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

There are no further clues regarding the truth that Chen Bai just mentioned.

Because many fragments of information were left on that battlefield back then.

It's estimated that only the immortals of Liyue know the truth.

—Author's Note—

P.S.: Here's a poll: For the Teyvat Golden Traveler, are you going to go short or go long? Will you let the Abyss tilt or let it produce gold? Leave a comment below.

Chapter 142 The Cat's Request

"We are travelers from outer space, so it's not too much to ask that we have some special abilities."

Chen Bai gave a perfunctory explanation.

But Keqing clearly didn't pay much attention to his words.

Regardless of whether it's a special ability or not, anyone who knows about Canria's information is certainly not an ordinary person.

"Wait! Ah Bai, you haven't answered my question yet. What is Kanria? Doesn't Teyvat only have seven kingdoms?"

On the seventh day of the third month, I urged him to inquire.

"In March, the Seven Kingdoms of Teyvat refers to present-day Teyvat. Hundreds of years ago, there was a kingdom that did not trust any gods; that kingdom was Kanri'ya..."

Chen Bai recounted all the information about Kanria.

Simply put, the kingdom of Kanria is a godless kingdom, and its inhabitants are skilled in alchemy and mechanical manufacturing.

This country could have developed peacefully, but their arrogance and greed led their leaders to touch things they shouldn't have.

And this thing is the power of the abyss.

The Abyss would bring calamity to Teyvat, and in order to resolve the Abyss's influence, the Gods had to summon the Seven Gods and send them to destroy Kanriel.

At the same time, a curse was cast upon the people of Kanriya who had violated the taboo.

This curse manifests in different forms depending on the bloodline of the Kanri, for example, the Hilichurls of today are transformed from the people of Kanri.

However, most Hilichurls do not have the memories of the Kael'thas before their death, and after death they return to the Ley Lines and reappear on the continent of Teyvat to continue the endless cycle of reincarnation.

This is divine retribution imposed upon Canria.

To some extent, it was also Canria's own fault.

However, the crimes committed by their superiors are paid for by innocent people.

However, there were five sinners from Canria.

They succumbed to the temptation of the abyss's power, dividing up a force capable of destroying the world and betraying their original mission.

In some ways, Teyvat also brought disaster.

“Young friend, you seem to know quite a lot about the past…” Zhong Li took a sip of hot tea, the rising steam blurring the expression in his eyes. “'Kanria'… now it sounds like a name that is both unfamiliar and nostalgic.”

“Yes,” Wendy said, her usual lighthearted smile fading, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the rim of her glass. “It feels both distant and like it was just yesterday.”

The two looked at each other, and a silence filled the air that only those who had experienced it could understand.

They had all been to that battlefield and witnessed how a civilization was destroyed amidst flames and screams.

The brutality of the war far exceeded what history books could record.

The resulting disaster has turned into a lingering pain that continues to this day.

The invasion of Durin, the poison dragon of Mondstadt; the abyssal monsters churning beneath the towering cliffs of Liyue; the corrupted and distorted ley lines of Inazuma; the deadly realm permeated by Mount Sumeru and forbidden knowledge...

Behind many disasters, the shadow of that catastrophe from years past is more or less lingering.

"So...it's like this..." March 7th murmured softly after hearing this.

She has always been gentle-hearted, and at this moment, it was as if she were seeing those faces and homes vanished into the dust of history with her own eyes. Her eyes reddened slightly. "This is too cruel..."

“But that’s the truth, March.” Chen Bai’s voice rang out calmly.

"But Teyvat is still doing just fine despite all those past disasters, isn't it?"

Wendy's laughter eased the heavy atmosphere.

"I never expected to hear so much information about Kanria back then. Keqing is very grateful. I just didn't expect Mr. Chen Bai to know so much detail. It's truly astonishing."

Keqing was indeed very surprised, because it was incredible that a traveler from outer space knew these truths.

However, she will have to tell Ningguang about these things later.

After all, we still need to be wary of the five major sinners that Chen Bai just mentioned.

Because we don't know where they are now, or if they're secretly causing trouble again...

"Miss Keqing, you flatter me. It's just a pair of eyes that can see the past and the future."

