Lumine's group of three returned to Bubu Pharmacy and honestly told Qiqi that they hadn't found the legendary Cocogoat this time. A visible look of disappointment appeared on Qiqi's face.
This expression actually didn't change much from her usual one, but for some reason, the three people present felt a pang in their hearts, as if they had done something wrong to the child.
Out of some inexplicable sense of guilt, Lumine still crouched down and asked, "Little Qiqi, may I ask what you wanted the Cocogoat for?"
She thought back to what Orion had said earlier about Qiqi possibly wanting wool or to milk it. If she could clarify the ultimate goal, she might be able to find a substitute.
Qiqi put her small hand to her mouth: "Cocogoat milk is very delicious, so it must be the milk of a Half-Adeptus Beast."
Lumine and Paimon looked delighted. Had Orion actually guessed right? In that case, could they just find another delicious milk to complete the task?
Only Zhongli rubbed his chin, looking a bit strained: "Cocogoat... goat milk? Why does it feel like..."
At that moment, Qiqi found a small notebook nearby. She used her tiny hands to flip through the pages one by one: "Qiqi is a zombie and has a bad memory, so Qiqi writes important things in a notebook to remember them. Found it!"
Qiqi happily showed the text she had recorded to Lumine: "The delicious milk is called Coconut Milk!"
Lumine and Paimon:... Zhongli also covered his face: "As expected..."
Finally, the group exchanged glances, and Lumine acted as the bearer of bad news, saying, "Sorry, Qiqi, but actually, not all milk-based drinks are produced directly by cows or goats..."
Lumine then gave a brief explanation of what Coconut Milk actually was. Qiqi's little face suddenly froze like a Syrian hamster. If Orion were here, the BGM around him would probably have turned into the 'Face Reality' melody.
Just then, a voice came from behind them as a green-haired man with a white snake wrapped around his neck walked over.
"Oh my, a child's growth always happens when you least expect it. Everyone, I am the owner of this Bubu Pharmacy, named Baizhu. May I ask why you have all come?"
Lumine and Paimon turned around and saw that Baizhu had already approached them.
After a round of pleasantries, everyone got to know each other. During this time, Paimon even mistook Changsheng on Baizhu's neck for a medicinal ingredient, only learning that there were talking snakes in this world after being lectured by Changsheng.
However, this time they didn't bargain for the Everlasting Incense like in the game. Because Qiqi told Baizhu that Orion had saved her, and since Orion and Lumine were companions, Baizhu gave them a massive discount and sold it to them very cheaply.
After the transaction, Baizhu said directly to Qiqi, "Qiqi, prepare more healing medicine. We might be getting busy soon."
Hearing this, Lumine and Paimon looked at each other, both feeling something was wrong. She turned and asked, "Mr. Baizhu, has something happened outside?"
"You don't know?" Baizhu turned and said, "The Adepti have come in force to hold the Seven Stars of Liyue accountable. Both sides are at each other's throats; I'm afraid a conflict is inevitable!"
Lumine was shocked upon hearing this. She rushed out of Bubu Pharmacy, only to see that the sky, which should have been bright with the afternoon sun, was now shrouded in dark clouds. The buildings of Liyue Harbor seemed to be covered in a layer of white frost.
Lumine looked in disbelief at the only light source in the sky shining with a strange radiance—it was the Jade Chamber. The Adepti had likely gone there to demand answers.
"How can this be? Have the Adepti and the Qixing really turned against each other?" Lumine murmured. Wouldn't this give the Fatui an opportunity to strike?
Zhongli also walked over. He calmly glanced at the Jade Chamber in the sky. After a golden light flickered in his eyes, he was about to comfort Lumine when a sudden tremor came from the ground. Zhongli looked toward South Gate of Heaven in disbelief.
"The Fulong Tree? How can..." Saying this, he closed his eyes, and a wave of divine sense spread through the earth. A moment later, he opened his eyes in shock: "Director?!"
Without time for a detailed explanation, Zhongli said to Lumine, "Lumine, the WangSheng Funeral Parlor is in trouble. I must go to support them. As for you, you must think carefully about what the person stirring the waters beneath this chaotic surface is truly seeking."
Lumine fell into deep thought upon hearing this. When she looked up to ask for more details, Zhongli had already vanished.
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A cool breeze brushed past her hair. Jahoda was currently standing halfway up Mt. Hulao, overlooking the land of Liyue.
"Hahahahaha! Look, humans are just like trash!"
She had only read this line in a storybook and simply wanted to say it once.
Although the journey had been arduous and she hadn't had a moment's rest—nor had she reached Liyue Harbor to have a comfortable night's sleep—Jahoda still happily admired the beautiful scenery before her.
"Ah! Liyue is so beautiful. Eh? Is that the Fulong Tree? Why are so many people gathered there? Forget it, let's look at the distant Qingyun Peak instead, folks!"
Jahoda opened her arms, welcoming the wind scented with plants as it brushed against her face, feeling incredibly relaxed.
Just then, a roar reached her ears.
"Mortal, do not overstep!!!"
"Tsk, what splash? Splash what leap? If I leap down from such a beautiful mountain, wouldn't I end up in pieces here and there?"
However, just as she finished complaining, the entire mountain actually began to tremble uncontrollably!
The earth shook as if it were about to flip over. Rocks tumbled down, breaking several giant trees that were growing stubbornly on the mountainside.
Jahoda, standing on the platform, swayed along with the mountain's tremors, rocking forward and backward, her entire being filled with panic.
"Oh my god! How can there be an earthquake? Boss! Boss, help! I don't want to die, Boss!"
At that moment, the platform beside her was suddenly struck by a rock rolling down from the mountain. The entire platform shattered instantly. While Jahoda was still swaying there, she suddenly felt the ground vanish beneath her feet.
"Eh?"
Jahoda's eyes widened, her pupils shrinking to pinpoints. She flailed her arms but caught nothing, falling directly toward the base of the mountain over a hundred meters below.
"Aaaaaaaaaah! Help! Boss, I don't want to die! Asheru, save me!!! Anyone, please save me! Whoever saves me, I... I'll... I'll marry you! Aaaaaaaaaah!!!!"
Thud!
Jahoda, who had been flailing her arms wildly in the wind, suddenly felt as if she had fallen into a warm embrace.
She thought she was having a hallucination before death, but after a few moments, she realized she seemed to actually be alive.
She opened one eye in disbelief to investigate. The moment she saw the face in front of her, her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her small hand.
Did God manifest? Or did her Boss manifest?
She was currently being held in the arms of a handsome man with pale gold hair and long ears. That handsome face was less than twenty centimeters from her own, looking at her with a smile.
Heavens, what kind of face was this? Jahoda thought. His eyes seemed to contain the stars, and his gaze held three parts worry, three parts affection, and four parts tender protective care.
"Are you... alright?"
The man's question was transformed in Jahoda's heart into meticulous concern. All the fear she had felt earlier now turned into a surge of grievance.
She closed her eyes and tightly hugged Orion's body, as pea-sized tears began to fall one after another.
"There are still... good people in this world!!!!!!!"
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