Genshin Impact: The Sharpshooter of Teyvat

At that moment, a woman dressed in a blue and white leather outfit, draped in a cloak made from the hide of a rare beast, approached slowly, followed by several members of the Millelith carrying a few fresh corpses.

As the woman reached the doorway and saw Shao Yun, her heart skipped a beat.

But she quickly concealed the panic in her eyes, exchanged a glance with Hu Tao standing next to Shao Yun, and then spoke calmly: "Master Hu, we've got a few more. Sorry to trouble you again." Her voice was cool and serene, as if discussing something utterly mundane.

Hu Tao frowned slightly as she looked at the newly delivered corpses, a hint of surprise flickering across her face.

"Ah! The mortuary at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is almost full." She looked around, her gaze finally settling on a corner beside the funeral parlor.

"How about this, Miss Yelan, have the Millelith place them in that corner over there." Hu Tao pointed to the corner, her tone carrying a touch of resignation.

Yelan nodded and gave the order. The Millelith soldiers quickly moved the bodies to the designated corner, then left in orderly formation.

Once they had gone, Yelan turned her gaze to Shao Yun, who stood nearby. Pretending curiosity, she asked Hu Tao, "Master Hu, may I ask who this is?"

Hu Tao smiled as she introduced, "His name is Shao Yun. For now, he's helping out here at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."

There was a trace of pride and admiration in her voice, clearly acknowledging Shao Yun's abilities.

Yelan extended her hand to Shao Yun. Her fingers were slender, her skin fair, like a radiant star in the night sky.

"Hello, I'm Yelan. A pleasure to meet you." Yelan's voice was deep and magnetic, every word clear and firm, just like the woman herself—resolute and decisive.

Shao Yun glanced at her outstretched hand, pausing briefly. Instead of shaking it, he removed his hat and gave a courteous bow.

His movements were graceful and composed, exuding a gentleman's poise.

"Hello. Nice weather today." Shao Yun's words were simple and direct, much like the man himself—polite, but not talkative.

At that moment, Hu Tao, standing nearby, remembered the 'ghost-hunting' matter and turned to Shao Yun.

"Shao Yun, wait for me a bit. I'll make the arrangements, then we'll head out!"

With that, she hurried back into the funeral parlor to prepare for the ghost hunt.

Taking the opportunity, Shao Yun turned to examine the newly delivered corpses.

Their faces were twisted in agony, clearly having endured extreme fear and suffering.

Then he turned to Yelan and asked, "Miss Yelan, may I ask—how did these people die?"

Yelan stepped closer to him, feigning sorrow as she explained, "Last night, the Pearl Galley was attacked by a mysterious figure. These are the victims."

Shao Yun knelt down, examining the corpses again in detail.

He noticed there were no gunshot wounds. Instead, each neck bore a strangulation mark, as if a tough string had been pulled tight until all life was squeezed out.

He stood up and turned to Yelan, suspicion evident in his eyes.

"You're sure these were the ones from the Pearl Galley? From what I can tell, they were clearly strangled."

Yelan was momentarily startled by his words but quickly regained her composure, a professional smile blooming on her lips as she tried to defuse the tension with a light tone.

"Ha ha, Mr. Shao is certainly observant. But you're not the killer—how could you possibly know how they really died? I assure you, these were indeed from the Pearl Galley."

However, Shao Yun believed she was trying to pin these corpses on him.

If I killed someone, I'd own up to it. But if someone's trying to frame me—count me out!

He licked his dry lips, a glint of menace flashing in his eyes. Suddenly, he pulled out his Schofield revolver from his waist and aimed it at Yelan's head without hesitation. His voice turned cold and severe.

"The ones from the Pearl Galley—I took care of them myself! I know exactly how they died! These deaths are clearly different. Are you trying to pin this on me?"

Yelan calmly raised her hands, palms out, as if to soothe the growing tension. Her voice was as tranquil as the night wind.

"Don't be nervous. Can I finish what I was going to say?"

Shao Yun stood across from her, his expression grim. The revolver's hammer clicked as he pulled it back with force.

He began to count down, his voice low and powerful: "Three, two..."

Yelan's gaze remained unflinching. She calmly began to explain.

"I mean no harm. I'm Ningguang's special intelligence officer. These people were indeed killed by me. They were the bosses behind the Pearl Galley—the ones who profited handsomely off it. Disgusting, all of them."

