Genshin Impact: Watch me turn the tables and kill my servants at the start!

Buy a mobile phone.

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When the traveler followed the navigation to Liyue Harbor, the directional arrow on the phone screen pointed directly to the destination before going completely dark.

Ying looked down at the screen that had completely lost power, then looked up at the shop in front of her that had a sign that read "Yangshizi Communications·Liyue Main Store". Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she could see that it was filled with various demo units, with the light of the demonstration screen flowing across the panel and reflecting a faint halo in the afternoon sun.

Paimon flew down from her shoulder, perched on the glass window, and peered inside, his voice carrying a certainty that "we have arrived at our final destination."

"This is it! Catherine from the Mondstadt Adventurers' Guild branch said she's helped contact their agent, and they can handle the terminal activation and account binding according to their internal procedures. She said that as long as you provide the referral code and the corresponding application number, you won't need to wait in line!"

Ying pushed open the store door, and a blast of cold air rushed out and enveloped her, bringing with it the distinctive smell of freshly unpacked electronic devices.

Behind the counter stood a young man in a light-colored uniform. Seeing her walk in, he immediately flashed a standard smile and spoke clearly and gently from a few steps away: "Welcome! Are you here to purchase a communication terminal?"

Paimon flew to the counter: "We came from Mondstadt! Catherine from the Adventurers' Guild recommended we come here, saying we can activate our terminals through their internal procedures!"

The sales assistant nodded: "Ah, Catherine spoke to me. She said you performed exceptionally well in Mondstadt, and she highly recommends that you get a communication terminal. If you haven't decided on a specific model yet, I can first introduce the functional differences and applicable scenarios of the different models."

The sales assistant turned around, took out a demo unit from under the counter, placed it on the counter, pressed the power button, and the panel lit up, displaying a smooth desktop and several pre-installed application icons.

"This is currently the best-selling model, with strong signal stability, excellent battery life, and its waterproof and dustproof performance has undergone multiple tests. The panel resolution is nearly double that of the first-generation model, and the processor has also been upgraded. Whether for daily communication or temporary map data browsing, it can achieve smooth and lag-free performance."

Ying stood in front of the counter, looking down at the demo unit that was running smoothly. Her gaze swept over the neatly arranged application icons on the panel and the silent landscape demo playing on the desktop.

"How much is this?"

The sales associate quoted a figure. That figure was roughly equal to the total compensation she had received for all her recent commissions, plus a little more.

Paimon fell silent as well. She looked at the prototype, then down at her empty hands: "...This price is indeed not cheap."

The sales assistant maintained her smile: "Yes, but as an adventurer, choosing communication equipment requires considering multiple factors. The stability of signal coverage, the reliability of the device, and maintenance costs all affect the actual user experience. If you only consider the price and ignore the core performance, it may cause even bigger problems."

Ying's gaze shifted from the display panel to the sales assistant's face: "You mean—if we buy the cheaper one, there might be no signal in the wilderness?"

The sales assistant placed the demo unit back on the counter: "We've conducted an internal technical test. In outdoor environments, signal strength is affected by various factors such as terrain, vegetation, and weather. Good communication equipment can minimize interference and ensure uninterrupted communication in most usage scenarios. After all, the primary function of communication equipment is communication."

Paimon flew over to the prototype, leaned down, and peered at the screen, watching the Mondstadt cityscape demo playing on the panel: "What if we encounter danger? Like being chased by monsters, will the phone break if it falls to the ground?"

The sales assistant gave a slight smile: "This model's casing is made of high-strength composite material, so drops and bumps in daily use will generally not affect its normal function. As for more extreme situations..."

The sales assistant paused for a moment, "If you accidentally fall while being chased by a monster, and the phone happens to be in your chest, then the normal impact will not cause irreparable damage to it."

Ying glanced at the prototype, then felt the remaining Mora in her pocket: "If I pay in installments, how much would I need to pay each month?"

The sales assistant took a form from under the counter and pushed it in front of her: "The down payment is already included in the final price. If you choose installment payments, you'll only need to pay less than 500 Mora per month during the repayment period. Considering your performance, this amount shouldn't put too much pressure on your daily expenses."

Ying took the form, scanned it through the dense clauses and numbers, and then looked up at Paimon.

Paimon looked at her, as if using that moment of silence to confirm whether he needed to offer additional advice: "...It doesn't seem particularly expensive? If you only have to pay this much each month, you can pay it off quickly."

Ying looked down at the form for a moment, then picked up the pen from the counter and wrote her name in the signature column: "Okay. I'll sign it then."

The sales assistant took the signed form, confirmed that the information in the signature column was complete, and then pulled out the corresponding page from a stack of forms under the counter to show her.

"Confirmed. Your monthly payment statements will be sent to your device. You just need to make your payments on time."

The sales assistant took an unopened new machine from the shelf under the counter, placed it on the counter, and pushed it over. She also took out a charger and matching cable, and put them together with the instruction manual into a paper bag.

"The new device has already completed its initial setup. The activation process will be automatic upon first power-on. Simply follow the prompts to complete the binding. If you encounter any usage issues later, you can come to the store for consultation at any time, or submit a record through the system feedback function within the terminal."

Ying took the new machine and the paper bag: "...Thank you."

As Ying turned and pushed open the shop door, the afternoon sun streamed in, casting a warm dappled light on the floor. Paimon, standing beside her, glanced down at the paper bag containing the new phone in her hand: "So, are you planning to open it now and take a look?"

Ying walked a short distance along the street and sat down on a step by the roadside. She placed the paper bag on her lap, took out the flat cardboard box, peeled back the slightly curled edge of the seal, and opened the lid.

The new machine lay quietly inside the box, its panel covered with a thin original film, the curved edges reflecting slightly in the afternoon light.

Ying pressed the button on the side, and the panel lit up. An initial setup prompt appeared in the center of the screen, and the floating signal and battery indicators at the top lit up in turn.

Paimon perched on her shoulder, leaned close to the screen that was starting up, and then flew up and circled in mid-air: "Now I can contact you anytime! I don't have to fly around looking for you anymore!"

Ying looked down at the device that had already completed its initial setup, her gaze lingering on the notification text at the bottom of the message list for a moment, before putting the panel into her coat pocket.

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A recent graduate already has a three-year-old mobile phone!

Daines Reeb: I know this one well!