A perfectly fake smile hung on Shao Yun's face as he looked at the two men before him. Inside, he was quietly delighted—he knew they had already stepped neatly into the trap he'd set.
After all, as a fellow worker, one could accept everyone working overtime together—but watching others take the day off to have fun while you still had to work? That was intolerable.
Shao Yun narrowed his eyes slightly, putting on a look of saintly pity as he spoke in a soft, sympathetic tone. "Ah, my dear brothers, I'm a man born with a kind heart. I can't bear to see others suffering or feeling wronged."
"So here I am, bringing a little something good for you both—just a token of appreciation. Come, come, have a taste of this fine wine."
As he spoke, he handed the two bottles of drugged moonshine to the guards.
One of them frowned suspiciously and muttered, "We can't do that. We're on duty. Drinking's against regulations…"
But the other guard had no such scruples. With a wide grin, he snatched a bottle out of Shao Yun's hand, yanked out the cork, and instantly the thick, heady aroma of alcohol filled the air.
"What's there to be afraid of? Look, this guy came all the way here to treat us to a drink—wouldn't it be rude to refuse?"
"Besides, all those other bastards are off having fun while we're stuck here. Why shouldn't we have a drink or two, huh?"
With that, he threw his head back and gulped down a long swig, smacking his lips afterward in satisfaction. "Heh, you're a good man! I like you!"
Classic case of someone paying for their own betrayal, Shao Yun thought.
Seeing his partner down the drink so eagerly, the more cautious guard hesitated only a moment longer before sighing in resignation. "Fine, fine… when even pickpockets can sneak into the Corps of Thirty, I guess a few drinks won't hurt."
He took the second bottle and followed suit.
Neither realized that they had just stepped right into danger's open jaws.
Moments later, the effects began to show.
"This wine… feels stronger than usual…"
"Ugh… why's everything so blurry…"
Thud. Thud. Both men collapsed to the ground.
Shao Yun looked down at them with a pitying smirk. "Didn't your mothers ever teach you not to drink what strangers hand you? Foolish little clowns."
To be sure, he nudged them both with the toe of his boot. Satisfied that they were completely unconscious, his thoughts briefly drifted elsewhere—this one could pass for beef, that one maybe water buffalo…
He shook his head. No, focus. The real job is rescuing the little featherball who loves bathrooms.
…
With the guards neutralized, Shao Yun strolled into the Sanctuary of Surasthana as if he owned the place.
Inside, the grand chamber was far less mystical than he'd imagined. The only thing truly remarkable was the sight at its center—the imprisoned Nahida, bound within a meditation device.
Chains of light locked her within a glowing emerald sphere.
Nahida's cloak was a soft, verdant green, like the first sprout of spring. Her skirt—white and petal-shaped—resembled a flower yet to bloom. A metallic band encircled her wrist, and her bare feet were covered only by white socks, her ankles adorned with sharp, restraint-like ornaments of cold metal.
Just then, Nahida's eyes fluttered open for the first time in what felt like an eternity.
When she saw Shao Yun standing before her, her expression shifted from confusion to utter astonishment. "How did you get in here?" she exclaimed.
Shao Yun's lips curled into a sly grin. He pointed casually toward the entrance. "Those two brainless guards? I tricked them into drinking spiked liquor. If they hadn't passed out, I'd have started wondering if Barbatos himself was guarding the door!"
Nahida blinked in disbelief. "I thought you'd cause some huge commotion or… something grander," she murmured.
Shao Yun walked leisurely over to the meditation device's console, unconcerned. "Grand or not, what matters is results. Now let's see how this thing unlocks…"
It turned out the device was absurdly simple. The console had only one obvious button.
Without hesitation, Shao Yun pressed it.
In an instant, the dazzling wall of light surrounding the meditation chamber dissolved like retreating waves, vanishing completely. Nahida was finally free.
As the little Archon floated down and gently landed on the floor, Shao Yun grinned broadly. "So, how does freedom feel? Pretty wonderful, huh?"
Nahida blinked in surprise, then flexed her small hands as if testing the air. The sensation of liberty—something she hadn't known for five centuries—brought a soft smile to her lips. "I… I don't quite know how to describe it yet," she admitted quietly.
