Just you wait, Kujou Sara! A little scare won't hurt!
With a mischievous grin, Yoimiya propped up her Infinite Ammo Sniper Rifle.
The moment she peered through the scope and locked her sights onto the Tengu General, Kujou Sara felt a sudden, distinct chill run down her spine. A sensation of pure danger washed over her—she was being watched.
Sara snapped her head up instantly.
She scanned the direction of the threat—a second-story attic window not far away. But there was nothing there.
The sensation of danger had vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Sara frowned deeply.
Her instincts were honed on the battlefield; she hadn't imagined it. Something dangerous had definitely been targeting her from that direction.
Beside her, Gan Yu observed Sara's reaction, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly.
If Gan Yu hadn't been mistaken, she had just caught a glimpse of that spirited little fireworks maker, Yoimiya.
She recalled Lady Ningguang mentioning her last night. Yoimiya was the owner of Naganohara Fireworks in Inazuma, the very shop that supplied the bulk of Liyue's Lantern Rite fireworks.
Sara, however, remained frozen, casting a hesitant glance at Gan Yu. The threat had been palpable. Surely, someone of Gan Yu's caliber would have sensed it too?
She debated asking, but the feeling was gone. After a moment of silence, Sara chose not to speak. With the legendary adeptus Gan Yu by her side, it was unlikely any real danger could befall her in Liyue Harbor.
They continued on their way.
Until they completely left the harbor area, that prickly sensation never returned.
Sara's frown deepened. Was it really just my imagination?
Impossible.
She shook her head, dismissing the thought. There were more important matters at hand.
Back in the attic, once the coast was clear, a head of messy blonde hair popped back up.
"Wow, Lady Gan Yu's intuition is terrifyingly sharp! I barely glanced at them!"
Yoimiya blinked in disbelief. The moment she had raised her rifle—before she even fully aimed—Gan Yu had looked directly at her window. A split second later, Sara had reacted.
That meant Gan Yu's perception was on a whole other level. The stronger the individual, the sharper their sixth sense.
Yoimiya couldn't wrap her head around it. How could such a soft, adorable-looking secretary possess such monstrous instincts?
"Forget it. I just wanted to spook the General a little anyway," Yoimiya muttered, pouting. "I wonder what she's doing in Liyue?"
"Has Inazuma lifted the lockdown?"
A thoughtful expression crossed her face. If the borders were open, she could go home.
But... after spending just a day in Liyue, she realized she didn't want to leave. The new friends she'd made, the delicious food, and most importantly, the miraculous Jar Shop—she couldn't bear to part with them.
Opening jars was addictive. The sheer variety of items was mind-blowing.
And then there was the Shopkeeper.
"I wish I could take the Shopkeeper back to Inazuma with me!"
But how? That was the million-Mora question.
Between the bloodline power she'd received and this incredible sniper rifle, she felt Felix was looking out for her. Since he was so kind to her, shouldn't she do something to help him in return?
As her thoughts wandered into dangerous territory, Yoimiya's face turned crimson. She buried her face in her hands.
Meanwhile, outside the Liyue Cinema.
Chef Mao stumbled out into the sunlight, looking utterly dazed.
He had originally set out for the Jar Shop, but ran into an old friend on the way. The friend had dragged him to the cinema, insisting he watch "just an hour." Figuring he had time to kill before opening jars, Chef Mao tagged along.
He hadn't expected to have his mind blown.
His brain was still reeling from the experience.
"I can't wait! What will the Monkey King do next?" someone in the crowd shouted.
"He'll probably take his monkey subjects to live a life of immortal freedom. He learned the arts of cultivation, after all!"
"No way, there has to be a battle! He needs to expand his territory!"
"Ugh, the suspense is killing me! Why do we have to wait until tomorrow for the next part?"
"It can't be helped. Liyue has so many people. Even with a thousand viewers an hour, running all day, there are still people missing out. Lady Ningguang is already being incredibly generous."
"True. Three days of free screenings is a gift. I think watching it once a day is enough—we shouldn't be greedy and take spots from others."
"Exactly. That's why I only went to Young Master Xingqiu's dungeon once, even though it was free. I heard the dungeon layout changes periodically, though. I'm already excited for the next version!"
