Mr. Zhongli, we can't slack off anymore!

A hangover is a terrible thing; it's the punishment after pleasure.

It could ruin at least a morning for a woman as strong as an eagle.

At this moment, the traveler is lying on his desk massaging his temples.

"Didn't the hangover soup from yesterday work?" Zhongli asked.

"Did I drink the hangover soup yesterday?" The traveler had blacked out and couldn't remember anything.

(Friendly reminder: Dear travelers, we recommend drinking in moderation. Even if you want to indulge, please do so in a safe environment. It's best to have a reliable friend or family member with you.)

“I’ve already had it,” Zhongli confirmed.

"It didn't work," the traveler confirmed.

"Next time, you should eat fermented rice balls instead," Zhongli chuckled.

"Is this a direct demotion? Speaking of which, as my guardian, Mr. Zhongli should have stopped it immediately. For this reason alone, I request to play in the revival round," the traveler protested.

"You drank Liyue's lowest alcohol content flower wine, and I didn't expect you to get drunk so quickly. Perhaps it's because you're not a human from Teyvat and aren't used to the alcohol here? Of course, it was my oversight last night."

Zhongli explained the reason for his mistake, analyzed why the traveler was drunk, and even admitted his mistake, so the traveler had nothing more to say.

"You can build up your alcohol tolerance with practice; you'll be fine after a few more drinks." The traveler was unwilling to sit at the same table as the child in the future, so he tried to make up for it.

"Excessive consumption is harmful to health, so moderation is best. Last night's hot pot was truly delicious. How about trying the barbecue you mentioned tonight?" Zhongli ended the topic of alcohol and began to address the world's most perplexing questions: What to eat for breakfast; what to eat for lunch; and what to eat for dinner.

"Barbecuing meat requires charcoal, an iron plate, and an iron mesh. I'll go back to Wanmintang to see if they have any ready-made ones. If they don't have any specially made iron plates, I'll just have to draw up a blueprint and have a blacksmith make one."

"With such a complex process, it must be an amazing creation." Zhongli had never tasted roast meat before, but he praised its taste to the heavens.

"No way, there's a great show on Minecraft that said that high-end ingredients often only need the simplest cooking methods."

"I see." Zhongli nodded as if he had made a mental note of it.

Even in casual, joking conversations, he listens attentively and takes notes.

The traveler stretched his limbs, sat up straight, looked at the pile of orders on the table, and prepared to start working.

She has already learned most of the Liyue script, enough for her job. If all else fails, there's always a "living dictionary" by her side. He even explains the evolution of the script to travelers, perfect for listening to before a nap.

"Mr. Zhongli...do you have a lot of work to do today?" The traveler began to look at the documents one by one. It was a thick stack of funeral service orders, and most of the beneficiaries had died of natural causes.

It's normal for an elderly person to die from physical exhaustion or various underlying diseases, but how can a teenager, who is so young, die of natural causes?

“Hmm,” Zhongli replied.

"So many all of a sudden... Is there any news from the General Affairs Department or Bubulu?" Playing video games has left me with an occupational habit; I want to get involved in everything.

“This is the work of the General Affairs Department, and it is not appropriate for the Wangsheng Hall to interfere,” Zhongli said.

The traveler could tell from his appearance that he didn't seem to want to get involved.

The traveler suddenly realized that Zhongli's reason for visiting the Hall of Rebirth was actually to gain insight into the situation of the people of Liyue through the business of the Hall of Rebirth.

He once said that Liyue only has one funeral home, the Hall of Rebirth.

Zhongli never relinquished his duties as the Rock God. He only relinquished the title of "Rock King Emperor".

"Are you waiting for Ningguang to resolve this matter?" the traveler asked.

“At this moment, Liyue is Liyue ruled by humans.” He stopped writing…

"If she can't handle it, are you planning to deal with it yourself?"

“You…should know the answer.” Zhongli stood up and turned his back to the traveler, as if he were hiding something.

It's obvious that you care a lot.

The traveler got up and walked towards him: "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Isn't this the best opportunity to get closer to what I'm pushing?

Liyue, I will protect you, hehehe!

"What happens here is none of your business. Enjoy your journey, traveler from another world. Liyue is just a part of your journey, not the destination." Zhongli had his back to the traveler, who had no idea what kind of expression he wore when he said these words.

But knowing what his expression looks like, wouldn't it make me feel less heartbroken?

Has Zhongli never considered me a friend?

