Chapter 037: You're a Thief, I'm the King of Hell!

The Raptor had been quiet for a while, but as they got closer to Mondstadt, he became more agitated and started struggling again.

"Do you even know who I am in the Treasure Hoarders? Let me tell you again, I'm the Raptor!"

Shao Yun had been planning what to buy Paimon for dinner with the 100,000 Mora reward when the Raptor's grating voice interrupted his thoughts.

SLAP

Infuriated, Shao Yun slapped the Raptor across the nose.

"You're the Raptor? Well, I'm the King of Hell! Shut up, or I'll turn you into two pieces of fowl meat and make Sweet Madame out of you. Don't think I won't do it!"

After scolding him, Shao Yun went back to thinking about what to buy Paimon.

The Raptor's eyes flickered with panic, but he quickly regained his bravado. He lifted his head, trying to mask his fear with arrogance.

"I'm the leader of the Treasure Hoarders in Mondstadt, on the same level as the big sister in Liyue! Aren't you afraid?"

Shao Yun's train of thought was interrupted again. Could this guy just shut up for once?

"Even if you said you were the son of the Anemo Archon, I wouldn't let you go!"

POW

He followed up with another solid punch, just enough to daze the Raptor without knocking him out.

Shao Yun thought he'd finally have some peace, but the Raptor seemed to have developed a masochistic streak. He started mumbling nonstop.

"If you have the guts, never leave Mondstadt! The Treasure Hoarders will tear your throat out in the middle of the night! I'm—"

SLAM

Shao Yun pulled out his revolver and slammed the grip into the Raptor's temple.

"I'll kill as many of you as come! If you piss me off, I'll start raiding your Treasure Hoarder camps every day, and I won't leave any survivors!"

The Raptor was stunned. He'd heard of Treasure Hoarders robbing others, but never of someone robbing the Treasure Hoarders.

Shao Yun's threat was like a cold blade, each word cutting into the Raptor's fragile nerves.

"Aren't you afraid?!"

Shao Yun reined in his horse, stopped, and turned to grab the Strange Bird's head, forcing him to look into his eyes.

Staring directly into the Raptor's terrified eyes, Shao Yun spoke in a chillingly calm tone. "I'm afraid I'll kill you and you won't be worth anything!"

The words hit the Raptor like a sledgehammer. He froze, clearly not expecting Shao Yun to be so indifferent to his life. Shao Yun's face showed no emotion, as if he were discussing something trivial.

For the rest of the journey, Shao Yun hit the Raptor every time he spoke, and eventually escalated to hitting him with every breath.

Each time, Shao Yun used the revolver's grip, controlling the force so it wouldn't kill him but would torture him like a slow, agonizing punishment.

The Raptor's nerves were on the verge of snapping. Gasping for breath, he asked, "I didn't even say anything. Why are you hitting me?"

"Beating kids on a rainy day is just something to do. I enjoy it."

(TL/N: Agreed)

This statement was the final straw. The Raptor completely broke down, screaming uncontrollably.

"Help! I've been kidnapped! You're a madman!"

"Keep yelling, and I'll knock out all your teeth!"

And so, the Raptor didn't stop talking, and Shao Yun didn't stop hitting him.

By the time they reached Mondstadt, the Raptor's nose was crooked, his teeth were shattered, and his eyes were swollen. He barely looked human anymore.

As Shao Yun crossed the bridge into Mondstadt, a system notification popped up.

[System Notification: You cannot ride a horse in Mondstadt.]

It was only a few steps anyway. He could walk the rest of the way.

Shao Yun recalled his horse to the mobile stable and carried the Raptor over his shoulder like a one-star white-tailed deer into Mondstadt.

The two guards at the gate were stunned. They'd never seen someone who looked less human. They exchanged confused glances.

When Shao Yun arrived at the Adventurers' Guild reception, he propped up the half-conscious Raptor like a mummy for Katheryne to inspect.

Even Katheryne, who had seen it all and never forgot a face, couldn't recognize the man in front of her. She pulled out a list resembling a wanted poster and compared the photo to the real person.

