The four of them fought together, and in no time, all the Treasure Hoarders were defeated.
Only one remained.
"Don't move! Or I'll kill her!" To their surprise, he produced a female adventurer from somewhere and pressed a knife to her throat.
Keqing frowned. "A hostage? When did..."
"Of course, we were prepared. We anticipated the Millelith would come. When this woman wandered into the ruins, we seized her and hid her away."
He had then used the chaos to bring out the hostage.
"Invisible person, reveal yourself! Or I'll make you!" the Treasure Hoarder threatened.
Left with no choice, Qin Yu deactivated her skill. She stood up, dispelled her Optical Camouflage, and revealed her true form.
But simply obeying their demands was infuriating. If she could just find the right angle... Qin Yu slowly shifted her position, calculating and moving to the optimal firing point.
This is it.
Qin Yu tightened her grip on the anesthetic rifle, but she couldn't fire yet. She needed to wait for the precise moment when their guard was down to perfectly rescue the hostage.
Waiting... No, I can create an opportunity. But it had to be done by someone else, someone who wouldn't draw their attention.
She glanced at the trio and met Keqing's gaze.
I hope she understands what I mean... Qin Yu lightly tapped the rifle barrel with her finger. Keqing's eyes widened slightly before she gave a subtle nod.
Perfect, she gets it!
At that moment, the formation began to glow faintly. A Treasure Hoarder member exclaimed triumphantly, "The ritual is almost complete! Soon, the Treasure Saint's memories will be mine, and his hidden treasures will belong to me!"
"That's not certain."
Keqing strode to a specific point in the formation, pointing her sword at the glowing symbols on the ground. Electro energy crackled around her blade.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"If I destroy this, the ritual can't be completed, right?" Keqing said indifferently.
The Treasure Hoarder's expression twisted. "You wouldn't dare! If you do, I'll slaughter this woman!"
The female adventurer trembled, tears streaming down her face.
Keqing casually brought the tip of her sword closer to the glowing symbol, feigning nonchalance.
This was clearly out of character. As the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, she had always cared deeply for the people of Liyue. How could she allow them to come to harm? This had to be an act.
But people rarely think rationally under pressure. The Treasure Hoarder's eyes widened as he shouted, "Stop! Or I'll really kill her!"
Keqing hesitated, then slowly sheathed her sword.
Now!
The instant the Treasure Hoarder exhaled in relief, Qin Yu swiftly raised her Anesthetic Rifle, aimed at his head, and pulled the trigger.
The dart struck perfectly, its potency instantly causing him to collapse unconscious, leaving the female adventurer staring in stunned confusion.
Qin Yu worked the bolt of the rifle and exhaled slowly.
Success.
"This is the perfect time to say it," Qin Yu thought, smiling. "Thank you, Lady Keqing, for trusting me."
"You're welcome," Keqing replied. "And I take back what I said earlier. Without you here, I would have been utterly helpless. Thank you."
Hmph, just as I thought! Qin Yu thought. Trying to send me away? Now you see how important I am, right?
With this, Qin Yu felt she had truly proven her worth. Not bad at all.
After all, the previous battle had felt like her presence or absence made no difference. Qin Yu's mood lifted considerably.
[Evaluation: C+ (Keqing)]
Still, it's amazing how quickly she understood what I was trying to do. Could it be we have an unexpectedly good connection?
Shenhe pondered aloud, "I see now. You were saving the hostages. But there was a simpler way."
"What's your brilliant idea, Lady Shenhe?" Hu Tao asked.
"Freeze them all solid, then deal with the enemies."
Ha? Wouldn't that endanger the hostages too?! Qin Yu thought.
Hu Tao cheerfully exclaimed, "Great! That'll give us plenty of work afterward!"
What's so great about that? Absolutely not!
"Ahaha, that won't work," Qin Yu protested. "The hostages would get hurt!"
"Still, it's better than being dead," Shenhe replied.
True enough... Qin Yu thought, relieved she hadn't acted rashly earlier. Otherwise, they'd have had to carry the hostage into the clinic.
Shenhe shifted her gaze to Qin Yu. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"Huh? No, I'm fine, thanks to everyone!"
Why does everyone always ask if I'm hurt? Can't they see I'm fine? Qin Yu grumbled inwardly.
"That's good. I'm relieved."
"Ah, um..." Qin Yu lowered her head.
Ha! Wait, why am I getting embarrassed? She shook her head slightly.
Now that the Treasure Hoarders were dealt with and the ritual should be undone, Qin Yu felt utterly exhausted and longed for a good rest.
Suddenly, the formation flared with intense light.
"Eek!" the female adventurer screamed.
No good! Keqing was about to move to rescue her, but the ritual had started and ended in a flash. As the light vanished, the adventurer slumped to the ground, her expression blank.
"Are you alright?" Keqing rushed to help her up.
