Genshin Impact, the spear remains.

Hopkins, who was crouching on the ground, almost dropped the bottle in his hand. The bottle bounced around in his hand before finally settling down amidst his somewhat panicked gaze.

Hopkins finally breathed a sigh of relief after gripping the bottle tightly again.

Realizing that the person who had spoken earlier was approaching from behind, he quickly dusted off his pants and stood up.

"Um, who are you two...?"

Bai Qiyun and Ying stood like two door gods, one in front and one behind. Paimon was left at home by them. Paimon, who was too full to fly, was just a burden.

Seeing the flustered state of the merchant in front of him, Bai Qiyun felt reassured.

He began to mimic the Knights of Favonius from his memory, gesturing wildly.

"Mr. Dulaf has handed this area over to us Knights of Favonius. But this gentleman, isn't he going home to rest so late?"

While chatting idly, Bai Qiyun observed the man in front of him.

There were no fluctuations in elemental power, nor was there the Eye of God.

As his gaze swept past the other man, Bai Qiyun noticed that the merchant was clutching the bottle, which was less than half full, tightly, which piqued his curiosity.

However, he didn't make a fuss and continued to walk around in front of the other party with a smug look that suggested he wanted to meddle in everything.

"What's wrong with me... taking a walk around my own neighborhood? Why are you interfering?"

But clearly, Hopkins, a seasoned veteran of Mondstadt, wouldn't care who the other party was. If it were the Knights of Favonius, he wouldn't be afraid. The Knights of Favonius strictly follow procedures, and at this time, if he wanted to question them, he would have to wait until tomorrow during the day.

Upon hearing this, Bai Qiyun raised an eyebrow.

He knew his fake identity might be exposed, so he simply stopped pretending.

The boy made a gesture toward Ying behind him, but there was no response for a long time.

Ok?

Just as he was wondering if something had gone wrong, a gust of wind swept across the ground, carving a new path through the grass.

The sheer scale of the event immediately silenced Hopkins, who was still clinging to hope. Good grief, this was for real.

Although Bai Qiyun, who had asked Ying to make the move, was also taken aback by the sheer force of the situation, he still had to maintain an air of complete control.

But if he wasn't mistaken, the storm behind him was only a finger's width away from his clothes, and the swirling grass clippings even hit his face. If Ying had been just a little off course, he could have gone straight to the Church of the West for his third report.

—What's wrong with this guy?

Although he was puzzled by his companion's strange behavior, Bai Qiyun still had to focus his attention on the merchant in front of him.

"Um?"

Bai Qiyun deliberately made a muffled nasal sound, but Hopkins, who had been speaking confidently, was so frightened that he took a step back.

It's not his fault. In the pitch black of the wilderness, when you encounter someone, you're not afraid that they're an official, but you're afraid that they're not.

If that gust of wind had hit him, he wouldn't have survived even if he had three lives.

"Um... Sirs, is there anything I can help you with?"

Hopkins shrank back, took two steps forward, and tried to get closer to Bai Qiyun.

Seeing this, Bai Qiyun hardened his eyes and tried his best to become ruthless.

"What are you holding in your hand?"

The boy nodded toward the bottle in the other person's hand.

The clear spring water slumbered peacefully in the bottle, bathed in the bright moonlight, making it resemble a crystal-clear night-blooming pebble.

"This...this is just ordinary spring water."

When asked about what he was holding, Hopkins was startled, but then relaxed, thinking that the other person couldn't possibly know anything about it.

He handed over the bottle he was holding.

The cool spring water seeped through the bottle, giving off a refreshing chill.

Bai Qiyun stared at the water in the bottle for a long time but couldn't figure it out, so he had to give up.

However... people certainly won't be let go.

Taking advantage of Hopkins' momentary lapse in attention, Bai Qiyun moved behind him.

The merchant was carrying a large bag on his back, which was filled with empty bottles, presumably for storing spring water.

"Then please explain why you're carrying such a big bag of bottles so late at night."

Standing next to the bag, Bai Qiyun bent down, took out an empty bottle, and played with it in his hand.

This bottle... if he remembers correctly, should be the same style as the wine sold at Dawn Winery.

"Me..."

For a moment, Hopkins couldn't find a suitable excuse, and he realized that the other side was there to cause him trouble.

At this point, there was no point in saying anything, but in order to ensure his personal safety, he decided to tell the truth.

The businessman gritted his teeth and resolved to reveal part of the truth.

"Actually, I was planning to take this spring water out to sell. As you know, the spring water in Qingquan Town is very famous. If I can transport the water out, the sales will definitely be good, hehe."

Hopkins rubbed his palms together by the lake, looking somewhat guilty.

Looking at his somewhat flustered appearance, Bai Qiyun knew that this guy still hadn't told the whole truth and was definitely hiding something in some areas.

But what he said was logically sound, so he didn't intend to delve into it further.

"Sell? Did you get permission from the people of Qingquan Town? You sneaked over here in the middle of the night; it's obvious you didn't report to Mr. Dulav."

"Oh dear, it's just that I didn't have time. Don't worry, I'll go and admit my mistake to Mr. Dulaf first thing tomorrow morning. I'll definitely get all the paperwork done."

Faced with Bai Qiyun's persistent questioning, Hopkins could only honestly make assurances.

But for him, as long as there's a profit to be made, everything is fine, since there are people who will buy these things anyway.

"But if you're talking about selling things, haven't there been far fewer vehicles coming and going in Qingquan Town recently because of the dragon disaster? Why would you choose this time to sell things?"

Holding the bottle in his hand, Bai Qiyun glanced thoughtfully at the merchant in front of him.

"Oh, this is something you don't know. The second-in-command of the merchant guild in Mondstadt, named Granny, has been collecting these things recently. All I have to do is collect the spring water and deliver it to him in Springvale. It's simple and hassle-free."

When this was mentioned, Hopkins remembered the guy named Granny who promised him his acquisition price.

If he could pull off this deal, he could earn at least a few hundred thousand Mora, and all he would have to pay was some bottle money. It would be an incredibly profitable business.

Upon hearing that familiar name again, Bai Qiyun narrowed his eyes.

One time could be a coincidence, but for that name to appear in front of him repeatedly, there must be something wrong.