Genshin Impact: The Road to Reversal

"Well said," Akano said. "That being said, don't be too heavy-hearted. Cheer up, everyone. Perhaps there is hope for tomorrow."

Kailin put her hands on her hips and said helplessly, "Your words are even more serious. I was just feeling heavy after the ceremony, which was fine, but you made it sound like we were going to have a war."

"Really? Sorry, sorry. Let me treat you all to a meal as an apology." Akano said with a smile, touching his head.

After hearing this, Kailin started to complain again: "No, don't you usually treat others to meals like this when you are with other people?"

"Someone invited you to dinner and you're not happy about it?" Mo Yan said.

Akano smiled lightly: "It's okay. If you feel it's not appropriate, I can take you to visit the special features around our Three Harbors. And..."

Then he looked at Zhongli again and said, "I heard that Brother Zhongli likes to listen to stories and watch plays. I just heard that there is a storytelling hall in town. If you are interested..."

"Well, then everything will be arranged according to Brother Chiye's instructions." Zhongli said with a smile.

After leaving the cemetery, Akano took everyone to visit many places, and they came to the storytelling hall intermittently along the way.

Entering the hall, everyone found a seat in the corner and sat down. Then a storyteller came on stage. He was dressed in a blue-gray robe and held a folding fan in his hand. He flicked the fan gently, and with a "whoosh" sound, the originally noisy hall instantly quieted down.

"Today, let's continue to talk about the deeds of Lord Flame King!"

"Flame King? Isn't that him?" Kailin looked at Chiye puzzledly.

At this moment, the fan was knocked and the atmosphere on the scene changed again.

"The last chapter of the book said that at that time, Linhui was harassed by powerful enemies outside and was in chaos within. At this time, a young man stood up in the collapsing order." The storyteller's eyes were bright and his voice was ups and downs, as if bringing everyone into that turbulent period of history.

"The young man was only twenty years old at that time, but he had lofty ambitions. He joined the army, gathered loyal and righteous people, and vowed to do something earth-shaking!" The storyteller paced as he spoke.

"Alas, the road was full of twists and turns. Just as the boy's power began to grow, he encountered a powerful enemy. He fought for three days and three nights, never retreating until all his comrades were killed on the battlefield. In his despair, the heavens answered the boy's hope. A prairie fire ignited in the boy's hand. He was reborn from the ashes and slew all the foreign enemies with his sword. It was this act that gave hope to the people of Linhui, but the boy's tortuous journey was not over yet!"

In a corner, Zhongli sipped his tea, listening intently. Beside him, Kailin had a complicated look on her face.

She looked at Akano and whispered, "You said you were bringing us here to listen to a book, but all we heard were stories about your past, right?"

Akano's eyes flashed with shock, and he immediately explained, "You're wrongly accusing me. What the storytelling hall tells is entirely up to the storyteller's interests. It's just that everyone likes to hear about us guardians, so they tell more. Moreover, some of the stories now are far more exaggerated than before, just like what you just heard. If I weren't a guardian, I'm afraid no one would dare to compliment me like that."

Zi Xuan lowered her head in thought, "Is that so? But I'm curious, when the person hears the storyteller talk about his past, what kind of mood should he put on?"

"I haven't noticed this. Maybe it's more of nostalgia and regret." Akano replied.

At this time, Zhong Kai spoke up: "Yes, Liyue was also once displaced by war, and its people were displaced, their families were broken up, and there were many old friends..."

"Stop, stop, stop, stop!" Kailin suddenly shouted, "I said we're here to listen to the opera, not to let you reminisce about the past. Can you please not make the atmosphere so heavy during the conversation?"

"Yeah, that's true." Akano said, scratching his head.

"Yeah, that makes sense." Zhongli nodded slightly.

Everyone sat in the hall and continued to listen to the opera until night fell. When they returned to the hotel, Chiye specially arranged a superior room for Zhongli. Until everyone fell asleep, this leisurely and irritable day came to an end.

The next morning, Mo Yan and others got up early as usual and went downstairs to enjoy morning tea, but they never expected that Zhongli woke up even earlier than them. When everyone saw Zhongli, he had been talking with Chi Ye downstairs for a long time.

"Am I seeing things, Mr. Zhongli? You and Chiye got up so early?" Kailin asked in confusion.

Zhongli nodded and smiled, "Yes, although we have different personalities, Brother Chiye and I get along very well when chatting."

"I'm also very happy to meet a friend like Brother Zhongli." Chiye smiled. "By the way, although we haven't been together for long, I still want to ask, are you used to our morning tea here?"

Zhongli nodded and replied, "Of course, although it's not the same dimension, Linhui's morning tea is somewhat similar to ours."

"Well, as long as you like it." Akano said with his hands folded.

At this point, Zhongli's expression suddenly grew serious. "Having said that, I still wonder... how everyone in Liyue is doing."

As Zhongli's expression suddenly changed, the atmosphere around him also became gloomy.

Kailin waved her hands and said, "Even if you want to go back, there's nothing we can do to help you."

"Well, if we knew the method, we wouldn't have to stay here for so long." Zhao Heng nodded and said calmly.

At this moment, seeing that the atmosphere was becoming strange, Akano smiled again and said, "By the way, after breakfast, why don't I take you to the naval base for a tour."

"Ah?" Everyone was stunned when they heard this.

Zhongli glared slightly and asked, "Brother Chiye's move is somewhat surprising. From ancient times to the present, how can a strategically important military location be allowed to be observed by outsiders?"

Chi Ye smiled slightly: "Don't worry, it's okay. Lu Xi and his navy are going out for a parade today. Everyone will be cheering at that time. We are just following the trend and there is no need to worry about being involved in anything."

"So that's how it is. Then I will respectfully obey your command." Zhongli nodded.

"Well, and here in our army, there is another common thing. I don't know if you have heard of it."

"Oh? Tell me about it then."

"It's a crossbow fueled by elemental stones that can automatically fire arrows of different elements at the enemy. We all call it the Guizhongji."

Hearing this, Zhongli's eyes widened.

"Return to the final destination?" Kailin asked curiously, "Is that what Mr. Luo Hao mentioned earlier?"

"Oh, it seems you have all heard of it. Then it's much easier to explain." Akano replied.