Visitors from another world?
Lin Xiyue's heart skipped a beat as she instinctively glanced at her sister beside her.
Lin Qingyue, however, maintained an air of calm composure, as if this revelation had been inevitable. Inwardly, though, a torrent of snark was raging:
Well, our cover's blown.
Figures. A virtual sky screen and rock music? No local native has ever witnessed such postmodern performance art.
"There's no need to be nervous," Aeldara said, her voice utterly devoid of emotion, as if stating a perfectly ordinary fact.
"In this world, visitors like you often descend upon us. We have long grown accustomed to it."
She paused, her crimson eyes locking onto Lin Qingyue's, as if evaluating a newly unsheathed divine weapon, its brilliance now fully revealed.
"The power you wielded earlier... it's extraordinarily unique, and immensely potent."
Aeldara chose her words carefully, as if struggling to find the precise term to describe the utterly absurd "Purification Concert."
"It saved my apprentice and turned the tide of the entire battle."
"This debt of gratitude, both the Silent Watch Knight Order and I personally, will never forget."
"Of course, of course, we just happened to be passing by and saw an injustice..." Lin Qingyue said, catching her breath and instinctively trying to lighten the mood with a quip.
But the words caught in her throat as she took in the Elves' solemn expressions and the cold, mangled remains scattered across the ground. Every bone in her body ached, and she longed to collapse somewhere immediately.
"As a token of our gratitude," Aeldara continued, "upon our return to Silvermoon City, I will personally request appropriate compensation for you. Whether it be masterfully enchanted equipment or unique skill inheritances from the Elven Race, you may choose whatever falls within my authority."
The phrase "skill inheritances" was like a refreshing spring, instantly revitalizing Lin Qingyue's nearly exhausted spirit. Even her physical fatigue miraculously eased.
Elven skill inheritances! The Elves are renowned for their Rangers and Mages—Xia Lian and Su Wan are truly blessed!
We just wanted to pay a visit to the Elf Queen, but we stumbled into a hidden BOSS battle and ended up saving the aloof Captain of the Knights. What a pleasant surprise!
With these thoughts, Lin Qingyue immediately adopted a solemn expression and gave a slight nod. "Then we offer our deepest gratitude to you, Commander!"
Just then, a flurry of footsteps echoed through the forest.
A squad of Elven Rangers, clad in light armor and carrying longbows, emerged alongside several Elven Mages wielding staves.
The Ranger Captain, upon seeing Aeldara, immediately knelt on one knee, his face etched with shame.
"Commander! We're late! Mograss sent a damned squadron of Gargoyles to pin down the outpost, and we only just managed to break free!"
As he reported, the Ranger Captain glanced around the battlefield, his voice abruptly faltering.
What he saw?
The ground was littered with scorched, smoking remnants of armor—at least eighty, if not a hundred suits.
Yet their own forces, apart from the knights looking slightly disheveled, appeared to have suffered no major casualties.
The Ranger Captain and the Mages behind him followed everyone's gaze, eventually focusing on the pink-haired human girl, visibly exhausted and being supported by her younger sister.
What... what's going on here? What did we miss?
Before they could unravel the mystery, the young Apprentice Death Knights, their patience snapping, surged forward and surrounded Lin Qingyue.
The look in their eyes had completely transformed.
The initial wariness and curiosity had transformed into a fervent, worshipful, and awe-struck radiance.
"Esteemed... Esteemed Lord, are you a Divine Envoy sent by the Church of Holy Light?"
The bravest of the Elf Knights asked, his voice trembling. Dried blood still stained his face, but his pale blue eyes seemed to have ignited with the brilliance of two newly kindled stars.
"Divine Envoy?" Lin Qingyue blinked. With my AK-47 and Holy Light barrage, I'm about as far from your image of a Divine Envoy chanting sacred verses as heaven is from hell, she thought.
"I've never witnessed such... such a magnificent and precise Divine Purification Spell!" another knight exclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement. "That golden rain of bullets was a veritable apocalypse for the undead! And it even healed us! This is undoubtedly a divine miracle!"
"Exactly! I feel stronger than ever!"
"Lord, which deity do you worship?"
A young Elf's voice rose in fervent excitement, instantly cutting through the surrounding clamor.
"Is that deity named Barbatos? I think I heard you mention His name earlier!"
The moment the words left her lips, all the elves' gazes snapped toward her, their breath catching in their throats.
A group of tall, long-legged, and strikingly handsome male elves surrounded Lin Qingyue, each with their own unique charm, gazing at her expectantly. They chattered excitedly, like a group of fervent fans who had just met their idol.
[Ding! Host has successfully gained Barbatos's first followers in another world! Elation Value +666!]
