Inside the private room of Liuli Pavilion, the lights were bright and the aroma wafted.
Exquisite Liyue delicacies filled the table, all showcasing the grandeur of the banquet and the host's thoughtfulness.
"Hmm—!" Paimon hummed happily, "Zhongli, you truly understand me! Liuli Pavilion lives up to its reputation!"
Looking at Paimon wolfing down the food, Honkai: Star Rail's eyes were full of smiles: "Eat slowly, Paimon, no one is snatching it from you.
You are the biggest contributor this time."
Zhongli sat upright at the head of the table, slowly savoring a cup of clear tea, his golden eyes showing a rare sense of ease and warmth as he watched the lively scene before him.
"For helping our old friend Azhdaha regain his clarity, Paimon has made a tremendous contribution.
This banquet is a small token of our gratitude and a celebration."
He looked at Paimon, who was struggling to "fight" with a matsutake-stuffed meat roll, his tone gentle and serious.
"Paimon, your Optimization Power has extraordinary potential.
If it can purify millennia of erosion today, perhaps one day it can touch deeper mysteries of life, and even… touch the rules themselves.
How to proceed on this path still requires your own deep understanding, and we will do our best to assist and explore together."
Paimon finally swallowed the meat roll with great difficulty, her small face flushed with excitement and food.
"Really? My wrench can become even more powerful?
Hehe, won't I, Paimon, be even more popular then!
However,"
She scratched her head, "how exactly to become more powerful, I still need to think about it… Hmm, maybe I need to eat more delicious food to replenish energy?"
As she spoke, her gaze drifted towards the enticing aroma of the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish next to her.
Honkai: Star Rail helplessly supported her forehead: "…Paimon, the relationship between ability and eating isn't that simple."
Zhongli, however, smiled slightly, noncommittally: "Enlightenment comes from opportunity; it cannot be forced.
Enjoying the present is also a form of cultivation."
While Paimon was temporarily "sealed" by the delicious food, Honkai: Star Rail took out the chat group interface and, together with Zhongli, briefly reported their safety and shared the joy of their success.
Zhongli, with a thought, also synchronized another table of sumptuous Liuli Pavilion dishes to the Astral Express crew and the Rope Master siblings through the chat group's shared warehouse.
[Honkai: Star Rail]: "!!! Long live Mr.
Zhongli! Long live Paimon!"
[Honkai Stelle Rail · March 7th]: "Wow! It's Liyue cuisine! So fragrant! Thank you, Mr.
Zhongli! Thank you, Paimon! (Taking a photo of the lotus pastry .jpg)"
[Honkai: Stelle Rail · Dan Heng]: "Thank you for the hospitality.
Congratulations on Azhdaha's recovery.
Paimon's ability is astonishing."
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "It looks so delicious! Thank you, Mr.
Zhongli and Paimon! My brother and I are currently eating energy bars to replenish our stamina.
Resources in the Outer Ring have been scarce, so we've been making do these past few days."
[Zero Zone · Wise]: "Thanks.
Congratulations on your success.
The delicious food has been received, it's very tempting."
The group immediately filled with photos of food and words of thanks, and the atmosphere was lively and joyful.
Seeing everyone enjoy their meal, Paimon puffed out her small chest in reality, feeling incredibly proud.
The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the window.
While Honkai: Star Rail was still washing up, Paimon was energetically scrolling through the chat group.
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "Fortunately, we had Mr. Zhongli's meal last night, otherwise my brother and I would definitely have been too tired to get up today."
[Genshin Impact · Paimon]: "What happened, Belle? It sounds like you two had another secret operation last night?"
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "Yes, recently the Children of Calydon have been targeted by some factions.
Lucy and the others suspect there's an insider.
Especially after they found out that Cassa, the mayor of Wildfire Town, had dealings with the Triumphant Ones, Lucy's suspicions became even more reasonable."
[Honkai Stelle Rail · March 7th]: "No way, didn't you say before that their relationship was very good? Otherwise, they wouldn't have allowed the Children of Calydon to be stationed there.
Could this be some misunderstanding?"
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "March guessed quite accurately!
The reason Cassa and the others were dealing with the Triumphant Ones is because there have been problems with the oil lines recently, leading to a shortage of basic supplies."
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "But they didn't want to distract the Children of Calydon, so they traded handicrafts with the Triumphant Ones for food and medicine."
[Honkai: Star Rail]: "I feel like they're being a bit stubborn.
What is it that they can't just say directly?
Friends should help each other.
Being stubborn will only lead to more trouble."
[Honkai Stelle Rail · March 7th]: "Oh, Honkai: Star Rail, don't comment so carelessly."
[Honkai Stelle Rail · March 7th]: "It's good if it's a misunderstanding; if it's a misunderstanding, there's a chance to reconcile.
But, Belle, does that mean you have no leads on the insider incident?"
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "It seems the misunderstanding has been resolved for now.
However, the insider incident also has a result.
Let me show you someone."
[Photo: A tall, well-built middle-aged man with a refined leather jacket, graying hair but sharp, eagle-like eyes, is speaking to Cassa, Lucy, and others gathered around him.]
Pompey in the photo had a resolute face and deep eyes.
Even through the screen, one could feel the steady aura of someone long in a position of power and the subtly emanating sense of oppression.
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "Here, this is Pompey, the current Overlord and leader of the Triumphant Ones! He personally came to handle this matter last night.
My goodness, just standing there, his aura made him feel like an incredibly formidable person! He commanded respect without even needing to get angry!"
[Genshin Impact · Paimon]: "Wow! Just looking at the photo, he looks so powerful! Like… like a big BOSS from the final level!"
[Honkai: Star Rail]: "Paimon is right! This aura, these eyes, this stance… he has the vibe of an end-level BOSS! Belle, you two need to be careful!"
[Honkai Stelle Rail · March 7th]: "Honkai: Star Rail! What BOSS or no BOSS, don't scare Belle! But… this Mr.
Pompey does look very majestic."
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "He found a wiretap in the Yang Sui handicrafts that Wildfire Town was making, and realized that Morse, who was responsible for the transaction, was the problem."
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "And his methods are truly strong! With just a few words, he characterized the wiretapping incident and took all the responsibility onto himself."
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "Then he immediately presented a compensation plan, not only compensating the Children of Calydon for their losses but also promising to strengthen support for Wildfire Town, with a sincere attitude that left no room for criticism."
[Zero Zone · Belle]: "His efficiency was ridiculously high! The matter was quickly settled.
Honestly, this leader gives off a feeling of… unfathomable depth! His management, negotiation, and strength all feel incredibly powerful! For Sister Cassa and the others to face such an opponent and try to win in Hell Ride, it feels so difficult…"
At this moment, Zhongli also began to analyze for everyone.
[Genshin Impact · Zhongli]: "I observe this person to possess a calm demeanor and keen eyes.
He handled this matter with swift decisiveness, combining both grace and authority, truly demonstrating extraordinary qualities.
His management ability and negotiation skills are top-notch."
[Genshin Impact · Zhongli]: "However, the matter of the wiretap may not be as superficial as it appears.
For Morse, merely a captain, to be able to connect multiple parties and precisely set up such a scheme, causing such trouble for the Children of Calydon, the information, resources, and connections required behind it are certainly not something a mere captain could mobilize.
This is but the tip of the iceberg; beneath the surface, there are likely still hidden currents and turbulent flows."