Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

As the Lantern Festival approaches, the night sky of Liyue is illuminated by thousands of lanterns, flowing into a gentle, crystal-clear world.

On the dock, the bronze backs of the dockworkers hunched over under the lights, beads of sweat falling to the ground like stars shattering into the mortal world, blending the festive light and shadow into the pulse of their labor.

Having understood the meaning of "Wind Color Hunt", Beidou's mood clearly brightened again.

Her bright eyes swept over the traveler and Paimon, and with a generous wave of her hand, she extended an invitation:
"Who cares what kind of wind it is? I'm telling you, since you're here, you two don't need to stay at an inn tonight. Just rest on my Death Star; there's plenty of room."

Beidou patted the sturdy ship's side enthusiastically.

"Since it's still early, I'll give you a good tour of my precious ship and tell you how hard the keel of the Death Star is, how sturdy its sails are, and how powerful its firepower is!"

"Just consider it a preview of life at sea... uh, life at sea! How about it?"

Beidou's eyes were bright and full of a big sister's enthusiasm, as if she was already planning a route to take the travelers and Paimon on a tour.

The girl looked at Beidou's enthusiastic expression, and then at Paimon beside her, whose eyes were shining with excitement and whose little hands were tugging at the hem of her clothes.

Neither of them had ever spent the night on a real ocean-going vessel before, so it was indeed a novel and rare experience.

Yingmei hesitated for a moment, thinking it would be a good opportunity to get used to the feeling of being at sea, and nodded in response to Beidou's expectant gaze:
"Alright, then I'll trouble you, Big Sister. It'll be good to get used to it in advance."

"Haha! That was great!"

Beidou laughed loudly when he saw that they agreed.

"I'll have the crew prepare a clean cabin for you. You'll eat on the ship tonight and experience the taste of the ship's main kitchen!"

Traveller and Paimon followed Big Dipper, traversing almost every inch of the Dead Star's decks and cabins, except for a few private spaces reserved by the crew.

The two were deeply impressed by the straightforwardness of the leader of Beidou and the enthusiasm of the crew.

But when the two women needed to rest, the experience of the ship's journey was completely different.

The ship, Dead Star, rocked and swayed with the waves all night long. The travelers were tormented by the constant rocking, their stomachs churning uncomfortably, and the deck beneath their feet felt like soft, unyielding cotton, making every step unsteady.

Unable to endure the endless swaying any longer, and too embarrassed to sneak off the ship under the cover of night, the traveler had no choice but to practically crawl back to the hammock that Beidou had arranged for her.

The girl curled up in the hammock, her fingers gripping the edge of the rope tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

The hammock itself swayed gently with the rhythm of the ship, but compared to the feeling of floating without any support on the deck below, this swaying finally provided some support and made me feel much more at ease.

The traveler tries to find a sense of stability in this gentle swaying, a place to rest his weary body.

Paimon, on the other hand, presented a completely different picture.

The little guy was completely unaffected, just like on land, leisurely swaying in the limited space of the hammock as usual.

Her small body rose and fell gracefully with each sway of the boat, appearing exceptionally free and at ease. After all, Paimon usually floated like this, swaying and drifting in the air.

Now that she was on the boat, the swaying was even less than when she was in the air.

After a night of tossing and turning, the exhausted traveler finally succumbed to sleepiness and drifted off to rest in the swaying hammock.

However, the very next morning, a momentous event occurred that shook the entire Liyue Harbor.

At the heart of the matter was the exchange specially set up on the Jade Capital Terrace for the purpose of issuing lantern vouchers.

As is well known, this exchange closes at night and does not reopen for trading until the following morning.

The unique price fluctuations of the Xiaodeng Coupon have spawned a group of short-term traders who are keen to capture fleeting price differences.

These people who chase huge profits often gather outside the closed doors of the exchange before dawn, forming long queues shoulder to shoulder, just to rush in and complete their transactions at the first moment the market opens.

Even worse, some people set up tents and camped out in Yujingtai Square, turning this solemn place, which was originally intended for sacrifices and celebrations, into a noisy and crowded stronghold for speculators.

The hawkers' cries, the arguments among the crowd, and the litter left on the ground made the square chaotic and disorderly.

The noise and chaos quickly alerted the patrolling Thousand Rock Army. The report was relayed up the chain of command, and finally, the Thousand Rock Army instructor, Feng Yan, personally ordered that the square must be cleared after the night exchange closed.

