"Evening – Dihua Marsh"
A pale, faint moon hung suspended in the sky, casting a melancholic velvet curtain over Dihua Marsh. The space was submerged in a terrifying stillness, like a silent warning.
The sound of wind whistling through the gaunt branches, blending with the rustling of dry leaves, created an eerie symphony that further highlighted the desolation of this land. All living beings seemed to hold their breath, coiling up in the darkness, avoiding the searching eyes of an invisible malevolent force.
Amidst that bleak scenery, Mei walked aimlessly, utterly alone. Her long hair was swept up by a strong gust of wind, fluttering like a lost bird. An invisible weight bore down on her small shoulders, making each of her steps heavy. Gently pushing her hair away from her eyes, she let out a sigh of disappointment.
“Sigh, in the end, nothing has changed here.”
“But why do I feel like the atmosphere today is a little strange?”
Standing before this quiet space, her doubts only grew stronger as she remembered recent events—traveling with Xiao, learning about Elzer and his father's secret, and Diluc’s unexpected appearance in Liyue. She realized with frightening clarity that the plot she once knew was gradually being twisted, veering off its original track.
Feeling exhausted, Mei plopped down at the base of a nearby tree. A strange sense of loneliness invaded her. Mei knew she had adapted to this place well, but deep down, she understood she didn't belong here. It was as if she were an outsider, an anomaly in this unfamiliar world. The feeling tightened its grip on her, making her subconsciously curl up, hugging her knees in a corner.
“Ugh, no!”
She lightly patted her cheeks, trying to regain her composure.
“Snap out of it, everyone treats you so well, how can you be an anomaly!”
She tried to reassure herself, but a voice from deep within uttered a sincere confession.
“...but to say I don’t miss home would truly be a lie.”
Mei’s eyes began to redden, her chest felt as if someone was squeezing it. Her heart ached thinking about her loved ones in the old world.
“I miss them so much. I wonder if they’re eating enough, getting enough sleep, and waking up on time...”
After a moment of silence, she spoke again, her voice so soft it was a mere whisper:
“Over there, do they miss me like this?”
Mei didn’t know. She didn't want to know anymore. The happy moments with her two loved ones came flooding back: eating together, sleeping together, laughing together. Tears began to fall, each drop rolling down her pretty face. A feeling of loneliness and self-pity enveloped the girl.
Gently touching her tear soaked face, Mei felt a little more relieved. Maybe they were right, crying could release some of the deep sorrow in her heart. Wiping away her tears, she took a deep breath and stood up resolutely.
“No more crying. I’m here now anyway, so I have to find a way to survive and go home.”
As if relieved, Mei brushed the dust off her clothes and turned to walk away. Suddenly, a strange malevolent energy from the far west caught her attention. On one side was vigilance, urging her to leave, but on the other was curiosity, compelling her to move toward that energy.
After a moment of internal struggle, curiosity and an uneasy feeling within Mei won over her fear. She took a deep breath, gathering all her courage to walk. The closer she got, the denser and heavier the malevolent energy became, like a deadly fog enveloping her.
Then a horrible sight struck Mei’s eyes: countless dead Hilichurls lying scattered across the ground. They were not just dead, but brutally torn apart. Fresh blood mixed with mud, creating a foul-smelling swamp that permeated the air.
This was no longer the peaceful Dihua Marsh from the game she once knew, but a true bloody battlefield.
The sight shocked Mei so much she had to cover her mouth and dry heave. Her eyes darted around, trying to find the one who committed this atrocity. Not far away, she saw a familiar figure, it was Xiao, but there was something very strange about him, a heavy stream of malevolent energy was radiating from him, making Mei feel an unusual sense of unease.
Xiao stood tall amidst the battlefield, wearing his familiar Yaksha mask. However, his body was covered in bleeding wounds, and a heavy flow of malevolent energy surged relentlessly, like a fire burning him from within.
The face revealed beneath the mask was full of agony, his golden eyes devoid of any sanity, containing only emptiness and extreme fury. It was clear he had been fighting for a very long time, not only with the Hilichurls but also with the malice of the residual god remnants.
Mei was so surprised she forgot to be scared when she saw Xiao. But when she saw the wounds on his body, the surprise quickly turned into extreme worry. She took a few steps forward, her voice trembling as she spoke:
“Xiao, are you okay? Your wounds are too severe.”
Mei’s question was met with silence. Xiao didn't reply, the malevolent energy around him surging even more fiercely. In the golden eyes beneath the mask, there was no longer the usual calmness, only emptiness and an unbearable agony. He didn't see Mei, but only an enemy approaching, an enemy that the malice within him wanted to crush instantly.
To Mei’s astonishment, Xiao suddenly lunged forward to attack her. The spear in his hand cut through the air, creating a strong, chilling gust of wind, aimed directly at her. A whistling sound tore through the air; it was so fast that Mei only saw a blur.
Instinctively, she twisted to dodge, but the spear tip still grazed her, leaving a deep gash on her arm. Blood spattered, the sharp pain instantly spread throughout her body. Mei retreated in panic, the call of his name choking in her throat.
