Chapter 033: Is This Ever Going to End?

"We're leaving," Shao Yun said as he walked out of the hall to regroup with the others outside.

At this moment, Paimon was hiding in Lumine's arms, quietly sobbing, waiting for the expected screams and gunshots.

Shao Yun looked at her small figure and gently placed his hand on her back, patting her softly.

Feeling the comforting touch, Paimon quickly turned her head.

"Ah, Shao Yun, you…"

Tears still lingered in the corners of her eyes. Shao Yun reached out with his index finger and wiped them away, his expression calm.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying like this?"

Paimon's throat seemed to be clogged with something, making it hard for her to speak. But she had stopped crying, her eyes filled with confusion as she looked at Shao Yun.

After a few seconds, Paimon's voice trembled as she softly asked, "You… you didn't…"

She sniffled and glanced toward the hall.

Shao Yun sighed lightly and answered her question. "Well, those guys are already mentally broken from fear. They're no threat. Letting them go is fine."

Diluc, after hearing Shao Yun's words, furrowed his brows, clearly hesitant. His deep eyes flickered with complex emotions as he weighed the pros and cons of this decision.

"Shao Yun, are you sure this is okay?" Diluc's voice carried a hint of doubt. "Leaving loose ends can lead to trouble later. The Fatui are known for their vengefulness, especially the Eighth Harbinger, La Signora. What you did today…"

Diluc's concern was valid. Without some kind of leverage, how could the Fatui have spread their influence across Teyvat?

"Our plan was to retrieve the Holy Lyre, and we've done that. Mission accomplished," Shao Yun shrugged, his tone casual. "Besides, it's not like I'm afraid of being hunted. No one can kill me except myself."

Diluc looked at Shao Yun's confident demeanor, curiosity bubbling within him. What kind of experiences could make someone so sure of their own strength? Was it ignorance or true capability?

"Shao Yun, I really want to know what you've been through to make you so certain of your abilities," Diluc finally asked.

Shao Yun seemed to have anticipated this question and didn't answer directly.

"I'm not the type to casually share my past. Besides, if I didn't trust myself, I wouldn't be traveling with Lumine."

Diluc felt a pang of disappointment. Shao Yun's reluctance to share his past gave off an air of false bravado.

"What? Afraid your past might make others look down on you?"

If Shao Yun knew what Diluc was thinking, he'd probably mock him mercilessly.

"No, I'm afraid it might scare people to death. Only the weak or the insecure flaunt their past glories to prove their strength."

Shao Yun's tone exuded genuine confidence, leaving Diluc impressed. This kind of unwavering self-assurance couldn't be faked.

"Since you don't want to talk about it, fine. I won't press further," Diluc waved his hand, signaling he didn't want to continue the topic.

Venti, who had taken the Holy Lyre from Lumine, gently ran his fingers over the strings, producing a clear, melodious sound.

The tone was nice, but it didn't seem any different from an ordinary lyre.

"After a thousand years, the power of the wind within the lyre has dried up. Right now, it's no different from a regular instrument," Venti explained, removing his hand from the strings.

Paimon, having wiped her tears, was shocked. Had all their efforts been for nothing?

"What do we do now?"

Facing Paimon's confusion, Venti didn't answer directly. After all, they were still in Fatui territory, and this wasn't the place to discuss their next steps.

Diluc also sensed the inappropriateness of the location. He frowned slightly, glanced around, and whispered, "Let's head back to the tavern. This isn't the place to talk."

"Alright, let's go."

Shao Yun and the group left the domain, passing by the two guards—one dead, the other still unconscious.

As they made their way back to Mondstadt, the sky began to change subtly. A faint light appeared on the horizon, gradually replacing the deep night with a soft blue-gray hue.

As the sky brightened, the surroundings became clearer, and the outline of Mondstadt came into view.

Shao Yun sighed slightly. After a night of intense activity without rest, he still wasn't tired. The Vision's ability to reduce energy consumption was truly useful.

Crossing the stone bridge over Cider Lake, they finally returned to Mondstadt.

By now, the faint light on the horizon had completely faded, replaced by the bright morning sun. The citizens of Mondstadt were busy starting their new day.

Back at the Angel's Share, the tavern was filled with drunkards who had partied all night, now passed out on the tables.

They gathered at the bar, a suitable place to discuss their next steps.

Paimon, looking at the Holy Lyre, couldn't wait to find out how to fix its current issue.

"Venti, we're here now. Tell us what we need to do."

"I can't repair the Holy Lyre," Venti said, turning his gaze to Lumine. "You'll need to take over from here."

Lumine pointed at herself, her eyes showing a mix of helplessness and embarrassment. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "I don't know how to fix a lyre!"

"I'm not asking you to fix it. Use the tear crystals from Dvalin and infuse them with Anemo energy."

Hearing this, Lumine took out the two Clear Dvalin Tear. She carefully placed them on the Holy Lyre.

The crystals transformed into streams of faint Anemo energy, slowly seeping into the lyre and revitalizing it.

As the Anemo energy infused into the lyre, it began to emit a soft hum, but then quickly fell silent again.

It had worked, but it wasn't enough. Still, it was a good start.

"We need more of Dvalin's tears," Venti said, gently stroking the strings, confirming their next task.

As soon as he finished speaking, Paimon and Shao Yun asked in unison, "Where do we find them?"

