Genshin Impact:The one who likes to observe

"Hell nah! Genshin Impact is way too chaotic—I'd rather stay in my normal world!"

Theo's frustrated yell echoed through the serene mountains of Liyue, disturbing the peaceful ambiance of Mt. Aocang. Birds scattered, and even the wind seemed to pause—judging him for his outburst.

After a few moments, he forced himself to inhale deeply, then exhale slowly.

"Okay… okay. I need to calm down and think rationally."

Panicking wouldn't help. He needed a plan—a way to return to his world.

"Maybe… if I got here by drowning, I can go back the same way?"

It sounded stupid. But then again, so was the fact that he had transmigrated into a freaking video game.

If transmigration was real, then maybe reverse transmigration was possible too.

"…Which means I need to drown again."

Theo scanned his surroundings.

The problem?

The water around Mt. Aocang was way too shallow.

There was no way he was going to drown in ankle-deep water.

"I need to find a deeper spot."

Then, a memory surfaced—before reaching Cloud Retainer's abode, there was a deep lake!

"Alright, let's go there."

But as he started walking, he immediately frowned.

"Uhh… Mihoyo, why don't you make the roads in this game more normal?! How the hell am I supposed to pass through here?"

The rocky terrain was ridiculous. Instead of normal roads, it was all uneven stones, random floating platforms, and steep-ass cliffs.

Sighing, Theo carefully jumped from one round stone to another, making his way toward his destination.

By the time he reached the deep body of water, he was already sweating.

He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. His breath was ragged, his legs felt weak, and his entire body ached from the short journey.

"Damn it… It's not even that far, and I'm already this tired?"

Frustration filled him as he clutched his chest.

"This body is way too weak! If my real body fought this one, I'd win with one hand!"

Shaking his head, he turned toward the water.

The lake was deep. Perfect.

He took a deep breath and stood at the edge.

"Alright. I've arrived. If this works, then I'll finally leave this weak-ass body behind."

But as he prepared to jump, he hesitated.

"…Is this really going to work?"

Doubt crept into his mind.

What if it didn't work?

What if he got stuck here forever?

But then again—what choice did he have?

"Ah, whatever. The faster I leave this world, the better. I don't wanna deal with this chaotic mess."

And with that—

He leaned back.

Letting himself fall straight into the deep water.

(Author's Note: Guys, never imitate what this guy is doing. He's either a bit dumb or the dumbest. Sigh.)

As he sank deeper, Theo closed his eyes and thought:

"Yeah… way back home."

Seconds passed.

Nothing happened.

The familiar pull of consciousness he had felt when transmigrating did not return.

Instead—

"…Blup. Blup. Meh. I can't breathe—SHIT."

Theo frantically swam up.

The moment his head broke the surface, he gasped for air.

"BLUERGH!"

Coughing violently, he vomited water onto the stone platform.

His throat burned, his lungs ached, and his entire body was soaked.

"Shit. This is literally not working at all."

Groaning, he lay flat on the ground, staring at the sky.

"Let me think first…"

Silence.

Then—

He realized something horrifying.

"…I really can't go back."

The realization hit Theo like a truck.

His soaked body shivered slightly—not from the cold, but from the overwhelming truth sinking into his mind.

He groaned, running a hand through his wet white hair.

"Alright, alright… Think logically. What should I do now?"

Step One: Get away from this place.

Step Two: Find a safe location.

Step Three: Figure out what the hell is going on.

Theo pushed himself up, his clothes dripping with water. He looked around once more, taking in the breathtaking scenery of Mt. Aocang.

It was truly beautiful, but—

"Wait a damn minute."

His eyes widened as realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.

"This is Mt. Aocang… That means…"

A sudden wave of dread washed over him.

"Hell nah! I forgot Cloud Retainer literally lives here!"

His body tensed.

That old bird was crazy! If she found him trespassing in her territory, she might interrogate him to death or worse—force him to listen to her long-ass speeches.

"Nope. I need to leave. Fast."

Theo frantically looked around for a way to descend the mountain before that old bird found him.

He rushed around the entire peak, desperately searching for a path down.

His legs stopped at the edge of a cliff, and he scanned his surroundings.

Left side? A swirling Eye of the Storm hovered dangerously in the distance.

Right side? An insanely steep cliff.

If he jumped—well, it wasn't "probably" death. It was definitely death.

"Damn it. There's no safe way down?"

As he was deep in thought—

A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

Theo froze.

A calm yet curious voice spoke from behind him.

"Hey. What are you doing here? And how did you get here?"

Theo's instincts kicked in.

He shoved the hand off his shoulder and took a step back, snapping:

"I'm trying to think right now! Can you leave me alone for a sec—"

Then, his brain caught up.

Wait.

He was alone on Mt. Aocang.

There wasn't supposed to be anyone else here.

So—

Who the hell just touched him?

His breath hitched.

Theo turned around slowly, his breath caught in his throat.

Standing before him was a woman—but not just any ordinary woman.

She had an elegant yet commanding presence, her long, flowing teal and azure hair swaying as if carried by the wind itself. Her piercing red-framed glasses rested on her sharp eyes, giving her a wise and mysterious aura.

Her outfit was a blend of regal and battle-ready, with golden ornaments adorning her shoulders and hips, intricate swirling patterns decorating the dark fabric, and a slit that revealed her long, graceful legs.

