Chapter 052: Aftermath

Shao Yun's declaration echoed through the night sky of Mondstadt, resonating like thunder, shaking the hearts of all who heard it.

Kaeya looked at the scattered bodies of the Fatui in front of the Goth Hotel, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. He took a deep breath, mustering the courage to speak to Shao Yun. "Shao Yun, you..."

However, before he could finish, Shao Yun cut him off.

Shao Yun, thinking Kaeya was about to reprimand him, furrowed his brows, his eyes sharp and piercing. He retorted, "What? Do you think I'm some kind of brutal monster, Kaeya?"

Kaeya, seeing the seriousness in Shao Yun's expression, felt a chill run down his spine. He shook his head, pointing at the mutilated bodies on the ground, trying to explain himself. "That's not what I meant. I just wanted to say..."

But once again, Shao Yun interrupted him, this time raising his voice sharply, his gaze even more intense, as if he were about to reveal his true form and devour Kaeya whole.

"I didn't cut off their heads and hang them on the city gates, so I've already shown them some dignity. Remember, in this world, you either eat or get eaten. If Mondstadt shows weakness to the Fatui, we'll never be safe. Don't you understand that?"

Shao Yun tried to speak again, to finish his sentence.

"That's not what I meant, it's..."

"Then what is it? Answer me!"

Shao Yun was growing impatient, wondering why Kaeya was being so hesitant.

If Kaeya knew what Shao Yun was thinking, he'd probably risk slapping him. Let me finish speaking!

"Shao Yun, shut up and let me finish!" Kaeya shouted, risking Shao Yun's wrath to finally get his words out. "What I meant was, we could have kept a couple of them alive for interrogation. There was no need to kill them all."

Shao Yun paused, taken aback by Kaeya's words. He then took a moment to survey the scene around him, glancing back at the Goth Hotel.

"Come here," Shao Yun said, gesturing for Kaeya to approach.

Kaeya's heart tightened. Seeing Shao Yun's calm expression, he felt a sense of dread. After all, a dormant volcano was the most terrifying—you never knew when it might erupt.

Kaeya cautiously walked over to Shao Yun, whispering, "Don't hit me, okay? I didn't mean to yell at you earlier."

Shao Yun couldn't help but laugh. He pulled Kaeya close, slinging an arm around his shoulders, and patted him lightly. "What do you want to interrogate them about? Their Snezhnayan bank account passwords?"

His tone carried a hint of teasing, and Kaeya, realizing Shao Yun wasn't about to punch him, let out a sigh of relief.

Then, Shao Yun pointed at the Goth Hotel, his eyes gleaming like a pirate describing a legendary treasure trove. "I didn't burn the Goth Hotel to the ground, did I? Go search it yourself! Do you think they conducted all their business orally? That place is a goldmine for you—endless intelligence waiting to be uncovered. How can you be so lazy?"

Kaeya, hearing Shao Yun's words, felt as if a lightbulb had gone off in his head. *Wait, that's actually a great idea.*

"Ah... you make a good point."

To be fair, Kaeya's mind had short-circuited a bit. After all, who could have expected Shao Yun to single-handedly turn the Fatui into scattered pieces in just a matter of minutes? The scene was so overwhelming that anyone would be momentarily stunned.

Seeing Kaeya's sudden realization, Shao Yun couldn't help but feel exasperated. He smacked Kaeya on the head. "I swear, your brain is filled with nothing but apple cider. Hurry up and organize a team to search the place!"

Kaeya, now fully awakened by Shao Yun's smack, quickly rallied his men and began a thorough search of the Goth Hotel for any Fatui intelligence.

While Kaeya was busy organizing the search, Shao Yun's gaze wandered until it landed on Noelle, whose face was still streaked with tears.

She had witnessed something even more horrifying than before. Kaeya's management of order is worse than Diluc's tavern! Before I leave, I'm definitely slapping him twice!

