He changed Tiwat

“The miners call you the ‘Wishing Stone,’ saying that you will give them the ‘gift of the abyss,’ but they have never heard of any miner becoming rich overnight or stronger by making a wish… because you can’t do that.”

"The so-called 'wishing stone' doesn't actually have the power to make people's wishes come true. All you can do is extract information from the wisher's memory and help them accomplish what you can. The reason why people who make wishes to you fall into a daze, or experience mental abnormalities or coma, is because you can forcibly hypnotize them and search their brains for information."

“For example, Qi Ding subconsciously knows where the doll is most likely to fall, so you guide him to find that place. Lao He has a vague understanding of underground water bodies in his memory, so you guide him to find food and water in the underground water bodies... But you can't make the doll fly back to Qi Ding's hands out of thin air, nor can you create food and water out of thin air.”

"You can't do anything beyond the capabilities of the one who makes the wish; it is the miner himself who fulfills the wish. — This is the truth of the 'Gift of the Abyss'."

Chapter 148 It Came from Sky Island

As Han Fulai observed, the "wishing stone" is not an "omnipotent wish-granting machine." Its ability to interfere with reality is very limited—it can only generate something similar to a holographic projection to guide humanity.

Whether something can be accomplished depends on the abilities of the person making the wish. Those miners who collapsed in the abyss of layered rocks must have made wishes that exceeded their capabilities, which is why they received no response.

Guiding people to find lost items, water, or food in the deep abyss would be very difficult for ordinary people, but the power of the "Wishing Stone" is indeed magical enough for miners.

Imagine if Qi Ding, in a daze, followed "Qi Nan's" guidance and found the lost toy doll, and then, upon regaining his senses, discovered that the doll was right in his hand, he would probably also believe it to be "a gift from the abyss," and would be even more convinced of the legend of the "wishing stone" circulating among the miners.

However, for those with extraordinary power, not to mention the demon gods and the Liyue Immortals, even Han Fulai himself is capable of doing the same thing.

For example, to help Qi Ding find this doll, if Qi Ding could just tell Han Fulai a general area, Han Fulai could search with the "Lumen Stone" catalyst and might be able to find it for him. Or, for instance, if Han Fulai had also been down in the mine, and Old He had wished to return to the surface, Han Fulai could have simply broken the seal and pulled Old He out.

This was also the source of Han Fulai's confidence in following "Qi Nan" to find the toy doll. He wasn't worried at all that "Qi Nan" would pose a threat to him, after all, the abilities shown by this incarnation of the "Wishing Stone" were not as strong as Han Fulai's own.

Furthermore, regardless of the method used—even if it's a "ghostly" way like this—to guide miners, the "wishing stone" ultimately helps miners fulfill their wishes.

In other words, if judged by good and evil, the "wishing stone" did something that, at least in Han Fu's view, was "kind."

Han Fulai looked at "Qi Nan", and "Qi Nan" looked at him as well.

"My question is, why do you want to help the miners realize their dreams?" Han Fulai asked the key question.

According to the facts Han Fulai learned from the materials, the so-called "wishing stone" is a strange stone that was dug out by miners from the depths of a deep abyss a few years ago, floating among several giant rocks and emitting a bright light. The function of "making wishes" is merely a figment of the miners' imagination; its true purpose is by no means to help people fulfill some trivial wishes.

Why it appeared in the Layered Rock Abyss, and who buried it there, were the questions that Han Fulai was most interested in.

This intelligence may be a crucial clue to solving the anomaly in the Layered Rock Abyss.

"I can't tell you."

Qi Nan's small face showed a serious expression that was inconsistent with her childish age.

"Why?" Han Fulai pressed.

"You do not have permission to operate."

Han Fulai heard a very formal and methodical answer.

He felt as if a dialog box suddenly popped up in front of him, displaying the message "System error, you do not have administrator privileges"...

So the "Qi Nan" standing in front of me is actually an anthropomorphic program, similar to a "desktop pet" or something like that on a computer desktop?

...However, even though it did not directly answer Han Fulai's question, it still allowed Han Fulai to glean a lot of information.

At least he can be certain of a few things:

First, the "wishing stone" itself has an operating system that is similar to self-awareness, and the miners' wishes are all automatically responded to and completed by this system;

Second, if you have "permissions", you can do more things with the "wishing stone";

Third, the "Wishing Stone" was placed in the Abyss of Layered Rocks by a higher being for some purpose.

