The morning sun bathed Mondstadt in a golden glow, its rays filtering through the leaves of the trees that lined the city's outskirts, casting dappled patterns on the cobblestone path leading to the bridge. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of fresh grass and the faint tang of the nearby Cider Lake, its surface shimmering like a sheet of glass under the sunlight. The city itself buzzed with a renewed energy, the Wind Dragon crisis resolved, and the Fatui's expulsion order in full effect. The streets were alive with the sounds of merchants setting up their stalls, children laughing as they played near the fountain, and bards strumming their lutes, their melodies a celebration of freedom restored. The towering statue of Barbatos loomed over the plaza, its stone wings spread wide, a silent guardian watching over the city as the wind whispered through the streets, a gentle breeze that seemed to carry the promise of a new day.
Xander sat at a table outside the Good Hunter, a popular eatery near the city gates, a plate of sticky honey roast and a mug of cider in front of him. His cloak was draped over the back of his chair, the Shadowfang Blade resting against the table, its dark steel glinting in the sunlight. His recent upgrade to A-level had left him feeling invigorated, his senses sharper, his movements more fluid, a vibrant blue aura still lingering faintly around him. The expulsion of the Fatui had been a swift and decisive move by the Knights of Favonius, and the people of Mondstadt had celebrated the decision with fervor, their admiration for Xander and Ying growing with each passing day. But Ying's spirits had been dampened by the events of the previous night—Rosalyn's attack on Wendy, the theft of the Heart of God, and her own inability to stop it had left her grappling with feelings of weakness and frustration.
Xander, however, was in high spirits, his lunch finished and his mind buzzing with anticipation. It was time for another second creation video, a chance to bring some levity to Mondstadt after the tension of the past few days. He had chosen his target carefully this time—the protagonist of Teyvat's story, Ying herself. As the Traveler, Ying was known for her courage, her determination, and her unwavering resolve to find her lost sibling. But she was also, in Xander's opinion, the "scummiest" character in the game, her actions often leaving a trail of chaos and heartbreak in her wake. The second creation video would highlight this side of her, a comedic take on her "crumbs" that would surely get a laugh out of the audience—and perhaps a few embarrassed groans from Ying herself.
The virtual screen of the Teyvat Second Creation broadcast room materialized above the plaza, its ethereal light casting a soft blue hue over the cobblestones. The citizens of Mondstadt gathered around, their curiosity piqued as the familiar chime signaled the start of the broadcast. Jean stood near the fountain, her blue cape fluttering in the breeze, her Anemo Vision glowing at her waist, her blonde hair catching the sunlight as she watched with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Eula leaned against a nearby wall, her silver-blue hair shimmering like frost, her Cryo Vision glowing at her hip, her icy blue eyes narrowed with interest. Paimon hovered beside Ying, her starry cape fluttering as she clutched her tiny fists, her expression a mix of excitement and nervousness. Ying herself stood at the center of the crowd, her golden eyes wide with dread, her blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight as she gripped her sword, her Anemo powers swirling faintly around her.
The broadcast room's cheerful voice echoed through the plaza, its tone bright and enthusiastic. "The Teyvat Second Creation live broadcast room is open! Good afternoon, dear viewers and friends!" it announced, the words accompanied by a playful wave of digital confetti on the screen.
The chat exploded with reactions, the audience buzzing with anticipation as they awaited the new video.
Xingqiu: "I had insomnia last night—insomnia! Look at these dark circles under my eyes!"
Ningguang: "It seems this broadcast room isn't daily after all—pigeons do get released occasionally."
Kaeya: "I wish it were on time every day—I could live off this entertainment."
Arataki Itto: "Hey, when will this uncle get another spotlight? The last one didn't show off my brilliance, invincibility, and handsomeness at all!"
Kuki Shinobu: "Boss, calm down—you don't want to be embarrassed again, do you?"
