Chapter 74: World Commission: Saving Private Kachina
Just as Lumine and her party hurried across the rugged terrain, a familiar translucent blue interface materialized simultaneously before the eyes of every chat group member.
[System Prompt! World Commission has been activated!]
[Commission Name: Saving Private Kachina]
[Difficulty: Simple]
[Player Limit: 5 people]
[Commission Reward: 300 group points]
[Commission Details: Upon accepting the mission, you will be directly teleported to Lumine's coordinates to assist her in venturing deep into the Night Kingdom and safely rescuing the trapped Kachina.]
[Commission Tip: The target location features a highly volatile environment saturated with Abyssal energy erosion. Please focus on defensive measures and team coordination.]
The sudden World Commission threw the usually relaxed chat group into absolute chaos.
Lumine: "Thank you, everyone! Kachina's situation is critical!"
Stelle: "Points delivered right to my doorstep! Oh, wait, no, it's the lovely Kachina who needs our help! I, Stelle, am bound by the sacred duty of the Trailblaze! Sign me up! Sign me up right now!"
Belle: "Finally, a chance for some real combat!"
Earlier that afternoon, Wise and Belle had been tearing up the desolate no-man's-land of the Outer Ring. They were frantically testing their newly acquired abilities. Precise control remained a distant dream, but their wide-area attacks proved devastatingly effective at sweeping away lesser thugs and Ethereals.
Elite enemies still posed a threat, but the siblings had discovered a massive cheat code: elementalization. Transforming their physical bodies into pure elements to evade kinetic strikes was a massive upgrade from their previously vulnerable Proxy physiques. You could not expect perfect mastery over a superpower on day one unless you had an absolute cheat.
Their reckless training, however, had already birthed a bizarre urban legend among the Outer Ring syndicates—panicked tales of a mysterious walking iceberg and towering boulders of roaring flame spontaneously appearing in the wasteland.
March 7th: "Hey, hey, hey! Wait for me! I want to help too! Stelle, Dan Heng, hurry up and hit the button!"
Paimon: "That's great! With everyone pitching in, we can definitely bust Kachina out of there! Thank you, guys!"
Zhongli: "This commission does not appear overly dangerous. Coincidentally, I have already arrived at Mt. Damavand in the Desert of Hadramaveth, which borders Natlan."
Zhongli: "This is a rare opportunity for the younger members to temper themselves in actual combat. Lumine, Paimon, and all those departing, please proceed with caution. I shall remain stationed outside the perimeter to provide long-distance support and await your triumphant return."
Lumine and Paimon felt a rush of warmth reading the rapid-fire responses. Zhongli's steady, grandfatherly reassurance acted as an anchor. They quickly typed out their heartfelt thanks.
Almost the instant Zhongli finished speaking, a cold mechanical notification pinned itself to the top of everyone's interface.
[System Announcement: World Commission: Saving Private Kachina has been accepted!]
[Participants: Stelle, March 7th, Dan Heng, Wise, Belle. Teleportation will commence in 10 seconds!]
[Target Location: Lumine's current coordinates. Please prepare for transit!]
The azure glow of the teleportation countdown began to pulse in the eyes of the selected members.
Inside the lounge of a Blazewood safehouse, Wise turned to his sister. Belle was practically bouncing on her heels, eyes shining with adrenaline. Wise placed a firm hand on her shoulder, his expression deadpan but serious.
"Belle, listen to me. We are heading into a completely unfamiliar universe. We are facing 'Abyssal' energy, something we have zero data on. The environmental hazards might be even more unpredictable than a Hollow."
He tightened his grip slightly. "You follow Lumine's commands to the letter. Do not break formation. Do not run off to play hero by yourself. Understood?"
His tone carried the heavy, unmistakable weight of an older brother's worry.
Belle's excitement dialed back just enough for her to recognize the gravity of the situation. She nodded vigorously. "Don't worry, Wise! I know the drill. Plus, the whole chat group crew will be there! I'll play it safe!"
Aboard the Astral Express Observation Car.
Stelle clicked her tongue, looking mildly annoyed. She had completely forgotten to borrow a fire-attribute broadsword from Jing Yuan for this exact type of scenario. Now, she was stuck borrowing one of March's spare swords.
Beside her, March 7th rapidly checked the tension on her bowstring and adjusted her quiver.
Dan Heng tapped away on his phone, sending a concise report to the older crew members. 'Himeko, Mr. Yang. Another emergency rescue commission popped up in the chat group. The target is in Lumine's world. The three of us are heading out to assist. We will be careful.'Almost instantly, dual replies popped up from Himeko and Welt:'Stay safe.'
