Genshin Impact: The Beginning of the Wind

Although they always encountered various dangers when traveling with Ying, and sometimes even deliberately ventured into dangerous places to complete their missions, Paimon had never encountered a situation like today, where it felt like the whole world was against her.

If she hadn't taken Bennett's claim of bringing bad luck seriously at first, she now finally understood why Bennett's adventure party consisted of only one person.

Even if you've only encountered this situation once or twice, it would be enough to wipe out an average adventure team. Judging from Bennett's nonchalant attitude, you can tell that he's experienced this more than once or twice.

How could such a dangerous adventure group possibly stay behind?

"I'm so sorry, it's all my fault that everyone is in such a dangerous situation."

After hearing Paimon's complaint, Bennett scratched the back of his head and apologized to everyone, looking quite embarrassed, though his eyes had dimmed.

“You don’t need to apologize to us. After all, it was a choice we all made together to take this risk. Besides, it’s just a little troublesome, which is nothing to us.”

After noticing a hint of disappointment in Bennett's eyes, Ying shook her head and comforted the cheerful and strong boy, while also glaring at Paimon, that tactless guy.

"what!"

"Bennett, I don't mean to hate you, I'm just surprised that there are really such unfortunate people in this world... No, no!"

Actually, I admire your will and strength!

"Ah!!! That doesn't seem right either!"

"I really don't know how to put this, but Bennett, I truly have no ill intentions towards you!"

You must believe me on this point!

Under the intense and stern gaze of Ying, Paimon finally realized he had misspoke and hurriedly tried to explain. However, perhaps due to his panic, what he said sounded more like adding insult to injury for Bennett.

"Eh? Is this true?"

Although Paimon's explanation was a jumbled mess, and anyone else might have thought he was being sarcastic, Bennett seemed to instantly understand Paimon's meaning. Surprisingly, Bennett, who wasn't disliked by everyone, immediately forgot about Paimon's unintentional hurtful behavior earlier.

Compared to the emotions he had long been accustomed to, what he cared more about was that someone didn't dislike him and was even willing to stay with him.

"Of course! How could we possibly dislike our adventure companions?"

Perhaps sensing Bennett's agitation and confusion at this moment, the group exchanged glances and decisively expressed that they did not dislike Bennett. Even Yura, who was feeling down, cheered up to comfort the unfortunate boy.

"You are a very skilled adventurer. Your adventurous skills and your attitude towards life and battle are both worthy of my praise."

“I acknowledge you, Bennett. If I manage to return to Mondstadt this time, feel free to come to me if you need anything. I hope you won’t look down on the help I’ve provided.”

Yura looked at the boy in front of her and earnestly made her promise; it was her heartfelt thought.

"Yes, thank you so much for not disliking me!"

Bennett was moved to tears upon receiving everyone's affirmation. He hadn't received encouragement and recognition from others for a very long time, and he never expected to receive such affirmation from everyone on this trip to the snow mountain.

This was the biggest encouragement for him.

"Alright, let's stop chatting here. I've already seen Abe, let's go say hello to him!"

At this moment, Amber interrupted the conversation. Perhaps they had been outside for too long, or perhaps Aberdo sensed that someone was lingering outside the camp. He had already left his camp and, upon seeing the slightly disheveled group, came directly to them.

"It seems like you're not doing too well?"

Abedo's voice remained as cold as ever, but anyone familiar with him could sense a hint of concern in his words.

"Well, Mr. Abedo, you should know about the event being held on the snow mountain right now, right? We're here to participate in the extermination of the snow mountain monsters, but we were just caught in an attack by the Abyss Order and barely managed to break through."

"We need to make some minor repairs now, so I apologize for bothering you for a while."

After exchanging glances, the group decided to have Amber, the most sociable among them, step forward and explain the situation to Abedo. Abedo didn't take Amber's explanation too seriously.

After all, the snow-capped mountains are quite dangerous now, and it's not impossible to encounter such a situation.

"In that case, come in quickly. I think you all really need to rest now."

Abedo didn't care about the so-called disturbance. Everyone was a citizen of Mondstadt, and helping each other was only natural. Moreover, Amber was a good friend of Klee, so Abedo certainly couldn't refuse her request to rest for a while.

"Then thank you very much, Mr. Abedo."

After receiving Abedo's invitation, a hint of joy appeared on everyone's faces. Although they hadn't suffered serious injuries when they were besieged by the Abyss Order, they had still felt a certain degree of fatigue. Now that they finally had a place to rest, it was certainly a good thing for everyone.

"It's alright, as long as you all don't mind that my space is small."

Abedo wasn't particularly concerned about the gratitude shown to him. He casually activated the protective magic he had set up around his camp and then beckoned everyone to enter the camp where he was usually the only person there.

Chapter 55: An event with more events must be really interesting, right?

The camp in Aberdo was indeed quite rudimentary—or rather, it was more like a rather basic laboratory than a habitable camp.

To put it bluntly, there might not even be enough supplies here to support human survival!

The camp was so small and shabby that a single glance was enough to take in everything, and after noticing its meager state, everyone couldn't help but turn their attention to Abedo.

