A few months later.
A group of people was traveling along a forest path.
The size of the group wasn't particularly large, with just over twenty members, the majority of whom were adventurers.
The purpose of their presence here was simple— to complete a commission from the Adventurer's Guild and eliminate the abnormal monsters in the Wolvendom.
According to the hunters from Springvale, the monsters in the Wolvendom had started to affect the lives of the townspeople, and something had to be done about it.
"Hey, do you know that young man? I heard he just joined the Adventurer's Guild recently, but he's already completed many commissions that even seasoned veterans couldn't finish."
"I've heard about him too. A person of extraordinary talent…"
"Do you know that young woman with him? She's from the Lawrence family."
"I really don't understand why he's associating with someone from the Lawrence family. He even brought someone from the Lawrence family to do the Guild's commission."
"If it weren't for that Lawrence, I'd really want to get closer to him."
Some of the adventurers whispered among themselves. Although their voices weren't loud, both Yu Xie and Eula, with their exceptional hearing, still overheard the conversation.
The two didn't pay it any mind.
This wasn't the first time they had heard such talk, and there was no need to argue with them every time. Doing so would only be a waste of time.
"Hey! Stop gossiping behind people's backs!"
A voice, slightly angry, rang out, surprising both Yu Xie and Eula.
The group fell silent, exchanging glances at the person who had spoken. Annoyance appeared on their faces, but they only rolled their eyes and didn't say anything further.
Since they were all on the same mission, no one truly wanted to cause a conflict.
The person who had spoken, seeing the reaction of the group, sighed a little helplessly but didn't continue speaking. Instead, he quickly walked over to Yu Xie and Eula.
"Hello, my name is Hughes Leonard. I know a bit about your exploits, and I'm glad to finally meet you in person!"
Yu Xie and Eula exchanged a glance.
The person in front of them looked to be older than Yu Xie, probably already near adulthood.
"Hello, thank you for standing up for us earlier," Yu Xie said with a smile.
"It's nothing. I just couldn't stand it, so I spoke my mind," Hughes replied with a carefree smile. "By the way, I just joined the Adventurer's Guild less than a month ago. Compared to your three months of experience, I should be calling you 'senior' instead."
"Don't be. You look older than me. It feels strange to have you call me senior," Yu Xie responded.
"No worries, no worries. Since we're both adventurers, it makes sense to call you that," Hughes said, turning to Eula. "Right, Miss Eula?"
"If you keep talking to us like this, be careful that others won't want to associate with you," Eula warned.
"It's fine. Anyone who dislikes me because of a surname is welcome to distance themselves," Hughes said seriously. "In my eyes, both you, senior, and Miss Eula, are good people."
His words made both Yu Xie and Eula pause for a moment.
There was a sincere air about Hughes.
"Thank you. But are you really going to keep calling me senior?" Yu Xie said, feeling somewhat helpless.
"Of course! I want to learn from you, senior! In just three months, you've completed many high-difficulty commissions. You're a role model for my adventurer career!" Hughes said earnestly.
Yu Xie and Eula looked at each other, both unsure of how to respond.
The group continued on, and by afternoon, they had entered the Wolvendom.
Not only were there monsters here, but wolf packs also roamed the area, so everyone remained on high alert.
The adventurers skilled in tracking searched for signs of the monsters, but by the time the sun set, they hadn't spotted any.
They had no choice but to set up camp and rest for the night.
A fire was lit, and the surrounding forest fell eerily silent.
The group had reached the heart of the Wolvendom. For adventurers, spending the night in the wilderness was an everyday occurrence, as long as their equipment was adequate. It was nothing to be concerned about.
Yu Xie and Eula sat in front of their tent and started their own fire.
The firelight danced on their faces, casting shadows and highlighting their features.
Eula had not joined the Adventurer's Guild; she was simply accompanying Yu Xie on this trip.
As for Yu Xie, after coming to Mondstadt, the best way to make money was, of course, to join the Adventurer's Guild, take on commissions, and earn a living.
What Yu Xie hadn't expected was that, shortly after joining the guild, his reputation spread far and wide in a very short time.
Some called him a "genius adventurer," but many people were puzzled—why would someone with such a promising future as an adventurer be so close to a member of the Lawrence family?
"Sorry," Eula said, adding another log to the fire, "because of me, it seems like everyone's been keeping their distance from you."
"What are you talking about? Is this the first day you've known me? Do you think I care about that?" Yu Xie looked at Eula and smiled.
Eula fell silent for a moment, then smiled back at him.
"Why don't you go ahead and rest? I'll take the first watch."
"It's still early. Let's sit for a bit longer. Besides, how could I let a lady stand guard?" Yu Xie said, half-joking.
At that moment, Hughes, the man who had spoken to Yu Xie and Eula earlier, came over with some portable dry rations in hand.
"Hey, you two haven't eaten yet, right? Here, try some of this. I made it myself. I can't guarantee the taste, but it's well-balanced and perfect for eating out here on adventures."
"Thanks." The two of them hesitated for a moment but then took the dry rations.
"By the way, senior, is the target for this hunt really such a powerful monster?" Hughes asked as he sat down beside them, nibbling on his dry rations.
"Aside from the wolf packs in the Wolvendom, if we're talking about powerful monsters..." Yu Xie pulled out his Adventurer's Guild-issued Adventurer's License and flipped it to the page that recorded information about monsters. "It's probably this one, the Rockfond Rifthound."
"Are Rockfond Rifthound found in Mondstadt as well?" Hughes asked, a little surprised. "I heard that they're mostly found in Inazuma."
"Maybe the ones from Inazuma sneaked across the border," Yu Xie joked.
"That makes sense..." Hughes nodded repeatedly. "You really think of everything, senior."
This reaction surprised both Yu Xie and Eula.
Yu Xie's comment was meant to be a joke, something that most people would catch right away, but Hughes took it seriously and even seemed to agree with it.
It seemed this younger adventurer was a bit... naturally naïve.
At that moment, there was a rustling sound coming from the forest.
Yu Xie and Eula both turned their heads.
"Senior, Miss Eula, what's going on?" Hughes didn't notice the sound from the forest, but he felt the atmosphere suddenly grow tense.
Yu Xie didn't say much, simply stood up and headed into the woods. Eula quickly followed.
Hughes sensed something was wrong. After hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth and decided to follow Yu Xie and Eula.
"Senior, Miss Eula, wait for me!"
When the other members of the group saw the three of them leave the camp, someone immediately shouted after them:
"Hey! Don't leave the camp on your own, it's too dangerous!"
"Even if you're a genius adventurer, you're still too young. Leaving the group like this in the wilderness... the consequences could be huge. If you're unlucky..."
Before the person could finish their sentence, something whizzed through the air from the direction where Yu Xie had just been.
It landed heavily in the clearing next to the camp.
Everyone froze for a moment before looking over.
It was the severed head of a Rockfond Rifthound.
End of chapter
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