Such high-ranking figures are actually quite rare, and Han Fulai quickly recalled the "history" that Zhongli had told him in the Salt God Ruins—

"For the Prime Minister's people, it was a time of 'paradise.' If there was famine, food and rain would fall from the sky. If there was barrenness, minerals would be produced from the earth. Whenever the people prayed, a reliable government would respond."

In Liyue's lore, the terrain of the Laminaria was formed by the impact of a meteorite falling from the sky, and the mineral deposits in the Laminaria were formed after that "celestial star" arrived.

Although the Liyue annals do not contain detailed records of the so-called "Celestial Star," nor are there any credible eyewitness accounts, the unique terrain of the Layered Rock Abyss and these underground anomalies are clearly not naturally formed. Han Fulai speculates that the legendary "Celestial Star" may indeed be hidden deeper within the Layered Rock Abyss.

The possibility that the "wishing stone" unearthed by the miners is related to "Tianxing" is growing stronger.

Combined with the light energy of "Lumen Stone" and its ability to dispel black mud, Han Fulai was confident enough to deduce the origin of the "Wishing Stone".

—It comes from the Isle of Skye!

"...As long as the people have a request, a reliable government will respond." Han Fulai silently repeated Zhong Li's words in his mind.

For the "Wishing Stone," responding to the people's prayers may be etched into the underlying logic of its system program, just as Zhongli said, the civil servants of Sky Island have all made a contract to "serve the people."

So although it's not a professional wish-granting machine, it will help miners fulfill their wishes within its capabilities—because it's its duty to "serve the people."

The "Wishing Stone" is like a civil servant in charge of the petition window in the General Affairs Department. It can handle some things, and it can't handle others. It will take care of the things it can handle, and the things it can't handle... it will make you faint and forget about them.

—In this way, the "Wishing Stone" remains an outstanding civil servant with 100% public satisfaction.

Qi Nan seemed to think she had said enough, and pointed ahead, saying, "Go quickly, the baby is right there."

After saying that, it disappeared.

Well, there's not much to talk about with such a programmed avatar. If we want to get more information, we'll have to wait until we see the real "Wishing Stone" later.

Following the direction indicated by "Qi Nan", Han Fulai walked a little further and sure enough, he saw the toy doll on the ground.

The toy doll looked tattered and unrecognizable; only the shape of a doll could be barely discerned.

It should have had long, black hair, big eyes, and beautiful clothes made of red silk... but now its former value can only be seen from the meticulous stitches on the doll.

Han Fulai picked up the toy doll and put it into the Eye of the Blank God.

Now, it's time to go back.

Chapter 149 "Victory Celebration Banquet" and "Second Brother"

After resting for a while, Han Fulai activated the Jade Shield again, waded through the black mud, and returned to reunite with Jiang Xue and Zhiqiong.

He took out the toy doll he found and showed it to Zhiqiong for identification. Although Zhiqiong couldn't be 100% sure that the doll was the one Qi Ding had lost, she could at least tell from its shape that it was a popular style from many years ago, which was more in line with Qi Ding's description of the doll.

Moreover, apart from Qi Ding, none of the miners would bring toy dolls down into the mine.

Of course, these things can only be confirmed after Qi Ding regains consciousness.

It's unclear how long Qi Ding's dazed "amnesia" state will last. The most urgent task is to send him back to the camp for treatment, and besides, there's still the time limit set by Jin Wu.

The return journey was quite smooth and uneventful. After all, they had taken the opportunity to clean up the black mud and monsters along the way, and with Zhiqiong, the cartographer, guiding the way, it didn't take too much effort.

Approximately three hours later, around 5 p.m. outside the Layered Rock Abyss, the rescue team brought Qi Ding back to the main mining area of ​​the Layered Rock Abyss.

Han Fulai remembered that Jinwu once said that when they went to search for Qi Ding, she would be responsible for setting up a temporary camp.

He had assumed that this so-called "temporary camp" was just a place to set up tents or something, but when he returned, he found that it had changed drastically.

Jinwu had clearly made use of the tents that the workers had left behind in the main mining area. Several tents were connected together, and miners' lamps were hung on the top of each tent, creating a brightly lit scene.