Shao Yun walked over to her, his eyes filled with apology and concern, trying to soothe the fear and unease deep within her.

"Noelle..." Shao Yun called her name softly. "Uh, go rest. You've been through too much today..."

He couldn't think of anything else to say, so he reached out, intending to pat her head as he had done before, to offer some comfort.

But then he noticed the fresh blood staining his hands and clothes. Dirty hands touching her would be too rude.

He withdrew his hand, mustering all his strength to speak in a gentle tone. "I'm sorry you had to witness so much killing today. Maybe you should go to the Cathedral and talk to the sisters. They're better at comforting people than I am. I know a pretty good deaconess—want me to introduce you?"

Though his words weren't particularly profound, the warmth in his voice flowed into Noelle's heart like a gentle stream, providing her with much-needed solace.

Noelle nodded softly. "Thank you, Shao Yun. I'll go to the Cathedral and talk to the sisters. You should take care of yourself too. Don't push yourself too hard."

Shao Yun was surprised by Noelle's resilience. He couldn't tell if she had truly grown stronger or if she was just putting on a brave face. This uncertainty made him uneasy.

After repeatedly confirming that Noelle was okay, Shao Yun finally relaxed, but he still urged her once more. "Remember to talk to the sisters. They'll help you."

Noelle smiled and nodded, turning to head home.

But just as she was about to take her first step, she seemed to remember something. She paused, then gently turned back, her slightly swollen eyes locking onto Shao Yun.

She waved her hand, a natural and affectionate gesture, like a breeze gently brushing over a wheat field, tender and full of life.

The curve of her lips revealed a sweet smile.

"Don't mind what others think. You're a good person. I know that." Her voice was soft yet firm, like a clear, powerful stream flowing through a valley.

As Noelle turned to leave, a system notification suddenly rang in Shao Yun's mind.

[Mondstadt Region Honor Value has reached its maximum.]

[Effect: 50% discount at shops, restaurants, taverns, and other establishments.]

Noelle's simple phrase, "You're a good person," had instantly maxed out his honor value.

If it weren't for the fact that he had spent the entire day repairing the city walls, fighting Hilichurls, and slaughtering Fatui, leaving him utterly exhausted, he might have jumped for joy right then and there.

The cleanup of the scene was left to Kaeya and Lisa. Even if Shao Yun wanted to help, he wouldn't know where to start. Besides, he might just end up burning the hotel down in frustration!

Meanwhile, Amber, seeing Shao Yun heading toward the city gates, couldn't help but call out, "Shao Yun, where are you going?"

Shao Yun turned to answer. "I'm going outside the city to get some fresh air. I won't be staying at your place tonight. Be careful of any remaining Fatui. I'm sure some of them are still hiding in the shadows."

Amber frowned, a sense of unease washing over her. She knew all too well the cruelty and cunning of the Fatui. Even though Shao Yun had dealt a devastating blow to their forces at the Goth Hotel, hidden enemies were always harder to deal with.

"Come back to my place to rest. At least it's safer there."

Shao Yun almost laughed at Amber's suggestion.

If the Fatui really wanted revenge, they wouldn't hesitate to attack her home, the Knights of Favonius headquarters, or even the Cathedral. The only reason they hadn't was because he had wiped out their active forces.

"I'm going to the city gates to meet Lumine and Paimon. Thanks, though."

Shao Yun declined Amber's offer, making up an excuse as he walked away without looking back.

The night was as dark as ink. Shao Yun, dragging his exhausted body, left the hellish scene at the Goth Hotel.

Under the streetlights of Mondstadt's commercial district, his shadow stretched long and lonely, like a solitary figure wandering the quiet streets.

His hands and clothes were stained with blood—whether his own or the Fatui's, it was impossible to tell.

As he walked through the silent streets, Shao Yun arrived at the city gates.

There, he saw the carriage still blocking the bridge, obstructing the only path in and out.

