Genshin Impact: I, the Winter's Executor, am forced to work.

Chapter 87 Don't Let the Ball Fall Apart

"As solid as a rock".

A barrage of stabs came from all around Qin Ye, the clanging of metal ringing out incessantly.

I shouldn't have worn the crane cloak; it slowed me down a bit...

My gaze was drawn to another spot where soldiers were surrounding a place where Columbia was leaning against the wall, looking dazed.

He quickly turned around, scooped up the girl, and mounted the rock-made creature's mount.

Didn't I tell you to wait for me outside?

The rock formation tilted its head back, gathered its strength, and then suddenly charged forward.

"Come and see, anyway, you'll take me with you."

"...You just owe me the day I'll abandon you."

The girl, who was leaning against the man, gripped his clothes with one hand. Upon hearing these words, her hand tightened suddenly.

Qin Ye turned to observe the pursuers behind him and controlled the speed of his mount as he fled.

"Lightning Flash".

Kujo Sara's longbow was aimed at the man's head from afar, and the lightning-fast arrow arrived in an instant.

Qin Ye pulled the girl's soft body closer to his chest and lowered his head to avoid her.

The sound of wind breaking came almost simultaneously, brushing past the man's silver hair.

"His mount is not fast! He must be apprehended and brought to justice!"

"Yes!"

Tsk tsk tsk...

Why does General Tengu hate me so much? It's just that I made you one less lacquerware piece. I'll just tie up General Raiden and send him to you later.

He suddenly blinked in confusion.

Something feels... off.

Qin Ye felt that there was no movement in his arms and looked down to check.

Columbia sat there silently, without saying a word.

"what happened?"

The two were pressed very close together. The girl didn't reply at first, and only intended to shake her head gently, but unexpectedly, due to the distance, she ended up rubbing against Qin Ye's chest.

"..."

The person struggled with their thoughts, their mouth opening and closing several times before finally letting out a soft sigh.

"Okay, okay, I was just kidding. I won't leave you behind, just remember to hold on tight..."

"Ah."

Great, you've recovered your spirits.

"I have something to ask you during this time."

"You said."

The girl hesitated for a moment, then added, "If I could, I would answer."

Qin Ye tried her best to protect her petite body, and the Jade Shield was deployed again to block the barrage of arrows behind her.

"Regardless of what schemes you, the old man, or the empress are plotting, I can see your attitude towards me. I'm not an unfeeling person, but as you know, there are many things that restrain me, so..."

"You don't need to explain, I understand."

"..."

Oh dear, I tried to be polite first, but I was caught.

But Qin Ye was a seasoned veteran, showing no embarrassment whatsoever, and smoothly changed the subject.

"To be honest, your attention to me has always been confusing to me. I don't even know anything about you, but I have given you my utmost trust. I know you have private conversations with Yae no Miko, but I don't really mind."

Anyway, since the three of us have conflicting interests, whatever you discuss won't really affect my plans.

He silently added a sentence in his mind that convinced him.

"But the only truth I see is between you and the Abyss Cult..."

"No contact."

Columbia, who had been silently listening to Qin Ye, suddenly made a firm rejection, and her words flowed smoothly in an instant.

"Believe me, I have nothing to do with them. It's just wishful thinking on their part."

The girl's determined expression deflated Qin Ye's spirits.

He scratched his head helplessly: "Since you've put it that way... next question."

Colombia lowered her head, concealing her expression, but a smile played on her lips.

"Ah."

"The last time you came back from Inazuma Castle with me, was it because something I said hurt you?"

"No."

The refusal was very decisive... It's hard to analyze what's going on.

He probed again: "Is that because?"

"I remembered something."

"Can you tell me about it?" Qin Ye tried to put on what he thought was a friendly smile.

"Um...no."

"?"

"For your own good."

This statement feels a bit too classic.

"But... if you really insist on asking, perhaps I..."

The girl looked expectant, as if hoping the man would continue, but found that he had already fallen into deep thought.

Qin Ye began to analyze the situation in his mind.

Let's assume that everything she told me is 100% true.

So let's speculate: what did the Abyss want from her, but she refused, so she joined the Fatui and entered the protection of the Seven Rulers of the Mortal World?

The care and attention given to me by the Rock King, the Empress, and the Chief... the experiments that Dottore conducted on me... it's hard to say that Columbia wouldn't be aware of them.

"..."

No, there's still too little information to organize. Although a lot has happened, something is missing to connect these clues into a coherent whole.

We need to find a way to investigate, otherwise one day I might wake up to find that they've stuffed a bunch of parts into my head and pushed me out to defy the laws of nature, wouldn't that be ridiculous?

At least let me prepare.

A soft, complaining voice suddenly came from her arms. The girl mimicked a phrase Qin Ye had once used to mock others: "Straight man."

"Huh? What did you just say?"

No, I didn't say anything.

"I see."

The two fled, even encountering a blockade by transport troops from the Nine-Tailed Fox's camp halfway through their escape.

"Not retaliating?"

Columbia looked at Qin Ye's indifferent expression and was somewhat puzzled.

"Defense is only to prove to the other side that we are powerless against them, but the concept is different after counterattack."

The girl nodded as if she understood, but she only wanted to see what Qin Ye would do and wasn't very interested in guessing what would happen in the future.

The man raised the corners of his mouth.

"Don't worry, I've already made all the arrangements."

(The other side)

"Has that living goddess priestess from the Coral Palace been overstepping her bounds lately?"

Kujo Sara took a short rest in the battle chamber, her brow furrowed.

"General Kujo is right. It seems that person had been planning this from the very beginning."

"Oh? What does the head of the Kamisato family mean?"

Ayato personally followed along, just to add one last spark.

"As you probably know, the trouble in Inazuma Castle started recently. That man even prompted the Yae no Kami to personally go and test him. It's because the Coral Palace has recently attracted a large number of people who have fled the Eye Hunt Order that even the Kami no Kami had to personally intervene."

Kujo Sara sighed, "That's true. If the situation hadn't been so tense, I wouldn't have prepared to personally lead the troops to fight. But I didn't expect to overlook something outside the battlefield."

Ayato chuckled softly: "But with your and my combined efforts, we were able to successfully expose their schemes. The man immediately fled westward. I have reason to believe that he was in cahoots with Coral Palace, but I don't know how far they've gone."

He sighed, as if mentioning it casually: "The Coral Palace has been conducting military training sessions more and more frequently lately."

Which step...?

Saro savored the meaning within.

"The General has promised to protect Coral Palace. If they do not initiate a war, I will naturally not mobilize my forces on a large scale. Even if it means staying here for half a year or several months, I must uphold the General's reputation."

Ayato Kamisato nodded admiringly.

Even with me, Qin Ye, and Lord Gongsi at the center of the fire, plus the chaos within Inazuma Castle and our schemes to fuel the Coral Palace's rebellion—any one of these would be a headache for any ordinary person—Kujo Sara remained calm and composed in the face of danger.

He closed his eyes and chuckled softly.

Hehe... Loyal and unwavering, with outstanding combat prowess, he possesses the true demeanor of a great general at such a young age. Even in this critical moment, he can still discern the situation clearly and avoid acting impulsively.