Genshin Isekai With Homies [Ao3 Crosspost]

Chapter 3: Part V - The Other Side

Big Gao had thought that nothing could ever surprise him anymore after so many years as a Treasure Hoarder, yet he was wrong. He had just commissioned an exorcist named Chongyun this morning to rinse out the monsters, which usually takes the whole day or two at least. Just half past four and that light blue hair shows up. What's more, the guy brought a gang back. How unnecessary -, Gao spits out his drink. The other 2 are vision holders! This spells trouble. He brushes off sweat and calls the others to take arms. Suddenly, the leading girl in white launches something at him.

He blocks his face, but the thing lands a soft thud beside him.

"Ha!" He grins. "Who did you kids think you were playing with?"

The blonde girl, however, is unfazed. "Explain this." She points at the object on the ground.

Big Gao glances at it. A small circular trinket embedded with golden circuits. The girl nods her head at him and he allows himself to pick it up. The metal is cold to the touch and smells like some alloy of copper and silver. He weighs it in his hands and knows that if melted, this would fetch a hefty price. The symbols also looked similar to the ones he and his crew used to loot from broken ruin guards. Extremely risky and time-consuming. It would have been worthwhile if every piece was as big as this one.

But that doesn't make sense.

"There were only hilichurls in there."

"Apparently not. We fought a ruin grader."

What's that?

"A ruin guard but waaaay bigger, and nastier."

There is something worse than a ruin guard? And these kids took them out too?? If only he had a Vision... Gao puts on his best stone face, but he's not feeling it.

"A-And what do you want to say, really?"

"It means that you're not covering your part of the deal." She smirks, flaunting up their contract. "It clearly says here that you were supposed to give us enough information to complete the commission!"

"But you kids did finish it, so it was enough."

If looks could kill, he's probably dead thousand times over by those golden eyes.

"By a slip of a hair? Yes. And we can give you enough information, too, that you won't survive us..." She leans forward.

Gao enters his melee stance and peeks at the team behind the girl, now summoning their swords and a spear. The green-haired lad looks particularly menacing. He looks back to judge his own crew, with mere daggers, wine bottles, and some oars. His crew won't stand a chance.

He gulps in a defeated sigh and signals his crew to wait. He straightens up.

"Me and my crew feel generous today, what's your offer?"

The girl looks mildly surprised. She scoffs, "Sure, I heard that you played my friend earlier and only rewarded him a map, correct? Make it with half the mora you'll get from usual loots and we'll leave."

But that's a ripoff! "A hundred mora only."

"5 thousand."

"5 hundred."

"Make it 3 thousand."

"A thousand and you're killing us."

"Oh hoho, 2 thousand and we end now~"

He grits his teeth. "1 thousand and 500! No more!"

"I'll take that..." She spots their brewing pot behind. "...and whatever's in that pot."