However, since they were recruited and sent to Liyue, they must be qualified.
As one of the Harbingers and the diplomat stationed in Liyue, it was Childe's duty to inspect and train them. This was standard procedure in any region.
Childe turned to his subordinate. "I'll head over shortly. Take a few basketballs to the recruits and wait for me there."
"Yes, sir." The subordinate nodded quickly.
After giving his orders, Childe went back inside the Northland Bank, grabbed the "Idol Trainee" video player, and left.
Meanwhile, the streets of Liyue were buzzing with excitement.
"That movie was absolutely incredible! It was so good, I can't even describe it."
"Tell me about it! That Sun Wukong, the Monkey King... born from a stone! First time I've ever seen a monkey pop out of a rock."
"A stone monkey, makes sense. But what shocked me most was the Way of Immortality. Not only can you live forever, but you can become an immortal yourself, immune to the Three Calamities. It's amazing."
"I wonder if the Mountain of Mind and Heart and the Cave of Slanting Moon and Three Stars are hidden in Jueyun Karst?"
"Impossible. That definitely wasn't Liyue's landscape. Besides, our Adepti have their own abodes on Mt. Aocang and Mt. Hulao. It's just a pity that meeting an Adeptus is nearly impossible."
Xiangling, on her way to the jar shop, overheard the excited chatter and paused.
Stone monkey? Way of Immortality?
She couldn't understand a word of it.
But they mentioned a movie... was this the cinema Lady Ningguang mentioned last night?
Confused but curious, Xiangling didn't stop to ask. She continued straight to the jar shop.
The shop was already open.
Wenqi and Doyle stood guard at the entrance.
Inside, Hu Tao was lounging leisurely on a reclining chair.
Every morning, she came over to mooch breakfast off Felix. Once she was full, she would sprawl out on the chair like she owned the place.
Of course, she paid for her meal—by letting Felix pinch her cheeks without resistance.
So, she mooched with righteous confidence!
Seeing Xiangling enter, Felix smiled brightly.
Xiangling's arrival meant another ten jars sold.
"Eh? Hu Tao, you're here so early," Xiangling said, surprised to see the Director already settled in.
"Naturally."
Hu Tao's plum-blossom eyes narrowed in satisfaction. "This Director arrived before the shop even opened. For nothing else but breakfast."
Xiangling: "..."
No wonder Hu Tao hadn't eaten at Wanmin Restaurant lately. She wasn't just occasionally mooching; she was practically living here for all three meals.
The Shopkeeper really spoiled Director Hu.
Then again, the food summoned by that magical tablecloth was delicious.
"Have you eaten, Xiangling?" Felix asked with a chuckle. "If not, you can have something here."
"I've eaten," Xiangling grinned. "I'm here to open jars today."
She pulled out the million Mora she had prepared and began selecting jars.
Though she called it "selecting," she really just picked whichever ones looked pleasing to the eye.
Soon, ten jars landed steadily in front of her.
Seeing Xiangling ready, Hu Tao yawned and sat up with interest.
She couldn't open jars today. Even though she had acted coquettishly during breakfast, practically hanging off Felix, he had still refused to let her buy jars ahead of schedule.
Xiangling smashed the first jar excitedly.
Bang.
A fiery red item fell out.
[Jueyun Chili]: A spicy plant native to Liyue. Smelling it alone makes the body feel hot and crave water.
"It's a Jueyun Chili."
Xiangling smiled brightly. "As long as it's not empty, it's good."
It wasn't a magical tool, but she was satisfied. Better than nothing.
She smashed the second jar.
Bang.
A piece of translucent crystal fell out.
"Uh."
Xiangling looked at the crystal curiously. "Is this ordinary Crystal Chunk?"
She knew what Crystal Chunks looked like, but this stone's color was different from the ones she knew.
[Crystal Marrow]: A crystal containing the power of the Tatarigami. Adding this substance during smelting can greatly increase the strength and toughness of steel products.
