Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

"I see."

Ye Lan answered calmly without turning around. She put on her clothes one by one, hooking the buttons behind her back with her fingers, smoothing out the silk collar, and putting every wrinkle back in place.

Then he picked up the paper that Chu Yi handed him.

With her thumb and forefinger pinching a corner of the paper, Ye Lan's wrist steadily rotated the paper. The light pierced through the back of the paper, and as the beam of light changed angle, it revealed the fine indentations on the surface, like a dense but invisible spider web.

She adjusted the distance of the paper, her gaze following the marks that only appeared under specific light and shadow.

Then, Ye Lan, slightly annoyed, clenched her fingers, crumpling the paper in her palm until it made a dry rustling sound, before flicking it to the center of the table.

“Zhiyi…” Ye Lan’s index fingertip pressed against her jawline, her voice low, “Who exactly is behind you?”

Yelan is not a god, so naturally she cannot fully decipher the information contained in these markings in a short time.

However, these coded lines are clearly not random, but arranged in a way that Yelan has not yet been able to decipher.

Yelan has been deeply involved in the intelligence industry for many years and naturally knows that everyone has some secrets, but as a Liyue student with a clean background, Zhiyi should obviously not engage in uncontrolled communication with anyone through such coded language at this crucial moment of the selection of Tian Shu Star.

Even without understanding the meaning of these codes, Ye Lan could deduce from this that Zhi Yi's purpose in running for Tian Shu Star was not simple, and that there might even be an organization behind him creating momentum and designing his persona.

Several names flashed through Yelan's mind, and finally, the name of the Fools came to the top.

This speculation is not unfounded.

Because Pantalone's secretary, Irina, had been hunting her down for over half a month.

At first, Ye Lan did not include the other party in her list of those she paid special attention to.

Intelligence work inherently lurks in the shadows; gathering secrets, developing informants, and making numerous enemies are all common occurrences.

As the saying goes, "the more lice, the less you worry," adding Irina's name to the list of those hunting her down is nothing more than adding more debts to Yelan's list.

However, an opponent who can control two elemental forces is indeed troublesome. Most of the clashes between Yelan and Irina ended with Yelan fleeing. When a head-on collision is like hitting a mountain rock, Yelan's instinct is to withdraw and merge into the darkness.

If she can't beat them, can't she at least avoid them?

This is Liyue Harbor, the place where her roots are deeply embedded. Countless layers of streets and alleys are like the blood vessels of a living thing, with docks, teahouses, and warehouses as the pulsating nodes, forming a flowing three-dimensional maze.

Ye Lan was familiar with the patterns on every blue brick in the port city, the opening and closing of every door, and the rise and fall of every sound of the city.

Irina wanted to use a sieve to retrieve a shadow that could instantly change shape and color in the turbulent waters of Liyue, but the chances of success were as slim as a grain of sand.

But as time went on, Yelan had to revise her judgment.

No matter where she changed her hiding place, Irina could always find her accurately. Even in the bustling market, Yelan thought her disguise was flawless, but Irina's eyes could always penetrate the crowd and instantly lock onto her location and identify her.

After several attempts, Ye Lan realized that Irina must possess some kind of tracking method or special equipment that could pinpoint her location precisely, like a hunting dog locking onto a scent.

With the passive evasion strategy failing, Ye Lan immediately abandoned her original plan to hide and turned her attention to a new direction.

How to weave a trap to capture this Pantalone secretary.

More importantly, we need to extract the core secrets of the tracking methods from Irina.

Just as Ye Lan was mobilizing resources to deal with this private hunt, the selection process for Tian Shu Star began as scheduled. Ye Lan did not forget Uncle Tian's entrustment, but Uncle Tian obviously knew that she was busy recently. He told Ye Lan that he had handed over the assessment to Ke Qing and told Ye Lan to ensure her own safety first.

But Ye Lan's investigation did not stop there.

Even without Uncle Tian's request, it is Ye Lan's duty to investigate the background of each candidate.

Through days of maneuvering and observation, Yelan finally cracked the mystery of Irina's precise tracking.

The answer lies in the simple nautical compass hanging from the other person's waist.

Whether Ye Lan was hiding in an abandoned warehouse or a bustling dock, the magnetic needle in the center of the compass seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, firmly gripping her direction without the slightest deviation.

Now that the reason has been discovered, Yelan can devise a solution based on it.

The investigation into Zhiyi's line of work has also yielded results.

Despite Irina's relentless pursuit making it difficult for Yelan to fully focus on the detailed investigation of the Tian Shu Star candidates, this area is ultimately her territory. Apart from her overt subordinates such as Shang Hua, Wen Yuan, and Wu Pei, Yelan's spies and secret channels are spread throughout every corner of Liyue Harbor.

