Peaceful days always seem to pass quickly. Jiang Bai wandered the streets of Liyue with over ten thousand Mora stuffed in his pockets—a fortune by some standards—but hadn't spent a single coin.
It wasn't that he was stingy. He just didn't know what to buy.
Why spend money on candy when you could teleport outside the city and pick Sweet Flowers—fresh and hygienic? Buying food? He could always sneak something from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's kitchen, or better yet, help Xiangling taste-test her new dishes.
As for daily necessities, the funeral parlor had everything he needed. And while there were plenty of pretty but ultimately useless trinkets for sale around the city, he had no use for them.
Which meant, somehow, he still had just as much Mora as he'd started with.
Jiang Bai squatted at the edge of the street, listlessly tossing a pebble he'd picked up from who-knows-where.
"So bored…"
Seriously, why didn't the Director take him along when she went out? He was her loyal sidekick, and yet he was left with nothing to do.
I should storm up to Hu Tao and ask: Aren't I your favorite little underling? Why would you go out without me?!
…Not that he had the guts to do it.
Besides Hu Tao, the only other person he was familiar with in Liyue Harbor was Xiangling.
But she was busy helping out at her family's restaurant. Even Guoba was busy running dishes—he really couldn't bring himself to interrupt.
Business-wise, their "Returning to the Roots" posthumous service had picked up three clients so far:
One, the adventurer Cartis, who'd gone to the snowy mountain.
Another heading to the desert.
And a third preparing to cross the sea to Inazuma.
From time to time, Jiang Bai would pull out the compass to check for any new developments.
He pulled it out now, eyes half-lidded in boredom… only to suddenly widen in shock.
His first client—the adventurer—was dead!
He had been perfectly fine that morning. But now, checking again, the name had gone gray!
Jiang Bai shot to his feet, checked the pointer several more times, and compared it with the others to be sure he wasn't mistaken.
No doubt about it—the adventurer was dead.
Who knew what he'd encountered up there? Just a few days ago he'd looked perfectly healthy when he'd stopped by for the service. Now he was gone, just like that.
Life really is unpredictable…
He pulled out the Four Directions Soul Compass and attached the pointer that would lead him to Hu Tao.
According to the terms of the contract, he should be preparing to set out for the snowy mountain now. But it was his first time handling a case like this, and honestly? He was nervous. If he could convince the Director to come along, it'd be perfect.
Following the compass's direction, he quickly found Hu Tao outside the city.
She'd somehow found a stick and tied a string to its thinner end, and was now sitting by a lake using this improvised tool to fish for lobsters.
"Director!"
"What is it now?" Hu Tao, intently focused on her lobster-fishing, looked up at Jiang Bai with a mildly exasperated expression.
"He's dead! That adventurer died!" Jiang Bai held up the pointer that had turned gray.
"Calm down, calm down," Hu Tao said, unbothered. "Life and death are just part of the cycle. How can you work at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and still act like this every time someone dies?"
She casually scattered a handful of chopped Sunsettia into the water to lure in fish or shrimp, then asked unhurriedly,
"Which adventurer was it?"
"Cartis! Our first new client—the one who went to the snowy mountain!"
That was enough to jog her memory.
Her expression remained completely composed, and she even shifted into a more comfortable sitting position.
"Anyone who books this service of ours is either going somewhere dangerous, or doing something dangerous. They know their chances of survival are slim—that's why they sign up in the first place."
"Most of the time, we get news of their deaths within a few days. If it takes longer, maybe a month or two. That we're seeing it now? Pretty normal."
"Just notify the attending Ritual Keeper on duty and head out as planned."
As the head of the funeral parlor, Hu Tao had long become used to dealing with death. Death notices came in daily, and by now they stirred little more than a ripple in her heart.
She looked at Jiang Bai with solemn earnestness.
"There's nothing strange about anyone's death. You'll have to get used to that sooner or later."
"It's not about getting used to it or not," Jiang Bai said, looking helpless.
Sure, the news had shaken him for a moment, but it wasn't overwhelming. He and the adventurer hadn't really interacted, so it passed quickly.
But that wasn't why he'd come.
He wanted to rope the Director into going to Dragonspine with him!
With her there—basically a human torch—how could they possibly freeze to death? They wouldn't even need to worry about lighting fires for warmth!
"Director, it's my first assignment. I don't have a lot of confidence. Come with me?" He clung to her arm and tried to wheedle.
"The Ritual Keepers have already taught you the entire funeral process," Hu Tao said. "This client's from Mondstadt. Not as picky as us Liyue folk. Once you find his remains, gather and prepare them properly, then carry out his last wishes."
"I don't know the snowy mountain well myself, so even if I went, I wouldn't be much help. I might even hold you back."
She settled in like a meditating monk, clearly not planning on moving an inch.
"But…" Jiang Bai wasn't ready to give up.
Traveling with someone was way better than going alone! Who knew how long it'd take to find the body up there? It'd be nice to have some company…
Hu Tao could read him like a book. She was having a great time fishing for lobsters and had a strong feeling she was about to catch her first one. She had zero interest in braving the cold winds of Dragonspine.
"You were going to say this is your first time going to the snowy mountain, right? Well, there are plenty of places you've never been. Everyone's gotta start somewhere."
"Our service is built on the idea of following in adventurers' footsteps all across Teyvat. Think of this as part of your training!"
Seeing that Jiang Bai still looked reluctant, she clapped him on the shoulder with dramatic sincerity.
"Yes, Dragonspine's environment is a bit rough. But I believe you can handle it. Just follow the compass. Anything you need, let Uncle Ge help you prepare.
Your first battle as Jiang Bai the Soul Ferryman—make it count!"
Jiang Bai stared at Hu Tao as she tossed out grand promises like sweets at a festival. These promises were big, round, and enticing—one bite and you'd be full for half a year.
He bobbed and weaved to dodge the sugary flattery… then pounced and hugged her arm.
"Director, I don't know how long I'll be gone. Dragonspine's freezing. I need you with me!"
Hu Tao rolled her eyes, slipped her arm free, and pressed a finger to his forehead to push him away.
"Can't you talk like a normal person? All this hugging and clinging—what kind of behavior is that?"
Jiang Bai: (´･_･`)
He felt wronged, but he wasn't going to say it.
Seeing the look on his face, Hu Tao sighed. Time to use her ultimate move.
"Go on, go on! When you get back, I'll give you a big fat red envelope to celebrate our first successful mission!"
---
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