A few minutes earlier.
Mona sat in the living room of the mansion, bored out of her mind. A faint smile played on her lips as she worked on something in her hands. Only when you looked closer did you realize she was patiently knitting a scarf.
The scarf was already more than halfway done. In another day or two, it would be finished.
As Mona knitted, she pictured Lin Mo's face when he received it, and the corners of her mouth curved into a soft, happy smile.
"Winter's here, and that guy still keeps his collar wide open…"
"Every time I touch his chest, it's always freezing…"
"He'll wear the scarf I made for him, right? He has to."
Lost in her daydream, Mona didn't notice the thin wisp of greenish smoke slipping through the crack beneath the door and drifting into the room.
Less than five minutes later, her body suddenly felt heavy and weak.
"That's strange…"
Mona murmured in confusion, "Why do I… suddenly not even have the strength to knit?"
"Heh, no strength is exactly what we want~"
A gloating voice rang out.
Five Fatui agents kicked the door open and quickly surrounded her.
"Y-you… what do you people want?!" Mona cried out. "Lin Mo!!"
Her shout came out soft and powerless, more like a coquettish whine that barely left the room.
"The Liyue beast-trapping smoke really does work wonders," one of them laughed. "Miss Mona, you're coming with us…"
"Our lord has prepared all kinds of fun tortures. He's been waiting for you~"
Meanwhile, outside the bamboo forest near Qingce Village.
The moment Lin Mo heard Ross's warning, his fists clenched tight.
Mona wasn't a fighter. If she had to face the Fatui alone—
The thought made his blood run cold.
Without another word, he released Ross and sprinted toward the mansion where Mona was staying.
Sure enough, as he drew closer, he sensed multiple violent, dark elemental energies in the air—nothing like the clean power of Visions.
These were the twisted signatures of Fatui elemental weapons.
"Mona!!"
Lin Mo roared.
Gripping his bladeless sword, he smashed straight through the mansion's front door.
"Huh?!"
"Lin… Lin Mo?!"
"How is this guy so fast?!"
The Fatui agents whipped around in shock.
They never got the chance to react.
Clang—!
The sword sang.
Sword light flashed.
Shk! Shk!
In a single second, two clean strokes.
All five agents clutched their throats and crumpled to the cold floor, eyes wide with disbelief even in death.
Lin Mo's blade had simply been too fast.
After the threat was gone, he saw that Mona's wrists were shackled behind her back, her ankles locked in heavy iron chains as well.
He rushed over, lifted her gently, and cradled her in his arms.
"Mona! Mona!"
Lin Mo shook her anxiously.
Mona forced her heavy eyelids open, voice weak but full of relief.
"Lin Mo… thank goodness you're here…"
"Why are you so weak?! What did they do to you?!" Lin Mo asked, voice tight with worry.
"Nothing… really…"
Mona whispered, "It's just… that Electro Cicin Mage was really rough when she tied me up… it hurts…"
Only then did Lin Mo notice the ugly bruises circling her wrists.
His expression darkened.
Without another word, he drew his sword.
Clang! Clang!
The chains snapped apart with two crisp rings.
"Lin Mo… having you here… is really nice."
Mona could fight the drowsiness no longer. Safe in his arms, she drifted into a peaceful sleep.
…
When Mona woke up again, she had no idea how much time had passed.
She was back in their familiar little house in Liyue Harbor, which eased her mind considerably.
The only thing that felt wrong was that Lin Mo wasn't there.
But she soon found the note he had left on her pillow.
I have an urgent mission. One month's rent is already paid.
Extra money is under the pillow. Buy some groceries and take care of yourself.
It's cold this month—don't take any commissions. Stay home and wait for me like a good girl.
"Stupid man… leaving without me~!"
Mona stamped her foot in frustration.
She ran straight to the Adventurers' Guild and asked Katherine exactly which nation Lin Mo had gone to.
Katherine looked genuinely surprised.
"Lin Mo hasn't taken any commissions these past few days."
Mona's heart sank even deeper.
"Lin Mo… where did you really go…?"
"You… you didn't leave me, did you…?"
Feeling miserable, she returned to the rental house.
All she could do now was stay home and wait obediently for him to come back.
"The scarf… is almost finished…"
"I'll knit you a turtleneck sweater too~"
…
In Snezhnaya, snow fell thick and heavy.
Lin Mo walked alone through the howling blizzard.
After the incident in Qingce Village, he understood one thing clearly.
If he wanted a peaceful life with Mona in Liyue, he had to cut out the hidden threat from Snezhnaya once and for all.
He could save her once, twice, maybe even more times.
But if he ever failed even once, everything would be lost.
That was why he had to eliminate the root—destroy the Snezhnayan official whose arms he had once severed.
Half a month later.
A shocking incident rocked Snezhnaya and reached the ears of the Tsaritsa herself.
The high-ranking official who had lost both arms in Mondstadt was found slaughtered in his own mansion—along with his entire family.
Just as the Tsaritsa ordered a full investigation, another report arrived that forced her to bury the matter deep in her heart.
The Doctor had woken up to find a dagger embedded in his pillow.
Pinned beneath it was a note that read:
"If you continue investigating this matter, can Snezhnaya afford the price?"
The Tsaritsa knew exactly who was responsible.
It was the young man named "Lin Mo" on the Fatui's wanted list.
But she didn't dare gamble.
Someone capable of silently wiping out an entire household and appearing like a ghost inside the Doctor's heavily guarded laboratory to leave a warning…
Such power might not threaten her, the Cryo Archon.
But it could threaten Snezhnaya's future.
Because the Doctor—the man who held the pinnacle of modern technology—was Snezhnaya's future.
That same day, an imperial edict echoed through the palace of Snezhnaya.
"Pass down my command!"
"This matter is to be set aside for now!"
"No one is permitted to investigate! No retaliation will be tolerated!"
Meanwhile, back in Liyue.
Mona sat alone by the windowsill like a stone statue gazing out at the sea, waiting for the man who had yet to return.
"Winter is almost over…"
"The scarf and sweater will be out of season soon…"
"Lin Mo… why haven't you come back yet…?"
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T/N:
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