“Xiao, wake up, Xiao!”
Xiao didn't stop, he continued to advance, raising the spear in his hand to finish her off. But at that moment, a flicker of lucidity appeared in his eyes. He stopped abruptly, his hand trembling, straining to control the karmic debt that was consuming his body.
“Get... away... from here.”
His voice was hoarse and full of agony. After saying the words, he knelt down, clutching his head, feeling countless screams and wails echoing inside. Xiao couldn't help but yell, writhing in both physical and spiritual pain. He was trying to fight himself, battling the evil residue within.
Mei felt utterly stunned, her legs trembling as she backed a few steps away from Xiao. The fear of running to save her life enveloped her, but witnessing Xiao's current state, a wave of pity rose up, preventing her from moving.
She rummaged through her memories, and then an image flashed, the strange light that had once cleansed the malice from the Hilichurls. That was the purifying power she had once used, and now it might be Xiao's only hope.
Mei extended her uninjured arm toward Xiao, in her heart she silently prayed. Seeing his pained form, Mei couldn't help but feel a pang of agony. She knew what he had to face, not just the monsters that appeared in the night, not just the remnants of a residual god, but also the fight against himself.
Mei knew, but only when she witnessed it firsthand did she truly understand how terrible it was.
And then, as if by magic, a warm, gentle light radiated from her palm, spreading throughout the space and enveloping Xiao.
The light was like an antidote, gradually purifying the malevolent energy that was tormenting him. The agony on his face softened, and his body went limp, collapsing to the ground motionless. He instinctively moved his lips, as if speaking his last wish.
“Bosacius... Indarias... Menogias... Bonanus... I... am coming to find... you...”
After that, he fell unconscious as if finally freed from his suffering. Mei approached, extending a trembling hand to feel his weak breath. She was exhausted, her injured arm aching relentlessly, but she still tried to help him up.
The distance from Dihua Marsh to Wangshu Inn was not close, and for a person with an ordinary physique, carrying a Yaksha like Xiao was not an easy task. Suddenly, Mei’s body stumbled, and she fell with a thud to the ground. Clutching her aching arm, Mei lamented with a couple of words:
“Huhu, if only Qiqi were here, it would be so much better.”
After saying that, she looked at the unconscious Xiao next to her, then down at his wounds. Blood was still flowing relentlessly. At this point, Mei knew she couldn’t delay any longer. She mustered all her strength to lift him onto her shoulder once more, then continued to walk forward.
Despite the blood gushing from her arm, despite the aching pain running through her entire body, Mei pressed on. Each of her steps was heavy and tiring, but she did not give up.
Thud!
Mei collapsed to the ground, her body spent, the aching pain from her injured arm pulsing relentlessly, burning every muscle fiber. She no longer had any strength to get up, only managing to pull the unconscious Xiao to one side with great difficulty. Lying on her back on the ground, Mei breathed heavily, her lifeless eyes staring up at the vast night sky, her spirit sinking into despair.
“Don’t tell me today is the end for me.”
She mumbled, her voice so weak she could barely hear it herself.
“I hope someone comes to pick up mine and Xiao's bodies and buries us properly tomorrow morning.”
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Mei’s mind, making her exclaim aloud:
“Oh, wait a minute, Xiao is a Yaksha with an extraordinary body, so he probably won't end up a goner like me.”
These scattered thoughts just kept floating through Mei's mind like a wave. She yearned for someone to appear to help, just like in the movies she always watched.
But ten minutes passed, and still not a soul appeared. Mei felt her strength run out, and she gently closed her eyes, almost accepting the arrangement of fate.
Suddenly, a deep but stern voice rang out not far away.
“Who's over there? Do you need my help?”
Mei instantly became alert. Despite her dry and sore throat, she quickly called out loudly:
“Yes! I really do! Please, come help me quickly!”
The man who had spoken was a little skeptical, but without thinking too long, he moved toward Mei. When she saw him, Mei was overjoyed as if all the exhaustion had been lifted from her, and she exclaimed:
“Huhu, Yanxiao! My savior, I will be forever grateful to you.”
Witnessing the scene before him a young girl with a bloody arm and a young man with an equally bloody body lying unconscious on the ground, Yanxiao was shocked. He swallowed hard. His voice was full of shock as he spoke:
“The wounds on you and the Demon Subduing Great Saint… what on earth happened?”
Mei looked at him with pleading eyes, her voice urgent:
“This is a long story, quickly go over there and carry Xiao back to the inn for me! Time is of the essence now!”
Yanxiao heard that and said nothing more. He quickly nodded, understanding the situation was very serious. Gently placing Xiao on his back, Yanxiao thought to himself:
“The Demon Subduing Great Saint looks no different from a teenager, but why is he so heavy?”
Although he was curious inside, carrying Xiao wasn't too difficult for him. Yanxiao looked over at Mei, who now seemed to have less exhaustion, trying to walk forward quickly. In his heart, he silently marveled at this girl's resilience and courage, then quickly followed Mei, holding a faint hope for both of their safety.