Though he was tired, he silently walked over to the carriage, pulled out the rod stuck in the wheel, and with a burst of strength, moved the carriage back to its original position.

After clearing the way, Shao Yun leaned against the city wall, closing his eyes in exhaustion. His breathing was heavy and slow, as if he were trying to expel all his fatigue with each breath.

His body pressed against the cold wall, the chill seeping into him, slightly alleviating the heat and weariness he felt.

"System, I don't know if you have this function, but if the Fatui try to ambush me, wake me up," Shao Yun muttered wearily before his head tilted to the side, his consciousness fading as he fell into a deep sleep.

---

The next morning, sunlight bathed the land, casting a golden glow over the world outside the city.

Shao Yun lay on the ground outside the city, his bloodstained clothes now dry. He was so still that he looked like a corpse.

However, his breathing had steadied, indicating that he had recovered somewhat from his deep exhaustion.

Two adventurers dressed in green were escorting two cargo balloons into the city, their faces filled with excitement and anticipation. This trip would net them tens of thousands of Mora.

One of the adventurers accidentally spotted Shao Yun lying motionless on the ground and was startled. He tugged at his companion, pointing at Shao Yun. "Hey! Look, is that guy dead?"

The other adventurer, summoning his courage, approached to check Shao Yun's breathing.

"Not sure, but with all that blood on him, it's possible," he said cautiously as he reached out.

But just as their hands were about to touch him, Shao Yun's eyes snapped open.

Like a beast awakening from slumber, he sat up abruptly, drawing his revolver and nearly shooting the adventurer!

"Ah! A zombie!" The adventurer near Shao Yun was so frightened that he fell to the ground, convinced he was about to die.

Shao Yun, seeing their expressions, confirmed they weren't Fatui and relaxed, holstering his gun.

He exhaled deeply, speaking calmly. "I'm not dead. I was just sleeping."

The adventurer who had tried to check his breathing clutched his chest, helped up by his companion. Seeing the blood on Shao Yun, he asked with concern, "Uh, sir, you don't look so good. I think I have some bandages in my pack!"

He quickly rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a roll of clean, white bandages, offering them to Shao Yun.

Shao Yun shook his head, standing up and brushing the dust off his clothes. He rubbed his sore neck and patted the adventurer on the shoulder.

"I'm fine. Thanks for the offer. You've got things to do, so go ahead. I'm just waiting for someone."

The two adventurers, not daring to say more, continued on their way into the city.

Shao Yun leaned against the city wall, gazing into the distance.

The morning breeze gently brushed past, causing the hem of his clothes to flutter.

Before long, three familiar figures appeared in the distance.

"Hey, over here!" Shao Yun raised his arm and called out.

The three figures paused, then quickened their pace, almost sprinting. Within a minute, Jean, Diluc, and Venti stood before Shao Yun.

Jean immediately noticed the blood covering Shao Yun and was alarmed. "By the Anemo Archon, Shao Yun, how badly are you hurt?"

Shao Yun looked at the three of them, relieved to see they were safe. But he didn't answer Jean's question right away.

"Jean, Diluc, Venti, I'm fine. Where's Lumine and Paimon?" His voice was hoarse, but the vitality in his eyes reassured them.

The eyes are the windows to the soul, and Shao Yun's spirited gaze showed he was far from defeated.

Diluc answered, pointing behind him. "Lumine and Paimon are further back. We came ahead. They said they had something important to do."

Shao Yun immediately understood. They probably found a treasure chest and couldn't resist opening it.

He turned to Venti. "By the way, what about Dvalin..."

Venti smiled reassuringly. "Thanks to the Traveler, Dvalin is safe now."

Shao Yun nodded, relieved. He then looked at Jean, his expression serious. "Jean, there's something I need to tell you."

Jean, seeing Shao Yun's grave expression, clenched her fists, bracing herself.

Shao Yun took a deep breath and recounted everything—the Hilichurl army's attack on Mondstadt and the Fatui's betrayal—leaving nothing out.