In the pitch-black night, an ice-blue figure leaped down from the rooftop of the Fatui’s Goethe Grand Hotel, reaching out to push open the window. But instead of the open air, he was met with countless ice crystals.

“Caught you, criminal,” Kaeya announced in an overly dramatic tone, standing by the window and looking at the nearly frozen figure clad in ice-blue.

At the same time, hidden guards from the Fatui and members of the Knights emerged from nearby, attempting to encircle the figure known as the "Darknight Hero."

“Hmph!” Diluc inwardly mocked Kaeya’s theatrics, waving his hand. 

Dark chains swiftly coiled around several Fatui members, tearing a gap in the encirclement. 

Using this opening, Diluc managed to break free under Kaeya’s “attack.”

“After him!” The order came not from Kaeya, but from Fatui Consul Anastasia, who immediately directed her subordinates to give chase.

Seeing this, Kaeya smirked to himself; this was precisely the outcome they wanted.

Only Kaeya knew the true identity of the Darknight Hero, so the other members of the Knights were giving it their all. 

Even Anastasia failed to notice anything amiss. 

But with Kaeya working as a double agent, how could they possibly succeed in the ambush?

Swish—

A dagger attached to a steel wire flew toward a windmill, where the thin wire instantly tightened, stretching across Diluc's escape path. 

If he continued forward, he would likely be sliced in two by the steel wire.

Clang— 

Chains made of dark flames appeared once again, but this time not as an attack—they wrapped around a nearby chimney instead. 

Using the chains, Diluc narrowly avoided the wire, though he crashed onto the ground in the process. 

Even though he’d been briefed, the sudden appearance of the wire startled him.

Before he could stand, a bottle of potion was poured over him, causing him to grimace in pain. 

With a low, agonized growl, he began to shrink, growing fur as he transformed—into a fiery red cat. 

Fatui guards rushed over, pinning the cat down, but they underestimated its strength and were scratched several times.

“Sir…” Anastasia approached, bowing her head slightly in shame. 

Bai Luo had offered to assist at the beginning, but she’d thought with so many people, the fugitive wouldn’t escape. 

She hadn’t expected Bai Luo would still have to step in to resolve the issue.

“The potion’s effects will last three days; get him back as soon as possible.” Retrieving his dagger, Bai Luo scooped up the cat, giving it a few affectionate strokes before handing it to a nearby Fatui guard without so much as a glance, walking off with an air of disappointment.

“Yes!” Anastasia straightened, saluting him with renewed determination. 

Bringing this fugitive, responsible for the deaths of both a diplomat and a missionary, back would hopefully compensate for the Fatui’s losses in Mondstadt.

Anastasia understood why Bai Luo was angry: even though the Windblume Festival had ended, monsters in the surrounding lands showed no activity. 

Although the Knights had sent people to clear them, the monsters weren't even impeded by such half-hearted efforts. 

Further investigation revealed that the recently deceased Klobber had betrayed the Fatui’s grand plans to Mondstadt, accepting a bribe from them. 

Bai Luo's disappointment in his subordinates was clear. Klobber was dealt with by the Darknight Hero, but the loyal followers of Bai Luo had paid the price, with many cursing Klobber’s name.

Jean returned earlier than planned; she’d become increasingly strained upon hearing of another murder following that of the diplomat, this time of a missionary. 

Recently, the Grand Master had assigned everything to her, and she, in turn, had delegated much of it to Kaeya. 

Despite her trust in Kaeya, she feared he couldn’t handle it all alone. 

After leaving part of her team behind, she returned with a group of elites.

To her surprise, though, by the time she returned, everything was already over. 

She barely missed crossing paths with the Fatui's prisoner cart but couldn’t understand why they were transporting a small cat. 

Had they gone mad?

Perhaps out of concern, Lisa didn’t mention to Jean that the cat was, in fact, Diluc. But knowing the properties of the potion, Lisa was well aware that its effects would not last the full three days Bai Luo had claimed; they would wear off by noon. By then, Diluc would break free and make it back safely.

At Noon—

By noon, the Mondstadt Knights had completed the handover to the people of Snezhnaya. 

If the criminal managed to escape again, it would no longer be Mondstadt’s problem; the responsibility would fall squarely on the Fatui.

At the same time, in another direction, a carriage was leaving Mondstadt. 

As Collei awoke from her slumber, she found herself not looking at Bai Luo’s familiar figure or the ceiling of the Goethe Grand Hotel, but rather at a young man lost in thought—Cyno.

Even though she had long put the past behind her, her vigilant nature was unchanged. Instinctively, she reached for her fruit knife, only to find it missing.

“Awake?” Cyno sighed, seeing Collei sit up. 

While it was true that Bai Luo had pressured him, thanks to Lisa, he also knew Collei’s painful history.

He couldn’t bring himself to take out his frustration on her.

“Where is he?” Collei glanced outside the carriage. 

Though still within Mondstadt’s borders, the city was already far behind them.

“He asked me to take you to Sumeru,” Cyno replied, handing her a small box. 

Collei stared at it for a few moments, then silently accepted it.

Inside the box lay two brand-new daggers, along with some replacement wires. 

Bai Luo had even tied a slightly crooked bow on one of them. 

The daggers were identical to Bai Luo’s own, though slightly smaller, crafted to perfectly suit Collei’s hands and to last a long time. 

The handle bore the mark of Wagner’s blacksmith shop.

She suddenly realized: the stones she had hauled back from the wilderness were ores Bai Luo used to craft her weapons. 

No wonder he had hinted she would one day thank him.

As she picked up one of the daggers, its perfect fit felt like… 

She froze, suddenly remembering something.

Back in Sumeru, to master the assassination technique left behind by her mysterious savior, she had asked an elderly man to teach her how to read. 

Though she studied diligently, there was one character in the text she could never understand. 

On his deathbed, Collei had finally shown him the technique, hoping he could explain it.

After examining it, the old man had remarked, “This handwriting is terrible, and the drawings are awkward too. Little one, you should be careful practicing this. Also… that last symbol doesn’t seem to be a character. It looks more like an illustration.”

“Illustration?”

“By its shape, it seems… it’s supposed to be a weapon. It’s just poorly drawn and rushed, crammed into a confusing spot.”

That crude symbol overlapped with the dagger in her hand.

Yes, this was it!

The one who had saved her and left her with a means of self-defense had been him—Bai Luo!

Sometimes, meeting someone new feels like reuniting with an old friend. 

She’d thought her fondness for Bai Luo stemmed from loneliness and finding someone willing to accept her. 

But now she understood…

What she thought was a first meeting was actually a long-overdue reunion.

Thank you, Teacher.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read