"Ah?" Everyone froze for a moment—Shao Yun seemed to be saying he would go alone. Was that even possible?
The atmosphere grew thick with doubt, a faint scent of mistrust hanging in the air. Shao Yun couldn't believe it—were they questioning his strength?
"What's with all your expressions? Don't tell me you don't trust me?"
Shao Yun's strength was beyond question. But to storm an enemy camp alone? That did seem reckless in the eyes of the others.
Jean locked eyes with him, clearly unwilling to let him take the risk.
"Going alone is far too dangerous. That's a Fatui outpost—it's not a one-man show."
Faced with their worried gazes, he couldn't exactly tell them that he used to solo the likes of Hanging Dog Ranch with dozens of enemies like a daily grind, and that four of the five Legendary Gunslingers—everyone except the Black Belle—had died by his gun. The Living Devil of the West?
Compared to that, a measly Fatui camp would be child's play.
"My efficiency will be much higher. That way, we can free up manpower to do other things. Don't you all want to awaken Dvalin as soon as possible?"
At that, everyone hesitated. From a strategic standpoint, his reasoning was sound.
Just as they were beginning to relent, Diluc spoke up:
"Are you sure? You've been drinking. How can you be certain this isn't just the alcohol talking?"
His words hit like a heavy hammer, shattering what confidence they had started to build.
Without hesitation, Paimon flew right up to Shao Yun and grabbed a fistful of his coat.
"Shao Yun, you need our help. This isn't up for discussion!"
Lumine gave a small nod, agreeing with Paimon. Her face remained calm, but her clear eyes radiated conviction.
Her voice came soft but firm.
"I agree with Paimon. This isn't negotiable—you're not going alone."
No one was going to believe a drinker's claim, even if he had only a little. Everything he said next would be dismissed as drunken nonsense.
But drinking boosts my Core Stamina and even enhances my Deadeye—it's not the same as Venti being a drunkard! Totally different things!
Didn't matter what explanations he gave. No one was budging. They were going together.
In the end, he gave in.
"Fine, we'll go together. But!" Shao Yun raised a finger, setting a firm condition. "You have to listen to me. That's non-negotiable."
"Okay, we'll follow your lead." Paimon nodded. The goal was to recover the Holy Lyre der Himmel—who gave the orders didn't really matter. Besides, with this much firepower, it was clearly going to be an easy win.
Diluc, however, didn't move with the rest. Instead, he walked behind the bar to review the day's accounts.
"You all go ahead. I'll sort the tavern's ledgers and catch up right after."
He then told them the location of the Fatui camp—it was just south of Springvale, near the Heart of Spring. Two guards stood at the entrance, easy to spot.
After the group left, Diluc began checking the day's earnings with Charles.
"Hm? Isn't a dandelion wine four hundred Mora? Charles, why was this one only three-fifty?"
Charles lowered his head like a child caught doing something wrong, smiling apologetically as he explained.
"Master Diluc, that glass was for Shao Yun. When the dragon attacked Mondstadt, he and Noelle helped evacuate trapped citizens and did a lot of the cleanup. I took the liberty of giving him a small discount."
Diluc stroked his chin in thought. His brows furrowed slightly, showing mild displeasure.
"…"
"I'm sorry, Master Diluc. Just deduct it from my wages." Charles pressed his hands together, looking genuinely remorseful.
Diluc didn't punish him. Once the books were settled, he simply let out a long sigh and left the tavern.
As he left, he gave a parting instruction: "From now on, give Shao Yun a twenty percent discount when he drinks here."
…
Shao Yun and the group left Angel's Share and set off toward Springvale.
South of Mondstadt City, Springvale was a bustling hunting town that supplied most of Mondstadt's meat.
As night fell, the outlines of Mondstadt grew faint in the distance. Walking the moonlit roads, they passed many carriages damaged by the recent storm.
Seeing this, Shao Yun frowned. Where were all the horses in Teyvat? There were wagons, but no horses—what were they using, boars?
Thinking of himself as a cowboy without a horse made him feel like a "dry-swimming" Arthur—not pleasant at all.
Could I catch one myself?
The thought was appealing, but they hadn't seen a single horse on the road.
With this question in mind, Shao Yun turned to Jean.
"Jean, we've passed plenty of carriages, but I haven't seen a single horse. What's going on?"
This had bothered Paimon as well.
"Yeah, Jean! I've been wondering the same thing!"
A flicker of surprise crossed Jean's face as she stopped and explained.
"Ah, you didn't know? Grand Master Varka took all the horses with him."
Since horses were now the topic, Jean had much to say—starting with transportation.
"Currently, across Mondstadt and even all of Teyvat, most goods are transported by freight balloons. Horses are still rare in many regions, and only Mondstadt has a decent number."
She elaborated further.
Thanks to Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, most of Mondstadt's mountains had been leveled, turning it into rolling plains and lowlands. He also changed the wind currents, giving Mondstadt a warm and humid climate—ideal for horses.
Liyue, in contrast, was mountainous and hilly, with little flat land. What plains existed were either populated or uninhabitable due to leyline disruptions—leaving little space for horses.
Inazuma was an island nation. Ships were its main form of transport. With limited external trade, horses were rare there as well.
Sumeru was either dense jungle with towering trees or endless desert. Beasts of burden like sumpter beasts were more suitable.
Fontaine had a vast underwater region and advanced technology. It used Aquabuses for transportation.
Natlan was volcanic—its local mounts were unique dragon-like creatures.
And in Snezhnaya? The frigid conditions made it hard for horses to survive at all.
Venti, who had been a silent background fixture, finally chimed in—and had some sharp observations.
"Horses scare easily when they encounter elemental creatures or monsters. Only trained ones don't bolt."
"Once freight balloons became convenient, no one really wanted to deal with the trouble of raising horses anymore."
Even after Venti's explanation, Shao Yun remained unconvinced. Surely people don't run into elemental creatures every day?
And in terms of general transportation, weren't horses still more practical than hot air balloons? You couldn't exactly commute by balloon, could you?
"Then how do ordinary people get around?"
Jean didn't hesitate.
"In Mondstadt, people mostly walk, take boats, or ride modified freight balloons designed for passengers."
"But each region has its own methods. These unique forms of transportation are more than enough for long-distance travel."
That answer made Shao Yun's expression fall.
So, catching a horse was off the table.
With their questions answered, the group continued down the road toward Springvale.
As he walked, Shao Yun's thoughts grew heavy.
Mentioning horses reminded him of his pale pink Andalusian steed.
Tall, brave, and with thick health—most importantly, it was beautiful!
With full bond level, it never flinched from wolves, grizzlies, or mountain lions—always ran with him.
Way better than that top-tier horse from the snowy mountains—that white Arabian donkey.
He thought life in Teyvat would be without mounts forever, but just then, his system delivered a much-needed morale boost.
[During mission mode, both fast travel and mount functionality are disabled.]
[During solo free exploration, Lumine and Paimon may use fast travel via waypoints unseen by others. You may use horses for travel.]
[During co-op free exploration, Lumine's waypoint ability will be disabled, and you may freely use mounts.]
[Mount access not yet unlocked. Please wait patiently.]