Just as Mu Yang silently noted down a grudge against Eula.
Eula, who was sitting at the mouth of a canyon in Dragonspine, enjoying the fierce winds while holding a chilled juice.
Suddenly felt a piercing chill crawl up her spine.
Eula shuddered and quickly turned to look at Mika, who was sitting in a spot sheltered from the wind, warming himself by a fire.
Mika noticed the gaze from his captain, set down the paper and pen in his hand, and asked, "Is something wrong, Captain?"
"Nothing."
Eula warily observed her surroundings, finally looking in the direction of the Skyfrost Nail.
She found no danger.
Could it be that she was overthinking it?
She turned her head back and continued drinking her juice.
What was she thinking?
How could that bone-chilling cold possibly come from Mika?
If this patrol mission had included even one more person, she wouldn't have directed her suspicious gaze toward Mika.
Because this child's personality was too honest.
When Mika had just joined the Reconnaissance Company.
Eula thought he would be like some people before him, wanting to leave after just a few days.
After all, the Reconnaissance Company's tasks were numerous and varied.
Thinking of how Mika was quiet and unassuming.
Yet he completed his tasks exceptionally well.
He even proactively took on all the errand-running duties.
And in turn, helped communicate for Eula and the others.
At that time, Eula's reputation wasn't as good as it is now.
Mika's actions could be considered as easing Eula's burdens.
Such an honest child who knew how to consider others.
It was indeed impossible for him to emit the chilling intent from earlier.
Mu Yang: Actually, I'm quite honest too.
Thinking of Mika's personality, Eula couldn't help but complain a bit.
"Clearly, he's been out training with the Grand Master for two or three years, so why does he still have the same personality as Jean."
Eula could never have imagined.
The reason Mika was assigned to the Reconnaissance Company.
Was entirely because the Grand Master wanted to train his team communication skills.
After all, if even a unique captain like Eula could be reasoned with.
There was no fear that his level wouldn't keep up with the elite-filled expedition team.
As for why Mika was brought into the expedition team.
Grand Master Varka's drunken truth:
Selecting Mika for the expedition team was ostensibly to train his practical combat skills.
But his personal reason was because:
Jean had to stay as Acting Grand Master, so those logistics chores still needed a reliable person to handle them.
So no matter how much Eula complained, she would never guess—
Mika was selected for training precisely because he was too similar to Jean...
At this moment, Mika had no idea what his captain was thinking.
He immersed himself back into his own world—
Revising Mondstadt's new military map.
This was Mika's favorite thing to do, and it was also his official duty as a [Front-Line Surveyor].
Exploring unfamiliar areas, recording details of terrain data, drawing precise and effective maps.
For example: [This is a resource-rich point, but surrounded by monster gatherings; proceed with caution], and so on.
Affiliated with the Reconnaissance Company.
Besides daily patrols, these were the things Mika had to do.
So, this time, having the fortune to follow Captain Eula to the snowy mountain, he was thrilled.
If he could draw a detailed map of the snowy mountain and mark it accordingly.
Then the survival rate for adventurers exploring here would greatly increase.
Eula had finished her iced drink, stood up from the canyon, and returned to Mika's side.
"Continue onward."
"Yes, Captain."
Mika packed up his things neatly and efficiently.
Not dragging his feet at all.
— — — — — —
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Mu Yang and the group's route had already gone astray.
They had originally planned to go to the Stone Gate.
After Yanfei's explanation of ice-water bathing.
The women unanimously decided to change course to the Guili Plains.
Preparing to pass through Mingyun Village and enter the snowy mountain.
If it were anyone else, Mu Yang would have directly let them go play on their own.
But the team included Shenhe and Ganyu.
His own disciples—spoiled, of course.
And conveniently check the situation with the Skyfrost Nail.
Mu Yang didn't want to delve deeply into topics between girls.
What he cared about was Shenhe's condition.