Feathers and wind-like motifs surrounded her, almost as if she were part of the very sky itself.

An Adeptus.

Theo's stomach dropped.

"Oh… crap"

Theo felt a cold sweat forming on his forehead as he locked eyes with the woman standing before him.

Cloud Retainer.

The infamous Adeptus. The eccentric, long-winded old bird. The one who could either lecture you into insanity or throw you off a cliff if she found you suspicious.

And right now—

She was staring straight at him.

Her sharp gaze felt like daggers, dissecting every inch of his existence.

Theo swallowed.

"She's waiting for me to answer. Think, think, THINK!"

His brain scrambled for an excuse, but before he could stop himself—

"I got lost! And when I noticed, I was already here!"

"Shit, that's the dumbest excuse ever!"

Cloud Retainer raised an eyebrow.

"Lost? Hm… but this is the peak of a mountain. That is rather… odd."

Her gaze intensified.

Theo felt his soul about to ascend from sheer anxiety.

"I'm so done. She's gonna kill me. Oh no, oh no, oh no—"

Desperate, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Uhhh—I was actually sent here by my master! Moon Carver! He sent me to greet you, Master Cloud Retainer!"

Huh?! What the hell am I saying?!

Cloud Retainer blinked.

"…Moon Carver has a disciple?"

A flicker of surprise crossed her face.

Theo's heartbeat was about to explode.

"Oh shit, she doesn't buy it—"

"Why did I not know of this?" she mused, eyeing him with renewed curiosity.

Crap, crap, crap—say something, dumbass!

Theo quickly forced a grin.

"Ahaha, well! I'm actually his new disciple! Just recently! That's probably why!"

"Please buy it. Please buy it. Please buy it."

Cloud Retainer hummed, tapping her chin.

"Hmmm… Not many people know my human form… so that must mean…"

She seemed lost in thought.

Then, she nodded.

"I see. That does seem reasonable."

Theo nearly collapsed from sheer relief.

"Holy shit, she actually bought it."

But before he could celebrate—

"Then why did you claim you were lost earlier?"

Theo froze.

"Oh. Shit."

His mind raced.

And then—

"I… I forgot for a moment how Master described your features!"

Cloud Retainer studied him for a moment.

Then—

To his absolute shock—

She actually laughed.

"Hah! That does sound like Moon Carver. Always so formal with his descriptions!"

Theo barely held back a hysterical giggle.

"Holy shit, I might actually survive this!"

Cloud Retainer then glanced toward the mountain's edge.

"You wish to descend, correct? Do you require my assistance?"

Theo blinked.

Wait.

She was offering to help him?

Not interrogating him further? Not yeeting him off the mountain to test his "Adeptus disciple abilities"?

Was this… his golden ticket out of here?!

His eyes widened slightly, but he quickly coughed into his hand, trying to act normal.

"Ahem. Of course, Master—I mean, sorry! I mean, Xianyun! I would greatly appreciate your assistance."

Cloud Retainer—or rather, Xianyun—gave a firm nod.

"Good. Do not call me 'Master.' My human name is Xianyun. You may refer to me as such."

Theo hastily nodded.

"Understood, Ms. Xianyun."

Without another word, Xianyun shifted into her Adeptus form—her elegant human figure dissolving into the shape of a massive, majestic crane.

Her feathers gleamed like polished jade, and a faint glow surrounded her, as if she were part of the sky itself.

Theo, still in awe, almost forgot to react when she turned her head toward him.

"Come. Sit on my back."

Theo snapped out of his daze.

"Oh, right—freedom!"

With a small but genuine smile, he nodded.

"Thank you, Xianyun."

Carefully, he climbed onto her back, making sure not to grip her feathers too tightly.

And then—

They took off.

The Sky Above Liyue

The wind rushed past him, the sudden altitude shift making his stomach churn.

Below, the vast landscape of Liyue stretched endlessly.

Mountains bathed in golden sunlight.

Rivers weaving like silver threads.

The bustling harbor gleaming in the distance.

Theo had seen this view countless times in-game.

But seeing it in real life?

It was on another level.

For a moment—just a moment—he forgot about his predicament.

But then—

His brain caught up.

"Wait. She actually bought it. I got away with it!"

Then, another thought struck him like a slap to the face.

"Shit. But when she finds out I lied, she's gonna kill me."

His stomach twisted. He subtly inched back on her feathers, suppressing the urge to jump off mid-air.

"After this, I need to run. Far away. Preferably to Mondstadt. Or Inazuma. Or another world, if possible."

Then, out of nowhere—

A subtle scent drifted past him.

"...Huh?"

It was faint yet pleasant—a mix of mountain air, fresh rain, and a soft floral undertone.

Theo blinked.

"...Damn. She actually smells nice."

He hesitated.

Then, purely out of curiosity, he lightly pressed his hand against her feathers.

"...Whoa."

They were softer than he expected.

Like silk.

Warm. Smooth. Comforting.

For a second, he almost forgot that he was literally flying on the back of a thousand-year-old Adeptus.

Almost.

"Focus, dumbass! You need to escape the moment you touch the ground!"

With newfound determination, he narrowed his eyes.

The moment they landed—

He was gonna bolt.

(To Be Continued•••)