"Ahem... there's no rush for that, I'm not going anywhere. Since the transaction is complete, let's hurry down the mountain and open some treasure chests!"
"Heehee~ I know, I know! Then let's go!"
After a while...
"Are we there yet... I feel like I can't walk anymore... (￣д￣)"
"Strange... in my memory, it was supposed to be around here. Could they have run away?"
"But if they ran away, they wouldn't take the campfire and everything, would they..." (Hu Tao's stamina is really good... I'm almost dead from exhaustion, and she's still like nothing happened... Well, it's also because I didn't have much stamina to begin with...)
"I don't know about that... how about we go back first? I'll bring you to find it again next time."
Ying suddenly covered her eyes and said sadly, "Wuwuwu... you've deceived my pure feelings~" (Heehee~ I suddenly want to tease her.)
"Host, this bad habit will bring retribution."
(Tsk~ I don't believe in such superstitious things.)
Hearing the change in Ying's tone, Hu Tao became a little nervous and quickly comforted her, "Don't cry, don't cry! I'll help you look again..."
"Mm..." Ying looked at Hu Tao with a pitiful expression.
"I... I'll go look over there!" (So cute it makes one want to commit a crime...)
"Okay..." (Heh heh~ My acting is getting better and better~)
"If you're going to act, you have to commit. The moment she turns her head back, you show a triumphant expression, isn't that asking for trouble?"
(What are you afraid of? She just checked over there, how could she turn back so quickly~)
"Oh right, we've already searched this area. Let's go look over there, Ying... What's with that expression..." As soon as Hu Tao turned around, she saw Ying's smug expression and immediately realized she had been tricked.
"Ah... Σ(|||▽|||)"
"Retribution has arrived, host."
(This is coming a bit too quickly?!)
"Ying... I didn't expect that despite your outwardly innocent appearance, you're actually a mischievous imp," Hu Tao said with a smile, though from Ying's perspective, that smile might not have been a friendly one.
"Th-that... I-I-I... I can explain... Σ(|||▽|||)"
"I understand, I understand. As Ying's good friend, this Hall Master will definitely help you change this bad habit (^～^)."
"How can I be so embarrassed... Haha... Ha... Ah~ I suddenly remembered I forgot something. Goodbye!!"
"Don't run!"
Ying, who was already exhausted, was quickly caught up to and tackled by Hu Tao. Her little feet dangled in the air, trying to break free from Hu Tao's grasp, but her body was soft and weak. After struggling for a while, Hu Tao seized an opportunity and grabbed Ying's hands, pinning them behind her back.
"Wuwu... I was wrong, I won't dare to do it again (t^t)."
"If apologies were useful, what would we need laws for?"
"Th-th-then... then using private punishment is also illegal..."
"Is it really private punishment just because I'm teasing you a little? Do you remember what you promised me earlier? (^～^)"
"Can I... can I still regret it now..."
"Mm... it's too late!"
"Nooo (╥﹏╥)."
"Heh heh~ I originally planned to deal with you after returning to Liyue Harbor, but it seems someone likes to play with fire~"
"Wuwu... I won't dare to be so smug again next time..."
"So the host means you'll dare to do it again next time..."
"Before I resort to private punishment, do you have any last words, Ying-chan~"
"So it's still private punishment! Sigh... Last words... Please be gentle... Huh?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
"I think I heard a familiar sound... Don't speak for now..." Ying said, then pressed her ear to the ground.
"Oh..."
"These are... the sounds of Hilichurls and Lawachurls... the source of the sound seems to be underground... and there are quite a few of them..." Ying analyzed after listening carefully.
"Underground? They shouldn't be able to dig holes, right?"
"Mm... there might be a cave around here. Let's look for it. Maybe there's a treasure chest~"
"Ying, you're really fond of treasure chests. Most of the treasure chests don't have anything good in them."
"Ahem~ Even a mosquito is meat when it comes to accumulation." (Mainly, I can get Primogems... With both gacha pulls and system upgrades, without treasure chests, I might have to wait until the year of the monkey (ー△ー).)
"Building a tower with sand... Makes sense. Then this Hall Master will search the left side, and I'll leave the right side to you. You can still walk, right?"
"Mm, although I'm exhausted, I can still manage to walk. And my Elemental power has almost recovered, so I'll have the strength to fight back even if attacked suddenly."
"Mm-hmm, then let's get moving~"
"Oh~"
After a while...
"Strange, has Hu Tao finished searching over there? It should be around here... But I've searched almost everywhere and still haven't found the entrance... Where did I miss something..." Ying scratched her little head in confusion.
"Here, here~ I found it!"
"Where?"
"In the bushes."
"Bushes... Ah?! I completely forgot such an important piece of common knowledge..."
"Common knowledge?"
"Ahem... Never mind, let's sneak in~"
"Oh~"
Ying and Hu Tao felt their way along the wall and quietly entered. After a moment, they saw a large group of Hilichurls and Lawachurls gathered together. Upon closer inspection, they could see a Pyro Abyss Mage in the center of them.
"So many monsters?! How did they gather here?!"
"Mm, so many treasure chests... I'm going to be rich~(✪▽✪)"
"Your focus seems a bit strange, Ying."
"Ah... Ahem~ They must have been gathered by that Pyro Abyss Mage. No wonder we couldn't find them earlier. They really took the campfire and everything..."
"Pyro Abyss Mage... Why would it gather them like this?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure the Abyss is about to make a big move... and this grand plan is very likely targeting Liyue."
"So we have to stop them... but that guy is Pyro-aligned. My God Stone will have a hard time dealing effective damage to it..."
"Heh heh~ Don't worry, with me here, none of them will escape."
"Eh? But you don't have much stamina left, do you? Can you really deal with so many of them?"
"Don't worry, don't worry. Only those taller and stronger Lawachurls will cause me some trouble. The smaller Hilichurls are just ATMs to me, it doesn't matter how many there are. However..."
"However?"
"However, I need to rest for a bit. I'm exhausted from being chased by you (╥﹏╥)."
"Heh heh~ Isn't this called a blessing in disguise?"
"Uh... it should be 'a blessing in disguise'..."
"How can sticking close to this Hall Master be a misfortune?"