Genshin Impact: Awakening in the Darkness

Chapter 157 A Slight Change in the Chess Strategy, An Empty Question

"Whoosh—" A refined figure sat in a mountain pavilion, looking at the beautiful scenery and the passersby in the distance.

He gently exhaled the steam rising from the teacup in his hand, then brought it to his mouth, savoring and lingering the taste…

"Hmph, I was wondering why some things were missing from the cave. Turns out you took quite a few."

There was a sound coming from behind me; it had been a while since I'd seen it.

“…My old friend, you are mistaken. If you hadn’t intentionally placed this tea on the table, how could I have obtained it?”

Zhongli didn't turn around, and took another sip of the tea in his hand: "Hmm... this tea is much weaker than the previous one."

"Hmm?" The newcomer picked up a teacup from the tea table, poured some tea, tasted it, and said, "It's a bit weak. It seems something unexpected happened over there too."

"you--!"

Zhongli opened her eyes slightly and looked at the person who picked up the teacup and took a sip, a look of astonishment on her face.

"Hehe... It's rare to see you like this." Xuan Qing chuckled and shook the cup in his hand, then placed it back on the tea table under his gaze.

"Now—do you see it clearly?"

"Although it was a short time, at least now I can sense some things in the outside world, and even touch them, instead of feeling vague and indistinct like before."

After speaking, Xuanqing even showed him his illusory hand, which had just picked up a cup, but was now just a projection.

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes and heard the explanation from the person in question, I probably would have thought I was hallucinating.

"It seems that everything is going smoothly for the Traveler and Xuan Yue. I expect that before long, those negative effects will gradually reach a balance."

Zhong Li withdrew her gaze, a slight smile playing on her lips, clearly in a good mood.

"..."

"...What's wrong? Is there some problem again?"

Seeing that he didn't respond, but just stared blankly at the hand that had just picked up the teacup, lost in thought.

"...It's nothing, it's just that what you just said inspired me. Zhongli, what if this duel doesn't end in the end..."

"If the final outcome remains unchanged and the cycle repeats itself, what would you do?"

"Should we continue to be a piece on the chessboard, or make a different move than before?"

Upon hearing this, Zhongli put down his teacup, looked at Liyue, and then at the pedestrians there.

Zhongli: "If I had to do it all over again, I would still make the same decision: fake my death and go into seclusion to promote the development of Liyue and let them shine on their own."

"There are countless wrong paths, and countless paths to success; it's precisely because they are unknown that they attract people to explore. However, I feel that's not what you're asking about, right?"

Xuan Qing bit her lip, but finally steeled herself and said, "I believe that even if those 'forbidden' elements are successfully suppressed in the end, we should not loosen the restrictions on the 'Void Land' for the time being."

"Why?"

------

Paimon and his companions, who were deep underground in the Abyss of Layered Rocks, had successfully crossed the inverted skyscraper and reached its opposite side. However, they were unexpectedly surrounded by a group of Black Serpent Knights as soon as they arrived.

"Ah, the Black Serpent Knights! Is this their lair? Or are they guarding something...?"

"It's not that simple, Paimon. You'd better find somewhere to hide." Kong Du had already drawn his bladeless sword, ready to fight at any moment.

"[————]!!"

The black snake knights seemed to be shouting something, uttering indistinct syllables, before they charged towards them, weapons in hand.

"Watch out!" Paimon couldn't help but exclaim.

"[————]！！！"

Seeing this, Dain took the initiative to draw his sword and counterattack, and Kong quickly regained his senses and engaged in a fierce battle with these black snake knights.

These Black Serpent Knights were not much different in strength from the previous ones, but it was as if some kind of persistence made them pick up their weapons and charge even though they knew they had no chance of winning.

But the tide of battle did not turn; they continued to fall until they could never rise again…

“It’s resolved.” Kong glanced at the battlefield and, seeing that the crisis was over, beckoned Paimon over.

Paimon: "Looks like we're safe for now. How are you guys? Are you hurt?"

Dain: "It's alright. Compared to my previous battle with the Abyss, these Black Serpent Knights can't hurt me."

"I'm fine, but I'm still a bit tired from fighting for so long."

