Damn it, something's wrong with the gacha I got.

Chen Bai approached and explained simply.

"Huh? Dinner?!" March 7th immediately puffed out her cheeks, feigning displeasure. "You didn't even invite me!"

Qiong shrugged and interjected, "Where are we going to call you? There's no signal here; a cell phone is no different from a brick."

March 7th was taken aback for a moment, then realized what was happening and scratched his head sheepishly: "Oh right... I almost forgot, we can't connect to the global network here."

She was used to the convenience of being able to send and receive messages anytime, and it was really hard for her to adjust when she first arrived in Teyvat.

At this moment, Xing moved closer to March 7th, nudged her lightly with her elbow, glanced at Xianyun who had an ethereal air about her, and teased her in a low voice:

"By the way, who is this beautiful older sister in March? You didn't pick her up from somewhere, did you?"

March 7th rolled her eyes at her, annoyed: "What are you thinking! Do you think everyone is like you, unable to walk past a pretty lady?"

She turned around, straightened her expression, and introduced them to each other: "This is Miss Xianyun, whom I just met here. Miss Xianyun, these are my companions on the Starry Sky Train—Chen Bai, Xing, and Qiong."

Xianyun nodded in greeting, his gaze sweeping lightly over Chen Bai and the other two.

"What are the Starry Sky Train and cell phones you were talking about earlier?"

She had just caught the words "signal," "network," and "communication" from their conversation.

Could this phone be a communication tool?

"I almost forgot, we're not actually from this world. Our Starry Sky Train is a train that can travel through the stars, nameless travelers following the path of [exploration] all the way."

Hearing this on March 7th, he replied.

Her words only deepened the confusion in Liu Yun's eyes.

However, Liu Yun was certain that these five people were probably similar to the blond traveler, all being descended beings.

"Let me explain March."

Chen Bai stepped forward and began his mini-science lesson.

Liu Yun's heart was also greatly disturbed, but fortunately, she had lived for over a thousand years and regained her composure after the initial shock.

"There are indeed many wonderful things outside of Teyvat, and this mobile phone, which is only a small size, can enable countless people to communicate in an instant. It's unbelievable."

She was certain that Teyvat's current technological level wouldn't be able to achieve this.

Of course, there are talented scholars who have created similar communication tools, but the cost is too high to make them widely available in Teyvat.

"It's alright, but although it's unusable without internet, Teyvat can still achieve communication through some means."

Chen Bai replied.

"Oh? What are you talking about?" Liu Yun became interested.

"It's the World Tree and the Earth's veins."

He remembered that Teyvat's leyline network and the cycle of memory information were all related to the World Tree.

However, there's too much junk in there, like the power of the abyss, the resentment of demons, and the power of curses, which has caused constipation in the ley line network and bugs in the World Tree server.

Of course, it wasn't that no one had ever tried to get their hands on the ley lines, such as Kanria five hundred years ago.

They have a deep understanding of ley lines, and have even drawn power from them, which they have begun to weaponize and combine with the power of the abyss.

However, he was later attacked by the Dharma King.

However, on the other hand...

It would be a waste of the potential of the ley line network to use it only as a cyclical system to carry the memories, information, and souls of the creatures of Teyvat.

When appropriate, a portion can be separated and an efficient firewall disinfection program can be set up to prioritize the information carriers with deep-seated power and send them to another storage pool for centralized processing.

In addition, it employs teams from various countries to maintain the geostationary network and ensure its smooth operation.

If the ley lines can be successfully modified, it will have a revolutionary impact on Teyvat.

In this way, the ley lines will have a certain ability to defend themselves against the invasion of the Abyss forces, while also promoting the development of the Teyvat world.

“The World Tree? The ley lines... that’s not impossible, but the ley lines are the foundation of Teyvat. Besides, the only one who can currently access the power of the World Tree is probably Sumeru, that newly born grass god.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yun frowned slightly.

How could she not know the importance of the ley lines? They are the very lifeblood of Teyvat, the very source of life and the cycle of existence.

One small change can have far-reaching consequences, so one must never act rashly.

The earth's veins are now riddled with holes.

Mondstadt and Liyue are relatively stable, but the ley lines in other countries are much more complicated due to the erosion from the Abyss and the remnants of past calamities, and cannot be easily cleaned up.

"Hmm...this is indeed a difficult problem."

Chen Bai understood the complexity involved and shrugged.

If we're talking about entertainment, perhaps only a true genius, like the Black Tower, or a top-notch research team, could possibly solve this problem.

Because such a massive project involves the underlying rules of the world, the technology, computing power, and understanding of the rules required far exceed the scope of individuals or even ordinary teams.

However, this is just his personal opinion.

"Hey, Ah Bai, let's not talk about ley lines anymore. So, what are you doing here?"

March 7th's words brought the topic back on track.

"I almost forgot, we came here to see if we have any suitable requests?"

Chen Bai replied.

"A commission?" March asked, puzzled.

Xing: "Yeah, we're nobodies, so of course we're going to hunt monsters and open treasure chests everywhere!"

Qiong: "That's right, a treasure chest shaped like a trash can would be even better!"

March complained: "Don't talk about exploration like it's a video game! And why is there a treasure chest shaped like a trash can?"

Chen Bai: "That's hard to say."

March 7: "Even if it exists, it's too abstract, and who would go to those treasure chests to open for treasure?"

