"Huh?" Everyone was stunned. Shao Yun's words made it sound like he wanted to go alone. Was that really a good idea?
Shao Yun could feel the atmosphere of distrust hanging in the air. He couldn't believe they were doubting his abilities.
"What's with those looks? Don't you trust me?"
There was no doubt about Shao Yun's strength, but charging into an enemy camp alone seemed reckless in everyone's eyes.
Jean stared at Shao Yun intently, not wanting him to take such a risk.
"Going alone is too dangerous. It's a Fatui base, not a one-on-one fight."
Faced with everyone's concerned gazes, Shao Yun couldn't exactly say that he used to solo entire gangs in the Wild West, taking down legendary gunslingers like they were nothing. To him, raiding a small Fatui base would be a walk in the park.
"I'll be efficient. We can save manpower and focus on other tasks. Don't you want to wake Dvalin as soon as possible?"
His words struck a chord, and everyone began to see the logic in his plan.
Just as they were about to agree, Diluc spoke up.
"Are you sure? You've been drinking. How can we be certain this isn't just an impulsive decision fueled by alcohol?"
Diluc's words were like a bombshell, shattering everyone's confidence.
Paimon, hearing this, immediately flew over to Shao Yun and grabbed his sleeve tightly.
"Shao Yun, you need our help. This isn't up for debate!"
Lumine nodded in agreement with Paimon. Her face was calm, but her bright eyes revealed her determination.
Her voice was soft but firm. "I agree with Paimon. This isn't up for debate. You can't go alone!"
No one would trust the words of someone who had been drinking, even if it was just a little. Anything he said from now on would be dismissed as drunken rambling.
But drinking replenished his Core Stamina and Core Dead Eye! He wasn't like Venti, who turned into a drunken mess after a few sips. There was a clear difference!
No matter how much Shao Yun tried to explain, everyone refused to budge. They insisted on going together.
Finally, Shao Yun gave in. If they wanted to go together, fine. But he had one condition.
"Alright, we'll go together. But!" Shao Yun added a non-negotiable condition. "You all have to listen to me. No exceptions!"
"Fine, we'll listen to you," Paimon agreed. Their goal was to retrieve the Skyward Harp. As long as they achieved that, it didn't matter who was in charge. Besides, with their current firepower, it was practically a guaranteed victory.
Diluc, however, didn't join them immediately. He walked behind the bar to sort out the day's accounts.
"You go ahead. I'll finish up the tavern's accounts and catch up with you."
After giving them the location of the Fatui base—near the Heart of Spring south of Springvale, with two guards at the entrance—Diluc stayed behind.
Once everyone had left, Diluc and Charles reviewed the day's earnings.
"Huh? Isn't Dandelion Wine 400 Mora? Charles, why did you only charge 350 for this glass?"
Charles lowered his head, looking like a child who had done something wrong. He smiled apologetically and explained.
"Master Diluc, this glass was for Shao Yun. During the dragon crisis, he and Noelle helped evacuate trapped residents and handled the aftermath. So I took the liberty of giving him a discount."
After hearing Charles' explanation, Diluc stroked his chin, deep in thought. His brows furrowed, and he looked somewhat displeased.
"..."
"I'm sorry, Master Diluc. You can deduct the difference from my salary," Charles said, clasping his hands together, feeling guilty for going against his boss's rules.
But after finishing the accounts, Diluc didn't punish him. He simply let out a long sigh and left the tavern.
Before leaving, he instructed, "From now on, give Shao Yun a 20% discount whenever he comes for a drink."
---
Shao Yun and the others left Angel's Share and set off toward Springvale.
Springvale, located south of Mondstadt, was a bustling hunting village that supplied most of Mondstadt's meat.
As they walked through the night, the outline of Mondstadt gradually faded into the distance. Along the way, they passed many carriages damaged by the storm.
Seeing this, Shao Yun couldn't help but wonder: Where were Teyvat's horses? He saw carriages but no horses. Were they pulled by boars or something?
The thought of being a cowboy who couldn't ride a horse was as absurd as a fish that couldn't swim. It left him feeling deeply unsatisfied.
Could he catch a horse?
It was a great idea, but he hadn't seen a single horse along the way.
With this question in mind, Shao Yun turned to Jean.
"Acting Grand Master Jean, we've seen a lot of carriages along the way, but where are the horses?"
This question had also been bothering Paimon.
"Yeah, Acting Grand Master Jean, Paimon curious about that too."
Jean's face showed a hint of surprise. She stopped walking and explained to the group.
"Ah, you didn't know? Most of Mondstadt's horses were taken by Grand Master Varka."
Since the topic had come up, Jean shared more about transportation in Teyvat.
"Nowadays, most goods in Mondstadt—and all of Teyvat—are transported by cargo airships. Horses are more common in Mondstadt, but they're rare in other regions."
Jean went on to explain:
Mondstadt's terrain, shaped by Barbatos, was mostly flat with gentle hills. The climate was warm and humid, perfect for horses.
Liyue, on the other hand, was mostly mountainous with few plains. Most flat areas were either uninhabited or unsuitable for living due to ley line issues, leaving little room for horses.
Inazuma, an island nation, relied heavily on ships. With limited interaction with the outside world, even if they had horses, there weren't many.
Sumeru was either dense rainforest or vast deserts, where pack animals like camels were the primary means of transport.
Fontaine's underwater world and advanced technology made boats and airships the main modes of transportation.
Natlan, with its volcanic terrain, relied on local dragons as mounts.
And Snezhnaya's freezing climate made it difficult for horses to survive.
Venti, who had been quietly listening, chimed in with his own insights.
"Horses are skittish creatures. When they encounter elemental beings or monsters, they tend to panic and run away. Only trained horses can handle such situations."
"Since cargo airships became popular, fewer people bother raising horses."
After hearing Venti's explanation, Shao Yun still had doubts. It wasn't like they encountered elemental beings or monsters every day.
Overall, horses seemed more practical than airships. For example, how did ordinary people travel? Surely they didn't all ride airships.
"So how do ordinary people usually travel?"
Jean answered without hesitation.
"In Mondstadt, people usually walk, take boats, or ride passenger airships modified from cargo airships."
"Each region has its own unique transportation methods, which are sufficient for long-distance travel."
Hearing this, Shao Yun's expression darkened.
It seemed his dream of catching a horse as a mount was out of the question.
With the question answered, the group continued their journey toward Springvale.
As they walked, Shao Yun was lost in thought.
Thinking about horses reminded him of his beloved Andalusian horse back in the Wild West.
It was big, brave, and tough, but most importantly, beautiful!
At full bond, it wasn't afraid of wolves, grizzly bears, or even cougars. It would carry him to safety without hesitation.
It was far better than that white Arabian horse he'd caught in the mountains.
Just as he thought his days of having a mount in Teyvat were over, the system gave him a glimmer of hope.
[During the current mission, Travel Waypoints and Mount functions are disabled.]
[During solo free exploration, Lumine and Paimon can use Travel Waypoints (invisible to you and others) to move. You can use horses to travel.]
[During duo free exploration, Lumine's Travel Waypoint function will be disabled, while you can freely use horses.]
[Mount function is currently locked. Please wait patiently.]