Chapter 050: The Overconfident Fatui

Shao Yun leaned against the wall, resting. The bloodstains on his body had long since dried. The arrows from the hilichurls hadn't caused any serious injuries, and even if they had, pulling them out and downing a healing potion would have been enough to fix him up.

What bothered him most now was his throat, which felt incredibly uncomfortable. He kept coughing, his hoarse voice cutting through the quiet of the city gate like a knife.

Shao Yun touched his throat and rasped, "Next time, I'll switch to snake oil or alcohol-based tonics. Cough, cough. This is unbearable."

Aside from his throat, Shao Yun's body emitted a complex mix of smells—strong tobacco and bitter herbs. The scent was so overpowering that even he felt nauseated.

He leaned in to sniff his collar and nearly gagged.

"Looks like I need a good bath before Lumine gets back."

Shao Yun's gaze drifted back toward the bridge.

The wilderness was now calm. If it weren't for the ashes from the explosions, the chaotic footprints on the ground, and the carriage still blocking the bridge, who would believe that thousands of hilichurls had been held off by him alone?

Suddenly, the image of the golden figure he'd seen during the battle flashed in his mind. His lips curled into a smirk, and a glint of provocative flashed in his eyes.

"You little brat, just because I'm traveling with your sister?" Shao Yun chuckled and shook his head. "You started the attack before the countdown even ended. Using your position for personal revenge, huh? That's ruthless. When Lumine and I run into you, I'm definitely telling her what you did!"

After resting for about ten minutes, Shao Yun turned his tired gaze toward the city. Seeing the peaceful streets, a sense of relief washed over him.

The Fatui, though usually arrogant and overbearing, had shown some sense this time. They hadn't taken advantage of the chaos to cause trouble.

Shao Yun couldn't help but feel a slight change in his opinion of the Fatui. He thought, maybe they're not entirely useless. At least they still have some humanity in them.

"Maybe I should go easier on them? At least not kill them, just give them a beating."

This thought gradually took root in Shao Yun's mind. After all, compared to monsters, the Fatui were still human.

However, just as he was lost in thought about how to "educate" the Fatui, a deafening explosion shattered the peace of Mondstadt.

The sound was like thunder, echoing through the night sky, tearing apart the fragile calm.

Shao Yun's smile froze instantly. The Fatui really couldn't take a compliment!

The warmth on his face vanished, replaced by a cold, icy glare.

"Damn it, I'm such an idiot. I actually thought the Fatui were human!"

Shao Yun stood up abruptly, his eyes burning with barely contained rage.

Without hesitation, he strode toward the source of the smoke and chaos.

When he arrived at the scene, the sight before him made his breath catch.

The area was in complete disarray. Dust and smoke filled the air, making it hard to see. A building had collapsed from the explosion, its rubble scattered everywhere.

Several Knights lay in pools of blood, and in some places, only fragments of armor remained—no bodies.

Noelle, who had been knocked out by Shao Yun earlier, was inexplicably here. She knelt beside a dead Knight, her hands trembling as she tried to administer aid.

Noelle's clothes were stained with the blood of the fallen Knight, like a withered rose. Tears welled up in her eyes as she muttered to herself.

(TL/N: wow.. it's take a dark turn)

"Don't sleep! Wake up, I'll bandage your wounds right away."

Her voice trembled as she frantically worked on the Knight, whose eyes had already gone vacant.

She stuffed gauze into the gaping wound in his chest, bandaged his mangled arm, and tried to bring the dead Knight back to life.

It was like the Greek god of healing, Asclepius, wielding his staff to challenge death itself, trying to rewrite a fate that had already been sealed.

Shao Yun's heart sank when he saw this. He hadn't expected to find Noelle here, let alone witness such a scene.

He walked over and gently grabbed Noelle's arm, trying to pull her away from this tragic place.

"Noelle, leave. This isn't where you should be."

But Noelle stubbornly shook her head, her voice filled with determination. "No, I won't go."

Shao Yun tightened his grip on her arm, determined not to let her stay here.