If Ningguang is the celestial being who sits in the Jade Pavilion, controlling the public order of Liyue, then Yelan is the undisputed ruler of the shadows of this harbor.

For many matters that needed to be resolved in the shadows, Yelan acted even faster than Ningguang, and her intelligence sources were also deeper and broader.

The converging clues were gradually forming a clear outline in Ye Lan's mind. There must be an inseparable relationship between Zhiyi and the Fools.

The timing of Irina's pursuit of her coincided precisely with the start of the Tian Shu Star selection process. This was clearly not a coincidence, but rather a deliberate move by the Fools to eliminate any potential threats to Zhi Yi.

Combined with Linlang's intelligence, Uncle Tian's words, Zhiyi's impeccable resume, his shrewdness in deliberately befriending people from all walks of life in Liyue, and even the sneaky vigilance and hurried departure at the dock today.

Ye Lan felt no lingering hope.

Zhiyi's candidacy for Tian Shu Star is definitely not for the future of Liyue; there must be some ulterior motive behind it.

The impure motives are undeniable.

Fortunately, Keqing and the traveler were not mediocre either. Although their investigation methods were somewhat crude, they keenly sensed something unusual and began a detailed background check on Qianwei, Mingbo, and Zhiyi.

While this overt investigation lacked the secrecy and tension that Ye Lan excelled at, it was like a sword hanging over Zhi Yi's head, carrying a dignified and oppressive force.

As long as they continue to apply pressure and delve deeper into the clues, Zhiyi's seemingly perfect disguise will inevitably crack.

It was only a matter of time before it was exposed.

Therefore, Ye Lan was not in a hurry to reveal Zhi Yi's true colors at this moment.

Stirring up trouble will only scare away the real big fish.

In the depths of Ye Lan's emerald eyes, there gleamed the sharp light that only a hunter would show when locking onto a more precious prey.

At this moment, she was calculating how to use Zhiyi as bait to set up an even more ingenious trap and find out the more valuable target, Irina, the trusted secretary of Pantalone, the executive officer of the Fools.

The intelligence network that Miss Irina possesses is clearly beyond what Zhiyi can match.

As for Famas, who was investigating alongside Keqing and the Traveler, Yelan subconsciously overlooked him.

In Yelan's calculations, the existence of Famas was an exception that could not be included in the usual considerations. This demon god was almost equivalent to a walking calamity in Liyue.

If Famas truly coveted power in Liyue, why would he bother cooperating with a mere mortal like Zhiyi?

He only needed to slowly step into the Moonsea Pavilion and calmly inform Ningguang of his wishes. Whether she wanted the position of Tianquan or Liyue Harbor itself, the rational choice Ningguang could make was to bow down and yield in the most respectful manner.

There is no longer a Geo Archon in Liyue Harbor.

Any form of resistance is as absurd as a mantis trying to stop a chariot in the face of the immense power of a demon that can reshape mountains and rivers.

Power is the rule, and FAMAS itself is the embodiment of the rule.

Including him in the Zhiyi conspiracy is not only superfluous, but also ridiculous.

Therefore, in Night Orchid's opening strategy, FAMAS is automatically placed in the category of uncontrollable background disturbances, rather than an opponent or piece that needs to be actively dealt with.

As for now.

Ye Lan let out a soft sigh, carrying the chilly, damp air of the basement. Her fingertips unconsciously brushed against the new skin on her arm beneath her outer robe, the slight pain briefly pulling her back to reality.

She slowly stood up, supporting herself on the edge of the bare wooden table.

Ye Lan's usual swiftness seemed to be entangled by invisible threads, revealing a hint of weariness that was hard to conceal.

After half a month of intense maneuvering under Irina's precise pursuit and pushing her body to its limits, Ye Lan finally showed signs of fatigue during this brief respite.

After handing over the intelligence, Chu Yi quietly withdrew and returned to the bustling tea room above, continuing to play her role as a meticulous tea room receptionist. At this moment, only Ye Lan remained in the cold and quiet basement.

But she cannot stay for long.

Irina possesses a compass that can track her location; lingering in one place for too long will inevitably attract her pursuit.

Ye Lan's gaze swept across the narrow space. Without lingering, she turned around and walked silently toward the only exit of the basement, her steps carrying a strong sense of urgency.

If Yelan were to encounter Irina in the wilderness, she could still use the terrain to her advantage. However, if she were to be caught up by Irina in the heart of Liyue Harbor, a place where countless mortals live in peace and prosperity, where merchant ships sail and buildings stand tall, and if Irina were to use all her strength against her will, she would be in serious trouble.

That would be a nightmare for Liyue Harbor, and a complete dereliction of duty for Yelan as a Liyue Guardian.

The price was so heavy that Ye Lan felt suffocated even by imagining it.

She had to be moved immediately. (End of Chapter)