Chapter 20: Kalpas: "Releasing" Means Killing, Right?

"Heh, heh, heh..."

As Yun Fan's voice fell, a sinister laugh echoed in the deserted area. A man in a hooded cloak, wearing a mask and wrapped in a red-and-black coat, appeared out of thin air—or rather, exited his stealth state.

"So, it's a Fatui Debt Collector," Yun Fan felt a wave of disappointment. He had hoped for someone more interesting, but it was just a minor character.

"Let me guess, the Fair Lady sent you, right?" The only Fatui Harbinger in Mondstadt was La Signora. Anyone could guess that.

However, sending someone to intercept him without knowing his capabilities showed just how arrogant that woman was.

"How dare you speak the Fair Lady's name so casually!" The Debt Collector roared, summoning two sacrificial blades and charging at Yun Fan in a blur.

Yun Fan didn't move, standing still. The Debt Collector thought he was frozen in fear and swung his blades toward Yun Fan's neck.

Just before the blades made contact, the Debt Collector suddenly sensed intense Pyro energy. Then, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, his vision went dark, and he was lifted off the ground by his neck.

Watching the masked man effortlessly hold the Debt Collector in the air, Yun Fan clapped.

"As expected of a Flame-Chaser. Long time no see, Kalpas."

"Hey, kid, did you call me out just to deal with this small fry?" Kalpas glared at Yun Fan, clearly annoyed. He had hoped for a good fight after waking up, but instead, he got this weakling.

"Haha, don't mind it. Isn't it boring to just sleep all the time? I called you out to stretch your legs."

"Tch!"

"Alright, let him go," Yun Fan decided to release the Debt Collector, letting him return to La Signora with a warning. Yun Fan wasn't someone she could mess with.

"Tch!" Kalpas grunted again, then snapped the Debt Collector's neck. Watching the Pyro Agent crumple to the ground, Yun Fan silently typed a '?' in his mind.

He stared at Kalpas, his expression clearly asking, Didn't I tell you to let him go?

"Huh? Didn't you say to 'release' him? Releasing means killing, right?" Kalpas frowned, though it was hidden behind his mask.

"My bad," Yun Fan facepalmed. The first time he summoned Kalpas was when he had no fire to cook fish. While he had Electro powers, not everyone could stomach Keqing's "desperate survival grilled fish."

So, he had the bright idea to summon Kalpas to start a fire.

'Such a plump fish, let's release it!' Yun Fan had said while preparing the fish. It seemed Kalpas had misunderstood his words.

"Whatever, it's done," Yun Fan didn't dwell on it. The Debt Collector was just a minor character. His death wouldn't cause any issues.

"Let's go," Yun Fan led Kalpas away. After they left, flames consumed the Debt Collector's body, reducing it to ashes.

Meanwhile...

"Huh? You're asking what this is? Little cutie, are you serious? This is a Vision~"

Lisa explained to Lumine, "By the way, little cutie, you don't seem to have a Vision. How do you control elemental energy?"

"I just touched the Statue of the Seven and gained Anemo powers," Lumine shook her head.

"Interesting~ People in Teyvat can't gain elemental powers as easily as you."

"How about coming to my room tonight for a thorough examination?" Lisa's seductive voice gently teased Lumine, making her cheeks flush.

"The Traveler is Paimon's! Don't try to steal her away!" Paimon stood protectively in front of Lumine, glaring at Lisa like a puppy guarding its food.

"Hehe, such a cute little thing," Lisa covered her mouth, laughing with delight.

'You can't control elemental energy without a Vision?' Lumine suddenly remembered someone. "Miss Lisa, can you tell me about Mr. Yun Fan?"

"Mr. Yun Fan? He's the owner of the Good Hunter. He arrived in Mondstadt about a year ago, a wealthy merchant from Liyue," Lisa didn't know much about Yun Fan, having only seen him a few times when she visited the Good Hunter for meals.

In her impression, this handsome white-haired man, though seemingly lazy, exuded an air of nobility that couldn't be hidden.

"Wow, so that guy owns the Good Hunter?" Paimon looked surprised, regretting not building a better relationship with him earlier. Amber had said the Good Hunter was one of the best restaurants in Mondstadt.

Lumine, however, wasn't listening to Paimon. She was thinking about Yun Fan.

The intense Cryo energy Yun Fan had used to repel Stormterror was still fresh in her mind. If she remembered correctly, he didn't have a Vision either. Was he, like her, a traveler from another world? Did he know anything about the gods or her brother?

Thinking this, Lumine couldn't wait any longer.

"Lisa, let's hurry and dismantle the barrier."

"Huh?..." Before Lisa could react, Lumine grabbed her hand and dragged her along.

"Hey! Traveler, wait for Paimon!"

"Old man, can you tell me about that person now?" Venti watched as Zhongli drank his centuries-old wine, his heart bleeding with every sip.

My wine! My wine! My precious wine!

"Truly fine wine," Zhongli ignored Venti's words until he finished the last drop. Only then, under Venti's pitiful gaze, did he speak.

"From a universal perspective, who are you referring to?" Venti was speechless. So, after all this, the old man hadn't been listening at all!

"It's..." Venti had to repeat himself.

"Yun Fan... has a contract with me."

Venti didn't press further. He knew the contents of a contract couldn't be disclosed.

"Hehe, old man, do you think you could..." Venti grinned, hoping Zhongli could persuade Yun Fan to help save Dvalin.

"I can't help," Zhongli shook his head.

"Why not? You could just give him an order, couldn't you?" Venti grew anxious. Was this old man just here to drink and not help? Wasn't Morax all about honoring contracts? Who taught him this?

"Yun Fan is not my subordinate. I have no authority to command him."