"So that's how it is. Come to think of it, the Children of the Deep are stirring below, or perhaps there are even more dangerous monsters lurking in the darkness, waiting for the seal to loosen..."
Feng Yi nodded. Aside from Gorou, who had to deal with monster invasions, he was the only one that Kokomi could truly rely on.
"Mhm, that's the idea. Perhaps the ruins of the past have already been buried beneath coral and sponges, making them impossible to find, or in the worst-case scenario—there's nothing below, just emptiness and seawater. We won't know until we explore it. This will all be up to Captain Feng Yi. All we can do is provide some auxiliary support for the ritual..."
Luzhi said gratefully. Captain Feng Yi's courageous act of stepping forward filled her with admiration.
"Captain Feng Yi, I will now briefly explain the preparations for the ritual. They are divided into five parts, corresponding to the five 'Five-Pointed Rocks' located in different places: 'Eye,' 'Tooth,' 'Fin,' 'Tail,' and 'Heart.' Near each of these seals, there is a stone tablet recording matters related to the ritual. However, due to the passage of time, the inscriptions are difficult to decipher. This will take some time, about a day. Captain Feng Yi, you can use this period to make your own preparations. We will notify you when the ritual begins..."
Luzhi bowed slightly to Feng Yi as a sign of gratitude.
"Preparations? Miss Luzhi, I understand. Thank you for the explanation."
After a friendly exchange with Miss Luzhi, Feng Yi had a general understanding of the situation. As for preparations, he intended to find a brave helper.
[Hey, hey, Itto? Is there a super high-paying commission available? Requirements: brave, meticulous, and not afraid of the dark...]
Feng Yi finished composing a telepathic message, then transformed into a golden butterfly with fluttering wings and flew towards the direction of Narukami Island.
To deal with the potential threat of the Children of the Deep that Enkanomiya might face at any moment, Feng Yi had to bring along a capable fighter.
Speaking of capable fighters, Feng Yi couldn't help but miss Tartaglia, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. Unlike Arataki Itto, Tartaglia had a unique dedication to combat, and the key was that he didn't require any payment.
It wouldn't be long before Feng Yi met Tartaglia in Liyue. By then, Tartaglia would have likely become a Fatui Harbinger.
He was quite looking forward to it!
After sending the message, Feng Yi bid farewell to Priestess Luzhi and headed to the library to meet with Kokomi.
"Feng Yi, take a look at these. These are records about Enkanomiya passed down by our ancestors. After sifting through the vague and unclear ones, the remaining ones have something worth referencing..."
Kokomi said as she pointed to the books sorted on the ground and flipped through an ancient book in her hands.
This matter concerned Feng Yi's safety, so Kokomi had to make thorough preparations.
"‘Legends of Enkanomiya,’ ‘The Reproduction of the Children of the Deep,’ ‘Enkanomiya Sightings’... Kokomi, I'll read them slowly. You should go and preside over the Spirit Awakening ritual. Without you, those priestesses seem unsure of where to start..."
Feng Yi patted Kokomi's shoulder, assuring her not to worry.
"Mhm, mhm, Feng Yi. I've placed all the relevant ancient books here for you. You can study them yourself first. If you can't understand the ancient Sangonomiya script, just put it aside. I'll be back soon..."
Kokomi hugged Feng Yi. She genuinely wanted to stay and help him find useful information in the ancient books, but as the leader of Sangonomiya Island, she had to lead the other priestesses and preside over the Spirit Awakening ritual.
When Kokomi left, the sky in the distance was still filled with colorful clouds. By the time she returned, night had fallen completely. Only Feng Yi remained in the library, reading by lamplight.
"How is it? Is there anything you don't understand?"
Kokomi quietly walked behind Feng Yi, placing her small hands on his shoulders and gently massaging them to relieve his fatigue.
"A little. But comparatively, Kokomi, I'm hungry..."
"What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you."
"I want to eat jellyfish feast!"
"Huh? Here... isn't it a bit inappropriate?"
[Cannot make a sound and let the subordinates outside hear.mp4]
...
In the morning, Feng Yi stretched with a refreshed sigh. Last night had been quite tiring.
Kokomi woke up before him. She had prepared freshly made caviar sushi for him on the desk and left a sticker before heading to work.
After eating the sushi, Feng Yi went to the Grand Narukami Shrine. A guard by the side informed him that the guest he had invited had been waiting in the side hall for a long time.
'Itto has arrived?'
Feng Yi's thoughts flashed, and with a hint of doubt, he pushed open the door to the side hall.
As soon as he opened the door, he was stunned.
Just as Feng Yi had guessed, the visitor was indeed Arataki Itto.
But what he hadn't expected was that Arataki Itto was doing a handstand, using his toes to pick up pastries with chopsticks and stuff them into his mouth...
Feng Yi: Itto, you truly live up to your reputation!
Feng Yi didn't know what to say for a moment, so he decided to say nothing at all, just staring blankly at the fool.
"Hehehehe, Boss Feng Yi, you're here?!"
Arataki Itto saw Boss Feng Yi arrive from his inverted perspective, and with a handsome flip, he got back on his feet, opening his mouth to catch the falling pastries. The entire sequence was smooth and seamless, executed in one go. It was unknown how long Arataki Itto had practiced.
"Come with me. The ritual is about to begin. The main objective of this trip is..."
Feng Yi didn't want to comment. He beckoned to Arataki Itto, then led the way while explaining the key points of the mission.
"Gulp, we... we have to go deep underwater? Boss Feng Yi, will we... will we drown?"
After listening to Boss Feng Yi's explanation, Arataki Itto couldn't help but swallow. Fighting the Children of the Deep didn't bother him; his only concern was drowning in the boundless seawater before even entering Enkanomiya.
He didn't want his heroic reputation to end so carelessly.
"Itto, have you ever heard of water-repelling techniques?"
Feng Yi smiled slightly, signaling Arataki Itto to relax. He already had a plan, and besides, Sangonomiya Island likely had arrangements in place, so his water-repelling technique might not even be needed.
"Never heard of it!"
Arataki Itto honestly shook his head. However, not understanding but sensing the extraordinary, Boss Feng Yi's confident demeanor effectively dispelled his worries.
Since he didn't have to worry about drowning, Arataki Itto had nothing else to fear. With this job done, the reward from Boss Feng Yi would not only allow him to pay off all his debts but also leave him with enough money to buy three more copies of Shina's photo album, plus a year's supply of lollipops!