He changed Tiwat

“This…” Ning Lu looked around and, seeing that no one on the street was paying attention to him, lowered his voice, “Captain Kaiya, I’ve done all the work you asked me to do, and I even successfully delivered that membership card to Sir Humphrey… Shouldn’t you let me have a proper holiday?”

Ning Lu had a bitter face, while Kaiya was all smiles.

“I know, I know, you did a perfect job of creating hype on the day of the finals. I’m here specifically to give you a holiday bonus…” he said, twirling the Mora in his hand between his fingers, then putting it back in his pocket, and then pulling out a small purse, “Here, the prize money.”

"Oh, I can't accept this... Thank you so much..."

Ning Lu reached for the money bag as he spoke, but while his hand gripped the bag, Kaiya did not let go.

"Don't rush, I have another favor to ask of you. If you succeed, the bonus will be doubled."

"Ugh……"

Ning Lu had always known that Captain Kaiya's money wasn't so easy to earn, but he couldn't refuse Kaiya—after all, he already had something on Kaiya's hands.

Looks like I'm going to get a lecture from Yulu again tonight.

Every time he came home late, Yulu would suspect he was drowning his sorrows in some tavern, completely unaware that he was working for the cavalry captain, trying to earn money for his child's milk powder...

He sighed: "You tell me, and I'll do it."

Kaiya smiled again. "Don't worry, it's simple. Go out of the city now and find your old friend outside the city to pass on a message for me: 'Fortune favors the bold.' Come back as soon as you're done."

Ning Lu agreed and was about to leave when Kaiya shoved the money pouch into his arms and added, "Buy some supplements for your Yulu. Safety first, don't let her worry."

"Fortune favors the bold..."

Upon hearing this code, Ning Lu knew that someone was about to be in trouble.

Ning Lu, a former member of the most famous transnational criminal organization on the continent of Teyvat, who once worked for the infamous "Northern Wraith" in a promising career as a treasure hunter, always remembered the famous words of the legendary founder of the treasure hunters, Reid Miller—

"The saying 'fortune favors the bold' is a lie; taking steady and solid steps is the right way to live."

The reason why the notorious thief Reid Miller was able to build such a vast empire spanning multiple countries was because of his caution, or rather, his cowardice.

Back then, the members of the Treasure Raiders all adhered to Boss Miller's principle of never provoking anyone they couldn't afford to offend, such as the Knights of Favonius... Unfortunately, after generation after generation of members came and went, very few people took the golden words of the Treasure Raiders' founder seriously anymore.

Ninglu's former leader, the elusive and swift thief known as "The Strange Bird," was once a household name in Mondstadt, having stolen treasures from many wealthy families in the city.

The "Strange Bird's" past success was inseparable from his caution and prudence—Ninglu was sent into the city by the "Strange Bird" as an "undercover agent." His ostensible identity was that of an honest shop worker and an ordinary Mondstadt drunkard, but in reality, he was an important figure in scouting locations and gathering intelligence for the treasure-hunting group.

With his help, the "strange bird" successfully completed several impressive tasks.

Unfortunately, because the "strange bird" succeeded too many times, its confidence swelled to the point that it went to send a proclamation to the Knights of Favonius, resulting in it being sent to prison by the Mondstadt scout knights and the blond honor knights.

After the "strange bird" was captured, the Knights launched a series of operations to wipe out the Treasure Thieves, using methods even more ruthless than those of the Treasure Thieves themselves—that was naturally the work of Kaeya.

Like Ninglu's old friend, Izard, one of Mondstadt's former renowned treasure-hunting leaders, who was wiped out by Captain Kaeya because of a "treasure map" to the "Lost Ruins of Arcadia"...

This is all because the saying "fortune favors the bold" is harmful!

Ning Lu felt that his wisest move was understanding the principle of "if you can't beat them, join them"—he had now switched careers and become Captain Kaiya's informant, a very promising profession.

Anyway, it's all undercover work. Whether you help the treasure-hunting group or the knights, it's all the same... Besides, not only will you get a bonus for infiltrating the knights, but you can also clean up your act and live a happy life with your wife, kids, and a warm bed.

