Check out my new Fanfiction!
***
Day One.
I arrived at The Chasm with Yelan. Many things in The Chasm seem to glow—glowing crystal ores, glowing bugs.
Since the entire morning and noon had been spent on traveling, there wasn't much time left to explore. Yelan and I quickly found a place to rest.
While eating dinner, Yelan discussed a night watch system with me. After all, The Chasm isn't safe.
In the end, we agreed that each person would take half the night, ensuring six hours of sleep.
Tonight, she would take the first half, and I the second.
Although I'm wearing the Legend of the East outfit, which lets me go 24 hours without rest, I didn't say anything.
After all, Yelan's payment isn't worth me treating her the same way I treat Lumine.
Besides, I still miss sleeping.
As long as I take off this hat, the outfit's effect will wear off, and I can sleep.
...
Day Two.
Because part of the temporary main mining tunnel collapsed into a giant pit, we had to look for another route.
And we actually found one—or rather, Yelan did.
She led me down a narrow passage, and we came upon a vast hollow space, like a limestone cave.
Yelan thought it didn't look like something miners had dug with pickaxes. Very strange.
We stepped into the wide cavern. Yelan said it was hard to imagine such a massive space existing beneath The Chasm.
I always felt something was off here. Yelan thought so too.
But after checking around and finding no danger, we decided to rest here for the night.
Still, something felt strange…
My head started hurting, so I stopped thinking about it. Even if we ran into a Rock Dragon Lizard or something, I could handle it easily.
...
Damn it! I remembered—this is where that Ruin Serpent dwells, that machine from Khaenri'ah!
It suddenly appeared at night and attacked. Luckily, I was on watch, otherwise things could've turned bad.
The sudden commotion startled Yelan awake.
I fired over a dozen shots, driving the thing off.
Fearing it would return, we left the cavern, moving forward instead of backtracking.
We found a relatively safe spot to rest.
But Yelan's tent had been destroyed by the creature, which meant from now on, I'd have to share a tent with her.
Cursed Ruin Serpent!
...
Day Three.
In the morning, Yelan was still shaken by yesterday's encounter with the Ruin Serpent. Being jolted awake from sleep is never pleasant.
On the road, I hoped we'd find a new tent for her, but Yelan said sharing one was fine—it saved the time of setting up two.
She also said I wasn't interested in her anyway, and besides, since we alternated watch, we wouldn't even be sleeping at the same time.
Well, she wasn't wrong. I'm definitely not interested in her. Still, I hoped to find a tent.
...
We came to an abandoned mining site.
The walls were studded with oddly shaped ores glowing with a disturbing, dark purple light. (Attached:rough sketch)
Yelan explained that the ores had likely been polluted by the black mud.
...
A block of black mud blocked our path. With no other choice, we charged through!
We moved as quickly as possible, but Yelan still felt unwell.
Because I was wearing the Legend of the East outfit, I felt no discomfort.
Seeing sweat bead on Yelan's forehead reminded me of Miss Lisa, Mondstadt's librarian.
This black mud is dangerous.
...
We crossed through the tunnel, reaching what seemed to be part of the temporary main mining area.
Many belongings left by miners were scattered around.
According to Yelan, most miners had already taken their settlement pay and left. Only a few worked the upper levels of The Chasm; the lower regions had always remained sealed, opened only for necessary investigations.
Yelan wanted to cut down her watch time for the first half of the night. Seeing how weak she looked after passing through the mud—and knowing it wasn't an act—I agreed.
...
Day Four.
After breakfast, Yelan seemed much better.
She attributed her recovery to me letting her rest the whole night, and thanked me sincerely.
Yes, that's right—I let her rest an entire night!
Actually, the reason she recovered so quickly wasn't just the rest. When I grilled meat in the morning, I added some wild mint. It was probably the Minty Big Game Meat effect.
We left the tunnels, reaching the area beyond the great pit.
We had taken a detour, but we were still within the temporary main mining area.
After a long day, Yelan decided to repay me for last night—by letting me rest an entire night.
...
Day Five.
After a day's work, my pocket watch showed it was already late.
While searching for shelter, we found a hidden cavern. I expected it to be like the other tunnels—just rock.
But to my surprise, lush green grass grew here—not the dark moss, but actual green grass!
After four days underground without sunlight, this was my first time seeing green again.
Yelan thought it was perfect for resting, so I set up camp there.