"Shao Yun, umm, Tacitus, is this… the Raptor?" Katheryne asked, her confidence wavering.

"Guaranteed," Shao Yun said, patting his chest. This guy had annoyed him the entire journey, claiming to be the leader of Mondstadt's Treasure Hoarders.

"Take a closer look at his face…" Shao Yun glanced at the Raptor's face and froze.

The Raptor's face was unrecognizable. The only thing that proved he was human was his general shape.

Shao Yun scratched his head awkwardly. "I might have gone a bit overboard. Let me see…"

He remembered that Treasure Hoarders carried a treasure-seeking raven seal. He quickly searched the Raptor's pockets and pulled out a golden Raven Insignia.

"Miss Katheryne, look at this. This should be enough proof."

Katheryne took the Raven Insignia and saw the words "Raptor" engraved on it. Only then did she confirm that the man in front of her was the infamous thief, the Raptor.

"This is indeed proof… but, is he still alive?"

Shao Yun pinched the Raptor's waist hard, and the lifeless figure suddenly burst with unprecedented energy.

"Ah!" The Raptor screamed, spitting blood-tinged saliva.

"See? He's fine."

The Raptor, seeing Katheryne, looked at her like a savior. If Shao Yun hadn't been holding him tightly, he would have lunged into the reception area.

"Please, Miss Katheryne, take me in! Don't let me stay in his hands for another second! Please, I'm begging you!"

Although Katheryne felt some sympathy for the Raptor, she had to decline.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Raptor, but the Adventurers' Guild cannot accept wanted criminals."

Shao Yun burst out laughing. He had Katheryne transfer the commission reward to Lumine, then hoisted the Raptor onto his shoulder and strode toward the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

"Haha, let's go to the Knights of Favonius!"

"Help! A devil has kidnapped me!"

This was Mondstadt's busiest commercial street. His shouting drew the attention of many people.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Shao Yun quickly put on his mask.

A patrolling knight noticed the commotion on the main street and came to maintain order.

Seeing a masked man carrying someone through the streets, the knight drew his Favonius Sword and blocked the path, his voice loud and authoritative. "Halt! What are you doing?"

The Raptor, thinking he was saved, thrashed like a legendary fish just pulled from the river.

"Brother, help! I'd rather be executed under the statue of the Anemo Archon at the Cathedral than spend another second with this demon!"

The knight was confused. What execution? What was going on?

To avoid misunderstandings, Shao Yun quickly pulled out the Raven Insignia with the Raptor's name on it and explained to the crowd.

"This guy stole something from the Cathedral. I caught him!"

But Shao Yun's explanation was too vague, leading to confusion.

The knight's eyes widened, filled with shock and disbelief.

"What?! You're saying he stole the Holy Lyre?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with anger.

The words echoed in the air, making the atmosphere tense.

Shao Yun paused for a moment, then flashed a devilish grin. Without missing a beat, he played along.

"That's right! It's him!"

The crowd, always eager for drama, was instantly riled up.

The Raptor was going insane. He understood that people would kick him while he was down, but he couldn't believe they were making up lies. That jar he had didn't look anything like the Holy Lyre!

"I'm innocent! By the Anemo Archon, I deserve to die for my crimes, but don't dump all this on me!"

But who in Mondstadt would believe the leader of the Treasure Hoarders, especially someone accused of stealing the Holy Lyre?

The news spread like wildfire. Hearing that Shao Yun had "confirmed" the Raptor stole the Holy Lyre, the people of Mondstadt dropped what they were doing and flocked to the scene.

The crowd was furious. They shouted for the public enemy of Mondstadt to be executed!

If Shao Yun hadn't been carrying him, the Raptor would have been torn to shreds by the angry citizens.

Suddenly, a group of Knights of Favonius arrived, seemingly to maintain order. The Raptor breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he'd finally make it to prison safely.

But within seconds, his relaxed expression turned tense again. The knights had joined the crowd and were shouting even louder than the citizens.

