Jiang Chen stared at Barbatos, who had once again passed out flat on the bed.
The look on his face was… indescribable.
"Tsk, tsk."
"As expected of a professional drunkard."
"Wakes up in the morning only to get himself drunk again?"
"Incredible. Truly incredible."
He was speechless.
For a moment he even wondered if Mondstadt's Archon was actually made of alcohol.
Jiang Chen casually set another bottle of wine on the table.
His lips curved upward.
"Later, I'll have Diona mix a few more and leave them here.
While we're traveling to Liyue, he can stay nicely unconscious."
Decision made.
He fully intended to keep Venti knocked out until they fled Mondstadt.
Lumine was horrified.
"You're sure this is okay…?
If someone drinks like that, won't something bad happen?"
Good lord.
She couldn't even begin to describe how ruthless Jiang Chen was being.
"You're trying to kill a god at this rate."
Jiang Chen shrugged.
"He's a god. What's the worst that could happen?"
"Besides, maybe he wants to drink himself to death."
"Don't worry. Just let him keep drinking."
"If gods were that easy to kill, they wouldn't be gods."
With that, Jiang Chen dropped the matter entirely and walked out.
Time for breakfast.
Then time to collect their money from Diluc.
Later, they'd visit Diona again to restock poison-level alcohol.
After leaving the hotel, the trio found a spot for breakfast.
Paimon's eyes sparkled.
"So where are we going after this? What's the plan?"
"Processing the goods," Jiang Chen replied simply.
"After that, we stay for one day at most and then leave Mondstadt.
Lumine—are you staying here or coming to Liyue with me?"
He had no intention of lingering.
After what they did last night?
Absolutely not.
Lumine answered without hesitation:
"I'm going with you."
Stay in Mondstadt?
Not a chance.
Once Barbatos wakes up, he might start investigating… and she wanted to be far, far away by then.
She'd talk to the Knights later to help spread missing-person notices for her brother.
After that, she was gone.
Once breakfast was done, Jiang Chen led them to Angel's Share.
Even early in the morning, the tavern was already open.
Jiang Chen couldn't help wondering how much Diluc was paying Charles.
The man worked until late night… yet was somehow up at dawn.
"Welcome to Angel's Share," Charles greeted with his dark eye bags.
"What can I get you?"
Morning drinkers were common in Mondstadt, and a few were already slumped over the counter — possibly never having gone home at all.
"We're here to see Diluc," Jiang Chen said.
"Is he here?"
Charles blinked in confusion.
Not locals.
Never seen them before.
And they wanted to meet the richest man in Mondstadt?
Naturally, he refused instantly.
"The boss isn't here.
If you want to speak with him, try coming at night.
You might see him then."
Diluc was unusually approachable for a tycoon — at least at night.
Sometimes he even mixed drinks personally.
Jiang Chen raised a brow.
"Then where is he now?"
Before Charles could lie again, Paimon piped up:
"Yeah! Where is he?!"
Charles stared at her.
Does she want me fired?!
Reveal the boss's whereabouts?
Absolutely not.
"Someone looking for me?"
A calm voice descended from the staircase.
Diluc walked down from the second floor — tall, red-haired, calm as ever.
Charles froze.
"…Boss!"
Paimon glared at Charles.
"You said he wasn't here!"
He wilted instantly under her accusing eyes.
Lumine hurriedly tugged Paimon away.
Jiang Chen stepped forward with a polite smile.
"Hello."
Diluc studied Jiang Chen and Lumine carefully.
He had already heard about the ones who ended the Stormterror catastrophe —
a blond girl, a blond boy, and a tiny floating companion.
So these were the heroes.
"Honorary Knight?" Diluc asked, looking at Lumine.
"Huh?"
Lumine was stunned.
She had already become this famous?
"It seems I guessed right," Diluc nodded.
"You're the ones who resolved Mondstadt's crisis.
So what business do you have with me?"
"We're here to make a trade~," Jiang Chen said cheerfully.
He pulled out a bottle —
a bottle marked by a faint, unmistakable trace of Anemo.
Diluc's eyes sharpened instantly.
"This is…?"
"Gift from the Anemo Archon," Jiang Chen said casually.
"Interested?"
Lumine and Paimon almost choked.
Jiang Chen's ability to lie without blinking was terrifying.
Gift?
Barbatos was unconscious in a hotel room because you poisoned him with alcohol!
But Diluc nodded.
"I see.
This isn't the place to talk about such things.
Come upstairs."
With that, he turned and headed to his office.
Jiang Chen exchanged a glance with Lumine, then followed.
Charles, meanwhile, stared blankly after them.
So they really had come to talk business with the boss…
He hurriedly memorized their faces — a proper employee never forgot important customers.
Jiang Chen, of course, had no idea what Charles was thinking.
He and Lumine were already stepping into Diluc's office.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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