After a dozen seconds, Angie finally spoke, her voice cold and haughty, radiating an aloofness that kept others at bay: "Increase the pace. Retrieve the item and leave immediately."
"Yes, Commander!"
The Mirror Maiden beside Angie received the order, turned, and strode off to relay the instructions.
Taking a few steps back, Angie settled by the bonfire, crossing her legs and displaying the flawless curves of her body.
She was merely making a brief cameo appearance, executing the second plan for dealing with Rola's disguise—the so-called Plan B.
Plan A had become impossible due to Venti's presence, and Jiang Mumu had never held much hope for it anyway.
As for Angie...
Her fleeting appearance was a spur-of-the-moment decision, meant to leave a lingering question in the players' minds. This way, her official entrance later wouldn't seem abrupt.
Moreover, Angie's appearance here was a strategic move by Jiang Mumu, all in service of the unfolding narrative. By eliciting strong emotional reactions from players, it would ensure that they...
Remembered her vividly!
-
In Guojia's live stream, the majestic snow-capped mountains and Angie standing silently beneath them had left viewers deeply awestruck.
When the Fatui Mirror Maiden appeared, the chat exploded with comments:
[Whoa—she's huge! Is this a new monster?!]
[Are all Fatui this tall? I thought they'd all be like those two at the Teleport Waypoint.]
[The atmosphere is so immersive, I can already feel the cold...]
[Oh no, my wife seems to be the villain!]
[Since when did she become your wife?]
Following the quest marker, Guojia guided her game character toward Mondstadt, her mind racing with questions about the Fatui agents she'd encountered in Dragonspine.
[What exactly are their goals?]
Based on what she'd seen so far in the game, the Fatui could already be equated with villains. And behind every villain's bizarre actions lies a dark, dangerous secret.
-
Rola and Lumine rushed back to Mondstadt and headed straight for the Knights of Favonius headquarters.
Jean was at her desk, busy with paperwork, when Lumine, Paimon, and Rola arrived. She immediately set aside her work.
"Traveler, Paimon, and Rola, what can I do for you?"
Paimon immediately stepped forward, fulfilling her role as the traveler's mouthpiece, and recounted in detail what they had witnessed beneath Dragonspine.
Rola added, "The leader seemed incredibly powerful. I wonder if she's another Fatui Harbinger."
"Harbinger?" Jean's expression turned grave, and she ordered someone to summon Lisa and Kaeya.
After a brief wait, Lisa and Kaeya arrived at the Grand Master's Office.
Following a brief discussion, Jean declared:
"Kaeya, I'm entrusting this matter to you. Avoid direct conflict—focus solely on uncovering the Fatui's objectives."
Jean assigned the task to Kaeya because of his expertise in such matters. He was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate for investigation and the one she trusted most.
Moreover, if Kaeya were to lead the investigation, Senior Baishi might accompany him...
Rola knew their efforts would likely be in vain, as her Angie persona was already en route back to her own world.
Still, it was necessary to stick with the Traveler.
Hangout Events were all about daily routines. Spending more time with the Traveler and Paimon helped players unlock more side quests.
After all, Rola's alias had no complex backstory to explain anyway. She grew up in Mondstadt, always well-behaved, enthusiastic, and lively.
All that seemed needed was to flesh out her character a bit more.
"Wait, Rola, you don't need to go. I have a task for you."
Rola stared at Kaeya, completely bewildered. Not again?
Seemingly oblivious to Rola's surprise, Kaeya said gravely, "Go fetch your brother. He's at Angel's Share Tavern right now."
Rola blinked repeatedly, frozen for several seconds before finally accepting the task.
Eager to get things done quickly, she jogged to the tavern and explained the situation to her brother.
Upon learning it involved the Fatui, Diluc, who had initially refused to get involved, gave some instructions to Charles the bartender before leaving.
Just like Kaeya, he told Rola to stay behind before departing.
But...
Is it possible?
If the Traveler weren't here, Rola would still obey, but not now!
After Diluc had been gone for a while, Rola quietly slipped out to follow him.
-
At the foot of Dragonspine, Diluc, Kaeya, Lumine, and Paimon arrived at the spot where they had previously seen Angie and her group.
However, the Fatui had long since vanished from the area.
"Huh? Those guys left so quickly? Wait, maybe they already went up the mountain," Paimon speculated, seeing no sign of them.
"Let's go!" Lumine declared, ready to head up Dragonspine. But Diluc raised a hand to stop her.
He glanced behind them, spotting a tree with a small, adorable head quickly ducking behind it.
He knew exactly who it was and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Traveler, leave the rest to us. I need your help. Can you fetch that little tagalong hiding behind the tree and take her back to Mondstadt?"
"Dragonspine is bitterly cold," Kaeya added. "Leave this dangerous task to us."
Lumine and Paimon turned around and noticed the corner of Rola's dress sticking out from behind the tree. They exchanged a knowing glance, nodded at Diluc and Kaeya, and then approached the tree where Rola was hiding.
Seizing the opportunity, Diluc and Kaeya began their ascent up Dragonspine.
Hidden behind the tree, Rola huddled down, hoping the slender trunk would conceal her.
Paimon's mischievous little mind sparked with an idea. Grinning mischievously, she gestured to Lumine.
Then... crept silently toward the large tree.
"Hey~"
"Wahhh!!!"
Rola jumped in fright, only to discover that the one who had startled her was her beloved little Paimon!
How dare you?!
Rola snatched the floating Paimon into her arms and gently bit her plump, collagen-rich cheek.
"Wah... Traveler, save me!"
"Hmph, serves you right for scaring me first, you despicable emergency food!" Rola squeezed Paimon's cheek, her voice laced with mock ferocity.
Lumine hadn't mentioned the term "emergency food" earlier. This legendary nickname was Paimon's alone—how could it possibly be omitted?
Paimon finally wriggled free, stomping her tiny feet in indignation. "What's with that?! I'm so mad! Paimon is not emergency food!"
Lumine chuckled at their antics and stepped forward. "Rola, what took you so long?"
"Hmph, it's all my brother's fault! He wouldn't let me come, so I had to sneak out."
As she spoke, Rola glanced behind Lumine and Paimon. "Where are Brother and Kaeya? Did they go ahead?"
Lumine explained Diluc's earlier mission briefing. After a moment's thought, Rola decided to continue adventuring with them.
She hadn't planned on climbing Dragonspine anyway. With Paimon around, Lumine wouldn't be able to climb either. Rola had simply come to wait for them both.
The trio reached an agreement and left the foot of Dragonspine, setting off for other destinations.
"Heh, who would have thought we'd be teaming up to climb Dragonspine again? When was the last time...?"
"No one will think you're mute if you keep quiet"
With Rola between Kaeya and Diluc, their superficial relationship was slightly better than in the original game.
But only slightly.
The blizzard on Dragonspine was fierce. After chasing the Fatui's trail for over ten minutes, it vanished completely.
Diluc and Kaeya, both with exceptional vision, continued their ascent. Along the way, they spotted numerous Fatui camps, which only fueled Diluc's irritation.
Since when did the Fatui think they could waltz into Mondstadt's territory whenever they pleased?
After dismantling several camps, they failed to extract any valuable information. As for the Fatui's supposed cargo that Rola and the others had mentioned earlier, they found no trace of it whatsoever.
They searched for a long time before finally giving up and leaving.
However, both men remained wary, resolving to investigate the matter further from other angles upon their return.