On Dragonspine Mountain, large snowflakes fell gently, while strong winds howled at the mountainside.
This place is perpetually covered in snow, extremely cold, where not even vegetation could catch fire. The mountain harbors remnants of ancient civilizations, attracting many adventurers, geologists, and even treasure hoarders driven by greed.
It is said that hidden within the ruins of the ancient civilization on Dragonspine are eight stone tablets, which hold the key to unlocking all the mysteries.
At night, near the lake at the foot of the mountain, frost covered the grass. Next to a campsite, a flickering bonfire burned. Two Treasure Hoarders in brown fur coats sat warming themselves and eating a hearty vegetable stew.
"Damn it, where the hell are Old Six and Old Seven? They said they'd come back after buying meat in Springvale, and look at the time now. Still not back," one of them grumbled.
"Old Nine, you've got a temper. Can't you wait a bit longer?" the other responded.
"You know how I am. I can't stand people being late," Old Nine snapped.
"Remember last time at Wolvendom? You disappeared for half an hour just to relieve yourself."
"That was different," Old Nine said, frustrated, putting down his bowl. "I had a stomachache; who can hold that in? And honestly, our boss sent us here to look for some ancient tablets in this godforsaken place. He must be bored. Why not go to Liyue and mine some amber? One piece of amber sells for thousands."
"Old Nine, you lack ambition. How much can a few pieces of ore sell for? Enough to last us a few years? These ancient tablets are different. If we find one, we can sell it for a fortune and retire on Liyue's beach, counting Mora and basking in the sun."
"You really believe that?" Old Nine leaned back, looking skeptical.
"Yeah, I'm curious too," came a voice.
As they chatted, a woman walked gracefully into the camp from behind. She carried a large sword on her back, her eyes and brows exuding an icy coldness—colder than Dragonspine itself.
The two men were stunned for a moment. The newcomer was a beauty—a true ice queen.
Old Nine rubbed his hands together, grinning. "Just when I was complaining about the cold and needing someone to warm my bed, look who walked right in."
*Bang.* Old Nine's head spun as he got smacked. He angrily turned to his companion, "Old Eight, why the hell did you hit me?"
"Did mercury flood your brain? Look at her shoulder—an ice-element Vision! She's from the Knights of Favonius!"
"Kn-Kn-Knights..." Old Nine stammered, trembling in fear.
"What did you say just now, hmm? Want me to warm your bed?" Eula said, lowering her large sword from her back. The blue blade shimmered like her short blue hair.
"I-I-I..."
"Damn it!" Old Eight pulled out his dagger, deciding to strike first.
*Clang!* The dagger fell to the ground as Old Eight collapsed, blood pouring from a wound to his side.
Old Nine fell to the ground in terror. "You... you're the Spindrift Knight... don't come any closer!"
"Didn't you just ask me to warm your bed?" Eula tilted her head, her eyes cold and sharp. In the next second, she grabbed Old Nine by the collar and tossed him into the frigid lake. "Get in and warm up."
*Glug glug...*
The freezing water made Old Nine feel like a fish about to freeze solid. Eula crossed her arms, watching with narrowed eyes.
Yes, the timing seemed about right—he was on the verge of despair.
She used her greatsword to pull Old Nine out of the lake, then stepped on his back to force the water from his stomach. "Talk. Why did your boss send you here? What clues did you find? What is your organization planning next? If you don't cooperate, you'll become an ice sculpture."
*Gurgle...*
Old Nine could barely breathe as the air was forced out of his lungs, coupled with the ice-cold water—it was overwhelming.
"Please, ma'am... spare me. I'm just trying to make a living, a nobody in the Treasure Hoarders. I have an eighty-year-old mother and a sick wife and kids at home. Killing me is killing my entire family..."
Eula's face remained cold. He was clearly spineless, so she decided to scare him a bit more. "Confess, and I'll be lenient. Resist, and it will only be worse."
"But ma'am, our boss always says, 'Confess, and you'll sit in jail for life; resist, and you'll be home by the holidays...' *gurgle*..."
"This is your last chance. If you don't talk, you'll be feeding the fish again." Eula planted her greatsword firmly in front of him.
"Ma'am, it was just a joke, don't take it seriously! I'll tell you anything, just please, don't hit my face—it hurts my pride."
"Is your objective the eight stone tablets on the mountain?" Eula asked coldly.
"Yes, our boss said if we find even one, it would be worth a lot."
"To whom are you selling it?"
"He didn't say specifically—just that it was a big buyer."
Eula pondered for a moment. The major patrons in Mondstadt could be counted on her fingers. Could it be one of them?
"What else do you know?"
"The boss said to bring small digging tools and make sure we don't damage the inscriptions on the tablets."
*Whack!* Eula smacked him hard on the head.
"That's what the boss said! If you want to hit someone, hit him—not me! Please, ma'am, spare me..."
"Where are you supposed to meet your boss?"
"Wolvendom."
"When?"
"The evening after tomorrow."
"Alright, you can die now." Eula kicked him hard, sending him flying and knocking him unconscious.
At these temperatures, he'd be an ice statue within half an hour.
Seeing she couldn't extract any useful information, Eula lost interest. Originally, she came to the mountain to collect some Mist Flowers but hadn't found any after all this time.
Just as she was ready to enjoy a dip in the freezing lake, she stumbled across these two lowlifes, plotting to steal the ancient stone tablets from the mountain.
Without the necessary permits from Mondstadt, it was illegal—every unauthorized person found was considered a Treasure Hoarder. At best, they were imprisoned; at worst, they were killed on sight.
The unlucky one had already met his fate.
The other one would soon follow.
Eula had no mercy for her enemies. Like the Vision on her shoulder—ice, only ice.
She replaced the greatsword on her back and dove gracefully into the lake. The cold water, with shards of thin ice floating, didn't faze her. She swam like a nimble fish, moving elegantly through the icy depths.
"I wonder how little Amber is doing. Haven't seen her in days—she must be missing my tomato jelly omelet," Eula mused, a slight smile playing on her lips as she remembered Amber's cheerful smile.
Amber was one of the few friends she had. Ever since she joined the Knights of Favonius, Eula endured the odd looks from Mondstadt's citizens and even outright hostility.
As a remnant of the old aristocracy, whenever she went to a tavern for a dandelion wine, and there weren't enough seats, she'd face the jeers and provocations of drunkards.
She had long gotten used to it.
"I'll remember this grudge," she muttered to herself, stepping out of the lake, walking gracefully back towards Mondstadt.