Chapter 17: One Punch

The person who came to Golden Sands Journey was Sai Nuo.

When he revealed his identity, everyone in the inn instantly erupted.

What kind of person is a Discipline Officer?

That is the most ferocious and ruthless hound of Sumeru, the sharpest claw and fang of the Academy.

Anyone they get involved with ends up badly.

Especially that Senior Discipline Officer.

Even more, the hound among hounds, the claw and fang among claws and fangs.

Rumors and anecdotes about him are widespread in Sumeru; not only do the Academy's scholars fear him, but even the Sumeru folk who normally have nothing to do with knowledge tremble at his name.

Thus, when the news spread that Senior Discipline Officer Sai Nuo had come to investigate a case, the people staying at Golden Sands Journey panicked.

They feared being dragged into a knowledge-related case over some unknown incident.

After all, no one knows what their partners have actually done.

If anyone among them had violated the Academy's prohibitions, they would surely suffer an unjust accusation.

What's more,

Merchants who travel between desert and rainforest—who could claim their hands are completely clean? No one dares guarantee that the Senior Discipline Officer won't quietly dispose of them during an investigation.

Tension spread rapidly with Sai Nuo's arrival.

Some had even prepared to flee.

Fortunately,

The Senior Discipline Officer's visit this time seemed merely for the major case that occurred this morning at Kawanyi; his demand was only to inspect luggage and pat down—if one wasn't caught carrying contraband, they could go.

This let many people breathe a sigh of relief.

But others became even more fearful because of it.

When the third person trying to flee was caught and bound by Sai Nuo, the folks at Golden Sands Journey completely gave up the idea of escaping.

Sai Nuo is a wielder of a Lightning Element Vision.

And the lightning element is the fastest among Teyvat's seven elemental energies.

Sai Nuo, skilled at manipulating lightning, finds dealing with these ordinary guests utterly effortless.

To put it bluntly,

Let them run for an hour first, and Sai Nuo can easily catch them back.

Thus, after witnessing the Senior Discipline Officer's terror,

those with guilty consciences can only await Sai Nuo's search in nervous anxiety.

All they can do now is pray that Sai Nuo doesn't deem their belongings contraband, and rack their brains thinking of who could bail them out if they were caught.

The commotion on the first floor quickly drew the attention of the guests upstairs.

People poured out of their rooms, leaning on the railings to see what was happening below.

Luo De and Dixiya were no exception.

"Hey, quite a commotion—he's here."

Upon seeing Sai Nuo in person, the alcohol‑reeking Dixiya instantly perked up, widening her eyes at the white‑haired youth below.

After Luo De returned yesterday, she and he have been drinking ever since.

Dixiya holds her liquor well; after drinking this long, she's only a bit blurry‑eyed, far from passing out.

Luo De, on the other hand, has gotten a little fuzzy.

He has lived two lives.

He still doesn't much like drinking.

If it weren't for Dixiya helping him cover up the fact that he killed someone, he wouldn't have drunk so much.

Fortunately,

Being fuzzy is being fuzzy.

Luo De's mind is still quite clear.

Dixiya kept things under control; as soon as Luo De began to show signs of being drunk, she immediately stopped him from drinking further.

Watching the lively scene below,

Luo De shook his head.

Although Dixiya had controlled things well, his vision still doubled, and it took him a good while to shake off the dizziness.

He strained his eyes, trying to make out the Senior Discipline Officer's face.

Hmm, another familiar face.

Counting Kantisi,

This is the third game character Luo De has seen since arriving in Tiwatedalu.

But the unreal feeling he had when he first met Dixiya is gone now.

It seemed he had sensed the gaze from upstairs.

As Sai Nuo was searching a merchant, he lifted his head and locked eyes with Luo De.

Seeing the Ice Element Vision hanging from Luo De's waist, his gaze turned serious at once.

Being able to kill nine people silently and without a trace in the heavily guarded Kawanyi, six of them skilled desert folk,

this stranger possessing a Vision is a highly suspicious target.

Of course.

Suspecting Luo De isn't based solely on the idea that only Vision wielders could commit such a major case.

In fact,

There was not a trace of elemental energy left at the scene.

Cyno carefully examined and confirmed this.

This only shows that the culprit is highly skilled in martial arts; possessing or lacking a Vision can at most add a bit of suspicion, not enough to condemn.

Especially upon seeing Dixiya speaking beside Luo De, Cyno's suspicion of Luo De lessened further.

Although he had never dealt with the Blazing Light Beast Hunters.

However, in the Discipline Officer's records, Dixiya ranks high among those under scrutiny.

This is not because the Blazing Light Beast Hunters have committed any illegal or disorderly acts.

It's simply because any mercenary group could unknowingly take on an escort commission involving contraband.

Thus, mercenary groups that travel between the rainforest and desert regions.

Regardless of their scale.

They will appear on the Discipline Officer's list.

The Blazing Light Beast Hunters enjoy an excellent reputation in the rainforest region and a fearsome one in the desert; such a capable mercenary group naturally becomes a key focus of the Discipline Officer's attention.

However, Dixiya and the Blazing Light Beast Hunters, thanks to their consistently good conduct, have successfully left a very good impression on the Discipline Officer.

Thus, upon first seeing Dixiya, Cyno's reaction was that the person accompanying her was unlikely to be the culprit.

Having this preconceived notion,

Cyno's attention shifted away from Luo De; he first finished searching the merchants downstairs, then went upstairs to inspect.

Soon after,

The bleary-eyed Luo De and Dixiya came face to face with Cyno.

"I am."

Cyno's introduction wasn't finished yet.

Dixiya, bleary-eyed, interrupted: "Your Excellency, Grand Discipline Officer, I—I know you. Investigate, investigate. Our belongings are in the room. After you check, let me and Luo De continue drinking."

Luo De?

Cyno gave Luo De, who was leaning on the railing and half-asleep, a deep glance, then nodded and carefully searched their room.

Nothing.

Only a small bag of Fertility Blessing.

Found in Luo De's room.

Cyno took the bag of Fertility Blessing, walked up to Luo De, and asked, "Is this yours?"

"Ah?"

"Let me see… oh, it's mine."

"I have it here, I have a purchase permit."

Saying this, Luo De fumbled to produce the purchase permit for the Fertility Blessing.

"Are you from A Ru Cun?"

Cyno merely glanced at it and confirmed the permit's authenticity, but upon seeing the words "A Ru Cun" on it, he still deliberately asked.

He didn't recall anyone named Luo De living in A Ru Cun.

"Luo De—he only settled in A Ru Cun half a month ago."

Dixiya, at the side, helped explain.

"Half a month ago?"

"Alright, I understand."

Cyno nodded and returned the bag of Fertility Blessing to Luo De.

Since he holds a legitimate purchase permit, this bag of Fertility Blessing is not contraband.

However, just as Luo De reached out to take the bag, Cyno suddenly lashed out with a thunderbolt-like punch aimed at his face.

This punch came with tremendous force.

It even carried the rumble of lightning elemental energy.

If Luo De didn't dodge, he would surely be blown away by this punch to who-knows-where.

Dixiya's eyes suddenly cleared; she was about to shout when she saw Cyno's fist steadily halt before Luo De's face, only a hair's breadth from his eye socket.

(End of chapter)