Shao Yun and his group, having filled their bellies with a simple meal, didn't linger long.
They swiftly packed up and, wrapped in their thick winter clothing, mounted their horses and departed the abandoned Fatui encampment.
Somehow, as if guided by fate, their departure came at the perfect time.
Not five minutes later, a group of Abyssal creatures descended silently upon the camp.
At the lead was a Cryo Abyss Mage, who scanned the area, his gaze finally settling on the still-warm campfire.
"Fan out! Search outward from this camp! Find any trace of the Prince!"
At its command, the creatures scattered, beginning a thorough search of the area.
But Shao Yun and the others were already long gone—the search yielded nothing.
…
For the next week, Shao Yun and his group became phantoms of Dragonspine, locked in a heart-pounding game of hide-and-seek with the relentless Abyss forces.
Dragonspine, a naturally formed maze of jagged peaks and treacherous paths, tested every ounce of their will and cunning.
Riding their horses between sheer cliffs, every step was perilous—a single mistake could send them tumbling into an icy abyss.
Day and night, they ran. Sleep became a luxury.
Every time they found a quiet spot to rest, the nightmare returned—the Abyss Order would arrive like a shadow, forcing them to flee once again.
Until the seventh day, when fate finally seemed to show a hint of mercy.
Shao Yun led them to Starglow Cavern, a hidden haven where, at last, they enjoyed one full day of peace.
But the reprieve was short-lived. That night, while standing guard, Dainsleif spotted signs of Abyss creatures nearby.
Exhausted though they were, the group was forced to mount up and flee once more.
…
On the eighth day, Dragonspine was consumed by a storm like no other. Howling winds and driving snow sliced across the landscape like blades.
Lumine and Paimon huddled tightly in their clothes, shivering against the icy grip of the blizzard.
Their horses struggled through the deep snow, visibility nearly gone—just an endless expanse of white.
The storm threatened to devour them whole. Lumine looked down at Paimon, who had begun to doze, and gently patted her cheek.
"Wake up, Paimon. You can't sleep now."
Paimon blinked, disoriented, forcing herself to stay awake.
Lumine turned her gaze forward, to Shao Yun's figure—stoic and unyielding amid the storm. She called out,
"Shao Yun, I'm not rushing you, but… we really need a place to rest!"
Shao Yun nodded gravely.
"I know. Let me think."
He summoned the system again, voice tinged with urgency.
"I need a real place to rest. Not a temporary hideout, not some makeshift refuge. Somewhere safe and stable."
The system responded instantly, a clear prompt appearing:
[You may proceed to Albedo's laboratory in Dragonspine.]
The message was like sunlight breaking through clouds. Shao Yun's face lit up.
"Perfect. Guide me."
He turned to Lumine and called out,
"Lumine, we're heading to Albedo's lab in the mountain. We can finally rest properly and recover there."
But Lumine looked hesitant, concern etched on her face.
"Won't that bring trouble to Albedo? The Abyss Order's still after us…"
"We can't worry about that right now. What matters is getting everyone back on their feet. I trust Albedo will understand."
From the rear, Dainsleif overheard the conversation. The mention of the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius gave him pause.
"If we're really going to Albedo's lab… then I'll stay outside. I'll keep watch."
Shao Yun looked back and reassured him, "Don't worry, Dain. Albedo's not always at the lab. We'll be fine."
…
With the system's navigation, Shao Yun led the group through the blizzard.
Eventually, they arrived at a concealed cavern embedded within the mountain—Albedo's laboratory.
Inside, the lab was both simple and elegant.
Tall shelves were filled to the brim with tomes and scrolls. A wide worktable sat near the center, cluttered with alchemical instruments. In one corner, a glowing alchemy station hummed softly with residual warmth.
Shao Yun confirmed the lab was empty, then called out,
"Albedo's not here, Dain—you can relax."
At last, Dainsleif's tension eased. He dismounted and began tending a fire.
Lumine hopped down from her horse, holding Paimon's hand, and stepped into the comforting warmth of the lab. The contrast with the freezing winds outside was sharp—likely the result of Albedo's alchemical climate control.
Shao Yun settled the horses near the entrance, then carefully lifted the bound Aether from his mount and carried him inside.
Aether, observing how Shao Yun had looked after everyone during their journey, began to see him in a different light.
Though he often called him "brother-in-law" in jest, Aether saw the truth: Shao Yun's humor was meant to ease tension, to bring Lumine and Paimon laughter in the midst of fear.
Now, sitting in a chair Shao Yun had arranged for him, Aether gazed at his weary but determined face and asked quietly,
"You're reckless and stubborn, but I have to ask—was it worth it? You haven't rested in days."
Shao Yun froze, wary of another lecture. He smiled faintly, brushing it off.
"I'll figure something out. Just trust me."
He turned to leave—to fetch food and water—but Aether's voice stopped him.
"I know you're tired of hearing it. But… let me go back. Take care of Lumine. At the end of her journey, I'll—"
But Shao Yun cut him off, voice firm, almost cold.
"Don't talk about Lumine. My goal is to keep everyone alive. You should be thinking about how we're going to live from here on out."
Aether looked out at the storm, then back at Shao Yun.
"Live? All I see is this frozen wasteland… and you dragging my sister through hell. This is your plan for the future?"
Shao Yun took a deep breath, voice growing steadier.