A while ago, a meteor shower occurred in Mondstadt, and a group of Ninglu's old comrades foolishly tried to rescue the "strange bird" boss from the city, even contacting him, their "undercover agent," to get a route—now that group is all having a "badminton festival party" in the Knights of Favonius's detention center...

During holidays, the Knights of Favonius would rush to meet their targets, and some of the Treasure Thieves' old friends would end up as Captain Kaeya's bonus. It looks like another batch of old friends will be sent to jail today... I wonder which one will be caught today.

Greg, the pickpocket from Clearspring Town who likes to pretend to be drunk? Uvi, the one from Wolf's Lair who likes to pretend to be wounded and deceive passing travelers? Or is it Sgrochi and his gang, who I heard have already fled to Dadaupa Valley?

Ning Lu sighed, glanced at the supplements he had purchased, and told himself, "Safety first."

Han Fulai watched Kaiya leave, but did not enter the church immediately. Instead, he found an empty seat under the corridor of the high ground square and sat down.

It was the same bench he had seen in his dream, the one where Rustan, the "young wolf," had sat five hundred years ago.

Of course, the bench in the dream is probably not the same one as the one now, and the girl who sang in front of the wind god statue is no longer there.

Han Fulai lowered his head, silently recalling the experiences of the past few days.

There were some things he and Kaiya understood without saying aloud, but he didn't say them just now.

For example, he only mentioned to Kaeya that he wanted Yura to become the "Badminton Festival Princess," but he never said a word about his ability to get Barbatos to force a "Mondstadt Saintess." Kaeya, however, used this as a premise to devise a plan to have Yura replace Cardinal Calvin...

For example, they had just returned to Mondstadt from the nameless island this morning, but Gianna received a gift that had been spiked by Violet. In a panic, she went out to confront Sgroch, and the place she chose happened to be on their way back...

For example, Kaiya had even prepared his explanation in advance and was waiting at the city gate. The proposal he put forward was obviously well thought out, with the distribution of benefits arranged in advance, so that he could accept it gladly...

—All of this proves that Kaiya has been keeping track of his and Yura's whereabouts all along, and probably also knows about his secret meeting with Barbatos.

If we add to that the shadow of Kaeya that he could glimpse behind the events at the snow mountain and the "Gate of the Eagle," and what he knew about the fact that Jean's parents had to part ways to avoid suspicion of "theocracy"...

Kaiya's ambitions go far beyond mere revenge.

"Another 'young wolf'?... Five hundred years later, Mondstadt still has such a terrifying guardian." Han Fulai looked at the statue of the wind god and sighed sincerely.

Chapter 356 Friendly Nations' Astonishment

Han Fulai stepped into the West Wind Church bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

The church's rose window is still as beautiful as ever. Golden-red sunlight shines through the colorful stained glass onto the rows of benches, filling the sanctuary with a dreamlike atmosphere.

In the evening, there were few tourists in the West Wind Church, and there was no choir or nuns playing music on the stage. The quiet sanctuary was filled with a devout and sacred atmosphere.

In this devout and sacred atmosphere, Sister Grace, who had met Han Fulai the day before, was doing something very devout and sacred—she was kowtowing to the iris emblem of the Church of the West Wind, kissing the ground with her lips as she did so.

After each repetition, Sister Grace would clasp her hands together, say "Please forgive my sins, Lord Barbatos," and then repeat the action.

Barbara stood beside Sister Grace, looking helpless, as if she wanted to help Sister Grace up, but forcibly restrained herself.

Thus, in this tranquil sanctuary, only Sister Grace's voice, bowing and confessing, continued to echo.

This was the scene Han Fulai saw when he entered the church.

At first, he thought it was some kind of religious ceremony within the Church of the West Wind, similar to pilgrims prostrating themselves in prayer. But he soon noticed something was off about Barbara's expression—she clearly looked very sad. If it were a normal ceremony, Barbara shouldn't have appeared so distressed.

"What happened?" he asked Barbara in a low voice.

Barbara, who was in a state of panic, saw Han Fulai, and her eyes lit up with surprise. She grabbed him without any regard for her image, as if afraid he would run away.

"Great! Sir Humphrey, you're finally back!"

