Ningguang, who had been watching from the attic, couldn't help but chuckle. She waved her hand, signaling the Millelith to organize the crowd and ensure an orderly dispersal, preventing any stampedes from accidental falls.
The events of the day had yielded substantial gains, and the information gathered would be quite helpful for future endeavors.
Meanwhile, Feng Yi, carrying Zhongli on his back, sprinted back to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor at full speed.
"Phew, finally safe!" Hu Tao exclaimed, wiping sweat from her brow with a look of relief.
But her expression quickly turned radiant.
She might not be able to carry a hundred-jin stone, but she could certainly run with a hundred-jin of Mora!
"Hall Master, what were our earnings from this trip?" Zhongli asked, his usual composure restored.
"Heh heh, I haven't counted precisely, but it's at least ten million Mora. We've struck it rich this time!" Hu Tao's bright, plum-blossom-like eyes twinkled, and she couldn't stop smiling.
"That's excellent. Hall Master, as per our agreement..." With such a haul, his efforts on stage hadn't been in vain.
"I know. Starting today, all your previous debts to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor are cleared, Consultant Zhongli!" Hu Tao nodded, understanding Zhongli's unspoken words. However, with the substantial Mora earned from Zhongli's performance, she no longer cared about his meager outstanding balance.
With ample seed funding, Hu Tao, along with Feng Yi and Zhongli, began strategizing the future development of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Their plan was to decentralize operations with Liyue as the core, maintain the existing Mondstadt branch, and continue exploring overseas markets. Their next target: Inazuma, across the sea! Hu Tao decided to dispatch elite members of the Funeral Parlor to Inazuma for market research first, and when the time was right, she would personally travel there to establish the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Inazuma branch!
They continued their discussion from morning until afternoon, with Hu Tao eventually ending the topic, still with a hint of lingering enthusiasm. Feng Yi finally had a chance to break free and stroll through the bustling Liyue commercial street.
"Hey Feng Yi, where have you been these past two days?" Paimon greeted him at a dessert shop, accompanied by Lumine.
"Been quite busy. I've finally managed to get some free time..." Feng Yi replied with a smile.
"Hehe, I'll tell you a big secret: the Geo Archon isn't dead at all..." Paimon whispered conspiratorially into Feng Yi's ear.
"Mmm, these taro balls are really delicious." Feng Yi nodded in response, then returned his attention to the dessert in front of him. This newly opened dessert shop had excellent flavors, soft and sweet. Feng Yi quickly asked the owner to pack two more portions.
"Hey, why aren't you surprised? Feng Yi, did you already know that the Geo Archon faked his death?" Paimon's expectation of seeing shock on Feng Yi's face was unmet. She immediately realized that Feng Yi must have known about the Geo Archon's feigned death all along and hadn't told them, which was utterly infuriating!
"You must have heard about the Geo Archon's revival this morning, right? Paimon, guess who the Geo Archon chose to inhabit after his revival?" Feng Yi took the packed desserts from the shop owner, then winked and gestured for Lumine to leave.
"Who? Could it be..." Paimon quickly caught up to them, her eyelids twitching. She had a rough idea of who it might be. Earlier that day, while she and Lumine were shopping, they had overheard passersby and shopkeepers discussing the Geo Archon's revival. Since she knew the Geo Archon hadn't actually died, Paimon hadn't paid much attention to the news of his revival. Now, with Feng Yi bringing it up, she wondered if Zhongli, that debt-ridden, freeloading good-for-nothing, was masquerading as the Geo Archon to deceive people?
Well, if he was impersonating himself, it wouldn't technically be deception. But this was just too outrageous! It was one thing for Barbatos in Mondstadt to neglect his duties, but was the Geo Archon of Liyue also heading in that direction? Paimon's understanding of how gods conducted themselves was being redefined.
"Mr. Feng Yi, please wait! It's not exactly a good time for sightseeing..." As Feng Yi and Lumine were strolling through the forests outside the city, they were stopped by a patrolling Millelith soldier.
"Did something happen?"
"Yes, headquarters has received multiple eyewitness reports of Ruin Guards appearing in areas they shouldn't be. The instructors sent people to investigate the source of these ancient machines, and it seems they're emerging from a ruin. We currently have very little information, and the ruin is quite eerie, with 'clanking' sounds emanating from it intermittently..." Before headquarters issued approval, he could only strengthen patrols to prevent anyone from accidentally entering. Many things had happened in Liyue recently, and the Millelith soldier felt the appearance of the Ruin Guards was no coincidence. However, his capabilities were limited, and he could only hope that higher authorities would quickly uncover the conspiracy behind it.
"Thank you for your hard work. It would be dangerous if ordinary people encountered Ruin Guards. How about this: you continue with your patrol, and I'll go take a look later..." Feng Yi's mind raced. If he wasn't mistaken, this matter might be related to Tartaglia.
"If it were anyone else, I'd be worried, but if it's Mr. Feng Yi, then there's absolutely no problem!" The Millelith soldier had complete trust and admiration for Feng Yi's strength. He was the formidable expert who had single-handedly terrified Osial into retreating during the Abyssal invasion. Dealing with these wandering Ruin Guards would be child's play for him!
"I saw some Ruin Guard footprints on the hillside earlier, but I was too busy warning nearby passersby to investigate. Please handle this, Mr. Feng Yi. 'Millelith firm, guardian steadfast,' I am Dai Pai, a soldier of the Millelith East Camp's mountain patrol. I salute you. I'll join you after I finish patrolling the remaining areas..." The Millelith soldier, Dai Pai, saluted with his spear. Mr. Feng Yi's strength and sense of responsibility were worthy of their reverence.
Feng Yi and his companions bid farewell to the Millelith soldier and followed the direction Dai Pai had indicated, discovering traces left by the Ruin Guards.
"Whoa, those are huge footprints! They look bigger than me! Is this the clue that soldier mentioned?" Paimon exclaimed in surprise. Judging by the size and depth of the footprints on the ground, she could already imagine the immense scale of the colossal entity.
Feng Yi: Be more confident, remove the "feel," and it's big enough for you to lie down and roll over in...