The System's notification blasted through her mind. Lin Qingyue's vision swam, and her already weak, exhausted legs nearly buckled, almost giving this group of "followers" a spectacular faceplant right there.
Good grief! I'm speechless!
That indecent, worthless Anemo Archon Barbatos, who bamboozled the citizens of Teyvat with promises like, "If you are trapped in a Windless Land, I will play the Song of the High Heavens," now has followers in another world?
Does Mondstadt even know about this? Does Venti himself know?! If he found out he'd gained such a group of tall, handsome Elven followers, would he be so overjoyed he'd crack open a bottle of Dandelion Wine right then and there?!
The absurdly surreal scene triggered Xia Lian's social anxiety.
She had already shrunk behind Su Wan, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly, her gaze darting nervously across the ground, unable to meet the fervent eyes of the encircling Elves.
Her toes curled frantically inside her custom-made tactical boots, as if they were about to burrow through the ground and excavate a three-bedroom Elven treehouse to escape this awkward situation.
She even began muttering under her breath, "Can't see me, can't see me... I'm just a Ranger passing by. I don't know that cult leader..."
Su Wan, however, presented a completely different picture.
She maintained her elegant stance, allowing Xia Lian to hide behind her.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, like a cat spotting intriguing prey.
The corner of her lips curled into a playful, scrutinizing smile as her gaze swept back and forth between Lin Qingyue and the fanatical Elves.
This absurd spectacle—a "new god's descent and her first wave of fanatical followers"—was ten thousand times more entertaining than any banquet she'd ever attended since childhood.
She even found herself strangely drawn to Lin Qingyue's wild, rule-breaking, unrestrained "madness."
I can't wait to see how she gets herself out of this.
"Ahem... ahem!"
Supported by Lin Xiyue, Lin Qingyue barely managed to stand straight. She cleared her throat, attempting to regain control of the situation.
"Quiet! Everyone, settle down!"
She forced her face into a stern expression, trying to project the authority of a Divine Envoy.
"I am merely an ordinary Priest passing through. Please do not overinterpret my actions."
"As for the Divine Spell earlier... um, as your Commander mentioned, we are visitors from another world. Our power systems differ slightly from yours. This is perfectly normal—yes, perfectly normal!"
As Lin Qingyue spoke, she nodded frantically, attempting to reinforce her credibility with body language.
Yet the more she explained, the more fervent the light in the Elves' eyes grew.
Look how humble this esteemed one is! they marveled.
Despite performing such a magnificent divine miracle, she calls herself "ordinary"!
This is the true magnanimity of a Divine Envoy!
"Enough. Disperse and let our guest rest," Aeldara's icy voice cut through the apprentices' commotion.
"Clean up the battlefield, collect the remains of our fallen comrades. Take stock of the wounded and regroup here."
"Yes, Commander!"
The Elf Knights immediately obeyed, their reluctance overridden by military discipline. Though loath to leave, they swiftly dispersed, efficiently managing the aftermath of the battle.
They carefully gathered the bodies of their fallen comrades, their movements gentle, their expressions solemn.
Watching this scene, the absurd amusement Lin Qingyue had felt at gaining "followers" faded slightly.
In its place, an unavoidable, chilling sense of reality settled in.
These people really would die.
"You all should rest too," Aeldara said to Lin Qingyue and her companions. "Morningwind Harbor, the nearest Elf outpost, is still half a day's journey from here. Once you've recovered, I'll escort you there."
She explained, "Morningwind Harbor has a Teleportation Array that leads to Silvermoon City, the capital. However, for security reasons, the Array's landing point is outside the city walls. We'll need to enter from there."
"No problem," Lin Qingyue nodded, promptly plopping down on the ground, completely unconcerned about the dust.
She was genuinely exhausted.
Lin Xiyue hurriedly spread a blanket on the ground, then unpacked various foods and Renew potions from her backpack.
"Sis, eat something quick to replenish your energy," she urged.
"Su Wan, Xia Lian, come sit down too."
The four-person team settled down by the battlefield's edge, sitting cross-legged to recharge their energy.
As Lin Qingyue munched on bread, she mentally conducted a post-battle debriefing.
Elven Skill books, huh... I wonder if there are any interesting ones. Ideally, I'd get a disguise Skill—that would make causing trouble later much easier.
She recalled the sensation of her transformation earlier.
Even though it drains energy like crazy, this "Barbara · Specialized Model" is seriously OP. Massive AOE clearing, group healing for the living, and destructive Purification for the undead—it's practically a battlefield cheat code.
But that entrance was way too flashy! With those sky-splitting effects and the epic BGM, I bet I could be spotted from kilometers away!
As she mulled over these thoughts, she rapidly renewed her stamina.