Playing Genshin in Genshin! [23]

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After a lengthy explanation, Draff finally gave up on asking Xiangling to promote Springvale's meat products.

Soon after, Xiangling caught the smell of roasting meat wafting through the air, and she couldn’t help but follow it, drawn by the mouthwatering aroma. In the courtyard, they spotted a plump woman grilling meat. The rich scent rivaled even that of Wanmin Restaurant's dishes, causing everyone’s stomachs to grumble in anticipation.

"Xiangling, I want some grilled meat. Go buy me a serving," Lu Shiyuan said, licking his lips.

"Got it, Brother Lu," Xiangling agreed eagerly, "I was thinking the same thing. I really want to try this chef’s cooking."

"Paimon wants some too!" the little floating companion chimed in, raising her hand high.

"Me too," Lumine added softly.

"Alright, I’ll get some for all of us," Xiangling replied with a nod before approaching the woman, who introduced herself as Brook, and asked to buy several servings of grilled meat.

However, Brook told her the meat had already been pre-ordered and that the next available serving would be in seven days. Disappointment spread among the group.

Lu Shiyuan stroked his chin thoughtfully before making an offer. "How about this? We recently hunted some extremely fresh, high-quality meat. How about we trade three pieces of our meat for one of yours?"

Brook hesitated for a moment, but the allure of such a tempting deal was hard for any meat lover to resist.

"Xiangling," Lu Shiyuan signaled, and she quickly caught on. She opened her bundle, revealing several large, beautifully cut slabs of boar meat to Brook.

Finally, Brook relented. "Alright, fine. I’ll work overtime."

With that, they received four steaming hot grilled steaks.

However, Xiangling stayed behind. It turned out Brook had recognized her as a famous chef from Liyue Harbor and wanted to discuss cooking techniques with her. The rest of the group eagerly carried their steaks to a nearby table and began digging in.

"This is amazing! So flavorful and delicious!" Paimon exclaimed between bites, her eyes wide with delight.

"Be careful not to burn yourself," Lumine warned gently.

"But seriously," Paimon said between mouthfuls, "If we had cooked the twelve pieces of meat we gave to Brook, we could’ve had twelve of these delicious steaks! Lu Shiyuan, why did you trade three pieces for one? It feels like a bad deal. Were you just being generous with someone else’s stuff?"

"With that much meat, if we don’t use it quickly, it’ll spoil, and spoiled meat is only good for feeding dogs," Lu Shiyuan said calmly. "Besides, a chef’s skill is valuable. Trading three for one might sound bad, but for us, it’s a win."

"Even though that makes sense...," Paimon thought for a moment before coming to a conclusion. "You only don’t care because it’s not your meat, right?"

"Of course," Lu Shiyuan admitted without hesitation. "Besides, Xiangling loves food more than anything. She doesn’t mind giving up a bit for something better."

"Such a bad attitude..." Paimon thought to herself, but decided against saying it aloud.

As they enjoyed their meal, the atmosphere changed as they heard an argument break out between Xiangling and Brook.

The group quickly put down their forks and knives and rushed over to find the two chefs in the midst of a heated debate. It turned out that Brook and Xiangling had clashed over their culinary philosophies.

Brook believed that meat dishes should focus on enhancing the natural flavor of the meat, using spices to complement and elevate it. Xiangling, on the other hand, saw meat as one part of a complete dish, best paired with other ingredients like Qingxin flowers or Jueyun chilis to create a well-rounded meal.

Neither was willing to back down, and soon they agreed on a cooking competition to settle the matter.

"This grilled meat is indeed extraordinary," Xiangling remarked, her expression serious as she ate. "Brook is a formidable opponent. I’ll have to give my all and find the best ingredients to beat her fair and square."

After finishing their meal, Xiangling stood abruptly. "I need to head back to Liyue to find some rare ingredients."

"Head back to Liyue?" Paimon was shocked. "But it’s already evening, and Liyue is so far away. Do you really have to go now?"

"To win this competition? Absolutely," Xiangling said, her eyes filled with determination. She looked down at Lu Shiyuan, asking nervously, "What do you think, Brother Lu?"

"Rare ingredients..." Lu Shiyuan thought for a moment, recalling the relevant part of the game’s questline. "Xiangling, near the Stone Gate, there’s a domain where you can find an ingredient that will give you that ‘zap’ feeling. Go find it, and I’ll handle the rest of the ingredients and preparation. I’ll stay behind to watch over your things."

"I understand, Brother Lu!" Xiangling’s eyes brightened with excitement. She quickly gathered her things and headed toward Liyue with Guoba, calling back to Lumine and Paimon as she ran, "I’ll meet you in Liyue!"

"She’s really just going to leave us behind?" Paimon asked, bewildered. "What do we do, Lumine? Should we follow her?"

"We have no choice," Lumine said with a smile. She had already come to like Xiangling as a friend, and besides, Xiangling had just treated her to a meal. "Let’s go after her."

"Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?" Paimon asked Lu Shiyuan.

"Nope, I’ll stay and watch over Xiangling’s things," he replied, gesturing to the pile of boar meat and cooking supplies.

"Alright then." Paimon sighed, accepting his excuse. "Just make sure you prepare the ingredients for Xiangling."

"Oh, by the way, is that domain you mentioned real?" Paimon asked, curious.

"You’ll find out when you get there," Lu Shiyuan replied with a sly smile.

"You’re not tricking us, are you?" Paimon grumbled, feeling a bit annoyed. "You know, I’ve been thinking you’re pretty weird. Paimon’s going to give you a nickname. Since you seem to enjoy pulling pranks, I’ll call you ‘The Big Trickster’!"

As Lumine and Paimon bantered, Lumine turned serious for a moment and said, "Lu Shiyuan, Mondstadt is dangerous right now. If you’re going to look for ingredients, try not to wander too far. There’s a dragon on the loose."

"A dragon?" Lu Shiyuan’s eyes lit up. "When did that happen?"

"Just two days ago," Lumine replied.

Paimon floated over to Lumine, beaming proudly. "Two days ago, the Traveler herself drove off Stormterror from Mondstadt! Not only that, but she also helped the Knights reclaim the Four Winds Temples from the dragon’s grasp and saved the city!"

"Oh, this part of the story..." Lu Shiyuan thought, recognizing the point in the game’s plot. He knew that the events Lumine and Paimon described were just the beginning. There were still two significant characters who had yet to make an appearance.

"Since the main storyline hasn’t fully started yet, maybe I can join this dragon-hunting squad," he mused, already beginning to form a plan.

The reason Lu Shiyuan wanted to join the Traveler’s group was not just out of curiosity. During his travels and after finishing the later parts of the storyline, he realized something important.

Although the Abyss Order seemed to be behind everything in Mondstadt’s troubles, the Fatui, acting under orders from the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, were also stirring up trouble. By the end of the story, they even managed to steal the Anemo Archon’s Gnosis.

This revelation made one thing clear to Lu Shiyuan: the Tsaritsa was scheming to take the Gnosis from all six other Archons.