Venti looked at them in surprise. He understood Paimon's urgency, but why was Shao Yun in such a hurry?

"Don't rush. We've been busy all night. Let's rest first. There's no need to hurry," Venti said with a relaxed expression.

Seeing him evade the question, Shao Yun couldn't help but frown slightly.

This wasn't about rushing. The system had explicitly stated that the mount function hadn't been unlocked yet. Shao Yun wanted to push the plot forward so he could ride his "carrot" sooner.

He knew they needed more of Dvalin's tears, but every time he tried to say it, the system reminded him that this wasn't information he should know yet. He couldn't say it.

All he could do was urge Venti to move the plot along, hoping to resolve everything within two days.

"Cut to the chase. No need to be polite with us. Just tell us what we need to do next."

Venti gently waved his hand, signaling Shao Yun not to be too impatient. Everything needed to be done step by step.

"It's not that we're in a hurry. The sooner we deal with this, the better it is for everyone."

This statement resonated with the group. Resolving Dvalin's issue as soon as possible was in everyone's best interest.

Diluc nodded slightly and spoke slowly, "Shao Yun is right. If we don't act quickly to awaken Dvalin, those irrational Fatui madmen will undoubtedly take more extreme and reckless actions."

He paused, his brows furrowed as if contemplating the future. Then he continued, "On the surface, they won't dare, but behind the scenes… We can't let them succeed. We must act fast."

Seeing that everyone shared Shao Yun's mindset, Venti sighed softly, seemingly reluctant to reveal the full plan.

"We need to find more of Dvalin's tears scattered across the land."

"Okay, and then? Where do we find Dvalin's tears?"

Venti closed his eyes, pretending to sense something. The group waited patiently, expecting an answer.

Finally, Venti slowly opened his eyes and stuck out his tongue.

"Ehe, I didn't sense anything…"

Shao Yun's expression darkened as he looked at Venti's evasive answer. His brows furrowed tightly.

"Stop playing games. There's no one else here…"

Hearing Shao Yun say there were no "outsiders," Venti cast a meaningful glance and asked, "Really? No outsiders?"

Venti's words were like a fog, startling Shao Yun. But wasn't it just the group at the bar? Could it be Charles, the bartender?

"No outsiders?" Shao Yun muttered to himself, his voice filled with confusion.

He glanced around and noticed a drunkard pretending to sleep, eavesdropping on their conversation.

Their eyes met!

This was a Fatui agent disguised as a drunkard, spying on them!

The Fatui agent's face turned pale, his eyes filled with panic and fear. Realizing he'd been discovered, he didn't hesitate. He flipped the table and bolted.

Shao Yun was furious, his anger burning like an enraged lion. His eyes blazed with fury, as if he wanted to burn everything in his path.

"Is this ever going to end? Lumine, you guys talk. I'm going to kill that bastard!"

Shao Yun slammed open the tavern door, his sharp gaze locking onto the fleeing Fatui agent.

He was about to draw his gun when the system popped up with a warning.

[In Mondstadt, without openly breaking ties with the Fatui, killing a Fatui diplomat would be reported to the Knights of Favonius by uninformed citizens, leading to a bounty on your head.]

Shao Yun's heart sank as he understood the situation. He shouted, hoping to intimidate the man.

"Stop running!"

As soon as he shouted, he dashed forward like a swift mountain lion.

…

"You son of a bitch, stop right there!"

Shao Yun chased after him, shouting as he ran. The citizens of Mondstadt, unaware of what was happening, watched the spectacle unfold in the streets.

The Fatui agent had impressive stamina, running from the bustling commercial district into the narrow alleyways without slowing down.

Just as Shao Yun was about to catch up, the agent suddenly threw a black object behind him.

The object arced through the air before hitting the ground and releasing a thick cloud of smoke.

A Teyvat-style smoke bomb.

It wasn't poisonous, just extremely irritating. But it was useless against Shao Yun!

Did you think this would stop me? What do you take me for?

Shao Yun didn't slow down at all, charging through the smoke and continuing the chase.

But the Fatui agent, thinking he could catch a break, slowed down to catch his breath.

"You can't escape!" Shao Yun roared as he burst through the smoke, each word striking fear into the agent's heart.

The agent now wished he were dead. Bro, you just ran through the smoke without even coughing?

Shao Yun grabbed the back of the agent's neck and yanked him backward.

The agent struggled in terror, but Shao Yun's strength was overwhelming. He couldn't break free.

Shao Yun turned him around to face him, then swung his fist in a powerful uppercut, landing a solid blow on the man's chin.

In ancient times, Lu Zhishen killed Zhen Guanxi with three punches. Today, Shao Yun's single punch made the Fatui agent bleed from all seven orifices.

The agent was sent flying, staying airborne for several seconds before crashing to the ground.

One punch wasn't enough to vent Shao Yun's anger. He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and raised his foot, preparing to deliver a powerful kick.

"This time, there's no Paimon to plead for you. No one's around. I'm going to kill you today!"

Just as his foot was about to connect, a familiar voice rang out behind him, filled with shock and anger.

"Stop right there!" The voice froze Shao Yun in his tracks.

He slowly turned around to see a familiar figure standing not far away, her brows furrowed and her eyes blazing with anger.

"Mr. Shao Yun, you're assaulting a citizen of Mondstadt!"