"Ah... huh? Looks like nothing happened."
The female adventurer regained her senses and examined her body. She appeared unchanged.
Qin Yu felt a wave of relief. She had feared the adventurer might suddenly undergo a drastic personality shift.
"Though... it feels like a lot of memories that aren't mine have surfaced in my head," the adventurer said, rubbing her temples.
Shenhe squatted beside the formation, studying it closely. "The formation's power has temporarily dissipated. It seems the ritual consumed a significant amount of energy and needs to be replenished. As for its structure and symbols..."
After a moment of scrutiny, she continued, "As expected, it's a Ley Line-related formation. Its purpose aligns with our earlier hypothesis: using ashes as a medium to imprint someone's memories from the Ley Lines directly into a person's mind."
Hu Tao waved her hand dismissively. "Whew, at least it wasn't a spirit-summoning ritual."
"Are there any side effects? And is there a way to undo it?" Qin Yu asked, curious.
Shenhe shook her head. "The foreign memories themselves are the side effect. But this formation is incomplete. I doubt the memories will last longer than a month. After that, they should fade away."
Then there's nothing to worry about, Qin Yu thought.
"Oh? Hey, look at this!" Hu Tao exclaimed, pulling several aged sheets of paper from the pedestal.
The three of them leaned in to examine the documents.
"This is... the Ritual of..., and using it will grant you..." Qin Yu read aloud.
Much of the text was smudged and illegible, but the instructions for performing the ritual remained remarkably clear.
This must be the original record of the ritual, Qin Yu thought. I never expected to find it here.
Keqing remarked with interest, "This is an incredibly significant document, priceless beyond measure. It's a shame it wasn't properly preserved; it's in such poor condition now."
"This is likely the original," Qin Yu agreed. "I wonder if any copies exist. If so, Treasure Hoarders in other regions might use it too."
If that happened, no urn containing ashes would be safe.
That would be disastrous!
Hu Tao seemed to have the same thought, exclaiming indignantly, "Oh no, this won't do at all! What if no one comes to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for cremations anymore?"
Why is that the first thing you think of?
Keqing shook her head. "Intelligence suggests that this ritual is confined to this region. It's time-consuming, labor-intensive, and easily detected. I doubt they'll attempt it again after this failed attempt."
That made sense.
"Um..." the female adventurer spoke up timidly.
Keqing smiled reassuringly. "In any case, the incident is temporarily resolved. There's no need to worry. The extra memories in your mind will fade soon enough. If needed, we can arrange for you to recover at a suitable medical facility."
"That's not it," the adventurer said. "According to these extra memories, there's a treasure hidden nearby."
A treasure? Could it be the Treasure Saint's legendary hoard? Qin Yu's eyes lit up.
"Where is it?" she blurted out, unable to contain her excitement.
The female adventurer pulled out a map, circled a spot, and showed it to Qin Yu.
"Here."
That's not too far! Qin Yu thought excitedly. The Treasure Saint's hoard must be filled with treasures. I did my part this time, so I deserve some kind of reward!
Time to go treasure hunting!
"Fishy Treasure, do you want to go look for this treasure?" Hu Tao asked.
"W-well, sort of. I'm just curious about what the Treasure Saint's hoard is actually like."
Shenhe nodded. "I'm not interested in treasure, but if you're going, I'll go with you."
"Thank you! I feel much safer with you around, Shenhe!" Qin Yu said gratefully.
"Mm, I feel safer with you here too."
You didn't have to say it like that!
[Evaluation: C (Shenhe)]
Keqing found the exchange a bit odd, though she couldn't quite put her finger on why. Maybe they're just very close, she thought. That's good. I'm relieved.
Hu Tao clasped her hands behind her back and grinned. "Me too! Me too! This sounds like so much fun!"
Qin Yu nodded and glanced at Keqing, who was standing a little further away.
Keqing's eyes seemed to hold a hint of tenderness and loneliness. For some reason, Qin Yu felt a sudden tightness in her chest and walked over to her.
"Lady Keqing, come here."
Qin Yu held out her hands.
"Hmm? What's this for?" Keqing's expression shifted back to her usual composed demeanor.
"A high-five! We won, after all!"
Keqing's eyes widened in surprise as she glanced at her own hands, then at Qin Yu's outstretched hands and smiling face. For a moment, she was transported back to the past.
"Wow, Keqing, you did so well! Let's celebrate with a high-five! Woo-hoo!" A young Qin Yu, her hair still long, had smiled at her like that, her small hands reaching out.
Back in the present, it was the short-haired Qin Yu offering her hands this time.
Keqing closed her eyes, clenched her fists, and turned away abruptly.
"Ningguang will handle your payment, but I'll also contribute personally. The Millelith will seal off this area and clear the ruins soon, so you should leave immediately. The treasure is yours to dispose of."
She brushed past Shenhe.
