To obtain the 【Everlasting Incense】, everyone arrived at Liyue Harbor's most famous pharmacy, 【Bubu Pharmacy】...
Paimon: Eh, there's no one at the counter, and the atmosphere is a bit eerie...
Excuse me—is the boss here?
Qiqi: Welcome,
Paimon: ...
Did you just... hear where that voice came from...?
Zhongli: It seems to be from the counter.
Qixuan-jie: Paimon, there's someone talking there.
Paimon: Huh?
Qixuan-jie stepped forward and saw Qiqi under the counter.
She was dressed in a 'zombie-style' outfit, with a Cryo Vision on her hat.
She had purple hair, and a talisman was stuck to her forehead.
Her skin was pale, and she was very short, only about as tall as the counter.
Qixuan-jie: (I really want to touch her, definitely not a loli-con!)
Paimon: So she's here! She's not even as tall as the counter!
Lumine: Is she... a 【zombie】?
Paimon: Ah... it seems she really is! There's even a talisman on her forehead...
Qiqi: Welcome to 【Bubu Pharmacy】, I am Qiqi.
Qiqi has already died once. Later, she was saved by an adeptus. So she is a zombie.
Lumine: She said something unbelievable so calmly.
Paimon: In Mondstadt, something like this would be completely unimaginable...
Qixuan-jie squatted down.
Qixuan-jie: Hello, Qiqi, may I shake your hand?
Qiqi: Big sister's body is very warm, Qiqi is willing.
Qixuan-jie held Qiqi's cold little hands, and a bit of the 【Imaginary Energy】 from her body flowed into Qiqi's body.
(Too much wouldn't be good, it would overload Qiqi.)
Qiqi: Qiqi feels warm... very comfortable.
Immediately, Qiqi was surprised to find that her body no longer felt so 'stiff'.
Zhongli watched all of this without speaking. He believed Qixuan-jie would not harm anyone in Liyue.
However, that energy... it was neither elemental power nor a law... It seemed his old friend still held many secrets.
Zhongli: This... young friend. May I ask if the store sells 【Everlasting Incense】?
Qiqi: Excuse me... a prescription. Do you have one, did you bring a prescription?
Zhongli: This... to buy 【Everlasting Incense】, a prescription isn't needed, is it? It has nothing to do with treating illness...
Qiqi: If there's a prescription, Qiqi can help dispense the medicine.
This is Qiqi's 【Edict】 to herself.
Lumine: 【Edict】?
Zhongli: A zombie's actions require an 【Edict】.
But this young friend, for some reason, is in a state where he gives himself an 【Edict】.
Qiqi, young friend, we don't have a prescription, but we hope you can help us find 【Everlasting Incense】.
Qiqi: Okay.
Paimon: Huh? How did it suddenly become okay?
Qiqi: But, you also have to help Qiqi, that's only fair.
Paimon: Is it unfair for a store clerk to help customers?
Paimon didn't understand, Paimon was greatly shocked.
Zhongli: Heh... no matter, such an equal relationship is not bad.
In Liyue, the art of exchange is about putting yourself in others' shoes.
Qixuan-jie: So, what does Qiqi want us to do?
Qiqi: Then please, go to Tianheng Mountain.
Use the 【Guizhong Ballista】 to help me hunt a 【Cocogoat】.
Qixuan-jie: (Using something Guizhong invented to hunt Xianyun's disciple... Hmm, it's perfectly suitable for you to initiate the fourth Adeptus War.)
Lumine: I don't quite understand...
Zhongli: 【Guizhong Ballista】... I've heard of the thing she just mentioned.
The 【Guizhong Ballista】 is a type of ballista set up by ancient adepti on Tianheng Mountain, a product of mechanical arts.
It is located between the 【Tianheng Ancient City Walls】 and can automatically intercept large monsters, defending against external threats.
Paimon: Mr. Zhongli really knows Liyue like the back of his hand.
Zhongli: Not entirely... For example, this 【Cocogoat】, I have indeed never heard of it.
Qiqi: A 【Cocogoat】 is a legendary 'Half-Adeptal Beast'.
Paimon: Huh? Is that all?
Qiqi: Mm. A 【Cocogoat】 is a legendary 'Half-Adeptal Beast'.
What it looks like, I don't know. Where it's most common, I don't know. What its origin is, I don't know.
Lumine: That's 'asking three questions and knowing nothing'.
Zhongli: Never mind... Let's go to the 【Guizhong Ballista】 first and see. Perhaps there will be clues once we get there.
Paimon: A 【Cocogoat】... what kind of creature could it be...?
Everyone then arrived at the location of the 【Guizhong Ballista】.
Paimon: I can't believe it's so huge, truly worthy of being a creation left by an adeptus.
But, how do you use this thing? How much strength does it take to operate it...?
Zhongli: It cannot be operated now, because it's broken.
Qixuan-jie heard this and looked at Zhongli, speaking with 【Consciousness】.
Qixuan-jie: (Doesn't Guizhong maintain it?)
Zhongli: (Hmm... She's left these things alone since the war ended...)
Qixuan-jie: (...)
