Chapter 40: Blazewood Feast, the Finals Begin
Cautious by nature, Wise and Belle had already coordinated with Lumine and the rest of the chat group. Their consensus was unanimous: they needed to smuggle Pompey back to Blazewood under the radar. The dusty Outer Ring settlement offered a relatively safe haven, far removed from the chaotic storm center of the competition venue.
After all, no one could guarantee that Lucius's informants or lingering backup plans weren't still lurking in the shadows of the arena, hiding among the other gang members. Protecting Pompey's life and preventing any secondary assassination attempts remained their absolute top priority.
When Wise, Belle, and the multiversal chat group members finally hauled the unconscious Pompey back to the proxy workshop in Blazewood, they immediately spotted a massive figure pacing anxiously by the doorway. Big Daddy simply could not sit still.
As the spiritual pillar of the Sons of Calydon, his advanced age and the necessity of guarding their home base meant he couldn't follow Caesar into the Hollow for the competition. He had been forced to rely on live television broadcasts to track Caesar's progress. When the signal abruptly cut out, replaced only by vague, unsettling rumors, his anxiety had skyrocketed. Left with no other options, he had come to the siblings' workshop to wait for any scrap of news.
"Isn't that Dan Heng, young man!?" Big Daddy's booming voice trembled slightly as he caught sight of the approaching group. His eyes immediately locked onto the battered figure supported over the archivist's shoulder. "How did you all get back? Where are Caesar and the others? How is the Lake of Fire?"
He rushed forward, his heavy footsteps kicking up dust. "Pompey... is he...?"
Wise quickly stepped up to reassure the towering man. "Big Daddy, don't worry. Caesar and the others are perfectly fine, and the Lake of Fire has been successfully ignited! Caesar has officially taken over as the new Overlord. She is currently at the venue handling the fallout and restructuring."
Big Daddy's gaze remained glued to the unconscious former Overlord. He reached out, his massive hands surprisingly gentle as he took his old friend from Dan Heng's support. Looking down at Pompey, who remained entirely unresponsive but breathed with a steady rhythm, Big Daddy's eyes swam with a complex storm of emotions. There was deep relief, deep-seated worry, and the unmistakable, heavy sorrow of watching a legendary hero finally succumb to the ravages of time and betrayal.
Belle had already given him a brief, heavily sanitized rundown of the events via a quick message. Big Daddy knew enough of the inside story to understand that Pompey had suffered a devastating setback. The older man's body was severely weakened, his prime truly behind him.
"Sigh..." A long, rattling breath escaped Big Daddy's lips. His rough, calloused hand gently patted Pompey's limp shoulder. "Old fellow... I suppose it is finally time for your stubborn old bones to retire."
In his seasoned judgment, even if Pompey miraculously recovered from these severe injuries, he would undoubtedly be plagued by lingering internal damage. The days of him fighting on the front lines or venturing into highly dangerous Hollows were over. This sorrow for his lifelong rival and dearest friend radiated from the very bottom of his heart.
At the same time, the perceptive gang leader noticed the heavy atmosphere clinging to Wise, Belle, and their otherworldly companions. It was clear the young people had much more to discuss among themselves.
He tactfully excused himself, offering a weary but appreciative nod. "You kids have worked hard today. I will take this old stubborn mule to the back room and get him settled so he can rest properly. Take your time and catch your breath."
With that, he carefully adjusted his grip on Pompey and lumbered toward the lounge adjacent to the workshop, his usually steady steps faltering just a fraction.
Watching the retreating figures of the two Outer Ring veterans, the chat group members gathered in the workshop's front hall fell into a contemplative silence.
On the journey back, Belle had practically live-streamed the entire aftermath at the venue. Through the visual feed of the Bangboo Eous, who had remained by Caesar's side, the group had watched Caesar face down the challenges from the remaining gang leaders. They had also witnessed Lighter's explosive, decisive actions to violently suppress any lingering rebellion.
Recalling the greedy, ambitious sneers of those opportunistic schemers, contrasted with Lighter's absolute thunderous methods, left everyone feeling a deep sense of emotional whiplash.
"There will always be ambitious souls who cannot bear the quiet of peace, forever eager to stir the waters and overturn hard-won stability," Zhongli murmured. The retired Geo Archon stood with his hands clasped neatly behind his back, gazing out the window at the dusty, desolate, yet currently peaceful scenery of Blazewood. His calm, resonant voice carried the heavy weight of a man who had watched centuries of human folly unfold.
"Exactly, exactly!" Paimon nodded so vigorously her makeshift crown nearly slipped. She floated in mid-air, crossing her tiny arms. "That Lucius guy was the absolute worst! And those creeps at the venue who tried to take advantage of the chaos were just as bad!"
Because Eous was still assisting Caesar with the final wrap-up at the arena, Belle had provided a colorful, running commentary of the fierce political and physical battles for the group chat during their drive.
"Hmph. Next time I see any of them, I am definitely giving them a good whack with my bat!" Stelle declared, aggressively swinging an imaginary weapon through the air.
Dan Heng and March 7th nodded silently in agreement, clearly exhausted by the sheer volume of conspiracies and underhanded schemes they had witnessed since arriving in this universe.
Just as the atmosphere threatened to sink back into heavy, brooding silence, Stelle's golden eyes suddenly lit up like supernovas. She practically jumped in place, her previous righteous indignation vanishing into thin air.
