"The damage to the transport convoy was minimal," Baixiao reported. "And their captain, Eula, handled things well."
"Eula!?"
Xu Zheng's ears perked up. That name—it sounded way too familiar.
Wait a second…
That canyon with the roadblock he iced earlier today…
He quickly pulled up the daily quest log:
[Daily Quest #3: Help Al clear roadblocks]
There it was. But nowhere did it say anything about Eula.
"Baixiao-jie," he asked cautiously, "is there someone named Al in the team?"
"Yeah, Al is one of the logistics managers." Baixiao frowned slightly. "How'd you know that?"
Ah. That confirms it.
The "roadblock" quest he completed today just so happened to save Eula's convoy.
Xu Zheng's brain went into replay mode.
"I'll remember this grudge…" Eula's icy voice echoed in his memory.
Cute. And… wait.
Was that a tsundere line?
Holy crap, he was finally starting to get it!
"Make sure the Qianyan Army escorts the convoy the rest of the way," Ganyu instructed.
"They're already en route," Baixiao said before excusing herself.
Lunchtime.
Destination: Wanmin Restaurant, obviously.
"Xiangling-jie, I want watermelon," Xu Zheng said sweetly.
Xiangling came out of the kitchen with a frown on her face, ready to scold whoever dared request something not on the menu.
Then she saw Xu Zheng.
Instant 180.
She rinsed the grease off her hands, picked him up, and spun him around like a prize melon.
"Awwww, little Xu Zheng wants watermelon?"
He nodded like a bobblehead. "Mm-hmm!"
"Alright! Let's go find the juiciest one."
She set him down and took his hand. Just as they were about to head out, Ganyu trailed behind them.
She didn't say a word, but her steps quickened as she caught up.
Tch. I was here first… Why is everyone trying to steal my Xu Zheng?
It was summer. Fruit stalls popped up like mushrooms after rain.
A few steps later, they came across a kindly old granny selling fat, round watermelons that looked like they came from heaven's personal fridge.
"How much for one, Grandma?" Xiangling asked.
The old woman held up a few fingers.
Xiangling thumped a few melons expertly, picked out the best one, and paid on the spot.
Only the sweetest for my little Xu Zheng!
But just then, from the other side of the street, a gang of aggressive footsteps approached.
CLANG!
A massive blade slammed down in front of the old woman's stall.
"Granny, got our money yet?" a growling voice said.
Ganyu and Xiangling froze, turning toward the sound.
At the center stood a guy with bleached yellow hair, a smug cigarette holder dangling from his lips. Flanked by two bulky henchmen dressed in black.
"Please… I just need a little more time," the granny begged, her voice trembling.
Xu Zheng frowned.
And then—ding!
[New Quest Unlocked!]
Objective: Teach "Chayev the Prick" a lesson
Reward: 50 Primogems
Chayev the what now?
Xu Zheng squinted. That name reminded him of someone…
Right—Chayevich, that bloated scam-merchant from Snezhnaya.
Were they related?
Maybe. But this guy was skinny, mean-looking, and all attitude. If they shared anything, it was the same punchable aura.
Xu Zheng stepped forward, shielding the old lady behind him.
"Granny, if there's trouble, you can tell me. Or better yet—my master."
The old woman shook her head sadly. "Thank you, child, but this isn't something a little one like you should handle…"
"Where'd this brat crawl out from?" Blondie sneered. "Still got milk on your breath?"
His two goons laughed like hyenas.
But Blondie's smirk twitched. The air was… colder?
Then hotter?
Something felt wrong.
SHHHHH—CRACK!
One of the henchmen's legs went numb. He looked down.
A wave of frost crept up from his boots. Before he could even scream, his body froze solid—mouth open, eyes wide.
The second thug turned and bolted.
Too late.
Twin streams of flame and frost chased him down—fire singed his left side bald and naked, while the right froze solid mid-sprint.
The result: one dude caught mid-run, with one buttcheek steaming and the other encased in ice.
Even Xiangling stared, wide-eyed. She'd never seen Ganyu like this.
So cold. So merciless.
The air around Ganyu shimmered with floating Ice Lotuses as she calmly stepped forward, one delicate footfall at a time.
Blondie backed up two steps—then remembered something.
He scoffed and pulled up his shirt slightly, revealing a glowing Pyro Vision at his hip.
"You think you're the only one with a Vision?"
It flared bright, fire swirling around him.
"Skill: Flame—!"
Then, nothing.
His fire died in his throat.
He looked down.
His Vision was covered in a thick layer of frost—rendered completely useless.
A chill swept through the square.
Celestial Shower!
Ganyu's voice was like a whisper from a glacier.
And Blondie?
Well…
Some people died, but not completely...