Wendy: "Ehe, who's the target this time? Shall we have a prize quiz?"
Paimon: "Singer, you really have a big heart…"
The title of the video appeared on the screen in bold, glowing letters: "This Traveler Has Billions of Crumbs."
Ying's jaw dropped, her face flushing with a mix of shock and embarrassment as she pointed at the screen. "This Traveler… they can't mean me, right?!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with dread as she turned to Paimon, her golden eyes wide with panic.
Paimon hovered beside her, her tiny body trembling as she nodded. "It… it seems pretty likely," she said, her voice a mix of sympathy and nervousness. "Oh no, I'm in the video too—what do we do?!"
The chat erupted with reactions, the audience's excitement reaching a fever pitch as they realized who the target was.
Klee: "Wow, the Honorary Knight sister is on camera!"
Yae Miko: "Hehe, this doesn't seem like a good thing… please don't drag me into it again."
Xander: "I'm a bit nervous—Ying and I are both Travelers from another world. What if it's me?!"
Beidou: "Hahaha, kid, I hope it's you this time—let's see you make a fool of yourself!"
Ganyu: "Mr. Xander, are you going to get hit twice…?"
Kamisato Ayaka: "It's fine, it's fine—I escaped again."
The video began, the screen fading to a sunny morning near the intersection outside Mondstadt's bridge. The scene was picturesque, the bridge's stone arches framed by the vibrant green of the surrounding fields, the sound of the river below a gentle murmur in the background. Ying stood at the center of the frame, her yellow hair gleaming in the sunlight, her Anemo Vision glowing at her waist, her sword sheathed at her side. Paimon hovered beside her, her starry cape fluttering as she chatted animatedly, her tiny hands gesturing wildly as she spoke.
The narrator's voice boomed over the scene, its tone dramatic and teasing. "On a sunny morning near the intersection outside Mondstadt's bridge, a yellow-haired aunt chats with her flying pet! Introducing the protagonist of today's second creation—the Traveler Ying from another world!"
Ying's face turned bright red, her hands flying to her cheeks as she let out a strangled cry. "It's over—it's really me!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of horror and embarrassment as she sank to her knees, her Anemo powers swirling around her in a chaotic vortex.
Paimon flailed in the air, her tiny body trembling as she pointed at the screen. "And I'm in it too! What do we do, what do we do?!" she shouted, her voice a mix of panic and excitement as she darted around Ying in a frenzy.
The chat exploded with laughter, the audience reveling in Ying's reaction as the video continued.
Amber: "Oh no, Ying and Paimon got picked this time—such bad luck!"
Xander: "A moment of silence for Ying… just from the title alone, I can already see her world and character design collapsing."
Zhongli: "In terms of general rationality, with a number as large as 'billions' paired with the adjective 'crumbs,' I can no longer imagine the content of this video."
Hu Tao: "Advertisement, advertisement! Send one to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, quick!"
Yoimiya: "Uh… she's really obsessed with advertising, huh?"
The video transitioned to a montage of Ying's "crumbs," a comedic highlight reel of her most chaotic and morally questionable moments in Teyvat. The first scene showed her in Mondstadt, standing in front of a group of pigeons near the bridge. Timmie, a young boy who loved feeding the birds, stood nearby, his eyes wide with hope as he watched Ying approach. "Please don't scare them away this time," he pleaded, his voice trembling with emotion.
Ying grinned mischievously, her Anemo powers swirling as she summoned a vortex, the wind scattering the pigeons in a flurry of feathers. Timmie let out a wail, tears streaming down his face as he shouted, "My pigeons! You're the worst!" Ying laughed, her expression unapologetic as she turned to Paimon, who was doubled over with laughter. "Oops, guess I overdid it," she said, her tone light as she skipped away, leaving Timmie to sob in the background.