In the conversation, Mu Yang learned:
In the year since Shenhe returned to Liyue Harbor, she had changed a lot.
His intentional guidance, plus Lumine's influence on the red ropes binding her soul.
The current Shenhe could already express some normal human emotions and had gained much more common sense.
Of course, limited to familiar people.
Toward strangers or annoying people, she still preferred to show her fists.
This solved problems faster.
Fortunately, the shop had Yanfei's sign hanging.
Those guys knew they were in the wrong.
Even if they reported it, they wouldn't gain anything.
Instead, they could easily get themselves involved.
Otherwise, [Muyu Snow City] wouldn't be so peaceful.
Toward such pleasing changes in Shenhe.
Mu Yang was naturally very happy.
He hoped that one day, Shenhe could suppress the red ropes herself, suppress her fate.
And live as a person with normal emotions.
Compared to Shenhe, Ganyu didn't have so many things to worry about.
She had already lived in Liyue Harbor for thousands of years.
She knew how to conduct herself in the mortal world.
Moreover, after nearly two years of Sea Lantern Festivals.
The current Shenhe and Ganyu had become much more familiar.
The two supported each other.
Even the empty-nest old bird far away in Mt. Aozang could rest assured.
Just as Mu Yang was lamenting about the changes in his two disciples.
The snowy mountain had arrived.
People with Visions of the Gods receive certain protection when facing extreme environments like heat or severe cold.
So even if they were bare-legged.
And about to soak in ice water later.
It wouldn't affect their bodies.
"Master, we've arrived. Yanfei said that ice-water lake is very good, very suitable."
Shenhe slowed her steps and greeted Mu Yang, who was at the end of the group.
Mu Yang nodded to indicate he knew.
"You go have fun with them. Rest assured, I'll keep watch around."
"Yes, Master, be careful yourself too."
After Shenhe finished speaking, she caught up with Ganyu and the others' pace.
Mu Yang didn't look over there anymore, but in two or three steps flew to the top of the Skyfrost Nail.
After checking around, he found it was just as the system had said.
Absorbing the Skyfrost Nail's energy hadn't caused any changes to the snowy mountain environment.
This put him at ease.
He calculated the possible time for bathing.
"System, remind me to come out in two hours."
System: "Okay okay okay, with so many functions this system has, you treat me like an alarm clock?"
Mu Yang ignored the system.
This system of his was an old troll, liking to chatter endlessly.
Fortunately, Mu Yang had learned to respond with silence.
Setting a time was still necessary.
Otherwise, like before, absorbing for a month.
The people below would get worried.
Mu Yang entered the interior of the Skyfrost Nail.
It was still that infinitely extending white room.
But the current Mu Yang could already sense the existence and patterns of change in the energy.
He didn't think much more, seizing the time to refine...
By the time Mu Yang had nearly absorbed the Skyfrost Nail completely, the system alarm still hadn't rung.
"System bro, what's wrong with you? You're not sulking, are you?"
System: "No, it's only been one hour and thirty minutes now."
Mu Yang found it unbelievable.
Previously, absorbing just this much took a month.
Now, nearly draining it dry in just an hour and a half?
He pondered for a moment; it was likely related to that system positioning upgrade.
He now clearly understood the patterns of the nail's power changes, so absorption was naturally faster.
Mu Yang transformed and emerged.
At this time, the nail's power was depleted.
To conceal this fact.
Mu Yang returned a small portion of his own energy back into it.
To others, this nail appeared no different from before.
With the system shielding, those beings in the sky also didn't know about Mu Yang's operations here.
Mu Yang, whose strength had risen another notch, returned to the ground satisfied.
"Walking back from here, they should have had enough fun by now."
However, Mu Yang had only leisurely strolled to the halfway point of the mountain when he encountered Eula again.
The last time he absorbed the nail's power, it was also in this place that he ran into her.
Truly, enemies are bound to meet on a narrow road.