The crowd buzzing around Chef Mao was electric with excitement. Everyone's face was flushed with the thrill of the movie.
"Haha! Old Mao, what did you think? Not bad, eh?"
The friend who had dragged him along slapped him on the shoulder, grinning. "Shocked you, didn't it? I was shocked too."
"Yeah," Chef Mao laughed bitterly, still processing. "It really did scare me. I thought it was your first time watching it?"
"I heard the rumors and had to see it. Since I bumped into you, I figured I'd drag you along. Weren't you going to open jars? Now that you've seen the movie, it's the perfect time. If you opened jars first, you probably wouldn't have had the patience to sit through the film."
"Right."
Chef Mao nodded, said goodbye to his friend, and turned toward the Jar Shop.
As he walked, images from the screen flashed through his mind. The Monkey King, the magic, the sheer scale of it all.
Xiangling has to see this. If she hasn't already, I'm dragging her there myself.
"Hey, Xiangling, didn't your dad say he was coming to open jars? It's been ages."
Inside the shop, Hu Tao was lounging comfortably on a chair, grinning at her best friend. "You think he bailed?"
"No way. He's probably just busy," Xiangling chirped. "Maybe Wanmin Restaurant got a sudden rush of customers. Opening jars isn't urgent anyway. You know the rules—once you open jars, you have to wait seven days for the next batch."
"True," Hu Tao nodded sagely. The cooldown was absolute.
"By the way, Xiangling, are you free in a couple of days?"
Hu Tao pinched her porcelain chin, her plum-blossom eyes sparkling with mischief. "Want to accompany me to Wuwang Hill for a stroll?"
"Wuwang Hill?" Xiangling blinked. "What for?"
"Just to hang out!" Hu Tao blinked innocently. "Don't you get bored staying in the harbor all the time? We can go relax, maybe drag Yanfei along too. Just wander around for a day or two."
"Ugh, I don't have time," Xiangling groaned. "I was planning to go to Jueyun Karst. I need to pick some Violetgrass and Jueyun Chilis. We're running low on stock at the restaurant, and when I checked with the Feiyun Commerce Guild, they were sold out of Violetgrass."
"My dad went to Bubu Pharmacy yesterday specifically to ask, but even Dr. Baizhu was out of stock. Some of our signature dishes require it, so I have to go pick it myself."
"Wait, you went to Bubu Pharmacy?!"
Hu Tao sat bolt upright, eyes gleaming. "And you didn't take me?! Next time you go to Bubu Pharmacy, you absolutely have to take me with you!"
She looked entirely too excited about visiting a pharmacy.
"My dad went, not me," Xiangling shrugged. "I rarely go there."
"That's a shame," Hu Tao slumped back, disappointed.
But a second later, she bounced back, grinning. "Well then, let's definitely drag Yanfei along for your gathering trip! Don't forget, she has that Bamboo Copter now! She just puts it on her head and flies! Picking Violetgrass with that would be a breeze. No more scraping your knees on those rocky cliffs."
"I know you're tough and heal fast, but still... flying with Yanfei's gadget sounds way better. You can pick whatever you want!"
The mention of Violetgrass made Hu Tao puff out her cheeks in annoyance.
Why does that plant even exist?
And why does it have to grow on vertical cliffs? One slip and you're gone. It was too dangerous. Every time she watched Xiangling climb for them, inching along the rock face, scraping her knees, Hu Tao felt a pang of anxiety.
She had tried to help once. But her grip slipped, and in a fit of panic and frustration, she had punched the cliffside, shattering the rock to stabilize herself before jumping back to safety.
She hadn't touched a Violetgrass since. Too much hassle.
"You're right!" Xiangling's eyes lit up.
Yanfei's Bamboo Copter would be a game-changer. Hovering along the cliffs of Jueyun Karst would make harvesting effortless.
Usually, she used her wind glider, but even that was tricky. If a sudden updraft hit, it was chaos. Sometimes she had to land on a tiny ledge and crawl like a gecko just to reach one plant.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps echoed from the entrance. Someone walked into the shop.
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