Knights of Favonius - Monthly Public Order Report Meeting
Acting Grand Master Jean looked at the report in her hand, her brows furrowing tighter and tighter: "In the past month, Mondstadt's crime rate has dropped by... 97%?"
Kaeya's hand, which was toying with a coin, suddenly froze: "Wait, there aren't even any records of drunkards causing trouble?"
"Not only that..."
Lisa lazily flipped through the archives.
"The Abyss Order's activity frequency has dropped to an all-time low. The last sighting report was..."
She suddenly burst out laughing.
"A day ago, an Abyss Mage was crying as it crawled out of the city gate."
Angel's Share Tavern
Diluc expressionlessly wiped a wine glass, while Charles the bartender hesitated to speak: "Master, you've been wiping the same glass for half an hour..."
"I know."
Diluc's voice was colder than a Mist Flower.
Outside the window, the sun was setting, usually the time for the "Darknight Hero" to emerge, but now—
"Bang!"
The tavern door was burst open, and a bruised and battered Treasure Hoarder stumbled in: "H-Help! Those four Hilichurls are going to beat us to death!!"
A hint of fatigue flashed in Diluc's red eyes: "This is the fifth batch today."
Mondstadt City Gate
Four figures were squatting under a sign, drawing and writing.
"Latest Results!"
Elliot excitedly dragged a sack over, dumping out a dozen unconscious Treasure Hoarders and three Abyss Mages.
"These guys bribed the Treasure Hoarders, trying to disguise themselves as a merchant caravan to sneak in!"
...A certain Abyss Mage's Diary
[Today's mission: Infiltrate Mondstadt City]
Just after crossing the moat, I was accosted by a talking Blazing Axe Mitachurl.
He offered me a "special drink" (later I found out it was concentrated lemon juice).
When I woke up, I found myself posed in a "surrender" position and hung in the cathedral plaza.
A note was taped to me: [Welcome next time]
PS: Requesting a transfer to Liyue, immediately! Right now!
Lumine looked at the calm Mondstadt City, and suddenly felt her butt start to ache faintly again.
Outskirts of Springvale at sunset
The group was walking along a path, with Paimon floating in front, humming a song: "We're finally going to Liyue~ I heard there's tons of delicious food there!"
Lumine rubbed her already healed butt, saying with lingering fear, "I hope this journey can be pea—"
Before she could finish—
"Whoosh!"
A hand wearing a red and black wrist guard suddenly reached out from the roadside bushes, accurately grabbing Lumine's arm.
"W-wah!!"
The moment Lumine lost her balance, she instinctively grabbed Jesse's cloak.
"W-wait—thump!"
Jesse, as he was pulled down, grabbed Elliot's cloak.
"Don't pull me! Ow—"
Elliot drew an arc in the air, conveniently grabbing Zane's hair.
Zane's map flew out of his hand: "WDF—"
Before he finished speaking, he hugged Matt's calf.
The seven-meter-tall Electro Lawachurl looked down at his right leg, covered with his teammates, and instinctively grabbed—
"Splat!"
Paimon was squeezed into a pancake shape by his two fingers.
"Boom!"
The five fell in a heap like stacked blocks, with Matt on top perfectly recreating the famous scene of "Mount Tai Pressing Down."
Three seconds later—
Matt awkwardly got up, holding the foaming Paimon in his hands: "Uh... did I use too much force?"
He quickly shook the four paper-thin figures, and everyone quickly restored like inflatable dolls.
"The culprit is..."
Five murderous gazes simultaneously turned towards the bushes.
They saw a young girl with two braided pigtails drooling at a group of wild boars, muttering: "Sliced Pork in Chili Oil... Stir-fried Pork Kidney... Charcoal-grilled Ribs..."
Jesse reminded her helplessly: "Wipe your drool. This is a wild boar habitat; we can't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs."
"Huh?"
Xiangling snapped back to reality, wiping the corner of her mouth.
"Oh right! Sustainable development is more important!"
As she turned, she was still muttering to herself: "Only the most suitable environment can produce such delicious meat..."
When her gaze fell on the five people, the air suddenly solidified.
"Ahhh! Hilichurls!!"
Xiangling's scream startled the birds in the trees.
——————
"Can you listen now?"
Jesse stood with his arms crossed, looking at Xiangling squatting on the ground.
The young girl had two fresh bumps on her head (from Matt's "friendly reminder"), and tears still hung in the corners of her eyes: "Y-yes, I can..."
Elliot tidied his flame-scorched collar: "We're not Hilichurls, we're just..."
He glanced at his own Hilichurl Hydro Samachurl appearance.
"Uh, temporarily borrowing this look."
Xiangling rubbed her head, then suddenly leaned closer and sniffed hard: "Wait... you guys smell of Mondstadt Dandelion Wine!"
Her eyes lit up.
"You're from Mondstadt City?"
Lumine took the opportunity to explain: "We are Travelers preparing to go to Liyue."
"What a coincidence!"
Xiangling jumped up excitedly, completely forgetting the bumps on her head.
"I can be your guide! Although..."
She scratched her face sheepishly.
"I misunderstood you at first..."
Only then did everyone notice that the young girl's small bamboo basket was filled with colorful Mushrooms—a few of them were still wriggling eerily.
Zane's body trembled: "Those are..."
"Sumeru Mushrooms I just bought from a merchant caravan!"
Xiangling excitedly held up a glowing purple Mushroom: "I'm going to develop 'Luminous Mushroom Stewed Wild Boar'!"
Paimon quietly floated to Lumine's ear: "I suddenly feel like being mistaken for a Hilichurl might be safer..."
Just then—
"Rustle rustle..."
The roadside bushes suddenly shook violently.
Xiangling instantly went into battle mode, grabbing her spear: "Is it a wild boar?!"
"No..."
Jesse silently took out his throwing knives.
A wounded Abyss Hydro Mage staggered out, and upon seeing the group, let out a heart-wrenching scream: "Why is it you guys again?!"
He then fainted directly.
Everyone: "..."
Xiangling blinked in confusion: "This is..."
"Don't worry about it."
Elliot kicked the unconscious Mage back into the bushes.
"Just a passing acrobat."
On a distant hillside, another Abyss Mage was frantically shaking his companion: "Wake up! They're going to Liyue! We can finally go back to Mondstadt!"