The countdown hit zero. Three brilliant columns of azure light swallowed the Express trio, erasing them from the cabin.
The perspective snapped back to Teyvat. Deep within Natlan, right at the jagged threshold of the Night Kingdom.
Lumine and her local companions stood before a massive, violently twisting spatial rift. The tear in reality bled a sickly, oppressive aura, leading straight into the dark unknown.
Pitch-black energy particles drifted through the air like toxic snow. The sheer density of the corruption made Mualani, Chasca, and Iansan instinctively tense their muscles.
Lumine raised a hand, signaling the group to halt. "Hold on a second. My friends are coming to back us up. They will be here any moment."
"Friends?" Chasca's brow furrowed. Her grip on her bow did not loosen a fraction.
Iansan crouched slightly, her sharp eyes scanning the desolate, shadowed wilderness around them, trusting nothing.
Mualani tilted her head, clearly confused by the sudden announcement of reinforcements in the middle of nowhere, but her absolute faith in Lumine kept her quiet. She simply adjusted her stance and waited.
Before anyone could ask another question, the air pressure plummeted. Five blinding pillars of blue light erupted from the cracked earth directly in front of them.
As the digital-like light shattered into fading particles, five entirely out-of-place figures materialized.
Chasca and Iansan instantly dropped into combat stances. Elemental energy flared around them, weapons drawn and locked on the newcomers. "Who goes there?!"
Given the location, their first instinct screamed that this was an elaborate ambush orchestrated by the Abyss Order or some new nightmare crawling out of the Night Kingdom.
Mualani flinched, her catalyst hovering at the ready, but she forced herself to hold her fire, shooting a desperate, questioning look at Lumine.
Before Lumine could even open her mouth to defuse the situation, Stelle stepped forward. She planted one hand firmly on her hip, gave her borrowed sword a flashy, unnecessary twirl, and cleared her throat loudly, fully preparing to deliver a ridiculously dramatic declaration of justice.
A hand shot out, grabbing the back of Stelle's collar and yanking her backward.
"Stelle! Read the room! What time do you think it is?!" March 7th groaned, burying her face in her free hand. She looked at the golden-haired Traveler. "Lumine, just ignore her. What's the situation? How is Kachina holding up?"
Watching the tall, imposing gray-haired girl get effortlessly dragged away by her bubbly, pink-haired companion caused the tension in Chasca and Iansan's shoulders to drop a fraction. The sheer absurdity of the interaction did not scream 'Abyssal threat', though the suspicion in their eyes lingered.
Dan Heng remained a statue of quiet observation. His sharp gaze swept over the jagged rocks and the bleeding rift. A tiny crease formed between his brows.
"The corrosive element here is highly concentrated," Dan Heng warned, his voice low and measured. "Everyone, watch your step."
Nearby, Wise and Belle quickly acclimated to the heavy atmosphere. Belle peered at Mualani's group and the terrifying rift with a mix of wide-eyed curiosity and guarded caution.
Lumine's mouth twitched. Stelle's chaotic entrance was entirely on brand. She quickly stepped between the two groups, raising her hands placatingly.
"Don't attack! Please, don't be nervous!" Lumine explained to Mualani, Chasca, and Iansan. "These are the friends I just mentioned. They are... uh... from the Liyue adepti..."
Lumine's brain worked in overdrive. "Right! They are here because Liyue's highly classified Ley Line Perception Array detected a massive Abyssal anomaly in this exact region. So, the adepti specially dispatched them to assist us!"
It was a complete fabrication, but using Liyue—a distant, mystical, and highly respected nation to the people of Natlan—was the perfect, unquestionable cover story.
Chasca and Iansan exchanged a long, calculating look. Doubt still clouded their expressions, but Lumine's unwavering gaze held firm.
They evaluated the five strangers again. None of them radiated the foul stench of the Abyss. In fact, the calm, spear-wielding young man with the dragon-like intensity carried an aura of deep stability that naturally put people at ease. They lowered their weapons, though they didn't sheathe them.
Mualani, however, slammed her fist into her palm, her face lighting up with awe. "Oh, I get it! The legendary adepti arts of Liyue really are as miraculous as the stories say! Thank you all so much for coming all this way to help us!"
Lumine let out an internal sigh of relief. She did not want to waste another second explaining multiversal chat groups.
Her expression hardened as she turned toward the swirling dark rift. "We have wasted enough time. Let's move out."
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