"Alright, nothing else is going to happen now, right?"
Cloud Retainer(cloud Retainer) looked at the people around him, his expression rather strange.
He had honestly been traumatized by this group.
Every time he tried to leave, something would happen— either someone wanted to join, or his own disciple suddenly had business to attend to…
"Nope!"
Everyone shook their heads in unison.
Cloud Retainer nodded.
"Very well, then we'll leave n—"
"Slime, I have something!"
Before he could finish speaking, a crisp voice interrupted him.
Cloud Retainer took a deep breath.
As expected… another complication.
He followed the voice and saw it was Paimon. His irritation flared instantly.
"This immortal is Cloud Retainer!
And what is it this time? Can't you just say everything at once?"
Though he was clearly angry, his current slime-like appearance somehow made him look… cute.
"Hehe, I just wanted to ask how we're getting there."
Seeing the 'slime' angry, Paimon felt a bit embarrassed.
"Naturally, we walk."
Hearing that it was only such a question, Liuyun's tone softened slightly.
"No need to walk—we've got the Anywhere Door!"
Paimon spoke as she gestured toward Lumine.
Lumine nodded in understanding and took out the Anywhere Door.
"This door… what is its function?"
Looking at the suddenly appearing pink giant door, Cloud Retainer froze.
"Come on, just go in and you'll know."
After bidding farewell to Boss Han, Lumine smiled and stepped in first.
Paimon and Klee followed right behind her.
"Cloud Retainer, let's go take a look too."
Ganyu's clone said with a smile.
"Alright, let's see what this thing does."
Liuyun nodded—he was clearly curious as well.
Inside the Anywhere Door
As Cloud Retainer passed through the door, a flash of light filled his vision.
In the next instant, the scenery changed completely.
"T-This is…?"
Looking at the familiar landscape—and realizing where he now stood—
Cloud Retainer was utterly shocked, his speech even stuttering.
They were standing on the cliff overlooking Liyue Harbor.
From here, one could take in a vast stretch of the city below.
"As long as you've been to a place before, the Anywhere Door can take you there.
It works anywhere across Teyvat."
Lumine explained with a smile.
She herself had been extremely shocked the first time she used it.
Now, she was already quite used to it.
"To think such a miraculous artifact exists?!"
Cloud Retainer's eyes were filled with disbelief.
This was far more incredible than any form of mechanical art!
If what Lumine said was true, then in terms of speed, it was even more terrifying than the Seven themselves!
Even the Archons needed time to cross nations.
But this door—
as long as the destination was somewhere you'd been before—
took only one second.
Incredible.
Truly incredible.
Something like this could only come from Boss Han's shop.
"Alright, then let's set off."
Ganyu's clone said with a smile.
Everyone nodded.
From here on out, it was time for serious business.
Back at Solace Book House
After Lumine and the others left, Ganyu handed over a bag of Mora.
"The manga are on the shelves."
Taking the Mora, Han Feng said calmly with a smile.
"I know. I've been here before."
Ganyu nodded and walked toward the bookshelf.
"Oh? There's a new manga?"
Seeing The Avengers, Ganyu examined it curiously.
"Boss Han, does this manga have anything particularly powerful in it?"
She walked back to the counter holding the book.
"If it does, then I'll read this one."
"Of course."
Han Feng nodded.
"Among all the manga currently in the shop, its combat power ranks near the top."
The Avengers involved cosmic-level storylines, after all.
There were many extremely powerful beings.
For example—
Thor, a god from Asgard.
Iron Man, a mortal who rivaled gods with technology.
And of course, the most famous of all—
Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet.
One snap of his fingers wiped out half the life in the universe.
Absolutely terrifying.
"Then I'll read this one!"
Hearing Boss Han say that, Ganyu felt reassured.
Hu Tao Arrives
Just then, Hu Tao came bouncing in from outside.
"Hehe, Boss Han, I'm back again!"
She greeted cheerfully as she reached the counter.
"Just you today?"
Han Feng asked in surprise.
Previously, Hu Tao had dragged her entire staff along to read manga.
"They were scared silly by Old Meng's constitution."
Hu Tao explained what had happened yesterday.
"That constitution really is bizarre…"
Hearing that Old Meng caused a death every time he went out, even Ganyu twitched at the corner of her mouth.
It was even more terrifying than Boss Han had described.
"So Old Meng is staying home now, too afraid to go out?"
Han Feng laughed.
"That sort of thing doesn't really surprise him."
"Nope. Before I left, Old Meng dressed up very formally and went to the Rite of Descension at Yujing Terrace.
He said he wanted to absorb some of the Geo Archon's divine aura— claimed it might ease the negative effects of his Death God constitution.
I thought it made sense, so I didn't make him come read manga."
Hu Tao waved her hand casually.
"You mean… that guy with the Death God constitution went to Yujing Terrace to attend the Rite of Descension?"
Ganyu froze and asked again urgently.
"Yeah. Is there a problem?"
Hu Tao blinked.
Oh, there's a problem—
A huge one.
Ganyu's face was filled with shock.
She finally understood.
No wonder something happened to the Geo Archon!
The case was solved!
The source was right here!
"According to the latest information, the Geo Archon has already been killed—
right at the Rite of Descension."
Seeing Hu Tao's confusion, Han Feng explained calmly.
"W-What?! The Geo Archon was killed?!"
Even Hu Tao—someone used to dealing with death—was stunned by the news.
That was a god!
An existence that had lived for thousands of years!
How could he be assassinated just like that?
Then—
Hu Tao froze mid-thought.
Now she finally understood why Boss Han and Ganyu had such strange expressions earlier.
"So… you're saying Old Meng's Death God constitution actually affected the Geo Archon?"
Hu Tao's expression became extremely complicated.
"That's most likely it."
Ganyu nodded seriously.
She couldn't think of any other explanation.
Hu Tao: (⊙_⊙)
Holy crap.
If that's really the case…
Then wasn't I right all along?!
The murderer… was actually someone from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?!
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