The next scene took place in Liyue, at the Wangshu Inn, where Xiao stood on the balcony, his spear in hand, his golden eyes narrowed with suspicion. Ying approached him, her expression overly sweet as she held out a plate of almond tofu, her voice dripping with faux innocence. "Xiao, I made this for you—won't you try it?" she asked, her tone coaxing as she batted her eyelashes.
Xiao hesitated, his stoic demeanor faltering as he took the plate, his voice gruff but soft. "Fine… but only because you insist," he said, taking a bite. His eyes widened in horror as he spat it out, the tofu laced with chili peppers, his face turning red as he coughed violently. Ying burst into laughter, her Anemo powers swirling as she darted away, leaving Xiao to glare after her, his voice a low growl. "Traveler… you'll pay for this."
The montage continued, each scene more outrageous than the last. In Inazuma, Ying "borrowed" a boat from a fisherman, promising to return it, only to crash it into a rock, leaving the poor man stranded on the shore as she waved apologetically from the water. In Sumeru, she convinced Collei to try a "new recipe" that turned out to be a prank dish filled with bitter herbs, leaving the young ranger gagging as Ying laughed hysterically. And in Fontaine, she flirted shamelessly with a local merchant to get a discount, only to ditch him the moment she got what she wanted, leaving him heartbroken as she skipped away with her new trinket.
The audience roared with laughter, the chat flooding with reactions as Ying's "crumbs" were laid bare for all of Teyvat to see.
Timmie: "I knew it! She's a pigeon-scaring monster!"
Xiao: "That tofu… I'll never forgive her."
Collei: "I trusted her… and she gave me that?!"
Kaeya: "Hahaha, the Traveler's got a real talent for chaos!"
Lisa: "Oh my, she's quite the troublemaker, isn't she?"
Yae Miko: "Hehe, I'm glad I'm not in this one—though I must say, she's got a knack for stirring things up."
Ying buried her face in her hands, her voice muffled as she groaned, "This is the worst day of my life…" Paimon hovered beside her, her tiny hands patting Ying's head in a futile attempt at comfort. "There, there… at least you're famous now?" she said, her tone uncertain as she glanced at the screen, her own embarrassment evident in her flushed cheeks.
Xander leaned back in his chair, his grin wide as he watched the video unfold, his laughter mingling with the crowd's. The second creation had been a success, Ying's "crumbs" providing the perfect mix of humor and chaos to lift the spirits of Mondstadt. But as he watched Ying's mortified reaction, a pang of sympathy stirred in his chest. She had been through a lot in the past day—Rosalyn's attack, the theft of the Heart of God, and her own feelings of inadequacy. Perhaps it was time to give her a break in the next video, to focus on someone else—like Venti, who still owed him a bit of payback for his theatrics the previous night.
As the video ended, the broadcast room announced the rewards: Ying received a "Pigeon-Feather Fan" as a tongue-in-cheek nod to her pigeon-scaring antics, while Paimon was given a "Prank-Proof Cookbook" to avoid future culinary disasters. The screen faded to black, the crowd dispersing with laughter and chatter, their spirits lifted by the lighthearted spectacle.
Ying slowly stood, her face still red as she turned to Xander, her golden eyes narrowed with a mix of embarrassment and determination. "You… you're behind this, aren't you?" she asked, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and amusement as she pointed a finger at him.
Xander raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin unapologetic as he replied, "Guilty as charged—but come on, you have to admit, it was pretty funny!" He paused, his expression softening as he added, "Don't worry, I'll give you a break next time. You've had a rough couple of days—you deserve a win."
Ying sighed, her shoulders slumping as she managed a small smile. "Fine… but you owe me," she said, her tone lighter now as she turned to Paimon, who was still clutching her new cookbook with a mix of pride and embarrassment. "Let's go, Paimon—I need to get away from all these laughing faces."
As the two walked away, the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm glow over Mondstadt. The city had faced its share of challenges, but for now, it basked in the light of victory and laughter, the second creation video a reminder that even heroes could be the source of a good laugh.
***
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