Kong made no attempt to hide his exhaustion. He had to admit, the black serpent knights' armor was incredibly tough; they were practically impervious to cut. Each time, he had to use a combination of skillful maneuvering and elemental power to defeat them.

"It's good that everyone's alright. Let me see the secret behind them—"

"Ah! This, this is..."

The treasure or secret weapon that Paimon imagined was, in reality, just a few sleeping Hilichurls who were unaware of the situation.

Dain: "...As expected, these Black Serpent Knights have nothing to do with the secrets of the Abyss Order. Hmph... I should have guessed it sooner."

Sora: "Is this what you meant before... the 'ending' for the Hilichurls?"

Paimon: "The Hilichurls prepare for their end..."

"They grow old, become afraid of light, and even gradually merge with the darkness. Even so, the curse continues to erode them."

(Until the soul is completely obliterated...)

Dain didn't say the last words aloud; looking at these Hilichurls was like looking at her future self.

"[————]!!"

The sound came from behind them again, and the familiar armored army roared at them once more.

"It's those Black Serpent Knights! They're surrounding us again!" Paimon immediately hid behind Kongde, but for a moment she couldn't find a place to hide.

"..."

Dain and Kong were already poised to fight again at any moment. Just as they were about to make their move, another roar rang out, and the Black Serpent Knights on the other side paused for a moment before slowly retreating.

Paimon: "That's the guy who suddenly appeared and then disappeared! They've all backed away... Could it be that knight who was giving orders?"

Dain gazed at the knight in the deep blue armor and murmured, "...Hafdan?"

The knight made no further move and, just as before, disappeared from their sight.

Seeing that the enemies had all left, Paimon emerged from behind them and flew to Dain's side: "Dain...do you know that Black Serpent Knight from earlier?"

(...Is that so...? If that's true, then it's truly sad.)

"Dain." Paimon called his name again, finally bringing him back to his senses.

Dain: "You want to know why they stayed here to protect those Hilichurls, right?"

"That's because, for these Black Serpent Knights, they are merely fulfilling their duties. I only just recognized the one who had just dismissed the other knights... as a former young elite of the palace guard. His name is—Hafdan."

Paimon: "They were people from five hundred years ago..."

Dain's memories drifted deep into the past, to a time when natural disasters struck. Giant rocks shattered cities, a thousand winds swept across the land, thunderbolts brought calamity, water and ice forged high walls, and people fled, crying out against the injustice of fate—and even today…

"I vaguely remember that on the day of the Calamity of Kanria, before I, as the 'Sword of the End,' rushed to the palace, I entrusted a knight named Hafdan with the message: 'Tell all the Black Serpent Knights, no matter what, to protect the people of Kanria.'"

"Indeed, we hold the title of [Royal Guard]. But in the face of such catastrophe, royalty, celebrities, commoners... all these identities have lost their meaning."

"Faced with the power of the gods, only the identity of 'Kanria' exists on Earth."

null:……

"Perhaps in the hearts of these Black Serpent Knights who have lost their minds, they are still fighting to protect the people of Kanria. They see this ruin as Kanria in the midst of disaster, and those Hilichurls as people begging for help..."

"As I heard... what they kept shouting was not a warning to anyone else. Although it was difficult to discern, I could tell it was the ancient Canrian word for 'Run!'"

“They weren’t talking to us…” Sora’s gaze shifted to the dying Hilichurl: “They were talking to them.”

Dain: "Even I have to admit that this will is so strong that it has not been worn away even after five hundred years... It can be considered a miracle born from despair."

Paimon felt a pang of guilt: "Then...then I misunderstood them..."

“It’s nothing. Even I had a moment when I saw them as enemies.” After saying that, Dain turned his attention forward: “Let’s keep going towards the light up there. The Black Serpent Knights shouldn’t be able to stop us.”

“Wait, Dain,” Sora called out to him. “If you were to meet a ‘god,’ would you seek the truth?”

"I hope this is just a joke, traveler. As I said before: 'Always be wary of the gods. Don't trust them too much, but also don't go down the path of [overthrowing] or [hunting].'"

Sora: "...I understand."