Chen Bai smiled mysteriously.

"That's impressive. However, speaking of the Abyss, there's been an unusually active accumulation of ley lines lately. The Thousand Rock Army even detected a strong abyssal aura. After the monsters emerging from the ley lines are cleared, the accumulation point doesn't disappear; instead, it sends anyone who comes into contact with it to a strange secret realm. It's truly unprecedented."

Ke Qing suddenly pinched her chin with one hand and said.

"The ley lines are disordered? I remember something like that happened in Mondstadt before, but the Knights of Favonius and that blond traveler cleared out the siltation." Wendy crossed her arms.

“The earth veins…” Dan Heng pondered for a moment before continuing, “Shouldn’t that be the cyclical network that Mr. Zhongli mentioned earlier, connecting to the World Tree?”

“Not bad.” Zhong Li gently placed the teacup on the table, his voice steady. “The ley lines carry the memories and elemental power of Teyvat, circulating endlessly within their network, forming the cornerstone of this world. The so-called ley line disorder is a problem with this network, perhaps due to erosion by the power of the abyss, or some other unknown interference.”

"Oh?" Xing's eyes brightened slightly, and her body leaned forward unconsciously. "Wouldn't there be many monsters in that place with its chaotic ley lines? Could it be... that materials drop there?"

"Materials?" Keqing paused for a moment upon hearing this, then realized, "You mean the condensate or elemental fragments that occasionally remain after defeating monsters? They do appear occasionally, but if left unattended, they will soon dissolve and return to the cycle of the ley lines."

"Then I'm really interested!"

Qiong's tone carried a hint of eager anticipation, "It sounds like this will be our first real exploration of another world!"

"But we don't necessarily have to choose this kind of place for our development..."

March 7th couldn't help but mutter a complaint under her breath. She crossed her arms, a hint of resistance on her face. "This description sounds exactly like the 'rift' we have back home."

"'Rift'?" Keqing caught the unfamiliar term and looked at her curiously.

"Yes, it can be understood as a similar phenomenon."

Chen Bai calmly accepted the explanation, "In our world, it's a kind of spatial erosion caused by something called the [Star Core]. It distorts and gradually devours areas of reality, and monsters constantly spawn within them. We dealt with similar incidents before we came here."

“I see…” Ke Qing pondered for a moment, then her gaze hardened, and she spoke to Chen Bai and the others:

"Mr. Chen Bai, although it may be a bit presumptuous of me to ask this, could you please help us resolve these disordered ley lines?"

If she hadn't been so busy, and if the geomantic veins hadn't been disrupted in more than one place recently, she wouldn't have asked Chen Bai and the others for help.

Moreover, since it was brought by Mr. Zhongli, there should be no problem with its identity and strength.

After dealing with this matter, it won't be too late to ask about the details of their backgrounds. After all, she is quite curious about the world that Chen Bai and the others live in.

Chapter 143 What if Mondstadt's Wind God were to do a live stream on Xianzhou Luofu?

"We can help you with this, but it will cost extra!"

After considering it, Chen Bai decided that it wasn't impossible for him to refuse the request.

Anyway, Teyvat is an adventurous mission that can be considered part of the pioneering work.

“That’s right! We need to pay more!” Xing nodded vigorously immediately.

Qiong chimed in, "That's right, we don't do free labor!"

The two of them spontaneously recalled the days when they tested the simulated universe at the Black Tower space station.

That unparalleled Black Tower lady was known for her generosity when it came to compensation.

"Don't worry about the compensation; I won't let you help me for nothing."

Keqing readily agreed and then suggested, "However, you might consider joining the Adventurers' Guild. In Teyvat, if you want to take on various commissions in the future, becoming a registered adventurer is a very convenient option."

“We will consider it,” Chen Bai nodded.

Ke Qing's reminder was indeed timely; he had almost forgotten about it.

The adventurers of Teyvat and the nameless travelers on the pioneering path do indeed share a common core in their spirit; both are people who walk in the unknown and explore in crisis.

During the conversation, Keqing's breakfast was served.

She finished quickly and efficiently, then stood up: "I have official business to attend to, so I'll take my leave first. I'll contact the Adventurers Association for details regarding the specific arrangements."

