The voice only sounded for a second before drifting away with the wind, never appearing again.
Time passed quietly.
Kael's group walked past the area where Wolvendom was located and entered a broader territory.
Night fell, and the sky full of stars twinkled in the clear night sky.
Like countless eyes watching the earth from afar.
The cool night wind blew gently, bringing a trace of freshness.
The air was filled with the fragrance of green grass and the moisture of the soil. The ground was illuminated by moonlight like a silver carpet, sprinkling bits of brilliance.
In this quiet wilderness.
Kael, Lumine, and Paimon stopped, admiring the beautiful scenery before them.
The water of the waterfall slapped on the rocks, making a crashing sound.
The fine water vapor splashing up with the water droplets formed a faint mist under the moonlight.
The mountains and trees appeared deeper and quieter in this deep night.
Several nocturnal birds occasionally skimmed past, breaking the silent atmosphere. The whole world seemed to have entered a dreamlike night.
Lumine looked up, holding the map in her hand, muttering in a low voice, "After passing through the Stone Gate at the border of Mondstadt, we can arrive at Wangshu Inn tomorrow and enter the territory of Liyue."
Lumine's words were full of expectation and longing, her eyes flashing with a trace of excitement.
So fast.
In just over two days, we are already about to cross Mondstadt!
Hearing this, Paimon couldn't wait.
Looking at Kael excitedly, her eyes bright, as if she was ready: "Then Kael, let's go back to Mondstadt first, sleep well, and set off early tomorrow!"
"No."
Facing Paimon's words, Kael shook his head gently.
"Ah?"
Hearing this, Paimon looked confused. "Why not?"
"Because there are no rich ley line energy nodes nearby."
Kael shook his head. "Except for Wolvendom during the day, there are none here."
"If we go back to Mondstadt, then tomorrow we can only appear in Wolvendom, not here."
"And this place is where we arrived after walking from noon to evening, or even night."
"Ah?"
Hearing this, Paimon scratched her head in distress. "Doesn't that mean... we can only camp in the wild tonight?"
Paimon's voice also revealed helplessness.
We could go back yesterday night.
But not today.
Plans really can't keep up with changes.
"Camping here seems a bit inappropriate too. We have to walk a bit more."
Beside them, Lumine pondered and said, " Although the place we are in has waterfalls and woods, there is no suitable place to spend the night."
"True."
Hearing this, Paimon also looked around and scratched her head. "Besides the depths of the woods, where else can we camp?"
"That environment is not bad."
While speaking, Paimon pointed to the foot of a high mountain not far away.
"Mn."
Kael nodded. "There is a dilapidated wooden stall over there. It looks abandoned for a long time."
"We can only make do with it for tonight."
Even if he could go back to Mondstadt last night, Kael was prepared for times when he couldn't go back.
Unexpectedly, he encountered it today.
"In that case, we have to rest well tonight and set off early tomorrow morning."
Paimon rubbed her hands. "Hope it won't be too cold tonight."
While speaking, Paimon walked over with Lumine and Kael.
Soon, they arrived in front of a dilapidated wooden stall.
Lumine took the lead in taking out a sleeping bag from her portable storage space device and placed it on the ground.
However, after putting it down, Lumine's eyes flickered, her face carrying a blush that was difficult to conceal.
Then she coughed lightly, seeming a little embarrassed, and whispered, "Kael, did you... not bring a sleeping bag?"
Lumine's voice was a bit small, but it still attracted Paimon's attention.
"Oh, oh, sleeping bag."
Paimon blinked and looked at Kael.
Lumine also turned her head to look at Kael.
She saw Kael's hands were empty, obviously not carrying any sleeping bag.
"Mn, indeed not."
Kael was silent for a moment, then nodded gently.
He really hadn't prepared that thing.
Before setting off the night before last, he only got the alchemy device capable of storage from Albedo.
Then he was surrounded by Fischl's enthusiasm.
Yesterday he also easily returned to Mondstadt to sleep.
Indeed, he didn't prepare a sleeping bag.
Because in Kael's view, he didn't need that thing.
But sleeping in the wild now, a sleeping bag was indeed needed. Unfortunately, he didn't have one.
Hearing Kael's words, Lumine suddenly felt a little embarrassed. She bit her lip gently, her pretty face slightly red, and whispered, "How about... you squeeze in with me?"
"My sleeping bag is quite big, enough for the two of us to squeeze in together."
Lumine's tone carried a trace of shyness, but also a few points of certainty.
Hinting that Kael stay together tonight.
Hearing Lumine's words, Kael looked at Lumine, smiled, a trace of softness in his eyes.
Immediately, he raised his eyebrows slightly. "Okay, since you invited me so, then whatever."