"Be careful! Alchemy equipment is very expensive, handle it with care, understand?" Jinwu was calling to Lao Tu and the others as they carried equipment into the tent.

She divided the tents into living and working areas. In addition to the tents for resting, she also set up a medical room and a work room. The equipment that Lao Tu and the others are now carrying into the tents should be the ones Jin Wu uses to make the "lumenstone" catalyst.

Seeing that Han Fulai and his men had returned safely within the time limit, Jinwu was initially delighted, but quickly regained her dignified demeanor as the eldest sister. She then directed Han Fulai and his men to take the unconscious Qi Ding to the medical tent and conduct an emergency examination on him.

Only after confirming that Qi Ding's vital signs were stable did she begin to ask the others about what had happened on the way.

Han Fulai recounted in detail everything he had seen and heard along the way to Jinwu, and returned the Lumenite crystals he had collected and the severely damaged Lumenite catalysts to Jinwu, entrusting Jinwu to strengthen and adjust them.

Zhiqiong then took out the miner's log left by Lao He and the map she had drawn from her backpack and handed them to Jinwu.

Hearing that Lao He might still be alive, Jinwu was obviously quite relieved. However, when he heard Zhiqiong excitedly say that she wanted to go to the underground water area to search for Lao He tomorrow, Jinwu immediately clenched his fist and gave Zhiqiong a flick on the forehead.

"The underground water area is an unknown region that has never been explored before. Xiaoqiong, you are not allowed to run around without my permission!"

"Um, I... I know." Zhiqiong covered her head, looking aggrieved, but her eyes were darting around.

For an adventurer, what word could be more appealing than "unexplored territory"?

That evening, to celebrate Qi Ding's return, Jin Wu made an exception and allowed everyone to have a small celebratory banquet.

It was called a "victory celebration banquet," but it was really just a gathering of people drinking meat soup. To ensure safety underground, alcohol was absolutely prohibited—except for the very low-alcohol rice wine brewed by the miners themselves.

In the rudimentary conditions of the mine, being able to eat cooked food and drink meat broth was considered a feast by the miners. Most of the time, the miners' staple food underground was dry rations, since open flames were not allowed in many places. Considering that as exploration progressed, they might not be able to eat these delicacies for a long time to come, the miners ate and drank to their hearts' content.

When the financial backer Haidif, who had not participated in the search and rescue or the camp setup, and cheerleader Talesin heard that Qi Ding had been found, they also went down into the mine to attend the "victory celebration."

The happiest person at the banquet was Talesin.

This bard from Mondstadt was a first-timer in the mines. He knew nothing about mining and exploration, and he couldn't even set up a tent. When he was helping Jinwu move equipment, his hand cramped up and he almost smashed the equipment.

He was groaning and clutching his wrists, and Jinwu had been scorning him all afternoon. Finally, at the "victory celebration banquet," he found his purpose—he began collecting material for his "bard's epic."

Talesin inquired about Qi Ding's experience in the search and rescue operation from Zhiqiong, who then proudly recounted her experiences in the search and rescue team in the tone of a storyteller.

Through the poet Talesin's "epic" portrayal, their process of rescuing Chiding roughly took this form—

"Hmm...didn't you see how Master Jiang made his move? It's alright, 'At that critical moment, a fierce sword light suddenly flashed, and Jiang Xue's short sword expanded into a forty-meter-long dragon-slaying blade, slicing the ferocious rock dragon lizard to pieces!'"

"Huh? Don't you think that's a bit fake? Heroes don't do what ordinary people do, and they don't follow the rules that ordinary people follow! My audience won't care about such a small problem!"

"...Oh, 'And so, under the guidance of his loyal follower... no, the clever and resourceful adventurer Zhiqiong, the Ancient Hua Sect Master Han and his companions opened a path to the depths of the Layered Rock Abyss...'"

"Oh dear, 'the acting sect leader isn't the real sect leader'? No one in the audience cares about such details..."

"Hmm...'Faced with a vicious group of treasure thieves, Han Fulai made them drop their weapons with just a look... That's the long-lost Conqueror's Haki!'"

"Artistic creation, you know? Every epic story needs a little artistic embellishment!"

