"Why would anyone kidnap our esteemed guest? I have no idea, but now that we're here, we have no choice but to act. By the way, what are you two doing here?"
Qin Yu smiled. "Actually, I'm here to complete a quest for the Adventurer's Guild."
Yanfei crossed her arms. "As her protector, it's only natural that I accompany her."
If Hu Tao's story was true, this place wasn't just infested with monsters, but also kidnappers and a hostage. The situation had suddenly become much more complicated and troublesome.
Still, Qin Yu felt uneasy about Hu Tao venturing into such a place alone.
Besides, this was a perfect opportunity to earn some points.
Once the kidnappers and monsters were dealt with and the hostage rescued, Hu Tao might say something like, "Thank you, Fishy Treasure! It's so wonderful to have you here!"
Then Qin Yu would reply, "You're welcome. I couldn't leave Director Hu Tao to face this alone."
Her reputation would skyrocket, possibly even reaching A+ rank.
Perfect.
With that in mind, Qin Yu suggested, "Director Hu Tao—"
"Hmm? Why are you still being so formal? I've been calling you Fishy Treasure all along. Why don't you call me Treasure too? You're the one who gave me that nickname in the first place!"
Even thinking about it made Qin Yu blush.
"Hu Tao," Qin Yu took a step back and addressed her by name, "though our objectives differ, our destination is the same. Would you consider joining forces with us?"
"What to do..."
Why hesitate?
Intent on teasing Qin Yu, Hu Tao paced back and forth, muttering theatrically, "Such a formal way of addressing me... it's so disheartening! Maybe I've been presuming our friendship? If that's the case, how terribly embarrassing! Oh dear, oh dear..." She glanced sideways at Qin Yu.
What clumsy acting, Qin Yu thought, just to make me call her that once? Was all this roundabout nonsense really necessary?
With a sigh of resignation, Qin Yu finally relented. "Hu... Hu Tao, Treasure, would you like to walk with us?"
"Of course!" Hu Tao beamed. "True friends should always support each other."
This woman...
[Evaluation: D (Hu Tao)]
Yanfei couldn't help but ponder: if such affectionate nicknames were the measure of close friendship, then her relationship with Qin Yu must be woefully distant! Always "Miss Qin" this, "Miss Qin" that...
Thinking it over, if it were her turn to be nicknamed... Ah, she had an idea!
"Fishy Treasure, from now on, please call me Scarlet Treasure!"
"Huh?"
(TL Note: Since Yu means fish (鱼), thats where the fish comes from in the nickname. Yanfei wanting to join in makes it difficult to really translate the meaning. Taking the Fei (绯) from Yanfei we can turn it into Scarlet. Its one of those play on characters that gets lost in translation. If there is a better alternative, let me know.)
Why are you joining in too...? Qin Yu forced a smile. "That's really not necessary. But if it's alright with you, I'd prefer to call you by your name from now on."
"Fine by me," Yanfei nodded. "That works just as well."
Hu Tao chuckled. "Exactly! Only I can call her Fishy Treasure, and of course, she's the only one who can call me Treasure, right, Fishy Treasure?"
Qin Yu: "Ahaha..."
Yanfei's mood suddenly soured. What's going on? Why do I feel like the odd one out? But Qin Yu had said, "There's no need for formalities," and suggested using first names.
Does that mean our relationship doesn't need to be so... fancy?
That must be it! Yanfei's spirits lifted with sudden clarity.
Evaluation: B- (Yanfei)
After hearing the story, Hu Tao sighed wistfully, "I want that too."
Your Vision is probably even more special than my eyes.
The ruins weren't much to look at—broken pillars and crumbling walls... The only mildly interesting sight was the Hilichurls dancing around their bonfire.
With two Vision bearers present, the battle was surprisingly easy. Qin Yu didn't have to face the enemies directly; she could hunker down in the rear and snipe them. If she had spare energy, she could even charge in and blast them with a couple of shotgun shells.
The only problem was that Yanfei kept getting startled.
"What kind of weapon is that? It's so loud! That bang nearly deafened me!"
"S-sorry..."
Even though the System suppressed the gunshots' true volume, they were still deafening in the enclosed space. For Yanfei, a half-adeptus, it was almost torture.
Yanfei quickly clarified, "N-no, no, I wasn't blaming you! I just meant the weapon's so loud it made me—ow..." Realizing she was digging herself deeper, she tapped her head with the corner of her book.
Hu Tao leaned closer, her eyes sparkling. "Ooh, a new toy? Can I try it?"
Are you a child?
"I'll be more careful in the next battle," Qin Yu declared.
"How exactly?" Yanfei asked curiously.
By using my skills, of course.
In addition to the "Vampire Magic Eye" she had previously unlocked, Qin Yu had acquired two combat-oriented skills:
[ Optical Camouflage 1 ]—When activated, the user blends seamlessly into their surroundings. The effect diminishes while moving, with optimal camouflage achieved while stationary. This skill affects only visual perception.
[ Silent Killer 1 ]—When activated, the user's next attack will produce 60% less noise.
If you don't want to get hurt, just silently eliminate all the enemies. That's the true essence of stealth.
Continuing deeper into the ruins, the trio soon reached its innermost chamber. A large cavernous space housed a group of men and women wearing masks and wielding weapons.
Hiding behind a wall, Qin Yu cautiously peeked out.
"Who are they...?"
Yanfei leaned in beside her. "They look like Treasure Hoarders."
The Treasure Hoarders—a notorious group known for plundering wealth and treasures. Their presence in the ruins wasn't surprising if there was treasure to be found. But rather than preparing to loot, they seemed to be waiting for someone.