Kael's words carried a trace of relaxed teasing, but also had a warm meaning.
Paimon was stunned for a moment, then giggled. "Hehe, it can be seen that Lumine really cares about Kael."
"Alright, since you two have no problem, let's make do tonight. Don't let me be too cold on the side."
Paimon's tone carried a bit of banter, but she didn't say much more.
After all, she also knew she was a little cold today.
She was also thinking about sleeping well quickly so she could be more energetic tomorrow.
Lumine and Kael sat down immediately and began to prepare to build a temporary resting place.
Although there was no cave to shelter from the cold, there was some clean grass on the ground, which wasn't too bad.
Kael casually took out his coat and cape and covered the ground, thereby providing some warmth for Lumine and himself.
Paimon couldn't help pulling up her clothes, curling up aside, and starting to shiver.
After a while, Lumine slowly lay down, spread the sleeping bag, and signaled Kael to enter together.
Kael didn't hesitate and squeezed into the sleeping bag easily.
For a moment, Lumine's face turned slightly red.
She wasn't sure how to speak.
However, all this didn't seem too awkward, but rather natural.
Although she was a little shy in this process.
But seeing Kael's calm demeanor, her heart also relaxed.
Soon, the two entered dreamland.
The night passed without words.
The next day.
Early morning.
Sunlight spilled into the sleeping bag through the fabric of the tent (or gaps), warm and soft.
The air was filled with the smell of fresh earth, carrying the breath of spring.
Lumine slowly opened her eyes, feeling a trace of unaccustomed tiredness.
Squinting slightly, she rubbed the corners of her eyes gently, intending to adjust her state.
However, when Lumine woke up completely.
The moment she opened her eyes, her heart tightened abruptly.
It turned out she was unconsciously hugging Kael.
Kael's body still lay there quietly.
And her arms were tightly wrapping around his waist, her face close to his shoulder, almost very close.
Seeing this scene, Lumine's mind went blank, and a hot blush suddenly surged on her face.
"Th... What is going on?!"
Lumine's heartbeat accelerated abruptly, her cheeks almost burning.
She didn't dare to look directly at Kael. In panic, she tried to withdraw her hands.
But she found that they seemed firmly trapped on Kael's body, unable to detach immediately.
A messy panic surged in her heart.
Lumine wanted to loosen her arms anxiously, but due to the constraints of the sleeping bag, her movements were somewhat restricted.
Immediately, she could only carefully and gently pull her arm out from Kael's waist.
The movement was as gentle as possible, for fear of making a little noise to disturb him.
However, just as Lumine was adjusting her posture in panic, she suddenly felt a wrong touch.
Looking down, she found Kael's hand inside her clothes at some point, gently placed on her waist.
Lumine: "..."
Lumine's heartbeat accelerated abruptly, and her whole person was red as if about to catch fire.
Then, with a flushed face, she hurriedly reached out to move Kael's hand away from her clothes.
The movement was urgent and careful, for fear of making any noise to break this awkward situation.
Her cheeks were already flushed almost unbearably, and her heart was full of annoyance.
Last night, how could I sleep like this!
Lumine tried hard to stay calm, carefully moving her body away from the sleeping bag, trying not to disturb Kael's sleep as much as possible.
Her movements were so gentle they were almost silent.
But her heart felt like a overturned five-flavor bottle.
Feeling a tension and shyness she had never felt before.
Soon, Lumine took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
Her hands gently gathered a corner, trying to give herself a little time to calm her heart.
After a few seconds, Lumine felt a warm sunlight on her face, gradually stabilizing her emotions slightly.
Lumine had sat up completely.
Just when she thought everything had returned to normal, she peeked at Kael again.
Kael's face was quiet, with absolutely no sign of waking up, seeming to be sleeping peacefully.
Lumine's heartbeat calmed down slightly, but she was still a little nervous.
The next second, Lumine lay down again.
Carefully adjusting her posture to ensure she wouldn't nest in Kael's arms without a sleeping posture again.
But she also turned sideways to look at Kael.
Lumine's face was still slightly red. Feeling Kael's approaching temperature, her heartbeat gradually stabilized.
Although she was still a little shy inside, she began to gradually adapt to all this, trying not to let herself fall into excessive...
Even in the morning, she could quietly feel the tranquility around her, causing Lumine's heart to relax slightly.
"Ah, morning."
After quite a while.
While Lumine was squinting, Paimon's voice sounded: "Lumine, Kael, get up, don't sleep in!"
While speaking, Paimon shook Lumine and Kael.
Lumine opened her eyes immediately.
Subconsciously looking at Kael.
She saw Kael slowly open his eyes.
Looking at Lumine close at hand, he chuckled instantly: "Morning."
"Morning."
