Playing Genshin in Genshin! [8]

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After obtaining the Staff of Homa, Lu Shiyuan loaded a bundle of iron-tipped spears onto a rented lightweight carriage. He hired the best driver and instructed him to head non-stop toward Cuijue Slope.

The journey from Liyue Harbor to Cuijue Slope was long, but thanks to the swift horses, Lu Shiyuan managed to arrive by the afternoon. He quickly ate some dry food in the carriage, and after getting off, he followed the marked location on the map, soon arriving at the edge of a cliff.

There, in the cliffside, was a gap large enough for a person to enter. This must have been the entrance to the hidden realm that the adventurers had discovered.

What he didn’t expect, however, was to find a man and a woman, both dressed as adventurers, guarding the entrance. They looked familiar, as if he had seen them a few times back in Liyue Harbor.

Lu Shiyuan frowned slightly and approached them. The two adventurers noticed him and stepped forward as well.

Both sides sized each other up before the male adventurer spoke first, unable to hold back his curiosity. “You look familiar. Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

“Do you know Lu Qianzhi?” Lu Shiyuan asked bluntly, skipping the formalities.

“Of course, we know her,” the two exchanged glances before nodding. “Qianzhi is our friend.”

Lu Shiyuan’s frown deepened. These two calling his sister by her given name made him uncomfortable, but he held back his displeasure and asked, “I heard Qianzhi is here, exploring this hidden realm. If you’re her friends, why aren’t you inside with her? Why are you just standing around here?”

“We’re keeping watch outside,” the female adventurer replied coldly. “Qianzhi and the others are exploring inside. If no one watches the entrance, what happens if we get attacked from behind?”

“We answered your question. Now can you tell us who you are?” she added.

“I’m her brother, and I’m here to find her. How long has she been inside?” Lu Shiyuan revealed his identity and purpose, though he wasn’t happy with their response.

"So, this is Lu Qianzhi's useless brother?" the male adventurer thought, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

The female adventurer frowned slightly but answered, “She’s been inside for nearly a full day.”

“...” Lu Shiyuan had anticipated this, but anger still flared up within him. He asked sharply, “She’s been inside that long, and you’re not worried she might be in danger?”

“What can we do?” The male adventurer shrugged. “We don’t have Vision powers. If Qianzhi can’t handle it, going in would be suicide for us.”

Lu Shiyuan’s face darkened at this response. He stepped forward and said coldly, “Don’t call her by her name so casually! You cowardly scum don’t deserve to be her friends.”

The male adventurer, now equally furious, retorted, “If you want to die, go ahead. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“There’s no point arguing with you,” Lu Shiyuan snapped, turning toward the hidden realm’s entrance. Time was running out, and he couldn’t waste it bickering with a coward.

Just as Lu Shiyuan was about to enter the hidden realm, he suddenly felt a murderous intent from behind!

“What?!” His instincts kicked in, and before he could fully turn around, he swung the Staff of Homa behind him.

“Clang—”

The sound of metal clashing rang out.

Lu Shiyuan quickly realized what had happened. He turned to see the male adventurer clutching a broken dagger, blood dripping from his hand where his grip had been shattered by the force of the Staff of Homa. The man stared at Lu Shiyuan in shock.

The female adventurer, though she hadn’t attacked, also had a murderous glint in her eyes, revealing her complicity.

“You…” Lu Shiyuan's mind raced, quickly piecing things together as surprise and fury spread across his face.

“You tried to stop me from entering the hidden realm by attacking me, which means there’s something inside you don’t want me to see—something involving Qianzhi."

"The only possible explanation is… betrayal.”

His thoughts became clear. “It all makes sense! Qianzhi has a stone bell for echolocation. Even if faced with a powerful enemy, she would’ve found a way to avoid them—unless the enemy was someone she trusted!”

“These people have betrayed Qianzhi!” The realization filled Lu Shiyuan with rage as he glared at the two adventurers.

No, they could no longer be called adventurers—they had fallen and become part of a treasure hoarder gang!

“What kind of greed could make you betray your own companion?” Lu Shiyuan asked, his voice cold.

“I can’t believe you figured it out!” the male adventurer sneered, his disbelief quickly turning to a sinister smile. “But it doesn’t matter. No matter what you do, you’ll end up like Lu Qianzhi—dead in this place!"

"She’s nearly dead already, and if you go in, your fate will be no different—”

Bam—!

Before the man could finish his sentence, a black spear smashed into his face, sending him flying through the air. Several white teeth flew from his mouth as he crashed to the ground in agony.

Whoosh—

Lu Shiyuan then swiftly pulled out an iron spear from his back and hurled it like a javelin. The spear pierced through the man’s thigh with tremendous force, pinning him to the ground as the spearhead embedded itself deep into the earth.

“Arghhh!” The male adventurer let out a bloodcurdling scream, his face twisted in agony.

With that done, Lu Shiyuan turned calmly to the female adventurer, as if asking, “And what about you?”

The female adventurer, trembling with fear, collapsed to the ground, her voice shaking. “Why… why are you so strong?”

Bam—!

Lu Shiyuan wasted no time, knocking her out cold. “I’ll deal with you two properly after I’ve rescued my sister,” he muttered.

With that, he stepped into the hidden realm.

The hidden realm was dimly lit, with only candles and torches providing light. Lu Shiyuan, gripping the Staff of Homa, moved quickly through the cleared passages.

He hadn’t gone far when a masked, bulky man blocked his path.

Unlike the two guards outside, the traitors inside the hidden realm had fully embraced the treasure hoarder lifestyle.

“How did you get in here?” the man growled, his voice deep and menacing.

His answer came in the form of the crimson spearhead of the Staff of Homa.

The large man stumbled back, drawing his weapon—a massive, spiked wooden club, much like a cruel-looking mace.

Realizing Lu Shiyuan was an enemy, the man swung the club down with all his might.

“Those who block my path will die!” Lu Shiyuan’s face remained cold as he sidestepped the attack. His spear struck out at an angle, stabbing deep into the man’s side. With a twist of his wrist, he shredded the man’s insides.

The large man collapsed in a heap after just one exchange.

If Lu Shiyuan had kept his composure outside, then inside the hidden realm, seeing these traitors dressed and acting like treasure hoarders ignited his killing intent.

After all, the group he hated most in this world was the treasure hoarder gang!

Flicking the blood off his spear, Lu Shiyuan stepped over the man’s corpse, his expression cold as he continued deeper into the hidden realm.