"This is just one obstacle on our way to something better. A minor hardship, compared to what lies ahead."
"We'll make it through. Then we'll find peace. A ranch. A secluded island. Something quiet. Something real."
But Aether wasn't convinced.
"Then tell me, when will this future come?"
Shao Yun clenched his fists, knuckles white with strain.
"Just a few more days. Hold on a little longer, and it'll all work out!"
Aether stared at him, seeing through the cracks in his resolve.
"You don't really have a plan, do you?"
…
「"You got a plan, Dutch?"」
「"…We always have a plan, Arthur!"」
…
Shao Yun heard the hallucinated voice again—one he hadn't heard in a long time. He gasped, struggling to steady his breath.
But it didn't help. His voice rose in a furious roar.
"My plan is to fight the Abyss monsters to the end! Until we find our chance to escape!"
Aether shouted back, refusing to yield.
"Look at Lumine! For your delusion of a plan, she hasn't slept well in a week! Look at her face!"
Lumine, hearing this, glanced between the two. Her heart torn, she finally stepped toward Shao Yun.
"It's okay, brother. Just one good night of rest, and I'll be fine."
But Aether's anger didn't subside. He shouted,
"Is this what you call loving my sister?!"
Shao Yun's face darkened. He grabbed Aether by the collar and shouted back,
"Enough!"
He stared him down, eyes blazing.
"I do love her! I know this is hard—but I'm doing everything I can to keep us alive! Say one more thing like that, and I'll gag you myself!"
With that, he shoved Aether back into the chair.
Aether stared at him, hurt and confused.
"Why are you doing all this?"
Shao Yun didn't answer. He muttered, "For a better tomorrow, alright?"
Then he turned and stormed out of the cave.
Aether turned to Lumine, his expression softening.
"Sister… why won't you listen to me?"
Lumine bit her lip but met his eyes with quiet strength.
"Because the pain of losing you again… would be worse than anything I'm going through now."
"This past week felt like a dream. If it is… then I want to stay in it forever."
Aether sighed, nodding slowly. His voice was low.
"To be honest… this week with you felt like a dream to me, too. But dreams don't last. The world is harsher than this dream. If you don't reclaim your power… bad things will happen."
Lumine's eyes grew serious.
"Then tell me. What are we going to face? Please, brother… no more secrets."
Aether hesitated—but then, finally, he told her.
Everything.
About Khaenri'ah. About the Abyss. About his title, and the mission that loomed ahead.
…
Outside the cave, Shao Yun scooped up a handful of snow, letting its chill clear his mind.
The flakes melted on his face, cold water dripping down, washing away some of the exhaustion.
"I've gone mad…" he muttered.
Dainsleif approached, his eyes scanning Shao Yun's face.
"I just finished a sweep. No signs of the Abyss Order nearby. That blizzard—it's a result of leyline disturbance. The Abyss won't be moving quickly in this."
Shao Yun exhaled in relief.
"Good. If we can just rest for one day, we'll make it."
Dainsleif hesitated, then asked, "Shao Yun… I haven't asked before. But when is that 'thing behind you' supposed to appear?"
Shao Yun smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"A few more days, probably. That bastard wouldn't miss a show like this. I'm ready to sell my soul to him…"
Dainsleif frowned. You really don't have a clue, huh?
"I might be wrong, but… I think your 'thing' isn't coming."
Shao Yun blinked. "What do you mean?"
"If it really wanted you… it'd be here by now. But it's been eight days. And nothing."
Shao Yun felt uneasy but tried to brush it off.
"That thing's unpredictable. It shows up when it wants. Once this 'long time' is up—it'll come. Then this will all be over."
Dainsleif shook his head.
"But what is 'a long time'? An hour? A day? A year? A century? How long can we afford to wait?"
Shao Yun didn't want to answer. He waved the question away.
"Forget it, Dain. Go back to your watch. I'll get food started."
Dainsleif looked like he wanted to argue—but Shao Yun shut it down.
"We've come this far. If we give up now, it's all for nothing. Without Aether, the Abyss Order loses its edge."
"…It's not that simple," Dainsleif said softly. "Yes, they're weakened—but the Abyss is… complicated."
Shao Yun waved him off again.
"Then don't say it. Even if the sky falls—we've got the Seven to hold it up."
And speak of the devil—
Dainsleif's eyes narrowed. He tensed suddenly, voice low and sharp.
"Wait. There's divine energy. Two sources!"
Shao Yun blinked. "What? Two what?"
Before he could finish, Dainsleif darted off into the storm, calling back,
"Sorry—I'm getting away from here. You're on your own!"
Shao Yun stood there, stunned.
"Two gods? Don't tell me… Venti and Zhongli?!"
And from the heart of the blizzard, two silhouettes emerged—one tall, cloaked in warm amber light like an autumn sun. The other smaller, radiating fresh green energy, like spring's first bud.
Shao Yun's jaw dropped.
"…It is Venti and Zhongli? What the hell are they doing here?"
Then it hit him—their glow. It wasn't from their Visions.
It was from their braids.
North wind. Snowstorm. Bright braids. They found him—even before the Abyss Order did.
They weren't here to visit.
Shao Yun reacted instantly. He yanked his revolvers from his hips, raising both guns toward the approaching figures.
"You two—stop right there!"