Lumine sat up with a flushed face, then began to tidy her messy hair.
"Sigh, it's a bit hard to endure without barbecue in the morning."
Paimon sighed when she saw the two get up.
Today's morning couldn't be compared with yesterday's morning at all!
"Alright, Paimon, stop complaining. We bought a lot of convenient barbecue rice balls yesterday; we can heat them up later."
"Sigh."
Hearing Lumine's words, Paimon sighed. "I want to eat barbecue in big mouthfuls."
"In the wild, how can there be so many demands!"
Time passed in the bickering between Paimon and Lumine.
After Lumine got up completely, she tidied up the sleeping bag and put it away.
Then continued to walk forward.
Needed to find a stream with water to wash up simply.
There was a small river ahead. Following it, it was just right for washing up.
However, after walking for a while, Lumine stopped, her sight suddenly attracted by the scene in the distance.
Looking along the path, a new scene suddenly opened up.
It was a wooden bridge spanning the small river. The bridge deck was carved with exquisite patterns, emitting an ancient atmosphere.
Both sides of the bridge were verdant trees and dense shrubs. Green vegetation intertwined with the wooden bridge, like a quiet painting.
Lumine's steps couldn't help but pause, her gaze deeply attracted by the distant scene.
The other end of the bridge seemed to lead to a more open place.
She saw the outlines of some small houses, flags fluttering on the roofs.
There were also some paths paved with stone slabs on the ground in the distance, seemingly specially guiding the people coming and going.
"Could it be a market ahead?"
Seeing this scene, Lumine's heart moved, her eyes flickering. "Or a gathering camp?"
"Eh? Is it a camp?"
Paimon also noticed this scene and exclaimed in surprise, "Our luck is so good! Not long after walking, we encountered it. Is that a camp?"
"Regardless, let's go over and see first."
Paimon spoke quickly.
As soon as her voice fell, she couldn't wait to fly over, her figure drawing a light arc in the air.
Lumine and Kael looked at each other, then followed.
This time, the Everwinter Shadewalker walked at the very back.
As the group crossed the bridge, stepped on the wooden stairs, and proceeded all the way up the hillside, the surrounding environment gradually became different.
At first, stone steps were faintly visible.
But as the height increased, wooden structures began to gradually occupy the entire passage.
Old wooden planks covered the original stone steps, making a creak— sound when stepped on, making people doubt their firmness.
However, although these steps were old, they were surprisingly stable.
Obviously, they had been repaired and maintained.
Occasionally, new ropes could be seen tied to handrails eroded by wind and rain, obviously indicating people were still active here.
The surrounding scenery also changed.
The original woods became sparse, exposing more rock walls.
The eaves of some wooden buildings protruded from behind the rock walls, giving a sense of secrecy isolated from the world.
Looking from a distance, these old buildings were built against the mountain.
The eaves were slightly upturned, as if telling the precipitation of the years.
Occasionally, dilapidated lanterns could be seen hanging by some wooden railings.
Under the breeze, they made a creak creak shaking sound, adding a mysterious and simple atmosphere.
Walking further, the entire road was completely paved with wooden planks, with slight elasticity when stepped on.
The wooden texture extended underfoot, as if leading to some forgotten village.
Wooden pillars supported these roads. In some places, the hillside below could even be seen. Scattered wooden buildings were distributed along the terrain, forming a unique landscape of layers.
Although there was no one here, there was no feeling of desolation.
Instead, it looked like some deliberately preserved ruins.
"Wow—!"
Paimon suddenly stopped in front, her eyes widening abruptly, a look of surprise on her face. "There's actually a tea stall in this place?!"
Looking in the direction Paimon mentioned, one could see an inconspicuous stall by the road at the end of the wooden bridge.
It was an extremely simple tea stall.
Built from a long wooden table, with several ceramic teapots and small cups for drinking tea placed on it.
Beside it was a tattered flag with blurred writing on it, seemingly the name of the tea stall.
But the erosion of time had made it mottled and difficult to identify.
Behind the stall was a slightly spacious wooden platform with several tables and chairs.
Although a bit old, they were still neatly placed there, obviously not abandoned yet.
Looking down from here, one could see the river flowing slowly under the hillside, reflecting the skylight. The whole picture appeared exceptionally leisurely.
"Such a remote place, someone actually sets up a stall here?"
Lumine couldn't help muttering in a low voice, looking around, wanting to find a possible shopkeeper.
However, this tea stall was empty at the moment, with no signs of business.
As if it was just left here, waiting for the arrival of the next destined person.
Paimon looked around and guessed thoughtfully, "It looks like this used to be a post station for a caravan or village. Maybe people used to rest and drink tea here. It's just now... maybe few people come."