"Hey, hey, hey! Everyone! Stop sighing! We have incredibly important matters to attend to!" She rubbed her hands together with chaotic glee, zeroing in on Belle.
"Belle! When exactly are we starting the official chat group Tour de Inferno finals? I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on that champion's reward!"
The topic shifted with such breakneck, absurd speed that the entire room was momentarily stunned into silence. Then, a collective wave of laughter broke the tension.
She was right. The troublesome political matters were temporarily resolved. Why let a bunch of greedy Outer Ring thugs ruin their perfectly good mood?
"Stelle makes a great point!" March 7th perked up immediately, her signature bubbly energy returning in full force. "The competition! The race is the most important thing right now!"
Lumine offered a soft, genuine smile. "It will be good to finally relax and just have some fun."
Wise and Belle exchanged a knowing glance, the heavy tension finally bleeding out of their shoulders as they shared a relaxed smile.
Belle clapped her hands together to finalize the schedule. "Alright! Then let's set the grand finale for right after lunch! Everyone can take this time to rest up and recharge. Wise and I will finish up our proxy reports here, and then we can all race with zero distractions!"
When lunchtime finally rolled around, the atmosphere in the workshop transformed into an exceptionally cheerful, chaotic banquet.
With a wave of her hand, Lumine accessed her Serenitea Pot, pulling out a dazzling array of carefully prepared specialty dishes from across the Teyvat continent. Plates of Mondstadt's crispy Fisherman's Toast, platters of Liyue's sizzling Golden Shrimp Balls, perfectly rolled Inazuman Tamagoyaki, and bowls of rich, fragrant Sumeru Curry Shrimp covered the tables. The mouth-watering aroma of mixed spices and roasted meats instantly filled the cramped workshop.
Not to be outdone in the culinary department, the Astral Express crew proudly presented their own multiversal delicacies. They laid out steaming bamboo steamers of Xianzhou Luofu specialties, sweet Dreamville Rolls from Penacony, and bowls of savory Clearspring Noodles. To top it all off, Stelle enthusiastically slammed down several massive bottles of Mung Bean Soda—a notoriously pungent drink she specifically prepared and highly recommended, claiming it was the absolute number one beverage on the Luofu's popularity charts.
Paimon's eyes literally turned into sparkling stars as she took in the staggering mountain of food. Letting out a high-pitched cheer, she practically dive-bombed the table.
Her tiny floating figure became a blur, darting erratically between the different spreads. She stuffed her cheeks until they bulged like a chipmunk's, her little hands grabbing everything in sight without a single pause for breath.
"Paimon! Eat slowly! You are going to choke at this rate!" Lumine warned, rubbing her temples in fond exasperation.
"Mmm... Mmmf... It's too delishus!" Paimon mumbled indistinctly through a mouthful of food, completely ignoring the warning as she aggressively snatched up another Golden Shrimp Ball.
By the time the massive feast finally concluded, Paimon was slumped backward in a chair, entirely immobilized. She patted her visibly distended little belly with a look of absolute, extraordinary contentment, letting out a series of happy, echoing burps.
"Urrrp... So... delicious... just... a tiny bit full..." she groaned happily.
Looking at Paimon's comically round stomach, the rest of the crew couldn't help but laugh, though a hint of genuine concern crept in.
"Paimon, are you... are you actually going to be able to ride a motorcycle this afternoon?" March 7th asked, eyeing the floating guide skeptically.
"No... no problem at all!" Paimon declared. She tried her hardest to puff out her chest with pride, though the sheer size of her stuffed belly made the heroic gesture look utterly ridiculous. "Paimon is incredibly powerful! I will be perfectly fine after a little nap! At worst, I'll just drive a little slower so I don't throw up!"
Lumine sighed, dragging a hand down her face. "...Alright. If you say so."
The afternoon arrived in a flash of blazing Outer Ring heat.
The sun beat down mercilessly as the multiversal crew, straddling their respective, heavily modified motorcycles, gathered at the edge of a relatively stable Hollow entrance just outside Blazewood. The air hummed with the low rumble of engines as everyone made their final mechanical checks before the ultimate race.
Before they could rev their engines, Zhongli stepped away from his own bike and approached Wise and Belle. In his gloved hands, he held two warm, flawlessly translucent jade pendants, each carefully carved with deep, glowing Geo patterns.
"These are for the two of you," Zhongli said smoothly, offering a pendant to each sibling.
"They contain a concentrated wisp of pure Geo elemental power. This energy will naturally harmonize with your physical forms and help you resist the ambient Aether erosion within the Hollow. Should you encounter any lethal danger during the race, the jade will shatter and form a shield to protect you completely."
Wise and Belle accepted the gifts with wide eyes. The moment the jade touched their skin, it felt incredibly warm. A stable, deep, and grounding heat instantly spread through their veins, anchoring their senses. It was as if the chaotic, whispering Aether energy bleeding out from the nearby Hollow had suddenly been muted, pushed back by an immovable mountain.
They instantly recognized the sheer pricelessness of such a protective artifact and were overwhelmed with gratitude.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Zhongli!" the siblings chorused in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.
"It is no trouble at all. Think nothing of it," Zhongli replied, offering a slight, dignified nod before turning back to his motorcycle.
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