12dz Chapter 267 Invitation
Chapter 267 Invitation
Chapter 267 Invitation
"Hmph. We're not like you, hiding your face. We've never done anything wrong that we wouldn't dare show our faces without wearing a mask!"
Just after Paimon said those words, he turned to look at Ying.
Ying was very mischievous and secretly put on the Fools' Mask at some point.
Paimon was speechless upon seeing this.
"Hello--!"
Ying stuck out her tongue and made an "eh-heh" expression.
"He said to disguise yourself as you like..."
Seeing the mask on Ying's face, the masked man suddenly woke up.
Isn't that a Fatui mask? Why would the treasure thieves wear Fatui masks?!
"You're not from the treasure-hunting gang! Who are you?"
Seeing that her plan had been exposed, Ying stopped pretending and immediately launched into a series of smooth moves including a rising dragon punch, disarming, and grappling.
Looking at the masked man pinned under Ying's body, Paimon pretended to be fierce and threatened, "Confess your schemes!"
The masked man, though captured, remained calm and showed no hesitation. The next second...
"I'll take it, I'll take it!"
"If you don't recruit, then try me... Hey! You recruited so quickly?"
Paimon and Ying were momentarily stunned when they saw the masked man who even the narrator was faking.
This...this is the villain who threatened to burn down Liyue Harbor? He backed down so quickly?!
Completely bewildered, Ying released her grip and looked at the masked man with suspicion.
The two stared at each other, one looking aggrieved, the other full of confusion.
Upon seeing this, the masked man stood up and began to explain.
"Actually, I... am a novice thief who aspires to the fame of the 'Treasure Thieves'."
Paimon was shocked to hear this.
"A novice thief?!"
Seriously, buddy? You're a newbie, and you dare to boast about destroying a city?
The masked man nodded, confirming Paimon's question, and continued to explain, sounding aggrieved.
"For a newbie like me, all alone and fresh out of the gate... the Treasure Hunting Guild is my holy grail..."
"Wait a moment..."
"So I want to pull off a big deal to prove my loyalty..."
Paimon was getting more and more confused. What on earth was going on?!
"Wait a minute! I don't understand at all! This is completely different from the ruthless and evil arsonist I imagined!"
"Arson? What arson?"
"You've been loitering around the flammable material storage area, weren't you planning to start a fire?"
"Oh, you mean that place? I was just scouting the area. My plans have nothing to do with those building materials."
"It's not related?!"
"I'm here to...steal that once-in-twenty-years giant 'Floating Stone'! My plan is to cut half of the chain under the cover of night, letting it drift towards the sea...and then find a way to sink it into the shallow waters of Yunlai Sea. Heh, that would be the perfect crime!"
"There are too many imperfections! For example, how are you going to sink the floating stone into the water?"
"Uh... I've been thinking about this problem too, which is why I haven't taken any action yet."
Looking at the masked man with a face full of wisdom, Paimon didn't know where to begin his吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical comments).
How can someone have an IQ lower than Paimon's?
Without saying another word, Ying grabbed a rope and tied the other man's hands together. Then, together with Qianyan Jun, they escorted him back to the General Affairs Department.
After sending the masked man inside, they encountered an acquaintance, the very same Chiayi-based Chian-Yan Army member who had previously entrusted Yingfa with the task.
He moved closer and started a conversation with Ying and Paimon.
"Traveler, I've heard about it. We'll take care of that foolish thief. Thank you for your help. The Nightingale Lantern is almost finished, and we can't afford any mishaps at this crucial juncture."
Seeing this old acquaintance, Ying waved enthusiastically and asked a question.
Do we need any help with security for the Lantern Festival?
"Ah, don't worry about that. After the higher-ups found out about this, they urgently transferred a group of capable brothers over. These brothers have all gone undercover and infiltrated the crowd. If anyone dares to cause trouble, they'll catch them red-handed."
The brothers Chiayi mentioned were the Qianyan Army soldiers who were issued modern pistols and were also high-ranking officers qualified to use the Yue spear.
For Liyue's seven stars, such as Ningguang and Keqing, orders are given directly to them.
With this special Thousand Rock Army team, the security of the Lantern Festival is completely guaranteed.
"Alright, you don't need to bother anymore. Leave the rest to us. Just relax and enjoy the Lantern Festival."
After saying that, Chia-yi handed over the reward to Ying and then left.
After accepting Mora, Ying and Paimon strolled around Scarlet Cloud Slope.
While strolling through the streets, we started chatting.
Although the task was successfully completed, Ying's face was not very happy.
"It would be great if Xiao came to see the lanterns."
Hearing Ying's lament, Paimon felt a little saddened as well.
"Hmm... I think so too, but he probably won't come. Wait, do you remember what this lantern was based on?"
"It seems to be 'The True Lord Who Guides Heaven Through the Night'..."
"If it's based on a celestial being, then...maybe Xiao would be interested in this lantern? Once it's finished, let's use the excuse of 'we agreed to meet at Wangshu Inn' to visit Xiao. After all, we promised Sister Lingling we'd move it here...and you can't truly experience the festive atmosphere without seeing it up close."
Time flies. After eating, drinking, playing and having fun, and occasionally bumping into some familiar faces and cats at the Lantern Festival, the last day of the Lantern Festival soon arrived.
In the afternoon, Ying and Paimeng were at the Wangshu Inn, summarizing their holiday experiences.
They talked about how generous Boss Xingqiu was, giving out red envelopes containing tens of thousands of Mora.
They talked about Zhongli taking advantage of the chaos and drinking tea all day.
They also encountered Huiyuan's younger siblings, who were playing hide-and-seek with the cats.
Hearing all sorts of rumors, like how Master Yun, the opera singer, performed while ill, he lived a very fulfilling life.
As they chatted, the two arrived at the terrace and found Xiao Dasheng admiring the view.
Looking at Ying, whose face was etched with worry, Xiao asked, "Well, is everything settled?"
"It's over, but..."
"That's good."
"But...aren't you really going to see the night lanterns?"
"No. I've said it before, I don't like places with lots of people, especially these days."
Seeing that Xiao showed no intention of agreeing, Ying then brought up Plan B.
"This year's lantern for the Lantern Festival is 'The True Lord Who Guides the Night.'"
After Ying brought up the matter, Paimon took over the conversation.
"Yes, it's a very majestic-looking deer. Shall we go take a look?"
Hearing that familiar immortal name, Xiao almost fell into memories.
"The Night Lantern... but it's just a lantern after all, a man-made, lifeless thing, boring. You can go to the city and watch the excitement."