Inside, I saw a silver-white object, like the branches of a tree trunk.
I endured a sharp headache as I recalled—it looked just like the Frostbearing Tree in Dragonspine. (Handwriting shaky)
Damn, my head hurts so badly. I really want to rest, but tonight's my watch. I'll brew myself some coffee.
...
Day Seven.
Honestly, I wanted to kill Yelan today. No exaggeration.
The reason? Tonight, while I was writing this diary, Yelan suddenly came over.
She saw me writing—not a big deal—but then she wanted to read it!
The only ones I've ever shown this diary to were Lumine and Paimon, back at Starfell Lake!
Maybe sensing my killing intent, Yelan laughed it off, saying she was joking. As an apology, she offered to give me an extra hour of rest tonight.
I had wanted two hours, but… whatever. One will do.
...
Day Eight.
Damn it—I ran into some Fatui.
I had only wanted to step out while Yelan slept, to smoke a cigar in peace.
But these Fatui weren't hostile. Instead, they looked starved.
Seems Yelan and that thing were right after all.
...
I didn't kill them, because their leader, Anton, said they were from the Ninth Company.
Considering Lumine would have dealings with them in the future—and since they treated me respectfully—I spared them.
I spoke with them for a while. This Ninth Company belonged to the Harbinger known as the "The Rooster."
They had been fighting against the black mud. Their casualties were severe: from a sixty-four-man squad, only four starved survivors remained—"Temur," "Danila," "Radomir," and one bedridden man, "Romanski," barely clinging to life.
Anton said it had been a long time since they last received supplies.
I urged them to leave, but they refused without direct orders.
I had no intention of fetching supplies. First, that's Lumine's role, not mine. Second, I don't have the time.
...
I must be going insane. Before leaving, I even gave them some food.
Anton hadn't asked for it—so why did I bother?
I just prolonged that bedridden Romanski's life, letting him hold out until he meets Lumine and Paimon.
That thing didn't reward me for my "good deed." It probably thinks I'm hopeless now, so it won't bother with me anymore…
Fine. Don't give me anything if you don't want to!
...
Day Nine. (These two days' entries are a bit muddled, not sure why.)
We planned to pass by the Fatui camp from yesterday and head deeper.
But Yelan must have drunk from some underground water source. She had stomach problems all day.
I don't get it. She's an adult, yet doesn't know water needs to be boiled before drinking? Clear-looking water doesn't mean it's safe—especially in The Chasm, polluted by the Abyss!
...
I don't know if I should even write this. Yelan now looks like she has dysentery, in too much pain to walk. She lay in the tent all day, making exploration impossible.
Her state reminded me of the two men—Mr. Black and Mr. White—who escaped forced labor in Rhodes.
They also got sick from eating poisonous mushrooms or something.
I hope they're living well in that stilt shack in West Elizabeth, Big Valley.
(Side note:I rather enjoyed hunting three-star deer hides and gray wolf pelts there…)
(Some sentences struck out, but faint words remain.)
Why doesn't my head hurt when recalling these memories?
...
That night, Yelan's painful groans echoed endlessly in my ears.
I realized this wasn't just a simple stomachache. It was more like Lisa's condition. So, I gave her a bottle of regular Miracle Tonic.
After drinking it, her condition improved noticeably.
At least she stopped groaning…
...
Day Ten. Exact location unknown, but likely near the Underground Waterway and the Main Mining Area.
After sleeping, Yelan's body had fully recovered. But she worried—could such a quick recovery cause side effects?
I told her, "Serves you right for being dumb enough to drink raw water. If it hadn't been for your torturous moans last night, I wouldn't have wasted a precious tonic on you!"
(Much of the text here is struck out, unreadable. From what little remains, it seems Yelan and Shao Yun had a fierce argument.)
Afterward, Yelan apologized to me.
I didn't understand why she got so angry. Was it because I kept bringing up her stomach issue?
I promised her I'd never mention it again.
Though, really, I don't see what's so embarrassing about getting sick and needing to rest in bed…
Maybe Yelan just finds it humiliating, at her age, to get sick from drinking raw water.
...
In the main mining area, we saw some Treasure Hoarders secretly mining.
Suddenly, one of them struck a vein releasing dark-purple gas mixed with light.
The gas touched the flame of their torches…
The Treasure Hoarders instantly exploded into chunks of flesh.
The blast destabilized the surrounding ground. I only hope falling rocks don't crush us tonight.