Then Yelan locked eyes with Shao Yun, her expression earnest and sincere.

"I wasn't trying to frame you. What I meant was, this incident has nothing to do with you. We won't trouble you over it. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding."

Shao Yun listened to her explanation, his stern expression gradually softening.

He returned his revolver to its holster, sighed, and said, "I'm a hopeless fool. I don't get all this twisting and turning talk. Next time, just be straight with me."

Yelan lowered her hands, her face still composed. She spoke gently.

"Those who walk in the shadows... telling the truth is like tying their own noose. But I also understand—hiding the truth from you only strains our relationship further."

Shao Yun clapped his hands, a faint, meaningful smile appearing on his face.

"As expected, people in high places have brains. They know if they don't speak plainly to me, they'll die a death no one will understand."

Seeing him finally relax, Yelan skillfully changed the subject. She smiled and said, "Mr. Shao Yun, let's talk about something else. I really want to thank you. Your help this time meant a lot to Liyue. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to act against the Pearl Galley."

Shao Yun rubbed his neck, seemingly easing the tension from earlier. Half-jokingly, he replied, "Oh? Then shouldn't this contribution earn me something... tangible? Like... Mora?"

Yelan nodded with a smile and responded generously, "Of course. I promised you two million Mora as a labor fee. How does that sound?"

Shao Yun's expression turned satisfied. He replied calmly, "Alright, it's settled then. But please send that money to a girl named Lumine at the Adventurers' Guild."

Yelan agreed with a nod, then asked, "Do you have any other requests? If it's within my power, I'll try to fulfill it."

Shao Yun's expression grew cautious, and he stared intently at Yelan.

Noticing this, Yelan quickly waved her hands, explaining, "Please don't misunderstand, Mr. Shao Yun. Two million Mora isn't enough to make up for my offense. I want to help you as a gesture of apology."

Shao Yun eased slightly. After some thought, he said, "In that case, could you help me investigate Miss Nianhua's past?"

Yelan nodded, but her curiosity got the better of her. "May I ask why? It's a rather unusual request. You're not related to Miss Nianhua..."

Shao Yun pulled out a drawing given to him by Yi Zhu, showing it to Yelan.

"These were drawn by Miss Nianhua's two children, Yi Xuan and Yi Zhu. I've got a bit of a connection with the siblings. They don't know much about their mother's past, so I wanted to help them understand her better. Make the kids a little happier."

Yelan hadn't expected such a simple and heartwarming reason behind his request. She nodded and said, "I see. Understood. Don't worry—I'll get right on it."

...

Yelan's silhouette faded into the distance, leaving behind her usual calm and decisiveness.

Hu Tao, after finalizing her tasks and arrangements, stepped out of the parlor leading a group of undertakers.

They carried large bundles and bags, looking like they were about to embark on a long journey.

Hu Tao walked up to Shao Yun, a faint smile on her face.

"All set. Now we can depart."

Shao Yun looked at her and the others carrying their gear, curiosity rising.

"Where are we headed?" he asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Wuwang Hill."

Hu Tao looked up at the sky where the morning sun had already risen, casting golden light across the land. She said softly, "If we're lucky, we'll arrive around midnight tomorrow."

Shao Yun raised an eyebrow at the name. Wuwang Hill? That's close to the border between Liyue and Mondstadt. Can we really get there by tomorrow night?

"Are we walking there? That's two days. I doubt we'll make it in time."

Hu Tao shook her head with a smile. "We're not walking. We're taking cargo hot air balloons."

Just then, several undertakers brought out large hot air balloons shaped like oversized Anemo Slimes.

Hu Tao pointed at the balloons and said, "Wuwang Hill is too far. This is our only option."

Shao Yun walked up to one of the balloons, examining the strange craft with interest.

"I've told others to take these before, but I've never ridden one myself."

Hearing this, Hu Tao blinked in surprise.

"Huh? But I heard from the guest minister that you guys are travelers. Don't you usually travel on foot?"

Shao Yun turned and shook his head with a smile.

"No, actually, we ride horses."

Hu Tao's eyes widened slightly.

"Horses?"

Shao Yun nodded firmly. "Yes, horses. Fast and free."

Though Lumine seems to prefer teleport anchors no one else can see.

Hu Tao muttered under her breath, "I thought horses were extinct..."

Shao Yun laughed and shook his head. "They're not extinct—just very rare. If you look around Mondstadt carefully, you might still find some."

