Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

The traveler, Paimon, and Famas stood in the main hall of Bublu.

Sunlight filtering through the bamboo blinds cast long, thin shadows on the bluestone pavement. The air was filled with the slightly astringent scent of dried herbs and the embers of a warm stove, mixed with the dampness of the earth after the rain.

As soon as Bai Shu finished speaking, the thick cloth curtain on one side of the backyard was suddenly lifted by a hand with distinct knuckles.

Ye Lan's figure silently slipped into the room.

She wore a sharply tailored, modified blue-black short cheongsam with a matte leather lining that hugged her curves, exuding a cool and aloof feel.

The outfit boldly features a backless design and high slits, subtly revealing a sense of power as you walk. A fluffy white fur shawl is casually draped over the shoulders, softening the overall sharpness, while knee-high black leather boots provide a steady and decisive stride.

At the clasp on her waist, a translucent water elemental eye faintly emitted a blue glow.

"Night... Night Orchid?"

Paimon exclaimed, his little face full of surprise.

"You... how did you get here?"

The traveler also looked surprised, his gaze shifting rapidly between Yelan and the deep inner hall behind him, wondering why this intelligence expert from Liyue would appear at the scene of Uncle Tian's treatment.

Ye Lan merely tilted her head slightly, returning a mysterious smile, her gaze sweeping over the people at the door before finally settling with interest on the silent Famas.

She did not respond to Paimon's exclamation, her gaze passing over the astonished Yingmei and the floating little Paimon, calmly settling on Famas's position.

Famas's gaze swept calmly and meticulously over Yelan.

This scrutiny was not offensive, but rather a silent assessment. However, when the boy's gaze swept over Ye Lan's deep blue robes and straight shoulders, it suddenly froze at the slightly open waistline of her garments.

There, a brass compass, engraved with precise nautical markings and star symbols, hangs silently, its edges gleaming with wear and a small indentation running diagonally across its surface.

That was the compass of fate that Famas personally gave to Irina, to locate Yelan's whereabouts and guide the hunt.

But the compass that should have been on the hunter was hanging safely on the prey's waist.

Everything goes without saying.

Irina not only failed, but her situation is probably far more dangerous than the word "failure" can encompass.

Famas's deep red eyes remained calm and undisturbed, showing no surprise or emotional fluctuation. He slowly inhaled, the herbal scent filling his nostrils seemingly carrying a faint, almost imperceptible, metallic smell.

This result was not entirely unexpected by FAMAS.

Liyue, this intricate land, is Yelan's home turf, the core of the web she has woven with countless hidden threads.

Despite her formidable strength, Irina was ultimately an outsider. Once Yelan uncovered the secrets of the Compass of Fate, it was almost inevitable that Irina would go from hunter to prey.

Fortunately, FAMAS found Irina, intending to use her to distract Yelan and keep her occupied.

The fact that Yelan has only now appeared here proves that Famas has already achieved his goal.

Yelan's energy was successfully diverted for a sufficient amount of time, and as for Irina's fate, that was never a price that Famas needed to worry about too much.

The boy's gaze lingered on the compass for an extremely brief moment before naturally shifting away.

But FAMAS caught a more intriguing detail.

The way Ye Lan wore the compass, so casual yet almost ostentatious, seemed to be a silent declaration of her victory.

This stance itself is a clear signal that Yelan is unaware of the true origin of the compass, and even less aware that Famas is behind the life-or-death chase between her and Irina.

Either Irina was resilient enough to keep quiet under Yelan's interrogation, or Yelan simply didn't give her a chance to speak. In any case, Irina neither revealed the true origin of the compass nor mentioned that Famas was the mastermind behind the hunt.

Otherwise, given Yelan's caution and keen sense of potential threats, if she knew the compass was made by Famas and that this chase was a staged event, she would never have so blatantly displayed this hot potato, much less approach Famas with such composure.

Yelan would only carefully hide the compass and study it meticulously, or conversely, set up new schemes against him.

It seems that Irina is indeed quite resilient, able to withstand Yelan's methods and remain silent.

After all, if Irina were captured alive by Yelan, she would certainly not receive any preferential treatment, but rather a brutal interrogation capable of destroying any human will.

Irina was able to keep the secret either because she was incredibly resilient, or because she had forever lost the chance to speak.

Just as Yelan's appearance attracted everyone's attention and Famas finished his mental calculations, a figure, looking somewhat disheveled, emerged from the gap in the curtain behind Yelan.

It was none other than A-Gui, who had just been blocking them at the door.

The young apprentice had a speck of barely perceptible dust on his forehead, his breathing was slightly rapid, a few withered grass leaves clung to the hem of his robe, and some dark brown mud stains on his cuffs.

He quickly glanced at everyone in the room and subconsciously took a step closer to Bai Shu.

All eyes immediately focused on A-Gui.

The traveler and Paimon exchanged a glance, and then it dawned on them.

Just now, while Bai Shu and Famas were exchanging pleasantries, A Gui had briefly left. Now it seems that he most likely slipped out quietly through the side door, bypassed the winding path of the herb garden, and went straight to the depths of the backyard of Bu Bu Lu.

Besides Uncle Tian, ​​who is recuperating, Miss Ye Lan must also be in the back room.

Agui must have relayed the sudden situation in the main hall, especially Famas's domineering and oppressive nature, to Yelan, and then pleaded with her to step in and stabilize the situation.

The atmosphere became exceptionally tense with all three parties gathered together.

Ye Lan still leaned against the door frame, her posture seemingly relaxed, but her gaze was like an invisible thread, silently entwining around Famas.

Famas met Yelan's gaze calmly, as if the compass that had just revealed so much information had never caught his eye.

“Since you are all so concerned about Uncle Tian’s condition… I can make an exception and take you in to have a look.”

Ye Lan's voice broke the brief silence. She turned slightly to the side, opening the gap in the curtain leading to the inner room, her tone carrying a perfectly timed reminder.

"However, Uncle Tian needs to rest quietly. When you go in, please speak softly and do not disturb him."

She turned her gaze to the traveler and answered his earlier question.

"As for Ke Qing, she is currently examining traces and collecting clues at the crime scene. Her work probably requires more focus than ours."

Upon hearing that they could see Uncle Tian, ​​the Traveler and Paimon visibly relaxed, as if half a weight had been lifted from their hearts. They nodded quickly, almost simultaneously promising:
We promise to be quiet.

"Yes, yes, absolutely no noise!"

Famas simply nodded slightly, his eyes revealing no emotion, which could be considered tacit agreement.

Seeing this, Ye Lan said no more.

She turned around deftly and lifted the heavy curtain that separated the inside from the outside, and a cool, refreshing scent mixed with a strong medicinal fragrance rushed out.

The traveler immediately followed, while Paimon clung tightly to the traveler's clothes, her little face showing both anticipation and trepidation as she cautiously floated behind.

Famas nodded to Bai Shu in greeting before following after them. (End of Chapter)