After a moment of thought, Jiang Chen made up his mind.
"Lumine and Amber should return to the city first. I'll go take care of something."
"Can't we go together?"
Lumine tugged lightly at his sleeve.
"It's something that wouldn't be convenient for you to know."
Jiang Chen answered honestly.
Both he and Diluc had connections with organizations within Teyvat's underground intelligence network.
Having others present would only make things complicated.
"Alright then."
Lumine looked slightly disappointed.
"Are you going after that annoying guy?"
Paimon crossed her arms angrily.
"That guy happens to be the richest person in Mondstadt."
Jiang Chen suddenly said.
"What?!"
"That red-haired guy is even richer than you?"
Paimon was instantly distracted.
"Of course."
"I only own the Good Hunter."
"That guy owns a vineyard outside the city, a tavern inside the city, and controls the largest share of Mondstadt's wine trade."
Jiang Chen added,
"And wine is Mondstadt's biggest export."
"Wait… does that mean he basically controls most of Mondstadt's wealth?"
Paimon exclaimed.
Then she shrank back a little.
"…We shouldn't mess with him."
Paimon always believed strongly in the virtues of bullying the weak, fearing the strong, and prioritizing survival.
"Sorry, Amber."
She flew over to comfort her.
"It's fine."
"Master Diluc has always been unfriendly toward the Knights. That's a historical issue."
Amber waved her hand.
"But Master Diluc is definitely a very righteous person."
"Well… then I'll reluctantly forgive him."
Paimon said without the slightest embarrassment.
Jiang Chen pulled a set of keys from his system inventory.
"If you have nowhere to go, wait for me at the Good Hunter."
He handed the keys to Lumine.
"We closed early today. Sara probably stored plenty of cold food."
"If you're hungry, you can heat some up."
"Okay."
Lumine nodded obediently.
After a brief farewell, Jiang Chen walked into the small forest nearby.
Amber, Lumine, and Paimon watched his back until he disappeared before returning toward Mondstadt.
Meanwhile
"Boss Jiang Chen, aren't you going to keep playing with those little girls from the Knights?"
Diluc asked with mild amusement, arms crossed.
Jiang Chen shrugged.
"Amber is doing real work. Could you stop being so sharp-tongued?"
"I just think that if Boss Jiang Chen keeps mixing with the Knights…"
"and picks up their inefficient habits, it would be a great loss for Mondstadt."
Diluc said regretfully.
"Yes, yes. Our great Darknight Hero."
Jiang Chen replied sarcastically.
"Tch."
Diluc clicked his tongue slightly.
Even so, his elegance remained completely intact.
"So what's the situation this time?"
Jiang Chen walked beside him.
"The attack on Mondstadt by Stormterror shows traces of Abyss Mages."
Diluc said.
"You just came from the Temple of the West Wind Eagle. You should have noticed something."
Jiang Chen nodded.
"Yes. That crystal concentrating the dragon's energy couldn't have been placed there by Stormterror itself."
With the size of the dragon, it couldn't even fit a claw through the entrance of that temple hall.
Besides, Stormterror had already lost its sanity.
It wouldn't be capable of planning something like that.
More importantly—
Jiang Chen already knew this was part of the Abyss Order's scheme.
"If our intelligence is correct," Diluc continued,
"the Abyss Mage should still be inside one of the temples. It hasn't had time to retreat."
He was heading there now to find it.
"I see."
Jiang Chen suddenly remembered something.
If he recalled correctly—
The Abyss Mage should be inside the Temple of the Wolf of the North.
Wait…
Wasn't it a Cryo or Hydro Abyss Mage?
If it was Cryo—and he and Diluc didn't go—
Then Kaeya might be in trouble.
Same element matchups were bad.
How would Kaeya break the enemy's elemental shield?
"Let's hurry."
Jiang Chen suddenly sped up.
"What's wrong?"
Diluc quickened his pace as well.
"Kaeya went there alone."
Jiang Chen said.
"Kaeya's strength shouldn't be a problem."
Diluc didn't like the Knights, but he wouldn't deny their abilities.
That would be irrational.
"But what if the Abyss Mage is Cryo?"
"…."
Diluc fell silent.
Cryo versus Cryo—
An Abyss Mage could draw elemental energy directly from the ley lines, recovering much faster than a human absorbing it from the air.
In a battle of endurance, Kaeya would lose badly.
"And you too."
Jiang Chen continued.
"If you run there alone and encounter a Pyro Abyss Mage, what then?"
"I'll strike it with a heavy attack before it can raise its shield."
Diluc said confidently.
"I won't give it time to chant."
Jiang Chen shook his head helplessly.
Diluc had always been someone with absolute confidence and strong convictions.
But that was also why he had become the "Uncrowned King" admired by countless noble ladies and young women of Mondstadt.
Night had already fallen in the wilderness.
Beneath the ruins of Thousand Winds Temple, they could see from afar that the gate of the Temple of the Wolf of the North was already open.
The two exchanged a glance.
Then they rushed inside.
Please vote and add it to your library