The Lost People of Teyvat

Chapter 173: The Old Father and the Unemployed Young Man Living Alone
Zhongli was unable to reject Hu Tao, just like an old father who is always happy and relieved in his heart when facing the care of his good daughter, no matter how he expresses it on the surface. So Chen Tianfeng's neighbors changed from lonely and pitiful elderly people living alone to happy and harmonious families of fathers and daughters or grandfathers and grandchildren.

Every morning, the father and daughter would knock on Chen Tianfeng's gate. After having breakfast together, Hu Tao would lead Zhongli, and Zhongli would bring Chen Tianfeng along. The three of them would go to the Hall of the Resurrection to report for duty. Only then would Zhongli and Chen Tianfeng have free time.

The story is about a mature and sensible daughter who not only takes care of her confused old father, but also remembers to take care of her old father's poor neighbor, an older unemployed young man living alone.

Chen Tianfeng was in mixed feelings. He really wanted to ask Zhongli how long the long sword would take to be warmed up, and why both of them had to be present at the same time to warm up the sword.

But after thinking about it, I decided not to ask.

It's not easy for old man Zhongli, so we should not make things difficult for him and make him frown and think of other excuses.

After a few days of leisurely life, Chen Tianfeng could clearly feel the atmosphere in Liyue Harbor gradually changing, as if they were ready for the storm to come. There were many more Thousand Rocks troops in the city, and the Fatui's activities in Liyue Harbor were also restricted.

During their last trip together, Tartaglia took the initiative to reveal his identity to Chen Tianfeng and Zhongli, saying that he was not a merchant from Solstice, but an executive of Solstice Fatui. He explained for a long time why he concealed the truth.

The honest boy heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that Zhongli and Chen Tianfeng were not angry and did not distance themselves from him because of his executive position. He also explained that the Seven Stars had been very wary of the Fatui for some reason recently, and he wanted to temporarily withdraw from the three-person team to avoid causing unnecessary trouble to Zhongli and the others.

During this period, Ye Lan came to the courtyard once and took away the replica machine of the Hundred-No-Prohibition Talisman stored in Chen Tianfeng's Divine Eye. Before leaving, she deliberately walked around the courtyard and looked quite satisfied.

Northland Bank,

The door that had been closed for many days finally opened. As soon as Dotole went out, he saw Tartaglia leaning against the wall bored. Under the mask, his eyebrows slightly raised, and he imitated Tartaglia's tone that day and asked in surprise: "Tartaria, why are you still here?"

"You're finally out...wait, why am I not here?"

Tartaglia frowned and crossed her arms. "I haven't completed the mission the Queen gave me yet. Where else can I go if not here? You said you would help me complete the mission, but from what I've seen you arrange these days, I can't see how you plan to find the God of Rock. You're not lying to me, are you?"

It was the Rock God who lied to you. I was just hiding something at best... Dotore was too lazy to pay attention to this stupid warrior and said calmly, "I naturally have my reasons."

"What's the point?"

“The principle of making the plan go smoothly.”

"Including asking your men to run back to Guiliyuan?"

Tartaglia expressed her confusion and said, "Let's not talk about the Immortal Summoning Ceremony that will be held in Liyue in a month. If we are to seek the Immortals, the place we should go to should be Jueyunjian. Why do you want them to go to Guiliyuan? Do you think that the Emperor of Rock King will go to Guiliyuan to reminisce about the past before the Immortal Summoning Ceremony?"

"of course not."

Dotore thought about it and changed his excuse: "It's okay to tell you - it's because of the Hundred Taboos Talisman."

"A talisman with no taboos?" Tartaglia asked in confusion.

"Yes, the factory was destroyed a few days ago. Although it can be rebuilt, not only does it lack time, but the Seven Stars of Liyue also obstruct it. I think even if it is rebuilt by chance, it will be discovered in no time and then destroyed again. In this case, it is better not to try to rebuild it in the first place."

"Not rebuilding? But I remember that the number of the Hundred Unrestricted Talismans is not enough, right?"

"That's why we have to go to Guiliyuan." Duotuolei nodded: "The most important thing to imitate the talisman is the breath of the devil in the talisman. Coincidentally, there are a lot of such things in Guiliyuan."

"I see." Tartaglia scratched his hair, then thought of something and said with a smile: "It seems that you finally used my method to release the ancient demon god, so that the God of Rock will have to show up instead of hiding from us all the time."

No, the God of Rock has no need or reason to hide from you, and He is right beside you, but you, a warrior, just didn't notice it... Dotole glanced at him, and raised the corners of his lips slightly: "Yes, your idea is very good, I admit that your brain exists."

"...Are you complimenting me?" Tartaglia frowned at him and waved his hand, "Forget it, I don't want to argue with you...What have you been busy with these days? You have been hiding in the house for so long."

“A work of art, a very perfect work of art.”

Dotore smiled, stepped aside to open the door, and invited softly: "Would you like to come and take a look?"

"why not?"

Tartaglia raised his eyebrows, took two steps forward, opened the door, and looked into the room.

This room converted into a laboratory by Dotore is not as gloomy as he is. It is well lit, well illuminated, and extremely clean and tidy.

Tartaglia entered the laboratory and looked around with a surprised expression.

"What are you surprised about?" Dottore wondered.

"Your laboratory..." Tartaglia turned to look at him, choosing her words carefully. "I thought it would be that kind of, well, that kind of dark and messy evil that people say makes people feel uncomfortable or scared just by looking at it... You understand?"

“It’s just the foolish opinion of the world.”

Dotole looked calm and said, "It's dark and messy... How can we do experiments if the laboratory can't even be bright and tidy?"

As he spoke, he walked to the glass culture chamber in the center of the laboratory and tore off the white cloth covering the chamber. "Look, this is my work."

Tartaglia cast a glance and then narrowed his eyes slightly: "This is..."

"A surprise, or rather, a test."

Dotore lowered his eyes, looked through the glass, and the corners of his lips curled up a little.

I am really looking forward to it. What kind of answer will He give?

……

Chihuyan Yihao Lane No. 8 Courtyard,
Zhongli stood in the yard, looked up at the sky, then lowered his head and sighed.

Each and every one of them is restless...

He looked helpless, pursed his lips, and closed his eyes lightly. When he opened them again, his golden eyes suddenly lit up, with the indifference and depth of a god, as well as the coldness and accuracy of a machine.

The God of Rock began to calculate, the God of Rock made deductions, and the God of Rock made a choice.

After a long while, the god came to a conclusion and closed his eyes.

Zhongli opened his eyes, sighed again, turned into the room to get a box of tea, then went out, turned right, and knocked on the neighbor's door.

"Mr. Zhongli?"

"My dear, you are still awake. Haha, what a coincidence! The tea I ordered a few days ago has just been delivered. Would you like to try it?"

(End of this chapter)