Liyue.
Stepping out of the teleportation portal, the first thing one feels is the gentle breeze blowing across the mountaintop.
Under the vast, clear sky, the distant waters shimmer with sparkling ripples.
Looking closer, the sprawling buildings at the foot of the mountain form a massive, majestic city.
At the northern and southern docks, numerous merchant ships can be seen coming and going.
"Is this Liyue Harbor?" Tartaglia gazes into the distance.
In his plan, he was to come to this city to carry out the mission of seizing Morax's Gnosis.
Now, seeing the city firsthand from this high vantage point, even Tartaglia is awed by it.
This is nothing like Snezhnaya.
Snezhnaya is perpetually shrouded in snow and wind, with half the city obscured in blizzards, making it hard to see clearly.
But here, not only is there a sense of history, but one can also feel its prosperity.
"We're at the summit of Mt. Tianheng."
Lu Heng surveys the surroundings. "Let's go, we'll descend from here."
None of the three are ordinary people—even without a path, they can make their way down.
After descending to a certain height, Lu Heng leads the other two along a narrow mountain path, gradually making their way downward.
As they approach the city, even from a distance, the bustling noise of urban life seems to reach their ears.
"What a place—the air is filled with the scent of life."
Venti sighs contentedly, smiling. "As expected of the old man—he's managed this place so well."
"By the way, where is he?"
Knowing that Venti has ties with Morax, Tartaglia can't help but ask about his whereabouts.
Now that I've reached Tier 5 equipment and my strength has grown exponentially, it's time to seek out stronger opponents to test myself against!
"I really don't know," Venti shakes his head.
He isn't lying—he only awoke from his slumber a couple of years ago and hasn't had much time to catch up.
"Let's talk after we enter the city," Lu Heng urges the two.
Passing through a residential area and a narrow alley, the sounds of the lively street ahead begin to reach them.
There are vendors hawking their wares, storytellers in the distance, and the clamor of tea houses.
"Excuse me, sir."
Lu Heng stops a passerby and asks, "How do we get to Wanmin Restaurant?"
"First time here?"
The man doesn't seem surprised but instead replies matter-of-factly, "It's easy to miss. Head that way—see those steps? Go up, cross two streets, and you'll reach the Feiyun Slope area. You're almost there once you reach that point."
"Thanks," Lu Heng clasps his hands in gratitude.
"Don't mention it."
In the game, Liyue Harbor isn't very large.
But in reality, Liyue Harbor is enormous—befitting the capital of a nation.
It can't compare to a modern city, but this ancient metropolis, home to over a million people, would take days to fully explore.
It takes half an hour for the trio to reach the street where Wanmin Restaurant is located.
Approaching noon, this street near the southern docks is packed with dockworkers, sailors, and others who've just finished their morning shifts, making it particularly crowded.
Wanmin Restaurant isn't a small shop—its dining area alone spans over two hundred square meters.
"Good thing we came early."
Lu Heng finds an empty table and sits down, glancing toward the kitchen.
Wanmin Restaurant's kitchen is semi-open, allowing diners to see fresh ingredients and chefs at work, though the cooking fumes are directed away from the dining area.
Tartaglia places his beloved Crimson Calamity Toad on the table and peers into the kitchen, eyes widening. "What is that thing?"
All three of them stare into the kitchen.
There, a mysterious creature hops around, casually eats a chili pepper, spits a flame into the stove, and then scurries off with its short legs to carry ingredients back to the chef.
"That's…"
A god who's lost its intellect?
Venti is seeing this for the first time.
"If it's here, that's a good thing."
The mysterious creature is Guoba, who looks like a chubby brown-furred bear. Because of his short stature, he appears quite round.
His presence means that Wanmin Restaurant's little chef, Xiangling, is also here.
And if Xiangling is at Wanmin Restaurant, their trip won't be in vain.
"What would you three like to order?"
A middle-aged man approaches with a menu.
"It's our first time here. We'll take the signature dishes—enough for four people."
Tartaglia's Crimson Calamity Toad has quite the appetite, so Lu Heng adds, "Oh, and pack a few extra portions to go."