Hu Tao whispered, "They're the ones who took our esteemed guest! Look over there."
Qin Yu finally noticed a woman tied to the central platform. Could that be the esteemed guest from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? Her clothes certainly looked expensive... And it seemed the earlier skirmish hadn't alerted the Treasure Hoarders; their vigilance remained surprisingly low.
Their waiting posture likely meant they were holding her for ransom.
"What should we do?" Yanfei asked. A direct assault might endanger the hostage.
Now's my chance to prove my worth! Qin Yu thought.
Fortunately, numerous torches illuminated the area, so leaving Hu Tao and Yanfei's side wouldn't make her too uneasy.
"Please, leave this to me."
Yanfei worried, "To you, Qin Yu? That's too risky..."
"I have a way to sneak up on them. Trust me."
"...Alright."
Qin Yu pulled out her Anesthetic Rifle and exhaled slowly. She activated Optical Camouflage.
"Wow, Fishy Treasure's gone invisible!" Hu Tao exclaimed.
Hey, watch where you're touching! Qin Yu pushed Hu Tao's hand away, maintaining a low profile as she crept forward cautiously.
First, she used her Magic Eye's Biological Perception to confirm eleven targets within her line of sight—a bit too many... Then, she used Wave Detection. Two more were positioned above, bringing the total to thirteen.
Hidden behind a wooden crate, Qin Yu's stillness made her even harder to detect.
First, take out the two above.
Under the effect of "Silent Killer," the already quiet Anesthetic Rifle emitted only a faint "pfft" sound when fired.
Two shots, two targets down.
Next, prioritizing based on their positions and physiques, Qin Yu targeted the largest man closest to the hostage. About two shots before they realize there's an intruder, and three before they fully react.
She aimed for the head and fired.
The two men collapsed one after the other, triggering shouts of "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
She fired again, dropping the third.
"Hidden arrows! They're coming from over there! Flank them!"
These Treasure Hoarders weren't amateurs. By analyzing the direction the bodies fell, they reverse-engineered the trajectory and pinpointed Qin Yu's approximate position. Weapons drawn, they charged toward her.
Qin Yu switched to her Double-Barreled Shotgun and temporarily converted it to fire "Riot Shells"—special low-lethality rounds designed to incapacitate enemies without endangering their lives.
More money for live captures. Why not?
She reloaded.
At that moment, Hu Tao and Yanfei burst into the scene, joining the fray from the side.
"There's more!"
"Wait, isn't this place supposed to be deserted? Tch, never mind. Let's just deal with those two broads—Ahhhh!"
The moment a Treasure Hoarder member turned his back, Qin Yu raised her double-barreled shotgun and fired two shots, knocking down two men. She swiftly repositioned and reloaded.
"There are invisible enemies!"
Forced to contend with both unseen enemies and a Vision wielder, the Treasure Hoarders were quickly overwhelmed.
Hu Tao wiped sweat from her brow. "Phew, job done!"
"Qin Yu, are you alright?" Yanfei asked with concern.
Qin Yu deactivated her Optical Camouflage, her face pale and breathing heavily. "Y-yeah... just a little tired."
Vampire Magic Eye, Optical Camouflage, and Silent Killer were all active skills that drained stamina. Using them so frequently in such a short time had pushed her to her limit.
"Should we rest for a bit?" Hu Tao suggested.
"No need. We can rest once we're outside."
How could we possibly relax in a place like this?
"Let's rescue the hostage first."
Hu Tao and Yanfei nodded.
Yanfei untied the woman's hands and feet, reassuring her, "It's over now."
But the woman stared strangely at the trio, opening her mouth as if to speak, then hesitating.
What's wrong?
Just then, Hu Tao picked up a box from the pedestal.
"Alright, our esteemed guest from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is back."
Huh? This box is the "esteemed guest" you were talking about? It's not even a person...
Wait a minute.
Qin Yu forced a smile. "Hu Tao, is that... an urn?"
"Hu Tao? Ugh, you're calling me that again. Never mind. Yeah, it's the urn containing the ashes of one of our client's fathers. I have no idea why they were so desperate to steal it. Look at your faces—what's wrong? Even before he's laid to rest, he's still an esteemed guest of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
Yanfei stared blankly.
She blinked repeatedly, glancing back and forth between the urn and the rescued woman. "Wait a second. If this woman isn't the hostage kidnapped from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, then who is she?"
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps grew louder as they approached.
Turning around, they saw a large contingent of Millelith soldiers march into the area.
Ehh?! What's going on? Why are the Millelith arriving at this exact moment? I haven't done anything wrong, have I? Qin Yu felt uneasy about this unexpected turn of events.
"Secure the perimeter! Capture all Treasure Hoarders!" A clear, commanding female voice rang out from behind the Millelith ranks.
"Yes, ma'am!"
The soldiers sprang into action.
"I didn't expect things to escalate like this... Thank you for acting as bait, Li Hong. Are you injured?"
The rescued woman lowered her head. "No, thank you for your concern, Lady Keqing."
Keqing?
A young girl strode forward and came into view.
Her purple twin-tails styled like cat ears, luxurious attire, and commanding aura... If the woman from earlier had called her "Keqing," then this must be the legendary Yuheng Star, one of Liyue's Qixing.
Qin Yu stared at her in a daze.
"Thank you for your assistance—eh?"
Their eyes met.
For some reason, Keqing's eyes widened slightly when she saw Qin Yu, as if she'd encountered someone unexpected.
A different emotion stirred within Qin Yu.
A profound sense of nostalgia washed over her.
Could we have met before?