This wasn't Childe's first time dining at Xinyue Kiosk, but for some reason, today's meal tasted sweeter than usual. The only downside was the seafood, which had a faint fishy smell that lingered.
"Have you met Morax?"
During the meal, Childe couldn't help but ask.
He was using his own cutlery, as he wasn't skilled with chopsticks—just like how he wasn't great with bows. Chopsticks had always been his nemesis.
Having dined at Xinyue Kiosk before, he knew they only provided chopsticks, so now he always brought his own utensils.
"If you want to meet Morax, you should at least learn how to use chopsticks. Using foreign utensils in a Liyue restaurant is quite rude."
Bai Luo deftly twirled a pair of chopsticks in his hand, even showing off some dagger-flipping techniques to impress Childe.
"Learn chopsticks? Is Morax some kind of foodie?"
Childe's mind worked quickly, and he immediately picked up on the key point in Bai Luo's words.
"Haven't you read Liyue's legends? At the very least, you must have heard storytellers talk about them. Morax loves disguising himself as all sorts of people and wandering the mortal world. You might even see a little girl digging a hole on the side of the road, and that could be Morax experiencing life."
But after seeing the Geo Archon's outfit, Bai Luo was starting to have doubts.
Did the Geo Archon really know how to blend into ordinary life? Perhaps this was one of the reasons he was so eager to retire.
"Hmm... I haven't really paid attention to that."
Childe had delegated the task of investigating Morax to his subordinates, so most of the information he received came from them.
It seemed he needed to spend more time wandering around Liyue himself.
Also, that guy named Zhongli had been spotted again recently, but compared to Morax, he seemed less important.
Better to focus on Morax for now.
"How's the situation at The Chasm?"
During the meal, Bai Luo casually brought up the topic.
"The initial camp has been set up, and Liyue has also established supply stations. Something seems to have happened in Liyue recently—the Qixing's efficiency has noticeably improved."
As Childe spoke, he couldn't hide his surprise.
When working with the Qixing before, they would drag their feet on every decision, saying they needed the Geo Archon's approval.
But recently, they had bypassed that step entirely. If they thought something was acceptable, they would make the decision on the spot, as if Morax's opinion no longer mattered.
It seemed Liyue was on the verge of some kind of change.
After hearing this, Bai Luo paused for a moment.
After listening to his words, Bai Luo paused for a moment.
Then he asked, "What about the Ninth Company?"
"The Ninth Company is the Pulcinella's heroic unit. They went down early and have probably already secured a foothold in the Chasm. But fighting against such beings... it's still a tough challenge for them."
"If you need help, just let me know."
"Hmm, speaking of which... that Electro Cicin Mage from the Ninth Company seems quite fond of you. The way she was crying when she came back last time almost made me think you were about to be carried off to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
Childe wasn't exaggerating in the slightest. If the Ninth Company had worn white mourning bands and scattered some paper money, Hu Tao could have started business right then and there.
Katarina and Kseniya were completely different types of girls, and the impressions they left on him were also very different.
Kseniya was fiery and passionate, but her enthusiasm was understandable. After being alone in the wilderness for so long, seeing a familiar face would naturally make her happy.
Perhaps his unexpected visit had saved her. In that situation and environment, no matter how strong her willpower was, she would have been driven mad.
Maybe he had been her last lifeline before she completely broke.
Katarina, on the other hand, had always been with the company. She acted more like a logistics support, always finding whatever Bai Luo needed at a moment's notice.
Her personality was more "reserved," the type who would do whatever you asked without question.
She was just a bit too thin—her bones were a little too prominent.
"After all, it's Pulcinella's company. I'll make sure to look after them when the time comes."
Raising his glass, Childe clinked it with Bai Luo's.
No matter what his previous impression of the company had been, after this conversation with Bai Luo, he had started to take them more seriously.
He just hoped... that in the heat of the moment, he wouldn't forget about these people.
After eating and drinking their fill, the two charged the bill to La Signora's name and swaggered out of Xinyue Kiosk.
Looking up at the still overcast but no longer rainy sky, Bai Luo made a rare suggestion.
"Want to fight?"
"???"
If Childe weren't so familiar with Bai Luo and didn't know for sure that this was the real Instructor, he would have suspected this guy was Morax in disguise.
The Instructor asking him to fight? That was even more unbelievable than his little sister Tonia suddenly saying, "Bro, I'm done pretending. I'm actually the Tsaritsa!"
The main reason he had chosen Liyue was to force Bai Luo, a native of Liyue, to fight him. Back then, he had even thought that if Bai Luo fought him, he would hand over Liyue to him. But to his surprise, Bai Luo had chosen to go to a place like Inazuma just to avoid fighting him.
Truly, human potential is brought out under pressure.
"Don't want to? Fine, see you later."
"Of course I want to! Where? When? How?"
How could Childe pass up such an opportunity? Morax could wait, but Bai Luo wasn't always this proactive.
"Three days from now, Wuwang Hill. If you're my bro, come and fight me."
The plum-scented oil-paper umbrella was slung over his shoulder, and Bai Luo wore a faint smile.
It was this confident smile that almost made Childe believe him.
Almost, but not entirely.
Because he knew this guy too well.
"You're not lying, are you?"
Childe looked at Bai Luo with suspicion. The fact that Bai Luo was being so proactive made him feel something was off.
Was this just a stalling tactic?
"Glaciers are cold, snow plains are harsh."
"Lying tongues will rot and perish."
"Three days from now, Wuwang Hill. I'll be there!"
"I'll be there!"
The bow that had begun to materialize on his back slowly disappeared. He had already waited for so long, so three more days wouldn't be a big deal.
It would give him time to practice his archery. If Bai Luo dared to run, he'd shoot his head off.
Wait a minute...
"You didn't say where in Wuwang Hill!"
Childe turned around, intending to ask for the exact location, but Bai Luo was already gone.
He had experienced Bai Luo's stealth skills before. It seemed he needed to prepare for that trick.
Maybe... start with a Hydro whale the moment they meet?