Chapter 581: Ch 581 : Get out

"What—Traveler, what do you mean by this???"

Baizhu looked at Aether in complete confusion and disbelief as he spoke:

"Master Mao just woke up, and you knocked him out again???"

"And didn’t I tell you already? You need to control your strength! What if you actually cripple him?"

"Baizhu, there’s no time to explain!!!" Aether lifted the unconscious Master Mao onto his shoulder, speaking anxiously.

"Xiangling is controlling Su Yuan’s body and has fallen into an Eerie state! We have to move Master Mao right now—get him away from here!!!"

Seeing Aether’s urgency and the tension on his face, Baizhu finally realized how serious the situation was.

He asked in disbelief:

"Xiangling’s Eerie state hasn’t been resolved yet? Then that means Qiqi..."

"...Sigh. Traveler, Miss Ganyu—take Master Mao and leave immediately! If Xiangling shows up here, I’ll do what I can to hold her off!"

"Then I’ll be counting on you, Baizhu. Keqing will be arriving soon too. It’s already dark—we’ll use Furina’s Eerie rules to deal with Eerie Xiangling!"

After saying that, Aether and Ganyu carried the unconscious Master Mao and hurried away from Bubu Pharmacy to find a safe hiding spot.

Some time later, Baizhu, who had been intently monitoring the sounds outside, suddenly heard rapid footsteps approaching the door of the pharmacy.

Taking a deep breath, he readied himself to face whoever it was.

"Su Yuan? No... I should call you Xiangling now, shouldn’t I? What business do you have at my Bubu Pharmacy?" Baizhu said with a faint smile.

"Doctor Baizhu, it’s me—Keqing!!!"

However, the person who appeared wasn’t Xiangling controlling Su Yuan’s body, but Keqing, who had just returned from the Yuehai Pavilion with the promotional booklet featuring Furina’s image.

"Looks like my timing’s perfect. Xiangling hasn’t arrived yet..."

"Are you sure this plan will even work?" Baizhu asked worriedly, glancing at the booklet in her hands.

"Even if we use Lady Furina’s Eerie-state power, she’s in Fontaine—it’ll take time for her to arrive, won’t it?"

"According to Su Yuan’s previous experience," Keqing replied, "he saw this very booklet while eating dinner that night, and Furina appeared in his room around midnight. That means there were several hours in between..."

"Exactly—that’s the window we have to make use of."

Keqing nodded and continued:

"We must stall Eerie Xiangling for as long as we can before Furina arrives. Don’t let her find Master Mao, and try to keep her from harming anyone else."

"That’s... quite the difficult task." Baizhu frowned.

"And honestly, what worries me most is that this plan isn’t guaranteed to work."

"Right now, Xiangling—while controlling Su Yuan’s body—is displaying a level of power far beyond anything we could imagine."

"Even if Furina’s Eerie form is strong, will she really be a match for that?"

"After all, everything we know about Eerie Furina comes only from Su Yuan’s account. None of us have actually seen it with our own eyes..."

"...Sigh. Let’s trust Su Yuan’s judgment," Baizhu said quietly.

"His instincts are rarely wrong."

The wait that followed felt unbearably long for Baizhu and Keqing.

At last, after some time had passed, the silence was broken.

The one controlling Su Yuan’s body, "Xiangling," had arrived at Bubu Pharmacy.

"After my thorough investigation, it seems my dear father is recuperating right here in this very pharmacy..."

As "Xiangling" spoke, she stepped inside, lifting her gaze toward Keqing and Baizhu.

"So tell me, Doctor Baizhu, Miss Keqing—where is my father?"

She gestured with the bowl in her hands—inside was a black, indescribable mixture—and continued in a disturbingly calm tone:

"I’ve specially prepared a meal for my father. He’s a patient now, after all. It’s important for him to eat something nourishing..."

Taking advantage of the moment while "Xiangling" spoke, Keqing secretly opened the booklet featuring Furina’s image, turning it toward Xiangling and Su Yuan’s body.

Fortunately, "Xiangling" seemed not to notice and went on speaking in that eerie, quiet voice:

"Doctor Baizhu, Miss Keqing... why aren’t you saying anything?"

"Xiangling" pouted slightly, her tone showing a hint of displeasure as she said,

"I’ll ask one more time—My father —is he here or not???"

"Master Mao has already woken up," Baizhu replied cautiously, keeping his eyes fixed on her.

"He’s recovered well and has been discharged, so he’s no longer here at Bubu Pharmacy."

"Oh, so he’s not here anymore, huh..."

"Xiangling" shook her head, sounding a little disappointed.

Then she turned around as if to leave.

"In that case, Miss Keqing, Doctor Baizhu—sorry for the disturbance. I’ll be on my way now to continue looking for my father."

"This delicious and precious dish I’ve prepared... I must let my father taste it personally."

But in the very next instant—before either Keqing or Baizhu could react—an overwhelming surge of Eerie energy erupted from "Xiangling’s" body.

She suddenly spun around and launched a ferocious attack straight at Baizhu!

"Doctor Baizhu, let me just ask you one thing..."

"Xiangling’s" expression turned ice-cold, her eyes filled with malice as she hissed:

"When a patient is discharged... shouldn’t their family members have to sign the papers first???"

Seeing the incoming strike, Baizhu’s heart sank.

What nonsense was she even talking about?!

She was just using any excuse to attack him!

As expected—aside from their twisted rules, Eeries had absolutely no logic at all!

At that critical moment, Keqing darted forward in a flash of purple light, stepping between Baizhu and the raging Xiangling.

Her voice rang out, solemn and resolute:

"Doctor Baizhu, go—now!!! I’ll hold Xiangling off as long as I can!!"

"To protect the people—that’s the duty and responsibility of the Liyue Qixing!!"

"Besides, Liyue Harbor can’t afford to lose its miracle doctor who heals the world!!"

Keqing... was preparing to take the blow for Baizhu!

Yet, just as Xiangling’s attack was about to land—

A cold, furious voice suddenly echoed through the entire room:

"You filthy wretch... get the hell out of my darling’s body!!!"