Standing before the flagship’s bar, looking at Nefer’s sparkling eyes and the hint of a triumphant smile at the corner of her lips, even he, powerful as an Emanator, couldn’t help but shiver.
After all, from that ‘Little Fool’ she had uttered, it wasn’t hard to guess that Nefer had definitely been investigating his identity in private.
But he had only been in Nordkalle for three or four hours at most.
To be able to uncover the codename he had casually mentioned in such a short time, it seemed the capabilities of the Secret Archives were even higher than what was shown in the game!
“Play with you?
Forget it.
Who doesn’t know that this roulette game was brought here by you?
Although you haven’t drunk the ‘Dark Horse’ before, who knows if you’ve left yourself a way out.” Thinking of this, Ayin naturally wouldn’t go along with Nefer’s wishes and directly refused.
“Heh, you know quite a bit.
I’m becoming more and more interested in you.” Seeing her little scheme exposed, Nefer wasn’t angry; instead, she became even more interested in this old man who had suddenly appeared.
She had a premonition that the person in front of her, disguised under the appearance of an old man, would do something big in this Teyvat world in the future.
“Interested?
Please, don’t be.
I can’t afford to offend the big boss of the Secret Archives.
I…”
Halfway through his sentence, Ayin suddenly noticed that the communicator on his left wrist began to flash with an abnormal, faint red light, and even the display indicating communication started to flicker erratically.
‘Something’s wrong, there’s a situation!’ He clearly didn’t believe that Herta would be bored enough to joke around with him about something like this.
“What a pity, I have some urgent business today.
As for this game, let’s play it next time…”
Ayin first glanced up at Nefer, then, with great gentlemanly flair, raised his hand to perform a closing bow before vanishing from the spot just as he had before, leaving only a note drifting slowly down onto the bar counter.
“This is…
a note?” Seeing this, Nefer had no intention of pursuing him.
Or rather, based on the intelligence she had gathered, there was no way she could catch a weirdo who could teleport from Fontaine to Nordkalle.
Thus, she could only settle for the next best thing and reached out to pick up the note on the table.
It was clearly written in elegant handwriting with a few large characters: [Game Play Voucher] [Due to force majeure, I am unable to continue completing the betting game with this beautiful lady.
If there is an opportunity in the future, you may use this play voucher to continue the game with me.
Valid for 30 days from today; after expiration, a renewal fee of 300 Mora is required to continue the game.] [Signed: Masked Fools – Ann]
“Masked Fools…
Ann?” After reading the note, Nefer couldn’t help but quickly filter through information in her mind, but she was absolutely certain she had never heard of an organization called Masked Fools, nor did she know anyone with the codename [Ann].
“It seems things are about to get interesting.
I wonder if your arrival will turn Nordkalle…
or even Teyvat, into even more of a mess?”
Thinking of this, Nefer licked her lips, revealed a charming yet dangerous smile, stood up, ignored the various gazes of the drunkards around her, and turned to leave the flagship.
…
“Hello, hello, hello?
Herta, is that you?
What’s the matter?” Ayin, having teleported to the wilderness, found a large tree to sit beside and then called back using his watch.
Beep-boop, beep-boop~ “Finally, I’ve made contact with you.
There’s a problem here.
It’s possible that this trip of yours will have to be extended indefinitely.” With the sound of static, Herta’s voice came through the communicator as expected.
However, compared to her previously composed and strategic tone, there was now a clear hint of anxiety in her words.
“What the heck?
Extended indefinitely?
You wouldn’t really be using me as a lab rat for experiments, just sending me off without caring about the return trip, would you?” After hearing this, Ayin’s mouth twitched, and he retorted with a strange tone.
“What are you rambling about?
The culprit this time is that black-purple Abyssal Power.
For some reason, that thing suddenly became extremely violent.
Not only is it affecting us from re-locating the coordinates, but there is also a faint risk of it flowing back to our side along the connection channel!”
“According to Ruan Mei’s observations, this type of Abyssal Power does not belong to any existing known energy system.
It has strong aggression and adhesiveness, and can even spread from person to person!
Therefore, if we rashly let it lock onto us, it could cause an irreversible catastrophe…
Although she said she could analyze it to create an antibody antidote, it will take time.”
Herta ignored Ayin’s teasing and instead poured out all the known information in the simplest terms possible.
Judging by the speed of her speech, it was clear that the danger of the abyss was even more serious than he had imagined.
“So, are you planning to abandon me?
That’s not how the script is supposed to go.” Ayin didn’t panic after hearing Herta’s explanation; instead, he continued to ask in that pitiful tone.
After all, although he and Herta were always bickering, generally speaking, this inventor with the pointy head still had her merits.
Since she had contacted him, she definitely wouldn’t just be notifying him of the outcome.
Sure enough, due to Ayin’s question, the communication device paused for a few seconds, and then Screwllum’s voice slowly came through.
“Logic: We will not abandon a partner, but we will also not allow this unknown Abyssal Power to wreak havoc on the universe at will.”
“Conclusion: There are currently two options.
First, immediately force a disconnection; your consciousness will be forcibly returned as a result.
However, because it is forced, the return journey will leave your soul consciousness extremely weak, and there is a high probability of being contaminated by the Abyssal Power on the planet’s surface.
The calculated probability is 98.31%.
As for the potential impact of this unknown situation…
we do not know either, but Ms.
Ruan Mei promises to do her utmost to treat you.”
“Second, initiate the single-use super-transmission technology.
While the coordinates are still barely clear, we will transport your physical body into the Teyvat world.
Since it is a physical transmission, as an Emanator, you will not be affected by the Abyssal Power.
In other words, we will change the original soul-travel into physical-travel, and the duration is tentatively set to indefinite.”
With Screwllum’s explanation, Ayin understood his current situation.
To put it bluntly, he either had to risk Abyssal contamination to return and then undergo Ruan Mei’s treatment…
or rather, experiments; or turn his one-day trip to Teyvat into an infinite tour of Teyvat!
“You said tentatively set to indefinite…
does that mean that even if I choose the second option, I still have a way to go back?”
Ayin pondered for a moment and found a loophole, then asked somewhat uncertainly.
“Yes.
Since the world where Teyvat is located cannot be reached by ordinary means, bringing you back will depend on a certain special method.”
“But even using this method, we must obtain accurate coordinates from that side.
In other words, you need to find a way to break through the Abyssal Power on the planet’s surface over there.
At that time, we will regain the coordinates through the communication watch and the Wind Glider here.
When that happens, we can bring you back.”
Screwllum nodded upon hearing this, then stated this method word by word.
Compared to risking the possibility of being contaminated by the abyss to return, the second option was clearly safer and more reliable.
All he had to do was break through the False Sky and the Abyssal Power.
“Then I choose the second method!
It’s just a vacation, right?
The length doesn’t matter.
But I have one more question, Screwllum, what is the special method you mentioned?” Thinking of this, Ayin chose option two without hesitation, but out of curiosity, he still asked in a low voice.
“Speaking of which, you are also familiar with this special method…
it is the power of Trailblaze.” Screwllum nodded and said slowly.