Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

The traveler pulled Paimon along as they raced, the wind whistling past their ears, the steps of Liyue Harbor rushing past their feet.

However, when they finally arrived at Yujingtai, panting heavily, the scene before them made them stop in their tracks.

people!
There are people everywhere!
The exchange, a blend of upturned eaves and sturdy stone foundations, seemed to be submerged by the surging crowds.

The vast square was teeming with people, shoulder to shoulder, a dark mass stretching as far as the eye could see. The clamor of voices merged into a huge, continuous roar, as if the heartbeat of the entire Liyue Harbor had been compressed into this small space, making people's eardrums throb.

The sharp voices of bargaining, the excited shouts, the arguments that erupted due to differing opinions, the vendors' cries of "insider information" or "exclusive analysis" rising and falling, and the anxious inquiries of those who couldn't get to the front...

The various sounds intertwined, like hundreds of cicadas chirping in your ears at the same time, or like a pot of boiling water bubbling and churning endlessly.

The crowd surged and pushed like a lake tossed with pebbles, countless arms raised high, waving molars, wooden signs with prices written on them, or tickets issued by the exchange. The faces of people dressed in various ways were filled with greed, fanaticism, anxiety, and calculation.

Some people stood on tiptoe and craned their necks, trying to see the huge crystal plaque above the exchange's gate that constantly displayed the latest prices of the Sky Lantern Coupons. Others were sweating profusely as they tried to weave through the crowd. Still others climbed directly onto the stone lions or flower bed railings at the edge of the square, just to gain a slightly higher vantage point.

Clever vendors had already sensed business opportunities at the edges and corners of the square.

The makeshift stalls sell simple food, refreshing herbal teas, and even errand runners who can queue up for people.

The air was thick with the smells of sweat, the aroma of food, and a restless atmosphere that was almost solidified, a mixture of the stench of money and ambition.

The exchange itself, with its solemn and dignified Liyue-style architecture, appeared somewhat small and oppressive in the face of this frenzied crowd. The huge carved wooden doors were tightly closed, leaving only a side entrance guarded by fully armed Thousand Rock soldiers, limiting the number of people allowed in.

Staff members in uniform occasionally hurried past the second-floor railing, glancing down expressionlessly at the bustling scene, as if watching a swarm of ants going crazy for honey.

"Waaaaah..."

Paimon's mouth gaped slightly in surprise at the unprecedented scene, and his small, floating body instinctively shrank behind the traveler, as if afraid of being swept away by the surging crowd.

"There are so many people! This is even more outrageous than a ritual to invite immortals! Can we really squeeze in?"

The traveler frowned, gazing at the sea of ​​people and the closed side door of the exchange. He then looked up at the price of the Night Lantern Coupons on the crystal plaque, which had jumped even higher than when they had calculated it that morning, and his heart sank.

Faced with such a crowded scene, unless the traveler uses elemental power to force their way in, they cannot be sure whether they can enter the exchange to buy lamp tickets before the midday market closes.

The girl frowned, grabbed Paimon's wrist, and was about to grit her teeth and plunge into the crowd, trying to find a gap to get closer to the side door of the exchange.

"Huh? That, isn't that...?"

Just then, a cry of surprise, tinged with uncertainty yet rising in pitch, exploded near the traveler like a drop of boiling oil.

"Look! It's him! The great hero who stood up at the Immortal Invocation Ceremony to help the Seven Stars fight against the Demon God! The Traveler!"

The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to possess a strange magic, instantly tearing a hole in the small patch of noise surrounding the traveler.

Dozens of eyes focused on them at once, shining like searchlights on the traveler and Paimon. The chatter paused briefly, like a duck being choked, before erupting into an even louder uproar!
"Oh my god! It really is her!"

"That's right! That's her! That outfit, and that flying sprite! I saw her with my own eyes at Yujingtai!"

"Liyue's great benefactor! What's she doing here?" "What else could it be? To buy Lantern Festival Tickets, of course!"

A shrewd businessman suddenly slapped his thigh, his voice filled with the excitement of sudden realization.

"Even the great hero who saved Liyue is personally buying them, so what's the potential of these Lantern Festival Tickets? They're definitely going to be a highlight of Ningguang's Lantern Festival! You can't go wrong buying them by following the hero!"

This sentence was like a key, completely unlocking the imagination and greed of the crowd. Previously, they were only surprised by the appearance of the traveler, but now they were quickly led to endless imagination about the value of the lantern tickets.

"That's right! Even the great heroes are here! This coupon must be valuable!"

"Even she thinks it's good, what are we hesitating for? Buy it! We have to buy a lot!"

"Quick! Make way! Make way for the hero!"

"Don't push, everyone! Let our benefactor go first!"

The discussion quickly spread and fermented, and people's gazes toward the traveler shifted from initial surprise and respect to a rapidly growing layer of fervent faith.

The very fact that the traveler appeared at the entrance of the Yujingtai Exchange was itself a wordless guarantee bearing the official seal, confirming the immeasurable future value of the Xiaodeng Coupons.

This sudden surge of hero worship quickly translated into concrete actions.

The crowd blocking the travelers' path actually parted spontaneously and somewhat chaotically to the sides, managing to carve out a narrow passage through the throng.

Countless eyes stared intently at her, filled with envy, anticipation, and urging. Some even waved their Mora bags excitedly, as if the girl were a guiding light leading them to wealth.

Paimon was quite taken aback by this sudden courtesy and the intense gazes coming from all directions. He clutched the corner of the traveler's cloak tightly, his voice trembling slightly:
"Travelers! Why...why are they looking at us like that?"

"Oh, how terrifying! It's like we've become the most expensive dish in the Liuli Pavilion's shop window!"

The traveler's feelings were extremely complicated at this moment. She looked at the road that had parted on its own initiative, and listened to the discussions around her that equated her trip with the value of the lantern ticket. She felt a chill creep up her spine.

She could even clearly see the huge crystal plaque above the exchange not far away. In the short few minutes that she was surrounded by onlookers, the price of the Sky Lantern Coupon jumped up by an eye-catching number!

She wanted to explain, but in this frenzied atmosphere, any explanation would be drowned out or distorted.

"Walk."

The traveler lowered his voice, pulled the trembling Paimon along, and almost braced himself, trudged quickly toward the side door of the exchange guarded by the Thousand Rock Army, amidst the almost welcoming gazes and whispers of the crowds on both sides.

Every step the Traveler and Paimon took felt like walking on invisible thorns, because everyone in the area believed that this hero of Liyue was there to invest in Lantern Tickets, and this perception would only inflate the Lantern Ticket bubble even further.

Only now did the traveler begin to feel somewhat like he had been tricked by Pantalone.

But things have come to this point, so there's no choice but to go through with it. (End of Chapter)