The plot after Lumine's memories ended...
"Lumine?!"
Seeing Lumine had fainted, Paimon anxiously looked at the Childe beside her...
Alright, he fainted even faster.
"You you you... don't come any closer..."
Paimon flailed backward, only to be grabbed by the scruff of her neck by the Doctor.
"Waaah?! Someone help!"
The Doctor lifted Paimon, who was struggling in his hands, to his face and chuckled mockingly.
"Stop shouting, I won't do anything to you. I just want to... invite you to watch a good show..."
Returning to reality, after listening to the account, Ying looked around the surroundings with some confusion and murmured.
"Strange... I didn't see the Childe just now. Could it be he woke up first and left on his own?"
Shaking her head, Ying didn't dwell on it further. After all, the most important objective now was to rescue Paimon.
With that in mind, Ying took out the map the Doctor had given her and studied it with Lumine and Paimon.
Paimon immediately noticed something was amiss and asked with confusion.
"Huh? Why are there two markers? And they're so far apart. I remember he only wanted you to go alone. How could you possibly get there?"
Lumine furrowed her brows.
"Because one of the markers is a decoy. That scoundrel wants to play the same trick again, separating me and Ying."
"Huh?!"
Paimon immediately shook her head and suggested.
"Then we can't let him succeed! How about we just go together and test them out one by one!"
"No, his goal is to have Ying go alone. If he finds out we didn't follow his instructions, he might use Paimon as a hostage."
After stating her concerns, Lumine proposed her plan.
"I plan to go in Ying's place. After all, we look very alike. I only need to change my demeanor slightly. As for the hair, I can just wear a wig."
Saying this, Lumine looked at Ying, who had been silent the entire time.
"Ying, what do you think?"
Ying blinked for a while before snapping back to reality. She chuckled and teased.
"If I say I don't think it's a good idea, will you let me go?"
Lumine answered without hesitation, "No. This is all my fault due to my carelessness, so I must and can only be the one to go."
Hearing Lumine's firm words, Ying sighed helplessly and began to analyze for her.
"Based on my understanding of the Doctor..."
"He will definitely design the marker in the Sumeru desert as a decoy, so..."
Before Ying could finish, Lumine immediately nodded and said, "Okay, if that's the case, you stay here obediently, and I will go to that place."
"Huh?"
Ying was stunned for a moment. She was about to remind Lumine, but Lumine had already taken the lead. Looking at her seriously, Lumine said, "First, you would never agree to let me take such a dangerous risk in your place. Second, your eyes kept darting away from mine when you were speaking. Third, your hands couldn't help but fidget with your clothes' hem while you were talking. What? Are you trying to deliberately trick me into going to the seaside, send me away, and then go to the rendezvous yourself?"
Being seen through by Lumine's sharp observation, Ying slumped her shoulders and mumbled in a low voice.
"I... I didn't..."
Lumine took a deep breath, calmed her emotions, and looked at Ying again with seriousness.
"In any case, this is non-negotiable. I'm going to prepare the props now. You and Paimon will go back to the Serenitea Pot and stay put."
Saying this, Lumine looked at Paimon and earnestly instructed.
"Paimon, absolutely do not let her out of your sight. No matter how she tries to tempt you, don't agree. Because no matter if it's food or anything else, I will give you twice as much as she promises when I return. Do you understand?"
Paimon immediately nodded vigorously.
"Don't worry! Mission guaranteed to be accomplished!"
After giving her instructions, Lumine watched them enter the Serenitea Pot before letting out a slight sigh of relief and turning to prepare the wig.
Inside the Serenitea Pot...
Ying sat quietly on the bed. After estimating that enough time had passed, she turned to look at Paimon, who was staring intently at her, and said with some helplessness.
"Paimon, it's been ten minutes since you've been holding that pose. Aren't your eyes tired?"
"Tired, but Lumine said I can't let you out of my sight."
Hearing such blunt words, Ying couldn't help but laugh.
"But you don't have to not even blink your eyes."
"Ah, this... that actually makes sense..."
Paimon had a sudden realization. She closed her long-aching eyes, gently rubbing them with her hands, and reminded.
"Don't leave while I'm closing my eyes..."
*Bang...*
Before Paimon could finish her sentence, Ying delivered a chop to the back of her neck, causing her to fall unconscious.
After placing Paimon on the bed, Ying smiled and pinched her cheek, apologizing for her actions.
"I'm sorry, little Paimon. Please take a little nap. I promise I'll try my best to be back before you wake up~"
With that, Ying immediately left the Serenitea Pot and flew rapidly in the opposite direction of Lumine.
Along the way, Ying recalled her previous conversation with Lumine, and a trace of apology flickered in her eyes.
Ultimately, she had deceived Lumine. But she couldn't help it. The moment she saw that place, a strong sense of foreboding engulfed her heart. Ying was certain that this sense of crisis was more intense than anything she had encountered before.
For this reason, she had thought for a long time and finally decided to deliberately show a flaw, making Lumine believe she had discovered her plan. This way, Lumine would be completely at ease and go to the false location.
"I'm sorry... Lumine, I really can't this time. No matter what, I can't stand to see you take this risk..."
After flying over the sea for several hours, Ying finally arrived at the island marked on the map. She looked around at the scenery and couldn't help but quip.
"Except for the map being much larger, everything else is exactly as I remember."
Following her memory, Ying soon arrived at the road nestled between two large mountains. As expected, she saw the figure she would never forget.
Seeing Ying had indeed come here alone, the Doctor smiled and applauded her.
"Although I knew you would do as I said, seeing it in person still makes me instinctively surprised."
Ying glared at the Doctor, not bothering to respond to his words, and directly asked.
"Where is Paimon?"