After listening to Cloud Retainer's words,
Little Gui immediately dropped her carefree demeanor.
She straightened her back
And performed a wave of solemn respect.
"Respect! Folks, if we're talking about this, then I'm wide awake now."
[I always felt this bird was really interesting]
[True, her emotions come and go quickly, and she's quite eloquent]
[Finally, we get to hear Brother Mu's storytelling—give us something explosive]
[Why do I feel like this is gonna be a huge joke?]
——————
As for this kind of thing,
Paimon, who loves gossip, was naturally thrilled.
"Wow, hurry up and tell us! I wanna hear this!"
Lumine was also intrigued.
Right now, she knew far too little about Mu Yang.
She really wanted to learn more about his past.
As for Cloud Retainer,
This was the first time she encountered such an appreciative audience.
Naturally, she was overjoyed.
She cleared her throat.
And began her tale!
"That was the first time we met, Mu Yang and the others—"
Mu Yang directly interrupted the Cloud Retainer, who loved to chat.
"Cloud Retainer, save that for later. Right now, there's something more important..."
Cloud Retainer was rudely cut off.
The great immortal bird was not pleased.
She turned her head to glare at Mu Yang.
Her gaze was far from friendly.
"Hmph. This matter had better be truly important."
"Morax has been assassinated."
——————
In the livestream, Guinaifen couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Holy shit, hubby, are you doing a cliffhanger challenge or something?"
"Don't do this, I can't take it anymore!"
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
[The streamer's emotions are stable, everyone, don't worry]
[Streamer, what's a cliffhanger challenge?]
[You sit at the kids' table during banquets]
[Mu Yang's panicking LOL]
[First time seeing Brother Mu this agitated—must be some embarrassing past]
[HAHAHA he's definitely remembering something awful]
[Is he worried about Morax? Nah, he's just scared of embarrassing himself in front of Lumine]
Guinaifen: "Alright, alright, Mu Yang, just play me like this."
"Just tease me like this."
[The more he does this, the more I wanna know]
[Before bed: It's just a character's backstory, no big deal]
[3 AM: WHAT THE HELL IS THIS EMBARRASSING PAST?!]
[Mihoyo, I'm gonna lose it! You're really playing us like this?]
[Forget about Morax already]
——————
You know what?
This matter was actually a little important to Cloud Retainer.
It completely threw her off.
She became somewhat incoherent.
"Rex Lapis... Rex Lapis has been assassinated!?"
"How... How could this be! How dare someone commit such an atrocious crime!"
Lumine used the most concise language
To describe the events in Liyue Harbor to Cloud Retainer.
The immortal bird spread her wings.
Lumine could feel the pressure around them intensify significantly.
"Such absurdity... Unbelievable. This adeptus must investigate..."
"No—Mu Yang, the two of us shall go suppress Liyue Harbor together. Once all the adepti gather—"
[The most intense reaction by far]
[I miss the chatty version of you]
[Rex Lapis is her boss and friend, after all—it'd be weird if she didn't react]
[Yeah, it's not like Mu Yang, who only remembers a name]
Cloud Retainer's extreme attitude
Shocked Lumine and Paimon.
"Huh!?"
Mu Yang, however, had expected this reaction.
It wasn't much different from her response in the original game.
Though, Cloud Retainer should know what happens after an Archon dies, right?
Even Havria could leave behind a salt-cursed ruin.
Wouldn't Morax's death flatten Liyue Harbor?
Mu Yang couldn't tell whether Cloud Retainer was blinded by rage
Or simply putting on an act.
But he himself was definitely acting.
Best to observe for now.
Paimon frantically floated forward.
"W-Wait! What do you mean by 'suppress' Liyue Harbor?"
"Are you planning to destroy the entire city?"
Cloud Retainer had calmed down somewhat by now.
But her words remained firm.
"Merely employing some thunderous methods to prevent further complications."
Lumine didn't understand.
After all, the previous two adepti hadn't reacted so extremely.
And didn't Childe say the adepti were guardians of Liyue?
"Shouldn't you be protecting the mortals?"
Cloud Retainer scoffed.
"Precisely. By Rex Lapis's decree, we have guarded Liyue for over 3,700 years."
"But now, with villains running rampant, extraordinary measures must be taken."
Paimon flew over to Mu Yang's side.
"Waaah! Mu Yang, do something! She's serious! She's really going to suppress Liyue Harbor!"
Mu Yang shook his head.
He didn't voice his opinion.
First, because of his identity.
He knew Morax.
Emotionally, he should side with the adepti.
Second, he genuinely didn't know Cloud Retainer's thoughts.
The more he spoke, the more likely he'd slip up.
And earn Cloud Retainer's disdain.
Better to stay silent.
Play the enigmatic master.
Let them speculate.
Lumine had no attachment to Liyue Harbor.
Whether it was suppressed or not didn't concern her.
But she still took out the "Sigil of Permission."
And relayed the words of Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver.
Seeing the "Sigil of Permission,"
Cloud Retainer couldn't help but mock it.
"When Rex Lapis forged these sigils, he imbued them with adeptal energy to aid mortals in battle. Yet now..."
"Enough. Since Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper have spoken thus,"
"This adeptus shall personally investigate Liyue Harbor. In due time, justice shall be served."
Cloud Retainer then turned to Mu Yang.
"Will you continue traveling with these two?"
Mu Yang nodded.
"I fear someone might trouble them."
Hearing this, Cloud Retainer spread her wings and flew off immediately.
"Then you may depart at your leisure. This adeptus takes her leave first."
The three left Cloud Retainer's abode.
Paimon was still shaken.
The pressure Cloud Retainer had unleashed earlier was genuinely terrifying.
Even the mechanisms in the abode had trembled.
She patted her chest.
"That scared me... I really thought she was going to destroy Liyue Harbor..."
"She was so nice when we were just chatting earlier."
"I hope the next adeptus is easier to get along with."
Hearing Paimon's words,
Mu Yang silently corrected her in his mind.
Wrong.
The dangers of chatting are no less than suppressing Liyue Harbor.
Cloud Retainer wouldn't actually destroy Liyue Harbor.
But the past events she'd expose through conversation
Would very much reflect directly onto him.
That's true damage! Pure damage!
How can they compare?
They can't.
After mentally criticizing Cloud Retainer,
Mu Yang asked,
"Which adeptus is next?"
Lumine recalled.
"Vigilant Yaksha, the Conqueror of Demons. The location is Wangshu Inn."
Paimon was speechless.
"Uh... That title sounds even scarier, doesn't it!?"
[Conqueror of Demons?! WTF? That title's badass!]
[It's not another animal, is it? The first three were all animals]
[Well, when I think of "Great Sage," isn't the Great Sage from Earth famous enough?]
[Is it Sun Wukong?]
[No, no, there's another title—Conqueror of Demons. It's a yaksha, right?]
Jokes aside,
Paimon asked Mu Yang,
"Do you remember this Conqueror of Demons?"
Mu Yang said yes.
"I saw him a few days ago when I was resting at Wangshu Inn. It should be him."
Only then did Paimon relax.
"Phew... If you know him, that makes things easier."
Lumine: "Then let's hurry and set off."
The three made their way to Wangshu Inn.