Since they were talking about the treasure-hunting gang, Han Fulai took the opportunity to ask some questions that interested him.

"Fellow miners, during our search and rescue operation for Qi Ding, we encountered a group of treasure-hunting gang members who call themselves 'Second Brother's' men. What do you all know about this 'Second Brother'?"

Zhiqiong once said that there used to be a foreman at the mine who was the second oldest in his family, and everyone called him "Second Brother". However, Zhiqiong's impression of "Second Brother" was limited to his gluttony; she didn't know much else about him.

But since this "second brother" was able to bypass the seal of the "Seven Star Formation" and send his subordinates to the bottom of the Rocky Abyss to steal minerals, there must be something special about him.

The miners present, including Jinwu, burst into laughter upon hearing the name "Second Brother."

Chapter 150 The Second Brother's Lesson and Mu Ning's Secret

"Hahahaha... that 'second brother'..." Old Tu slapped his thigh.

"The one with food poisoning... hahaha..." Ah Hao laughed until tears streamed down his face.

Even the usually composed eldest sister Jinwu turned her face away, her body trembling slightly, presumably recalling her "second brother's" past outrageous deeds.

"Do you still remember the slogans from our mine?" Old Tu said with a smile, starting with: "Keep mine safety in mind, don't treat life as a game."

“If you don’t bring Tuan Que down the mine, the foreman will catch you later,” Ahao chimed in.

"Mining profits are important, but personal safety comes first." A miner followed.

"With the supporting structure at ease, my wife and children are happy and I have nothing to worry about," another miner added.

"Don't panic when you see Qiuqiu..." Old Tu drawled out the last syllable, waiting for everyone to finish.

All the miners chanted the last line of the slogan in unison: "...Don't be like Second Brother and wet your pants!"

"Heh... It sounds like this 'Second Brother' is quite a 'legendary figure' in our mine. Even the slogans mention his deeds... Is he an old miner from the Layered Rock Abyss?" Han Fulai laughed.

“No, he’s from the ‘Mingyun Class’,” Jinwu said.

“‘Mingyun Class’?”

"Do you know 'Mingyun Town'? It's a small town on Yaoguang Beach. Decades ago, it was a rich mining area. The miners lived and worked in the mining area, and gradually a town was formed... However, villages that rise because of mineral resources will also decline when the resources are depleted. A few years ago, because the mineral veins in Mingyun Town were depleted, the village was abandoned, and the miners from Mingyun Town came to the Layered Rock Abyss to make a living."

"Oh, so the workers from the Mingyun Town mines used to be the 'Mingyun Class'?" Han Fulai finally understood the whole story.

“Yes.” Jinwu nodded. “Second Brother is well-liked and very loyal. The miners in Mingyun Town used to elect him as their foreman. As for him… his mining skills are so-so… no, quite so-so… so he always makes a fool of himself.”

“The most common admonition we used to hear from Sister Jinwu was, ‘Remember Second Brother’s lesson!’” Old Tu laughed.

"The 'Tuan Que' is crucial for mining; it can tell if the air in the mine is safe! Please don't cook Tuan Que casually. Second Brother wasn't seriously poisoned this time, but he won't be so lucky next time!" Ahao imitated Jinwu's tone.

“‘Remember Second Brother’s lesson!’” Old Tu also mimicked Jinwu’s tone.

“When working in the mine, be very careful if you see a torch emitting a blue light; it could be a harmful gas generated underground. If it causes an explosion, it will be disastrous. Second Brother was lucky to survive this explosion!” Ahao added.

“‘Remember your second brother’s lesson!’” Old Tu was already starting to burst into laughter.

"When mining, you have to tap the rocks above your head from time to time. If they sound hollow, there might be a cave-in! My second brother almost got buried in there! Also, please don't waste your time looking for treasure. We are miners, not adventurers or a treasure-hunting gang!" Ah Hao chuckled as he said this.

"Hahaha, 'Remember your second brother's lesson!'" Old Tu added with a loud laugh.

...This "second brother" is probably a walking negative example... Han Fulai couldn't help but cover his face.

"What, you have a problem with what I said?" Jinwu glared at the grinning miners.

"No, no," the miners quickly denied.

Jinwu snorted.

"Hmph, I think you guys haven't been down in the mine for too long. You need a safety knowledge test."