Genshin Impact: Awakening in the Darkness

Chapter 154 The Reversed City, Goodbye Dain

The journey between Skywalker and Paimon, marked by frequent stops and starts, wasn't due to exhaustion, but rather to clear away the silt along the way. That was precisely why they had come...

"You never know until you explore. This ley line has so many holes, and there's so much filth piled up." Paimon wiped the sweat from his brow, looking exhausted.

Kong found an open space to sit down and gestured for Paimon to come and rest as well: "Let's take a break. We've walked quite a distance. This silt has been piled up here for too long, and it's impossible to completely clear it away in a short time. Besides, we're almost at the place Yuehui mentioned."

"You're right, but I still have a question on the way here. Why does Grandpa Qingyue still want us to keep it from Jin Xuan even though he's clearly awake?"

"Hehe..." Kong was amused by Paimon's question, but still patiently asked, "Paimon, what would you do if you encountered danger?"

"Of course I'd yell 'Help!' and run away quickly, waiting for you to come and save me... because I know you definitely wouldn't abandon me." (*?︶?*)

“Of course, how could I possibly abandon my cutest and most responsible guide and partner?” Sora replied with a smile, patting Paimon’s little head.

Paimon was already dizzy from the empty praise, and proudly puffed out his chest, unusually not slapping away the hand that was patting his head.

"But what if the danger you encounter is an enemy that even I can't handle?"

"!" Paimon's eyes widened instantly.

"For example..."

Paimon quickly shook his head, indicating that he was extremely unwilling.

"You can't even beat him, yet you come to save me? Isn't that just sending him to his death? Shouldn't it be like in novels... first hide away and slowly become stronger, and then... eh." Paimon suddenly blinked, as if he understood something, but also as if he didn't quite understand.

"...Alright, we've rested enough. Let's prepare to go deeper." Kong smiled, stood up, picked up the Luminite, and continued forward.

"Hey! You still haven't told me—!"

Paimon quickly caught up with Kong and walked alongside him...

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"Empty! Look, this is... a city!"

An overwhelming sense of unease, filth, and oppression washed over them. Before their eyes lay the ruins of countless structures, almost entirely covered in mud.

But what shocked them was not the vast ruins of the town, but the fact that they were upside down.

"An entire city, upside down, in the air?"

"Completely beyond my expectations..."

They stood there, stunned, looking up at the buildings and exclaiming in amazement.

Looking at this empty city, do you ever think of anything...?

"Hmm, what was it again..."

Paimon scratched his head, thinking hard: (Upside down, feeling depressed and ominous...)

Empty: "Defiled, reversed idols."

"Yes, yes! That's it. It's eerie, it's upside down, and it's kind of shocking."

"If that's the case, could it be that the Abyss Cult is really connected to the bottom of the Layered Rock Abyss?"

After Kong's reminder, Paimon finally remembered that the upside-down statue back then was the work of the "Abyss Order." So what about this time? Is it the same?

"We need to find a way to investigate and prepare... Hmm?!" Kong suddenly felt the space around him vibrate and immediately assumed a fighting stance in one direction.

"How come all of a sudden... Ah..." Paimon had just reacted when he saw a portal appear in front of them, carrying a strong aura of "Abyss".

(Could it be the "Abyss Order"...? I've run into them so soon? Should I find a place to hide?) Paimon was a little flustered; her combat power was zero.

What if it's a monster from the abyss...?

However, she was clearly overthinking it. A slender figure burst forth from the space. Short, golden hair exuded nobility, a black cloak concealed the night, and starlight-filled eyes revealed her lineage and status.

Paimon: (?⊿?)? "Dainsreb?"

Empty: (/“≡ _ ≡)=: “What a unique way to make an entrance…”

"..." Dain was also somewhat helpless: "I didn't expect to run into you here." (This was truly unexpected.)

Paimon: "Long time no see, Dain... wait, why are you suddenly appearing in the Abyss of Laminaria?"

“The Abyss of Layered Rocks… Is this the Abyss of Layered Rocks? I’ve never been here before.” Dain carefully observed the scenery of this place and naturally noticed the upside-down city.

"I have many questions for you." (About the Abyss, about Luminosity... and about Kanria...)

“That meeting and parting were both rather rushed, and I understand how you feel.” Din didn’t shy away, looking directly into Kong’s questioning eyes: “And judging from this coincidence, fate does indeed owe you an answer.”

Kong: "First, explain how you got here. What was that portal all about?"

"It shouldn't be too hard to guess. I previously detected the movements of another Abyss Apostle and began tracking him."

"Unfortunately, after I cornered that guy, he resorted to his old tricks again... I followed him through the portal, and sure enough, it was the wrong place."

Sora: "You couldn't catch up with my sister either?"

Dain: "Well, based on some recent experiences, I can only deduce that... the teleportation ability controlled by the Abyss seems to be not just point-to-point, but a complete network structure."

"The other side of the portal could be any node in the teleportation network; that's up to them to decide."

"It sounds somewhat similar to the teleportation anchor and Jin Xuan's teleportation ability?" Paimon glanced at the red-glowing teleportation anchor next to them, which they hadn't unlocked yet, and made a guess.

Dain: "In short, although I followed your blood relative into the portal that time, when I took in my surroundings... I found myself all alone in the lair of that wind dragon."

Paimon: "Oh, speaking of which, how's the eye on that first 'tiller'?"

Speaking of Stormterror's lair, oh no, Dvalin's lair, one can't help but think of that eye, since it's quite important.

"I'm all settled. Until we figure out the true nature of that so-called 'Loom of Destiny' plan, there's no need to worry about it falling into the abyss."

Sora listened quietly until she spoke again: "Please reintroduce yourself. 'The Sword of the End'."

"Heh..." Dain snorted coldly, his eyes dark and unfathomable, as if he were mocking himself.

"Did you remember this name?"

“It’s not that I’m trying to hide it. This name once shone with the glory of Kanria, but now… it’s more like an irony, a curse.”

"As the captain of the palace guard who witnessed the fall of his country, I think I have reason not to mention this title again."

Paimon whispered in Kong's ear, "It seems your sister was telling the truth..."

What exactly happened between you two?

One of these "you" is naturally his younger sister, Ying.

Dain: "We were 'traveling companions.' It was a journey filled with pain and a constant search for destiny, but... we couldn't reach the 'end' together."

Seeing that Kong was about to ask something again, he interrupted, "Before you continue with your endless questions, I need to remind you..."

"If my guess about the 'teleportation network' is correct, and I just happened to be teleported here, then it proves that the Abyss Order sees value in establishing a teleportation node here."

Paimon: "You mean the Abyss Order is planning some kind of operation here? That's exactly what I and the Traveler had in mind."

Dain: "So, right now... we might very well be being watched by the 'Abyss'."

Sora: "It seems we'll have to cooperate again for the time being."

"Ah, wise. There seems to be a fire near the rock wall over there, let's go take a look."

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