Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

"Mr. Zhiyi".

A clear, melodious voice came from behind, carrying a faint echo that pierced through the clamor of the sea breeze and the boatmen's chants.

Zhiyi stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around.

Miss Linlang, who had just bid him farewell, did not leave; in fact, she followed him for a distance.

At this moment, Linlang was leaning leisurely against a thick mooring post covered with deep marks, the dark stains from the seawater covering the bottom of the post.

The lamplight gilded her profile, and her insightful eyes, filled with undisguised inquiry, fell upon his face, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Those friends who were hiding over there, were they here for you?"

Linlang raised her hand, her slender index finger casually pointing to the empty corner, her tone resolute, without a trace of doubt.

The jade bracelet on her wrist and the waist pendant hanging from her waist gently touched, producing a crisp, soft sound.

Zhiyi's gaze lingered on Linlang's face for a moment before quickly shifting away.

This seemingly delicate antique dealer actually noticed that someone was following her?

Zhiyi maintained his usual gentle demeanor, but the lines of his jaw seemed tighter than usual. He silently watched her, waiting for her to continue.

Linlang chuckled softly, her laughter crisp and short.

She straightened up, leaving the rough stone pillar, and unconsciously stroked the surface of the warm, intricately carved ancient jade waist pendant at her waist with her fingertips.

"Don't be surprised that Xiguju can stand firm in the chaotic Liyue Harbor. If they didn't have some special skills, they would have been devoured long ago."

Linlang spoke in a relaxed tone, raising her beautifully shaped chin as she looked towards the depths of the fishing port where Keqing and her group had disappeared.

"Those few weren't very good at hiding, and they weren't very clever either, but judging from the direction they left, they were clearly more interested in you."

"However... Mr. Zhiyi, what value do you, a student from a humble background, possess that would warrant the personal intervention of Keqing from Yuheng Star? I am truly curious."

Linlang withdrew her gaze and turned to Zhiyi, her expression as focused as a merchant assessing a rare collectible. After a moment's pause, she dropped the playfulness on her face, her eyes becoming even more focused, like a dusty blade being polished.

"Do you need any help, Mr. Zhiyi?"

Linlang took a small step forward, shortening the distance between them, and the sea breeze blew a strand of her hair to her cheek.

She lowered her voice slightly, looked directly into Zhiyi's eyes, and said clearly, "The reason why Xiguju has been able to take root in Liyue for so many years is not just because of its expertise in buying and selling antiques. We also have some other... friends in the industry here."

She lightly tapped her feet on the smooth stone slabs of the dock, making a soft thumping sound.

Upon hearing Linlang's words, Zhiyi's face lit up with a perfectly relaxed smile, as if the other party's suggestion was just a joke between friends.

He certainly couldn't accept Linlang's sudden act of kindness.

The young man raised his hand and casually straightened the slightly wrinkled cuffs of his sleeves, his tone gentle yet carrying a subtle hint of aloofness:

"I appreciate Boss Linlang's kindness, but I think it might be that some of the ideas in the reform plan I submitted to the General Affairs Department recently were too radical, which caught Miss Keqing's attention."

“Miss Keqing is always meticulous in her work, and it is normal for her to conduct a personal investigation.”

Zhiyi downplays the act of tracking as an investigation.

After all, the investigation process for Tian Shu Star couldn't be revealed to outsiders, so Zhi Yi had no choice but to fabricate a lie on the spot. Lin Lang's insightful eyes lingered on Zhi Yi's face for a moment, as if assessing the glaze of an artifact, then her lips curved slightly into an understanding smile, and she nodded gently:
"Oh? I see. Since it's official business, then forget it."

Linlang did not delve into the matter and remained elegant.

"However, if Mr. Zhiyi really needs any help, he can come to Xigu Residence to find me at any time. We have met before, so there is no need to be so polite."

"Then thank you again for your kindness, Boss Linlang."

Zhiyi bowed again, displaying impeccable manners.

Just as Zhiyi straightened up, preparing to take his leave, his gaze inadvertently swept over the mottled gray brick walls of the dock warehouse not far away.

At the base of the wall, several seemingly random charcoal marks of varying depths were combined in a specific pattern that only he could recognize.

This was the emergency communication code that Zhiyi and Famas had agreed upon in the underground of Qingce Village.

Zhiyi's smile gradually froze, and the deliberately maintained ease deep in his eyes vanished, replaced by a cold scrutiny.

He was just pondering the change in the situation when FAMAS's emergency signal came one after another. This was clearly not a coincidence; it must have been an unexpected situation.

"I'm sorry, Boss Linlang."

Zhiyi's voice remained steady, but his speaking speed noticeably increased.

"I suddenly remembered that I have something urgent to take care of, so I'll go ahead."

Zhiyi didn't even have time to wait for Linlang's response. He simply nodded in greeting, then turned around abruptly. His steps were no longer the previous composure, but rather carried a hidden urgency. He quickly merged into the flow of people coming and going at the dock and disappeared in a few flashes.

Linlang stood still and did not stop her.

After Zhiyi left, Linlang's smile faded, and she gazed thoughtfully in the direction where Zhiyi disappeared into the crowd. The gradually brightening night lights cast a long, thin shadow of her standing figure on the stone pavement.

Only after Zhiyi's figure had completely disappeared did Linlang slowly withdraw her gaze. She did not leave immediately, but instead walked towards the mottled gray brick wall of the dock warehouse.

That was the spot where Zhiyi's gaze had briefly lingered just now.

Linlang stopped in front of the wall, tilting her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over the rough texture of the bricks and the gaps in the wall.

She stretched out her slender fingers, gently tapping the protruding bricks with her knuckles, and then slowly tracing along several old cracks, her movements displaying the meticulousness and patience characteristic of an antique dealer.

Finally, Linlang's gaze fell on the base of the wall.

The area was mixed with mud and stains, and several charcoal marks of varying depths, seemingly casually scribbled by a child or left by wind and rain, blended almost into the background and were easily overlooked unless one looked for them deliberately.

Linlang's eyes became focused. She bent down and took out a small piece of charcoal pencil and a thin piece of note paper from the exquisite brocade pouch she carried with her. She held the paper steadily in her left hand and the charcoal pencil in her right hand, her wrist suspended in the air. With extreme precision, she traced the shape, length, and subtle relative positions of the irregular charcoal marks on the wall.

The woman's movements were meticulous, as if she were making a rubbing of a precious inscription.

A moment later, having finished recording, Linlang quickly put the charcoal pencil and the note with the strange pattern back into her pouch. The whole process was clean and efficient. Then she straightened up and scanned her surroundings again, confirming that the hustle and bustle of the dock had made her forget what had happened in this corner.

Nobody cared about what was going on here.

Linlang's lips curved into an almost joyful arc, but her eyes held a calm and profound depth.

She didn't linger, turned and strode away, her skirt swaying silently with her light steps, quickly blending into the crowd, heading directly towards the Iwao Tea House. (End of Chapter)