I live a slow life in Genshin Impact

The heavy shadow of the mine tunnel was left behind. When Feng Luo and his group returned to the ground, dragging their tired but harvest-laden bodies, the moist and slightly salty sea breeze and the bustling voices of people hit them like a warm tide.

Liyue Harbor has completely changed.

As night fell, the lights began to illuminate the sky. Countless lanterns—from simple kites playfully flown by children to massive lanterns crafted by wealthy merchants, depicting auspicious clouds and auspicious beasts, each as exquisite as a work of art—rose slowly, adorning the deep blue sky with a flowing galaxy. The harbor, where thousands of ships converged, was illuminated by warm lights, its bustling silhouette. Lanterns snaked like a long dragon along the long streets of Feiyunpo, illuminating the smiles and anticipation of passersby. The air was filled with the aroma of delicious food, the faint scent of fireworks, and a uniquely festive, unfettered, joyful atmosphere.

"Wow—it's the Lantern Festival! We made it!" Paimon instantly forgot the thrill and exhaustion of the time in the mines. He excitedly somersaulted in the air, his eyes wider than the moon, and his little nose inhaled the sweet aroma of barbecue and snacks wafting through the air. "Smells so good! So many delicious foods! Ying, let's go take a look!"

Ying was also infected by the lively atmosphere. Thousands of lights reflected in her golden eyes, and the corners of her mouth lifted unconsciously. Even the usually aloof Shen He had a subtle glimpse of curiosity in his icy blue eyes as he quietly gazed at this city that never sleeps. Arakaki Ichito felt like he had returned to his happy hometown. His short white hair seemed to stand out even more. He put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily: "Hahahaha! This is really lively! Ten thousand times better than the pitch-black mine! I declare the carnival begins!"

Feng Luo took a deep breath of the familiar, reassuring air, his nerves, strained from days underground, relaxed slightly. As one of Liyue's guardians, seeing the people celebrating the festival so carefree was the best reward for his efforts. He heaved the backpack containing most of the materials and said to everyone, "Everyone, rest for now. I'll send these materials to Mingxingzhai and the blacksmith, Old Zhang, for processing tomorrow. Yidou, don't cause any trouble. Paimeng, keep an eye on Ying and make sure she doesn't overeat."

"I know, I know!" Paimeng responded, but his mind had already flown to the snack stand. He pulled Ying and was about to squeeze into the crowd.

Ying smiled helplessly and nodded to Feng Luo, "Then let's go for a walk first and meet up later." Shen He nodded slightly as a farewell, and silently blended into the crowd. Yidou had already rushed to a stall selling sugar paintings, howling, causing a burst of good-natured laughter from the surrounding people.

Watching his companions dispersing into the sea of ​​festivities, Feng Luo's gentle smile gradually faded, giving way to a barely perceptible solemnity. He didn't immediately join in the revelry. Instead, he carried his heavy bag and headed for a relatively secluded corner of the port area. There, staff from the General Affairs Department were still busily coordinating festival arrangements, maintaining order behind the grand revelry.

He needed to make a brief report first, especially regarding the Xumi mechanical artifact that shouldn't have appeared beneath Liyue. However, before he could find a familiar agent, a slightly cold yet uniquely magnetic voice echoed from the shadows not far away.

"Returning with a full load? It seems the 'harvest' underground was quite large."

Feng Luo paused and looked in the direction of the sound. He saw Ye Lan lazily leaning against the side of an idle cargo ship, her arms folded, a thin file tucked between her fingers. She was dressed in a dark, comfortable outfit, standing out from the crowd of people in festive attire. Only the blue highlights on her hair shone mysteriously under the distant lights. A faint smile played at the corner of her mouth, but her eyes were as sharp as ever, as if they could penetrate the festive clamor and get to the heart of the matter.

"Ye Lan." Feng Luo wasn't surprised by her appearance. This special intelligence officer under Ning Guang always appeared in the right place when needed. He walked over and placed his heavy backpack at his feet with a dull thud. "We've gained something, but we've also encountered some unexpected things."