Paimon: It's... broken?
Zhongli: After all, it has endured a thousand years of wind and frost. Even an adeptal mechanism would find it difficult to maintain its original state.
Paimon: Then what should we do? Mr. Zhongli, quickly use your endless 【high society knowledge】 to think of a solution!
Zhongli: Hmm. Why do you make me sound like... a good-for-nothing young master who knows nothing but listening to opera and walking birds?
Qixuan-jie: (Hahahaha, isn't that true?)
But on the surface, she couldn't show it.
Qixuan-jie: Paimon, Mr. Zhongli is 【knowledgeable and well-informed】, how could this stump him?
Paimon: Is... is that so?
Zhongli: ...Let me think, hmm, actually, when the 【Guizhong Ballista】 was first built, in order to deal with battle damage and similar situations, spare materials were prepared.
If I'm not mistaken, within these 【Ancient City Walls】, the wartime storage room from back then can surely be found.
With the materials stored in the wartime storage room, as long as one knows the operating principle of the 【Guizhong Ballista】, repairing it is not difficult.
Paimon: So, Mr. Zhongli knows the principle?
Zhongli: I know a little...
As long as enough materials are collected, he can try a little.
After some searching...
Zhongli: Hmm... These spare materials should come in handy.
Please wait a moment, I will begin the repairs now.
After some time...
Zhongli: It's done. The structure of the 【Guizhong Ballista】 is even more precise than I expected.
Paimon: Wow, and how do we make it move?
Zhongli: It's simple, just like this... Look, the adeptal mechanism even comes with a 【telescopic】 effect.
Paimon stepped forward to look...
Not here... not there either...
Suddenly, Paimon seemed to see something...
Treasure Hoarders: Hey! What are you guys messing with!
This... this big crossbow, you guys fixed it? What are you doing messing with this thing?!
Zhongli: It's not a crossbow, it's the 【Guizhong Ballista】.
And—before asking a question, state your name. That is etiquette.
Qixuan-jie: Mr. Zhongli, isn't it inappropriate to talk about etiquette with a group of people who 【steal】 every day?
Paimon: Huh? It looks like... 【Treasure Hoarders】.
Treasure Hoarders: Hmph, at least someone's sensible. We are the big bosses of the 【Treasure Hoarders】.
Legend has it that all sorts of treasures are buried in this area, but this big crossbow, though a machine, seems to be a guardian of this area, very difficult to deal with.
Last time we went into the mountains, one of our brothers almost got skewered by it...
Later, a few of us risked our lives to break this big guy—but in a blink of an eye, you guys actually fixed it again?!
I think today, we really need to teach you a good lesson!
Zhongli: Hmph, defiling adeptal wisdom for personal gain.
You, especially, should receive some discipline.
Lumine was about to act but was stopped by Qixuan-jie.
Qixuan-jie: Want to fight? Alright, then she directly activated 【Gravity】 to put some pressure on this group of 【Treasure Hoarders】...
A group of people were pressed to the ground, unable to move their limbs at all.
Treasure Hoarders: It's over, it's over... we provoked a big shot...
We know we were wrong, please, this 【big shot】, have mercy...
Qixuan-jie: Hmm... alright, but there will still be necessary punishment.
Treasure Hoarders: Ah... ah?
The Treasure Hoarders hadn't reacted yet when they found their bodies could move. Just as they were about to flee, they found themselves seemingly flying, and then flying further and further away...
Paimon: Hmph hmph, a bunch of insensible guys!
Lumine: They're flying so high...
Zhongli: It's not worth letting such people disturb your state of mind.
Let's return to our 【contract】 with Qiqi.
Paimon: Hmm... contract... Although we fixed the 【Guizhong Ballista】, where is the 【Cocogoat】 we need to hunt?
Zhongli: From the search results of the 【Guizhong Ballista】 just now, there doesn't seem to be anything noteworthy in this vicinity apart from some common wild animals.
Moreover, if it were a 【Half-Adeptal Beast】, with the adeptal mechanism, it shouldn't be difficult to detect...
Paimon: This...
Lumine: Was fixing the 【Guizhong Ballista】 for nothing?
Paimon: Since it's already fixed, don't say such things...
Zhongli: Just standing here and thinking won't lead to a solution.
It's better to go back to 【Bubu Pharmacy】 first, admit that we haven't found the 【Cocogoat】, and then make further plans.
Paimon: That's right, after all, we also... as they say in Liyue, 【did our best】.
Everyone then returned to 【Bubu Pharmacy】...
Zhongli: Apologies, we were unable to fulfill the 【contract】.
The Half-Adeptal Beast named 【Cocogoat】... we truly have no clue.
Qiqi: Ah. Very disappointed. It's okay, but very disappointed.
Paimon: Wuuuuh—seeing Qiqi like this, why do I suddenly feel an incredibly strong sense of guilt!
Lumine: Qiqi, are there any other clues?
Qiqi: Hmm... 【Cocogoat】 milk tastes good. Better than regular goat milk.
So they must be Half-Adeptal Beasts.
