"That's fine. We'll need to visit the Adventurers' Guild eventually," Lumine said, folding her arms under her chest, slightly lifting her round, soft curves, and nodding.
"Hehe, I wonder what kind of exciting commissions Liyue's Adventurers' Guild has in store," Paimon said expectantly.
Nolan smiled slightly at her words. "It's probably just different locations; the content of the commissions won't differ much."
The group left the wooden arch bridge near the gate. After asking for directions to the Adventurers' Guild, they began walking toward it.
Like Mondstadt, Liyue Harbor's streets were patrolled by many Millelith Soldiers. This ensured that even with a large population, the city was well-managed, orderly, and free of major incidents.
The Adventurers' Guild was a bit far from the gate, and it took some time, asking for directions along the way, before they finally saw the Liyue Harbor branch from a distance.
They were still walking on a wooden arch bridge, though smaller than the one near the gate.
"Hey, look to the left. There's a 'Teleport Waypoint' in front of that tree," Paimon said, flying in the air and noticing the device faster than Nolan and Lumine.
"Looks like we're in luck. We don't even have to search for it; it appeared right in front of us," Lumine said, a smile spreading across her fair face.
"There are a lot of people around now. Let's come back tonight and check it out," Nolan suggested, not showing much surprise as he had anticipated this.
Based on his memory of the game's Liyue Harbor map, there were two "Teleport Waypoints" within the city, located at each end. One of them was along the route from the gate to the Adventurers' Guild.
Real life wasn't a game, and activating a "Teleport Waypoint" in front of so many people would definitely draw attention, even though these waypoints were a common sight. Both Nolan and Lumine preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble and attention, even if it meant not using the waypoint immediately.
If they activated it stealthily, people might later notice the waypoint had mysteriously turned blue, but as long as they weren't caught in the act, it wouldn't be a big deal.
If they were seen teleporting, they could simply claim it was some spatial magic technique. However, being seen too often increased the risk of exposure.
Unfortunately, his "Concealment Form" skill couldn't make others invisible along with him, otherwise, this wouldn't be an issue.
That skill would be greatly enhanced at max level, potentially expanding its functionality. Maybe it would allow making others invisible too. He decided to prioritize upgrading "Concealment Form" along with his own level.
Nolan pondered as he walked, almost appearing to be in a daze. They crossed a plaza with scenic pools and easily spotted the Adventurers' Guild reception above the street.
Lumine's left foot, clad in knee-high white boots that highlighted her elegant legs, stepped lightly onto the wooden steps. As she lifted her leg, her snow-white thigh peeked from under her skirt, reflecting a bit of the afternoon sunlight, almost more dazzling than the sun itself.
Meanwhile, Paimon eagerly flew ahead to the reception desk. As she looked at the receptionist and was about to greet her, her mouth opened in shock:
"Huh?! Katheryne?! What are you doing here?"
Hearing Paimon's surprised exclamation, Lumine quickened her pace and ran over to look inside the reception area.
A white headscarf, black hair, a gentle smile, and a maid-style dress with green trim on a white base—wasn't this Katheryne, the receptionist at the Adventurers' Guild in Mondstadt?
Seeing this, Lumine's amber eyes widened slightly, and her soft lips parted a little in surprise.
Could Katheryne also teleport?
Nolan, who knew the truth, wasn't very surprised as he walked up behind Lumine.
"Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild," Katheryne greeted, her hands clasped in front of her as usual, with a smile. She continued, "Everyone, please don't be surprised. After all, there's a 'me' in the reception of the Adventurers' Guild in every nation."
"What do you mean? Can you duplicate yourself?" Paimon felt a bit confused.
"Not exactly, but close enough," Katheryne replied with a smile.
"Now, let's get back to the main topic. Otherwise, we'll delay other adventurers submitting their commissions," she added.
"Alright, but it's really intriguing!" Paimon said, looking very curious.
"Hehe, we are bionic dolls, which is why we look identical and are deployed in every nation's reception," Katheryne explained, smiling.
This wasn't a major secret. Many adventurers who had traveled internationally and seen multiple Katherynes had already guessed the truth. They were more likely to believe in bionic dolls than in something like septuplets or advanced cloning.
"I see," Lumine nodded, choosing to accept the explanation.
"By the way, Miss Katheryne, does the Adventurers' Guild here have temporary accommodations? We've just arrived in Liyue Harbor and haven't found a place to stay yet," Nolan asked, already knowing the answer and not too surprised.
"Ah, unfortunately, you're a bit late. With the 'Rite of Descension' happening in five days, many adventurers have arrived in Liyue Harbor. The last room was just taken by an adventurer from Fontaine," Katheryne said regretfully.
"Ah, there's no more? Seems like we're a bit unlucky today," Paimon sighed.
"I didn't expect the 'Rite of Descension' to attract so many people," Nolan said, his eyes showing some surprise.
"After all, during that time, the Geo Archon will appear to guide Liyue's business direction for the coming year. For foreigners dealing with Liyue, understanding the nation's policies promptly is crucial," Katheryne explained briefly.
"Alright, we won't disturb you further then," Nolan said after understanding the situation. With no immediate solution, he, Lumine, and Paimon decided to leave. Since they had already located the "Teleport Waypoint," finding accommodations wasn't urgent.
He remembered that the blacksmith's shop in Liyue was right next to the Adventurers' Guild.
This would also be a good opportunity to ask if the blacksmith can craft the various parts needed for the bicycle.
