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

"So you were staying at a hotel." The traveler breathed a sigh of relief.

Maybe a little disappointed?

“Yes. The hotel has daily cleaning staff and is conveniently located. Plus... there are discounts for long-stay guests,” Zhongli affirmed.

The two stood at the main entrance of Liyue's largest inn—White Horse Inn. The inn was six stories high and decorated in a grand style.

"Mr. Zhongli, you're back." Xiuhua, the hotel waitress, was standing at the door to greet him.

"Miss Xiuhua, could you please book a room for the girl next to me?"

"Of course, ah...don't you live together?" Xiuhua asked, somewhat puzzled. All the men and women she'd seen of similar age lived together. Could it be that this couple...had a fight?

"I am a distant relative of Mr. Zhongli, not in that kind of relationship," the traveler quickly explained.

She's already familiar with Zhongli's rhetoric, so there shouldn't be any problems.

"This... forgive my intrusion, I'll arrange a room for you right away. Please come in, both of you honored guests," Xiuhua greeted them. On the surface, she accepted the flawed relationship between the two, but inwardly she thought—they must have had a fight!

The traveler followed Zhongli into the inn. The inn's interior was antique and decorated with many antique artifacts. Several sets of expensive tables and chairs were set up in the lobby for guests to chat and rest.

"Our shop has six floors, and Mr. Zhongli has booked the entire sixth floor. We'll choose a superior room on the fifth floor for you. You can see the sea and the merchant ships coming and going from your window." Xiuhua led Zhongli and the traveler upstairs.

"Alright." The traveler underestimated Zhongli's spending power; he had actually booked the entire sixth floor. The top floor of the inn must be the most expensive room, right?

He actually booked it all! Just how rich is Wangshengtang? They can really afford to spend so much!

Upon reaching the fifth floor, Xiuhua pushed open the door to the room at the end of the corridor: "How do you like this room?"

The room was furnished in a way that ordinary people couldn't afford; only wealthy businessmen could afford to stay there for a few days.

The room is furnished with an old-fashioned four-poster bed that can accommodate three people, an old wooden carved desk, and a separate wet and dry bathroom. The window overlooks the sea view, and the sea breeze is cool and refreshing.

"It's very beautiful." The traveler praised it and then looked at Zhongli.

Zhongli noticed the traveler's satisfied look and understood: "Then let's settle on it."

Xiuhua then asked, "How many days do you plan to stay?"

"How about we book for a month first?" Zhongli asked the traveler, turning his head slightly.

“A month…” The traveler hadn’t expected to stay that long and pondered his meaning.

Zhongli wouldn't set a timeframe without a basis. Perhaps the month Zhongli mentioned is the time it takes for him to gather information, but things might change by then, so it's uncertain.

"Would you two like to discuss this?" Xiuhua didn't dare to push forward, seeing that the two hadn't agreed on a time yet.

“One month, no problem,” the traveler confirmed with Xiuhua.

"Alright, sir, I'll go check you in right away." Xiuhua finished speaking, gave a slight bow, and prepared to leave.

"Little Sister Xiuhua, could you help me find a vase?" Zhongli asked before Xiuhua left.

"You want to keep this Qingxin flower, right? Give me the flower, and I'll have my waiter bring it to your room with the vase in a little while." After saying that, Xiuhua took the flower from Zhongli with both hands and left the room.

"Zhongli, does it really take this long to gather information?" the traveler finally asked, voicing his concerns.

“Yes, it will probably take even longer. You can stay here without worry, I will provide all the help you need. If you need anything else, just let me know,” Zhongli promised, his expression utterly sincere.

The traveler sighed and said, "I'll be troubling you these days."

There's always a bit of discomfort living under someone else's roof.

"Hehe, I've heard words of thanks all the way here. Traveler, there's no need to be so polite. It's fate that we've met. You happened to be in trouble, and I lent a helping hand at the right time, that's all. If I've caused you any worry, it's because I haven't been thoughtful enough, and I ask for your understanding." Zhongli noticed that the traveler felt uncomfortable and comforted him.

"Alright, then I'll be relying on you during my time in Liyue!" The traveler felt relieved.

Being around Mr. Zhongli gives me an immediate sense of security.

"Get some rest. I live upstairs, you can find me anytime. Demons don't need sleep, you won't disturb me."

"Okay. I'll rest now." After walking for so long, the traveler couldn't keep going any longer, and his eyelids started to droop.

"I'll put these on the table for you. Once the clothes I ordered from the fabric shop are finished, I'll have them delivered directly here." Zhongli put down the bags and left the room.

The traveler breathed a sigh of relief after he left and collapsed onto the bed. She kicked off her shoes, tore off her coat, crawled into the covers, and fell into a deep sleep.

Zhongli stood in the corridor, gazing thoughtfully at the traveler's room. After a moment, he returned to the door, covered it with a layer of rock shield, and then left.

After returning to his room, Zhongli took out the stone particles that the traveler had created using the rock element and placed them on his desk.

“It hasn’t disappeared yet…” Zhongli frowned.

A phenomenon created by someone with divine vision using elemental power will disappear in a short time due to the dispersion of elements, and the traveler Ying was no exception.

The stone particles created by the traveler from another world still exist, showing no signs of separation. Therefore, Zhongli is certain that the traveler from another world must have reached at least the level of a demon god.

From their very first meeting, Zhongli sensed the power within her. He made his choice; opposing her would be unwise. And making such a friend would provide Liyue with another layer of "strong shield." Therefore, his expenses for travelers were more like an investment; he was certain he would receive a good return.

From another perspective, this traveler's personality was easier to get along with than imagined. Emotionally speaking, Zhongli felt she was an interesting person, and it would be a fortunate thing to befriend her.

"I just don't know her name yet." Zhongli didn't understand why this traveler wouldn't tell him her name.

In reality, the traveler didn't not want to tell him her name; rather, she was constrained by the rules of the world.

Transmigrators cannot leave their names in the other world, and any trace of their existence will eventually disappear.

*

The sleeping traveler was completely unprepared.

The door to the room creaked and groaned.

As if someone had tried to open the door but failed, "he" seemed unwilling to wake the traveler and thus headed towards another path—the window.

In the stillness of the night, a strangely colored fog poured in through the window and reached the traveler's bedside.

He tentatively touched the traveler's body with a part of his own.

The coolness on her cheek did not wake the traveler; she simply turned over.

The thick fog boldly enveloped the traveler's body.

He dragged his own foggy body, but could not move the traveler's body. He tried again and again, but the traveler's body only moved a little bit.

Enraged, "he" burrowed into the traveler's body.

In her dream, the traveler walks on a stone bridge in an ancient ruin, and stone bricks float before her eyes, forming a path for her.

At the end of the stone bridge, a pile of stone bricks forms the stone door in the game that players are waiting to push open; on the other side of the door lies the continent of Teyvat.

The traveler quickened her pace toward the stone gate. Just as she was about to push it open, a man embraced her from behind, whispering in her ear, "Great Creator, Supreme God, Exalted Being, I love you, I love you..."

The voice sounded like a machine, devoid of emotion, and didn't even sound like a human voice, yet "he" was imitating a human voice.

The traveler felt uncomfortable and struggled repeatedly, shouting, "Get away!"

“Your words are the principles I uphold. Please allow me to finish my last sentence; I will be waiting for you at the end of the journey.” With that, “he” released his arm and disappeared.

The traveler rushed towards the gate leading to Teyvat without looking back...