately buried himself in eating.
Soon after, the sweet flower chicken was also placed before him.
"Guest, please enjoy!"
He devoured the meal.
It was so delicious!
Ryan's eyes welled up with tears; who knew how he had lived the past few days.
He had been constantly eating food without salt or other seasonings, to the point of wanting to vomit.
The first thing he had to do later was buy a bottle of salt to carry with him.
The prices in the city were too high; he would still go hunting in the wilderness!
"Young Miss Amber, thank you for your treat!" Ryan wiped his mouth with a napkin and leaned back lazily in his chair.
"I want to ask, where in Mondstadt City can I pitch a tent?"