Before the words were even finished, the person had already left as quickly as a gentle breeze.

"Is Miss Keqing always this busy?" March 7th muttered to herself as she watched Keqing's figure disappear quickly around the street corner.

“Of course,” Chen Bai said, withdrawing his gaze. “She’s a well-known busybody in Liyue Harbor, with her schedule almost entirely tied to official duties.”

There are three great scroll kings in Teyvat, and Liyue has two of them.

Besides Keqing, there's also Ganyu and Jean, the acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt.

"Huh?" March 7th's eyes widened in surprise. "Then she hardly has any rest time? That's too much!"

“Who can argue with that?” Chen Bai smiled faintly. “But for Liyue, having such a responsible manager is undoubtedly a blessing. However, everything in excess is harmful. If they could pay more attention to balancing work and rest, it might be even better.”

Xing, who was listening nearby, suddenly thought of a certain figure: "This feeling reminds me of Fu Xuan."

“They do look somewhat alike.” Qiong nodded in agreement.

Keqing's dedication to her work bears a striking resemblance to that of the meticulous and hands-on leader of the Taibu Si in Xianzhou Luofu.

"Now that you mention it, Liyue and Xianzhou Luofu really do have some similarities—"

March 7th rested his chin on his hand, his expression becoming somewhat subtle, his gaze secretly glancing at Zhong Li across from him, who was calmly sipping his tea. "The top leaders are all slacking off and relaxing, while their capable subordinates are working tirelessly."

“However, what you said isn’t entirely accurate,” Chen Bai corrected with a smile. “In the Luofu Temple, isn’t there also a Qingque who is capable of playing cards but only wants to slack off?”

"Oh right!" March 7th suddenly realized, "It seems that in every place, there are people working hard and others taking it easy."

“Hehe,” Zhong Li put down his teacup and spoke gently, “Yu Heng Xing acts decisively and swiftly, and does everything personally. I quite admire that.”

"Hey, our Mondstadt's harp leader is a really responsible and good kid."

Wendy joined the conversation with a smile, but a hint of concern flashed in her eyes. "It's just that she always likes to take too much responsibility on her shoulders, and she can be a bit stubborn at times. It makes you want to remind her that poetry and the breeze are also an indispensable part of life."

Wendy also joined the conversation, after all, they have some fans in Mondstadt too, right?

Qin doesn't really know how to balance work and rest, which makes him a little worried.

“Venti, I’m not trying to criticize Mondstadt, but compared to Liyue, Mondstadt people are far too indulgent and overly reliant on the Anemo Archon or the Knights of Favonius. Even trivial matters like catching kittens require Jean, the leader, to handle them. The Knights of Favonius’s division of labor and cooperation is still far from perfect. Back in my hometown, there are people like that too. We call those who are not self-reliant and rely on others for everything ‘giant babies’.”

He couldn't help but complain when the topic turned to the ensemble leader.

They may be very capable, but they can't withstand being exploited like this, can they?

In his view, Mond's mental outlook was indeed too "free".

“Mondstadt giant baby…” Qiong repeated the term softly, nodding thoughtfully, “This metaphor is indeed apt.”

“Exactly,” March 7th chimed in immediately, her tone carrying a shared sentiment. “If this kind of lack of autonomy and reliance on others to handle everything were in the hands of someone we know, they probably wouldn’t even pass the probationary period.”

"I had no choice," Wendy didn't argue. After all, that's just how things are in Mondstadt, and it's impossible to change that in a short time. He knew that all too well.

“My old friend, these young friends are right. If you want to move from the public eye to the background with me and gradually hand over Mondstadt to the people of Mondstadt, then we need to redefine Mondstadt’s concept of freedom.”

Zhong Li said calmly to Wendy.

If it were someone else, he wouldn't have given much of a comment.

But Wendy is, after all, an old friend he's known for many years, and sometimes he still has to give her some advice.

Although this drunkard is sometimes unreliable, he is still a Wind God after all.

Zhongli also knew that this drunkard was doing the same thing as him, wanting to delegate Mondstadt's power to the people of Mondstadt and then retire.

However, Mondstadt itself also needs to be "reliable" and pass the test.