Squads of the Thousand Rock Army immediately marched to the square, resolutely driving away the opportunists who were disturbing the tranquility of the sacred sacrificial site. After several rounds of negotiations and actions, the Yujingtai Square finally regained its former solemnity and emptiness.

But the allure of Mora did not diminish in the slightest, and countless eyes remained fixed on the opening time of the exchange.

As dawn broke, speculators surged back to the edge of Yujingtai Square like a tide, waiting anxiously.

Taking advantage of the gaps in the Thousand Rock Army's rotation or patrols, they skillfully squeezed into the reserved queuing area in the square, their eyes fixed intently on that tightly closed door that seemed to lead to endless wealth.

In response to the ongoing pressure and potential security risks, the Qianyan Army had to deploy more personnel than usual to monitor various corners and guard against any behavior that might incite chaos or cause conflict.

However, this morning, the situation was quite different.

The Thousand Rock Army soldiers who should have been at their posts early to maintain order were unusually absent.

The guard post that should have been manned by them was empty. On the huge Yujingtai Square, only a few early-arriving vendors and a handful of the most eager speculators were quietly queuing up.

An unusual stillness and an unresolved restlessness permeated the air.

As time passed, more and more people and merchants gathered in Yujingtai Square, and the noise gradually became louder, with waves of noise rolling across the empty stone slabs.

Some quick-thinking individuals, seeing that there were no Thousand Rock Army soldiers maintaining order beside the queue, suddenly became bold and quietly moved their feet, trying to wedge their bodies into the gaps in the lined-up ranks.

Those who successfully squeezed to the front couldn't help but smile with a hint of pride, as if the few steps they took were a shortcut to the hall of wealth.

Entering the trading hall early means seizing the initiative, capturing fleeting trends, and reaping greater profits.

However, this secret joy was as fleeting as morning dew.

It was already past Chen Shi (7-9 AM), but the door to wealth at the exchange, which opened punctually every day, remained locked and stood silently today.

What was even more unsettling was that the Chiiwa soldiers, who should have been in place to maintain order, were nowhere to be seen. The crowd in the square initially just complained in hushed tones, since it was not uncommon for notices of delayed openings to appear when trading was booming.

But the hour markers of Chen (7-9 AM) quietly slid across the water clock, and the short shadow of the sundial clearly pointed to Si (9-11 AM).

The anxious wait stretched on endlessly, and the gathered crowd finally began to stir restlessly.

Even the most exciting transactions have never been delayed until now.

The Thousand Rock Army, who should have been guarding order like a rock, was nowhere to be found. An invisible doubt quietly grew and spread amidst the whispers and increasingly frequent shoving among the crowd.

Some astute individuals couldn't resist sneaking up to the exchange's tightly closed doors and pounding on the heavy panels, hoping to wake the possibly sleeping staff inside.
"Hey! Open the door! The time has passed!"

Others clung to the windows like geckos, squinting and straining their eyes to peer through the gaps in the curtains, futilely searching for any unusual signs in the dimly lit room.

Some of the more decisive individuals left the bustling Yujingtai Square and hurried towards Yiyan Palace, hoping to find out the reason from the Qianyan Army guarding there.

The guards of Keyiyan Palace are far superior to those of the Qianyan Army on Yujing Terrace, whose main role is to guide and persuade.

The moment the inquirer stepped onto the stone steps in front of the Yiyan Hall, before he could even speak, several gleaming spears were instantly raised, their sharp tips flashing with cold light, aimed straight at his chest.

"Get out!"

The guards' shouts were like the clang of metal on metal, carrying an undeniable air of killing intent.

"Anyone who approaches the Yiyan Palace without authorization will be executed without pardon!"

As the core stronghold of Liyue Harbor, the Thousand Rock Army guarding this place are mostly veterans from the Layered Rock Battlefield, forged in blood and fire.

They were given the highest level of authority, and all they saw was their cold, hard duty.

Those without a pass will be sternly expelled, and those who dare to trespass will be killed on the spot.

Here, there is none of the leniency and consideration shown to merchants that was present at Yujingtai Square; only an absolute barrier forged with iron and blood.

Their existence is solely for the purpose of protecting the imposing presence of the Yiyan Palace at all costs. (End of Chapter)