Chen Bai pointed to Xing and Qiong: "Them."

March 7th: "......"

Okay, there are indeed two possible candidates.

Chapter 154 Wang Xiaomei?

Skipping over the amusing anecdote about the trash can-shaped treasure chest, Liu Yun expressed to Chen Bai her desire to see the world beyond the train, and Chen Bai readily agreed.

After that, Liu Yun did not linger and turned to leave the Adventurers Association.

When Chen Bai and his group arrived at the front of the Adventurers' Association, they found that the person sitting there today was not the familiar Catherine.

Instead, it was a strange woman dressed in smart clothes.

"Hello, welcome to the Adventurers' Association," the woman said, taking the initiative. "How can I help you?"

“Hello,” Chen Bai stepped forward, “We’re here to pick up a commission. Excuse me… is Miss Catherine not here today?”

“Catherine,” the woman smiled slightly and explained, “she needs some temporary maintenance and adjustments. I’ve already arranged for someone to send her back to the factory for repairs, so she shouldn’t be here for the next few days.”

Repair?

Chen Bai immediately understood.

Catherine is a sophisticated bionic doll made in the Kingdom of Winter, so it's normal for her to undergo regular maintenance or upgrades.

"I will temporarily handle the association's daily affairs."

She continued, "I'm Lan, the branch president of the Liyue Adventurers Association. You're looking to take on some commissions, right?"

"Yes." Chen Bai nodded in confirmation.

"Perfect timing! I have a high-paying urgent request that I haven't been able to find a suitable candidate for yet."

She looked up at Chen Bai and his group, her gaze filled with consideration and a hint of expectation. "You all seem to be quite skilled. Would you be willing to consider it?"

"That depends on the specific details of the request."

Chen Bai replied that she would not accept any requests to catch kittens or puppies.

I also don't do jobs that require a lot of effort but have low pay.

Lan-jie began to explain the details of the commission:

"This matter is related to the Abyss of Layered Rocks. Recently, that area has become unstable. For security reasons, Seven Stars has completely sealed it off. No one is allowed to enter without special permission issued by Seven Stars."

"Several adventurers were conducting exploration missions inside the Abyss before the lockdown, and now they are missing and out of contact."

"So I'm asking you all for two things. First, please help me find a General Affairs Officer named Mu Ning. He used to be a regular at the association's events and still owes money for drinks. More importantly, he's familiar with the inner workings of Juyuan. Finding him might yield more clues."

"Also, if possible, please do your best to bring back the adventurers who are still trapped in the Abyss safely."

Although she doesn't usually concern herself with specific daily tasks, as the branch president, she cannot stand idly by when it comes to the safety of adventurers.

The danger within the Abyss is increasing daily, and time is of the essence.

After listening, Chen Bai exchanged a glance with his companion and then nodded: "We'll accept this request."

But then a practical question came to his mind, and he frowned slightly:

“However, as you just said, you can’t enter the Laminar Abyss without a Seven Star’s permission. We’ve only been in Liyue for a short time and are unfamiliar with the area, so we can’t get that kind of permission. If we try to force our way in as ordinary adventurers, we’ll probably be stopped by the Thousand Rock Army before we even get close, right?”

After listening to Chen Bai's concerns, Sister Lan smiled slightly:

“You don’t need to worry about that. The fact that you were able to resolve the recent problem of vein stagnation proves that you are no ordinary adventurers, and moreover…”

She paused briefly, a knowing glint in her eyes, "Lord Keqing of Yuheng Star actually informed the Association in advance."

"Ke Qing?" Chen Bai was somewhat surprised.

Are cats this efficient right now? How long have they been back from outside the city?

“That’s right.” Sister Lan nodded firmly, her tone becoming more serious. “Lord Yuheng specifically instructed that if any of you come to accept the commission, the association must fully cooperate. Since she trusts you all so much, I naturally have confidence in you as well.”

Chen Bai thought about it again and realized that if it was Ke Qing's arrangement, then it made perfect sense.

This Liyue workaholic is always quick and meticulous in her actions, but no one expected her to be able to deliver messages and make follow-up arrangements so quickly.

After accepting the commission, Chen Bai and the others left the Adventurers Association.

"Bai, will we have any problems going to that strata abyss? This job of finding someone seems a bit time-consuming, and what if we miss our trip to Pinocchio?"

March 7th frowned; she always felt that something strange was about to happen.

"Don't worry, we have similar missions in Luofu in March."

"But can this be the same?"

"Don't worry, I've already calculated it myself. Once we get back from the Abyss of the Laminaria, we'll return to the train."

Chen Bai reassured March 7 that no one could stop their five-person train crew.

Even if there are monsters or abysses, just push forward and clear your way.

It's better than travelers struggling and agonizing over it.

But then again, didn't he remember that the Abyss of Layered Rocks was related to that golden-haired traveler?

How did they manage to pick it up beforehand?

Could it be that the traveler is currently with Inazuma?

"By the way, are we going to look for Danheng next? Have you seen Danheng in March?"

Chen Bai came to his senses and asked March 7.

March shook her head: "I don't know. You know Professor Danheng, but he should be coming to find us soon."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a familiar face appeared before Chen Bai and his companions.

The newcomer was a young girl with long blue hair, staring at the two Qilin horns, her hair tied in a ponytail.

"Holy crap! It's Wang Xiaomei!"

Chen Bai couldn't help but break free and get out.