Seeing this, the Raptor was terrified.

Feeling the man on his shoulder relax a bit, Shao Yun threatened, "I'm warning you! If you dare pee on me, I won't hesitate to cut off your little buddy. The Knights only need you alive and talking. They won't care if I take a few things off you."

This threat made the Raptor shrink back, turning into a lifeless fish. He didn't say another word.

Shao Yun carried the Raptor, followed by the furious citizens of Mondstadt, toward the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

The guard at the gate, Atto, saw the crowd approaching from a distance and thought something had happened. He rushed inside to call for backup.

While Atto was fetching help, Shao Yun reached the Knights of Favonius headquarters and shouted, "Amber, I've brought the rent!"

Amber was the first to rush out of the headquarters. Seeing the sea of people, she was stunned. Were the citizens of Mondstadt rebelling?

Fortunately, Shao Yun lifted the Raptor high, catching her attention. She quickly descended the steps and examined Shao Yun.

"Shao Yun, you're… huh? Who's this?"

The unrecognizable figure on Shao Yun's shoulder drew Amber's gaze.

"This is the thief, the Raptor!" Shao Yun said, tossing the Raptor to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Amber couldn't believe it. The leader of Mondstadt's Treasure Hoarders, the Raptor, had been caught?

"So quickly!"

"No need to thank me. Consider it rent for Lumine, Paimon, and me staying at your place."

The Raptor, lying on the ground, wriggled like a worm, using his chin to drag himself toward Amber. Tears and snot streamed down his face as he begged for help.

"Sister, sister, help me!"

This attracted many knights. Jean, Lisa, Kaeya, and Noelle all came out.

Since the founding of the Knights of Favonius, they had never seen such a spectacle.

After Shao Yun explained the situation, Jean spent a great deal of effort calming the crowd before bringing the two into the Knights' headquarters.

The Raptor, lying on the floor, felt the Knights of Favonius were the most welcoming place he'd ever been. The stern knights now seemed approachable to him.

"Brothers and sisters, I'm the leader of Mondstadt's Treasure Hoarders, the Raptor. If I'm guilty, please execute me."

He then turned to look at Shao Yun in terror, shouting in despair, "But please, don't let this devil, no, demon, no, the King of Hell torture me!"

"I thought we got along quite well on the way here!"

Shao Yun removed his mask and raised an eyebrow, smiling. But to the Raptor, it was like the King of Hell had come to claim his soul.

Jean, who had just finished dealing with a day's worth of Mondstadt affairs, didn't know whether to be happy or exhausted that Shao Yun had caught the leader of the Treasure Hoarders.

"Shao Yun, thank you for your hard work. We'll take him for questioning now," Jean said, forcing a smile. "I don't even know how to thank you."

Hearing that he was being taken by the Knights, the Raptor felt like he'd been granted amnesty. If the knights hadn't been holding him, he would have bolted to the interrogation room himself.

"Do you need me to interrogate him?"

Shao Yun grinned mischievously, offering his help. The Raptor completely lost it.

The Raptor's body trembled, as if his last hope had been crushed. He began babbling uncontrollably.

"I confess! I confess! I'll confess now! My real name is Henry, male, 31 years old, from the Whispering Woods in Mondstadt, still single, I love Dandelion Wine, and I need a pacifier to sleep every night! Ahhh, and also…"

It seemed like Henry didn't belong in an interrogation room but in a mental institution.

Afraid the situation would escalate further, Amber, Lisa, and Noelle quickly pushed Shao Yun into the Knights' library.

Kaeya, seeing this, laughed so hard he bent over, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Hahaha, the Raptor is the leader of Mondstadt's Treasure Hoarders. How did he get scared like this?"

Jean sighed deeply, rubbing her shoulders, unsure how to feel.

"Kaeya, the interrogation is up to you. Can you handle it?"

"Of course, Acting Grand Master," Kaeya said, looking at the Raptor with excitement as he entered the interrogation room. He couldn't help but add, "I think the interrogation will go very smoothly."