"Huh? Miss Lora?" Qiqi froze, staring at Lora in surprise.
Lora adjusted Qiqi into a more comfortable position in her arms and gently explained, "Smoked pork cornbread is made from cornmeal, Jueyun Chili Peppers, and locally smoked pork from farm-raised pigs. It tastes slightly salty, carries a rich smoky aroma, and the spiciness of the Jueyun Chili really stimulates the palate. Eating it makes you feel warm all over."
Lora described the experience of eating smoked pork cornbread to Qiqi in detail.
Qiqi, who had neither a sense of taste nor pain, couldn't experience the food's flavor. But listening to Lora speak, she suddenly smiled.
She turned around to face her, wrapped her arms around Lora's waist, rested her head against her chest, and said, "Thank you, Miss Lora! You're the first person who's ever told me things like this!"
"I won't be the last, Qiqi," Lora said, holding her close.
They were staying inside the ruins and had no need to worry about monsters or Hilichurls attacking. Neither Qiqi nor Lora were made of dough—if monsters or Hilichurls showed up, they'd be the ones lying on the ground.
A peaceful night passed.
Lora woke earlier than Qiqi. Seeing her sleeping quietly in her arms, she didn't wake her, letting her remain in that position.
After quite some time, Qiqi finally stirred awake.
The moment she opened her eyes, she apologized, "Sorry, Miss Lora. Qiqi slept too long! Miss Lora's arms are very warm and very comfortable. Qiqi has never slept this well before!"
"It's alright. If you ever want to sleep again, you can sleep in my arms anytime," Lora said, gently pinching Qiqi's cheek.
Even nestled against her, Qiqi's body still had no warmth. Her face wasn't soft and warm like a normal person's, but stiff to the touch.
"Really?" Qiqi's eyes immediately lit up.
"Of course! Just think of me as your real older sister," Lora said seriously, cupping Qiqi's small face.
Having such a cute little girl as a younger sister was a blessing in itself.
Lora admitted to herself that her maternal instincts were overflowing.
Qiqi looked straight at Lora. As an adeptus, she could see Lora's sincerity clearly.
She reached out, grasped Lora's hands, and said with utmost seriousness, "Miss Lora, you are the best, best, best person Qiqi has ever met!"
"How many people have you even met?" Lora said with an indulgent smile.
Qiqi counted on her fingers and muttered, "I remember… Gui, Hu Tao, and Mr. Baizhu… and, and…"
The people Qiqi remembered were all those she saw regularly.
As for Hu Tao…
That was purely because every time Hu Tao saw Qiqi, she tried to bury her. Over time, Qiqi ended up forcibly remembering her. Now, whenever she saw Hu Tao, Qiqi would instinctively try to run away.
Lora couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, let's clean up and get ready to leave."
"Mm!" Qiqi nodded, climbing out of Lora's arms and twisting her joints.
As a zombie, she had to do flexibility exercises every day to keep her body moving. But today, after leaving Lora's embrace, her body didn't feel stiff at all.
The strange sensation confused Qiqi, but she didn't dwell on it.
She went over, put her medicine basket on her back, and looked at Lora with sparkling eyes. "Let's go, Sister!"
Lora extinguished the fire, and the two of them set off once more on the road to Qingce Village.
"Does Qiqi often go out like this for several days to gather herbs?" Lora asked curiously, seeing how accustomed Qiqi seemed to be, with no discomfort at all.
Qiqi nodded. "Yes. Qiqi often goes out alone for several days to gather herbs. Because Qiqi is a zombie, Qiqi isn't afraid of many dangers. Don't worry! Qiqi often goes to Tianheng Mountain, to Dunyu Ruins, and… and…"
Her small face scrunched up. "Can't remember."
"It's fine. If you can't remember, you don't have to force it," Lora said, waving her hand reassuringly.
As they continued walking, the tall silhouette of Wangshu Inn came into view.
Lora glanced at the sun and judged that it was almost noon—perfect timing to have lunch at the inn.
Just then, a large group of Hilichurls suddenly rushed out from ahead. Black mist flickered around their bodies.
They wielded all kinds of weapons—crossbows, torches, and even Samachurls.
"Qiqi, be careful!" Lora quickly stepped in front of Qiqi, shielding her.
The moment she saw them, she knew these weren't ordinary Hilichurls—they had been corrupted by the karmic debt of Liyue's land.
The Hilichurls charged toward them.
Just as Lora drew the "Judgment of the Raging Sea," preparing to strike, a cry of "Bane of All Evil!" rang out.
A green figure plunged into the Hilichurl horde, cutting through them with overwhelming force.
A violent surge of corrupted Anemo energy erupted, leaving not a single Hilichurl standing.
The green figure wielded his spear, swiftly finishing off every tainted enemy. Breathing lightly, he removed the ferocious-looking mask from his face.
He then turned back to Lora and Qiqi. "Are you two alright?"
Lora had already put away the "Judgment of the Raging Sea."
She turned and took Qiqi's hand. "Actually… even if you hadn't intervened, we would have been fine. But thank you all the same, Xiao."
"Sorry…" Xiao said, seeing Lora.
He put away the "Primordial Jade Winged-Spear" and scratched his head awkwardly. "With you and the Savior from Distress here, these Hilichurls were no match. But my duty is to purge Liyue of monsters and karmic debt. This is my responsibility—I can't leave it to others."
"Xiao really is… dedicated," Lora said with emotion, looking at him.
After dealing with the corrupted Hilichurls, the karmic debt clinging to him had deepened once more.
"Savior from Distress… is that me?" Qiqi pointed at herself, looking at Xiao.
Xiao nodded. "Yes."
"I'm… Qiqi. What is 'Savior from Distress'?" Qiqi tilted her head, staring at him blankly.
She couldn't remember that her adepti name was "Adeptus Who Saves from Suffering and Calamity." All she knew was that she was Qiqi.