Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

In fact, Ye Lan's unauthorized use of the seized items was not in accordance with regulations.

The wanderer's fingers traced the nautical compass she had taken from Irina, the cold metallic touch a reminder of her missteps.

Even though Yelan is the controller of Liyue's vast underground intelligence network, she is ultimately under the jurisdiction of Ningguang of Tianquan.

Because of her special status, Yelan naturally couldn't be like Captain Beidou, freely sailing the Death Star outside Liyue Harbor and becoming a privateer captain almost unrestrained by laws and regulations.

Regarding how to handle spoils of war seized from hostile forces, Yelan and Ningguang had jointly drafted an extremely rigorous set of procedures.

The first step in this process is a thorough security assessment.

Teyvat is a continent filled with unknown elemental forces and ancient magic, where any captured item may harbor deadly curses, corrosive elements, or trigger mechanisms.

Using such products without rigorous testing could have disastrous consequences.

Many items may seem harmless, but they actually carry a cruel, hidden cost.

Just like the Evil Eye created by the Fatui executive "Doctor," it can grant the user the power to manipulate the elements, but it will silently erode the holder's life force until it is exhausted.

There are also some spoils of war, whose true value lies in their symbolic meaning.

For example, the rare animal pelts that Yelan intercepted from Pantalone, the executor of the Fools.

The fur was originally intended as material for sewing clothes for the Ice Queen; its symbolic value far exceeded its intrinsic worth.

Unauthorized market trading of this fur could not only expose Yelan's activities, but also invite Pantalone's retaliation from the merchant who inadvertently purchased it.

Pantalone couldn't find the hidden Night Orchid, but tracking down an ordinary buyer was a piece of cake.

Even if a seized item passes security screening and background checks and is confirmed to be controllable, Yelan must submit a detailed application report to Ningguang if she wants to use it.

The report must clearly state the specific purpose of the item, the reason for its use, and the prediction of potential risks.

Without this procedure, all seized items would be strictly classified and disposed of. Ordinary property that could be safely converted into operating funds would be sold through clandestine channels, while items that contained uncertain risks, had unclear uses, or bore special markings would be sent to a specially reinforced storage warehouse, numbered and sealed, and permanently isolated from the sunlight.

It was this meticulous process that allowed Yelan to avoid deadly traps disguised as precious gifts on several occasions.

However, when faced with the compass from Irina, Yelan's actions were unusually different. She did not follow the proper procedures to conduct a thorough background investigation on the compass, nor did she delve into the history of its exact manufacturer and original owner.

She didn't even spend time finding out if the compass was attached to any elemental contracts or curses.

Ye Lan merely verified that the compass needle could stably point to the direction the holder desired, confirming the basic navigation function, before taking it out of the appraisal room and putting it into use without hesitation.

The origins of the compass are shrouded in mystery, and its potential dangers are completely unknown.

Such a lack of caution is quite different from Ye Lan's usual meticulous approach.

Perhaps only FAMAS understands the secret behind it.

The true name of this compass is "Destiny".

Yelan obtaining it and using it was perhaps a mere flick of the thread of fate itself.

Of course, Yelan wasn't that reckless.

After extracting basic information about the compass from Irina, Yelan did indeed activate her intelligence network for initial screening.

She reviewed the files on ancient nautical instruments in the Liyue General Affairs Archives and also consulted records of chart trading and shipwreck salvage over the past century.

This search was not entirely fruitless. As a typical nautical tool, most compasses have finely engraved star patterns around their pointers, which are key to locating stars and calibrating the course.

Ye Lan carefully compared the shape of the compass, the layout of the star chart, and the unique casting process of the pointer base.

Based on her extensive experience in artifact appraisal, Yelan concluded that the style of this compass originated from the distant far west, the land of fire, Nata, while the characteristics of its manufacturing period pointed to the vicinity of the area now known as Ochikanata.

The fact that an ancient compass from Nata appeared on Winter Secretary Irina was itself somewhat unusual.

Aside from its regional characteristics and the imprint of time, Yelan's intelligence network was unable to uncover any further information about the compass.

Its material is nothing special except for a special elemental conductive metal. It has no hidden layers, no family crest, and no corresponding legend.

Yelan could only deduce from the nearly blurred star map markings on the compass and the casting technique that was already rare during the prosperous period of Guili Plains in Liyue that the compass had existed for an extremely long time, possibly even dating back to the time when the ancestors of Liyue lived in Guili Plains.

Yelan's knowledge of Nata's secrets, ancient legends, and lost technologies was ultimately limited.

But Yelan knew of a "person" whose understanding of that burning land was far more detailed than the records in the archives.

That's FAMAS.

He stood right in front of Ye Lan, his gaze fixed on the compass in her outstretched palm.

Yelan held up the ancient nautical compass with her fingertips, presenting it completely to Famas.

"However, speaking of which, this compass seems to have some connection with Lord Famas."

Ye Lan spoke gently, but her gaze, like an invisible spider's web, quietly clung to the boy's face.

"The shape of the compass base, the arrangement of the star patterns, and the wear on the pointer base all point to the same source: the Land of Fire, Nata."

"Perhaps Lord Famas knows more details?"

Ye Lan's voice wasn't loud, but it was clearly audible in the quiet room.

The traveler blinked, and Paimon's floating altitude subtly rose a few inches. Their gazes shifted to Famas:

"Huh? Really?"

Upon hearing Yelan's question, Famas's eyes, which seemed like molten lava, widened only slightly for a fleeting moment, the ripple disappearing in an instant.

He naturally lowered his head and leaned closer, his gaze carefully scanning the blurry patterns on the brass base of the compass, his brows furrowing slightly as if trying to recall something.

This focus lasted for a full four or five breaths.

Then the boy suddenly straightened up, casually tilting his shoulders upwards slightly, a small movement, but with a sense of relaxation.

Famas then opened his palms, facing the ceiling, making a gesture of helplessness.

"Tsk, you overestimate me, Ye Lan."

“The Nata Desert is vast, with numerous volcanoes and old objects as plentiful as sand. I’m not one of those shamans who cling to ancient songs and don’t recognize every stone or every piece of patina.”

Famas glanced at the compass, his gaze as if it were an ordinary rock, and a sound, a mixture of helplessness and exasperation, escaped his nostrils:

"This thing looks quite old, but it could just be an old sailor's relic that was swept away by a storm. Unfortunately, it's not in my memory."

Ye Lan retrieved the compass, her fingertips gently tracing its cool edge, a fleeting, almost imperceptible thought crossing the depths of her eyes. (End of Chapter)