Sorry. My memory is not good. So I wrote down the name of that milk... I, I'll look for it...
Qiqi: Ah, that's right, it's this, the good-tasting milk... it's called 【Coconut Milk】.
Everyone: ...
Zhongli: (Silence)
I apologize, everyone. Earlier, I was fair and equal with Qiqi, and I agreed too easily without thinking...
Paimon: Hmm, it's okay, Zhongli. As they say in Liyue, 【Life is unpredictable, joy and sorrow are hard to foretell】, who knew the outcome would be so absurd?
Qiqi: Huh... Did Qiqi say something wrong?
Qixuan-jie: Hmm... (thinking)
Paimon: Lumine, can I leave the task of shattering a child's fantasy to you?
Lumine: I'll be the bad guy?
Then she said to Qiqi: 【Coconut Milk】 is not produced by 【Cocogoat】.
Qiqi: Ah...
Paimon: Qiqi seems to be deep in thought.
Lumine: Let's not disturb him.
At this moment, a voice came from nearby...
Baizhu: Hahaha, what a meaningful life lesson, thank you for taking care of my Qiqi.
Zhongli: And you are, sir?
Baizhu: My apologies, my apologies, I am the owner of this 【Bubu Pharmacy】, Baizhu.
Paimon: So the boss isn't Qiqi—and he's a strange person with herbs hanging around his neck?!
White Snake: How pitiful. Qiqi is already simple enough, but there's actually a victim even simpler than Qiqi.
Paimon: Ah! That herb... that snake, spoke, spoke, spoke, spoke!
Qixuan-jie: I think it's quite simple-minded.
Lumine: Agreed.
Paimon: I heard that, hey!
White Snake: Hmph, I didn't want to speak. Regular customers are fine, but new ones might be startled.
But if I don't speak, I'll be compared to those dried snakes in the drawer.
Baizhu: Hahaha... This is Changsheng, she means no harm.
May I ask, gentlemen, putting aside the antics with Qiqi... what is your original purpose for coming here?
Zhongli: Excuse me, does your esteemed shop have 【Everlasting Incense】?
Baizhu: Oh, 【Everlasting Incense】, yes, of course we do.
Paimon: Phew... that's great, at least we didn't waste half a day for nothing.
Baizhu: Three million Mora, top quality.
Lumine: Three million!
Paimon: Go rob the 【Golden House】! Hmm... but the 【Golden House】 is currently requisitioned by the Qixing, so it'll probably be harder to rob than usual.
Zhongli: Hmm... three million... it doesn't sound like much at first, but from a universally rational perspective, it is indeed a bit difficult.
Paimon: That much Mora! There's no way we can afford it?!—Mr. Zhongli even less so, right?
Zhongli: Indeed.
Lumine: So straightforward.
Qixuan-jie offered to pay, since she wasn't short on money, but Lumine shook her head, saying that Qixuan-jie couldn't always be the one to pay.
Paimon: What should we do... Sigh, it seems we can only ask Childe for help again this time...
After some time...
Childe: Hahahahaha! Cocogoat... that's too funny, you guys actually got played by something like that!
Paimon: Don't gloat!
Childe: Oh, I'm almost crying from laughter. Alright, to thank you for making me so happy, I'll solve all the problems.
This... Boss Baizhu, right? I am Childe, a Fatui Harbinger. If you don't mind,
We can cooperate more in the future.
If 【Bubu Pharmacy】 needs it, the Fatui can help establish a fast supply channel for coconut milk.
Changsheng: Hmm? I've heard that the Fatui will recruit 'friends in the underworld', but can 【Bubu Pharmacy】 be bought with just coconut milk...?
Qiqi: Coconut milk, coconut milk. Mr. Bai, coconut milk.
Baizhu: Alright, alright, alright... Then thank you, Mr. Childe, I wish us pleasant cooperation in the future.
This 【Everlasting Incense】 will also get a discount, it'll be two million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand for you.
Paimon: Is there any difference?!
Zhongli: Hmm... it doesn't sound like much at first... but from a universally rational...
Qixuan-jie: Stop! Don't say anything else, my brain is about to stop functioning.
Zhongli: Alright, since everything is resolved, we should return to Yujing Terrace.
Mr. Childe, Boss Baizhu, young friend Qiqi, farewell for now.
After Zhongli finished speaking, he left first, leaving Qixuan-jie, Lumine, and Paimon chatting with Baizhu about some things.
Childe also walked out the door nearby...
So before I came here... did you, who had already been lurking, 【hear】 anything?
A Fatui walked out from beside him.
Yes, Lord Childe, they mentioned that the 【Golden House】 was taken by the Qixing...
Childe: I see, I see. Heh, Ningguang, and the Qixing.
What could you possibly want to hide in the Golden House... other than the 【Exuvia】?
I'm sorry, Lumine, but I warned you long ago, didn't I?
You should know the ancient Liyue proverb: 【Walls have ears】.
Qixuan-jie glanced at Childe outside as if nothing had happened.
Never mind, who cares...
Even if the Cryo Archon came, it wouldn't work, hmm... his master does have some strength... Never mind, why think so much?