Inside the cave, everyone froze in place, Fatui, Bennett, and Razor alike.
Good grief. Someone had actually managed to find a place this remote?
Standing behind Fischl, Su Bai quickly took stock of the situation and spotted five Fatui elites. He stepped forward, placing himself protectively in front of her, and struck first with words.
"Gentlemen, may I ask what business brings you into my cave? Trespassing is illegal in any nation, last I checked."
"Uh, s-sorry, sir," Bennett said earnestly. "I accidentally fell down from above into your cave. I am really sorry."
Taking Su Bai's words at face value, the ever-simple Bennett not only apologized but even bowed deeply, sincerity written all over his face.
The Fatui nearby felt even more frustrated watching this.
Even a clueless kid like this gets close to Lady Signora, and we elites do not?
The Fatui Vanguard with the hammer leaned on his weapon and stared at Bennett in disbelief.
"Hey, idiot over there. You did not seriously believe what that pretty-boy just said, did you?"
Bennett scratched his head, clearly not understanding. The Fatui Skirmisher with gauntlets pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"That guy is obviously lying. There is a word in Liyue for people like you. What was it again? Right, 'moron.' You are a moron, are you not?"
"Hey, hey, how am I lying?" Su Bai protested. "This cave clearly belongs to my little brother, Snow Fox. And my little brother's territory is naturally my territory too."
He casually flipped a small fruit knife in his hand. Mining was not his strong suit, but controlling people with illusions and making them mine for him? That he could do.
And these five Fatui elites looked like excellent free labor.
"Wait," Su Bai said suddenly. "The name Bennett... I feel like I have heard it somewhere."
His eyes lit up when he noticed the bandages wrapped around Bennett.
"Oh! You are that unlucky guy who got blown up by Klee, are you not?"
"So even a big brother I just met knows about my bad luck..." Bennett said shyly, scratching his head. "That is kind of embarrassing."
He did not take it to heart. He was used to it by now, and instead looked past Su Bai.
"Oz? Why are you here?"
"Oh, right, Fischl! Fischl is here too? Ah, there you are!"
With emotional intelligence hovering around zero, Bennett greeted Oz first and only then remembered Fischl existed.
Fischl stomped her foot in indignation.
Does this Prinzessin really have that little presence in this boy's eyes?
Su Bai gave Bennett a thumbs-up.
Impressive, kid. Judging by this, he is probably a one-handed sword user. As the old Liyue saying goes, "When there are no women in your heart, your sword strikes like a god."
That said, while Bennett had clearly achieved mental clarity, his strength left something to be desired. Being pinned down by just five Fatui elites was not a good look.
Seeing that Su Bai and Bennett seemed acquainted, the Fatui immediately adjusted tactics. The hammer wielder and gauntlet fighter turned, preparing to take down Su Bai and Fischl first.
"Heh. The Fatui, huh?" Su Bai said calmly. "It has been a while since I last crossed hands with you."
Two fox tails swayed behind him as faint Electro crackled along their edges.
The Fatui Pyroslinger, the one responsible for intelligence, suddenly exclaimed:
"It is him! The fox adeptus from Liyue Harbor who drains the essence of young girls! I heard he sucked a girl's face completely pale!"
"That is bullshit!" Su Bai exploded. "When have I ever drained anyone's essence?! That is slander! When I get back to Liyue, I am taking you straight to Lady Yanfei for defamation!"
The Electro on his tails nearly went berserk.
Damn it! He had been performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a drowning girl! Her face was pale because she nearly drowned. How did that turn into him sucking the life out of her?
Unfortunately, the four Fatui elites under Tartaglia did not believe him at all. Even the Debt Collector under La Signora cast a wary glance his way.
His girlfriend was still in Inazuma serving as a Mirror Maiden. If his essence got drained and she misunderstood things, thinking he was living it up in Mondstadt, he would be finished.
"I am telling the truth here! Why does nobody believe me?!"
The suspicious looks made Su Bai deeply uncomfortable. Finally regaining his composure, he rapidly circulated his adeptal power.
Slandering me, are you? Fine, then you will all go mine Starsilver for me.
"Su Bai... I think I hear something."
"Ben... nett. Something... is moving."
As an Adventurers' Guild investigator, Fischl was the first to notice an unusual sound. Razor twitched his ears and fixed his gaze on a nearby snowdrift.
Su Bai paused the illusion he had already prepared.
According to his adeptal senses, there should not have been anyone else alive in this cave.
So where was the noise coming from?
Reality answered him immediately.
A massive mechanical arm slowly emerged from the snow.
The moment Su Bai saw it, his expression collapsed.
You have got to be kidding me. The heavens really know my illusions do not work on this thing, do they?
"That is a Ruin Grader," Su Bai said grimly. "It should not activate without external stimulation."
"Wait, why is there a white radish stuck in its forehead?" Bennett blurted out.
Bennett scratched his head awkwardly.
"That... might have been the one I threw earlier."
Realizing he was the one who had accidentally activated it, Bennett clenched his teeth and slammed his limited Pyro energy into the ground.
A glowing field appeared beneath everyone's feet.
Fantastic Voyage.
"Haha... looks like this thing is my fault."
Feeling his strength surge, Su Bai gave Bennett a long, meaningful look.
Unlucky kid, but this buff is no joke.
Empowered by the field, the Fatui hammer wielder roared and swung his weapon straight into the Ruin Grader's moving arm.
Clang!
The arm was smashed clean off.
"Hahaha! Kid, that is one hell of a skill!" the Fatui laughed. "If Lady Signora had not ordered us to capture you alive, I would have dragged you straight to Lord Tartaglia."
Watching a single blow sever the Ruin Grader's arm, Bennett felt his heart sink completely.
How am I supposed to escape monsters like these?