The encounter with Eula could only be described as fate.
Because of time constraints, Gong Qu and his companions needed to depart immediately, so he could only explain the cause and course of the incident while on the road.
On the road outside Mondstadt.
The three of them walked together.
As Gong Qu recounted how he arrived in Teyvat, Eula's mind was practically reeling, like she had just consumed too much forbidden knowledge.
"Wait, wait! What do you mean by 'different observation dimensions'? And what's 'quantum mechanics'? What in the world are you talking about?!"
"Can't understand?"
Gong Qu's tone made Eula want to hit him, but she forcibly suppressed the urge and pressed her fists down.
"Who could possibly understand that?! I can barely even recognize Teyvat's common language right now!"
"When in doubt, rely on quantum mechanics," Gong Qu said. "To me, this is technically the first time I'm meeting you all. But don't worry too much, everything we once experienced together was real, even if the details seemed strange."
"So, in the end, a Traveler is still a Traveler, right?"
Eula glared at Gong Qu with her big eyes, her height advantage making it hard not to feel the pressure, and her gaze instinctively drifted downward.
"That's beyond question, I am Gong Qu, and I am the Traveler."
"Good," Eula said, blushing. "At least the object of my revenge, my affection, hasn't changed."
"Did A'Qu do something to deserve your revenge?" Keqing asked, unfamiliar with the particular meaning of "revenge" in Eula's case.
It was only because of Keqing's interjection that Eula realized the two of them had been walking hand in hand the whole time.
In that instant, it was like a bolt of lightning struck her heart.
Eula, who often snuck romance novels from Captain Jean's office, immediately let her imagination run wild.
Are they that close?
Am I the tragic heroine in some love drama?
Suddenly, Eula felt a pang of unjustified sorrow, tears welling in her eyes.
Seeing Eula's complexion shift from pale to red and then to black in an instant, Keqing became a bit concerned for her physical well-being. She leaned in close to Gong Qu and asked in a hushed voice:
"A'Qu, does your game 'Genshin Impact' say whether this young lady has some… uh… hidden condition? Even though she has a Vision, if she suddenly collapses in the wild, that would be dangerous."
"Don't worry about her," Gong Qu replied. "Tsundere girls always manage to talk themselves around. She'll find her own justification soon enough."
The love of such a girl was too heavy.
And there was still the matter of Ying that hadn't been resolved yet. Gong Qu hadn't figured out how to face the other girls whose affection for him was already at the maximum.
Keqing pouted.
Gong Qu was always saying things she didn't understand.
Thinking this, she suddenly planted a little kiss on Gong Qu's cheek, leaving a faint mark, a strawberry.
She even let out a cheerful laugh, openly radiating the sweet and sour smell of new love.
Trailing a few steps behind, Eula watched this scene with an indescribable bitterness in her heart.
It hurt, so much!
...
The official road from Mondstadt to Whispering Woods was wide and well-maintained, long cleared of monsters, making it relatively safe.
Because of this, the Knights of Favonius had even placed a boundary marker at the entrance to the forest, formally dividing the two regions.
"We'll split up here," Gong Qu said. "The sun will set in a few hours. No matter what, we have to be back in Mondstadt before nightfall, whether we find Ying or not."
"And here, these are some healing potions I made. If you or Ying are injured, use them."
He handed Eula two bottles of potions from a starter kit that had been gathering dust in his storage for over a month.
After giving her some quick instructions on what to say to Ying if she found her, the three of them set off from the boundary marker.
Eula went left, Keqing went right, and Gong Qu took the central route to cover the largest area.
...
Paimon, where are you?
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost myself in those dreams.
I shouldn't have let memories of those who are gone make me forget the one who's always been by my side.
So… if you hear my call, please, please show yourself!
Whispering Woods.
Ying swung her sword, a slash crackling with the power of wind and lightning, slicing three hilichurls to pieces. The earth trembled, instantly burying them in eternal rest.
"No sign," she muttered.
Green energy from the Dendro element spread out. After a thorough but fruitless search, she moved on without hesitation.
The official roads around Mondstadt rarely had monsters.
The terrain was open.
Paimon could easily fly away if there was trouble.
But Whispering Woods was different.
The forest's terrain limited Paimon's mobility. Even though the monsters here were often culled because of Mondstadt's proximity and posed no great danger, they were still more than enough to threaten someone with less than a third of a wild boar's combat strength.
Buzz!
A faint aura spread out, one only those with a Vision could sense.
The ley lines were in flux again.
Ying gripped the Primordial Jade Cutter her ex-boyfriend had given her, and wind burst out from beneath her feet as she raced towards the blooming flower of the ley lines.
It had been so long without finding Paimon.
Her mission had shifted from "find her" to "eliminate every threat."
As long as nothing in the forest could endanger Paimon, her chances of returning safely would rise significantly.
...
"What's going on?" Gong Qu muttered. "Mondstadt has a Geo Hilichurl Lawachurl now? That's usually something you only see in Liyue, with its high Geo element density!"
He paused, drawing his Dragonbone Sword, something no one would recognize, at most mistaking it for a demonic blade, ready to test it on this unexpected foe.
ROAR!
The Geo Lawachurl bellowed, its voice thunderous as it charged with a surprisingly nimble leap, slamming down towards Gong Qu.
Gong Qu shifted swiftly to the side, narrowly dodging the crushing blow.
But this was Teyvat, a world of elements. As the Geo Lawachurl landed, its massive weight condensed the surrounding Geo energy into stone projectiles, blasting out like bullets.
Ding ding ding!
Thunk, thunk!
Gong Qu blocked some of the stone bullets with the Dragonbone Sword, while the rest slammed into him, most of the damage absorbed by his diamond armor.
Careless, he'd forgotten this guy's attacks had special effects.
Green energy flared around Gong Qu as he healed and boosted his attack speed, his expression turning serious.
The Lawachurl turned, its yellow eyes flashing as it charged again.
Gong Qu took a deep breath. This time, he didn't dodge. He lifted his sword and struck upward.
BOOM!
Fist met bone blade, sparks flying from the collision as they held each other in a deadly stalemate.
Compared to the towering four-to-five-meter-tall Lawachurl, Gong Qu's 1.75 meters looked tiny.
But the power radiating from him was enough to make even most Geo Vision wielders break into a cold sweat.
"Mere Geo Hilichurl Lawachurl, vanish before the power of creation and destruction!"
Flames the color of blood burst from the Dragonbone Sword, fueled by Dendro energy.
Gong Qu swung the blade, the slash taking the form of a dragon's maw, devouring the Lawachurl in an instant.
The Dendro Vision hanging at his waist cracked in the middle, and a burning flame erupted, filling half the sky.
In the moment the flames went out,
A familiar silhouette emerged from behind the dying blaze.