Hearing Barbara's cry, Sister Grace, who was in the middle of her confession, looked up. Han Fulai noticed that the nun's smooth forehead was red and swollen, and there were still tear stains on her face. Clearly, she had been kowtowing for a long time.

Seeing the two nuns' expressions, Han Fulai understood something.

"...Could it be because of the 'Sky Harp'?"

"Yes, that's why Sister Grace..."

Barbara was about to say something when Grace stopped her: "Barbara, this is my own fault, it has nothing to do with anyone else. I'm sorry, Sir Humphrey, for showing you such an unseemly scene..."

She tidied her appearance slightly before saying, "Sir Humphrey, have you come today to return the 'Sky Harp'?"

Han Fulai nodded silently and took out the seven-stringed zither from his storage space.

Seeing that the "Sky Harp" was completely undamaged, Sister Grace and Barbara both seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Barbara quickly took the harp from Han Fulai and carefully held it in her arms.

"Then please excuse me for a moment, Barbara, come with me to complete the procedures for returning the sacred object."

Sister Grace bowed slightly to Han Fulai, took out her amulet, and headed towards the relic storage room, preparing to open the secret door. But before she could activate the amulet's power, the door leading to the underground flipped open on its own, and an elderly man with gray hair emerged from it.

That man was Cardinal Calvin, the current acting archbishop of the Church of the West Wind.

Upon seeing the old man, Grace and Barbara immediately bowed and addressed him as Archbishop.

Calvin looked up slightly and, seeing it was Grace, his face instantly darkened: "Priestess Grace, I remember you should still be in your period of reflection?"

"But, the 'Sky Harp' has already been returned! Since nothing was lost, why does Sister Grace still have to reflect on her actions?" The innocent Barbara was very indignant on behalf of Sister Grace, and tried her best to hold the harp in her hand high.

The artifact was now radiant and overflowing with abundant wind elemental power, looking even more dazzling than when it was first lent out.

"Barbara, watch your words!" Sister Grace quickly reminded Barbara.

Calvin's body remained still, but he slowly turned his neck, his cloudy old eyes fixed on Barbara and the "Sky Harp" in her hand.

“Sister Barbara, although you are Archbishop Simon’s daughter, you should still pay more attention to your words and actions. Your frivolous behavior damages the dignity of the Church and your father’s reputation.”

Barbara opened her mouth, but ultimately did not refute.

Calvin turned his face back. "Priestess Grace, are you dissatisfied with the punishment I gave you?"

Sister Grace bowed her head. "No, it was my own initiative that led me to bypass the application process for lending out the sacred object. I almost made a big mistake, and I am willing to accept the punishment."

“Very good.” Calvin’s wrinkles finally smoothed out, and he put a kind smile on his face. He gently placed his hand on Sister Grace’s shoulder. “Now that the relic has been returned, Lord Barbatos will surely be willing to forgive your sins. The kneeling in repentance is unnecessary; instead, you can recite scriptures before the gods for three days.”

"Yes……"

Sister Grace was about to agree when a voice suddenly came from behind her—

"I don't think it's good."

The speaker was Han Fulai.

The three looked over in surprise and saw Han Fulai striding towards them.

He had been observing from a distance for a while, and now was the time for him to make his move.

Cardinal Calvin was surprised, but he quickly concealed his expression and stepped forward to extend a hand to Han Fulai.

"You must be Sir Humphrey, who borrowed the sacred object. I am John Calvin, the acting archbishop of the Church of the West Wind. It is an honor to meet you in the abode of the wind god."

Han Fulai didn't even look at Calvin's outstretched hand, his hands in his pockets and his chin held high.

“Bishop Calvin, I demand that you sincerely apologize to me for your rudeness.”

His words instantly brought the atmosphere to a freezing point.

Sister Grace closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and prayed silently in her heart.

Barbara wasn't as frightened as Sister Grace, but curiosity was clearly evident in her eyes. She didn't know why the usually amiable Sir Humphrey had suddenly turned on Cardinal Calvin—to be honest, she felt a little smug seeing the arrogant Cardinal Calvin get his comeuppance…

Calvin slowly withdrew his hand, his eyes gradually narrowing: "I don't know what you're talking about, but there must be some misunderstanding."

