The missionary was in a foul mood.
Upon hearing about the appearance of the serpentine black flames, he had rushed over immediately.
Unexpectedly, he didn't find the person he was looking for but instead encountered someone else who could also wield black flames.
Yes, he had already realized that the black flames from the diplomat's death incident were different from the ones used in today's attack on the Fatui.
Although both incidents targeted the Fatui, the abilities used were not the same.
The serpentine black flames were clearly from the remnants he had previously discarded as failed experiments.
He hadn't expected that someone among them had survived and persisted until now.
If he could capture that person and bring them back to his master... he would surely be rewarded.
However, the blue-haired oddball who appeared later was also a target of his.
Because he could tell that the other party was using a Delusion, and one of the early ones at that.
Compared to the remnant, perhaps this Delusion user would be of greater interest to his master.
This was one of the reasons why he had been chasing this mysterious blue-haired man all day.
But that guy was just too slippery. He led them on a wild chase through the wilderness, even luring them to the Thousand Winds Temple and into the warning range of the Ruin Guards, causing him to lose more than half of his men.
"Do you need my help?"
Holding the sleeping cat in his arms, Bailuo asked.
The cat in his arms looked as if it had come from Sumeru, wrapped entirely in bandages, resembling a mummy.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Instructor, but there's no need to trouble yourself."
The missionary wasn't being sarcastic; he genuinely didn't want Bailuo to intervene.
He had worked with Bailuo before and knew just how formidable his methods were. If Bailuo were to step in, that Delusion user would undoubtedly be killed.
To his master, the Doctor, only living test subjects held value. Dead ones were just lumps of flesh, and the Doctor could obtain as many of those as he wanted. They were of no value.
"Alright then. But are you free these next few days?"
As he stroked the cat in his arms, Bailuo asked.
The cat, seemingly asleep, twitched its ears unconsciously.
"Do you have any instructions for me?"
The missionary felt somewhat flattered.
Given their hierarchical relationship, even though he was under the Doctor, if Bailuo wanted him to do something, he would have to comply.
Was it because of their past collaboration?
"Nothing major. I just have a new recruit I'd like to train."
Bailuo's face once again broke into a gentle smile, as if he genuinely cared about this subordinate.
"But Instructor, I don't have the best control. What if I accidentally hurt the recruit?"
Although the missionary was an ascetic, he was well aware of how much his will had been eroded by the remnants of the demon god. What if... he lost control and injured the recruit?
Wouldn't that put the Instructor in a difficult position?
So the missionary didn't immediately agree to Bailuo's request.
"Don't worry, I'll be watching. Besides, if I were to step in, do you think that little guy would make it out of Mondstadt alive?"
"I understand."
Seeing that Bailuo had put it this way, the missionary had no choice but to agree.
Although he wasn't an Harbinger, as one of the Doctor's subordinates, he occasionally helped with training new recruits.
As long as he held back and didn't kill or disable anyone, it should be fine.
"Then I'll thank you on her behalf."
The missionary didn't notice that Bailuo's smile had changed slightly, now carrying a hint of amusement.
The first rays of morning sunlight spilled into the room, gently illuminating the small cat.
Her ears twitched first, followed by her whiskers. Her tail, curled beside her, lightly brushed against her body, as if she thought an insect had landed on her.
But the next moment, her body began to elongate, her fur gradually disappearing, transforming back into a human form.
"Mmm..."
Collei sat up drowsily and stretched lazily.
But halfway through her stretch, she seemed to realize something.
In a panic, she rushed to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror, confirming that she had returned to her human form without any lingering side effects before letting out a sigh of relief.
She hadn't expected Bailuo to pour that magical potion on her yesterday.
And when the potion took effect, she had felt as if she were drunk, her mind hazy.
It was a good thing she had been unconscious; otherwise, Teyvat would have had another bizarre sight besides "dog with a sword"—a cat biting a knife.
A very serious bite.
"Skip breakfast today. I hear the sealing process feels like riding a rollercoaster—it'll make you dizzy."
As Collei came out to get dressed, Bailuo appeared behind her out of nowhere.
In one hand, he held a glass of juice, and in the other, a fried meat patty sandwich, which he was eating with great relish.
And he was smacking his lips!
"Eating a meat patty in the morning... isn't that too greasy? Also, what's a rollercoaster?"
"Hmm... it's kind of like when I fly you through Lisa's window."
"Oh, that's not too bad..."
"Except it's like flying up, down, left, and right nonstop, and really fast."
"..."
After Bailuo's explanation, the juice and fried meat patty sandwich in his hand suddenly didn't seem so appetizing anymore.
"Let's go. We're running out of time. That little wolf boy left early, so we need to hurry."
Although it was only a little past 8 a.m., the distance from Mondstadt to Starsnatch Cliff was considerable, making it impossible to arrive exactly on time.
Plus, if they encountered any monsters along the way, it would delay them further. So, playing it safe, Bailuo decided to take her there early.
Starsnatch Cliff, located south of Mondstadt, was a high, protruding cliff in the middle of a vast plain.
It was abundant with Cecilia flowers, and the scenery was breathtaking, especially at night. Standing at the top of the cliff, it felt as if you could pluck the stars from the sky.
Perhaps because of the Cecilia flower's meaning—"the true feelings of a wanderer"—many couples loved to come here for dates.
Thus, it was one of Mondstadt's three major dating spots, where countless lovers made vows under the stars.
But if they knew that even the starry sky was a lie, what kind of expressions would they have?
For Bailuo, this was another form of torture.
Who knew why such a high place didn't have a teleport waypoint? Was it because there was no leyline connection?
Back when he was farming materials for his buddy Barbatos, he either had to climb the mountain until the seas ran dry or run until the end of time.
It was pure torture.
Fortunately, this wasn't a game. He didn't have a stamina bar, nor did he have to rely on his feet to get around.
He had specially sent someone to the Angel's Share to buy one of Master Diluc's cargo-carrying Anemo Slimes, which he then modified into something resembling a hot air balloon.
Although it wasn't as fast as a horse, it was quite comfortable, swaying gently and not chafing his thighs.
By the time the two of them arrived at Starsnatch Cliff, Cyno had already been waiting for some time and had set up the sealing array.