Liyue Harbor.
"Hanfeng's Ironmongers" a century-old blacksmith shop.
Master Zhang, with his short black hair and square face, was wiping sweat with a towel draped around his neck as he sat down to rest before finishing his work for the day. He glanced at the setting sun.
Suddenly, he noticed two young people descending from the Adventurers' Guild above—a man and a woman. They were accompanied by a small, flying white sprite. Quite an unusual combination.
"Looking to buy weapons or repair them?" Master Zhang asked casually.
"Hello, boss. We're not here to buy weapons. We'd like to ask if you can craft some mechanical parts for us," Nolan politely inquired.
"Haha, I'm one of the top blacksmiths in Liyue. There's nothing I can't forge. Just tell me what you need!" Master Zhang responded confidently.
"It's not something too difficult. What we need is actually a sample of a new type of transportation tool we designed," Nolan explained. "Once the sample is verified to work, we plan to sell the design. So please make sure not to leak any details of the design while crafting it."
Nolan was careful to explain in advance to avoid any potential harm to their interests.
"Hmph, kid, integrity is what I value most. I've never leaked any designs, even for four-star weapon blueprints. Besides, our Geo Archon is a god of contracts. If he knew I breached a contract, I'd face punishment from the people of the Geo Archon, and the General Affairs Office wouldn't just sit by. So you can rest assured!" Master Zhang said with a hint of displeasure, showing that he was annoyed by the suspicion.
As someone who prided himself on integrity, he hated being doubted.
"Sorry, I trust you since we're here," Nolan smiled and handed over the design blueprints he and Lumine had completed. "Here is the new type of transportation tool we need you to craft. Please take a look and let us know the approximate forging cost."
"Hmm, let me see." Master Zhang was curious about this new type of transportation tool.
He took the blueprints and examined the details carefully.
Iron frame, bearings, brake and traction cables, wheels… so this is a bicycle? What a great idea.
After reviewing the basic content, Master Zhang nodded and said, "The materials needed are just iron and wood, so they won't be too expensive. However, crafting the bearings is a bit more complicated, so the labor cost will be higher. You should be aware of this, as it's your design."
"Right. So how much Mora would it cost to craft such a bicycle?" Lumine, who had only 100,000 Mora left, was particularly concerned about the cost.
"Based on my experience, the cost of the main iron materials would be around 10,000 Mora. As for the forging fee, I won't overcharge you. I'll base it on time—20,000 Mora per day, and I'll get it done within a week. How does that sound?" Master Zhang stated.
Master Zhang usually had other tasks, such as forging and repairing weapons, so he couldn't spend an entire day just on this bicycle. Otherwise, it would only take two or three days to complete it.
At 20,000 Mora per day, a week would total 140,000 Mora, plus 10,000 Mora for materials, amounting to 150,000 Mora in total.
Considering the various intricate processes involved in forging from iron ore, this price was quite reasonable.
Nolan and Lumine quickly calculated in their minds and nodded in agreement.
A bicycle costing 150,000 Mora seemed high, but this was due to the lack of mass production. Once a production line was established and output increased, the cost would easily be reduced by half.
A bicycle with a final price of a few tens of thousands of Mora had great potential for widespread use. This design could indeed fetch a good price.
After finalizing the details of crafting the bicycle with Master Zhang of "Hanfeng's Ironmongers," they noticed it was already 6 PM. They asked for the location of "Wanmin Restaurant" and then left.
They walked down the street, passing through to reach "Wanmin Restaurant." It was on the opposite side of the street from the Adventurers' Guild and the blacksmith shop, very close by.
"Wanmin Restaurant" was a small eatery with outdoor seating, making it an open-air restaurant. Business was good, and the middle-aged chef inside seemed quite busy.
Since Feiyun Commerce Guild's Second Young Master had not arrived yet, Nolan and the others ordered a reasonably priced snack, "Central Plains Offal," from a nearby stall to eat while they waited.
Before long, they saw Xingqiu approaching, accompanied by a young man with ice-blue hair and dressed in white.
Chongyun, Nolan mentally identified him.
He recognized this young man from the game. Chongyun was a friend of Xingqiu, hailing from a famous exorcist family and possessing powerful magical skills.
What made him remarkable was his rare pure Yang constitution, causing any demons or ghosts to avoid him instinctively. Thus, he seldom encountered such creatures.
The demons referred to here were not hilichurls or slimes but genuine supernatural entities like spirits and animals turned into spirits.
"Oh? How come you're here so early?" Xingqiu asked, somewhat surprised.
"Hehe, we had some business at the blacksmith shop and came over when it was about time," Paimon replied with a smile.
"I see. Let me introduce you. This is my friend Chongyun, an exorcist and practitioner of magical arts. I saw him on the street just back from outside and invited him to join us," Xingqiu said, nodding before introducing his friend to Nolan and the others.
"An exorcist and practitioner of magical arts? That sounds impressive," Lumine said, sitting in her chair with her elbow on the table, resting her cheek on her pale palm, and looking curiously at the young man.
"No, with my skills, I'm far from being an impressive practitioner!" Chongyun said humbly, quickly waving his hand as he sat down opposite Lumine and Nolan with Xingqiu.
"By the way, do your magical arts include techniques to train and enhance spiritual power?" Nolan asked with great interest.
Perhaps he could learn some magical skills from Chongyun or inquire if his family had any methods to enhance mental strength. This would save the trouble of seeking out adeptis.
(End of Chapter)
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