"This isn't where you should be. Go!"

However, driven by her inner resolve, Noelle forcefully broke free from Shao Yun's grasp. She stood up and shouted at him in frustration, "I won't leave!"

Shao Yun's gaze fell on Noelle's face. Her eyes, once filled with laughter, were now brimming with tears.

She looked like a flower battered by a storm—fragile and helpless.

Shao Yun's heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly, making it hard to breathe. He was frozen in place, unable to move.

Noelle looked at him, tears finally spilling over and streaming down her cheeks.

She looked down at her blood-stained hands, her shoulders trembling, her voice choked with sobs.

"I, I..."

Suddenly, she threw herself into Shao Yun's arms, clinging to him tightly.

"Ah!" she wailed, her voice filled with frustrated and despair. Her tears soaked through Shao Yun's shirt as she poured out all her grief and anger.

Shao Yun felt Noelle's body shaking, her sobs trembling through her.

He gently stroked her hair, thinking how cruel it was for a fifteen-year-old girl to witness something like this.

He understood her sorrow and her pain. It was like Jack Marston watching his father fall—that sense of helplessness was something he could relate to.

Noelle buried her face in Shao Yun's chest, her cries echoing mournfully through the ruined street.

Just then, hurried footsteps approached. Kaeya rushed over, his heart sinking when he heard the crying.

When he saw Noelle sobbing in Shao Yun's arms, his heart leapt into his throat.

"Mr. Shao Yun, you... the trouble outside is over, right?" Kaeya stammered, his voice trembling, clearly intimidated by Shao Yun's presence.

Shao Yun didn't answer immediately. Instead, he patted Noelle's back and gently pushed her away, trying to keep his anger in check. He forced a smile and said as calmly as he could, "Don't cry, kid. I'll go see what's going on."

Noelle looked up at Shao Yun through tear-filled eyes, finding some comfort in his words. She nodded, her voice choked with sobs. "Okay..."

With that, she turned and ran to a corner, crouching down and quietly sobbing.

Shao Yun turned his gaze to Kaeya, his eyes sharp as daggers. Kaeya's heart skipped a beat. When he saw the ferocity in Shao Yun's eyes, his heart sank completely.

"I handled the trouble outside, but you're in big trouble now!" Shao Yun's voice was icy and commanding, sending a chill down Kaeya's spine.

"Mr. Shao Yun, I..." Kaeya tried to explain, but Shao Yun had already lost his patience.

He grabbed Kaeya by the collar and yanked him close, his eyes boring into him as he demanded, "What kind of order were you maintaining? Letting a fifteen-year-old girl see this! Are you brain-dead from drinking apple wine? Should I slap some sense into you?"

Kaeya was terrified by Shao Yun's intensity. Seeing the murderous look in Shao Yun's eyes and the hand ready to strike, he felt genuine fear for the first time.

Trembling, he pointed toward a corner, his voice shaky. "The Fatui... they tried to take advantage of the chaos to seize the city's defenses. A fight broke out with the Knights. One of the Fatui set off a bomb, and then... I was with Lisa trying to control the Fatui. I..."

Shao Yun abruptly let go of Kaeya's collar. His eyes were like ice, but a terrifying smile crept onto his face.

"Where?" Shao Yun's voice was low and forceful, the word hissed through clenched teeth.

Kaeya blinked, still reeling from Shao Yun's overwhelming presence. He swallowed hard and asked cautiously, "Where what?"

Shao Yun roared, "THE FATUI!!"

His voice echoed through the streets, as if even the wind trembled at his words.

Kaeya flinched at the shout and quickly replied, "Lisa has them under control. They're over there, past the corner. You'll see them."

Shao Yun looked in the direction Kaeya pointed, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. He said politely, "Thanks."

Then, he cracked his neck and muttered under his breath as he walked, "They think I'm easy to mess with, huh? They think I'm a clown?"

Kaeya, seeing this, felt a pang of relief that he'd escaped unscathed, but he knew the Fatui wouldn't be so lucky.

