Liyue's dusk painted the northern wilds in hues of amber and ash—Hu Tao's mission loomed, a three-million-mora bounty from a Sumeru merchant, "Qingxu Pool—treasure gone wrong,"—and the Internet cafe dimmed, "Closed—borrowed muscle," her plea dragging Tier Harribel and Ayanami Rei into Teyvat's shadowed fray.
The tale unraveled—a merchant's greed, "Immortal ruins—dug too deep," his hirelings struck by a vengeful wraith, "Evil guards it—adventurers failed,"—and Hu Tao frowned, "Pastoral Hall's rep—life and death pros," her pyro spark a vow, "Mora's nice—smells off," her gut a flicker in Liyue's fading light.
Tier Harribel soared—Hu Tao in one arm, Rei in the other, "Air—fastest," her teal strength a breeze—and the ground shrank, "Hundreds of meters—wild!" Hu Tao whooped, "First flight—epic!" her face warping in the wind, "Faster—go!" her glee a blaze, Teyvat's expanse a canvas below.
Rei hung—"Flying—routine," her red eyes calm, "EVA broke sound—nothing new,"—and her Apostle-fused frame hummed, "Strength—hers matches," her gaze tracing Tier Harribel, "No wings—yet," her silence a rock, the trio a storm cutting through Liyue's northern wilds in under an hour.
Qingxu Pool loomed—a tunnel gaped, "There—wreckage," a shattered cart and horseflesh strewn, "Grim—expected,"—and red eyes glinted, "Evil's lair," Hu Tao's staff flared, "Something's off—怨念 heavy," her hall-master's sense a thread, the dusk's quiet a lie hiding a darker pulse.
They landed—"Screech—warning!" a wraith howled, its claws a flicker in the tunnel's shade—and Hu Tao squinted, "Resentment—thick, but… wrong," her expertise a blade, "Wraiths—ethereal, sun-shy," this beast unfazed, "Solid—claws cast shadows," her doubt a ember in the still air.
Tier Harribel spoke—"Not dead—alive," her hollow's precision a scalpel, "Breath—faint,"—and Hu Tao nodded, "Not evil—then what?" her pyro gaze sharpening, "Pain—hatred," the wraith's cry a wail, "Living grudge—huh," her staff a vow, the trio braced as it charged from the dark.
Action flared—a man-beast surged, "Black resentment—claws!" its form a twisted blur, "Raaagh!"—and Hu Tao spun, "Goma Staff—meet it!" her pyro flaring, Tier Harribel raising, "Cero!" an orange blast erupting, "Boom—mosaic!" the beast exploding, flesh and metal raining at their feet.
Hu Tao gaped—"Metal—inside?!" her shock a tide, "Not natural—crafted,"—and Tier Harribel knelt, "Construct—living shell," her teal eyes tracing, "Resentment—fused," Rei nodding, "Artificial—hostile," her Spear of Longinus gleaming, "Trap—confirmed," the tunnel's silence a lie shattered by their find.
Howls erupted—"More—ambush!" cliffs shuddered, dozens of forged wraiths leaping, "Bigger—twisted!"—and Hu Tao gulped, "Too many—meep!" her exorcist's pride a flicker, "Good thing—backup," her grin reborn, Tier Harribel's cero charging, "Round two—go!" the wilds a stage for their clash.
Metal gleamed—wraiths bristled, "Claws—spikes!" their forms a grotesque meld, "Raaargh!"—and Rei stepped, "Longinus—strike!" her spear arcing, "Pierce!" a wraith skewered, "White cross—AT Field!" her eyes flaring, a barrier snapping, three wraiths slamming back, "Efficient—next," her calm a blade.
Tier Harribel unleashed—"Cero Barrage!" orange beams lancing, "Five—down!"—and wraiths burst, "Metal—shrapnel!" Hu Tao dodging, "Whoa—close!" her staff twirling, "Pyro Burst!" a fireball torching two, "Burn—ha!" her hall-master's dance a spark, the trio a storm in Qingxu's dusk.
A wraith lunged—"Hu Tao—mine!" its claws raking, "Fast—ugh!"—and she rolled, "Staff—block!" sparks flying, "Tier—help!" Tier Harribel blurring, "Cero Slash!" a beam cleaving, "Gone—stay sharp," her teal calm a rock, Hu Tao panting, "Thanks—nasty bugger!" their bond a thread in the fray.
Dialogue flared—"Who—made these?!" Hu Tao shouted, "Sumeru—liar?!"—and Rei speared, "Unknown—hostile intent," her reply a breeze, Tier Harribel blasting, "Trap—merchant's ruse," her cero a tide, "Purpose—unclear," their trio a wall, wraiths a wave crashing in the wilds' gloom.
A subplot twisted—Hu Tao mused, "Three million—bait?" her mora-lust a ember, "Ambush—why us?"—and Rei struck, "Order—eliminate," her spear a blur, "Threat—beyond Liyue," Tier Harribel nodding, "Abyss—perhaps," their fight a spark, Sumeru's shadow a riddle in Teyvat's weave.
Wraiths swarmed—"Ten—left!" Hu Tao counted, "Pyro Spiral!" her staff spinning, "Burn—scatter!"—and flames roared, "Four—down!" Rei leaping, "AT Crush!" a field slamming, "Three—crushed," Tier Harribel's cero arcing, "Last—mine!" the final wraith bursting, "Clear—done," their victory a blaze.
The wilds stilled—"Wreckage—clues," Hu Tao knelt, "Metal—crafted where?"—and Tier Harribel scanned, "Life—forced in," her hollow's sense a scalpel, Rei nodding, "Hostility—programmed," her red eyes tracing, "Merchant—suspect," their trio a forge, Qingxu's dusk a canvas of doubt and grit.
Emotion surged—Hu Tao's bravado clashed with fear, "Trap—outplayed me!" her pyro soul a ember; Tier Harribel's calm hid intrigue, "Foes—new," her teal strength a rock; Rei's silence masked resolve, "Threat—end it,"—and Teyvat trembled, their saga a blaze in its wilds' sprawl.
Hu Tao grinned—"Three million—earned it!" her staff a trophy, "Sumeru—explain this!"—and Rei stood, "Order—report," her spear a sentinel, Tier Harribel musing, "Cafe—waits," their return a vow, Liyue's glow a beacon, Qingxu's ambush a riddle cracking under their might.
The merchant loomed—"Trap—his?" Hu Tao growled, "Back—grill him!"—and Rei nodded, "Logic—interrogate," her calm a tide, Tier Harribel lifting, "Air—home," their flight a storm, Teyvat's wilds and LAN a dual dawn, their hearts a fire breaking over its endless fray.
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