"This is a specialty from Inazuma," Felix said, rubbing his chin. "It's a crystal containing the power of a chaotic god. If added during smelting, it greatly enhances the durability of steel. You could sell it to Liyue's blacksmiths for a good price, or even to the Qixing."
"Something for forging steel?"
Xiangling's eyes lit up.
Increasing strength and toughness... even if she didn't need a weapon, she could use it to forge a high-quality wok for Wanmin Restaurant!
With this Crystal Marrow, she could definitely make an incredible cooking pot.
Xiangling grinned. Today was off to a great start.
Bang.
She smashed the next jar.
A white orb of light fell out.
"Experience Orb!"
Xiangling beamed.
It really was a lucky day.
She wondered what kind of experience it contained.
[Popcorn Recipe]: One of the ancient snacks from another world. Upon fusion, mastery of various popcorn making methods is granted.
While Xiangling was curious, Felix looked at the orb with a strange expression.
Calling it an "Experience Orb" was a stretch; it was really just a recipe.
"This is for making a snack," Felix explained. "It's called Popcorn. It's a puffed food made by heating corn, ghee, and sugar in a machine. It tastes quite sweet. Fuse with it to learn the details."
"A new snack recipe?"
Xiangling looked delightfully surprised.
A new food recipe was a treasure.
She had already seen the convenience brought by the Instant Noodles recipe. It had taken Teyvat by storm, spreading the name of Wanmin Restaurant far and wide.
Instant noodle sales were booming, with numerous partnerships established across the continent. The Adventurers' Guild was their biggest client.
Now, another snack called Popcorn? It sounded promising.
Xiangling reached out decisively.
The orb merged into her mind instantly.
"I see."
Xiangling's eyes sparkled as the knowledge settled in.
Making popcorn was incredibly simple. And the raw materials were convenient to source.
"Is it tasty?"
Hu Tao, watching from the side, looked at Felix with shining eyes. "Shopkeeper, since it's ordinary food, your Gourmet Tablecloth should be able to conjure it, right?"
Felix: "????"
He looked at her with a weird expression.
Indeed, the Gourmet Tablecloth could create popcorn.
He had completely overlooked it.
Yet Hu Tao thought of it immediately.
What exactly goes on inside that little head of hers?
Felix stared at Hu Tao's hat. If he could, he'd really like to open her head and see how her brain made such wild leaps.
"It can," Felix nodded, seeing her expectant gaze.
"Great!"
Hu Tao cheered, ran to the tablecloth, and shouted, "One serving of Popcorn!"
Poof.
A rich, sweet aroma burst forth as a bucket of popcorn appeared.
It smelled distinctly sweet and buttery.
Hu Tao grabbed the bucket happily. "Here, Shopkeeper, open wide. You eat first."
Felix's mouth twitched as he accepted a handful.
This woman really could eat.
Yesterday she swore to eat less. Today she was inhaling a bucket of sugar and carbs.
"This is popcorn?"
Xiangling looked at the bucket with glowing eyes.
It smelled amazing, and like instant noodles, it seemed convenient.
If she made this, she could sell it alongside the noodles!
Hu Tao and Xiangling both tried the popcorn.
It crunched satisfyingly in their mouths.
"Very delicious," Xiangling nodded. "But this batch is too sweet. Some people don't like things this sugary, so I'll need to adjust the sugar levels when I make it."
"This Director thinks it tastes excellent. I could eat this as a meal," Hu Tao declared, hugging the bucket and shoving a handful into her mouth.
"Hu Tao."
Xiangling looked at her hesitantly. "Are you sure you aren't afraid of gaining more weight? Popcorn is a puffed food, and it has a lot of sugar."
Hu Tao, mid-chew, froze.
Xiangling's words hit her like a lightning bolt.
I forgot!!!
She had promised yesterday to start dieting.
Why couldn't I control my mouth?!
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