Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

Time passed quietly in silence, and the abandoned factory returned to silence, leaving only the occasional mechanical humming among the ruins guarding the wreckage.

Famas and Wendy had retreated to the corner without anyone noticing, their heads close together.

The red-haired boy spoke in a low voice, and the poet's emerald eyes flashed with helplessness from time to time as he spoke, but he would occasionally chuckle.

The traveler stood not far away with his arms folded, his amber pupils always fixed on Tartaglia.

Paimon nervously flew around the Executor twice, then approached the Traveler and whispered:

"Traveler, do you think the young master is okay? Will he suddenly turn into an abyss monster? His face is still so pale..."

Tartaglia leaned against the rusty ruins guard, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the oil paper bag containing medicine powder in his arms.

The factory was eerily quiet, and of course he heard what Paimon was mumbling. He then shook his head in annoyance and amusement: "Hey, do I look that fragile?"

"If ordinary people gaze into the abyss, they will only lose their colors and fade to pure white. They will not turn into monsters so easily."

"But even if it turns into a monster like the Hilliard, it's still better than a slime that can breathe fire."

Tartaglia looked at FAMAS on the other side with dull eyes. At the same time, FAMAS's exaggerated sigh came from the corner:
"That's a shame. It seems that a certain self-righteous guy has never even beaten a slime like me."

Before Famas finished speaking, Wendy immediately cooperated by plucking the strings and playing a funny distorted melody.

The two gods sang in unison and succeeded in making Paimon so angry that he stomped his feet in the air: "You two! This is not funny at all!"

But when she turned to Tartaglia she froze.

The executive's tense shoulders actually relaxed, and the corners of his lips even curled up in a genuine arc.

"Then it seems I still have to work hard..."

The night breeze passed through the cracks in the factory, carrying the scent of distant neon flowers and gently blowing away the last trace of tension.

Not long after, heavy mechanical footsteps were heard from deep inside the factory. Noah's huge body slowly walked out from the shadows. Tok was sitting on its broad mechanical arm, his little face flushed with excitement.

"elder brother!"

Tok's eyes shone like two stars in the dim factory. He cheered and jumped down from Noah's mechanical arm. His small figure drew an arc of joy in the moonlight.

Tartaglia stood up almost at the same moment.

He was so weak that he had to hold on to the wall just now, but now he moved so fast that he didn't even have time to leave an afterimage.

At the child's clear call, Tartaglia had already opened his arms to welcome him, and Tok crashed into his arms like a small cannonball, bringing with him the warmth that only belongs to a child.

The orange-haired young man was knocked back slightly, but his smile was gentler than ever.

"Noah showed me lots of one-eyed little treasures! They all glowed and said hello to me!"

The child danced and gestured, and the sword-shaped key in his hand drew a black and red arc in the firelight.

Tartaglia ruffled his brother's hair gently, but his eyes kept following the dangerous toy.

"Tok, this sword is too precious. Can I keep it for you?" He squatted down and said in an unnaturally gentle voice, "I'll give it back to you when you grow up."

Tartaglia's fingertips gently stroked the delicate sword-shaped key, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes. He turned his head slightly and cast a tentative look at FAMAS, with a rare cautious look between his brows.

Famas obviously noticed Tartaglia's look. He waved his hand nonchalantly and even asked him back, "Why are you looking at me? The key is not in my hand."

The boy's tone was so frivolous that it seemed as if he was talking about today's weather rather than the key to the fate of an ancient kingdom. His nonchalant attitude also showed that he did not care about the final ownership of the key.

Or maybe Famas originally wanted to send this key to Solstice, to the hands of the Fatui.

Tok blinked his big innocent eyes and looked back and forth between the adults.

His intuition made him vaguely aware of the undercurrent in the air, but he still maintained the innocence unique to children. He tilted his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly stood on tiptoe and solemnly held the key in front of his brother with both hands:
"Then you have to promise me," his voice was as clear as a bell, but with a seriousness beyond his age, "when I grow as tall as you, you must take me to the real One-Eyed Little Treasure Paradise!" Tartaglia knelt on one knee, so that his eyes were level with his brother's. He took the key gently and firmly, but his fingertips trembled slightly at the moment of touch.

This lightweight metal object carries too much unspeakable weight.

"I promise."

Tartaglia said softly, putting the key into the most hidden compartment of his inner pocket, and when he raised his eyes, he met Famas's meaningful gaze.

After solemnly handing the key to Tartaglia, Toke rubbed his eyes and yawned slightly.

The factory built by the doctor is actually completely isolated from external light, making it difficult to distinguish between day and night.

The traveler took out an exquisite water clock from his bag. In the crystal glass tube, water drops were dripping slowly at a constant rhythm.

"According to the Liyue timekeeping method, it is already three quarters past midnight."

The girl reminded softly.

Tartaglia nodded and gently picked up Tok, who was beginning to feel sleepy. "Tok, we should go back to Liyue Harbor."

He spoke very softly, for fear of disturbing the child who was already a little sleepy.

"it is good."

Toke tried hard to open his sleepy eyes, and his little head moved slowly, but he still tried to stay awake.

When he was sitting on Noah's shoulders on the way back, sleepiness had already come over him like a tide, but the excitement of wanting to share his adventures with his brother kept him going until now.

"What about these ruins guards, and... uh... Noah..." Paimon floated in the air, twisting his hands nervously, "Are we just going to leave like this and not have to worry about them?"

Everyone's eyes turned to FAMAS. The young god stood in the shadow of the steel corridor and shook his head slightly. His eyes swept across Noah's cold mechanical arm beside him. It was unknown what he was thinking:
"Let them stay here for now."

Noah's core emitted a low hum, as if responding to its master's words. It slowly bent its knees, and its huge mechanical body cast a mottled shadow in the moonlight, like a guardian forgotten by time.

Neither Paimon nor the traveler asked any more questions. They walked slowly along the corridor they came from, and the sound of their footsteps echoed in the empty factory.

When the last gate slowly closed behind him, the night had completely enveloped the mountains of Liyue.

Tok had already fallen asleep on his brother's back, his little hands unconsciously clutching Tartaglia's clothes, a sweet smile on his lips.

The traveler fell behind the group and stopped to look back.

The steel factory that swallowed so many secrets was gradually disappearing in the twilight. Only a few portholes and pipes still reflected the last rays of sunset, like half-closed eyes peeping at the world.

The lights of thousands of homes in Liyue Harbor gradually light up, weaving a warm web in the deepening night.

Wendy had walked in front without her noticing. The poet's emerald braids swayed slightly with her brisk steps, and she hummed an impromptu barcarolle.

Famas landed alone at the edge of the team, his red eyes staring at the dark arc where the sea and sky met in the distance, as if he was waiting for something.

Tartaglia adjusted Tok's position so that his brother could sleep more peacefully.

The sound of the child's even breathing brushed past my ears, bringing a reassuring warmth. The thrills of the entire day seemed to have turned into worthwhile memories at this moment.

"Hey…"

Paimon leaned close to the traveler's ear and lowered his voice very low, "That key... I always feel like we're involved in some trouble again..."

The traveler did not answer, but unconsciously stroked the other key in his pocket.

The night wind swept across the harbor, carrying with it the salty sea mist and the subtle fragrance of neon flowers, as well as some indescribable omen that the gears of fate were beginning to turn.

On the distant sea, the Yermak ship was lighting up its signal lights, and the flickering lights seemed like some kind of silent call. (End of this chapter)