"Got it!"
Chef Mao quickly notes it down.
"Are there only two people working here?" Tartaglia asks curiously.
"Seems like it," Venti observes.
Aside from the busy young girl and the mysterious creature in the kitchen, only the middle-aged man is handling the front.
Tartaglia cranes his neck to look at other diners and remarks, "No wonder business is so good—it smells amazing."
As the two chat, they notice Lu Heng pulling out his phone.
"No wonder you asked for takeout—you're thinking of someone even after coming to Liyue," Venti teases.
"Loyalty," Tartaglia gives a thumbs-up.
Lu Heng ignores them.
Seeing that his phone has signal reassures him.
When designing the Civilization Core, he had requested signal coverage across Teyvat, but he hadn't tested it until now.
Now, he sees firsthand how terrifying the power of technology can be.
Lu Heng types out a message.
You haven't gone to eat yet, right? Don't rush. We've arrived in Liyue and packed some local signature dishes for you. I'll bring them over soon. If you're hungry, snack on something in the meantime—don't starve yourself.
Tartaglia fiddles with his phone and mutters, "I wonder when Her Majesty will start using this."
His urge to call the Tsaritsa for funds is barely contained—he hopes the delivery is speedy.
"Speaking of which."
Venti strokes his chin. "Once the shop is set up, I'll make a trip back to Mondstadt."
"Going to recruit customers for me?" Lu Heng grins.
"Exactly." Venti nods. "Mondstadt isn't far from here. We should keep up with the times—falling too far behind would be troublesome."
"Will Signora still dare to act high and mighty around you?" Tartaglia facepalms, his expression微妙.
He and Signora don't get along. If she hits a wall in Mondstadt… well, not his problem.
"Ah."
Venti shakes his head, his eyes tinged with complexity.
Ding.
Lu Heng checks his phone.
It's a voice message.
He taps it.
"I'm not hungry yet. I'll wait for you at the shop~"
Is that Furina's voice?
"Did she get her throat stuck on a snack? Why is she talking like that?" Tartaglia is baffled.
"Who knows?" Venti shrugs—he doesn't get it either.
"People talk differently when speaking into a phone."
Lu Heng, having seen it all, understands that tone shifts between talking to a person and a device are normal.
As they chat…
"Rulu~"
The brown, mysterious creature arrives with their dishes.
Chef Mao follows.
Lu Heng sees Liyue-style boiled meat slices, Wanmin Restaurant's signature boiled fish, tender and spicy chicken, and two small side dishes.
"Enjoy your meal."
Chef Mao leaves to attend to new customers.
Guoba tilts its head, studying Venti with one hand on its chin.
Venti smiles and stares back.
Guoba scratches its head, then turns its attention to the Crimson Calamity Toad on the table.
Too short to see properly, it stands on tiptoe, its expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.
"Never seen one before, huh?"
Tartaglia smirks proudly.
His Crimson Calamity Toad, after consuming many card energies, is now a Tier 4 monster!
Tier 4 might not sound impressive… but Tartaglia believes his pre-card self would've stood no chance against it!
"Rulu!"
Guoba shakes its head.
"Guo—ba!"
A voice calls from the kitchen.
"Rulu!"
Guoba snaps out of it and scampers back to the kitchen on its stubby legs.
"What kind of creature is that?" Tartaglia is intrigued.
"A god."
Venti drops the bombshell casually.
"Huh?"
Liyue folks are so hardcore they keep gods as pets?
But glancing at the Crimson Calamity Toad on the table, Tartaglia relents.
Whatever, I've got a god too!
"Let's eat. What are we waiting for?"
Lu Heng picks up his chopsticks. "After the meal, I'll head back for a bit."
"Whew, this has a bit of a kick," Venti remarks after a bite.
"Froggy, can you handle this?"
Recalling how Guoba ate a chili and spat fire, Tartaglia picks up a bright red pepper with his chopsticks and places it on the table, eyeing the Crimson Calamity Toad expectantly.
Crimson Calamity Toad: "..."
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T/N:
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