"There's no misunderstanding," Han Fulai chuckled. "I just heard you punish Sister Grace with my own ears. Are you trying to say that I'm as old and hard of hearing as you are?"

Calvin's gaze grew increasingly cold. "...This is an internal matter of our Church of the West Wind. You have no right to interfere, do you?"

Han Fulai raised an eyebrow. "How can you say I have no right to interfere? You know I am an honorary knight of the Knights of the West, and your Church of the West is a subordinate organization of the Knights. It's normal for me to exercise my rights as a knight and supervise and hold accountable the subordinate organization of the Knights, isn't it?"

In fact, the title of "Knight of Honor" is just a title and does not have any real power. It is not his place to supervise and hold the church accountable.

But this title itself does indeed represent that he is a "Knight of Favonius in name only," possessing the top-level treatment that the Knights Order grants to international friends, and the Knights Order has a number of precedents of entrusting Honorary Knight Ying with tasks... If he insists that he is holding subordinate organizations accountable on behalf of the Knights Order, as long as Grand Master Jean does not deny it, others really cannot refute it.

But more importantly, it is...

"Your actions have also constituted a serious insult to me! If you refuse to apologize, as the Permanent Vice-Minister of the Moonlit Pavilion in Liyue and the direct successor of the Geo Archon, I will issue a formal note to the Knights of Favonius, demanding an explanation from the Knights and the Church of Favonius."

Chapter 357 This is an insult to me

Han Fulai's accusations were undoubtedly extremely harsh.

A conflict between the acting archbishop of the Church of Favonius and an honorary knight of the Knights of Favonius could be considered an internal conflict among the people of Mondstadt. However, if the matter involves a high-ranking official of Liyue and someone associated with the Geo Archon, the problem becomes much more serious.

Unlike Mondstadt, a monarchical offline nation where the Anemo Archon disappeared for 500 years, Liyue has been properly ruled by the Geo Archon for 3,700 years, and the Geo Archon appears every year at the "Ceremony of Summoning the Ascension." Although the Geo Archon perished in front of everyone at this year's "Ceremony of Summoning the Ascension," only half a year has passed, and the people of Liyue still hold the Archon in their hearts.

Han Fulai's use of the title "Successor of the Emperor" is tantamount to making him the spokesperson for the Geo Archon's generation, the true Liyue version of "Under One Person." Insulting him is an insult to Liyue.

This is a very serious diplomatic issue. If this matter is taken seriously, the amount of Mora in Liyue will be far more than a thousand pounds.

Furthermore, Liyue and Mondstadt share a close relationship, having maintained diplomatic ties for a millennium—truly "friendly nations." Their relationship extends beyond trade between individuals; even their deities enjoy a very good relationship. How could such a strong alliance be ruined by the current acting Archbishop of the Church of Favonius?

The three church members present truly experienced what it meant to be "a friendly nation member, utterly astonished".

The key point is this "bizarre surprise"—this is the first time that Acting Archbishop Calvin and Sir Humphrey have spoken today! How did they suddenly start insulting Liyue? It's really inexplicable!

Cardinal Calvin was full of doubt, and even Barbara, who was listening in, looked bewildered.

Although she disliked Bishop Calvin, who was acting as her father's representative, she couldn't understand what Calvin had said that offended this important figure in Liyue.

As the acting archbishop of the Church of the West Wind, Calvin was naturally not going to be forced to apologize by someone's neck for no reason. But the other party was a distinguished guest from a friendly nation, and it was too much for his old neck to bear.

So he could only remain silent.

Since he didn't speak, the two nuns naturally dared not speak either.

Sister Grace actually understood to some extent where Han Fulai's accusations came from—she hadn't wanted Barbara to mention her punishment before precisely because she was afraid of this situation.

However, this was not a situation in which she could speak, so she could only continue to pray silently in her heart: "Lord Barbatos... if all of this is because of my fault, please punish me only..."

It was Han Fulai who broke the silence first.

"It seems that Bishop Calvin doesn't take Liyue seriously. I'll remember that. I'll ask Director Jean for an explanation."

After saying this, he left no room for negotiation and walked away.

Even though Calvin was reluctant, he knew he couldn't let him report this to the Knights and let it become a major diplomatic issue without clear explanation.