Genshin Impact: The Gambler of Teyvat

"This… this is Sumeru? Why is it so desolate?!"

Furina's wide, beautiful eyes were filled with shock as she stared at the endless yellow sand swirling in the sky, blotting out the sun. A chill crept over her heart, and she involuntarily shivered.

She instinctively pulled her thick cloak—gifted by Shajin—tightly around her, as if it could offer some measure of warmth and security.

Even though the cloak did shield her and Shajin from the violent sandstorm outside, Shajin snapped his fingers, and a golden barrier enveloped them both.

Furina reached out to touch the barrier. Warmth seeped into her palm, spreading comfort through her body.

But a thought crept into her mind.

If I stay hidden behind this seemingly safe shield the entire way, won't I miss out on all the thrilling and unexpected adventures out there?

After a moment of fierce internal struggle, Furina finally turned to Shajin with firm resolve in her voice. She wanted to cross this barren land using her own strength.

Shajin was briefly stunned, but then he smiled in understanding. He knew this brave and stubborn "girl"—once she made up her mind, it was nearly impossible to change it.

He gave a small nod and waved his hand. The golden barrier gradually dissipated.

Then, he began to channel the power of Imaginary he had mastered so well.

With swift movements of his hands through the air, threads of radiant light intertwined like living silk. In the blink of an eye, a detailed map materialized, floating in midair. It clearly marked their current location, the path to their destination, as well as areas of potential danger and hidden treasure.

"Fufu, look!"

Shajin pointed with his index finger to a specific spot on the map, then turned to Furina and explained.

"We're currently on the far western edge of Sumeru. This is an endless, sprawling desert."

He slowly moved his finger eastward on the map.

"And over here, the forest region is the most prosperous and lively part of Sumeru."

Furina's bright eyes followed the map and Shajin's finger as he traced their route.

Suddenly, she seemed to spot something curious. She lifted her head and looked into the distance. After a moment, she noticed a colossal structure looming far ahead.

It towered toward the sky like a sword piercing the heavens—or like a mountain standing tall in the middle of this desolate desert.

Compared to the bland surroundings, it was striking and out of place.

Above it, clouds swirled continuously.

"Whoa, what is that thing? Looks kinda close, too."

Furina gasped, one hand covering her mouth in surprise, while the other waved excitedly in that direction, trying to get a better sense of the mysterious structure.

Shajin stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before answering.

"If I'm not mistaken, that's the Mausoleum of King Deshret. It's the burial place of the god King Deshret."

"What?! A god's tomb?!"

The excitement drained from Furina's face, leaving her pale. She shook her head furiously like a rattle drum, muttering in panic:

"No no no, absolutely not! There's no way I'm going to some creepy place like that!"

Shajin shook his head.

"Relax, visiting the Mausoleum of King Deshret was never part of the plan."

"Those underground tunnels are like mazes—you could get lost in minutes~"

"Leave that kind of thing to professionals~"

Furina tugged on Shajin's sleeve.

"Then let's hurry to the forest~"

Shajin followed behind her helplessly.

"Slow down, Fufu… don't rush…"

…

Halfway there, Dunyarzad suddenly seemed to recall something.

"Oh! I forgot something back at home. Since you're with me, could you come with me to grab it real quick?"

Lumine nodded.

"No problem."

Paimon teased,

"Guess Dunyarzad got a little too excited for the Sabzeruz Festival and left something behind~"

Dunyarzad chuckled, covering her mouth.

"Haha, sorry about that~"

…

"Tch… looks like we're too late. Didn't catch her. Why would the young miss be up so early today?"

Hidden in the grass, two members of the Eremites whispered to each other in hushed tones.

One of them muttered,

"Right? …Wait, boss, look over there. That person walking toward us—isn't she the one we're after?"

The other's eyes lit up. After taking a closer look, he grinned.

"Aha, it's her! What luck—we were just talking about her and she walks right up to us."

Without hesitation, the two stood and stepped out into the middle of the road, blocking the group's path.

Paimon let out a startled gasp, clearly shaken by the sudden ambush.

"Ah! Those Eremite creeps again! They definitely don't look like they're here for anything good!"

She tugged nervously on Lumine's sleeve.

Dunyarzad frowned, her expression hardening as she stared down the ones blocking their path.

"…Who are you people, exactly? You're clearly not hired by the Homayani family, are you?"

One of the Eremites narrowed his eyes.

"Heh, you're right—we haven't taken any money from the Homayani family… yet. But if we hand you over now, I bet they'd pay a lot to get you back."

Paimon put her hands on her hips.

"So you are kidnappers! Traveler, protect Dunyarzad!"

Lumine folded her arms.

"Don't worry… the professionals are already here~"

The two Eremites exchanged glances.

"Professionals?"

A voice came from behind them.

"Have you considered that someone else—someone way out of your league—might've already taken the Homayani family's offer?"

One of them froze, clearly recognizing the voice.

"You're… Dehya?! The Flame-Mane herself… no wonder we haven't seen you in the merc circles lately—you've been 'tied down at home'!"

Dunyarzad's frown deepened.

"Mind your words. Dehya helped the Homayani family long before this arrangement. We owe her a debt—this partnership didn't come from nowhere…"

_

Read the full book on my Patreon(FINISHED)

Please support my patreon, patreon. com/TravelerDouluo