Venti always thought he was quite good at tricking people.
But today he discovered someone even more skilled.
The Holy Lyre der Himmel had clearly been in Jiang Chen's possession all along, yet he calmly acted as if nothing had happened and smoothly talked the guard captain into leaving.
"Uh…"
Lumine was also stunned.
That's the Holy Lyre?
How did it end up in Jiang Chen's hands?
Just earlier he had been stuck at Good Hunter, being held up by a high-ranking Fatui woman.
"Jiang Chen… does that mean the thief was you?!"
Paimon widened her eyes.
Jiang Chen shook his head.
After letting them see it briefly, he stored the lyre away again.
"Not me."
"I just waited at a certain handoff point."
"Then someone conveniently delivered the Holy Lyre straight into my hands."
He shrugged.
"I'm not that easy to fool!"
Paimon said.
"Who would be stupid enough to hand over a treasure they just stole?"
"Oh, there definitely are people like that."
Jiang Chen smiled.
Outside Mondstadt
In a small forest outside the city.
The Fatui advisor Anastasia sat on a fallen tree trunk, irritably kicking her legs.
The surrounding Fatui agents didn't dare make a sound.
According to the plan—
The Holy Lyre should have already been delivered here by the final courier.
But no one had arrived.
Meanwhile, the Knights of Favonius and the Church were already conducting a full search across the city.
At this point—
Even if someone had the lyre, they couldn't escape under such heavy patrols.
Which meant the plan had failed.
Again.
Why again?
Anastasia thought bitterly.
When she imagined La Signora hearing about the failure, her body trembled slightly.
"Bad news! Bad news!"
At that moment a Fatui Debt Collector staggered in from the woods, clutching his neck.
"I was knocked unconscious!"
"I never received the Holy Lyre!"
"When I woke up in the flower garden, the whole city was already swarming with Knights and Church guards!"
He explained.
Because he carried no suspicious item like the lyre, he had managed to leave the city.
BAM!
Anastasia kicked him into the tree trunk.
Blood sprayed from his mouth as leaves rustled down.
The man fainted again.
"Idiot."
Anastasia felt a chill.
"Even if something went wrong in one link of the chain, the Electro Cicin Mage should have passed the lyre to the next courier."
"So what exactly happened?"
She couldn't possibly imagine that the Cicin Mage had already handed the lyre to someone disguised as a Fatui officer.
After thinking for a moment she said:
"The Knights and Church are still searching."
"That means they haven't recovered it either."
"So either the lyre is still with one of our people…"
"Or a third party has taken it!"
"Leave one person here."
"The rest of you return to the city and investigate immediately."
Back at Good Hunter
Downstairs at Good Hunter, Fatui guards were arguing with Knights of Favonius patrols.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Jiang Chen and the others entered through the supply door.
"We're back!"
Lumine stretched with both arms above her head.
Her slender figure was outlined clearly as she stretched.
Jiang Chen couldn't help glancing at her for a moment.
"You two sit down first."
He walked toward the front entrance to deal with the argument outside.
"This is official Knights business!"
"Fatui interference makes you look suspicious!"
"Our superior is dining upstairs. You can't disturb her!"
"Move aside!"
"Try cutting me if you dare!"
The two sides were pushing and shouting.
Both sides were furious.
The two Fatui envoys simply watched coldly without intervening.
Jiang Chen opened the door.
Light from the restaurant spilled onto them.
The commotion instantly fell silent.
"Your superior has already left."
"Disperse."
Jiang Chen said to the Fatui.
"Left?"
Lyudmila ran inside to check.
Sure enough—
Signora was gone.
She didn't believe this young restaurant owner could threaten Signora anyway.
"Retreat."
She ordered.
Then she and the Fatui left.
A Knight approached Jiang Chen.
"Boss Jiang Chen, what happened?"
"They came to reserve the restaurant."
"I served them dinner and saw them off."
Jiang Chen explained.
"Have you seen any suspicious people?"
"The Holy Lyre used by Lord Barbatos has been stolen."
The captain asked.
"I was almost mistaken for the thief earlier myself."
"Who dared accuse you?"
"The Church."
"But the misunderstanding has been cleared."
"Understood."
"If you notice anything suspicious, please inform us immediately."
The Knights left to continue searching.
Jiang Chen watched them go.
"Sara, the city's too chaotic tonight."
"Close up early."
"Yes, boss."
After Sara cleaned up the kitchen supplies and finished work—
Jiang Chen returned upstairs.
Upstairs
Venti was sitting in a chair.
He was gently smelling the red wine Jiang Chen had poured earlier but never drank.
"A pity…"
"It's been exposed to the air for too long."
He sighed.
"Put back the half bottle you stuffed into your pants first."
Jiang Chen glanced at the neck of a wine bottle sticking out from Venti's loose pants.
"Ehe~!"
Venti immediately pretended nothing had happened.
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