TN: And we're back! sorry for the week long hiatus, it was not intentional since I had to get my right leg in a cast after tripping 3 floors down a stairwell (like an idiot ://) and be unable to use my PC setup upstairs BUT I should be OK now.
Anyways, Thanks for Arcanic Madness, WeissAkumu and WolfWTF for becoming as Supporters!
===BREAK===
At this moment, Clorinde thought calmly for a while, then spoke up with what seemed to be the most appropriate suggestion under the circumstances.
"In my opinion, this matter should be handled by the security forces. You should all leave this trouble spot as soon as possible."
However, upon hearing this, Shao Yun immediately launched into an unrestrained criticism of Fontaine's security measures.
"Your security is just as damn useless as Mondstadt's Favonius Cathedral guarding the Holy Lyre—fragile paper trash!"
As he spoke, Shao Yun forcefully swung his arms to emphasize his words.
"If we really wait for Fontaine's officials to solve the case and catch the culprit, I'm afraid we'll all have been laid into coffins by Liyue's Wangsheng Funeral Parlor before you even figure out who did it!"
After venting his frustration, Shao Yun slowly turned around to face Lumine and Paimon behind him.
He placed both hands on Lumine's shoulders, his gaze firm yet tinged with apology, and said solemnly, "Lumine, Paimon, sorry about this. I might have to disappear from your sight for a while. I'm going to handle this personally."
Lumine's eyes widened in fear as she stared at Shao Yun's gaze, which looked like that of a vicious wolf ready to pounce. Her body trembled uncontrollably.
"Wait… what exactly are you planning to do?"
Shao Yun answered with a grave expression, "Find the one behind all this—and hang him."
Panic surged in Lumine's heart, and she hurriedly tried to calm him down.
"How about leaving this mess to the security forces? You said it yourself—leave professional matters to professionals."
But Shao Yun was completely unmoved. He grabbed Lumine's arm and forcefully pointed at the spot where she had been grazed.
Then he raised his hand and pointed at Yanfei, who was lying quietly in Eula's arms, and finally pointed at himself.
"I am the professional!"
At this moment, Paimon rushed over anxiously to stop him, shouting, "Wait! Shouldn't the top priority right now be getting injured Yanfei to the hospital?"
Yet Shao Yun seemed as if he hadn't heard Paimon at all and turned away.
"Don't worry. Yanfei will be fine. You just have to trust my medicine!"
Before his words had even finished, he passed through the dense bushes nearby and vanished from everyone's sight in the blink of an eye.
Watching Shao Yun walk farther and farther away until he completely disappeared, Paimon was filled with regret and muttered self-blamefully, "Ugh… if I'd known it would turn out like this, I should've told him earlier…"
Clorinde looked at the scattered remains of the security meka on the ground, frowned slightly, then turned to the others and said,
"I'll notify the security forces to deal with the scene. I'll report everything that happened tonight."
Navia nodded in agreement and then added, "Lumine, Paimon, if you don't mind, I suggest you stay at the Spina di Rosula base in Fleuve Cendre for the next few days. It's safer that way."
After that, she looked at Eula and Yanfei and continued, "Eula and Yanfei as well—it would be best for both of you to stay there for a while too."
…
Elsewhere, Shao Yun spent the entire night searching the area around the Opera Epiclese for clues about who had deployed those unnumbered security meka.
But aside from a mess of chaotic footprints, there was basically no useful information.
With no other choice, Shao Yun decided to find a place on Erinnyes Island to camp for the night.
Though it was called camping, he couldn't sleep at all, his mind filled entirely with the incident.
It wasn't until dawn that Shao Yun finally calmed down and began reorganizing the information he had gathered so far.
The original targets of those security meka were Yanfei and Navia, not Lumine and Paimon.
After all, that whatshisname—whatever his name was—had seen the case jointly solved by Navia and Yanfei, so he went all out.
To put it bluntly, Yanfei took the hit for Lumine.
But Lumine and Paimon still got dragged into it—just because that whatshisname idiot didn't know who he was messing with!
As sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves and fell upon the ground, Shao Yun summoned the system.
"These bastards actually dared to lay a hand on Lumine and Paimon!"
Before his words faded, Shao Yun raised his fist and smashed it hard into the thick tree trunk beside him.
The trunk shook violently, and several tender green leaves drifted down slowly.
The system sensed the fury in Shao Yun's heart but was also somewhat confused.
Based on the information available, Lumine and Paimon hadn't actually been seriously injured.
[Not Lumine. To be precise, the ones attacked were Navia and Yanfei. Your wife, child, and Eula were just collateral damage.]
Even without concrete evidence, Shao Yun could tell exactly who was behind this using Lumine's safety shorts logic alone.
"I didn't ask for your opinion. That blind bastard wanted to take Lumine out too! Does he think I'm some idiot to toy with?"