Hu Tao waved her hand dismissively.

"No thanks. Wangsheng Funeral Parlor doesn't have space for horses, and I don't have time to look for one in Mondstadt either…"

...

Shao Yun ultimately chose not to ride in the hot air balloon. He preferred the feeling of riding a horse.

Out in the wilds of Liyue Harbor, Shao Yun rode alongside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's procession. The sound of hooves echoed across the open plains.

He glanced at the floating balloons ahead. Inside one of them, Hu Tao sat calmly, her usual confidence and poise written across her face.

"Miss Hu Tao, I have a question. How exactly are you planning to catch this ghost?" Shao Yun guided his horse closer to the balloon, asking in a low voice.

Inside, Hu Tao turned her head slightly and looked at him. She reached into a small ornate pouch at her waist and took out a bundle, showing it to Shao Yun.

It was a cloth bag containing twenty-eight Mora coins. Though they looked ordinary, each one radiated an ancient, profound aura, as if steeped in time itself.

"Mr. Shao Yun, have you ever heard of the 'Ghost Locking Array' used by Liyue exorcists?"

Shao Yun searched his memory and recalled something from half a month ago.

"I think I heard old man Iron Tongue Tian mention it during storytelling. I thought it was just made-up nonsense."

Hu Tao chuckled softly and explained, "It's real. It can temporarily trap a ghost and stop it from escaping. I plan to use these centuries-old coins—our most precious treasure—to set up the array. If all goes well, we can trap the spirit and then perform the exorcism."

Shao Yun hesitated, then asked, "And what if it fails? Or if the 'Ghost Locking Array' can't trap the ghost?"

Hu Tao's eyes grew resolute.

"If it fails, then we'll rely on you. Just bring the same energy you use when fighting the Treasure Hoarders—and then let the Guardian Yaksha handle the rest!"

"You mean Xiao? He's coming too?" Shao Yun asked, surprised.

Hu Tao nodded, her expression serious.

"The Guardian Yaksha and you are our insurance. If I can't complete the ritual, we'll have to resort to force."

Shao Yun suddenly thought of something and asked, "By the way, I've got a question—who is this vengeful ghost with such heavy resentment? Can you tell me?"

What kind of grudge is serious enough for Hu Tao to ask for help?

Hu Tao fell silent for a moment, as if weighing her words. At last, she took a deep breath and said slowly, "At this point, it's no use hiding it. It's Yi Xuan and Yi Zhu's mother—Nianhua."

Shao Yun was shocked to hear the name. He hadn't expected the ghost to be the siblings' mother.

"What? Why?"

Hu Tao sighed, her voice full of helplessness.

"You know... a mother worrying about her children. That kind of obsession can turn into resentment strong enough to break through the boundary of life and death. That's why this is tricky. I want to try peaceful means first—but if that fails, then we'll have to call in the Yaksha."

Shao Yun was silent for a moment, recalling the scene in front of the funeral parlor the day before.

"So that's why you were so tense back then…"

Hu Tao nodded slightly, the gesture light as a falling leaf in autumn, full of quiet sorrow.

"It's true. For such young kids to suddenly lose their mother… that kind of helplessness and grief—I can empathize."

Shao Yun looked at Hu Tao and thought of her late grandfather. He took a deep breath and summoned the courage to ask:

"Hu Tao, I've got a suggestion—would you consider it?"

Hu Tao looked up, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.

"What kind of suggestion?"

Shao Yun inhaled deeply and said carefully:

"I was thinking... if the child who lost their mother could just see her again, maybe that would resolve her resentment. Maybe she could pass on peacefully by herself."

If resentment is born of obsession, then wouldn't seeing her kids again be the solution?

Hu Tao frowned deeply and shook her head with resolute firmness.

"No, Shao Yun. She's already a vengeful spirit—communication isn't possible anymore."

"And if the kids saw her in that state, instead of finding comfort, they'd be terrified. That'd be too cruel."

Shao Yun sighed helplessly.

"Alright then. Let's hurry up and send her off."

Hu Tao noticed the sudden shift in his mood—it was as swift and startling as a storm.

She tilted her head, surprised.

"Huh? That was a fast emotional turnaround! I thought you'd push for another idea."

Shao Yun may have compassion, but he's not Paimon. He turned to Hu Tao and spoke with firm resolve.

"If she can't communicate and no longer has self-awareness, then let's not prolong her suffering. Helping her move on is the kindest thing we can do."