Shao Yun chuckled and reached out to pat her head gently. "I get it. It's like a bird that's been caged for so long—it forgets how to fly, even when set free."
"But that's okay. You'll relearn it soon enough. For now, let's move. Your faithful believers are waiting for you!"
He turned on his heel and started walking toward the exit.
But before he'd gone more than a few steps, Nahida let out a small cry of pain.
"Ouch!"
Shao Yun froze and spun around instantly. "What happened?"
Nahida pointed at her foot. "My… my leg hurts."
He knelt down to look more closely—and saw it. The sharp, metallic adornments still wrapped around her slender calves, biting slightly into her skin whenever she moved.
"You've been wearing this thing… for five hundred years?" he asked softly.
Nahida lowered her head, whispering a faint "Mm…"
Her small, downcast figure made her look like a child on the verge of tears. Something inside Shao Yun softened.
Maybe this—this empathy for a small, suffering figure—was the one scrap of humanity he had left.
Just like the time he'd held little Klee, he now reached out gently and lifted Nahida into his arms, murmuring, "There, there, you poor little sad girl…"
Thankfully, Nahida had the body of a petite child. If she'd had the full figure of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, he probably wouldn't have even tried.
For now, though, he saw only a small, fragile girl in need of protection.
He'd almost forgotten that the child in his arms was in truth one of Teyvat's Seven Archons.
But then again… he was an idiot.
As night fell, Shao Yun carefully carried Nahida out of the Sanctuary.
The darkness deepened, and soon it would be time for Nilou's Dance of the Flower God at the festival.
Nahida, nestled in his arms, looked toward the gate where the two unconscious guards still lay. Her brow furrowed slightly.
"Are you sure you only got them drunk?" she asked softly. "They don't… seem to be breathing."
Shao Yun frowned, walked over, and gave each guard a solid kick.
Both men groaned faintly, the muffled sounds proving they were still alive.
"See?" he said with a smirk. "Just drunk. Though, uh… there's a small chance they'll go blind. But hey, alive's better than dead, right?"
Nahida's eyes widened. "Blind!? You mean the alcohol could make them lose their sight?"
Shao Yun shrugged. "Sure. But if you ask me, blindness beats a funeral any day."
Still carrying her, he walked to the cart filled with empty gift boxes.
"I've got a big gift box ready for you—plenty of room, even a little stool inside. Won't draw attention. Don't worry, there's ventilation holes—you won't suffocate."
Nahida blinked, eyeing the enormous, flower-decorated box curiously. "You really went all out for this…"
Shao Yun grinned proudly. "You can doubt a lot of things—but never doubt my plan!"
With that, he gently set Nahida into the box.
Just as he was about to close the lid, he paused, remembering something important. "Wait, Nahida—do you need to use the bathroom first? I didn't bring a chamber pot."
Nahida stared at him, utterly bewildered. "No… thank you for your concern," she said slowly.
Shao Yun nodded, satisfied—then suddenly dug into his pack again and pulled out a small cloth bag. He shook it in front of her eyes.
"Oh, right! Almost forgot—these are sweet date-and-honey candies, plus a few sunsettia fruit drops. Happy birthday!"
Nahida's eyes lit up instantly. She accepted the candy with a joyful smile. "Oh, thank you!"
Seeing her innocent expression, Shao Yun couldn't help but smile back. "You just looked like a kid, that's all—and since it's your birthday… ah, forget it. We'd better get moving."
After closing the lid, he began pushing the cart back toward the Grand Bazaar.
As they rolled along the quiet streets, the soft crunch of Nahida chewing candy echoed faintly from inside the box.
It made Shao Yun chuckle—and then curiosity got the better of him. "Hey, there's something I've always wondered."
Inside the box, Nahida swallowed her candy and asked, "What is it?"
Shao Yun scratched his chin thoughtfully. "In these five hundred years, how did you… you know, eat and use the bathroom? I mean, as one of the Seven Archons, do you even need to?"
For a long moment, there was silence inside the box. Then Nahida replied with a faintly resentful tone, "Why are you so interested in whether I go to the bathroom or not? Do you have some kind of strange fetish?"
Shao Yun froze, thinking to himself, Wait, wasn't it you who asked me this in another timeline?
But seeing how she now regarded him like a pervert, he quickly waved his hands. "Ah—no, no! Forget I said anything!"