"That chamber of commerce president—what was it, Ma-something? His name was Masseira or something?"
But due to his agitation, Shao Yun couldn't recall the name clearly.
The system promptly provided clarification.
[It's the president of the Confrerie of Cabriere, named Marcel. Not Masseira. The desert Masseira was already killed by you.]
Shao Yun clenched his teeth until they ground audibly and nodded.
"Right. I'm going to kill him now."
The system urged Shao Yun to calm down.
[You can't just barge in and shoot him on the spot. That would cause chaos. Marcel might die, but his subordinates would destroy the evidence, and you'd end up in unnecessary trouble.]
Shao Yun paused slightly and asked, "Then what do you think I should do? I can't just wait for him to die of fright—that'd be letting him off too easy."
The system offered a suggestion.
[You know this. Those security meka had no serial numbers, so we can only start from his production of Sinthe.]
[You need to find evidence of him manufacturing Sinthe, then gather the families of the missing girls and use public pressure to drag Marcel out. After that, use the torture devices Alice gave you to finish him off. What do you think?]
Seeing that this useless system had finally come up with a half-decent plan, Shao Yun nodded and asked, "Fine then. Where's that small workshop making 'Sinthe'?"
However, when faced with Shao Yun's question, the system seemed somewhat powerless and could only helplessly display a line of text.
[I need more time to determine the exact location. If you can gather more relevant information, I should be able to speed up the search.]
Seeing that the system still needed time, Shao Yun's anger flared immediately, and he cursed without restraint, "Useless!"
The system was not to be outdone and immediately shot back.
[If you hadn't been targeted by the Devil so early on, I might be far more useful than I am now!]
Shao Yun replied irritably, "Enough already. You and your useless affection interface—get lost!"
After scolding the system, Shao Yun extinguished the campfire while muttering complaints nonstop.
"Fine, guess I'm unlucky. I'll help you narrow it down myself, you useless thing!"
Even though he agreed to help the useless system narrow the scope… how did Lumine find that Sinthe factory in the first place?
He only vaguely remembered it being somewhere in the sea northwest of the Court of Fontaine—but that was like looking for a needle in the ocean. Teyvat was just too big now!
Suddenly, inspiration struck Shao Yun.
"I remember Neuvillette saying yesterday that if anything came up, I could go to the security forces for help?"
…
Court of Fontaine, Security Forces Headquarters.
The headquarters stood in the bustling Quartier Lyonnais of the Court of Fontaine. Its grand and solemn architecture served as a warning to all criminals not to act rashly.
As Shao Yun entered the main hall, his presence immediately drew the attention of several security officers.
A well-trained receptionist quickly stepped forward and asked politely, "Hello, welcome to the Security Forces Headquarters. How may I help you?"
Shao Yun looked at the receptionist expressionlessly and said in a stiff tone, "Who's in charge here? Call them out to see me—or take me to them."
The receptionist was clearly taken aback by Shao Yun's blunt and impolite wording.
"In charge? I'm sorry, sir, I don't quite understand what you mean by 'in charge.' Are you here to file a report, or do you have another urgent matter…?"
At that moment, a girl with an eyepatch over her left eye—looking like a relative of Kaeya—appeared.
The difference was that Kaeya wore his eyepatch over his right eye, while she wore hers on the left.
This mysterious girl exuded a cold, authoritative aura, like an iceberg that kept others at bay.
Even standing still, she projected an overwhelming pressure without needing to show anger.
She wore a sharply tailored Fontaine special patrol uniform, looking valiant and imposing.
On her head was a uniquely styled security cap resembling a "grenadier helmet," making her stand out even more.
The Kaeya-like girl walked straight toward Shao Yun.
Stopping in front of him, she introduced herself calmly and confidently, "Hello. I'm Chevreuse, captain of the Special Patrol. Whatever it is, you can tell me."
Shao Yun raised his gaze—finally, someone with actual authority had shown up.
He quickly extended his right hand and replied, "Hello. My name is Tacitus Kilgore."
Chevreuse glanced at the hand he extended, hesitated briefly, then politely reached out and shook it lightly.
"You can use your real name. Lord Neuvillette has already informed us of your information and instructed us to receive you cordially."
"Of course, that's under the condition that you don't do anything too excessive."
After the handshake, Shao Yun sneered again.
"He really trusts the purity of Fontaine's security forces, huh… Though to be honest, aside from you, I can't think of anyone else who could help right now."
Hearing Shao Yun's slightly teasing remark, Chevreuse narrowed her right eye and muttered in a lowered voice, "That sounds a bit… disrespectful to us."
Shao Yun shot back without backing down, "Yesterday, at the Opera Epiclese, the accomplice who framed Lyney—Vaughn from your security forces. I do have to put a question mark on your 'innocence.'"
===BREAK===
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