"At least we're still friends, right? Didn't the Traveler help Liyue resolve the crisis with the Vortex Demon God? And what about the time with the Dragon King Rota? I should be able to help in some way too." The Traveler didn't give up.

"But you are not a traveler. A traveler... is not a weakling."

"Oh, that's true." The traveler said this and didn't intend to continue the conversation.

Zhongli is right. He is not a traveler, nor is he the protagonist of the story. Without the traveler's rich combat experience, he can't even beat a slime. How can he protect Liyue?

Why are you still worrying about such a trivial matter? I don't know why I've become more and more sensitive lately.

I... am not qualified to stand by his side and fight alongside him, so I will just cheer him on silently.

Anyway, my initial goal wasn't to have anything happen, and thankfully, my goal wasn't to have anything happen in the first place.

Realizing he had spoken too harshly, Zhongli sighed, pondered for a suitable response, and turned to face the traveler: "Precisely because you are my friend, I hope you can return home safely."

"Okay! Mr. Rock Lord, you should also keep up the good work! I also feel that Liyue can't do without you! I really hope that Miss Ningguang can completely resolve this crisis. You don't need to go and help, otherwise who will help me handle the orders for the Hall of Rebirth?"

The traveler cheered himself up, thinking, "How could I let such trivial emotions affect my work? I'm not a child."

If I can't help, I can't help; at least I'm free of worries.

Luckily, I'm not a traveler, otherwise I'd have to run errands every day, earning a pittance of raw gems, not even enough to buy a character.

"What I just said..." Zhongli asked cautiously.

"My lord, with so much work to do, don't try to find topics to slack off on. If I work overtime, you can forget about having dinner on time either."

The travelers returned to their workstations and arranged various matters one by one.

The work at the funeral parlor tends to be personalized, requiring the preparation of ceremonies according to the family's wishes. In addition, traditions must not be abandoned, and travelers greatly need the assistance of the guest priests.

"Let's start with the first client." Zhong Li quickly got into work mode.

It must be said that the money spent on Hu Taohua was worthwhile; Zhongli quickly handled the sudden surge of work.

His work methods are also worth learning from for today's overworked office workers. Orders are categorized by age and preferences, and then groups of orders with similar processes are processed together.

The old man must have accumulated a lot of office experience over thousands of years.

"Mr. Zhongli, you've worked hard. You can rest now." The traveler bowed deeply respectfully.

"It's just my duty, a small matter. So, have you thought about what to eat tonight?"

"When in doubt, consult the people at the hall!"

*

After delivering the work, the two officially left work.

Stroll through the streets of Liyue, relax your tense nerves from work, and breathe in the fresh outdoor air.

Zhong Li stopped in his tracks, his eyes changing slightly.

"You go ahead."

"What's wrong?" the traveler asked, puzzled.

"It's news from Sky Island; there's a lead on your case."

"Oh, then hurry back! I'll wait for your good news at Wanmintang." Upon learning of the clue, the traveler felt saddened.

How come we have a clue so quickly? Is it time to leave?

In the blink of an eye, Zhongli disappeared without a trace.

"They've moved so fast... Is this good news? Is the journey over?" The traveler looked up; there were no stars in the sky tonight, only dark clouds, and it looked like it would rain again.

Raindrops deterred the crowds on the road, and the streets became wide again.

Should we go to Wanmintang first, or go back to the hotel to change our clothes and grab our umbrellas?

The traveler was in a dilemma.

Finally, she chose to return to the hotel, feeling safe only if she carried her own umbrella; if she borrowed it from Xiangling, she would have to find time to return it.

The rain grew heavier, and the traveler slipped into a narrow alleyway sheltered from the rain by eaves.

In the alley, a house had its lights on, and a figure in front of it waved to the traveler.

"Is it someone I know? It doesn't seem so. Could it be a customer of the Hall of Rebirth?" The traveler waved back.

The story Hu Tao told echoed in my ears...

"That day was also a torrential rainy night. He walked quickly with short steps, passing through a dark alley where a house had a blue lamp lit up... However, the rain was so heavy that day, and the way home was really difficult to walk... so he left. Suddenly, lightning flashed and thunder roared in the sky!"

A blinding white light covered the continent, accompanied by thunderous roars, always so fitting.

The person who had been waving fell straight down, leaving a shadow.

The shadow rushed towards him, and the traveler had no time to dodge.

He suddenly realized his mistake and turned to run away, but the path he had come from had turned into a wall!

"Looking back, there were no houses left in that alley... only deeper, darker alleyways..."