Worried that Shao Yun might do something extreme, Kaeya quickly followed him.

Shao Yun turned the corner and immediately frowned at the scene before him.

A group of heavily armed Fatui agents were surrounded by Lisa and the Knights. Their hands were bound, and they sat on the ground, their faces dark and defeated.

Lisa stood nearby, a ball of crackling Electro energy in her hand. Her expression was as dark as storm clouds.

Hearing footsteps, Lisa dismissed the Electro sphere and turned to see Shao Yun approaching. The murderous look in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine. She thought to herself, "I thought a demon had arrived. Those bloodshot eyes are terrifying!"

Shao Yun walked up to Lisa and waved his hand, signaling her to stay calm. He asked in a low voice, "Tell me what happened."

Lisa took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady. "The Fatui tried to take advantage of the chaos to seize the city's defenses. A fight broke out with the Knights. Thankfully, we caught them in time, or the consequences would have been unthinkable."

What Lisa said matched Kaeya's account, but Shao Yun needed to confirm it one last time.

Shao Yun gritted his teeth and forced a smile.

"Is that true?"

Lisa shuddered under his gaze, swallowed hard, and nodded firmly. "Absolutely. Several Knights died. It was their doing!"

The captured Fatui agents, hearing Lisa's words, froze like they'd been choked by an invisible hand. They didn't dare breathe too loudly.

Shao Yun walked up to them, his cold gaze sweeping over their trembling forms.

One of the Fatui, a Electrohammer Vanguard, met Shao Yun's icy stare and flinched. His voice trembled as he asked, "W-what are you going to do?"

Shao Yun's voice was like ice. "Who's in charge here?"

The Fatui agents exchanged nervous glances, fear shining in their eyes. They knew that Shao Yun's question meant someone was about to pay the price.

They wondered if Shao Yun planned to make an example of the highest-ranking officer among them.

For a moment, no one dared to speak. The atmosphere grew even more oppressive. They were afraid their answers would provoke Shao Yun's wrath, and even more afraid of being chosen as the "unlucky one."

Shao Yun smirked coldly. He knew the Fatui agents were too scared to resist.

He wasn't in a hurry to get an answer. Instead, he slowly paced among them, pulling out a revolver and twirling it in his hand. He seemed to be pondering something, his movements casual and unhurried.

"Not long ago, your outpost near Springvale was attacked," Shao Yun suddenly said, his voice cold and firm. "I want to know, what happened to the people there?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he pressed the revolver against the head of a Fatui Vanguard and demanded, "You. Tell me what happened."

The Fatui Vanguard trembled and stammered, "The people at that outpost... they all went insane. They still haven't recovered."

Shao Yun burst into laughter upon hearing this, muttering to himself, "Insane, huh? Good! At least they won't have to see the cruelty of this world."

Shao Yun slowly walked among the bound Fatui agents, his revolver tapping lightly against each of their heads, the dull thuds echoing ominously.

These once-arrogant Fatui agents could only sit on the ground, letting Shao Yun's gun barrel sweep over them.

Shao Yun's gaze finally settled on a Fatui agent in a black cloak. Unlike the others, this one wasn't heavily armed. He simply wore a long black robe, standing out from the rest.

Shao Yun stopped and pointed the revolver at his head, saying coldly, "This one's the highest-ranking here."

The cloaked Fatui agent paled instantly, his eyes wide with fear.

He tried to speak, but no words came out—just silent gasps.

Shao Yun, seeing his silence, smirked and yanked him out of the group. The Fatui officer dangled in Shao Yun's grip like a helpless chicken, his legs too weak to stand.

"If you won't talk, I'll take that as a yes."

As soon as Shao Yun spoke, the Fatui officer suddenly screamed, "I'm not! I'm not!" His voice was filled with terror and despair, as if trying to prove his innocence.

But Shao Yun ignored his cries and pulled a officer's insignia from his robes. He tapped the Fatui officer's head with the revolver and sneered, "You really aren't, huh?"

The Fatui officer was so scared he collapsed to his knees, begging for mercy.

"Please, no..."