Genshin Impact: I Made the Entire Playerbase Cry

Paimon: "Hehe, I'll take that as a compliment."

Lumine stared at the bulletin board plastered with various tasks.

Aside from the note about the Fatui and the Sigil of Permission, everything else was trivial or filled with obscure business jargon.

And the Fatui note was placed front and center—twice the size of the others, even circled in red for emphasis...

Could Ningguang's hint be any more obvious?

Even Paimon, who usually avoided thinking too hard, couldn't help but play the role of "Great Detective" under such deliberate arrangements.

Lumine didn't tell Paimon the truth—let her enjoy the fantasy for now.

Since Ningguang wanted to steer them this way, Lumine decided to follow the lead.

After all, prying answers from Ningguang's lips was impossible.

Lumine hadn't forgotten that Ningguang was a merchant—the most successful one in Liyue Harbor.

From the moment they met, every word and gesture had been impeccably polite and warm, leaving no room for suspicion.

And warmth was a merchant's weapon.

Lumine took the note and tucked it into her bag.

The two walked back to where Ningguang sat, elegantly savoring a Slime Condensate dessert.

Upon seeing them approach, she swallowed, dabbed her lips with a handkerchief, and remarked:

"Delicious. This is the most sincere gift I've received in years."

"If you ever grow weary of traveling, you're welcome to join the Jade Chamber as my personal chef. Name your price in Mora."

[For real, rich lady?!]

[Just stop here—why bother looking for your brother?]

[Skip forty years of hardship.]

Paimon: "Hehe, glad you liked it! Consider our 'thank-you' gift received!"

Ningguang rose from her seat.

"Since I promised you could take anything, I won't ask further."

"Would you like to tour the Jade Chamber a bit longer, or...?"

Lumine had no intention of staying.

"No need. Mu Yang must have been waiting outside for a while."

Ningguang: "Very well, let me see you out. The Jade Chamber will always welcome you whenever you wish to visit."

Mu Yang remained standing in place, gazing toward Guyun Stone Forest.

Only when he heard their approaching footsteps did he turn around.

"Finished your discussion?"

"Yeah, all done. Let's go find Zhongli!"

Mu Yang rejected the idea.

He said to Lumine, "You two go meet with Mr. Zhongli first. With him around, you won't have to worry about danger."

Lumine: "You're not coming with us?"

Mu Yang: "I need to see Cloud Retainer."

[What does that mean? Is Zhongli that strong?]

[An undertaker consultant is this OP?]

[If he can make it into the second banner phase, he can't be weak, right?]

This was the first time Lumine had seen Mu Yang look so tense.

He had been staring at Guyun Stone Forest earlier, and now this.

Could there be something beneath it?

Ningguang said the defeated gods were slain by Morax's stone spears, didn't she?

Lumine nodded and left with Paimon.

Too many people here—they could talk later.

Guinaifen, seeing Mu Yang about to leave the party, immediately panicked.

"Mu Yang, how am I supposed to live without you?!"

[Streamer, don't just die like that!]

[Why isn't the POV following us?]

[Something big's about to go down.]

Guinaifen: "Revive!"

Mu Yang didn't immediately leave to find Cloud Retainer.

Instead, he asked Ningguang a strange question:

"How many people have set sail today?"

"Hm?"

Ningguang wasn't foolish—Mu Yang had deliberately sent Lumine away.

This couldn't just be idle chatter.

It was important.

She immediately summoned one of her secretaries.

"Baiwen, report on the harbor's activity today."

Baiwen flipped through her records.

"Reporting to Lady Ningguang, today's registered departures are as follows:"

"Port Ormos—Dori of the Sangemah Bay, three cargo ships docking."

"Liyue Harbor—five fishing vessels operating near Guyun Stone Forest."

"That is all. Due to Rex Lapis's passing, port activity has been limited recently."

Ningguang looked at Mu Yang.

"What guidance do you offer, sir?"

"Danger lurks in the sea. Do what you must."

With that, Mu Yang turned toward Guyun Stone Forest and drew his sword.

"I'll handle the fishing boats near Guyun."

Frost coiled around the blade as he swung it three times.

Each slash left trails of icy mist hanging in the air.

Sheathing his sword, Mu Yang leaped from the Jade Chamber.

Lightfoot technique—Soaring Cloud.

He dashed across the frozen trails of sword energy, racing toward Guyun Stone Forest.

Guinaifen's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"Chat, what the heck was that move?!"

"That was SO FREAKING COOL AAAAAH!"

"Streamer's about to faint."

[Streamer, don't faint—I'll faint first!]

[Let me give you CPR.]

[Elegance never goes out of style.]

[I thought Mu Yang was gonna pull some sword-riding stunt.]

[Sword-riding's old news, our Yang's got style!]

[Mu Yang's got too many tricks—if he hadn't lost his memories, I can't even imagine!]

[6.]

[Uh… anyone remember the 'danger in the sea' part?]

[Mu Yang's already on it, why the rush?]

Ningguang watched Mu Yang's rapidly disappearing figure with a grave expression.

She ordered Baiwen:

"Send word—have the Millelith blockade the harbor. Direct any inquiries to Yujing Terrace."

"Yes."

Under normal circumstances, Ningguang wouldn't stake so much on someone she'd just met—especially someone so inscrutable.

A harbor blockade was a major move, and with the Fatui already probing for weaknesses, this could give them an opening.

But there was something about Mu Yang.

He spoke little—very, very little.

Yet his words carried undeniable weight.

"To think my judgment could be swayed so easily..."

Ningguang shook her head and walked back into the palace...

Meanwhile, Mu Yang had already reached the peak of Guyun Stone Forest.

"System, wake up. Time to work."

System: "Ughhh… slave-driving as usual. What now?"

Mu Yang: "Mark all nearby ships and send them back to the harbor."

System: "Marked. Get a little closer."

(The system consumed Popularity Points for this.)

Mu Yang activated Soaring Cloud again, descending from the peak and landing atop a ship's mast in moments.

Before the fishermen could process what was happening, they found themselves back in Liyue Harbor.

"Huh? What's going on? Weren't we just at Guyun?"

"Did we hit a ghost? Rex Lapis protect us, Rex Lapis protect us!"

One of them spotted Mu Yang on the mast.

"Look! There's someone up there!"

Mu Yang leaped down, landing lightly on the deck.

His movements were as gentle as falling snow—the ship didn't even sway.

The fishermen were stunned.

Mu Yang spoke:

"Danger lurks in the sea. Return to shore."

Then, in a flash, he was already on land.

The Millelith soldiers saluted him.

"By Lady Ningguang's orders, we're here to assist. We're indebted to you, Adeptus."

"Mn."

Mu Yang nodded in acknowledgment and vanished from sight.