"Oh?" Ye Lan raised an eyebrow, her eyes swept across the bulging backpack, and finally fell back on Feng Luo's face, "What you think is an 'accident' must not be an ordinary slime or hillickel camp."

"A relic heavy machine, and it's the Sumeru Desert style. It's highly modified and extremely aggressive." Feng Luo said concisely, "It's deep in an abandoned mine on the edge of the Layered Abyss. It appeared without warning, and there were also a large number of driven hillocks around it."

Ye Lan tapped the file lightly with her fingertips, the amusement in her eyes fading slightly, replaced by a bit of focus. "The Xumi relic machine...appeared in Liyue's underground mineral veins. Interesting. Have you found any signs of unusual distortion in the earth veins? Or any signs of human guidance?"

"The battle was fierce, and we didn't have time for a thorough investigation." Feng Luo shook his head. "But it's unlikely that something like that could just run here on its own. Either it's a temporary dislocation of the earth veins—but the probability of a single dislocation of such a precise scale is extremely low. Or..." He paused, lowering his voice, "someone brought it here on purpose. There are some signs of recent excavation deep in the mine, which doesn't look like an official project."

Ye Lan paused her fingertips, lost in thought. "Lady Ningguang has recently received several reports of unusual energy fluctuations and unidentified activity in areas outside the Layered Chasm. Your findings may help piece together some of the puzzle." She handed the file over. "Take a look at this."

Feng Luo took it and quickly scanned it. It contained a few scattered pieces of information: the missing miners were last seen unusually close to the Xumi border, a batch of specialized blasting equipment had been lost at the Black Rock Factory, and the frequency of activity by small groups of Fatui advance team members at the border had recently increased, though their purpose was unclear.

"The Fatui?" Feng Luo frowned. These guys were like flies that smelled fishy. Wherever there was instability, they would always be there.

"There's no direct evidence linking them to anything." Ye Lan retracted the file, her tone calm but with a hint of warning. "But too many coincidences are no longer coincidences. During the Lantern Festival, all eyes are focused on Liyue Harbor, making it a prime time for some shadowy activities. The commotion you've caused underground might alert the enemy, or it might cause someone to...speed up their actions."

She looked at Feng Luo meaningfully, "While we should certainly enjoy the holidays, the undercurrents won't stop just because of the festive season. Lady Ningguang means that the outward celebrations are maintained by the Qianyan Army and the General Affairs Department, while these 'noises' in the dark... require more targeted attention. You just returned, and I shouldn't disturb your vacation again..."

Feng Luo turned his gaze from the file and looked toward the myriad sky lanterns rising in the distance. They carried people's prayers high into the sky, beautiful and untainted by dust. But the brighter the light, the darker the shadow beneath. He was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "I understand. I'll keep an eye on it."

Ye Lan showed a knowing smile on her face: "I knew I was right to find you. Don't worry, I won't let you watch the whole place alone. I will coordinate in the dark. Enjoy the festival, Feng Luo, 'accidental' discoveries are often more valuable than deliberate searches." After she finished speaking, her figure stepped back slightly, and like a drop of ink melting into the water, she disappeared silently in the shadow of the ship's side, as if she had never appeared.

The harbor breeze carried a festive warmth, yet Feng Luo felt a chill. He bent over to shoulder his heavy backpack. The morra's impact against the ore made a crisp sound, a visible reward. Meanwhile, the message Ye Lan brought was a heavy, invisible pressure.

He looked up and saw Ying and Paimon holding candied haws, smiling and waving at him in the crowd. Next to them was Yidou, who was trying to "help" the owner of the sugar painting stall with a rock sculpture and almost crushed the stall, and was being lifted away by Shen He helplessly.

The lights were bright, the cheers were overwhelming. This was the Liyue he wanted to protect.

Feng Luo took a deep breath, temporarily suppressed his chaotic thoughts, a gentle smile reappeared on his face, and he walked towards his companions.

Undercurrents surge, and the festive season is not an easy journey. But no matter when, he, they, are ready.