They never imagined that Aberdo would live alone in such a dangerous place as the snow-capped mountains, relying on such a simple... laboratory, for so long. This could almost be considered a form of self-torture!

Are the habits and preferences of alchemy masters really that strange?

"I'm sorry, I don't have enough chairs for everyone to relax. Please wait a moment, I will use alchemy to create enough chairs for you."

"If you need anything else, just let me know and I will make it for you."

Aberdo's calm voice echoed in everyone's ears once again, and after hearing this, everyone couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment.

"So alchemy can achieve this level of skill?"

After a moment of slight mental overload, Paimon finally came to his senses and whispered a question in Luminous's ear. Unfortunately, Luminous, who didn't know much about alchemy in this world, couldn't answer Paimon's question.

The others were also obviously very curious about this, and soon, to everyone's astonishment, they discovered that Abedo had simply used a painting to create a whole bunch of chairs for everyone.

"Alright, everyone, please take a short rest. I'll go make you some coffee to warm you up."

"My resources are limited, and this is all I can offer you."

After Abedo presented the alchemically crafted chair to everyone, he said this, and then everyone saw him pick up the beakers and test tubes that were clearly on the lab bench and start preparing to make coffee for everyone.

This series of seemingly ordinary actions left everyone looking at each other in bewilderment, and at that moment, they almost thought they were the strange ones.

"..."

"Ying, is that really okay?"

Even the usually carefree Paimon spoke in the softest voice to Ying, and perhaps because Paimon was so close, Ying, unaccustomed to someone speaking so intimately in her ear, slightly moved her neck.

"If Paimon is worried, you don't have to drink it. I'll make you some soup later."

Perhaps sensing Paimon's inner worries, Ying responded to Paimon in an eerie voice, and upon hearing that Ying was going to cook soup for him later, Paimon's eyes seemed to sparkle with stars.

"Really? What kind of soup will we get later? I'm freezing and starving!"

No matter when or where, Paimon always gets excited whenever food and drink are mentioned.

"What do you think of Qingshui Paimengtang? We need to conserve food while we're on the snowy mountain, so shouldn't emergency food come in handy?"

At this moment, the smiling Ying finally revealed her fangs, while Paimon, who had just been looking forward to what delicious food he could eat later, was not able to react to what Ying was talking about at first.

Once she realized what was happening, her small hands immediately created afterimages as she frantically pounded on Ying's body.

"Ying, how could you be so mean! And I've said it more than once, I'm not emergency food!"

Paimon's small arms and legs were clearly no match for Ying, and seeing Paimon's adorable, exasperated expression, not only Ying but everyone else couldn't help but smile slightly.

However, after noticing everyone's reaction, Paimon became even more anxious.

"Hmph! You guys! Paimon doesn't want to talk to you anymore!"

At this moment, he stomped his feet, crossed his arms, and turned his head in one smooth motion, truly a hero among Paimon!

"Hahaha!"

If everyone could still hold back before, they couldn't hold back anymore after seeing Paimon like this. Everyone burst into laughter, and even Abedo, who was still brewing coffee with the posture and movements of someone making some kind of profound potion, couldn't help but have a slight smile on his lips.

"what!!!"

"Why are all of you like this?!"

Unexpectedly, Paimon stomped her foot hard in the air again, but soon, as if she had realized something, she also gradually started to laugh.

"Okay, okay, Paimon, don't be angry! I'll make something delicious to make you feel bad!"

After fooling around for a while, Ying was the first to smile and apologize to Paimon.

"I'm not so easily comforted; it takes two... no, at least three main dishes for me to forgive you~"

Paimon, who wasn't actually angry at all, immediately seized the opportunity to ask for some benefits, while Ying simply nodded indifferently.

Ying really likes Paimon as her partner. Although they often bicker and sometimes even tease each other a little, Ying genuinely cares about this first partner she has ever met.

"Alright, everyone, let's have some coffee to warm up first. After all, it's extremely cold on this snow mountain, and if we're not careful, it won't be good for your upcoming adventure."

“My camp is surrounded by a barrier to repel demons, and there are also more protective magic arrays around it. Even if the remaining Abyss Order on the snow mountain mobilizes all its forces, it will be impossible to shake the barrier.”

"You can rest assured here."

......

Why am I considered a failure?

"Why wasn't I born into this world as the original being?"

"Why... did I have to go through all this?"

Somewhere in the snow-capped mountains, the broken 'human' who had been in a swirling mire of abyssal remnants and dragon blood struggled to stand up again. Under his extraordinary consciousness, he actually integrated the remaining abyssal remnants and dragon blood into his own body.

At this moment, the previously broken body seemed to be replenished, and the surging power gradually pieced the fragmented body back together.

The last thing to appear in this abandoned cave was the appearance of a young boy.

"Abedo, my brother?"

"No!"

"I should be the original one!"

Why can't I live in this world in his place?

"I should be the most perfect original being!"

"I should be... Abedo!"

As his consciousness hardened, the blurry boy gradually became clearer. Powerful energy transformed into skin that enveloped his battered body. Once everything was set, 'Abedo,' erased of his last flaws and imperfections, finally appeared in this hidden cave.

"I will replace you, become you, and then surpass you!"