Lu Chen and Raiden Ei walked aimlessly down the street, each holding an ice cream cone.
Between yesterday evening and the whole of today, the two had been wandering around the city nonstop—yet not even a single hair of Venti's had been found.
While they didn't find him, they did overhear plenty of bizarre rumors.
People talking about eccentrically dressed individuals wandering the streets...
A green-hatted boy playing a lyre while begging illegally on an overpass—only to be chased off by city security...
Someone getting thrown out of a bar for not paying for their drinks... and even reports of green, unidentified flying objects spotted in the sky...
Back when Raiden Ei descended into this world, she brought thunder and lightning with her, filled with fierce emotion. But when it came to Venti, the entire vibe had changed so drastically it was jarring.
Lu Chen could only keep asking around, until he finally found a small bar nestled in the commercial district.
Inside, smooth jazz played over the speakers. The bartender told him that a teenager had lingered at the bar's entrance for quite a while but never went in.
Probably didn't have any money, Lu Chen thought, amused, then turned to look at Raiden Ei still nibbling at her ice cream.
Holding her cone, she scanned the area carefully. "I can sense a faint presence. Based on last time, he might not have gone far—he could still be nearby."
By "last time," she meant their encounter with Old Zhang the previous afternoon.
Back then, Raiden Ei had confidently declared: "If a strong presence enters my perception range, I'll definitely know."
But sure enough, Barbatos had slipped right past her to steal Old Zhang's wine—an undeniable slap in the face.
The flaw lay in the word "strong." After leaving Mondstadt and goofing off for a thousand years, Venti no longer had access to the faith of the people—and he didn't care about power in the first place. Right now, his strength was minimal at best.
Add to that the real world's incredibly weak elemental energy—Raiden Ei herself was operating at just 30% of her normal power—Venti would be even weaker.
"The Anemo Archon's realm is beyond mine..." Raiden Ei said with a sigh after piecing everything together.
Which Archon would be so indifferent to their own strength? Probably only the free-spirited Barbatos.
"The only things that might actually matter to Venti are booze and music."
Lu Chen ordered a drink casually. As he sat down and listened to the bar's music, a sudden idea struck him.
"I've got it!"
His eyes lit up as he turned to the bartender, who was polishing glasses. "What if I rent out your bar for a day?"
...
Two hours later, a loud, eye-catching sign was hanging outside the little tavern:
"Shocking!"
"Owner quits! Free drinks for all!"
"Everyone gets a glass! Drink for free—today only! Just one day!"
Not only was the sign attention-grabbing, but the same message was being blasted through a loudspeaker outside the bar. A diverse mix of customers soon started gathering in the commercial district. Even non-drinkers were lured in by the exaggerated advertisement.
At that moment, Lu Chen and Raiden Ei were hiding in a coffee shop across the street, eyes fixed on the bar entrance.
"Will this even work?" Raiden Ei asked doubtfully.
"You're doubting my abilities now? All these years, haven't I always gotten things done when I wanted to..." Lu Chen trailed off mid-sentence.
In Inazuma, there were still many things he hadn't accomplished—very important ones.
...
Pushing those heavy thoughts aside, he met Raiden Ei's eyes and quickly put on a mischievous grin again.
"As long as there's wine, that guy can hear it from ten miles away. Just wait!"
Lu Chen called the plan "The Venti Trap."
It had taken quite a bit of effort, but he managed to rent the bar for a full day. Given the bar's modest size and struggling business, his offer was more than fair.
And for Lu Chen, anything solvable with money was no problem at all. Not only did he already have millions on hand, but he had ten billion more waiting for him in the foreseeable future.
Ugh, being too rich was a real problem.
He claimed he had no real interest in money and actually missed those days two lifetimes ago when his weekly allowance was just fifty yuan.
Seriously.
As the free drinks promo spread like wildfire, people began streaming in and out of the bar. Around noon, Lu Chen finally spotted a familiar figure.
A flowing green cloak, a white Cecilia flower tucked into the brim of a hat, and a face so delicate he looked like a spirit of the forest. Wherever he went, eyes naturally followed.
But maybe the variety of outfits on the commercial street wasn't so rare—people just assumed he was a cosplayer and quickly looked away.
Only Lu Chen never looked away.
Sure enough, the guy had taken the bait. He was now sitting at the bar, eyes glued to the bartender's every move.
After downing a colorful cocktail the bartender passed over, he leaned back comfortably, clearly waiting for the next round.
Lu Chen couldn't hear what he said, but maybe it was something like, "The drinks in this world are amazing..."
Raiden Ei, peeking from the coffee shop, sighed with admiration. "As expected of Barbatos—he's way better at adapting than I am."
Lu Chen recalled the time she blew up the microwave and chuckled helplessly.
It had taken Ei a long time to adjust to this world. Even now, she occasionally ran into funny mishaps... But Venti? He had just arrived and was already scouring the place for alcohol.
...
Inside the bar, Venti continued accepting glass after glass from the bartender, leaving the nearby patrons stunned.
This weirdly dressed teenager could drink!
Even the bartender's eyebrow twitched slightly. At the rate this kid was going, he was going to drink the bar dry!
Calling it a "strong tolerance" didn't even begin to cover it. No matter what or how much he drank, he knocked it back effortlessly without a change in expression.
"Another one, please!"
The glass slid across the counter once more.
The bartender opened his mouth to say something, but the teen looked far from drunk. He even smacked his lips like it wasn't enough, wearing a look that said, "Is that it?"
The bartender gritted his teeth. Fine. He'd show this kid what real liquor was.
He smiled and handed over a glass of 96% alcohol vodka.
...
Venti accepted the vodka, and for the first time, his casual expression turned slightly serious.
He gave it a sniff. "Mmm... now that's the good stuff."
"You're enjoying yourself, huh!"
"Yeah, the drinks in this world are really good. And the bar owner's super generous—letting me drink for free..."
Venti froze mid-sentence. That voice... why did it sound so familiar?
He turned his head slowly—only to see a stone-faced Lu Chen standing beside Raiden Ei.
"Ah—"
He broke into a big, carefree grin. "It's you guys! Want a drink?"