"Please take care of Qin Yu," Keqing murmured.
Shenhe was puzzled by the request, but it suited her perfectly, so she nodded. Even without being asked, she would have done so.
Qin Yu lowered her hands, watching Keqing's retreating figure, and gritted her teeth.
That woman... No, this was unbearable. Was she deliberately trying to humiliate me? Don't think you can escape.
Qin Yu dashed ahead of Keqing.
"Lady Keqing, let's high-five!"
Keqing frowned slightly, thinking Qin Yu was remarkably persistent. Had their previous hug given her the wrong impression? This time, she resolved to ignore her completely.
"Don't come any closer," Keqing sighed. "I'm sorry, I have urgent matters to attend to... Wait, what are you doing?"
Qin Yu lifted Keqing's hands and clapped them together, palm to palm.
Keqing was stunned. Qin Yu had actually forced a high-five!
"Thank you for your hard work, Lady Keqing. Please continue to do your best. If there's anything I can help with, I'll spare no effort! I truly wish to become your friend," Qin Yu said with a charming smile.
Keqing snatched her hands away. "...Goodbye."
She hurried off.
[Evaluation: B (Keqing)]
Tsk, tsundere... Qin Yu shook her head inwardly, finally feeling much lighter. Those lingering looks, those constant rejections...
None of that works on me.
After all, I'm the best at putting on an act here.
Qin Yu exhaled and turned around, smiling. "Let's go!"
"Ah, I think I'll pass," the female adventurer said awkwardly, scratching her head.
"Huh? Why not?"
"I want to go back and get some proper rest."
Me too! But we have to find the treasure first.
After the trio left, the female adventurer clutched her head, muttering, "Treasure? But if I remember correctly, what's inside is... Never mind, I'm definitely not going."
Upon reaching the surface, Qin Yu followed the map drawn by the female adventurer to a large tree.
"This must be the place," Hu Tao said, pinching her chin. "Looks like we'll have to dig it out, but we don't have a shovel. Ugh, we really should have brought one."
"I have a way," Shenhe replied.
"Oh? What's that?"
Shenhe clenched her fist. "This. Stand back."
Huh?
Hu Tao muttered, "She wouldn't... right?" and pulled Qin Yu back a considerable distance.
Then, Shenhe slammed her fist into the ground.
Thud! Thud! Thud! With each punch, she carved a deepening pit into the earth, leaving Qin Yu speechless and Hu Tao clicking her tongue in amazement.
They knew Shenhe was strong, but this was ridiculous. If she ever wanted to grab her, she wouldn't even need to try.
Qin Yu could only gape as Shenhe transformed the flat ground into a deep pit. If my true identity is ever revealed and I anger her... No, it must never happen!
Her resolve solidified.
"Found it," Shenhe announced, hoisting the treasure chest out of the hole and placing it before Qin Yu.
Qin Yu quickly turned around, rushed forward, and offered a waterskin and handkerchief to help Shenhe wash her hands.
"Does it hurt?" Qin Yu asked.
Shenhe shook her head. "No. Thank you."
"Haha, you're welcome, but don't do that again! You could have hurt yourself! Shenhe, you need to take better care of yourself," Qin Yu said, clasping Shenhe's hand.
Shenhe's heart fluttered slightly. "Okay," she murmured.
[Evaluation: B- (Shenhe)]
These gloves are soaked now... but it's better than her hand being filthy.
Now, let's see what treasures lie within! Qin Yu, her heart brimming with anticipation, opened the chest.
But what greeted them left all three speechless.
The chest contained no treasure whatsoever—not even a single Mora! It was filled entirely with women's lingerie.
Why?
Why would a collection of lingerie be stored in such a luxurious chest, hidden so deep underground? And he's supposed to be the Treasure Saint! How could his "treasure" be this... stuff?
Qin Yu felt on the verge of tearing her hair out.
No, this must be a trick. There has to be something else hidden inside.
Undeterred, Qin Yu rummaged through the chest for a long time, her frustration more than doubling with each passing moment.
Nothing.
It really was just lingerie.
Have we been tricked? Is this even the real treasure vault? It doesn't seem likely... What's going on here? Qin Yu wondered wearily, feeling utterly drained.
"Speaking of which," Hu Tao suddenly said.
"What is it?"
"There's a rumor that the Treasure Saint, while using his stolen wealth to help the poor, has a rather peculiar habit. He also steals women's undergarments. I thought it was just slanderous gossip, but now it seems... oh dear."
Ha?
Wait, does that mean this junk is his treasure?
Qin Yu finally understood, then sank into the Void. After all that anticipation...
Hu Tao patted Qin Yu's shoulder, grinning cheerfully. "Don't worry! You still have Treasure Hu Tao here! You can see me, you can touch me! I'll never betray your trust! Isn't that great?"
I don't want to think about anything anymore.
Qin Yu gave up on thinking.