Su Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, once again feeling that strange and unsettling familiar sensation...
Feeling the sharp pain in the palm of his left hand, Su Yuan guessed that he had died again...
[Unfortunately, seeing this means you've died again.]
[Hurry up and run! If you drag it out until dawn, you'll win!]
[But, if you encounter someone who claims to be Aji along the way...]
[Don't ever agree to let him help you hide!]
Looking at the increasingly messy writing in the palm of his left hand, and feeling the soreness in his whole body, Su Yuan hurriedly stood up from the bushes...
That's right, he had just escaped from the window of Palais Mermonia to avoid "Neuvillette" but had accidentally fallen down...
This place was probably the new checkpoint...
But Su Yuan still couldn't understand.
He had clearly told Neuvillette not to cry, so why did he still end up crying, causing the weather in Fontaine to start raining...
Could it be that he had overestimated Neuvillette's self-control?
"Shadow Court! Guard Corps! It looks like someone just fell from the top of the Palais Mermonia! Hurry over and check it out!"
However, the sound of someone shouting interrupted Su Yuan's thoughts.
He knew he couldn't stay here any longer—he had to run!
"Guard Corps! Shadow Court! Come quickly! There's a Treasure Hoarder trying to escape!!!"
The result was the same as last time—Su Yuan sprinted through the streets of Fontaine, with the Shadow Court and the Guard Corps chasing closely behind...
It all seemed like the hand of fate was guiding him, as if everything was predestined...
Just like before, Su Yuan fled to that same street corner, and just like before, a hand reached out from a narrow alley and pulled him inside...
"Brother, you're pretty bold, huh? Daring to stir up so much trouble in the heart of Fontaine..." Gasping for breath, Su Yuan saw a masked man speaking.
"But you look kinda unfamiliar. Which branch of the Treasure Hoarders are you from?"
"Let me introduce myself first. My name is Aji, and I'm from the Fontaine Beryl Region branch of the Teyvat Treasure Hoarders..."
"I'm a master of stealth in our branch, and even among all of Fontaine's Treasure Hoarders, my skills are top-tier..."
"Want me to help you hide? It'll be easy to shake off those guards and the Shadow Court."
Su Yuan warily eyed the Treasure Hoarder in front of him...
He just introduced himself, didn't he?
That's right! He said his name was Aji...
According to the hint in his palm, he absolutely must not accept Aji's offer to help him hide!
Who knows what strange things might happen?
"No need, thanks. I prefer pushing my limits..." Su Yuan waved his hand to decline and turned to dash out of the alley.
"Ah... Why would you refuse me..." Aji muttered sadly, raising a hand as if to stop Su Yuan, but Su Yuan paid him no attention.
However, just as Su Yuan stepped out of the alley—
A gunshot rang out, and a bullet struck the ground right in front of his foot with pinpoint accuracy.
Su Yuan looked up and saw someone positioned high above—a woman wearing a tall hat, with purple hair.
Though an eyepatch covered one of her eyes, it couldn't hide her sharp, piercing gaze.
She was holding a smoking flintlock pistol, its barrel still aimed at him...
Su Yuan felt like crying...
Why did it have to be her?!
Fontaine's Special Patrol Captain—Chevreuse!
The guards and Shadow Court members who had been chasing Su Yuan finally caught up, their faces filled with surprise.
"Oh my god! Even Captain Chevreuse of the Special Patrol has personally stepped in—just what kind of heinous crime did this person commit?!"
The bystanders watching from nearby houses gasped in shock.
Every Fontaine citizen knew that if Captain Chevreuse or the Special Patrol appeared, it meant that a serious crime was underway—perhaps a violent criminal resisting arrest or a ruthless offender taking hostages...
"Look! There's someone crying in that alley!"
A sharp-eyed onlooker pointed out that inside the alley, Aji was sobbing uncontrollably, tears and snot running down his face, looking as if he had suffered an unimaginable grievance.
"This villain must have threatened, coerced, or even harmed him!"
Su Yuan was speechless.
Dude, I just rejected your offer.
Is there really a need to cry this hard?
You're making it way too easy for people to misunderstand!
And besides, aren't you a member of the Treasure Hoarders?
How do you have such a fragile mindset?
How do you even survive in your line of work?!
Every Fontaine citizen knew that when Captain Chevreuse showed up, the criminal had no chance of escaping the law!
With a swift and agile movement, Chevreuse leaped down from her high vantage point, landing gracefully right in front of Su Yuan...
"This is a direct order from Lord Neuvillette himself..."
Chevreuse's single visible eye stared coldly at Su Yuan as she spoke indifferently.
"Su Yuan... You are charged with... attempting to assassinate Lady Furina, the Hydro Archon."
"Su Yuan, you are under arrest."
"Though I would very much like to put a bullet through your skull right here, the Special Patrol exists only to uphold justice."
"True justice can only be determined by the Tribunal."
"But before that, you're coming with me. Lord Neuvillette wants to see you."
"Chevreuse... Please, listen to me..." Su Yuan pleaded desperately.
"If you want to explain, do it before Lord Neuvillette and the Tribunal. My only duty is to bring you in." Chevreuse's voice was cold and unyielding, leaving no room for argument.
Su Yuan felt a wave of regret wash over him.
Damn it... I should have seen this coming.
The one I needed to be wary of was never just 'Neuvillette' alone...
Now that 'Neuvillette' was under the control of the eerie entity, he didn't even need to act personally.
He could simply command Fontaine's forces to hunt Su Yuan down at every turn...
"Lord Neuvillette, the suspect Su Yuan has been apprehended," Chevreuse reported as she brought in Su Yuan, who was tightly bound.
"Good work, Chevreuse. You've done well,"
'Neuvillette' nodded and spoke calmly.
"You may step outside for now. There are some things I wish to discuss with Su Yuan in private..."
Chevreuse narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at 'Neuvillette.'
Something about him felt... off.
From the moment he personally sought her out to issue this order... to now, wanting to speak with the suspect in private before a formal trial... none of this seemed like something Neuvillette would normally do.
In her impression, Neuvillette was a rigid man, one who adhered strictly to procedure, following every step by the book.
If he wanted to mobilize her and the Special Patrol, there would typically be official documentation and approvals.
And meeting with a suspect before trial, in private no less, was... irregular.
Although Chevreuse was filled with doubt, she still followed 'Neuvillette's' order and stepped out, closing the door behind her.
With the door shut, only 'Neuvillette' and Su Yuan remained in the room...
No, to be precise, it was not a person and a person, but an anomaly and a person.
'Neuvillette' revealed a sinister smile as he looked at Su Yuan and spoke:
"Mortal? Run? Why aren't you running now?"
He walked up to Su Yuan, lifting his chin with a single finger.
His pitch-black, blood-drenched eyes locked onto Su Yuan's.
"I didn't even have to act personally, and yet, here you are, right back in front of me."
"Mortal! Your actions have angered me..."
"So, prepare to face my wrath!"
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