Hu Tao spread her hands, then wrapped herself around Ryen's arm.

"You really are a sly one."

"So what?"

"Like you even more now!"

Ryen couldn't help but chuckle, giving Hu Tao's cheek a little pinch.

Noticing the strange looks from the others, Ryen put on an innocent face.

"Don't look at me like that. I didn't say anything from start to finish!

He guessed it all on his own — and in a way, he actually guessed right!

That kind of self-thinking and self-motivation? Of course I'd praise it!

From beginning to end, he's the one who insisted on researching the Heaven portal, right?"

Hearing this, the group thought for a moment — and realized it really was all Tartaglia's own doing.

From the start, Ryen had only ever maintained a neither-confirming-nor-denying attitude.

Zhongli shook his head helplessly.

"You're not afraid he'll mess around and cause trouble?"

Ryen waved a hand dismissively.

"Relax. I know this world better than any of you. Researching a Heaven portal that's doomed to be a dead end will, at most, just make him impotently rage for a while.

Even wasting a few diamonds isn't a big deal."

He imagined Tartaglia staring at his fully built Heaven portal, only to find it completely unusable…

Then starting mysterious "rituals" to make it work —

like planting flowers around the diamond frame, squatting and standing repeatedly, dancing…

Such a beautiful scene would be worth preserving forever.

Ryen never expected that, after coming to this world, he'd actually get to spread this kind of "newbie myth."

Tartaglia would be tormented by it, and later, when new people arrived, he'd go and "evangelize" to them —

passing down the spirit of the Heaven portal from generation to generation, like the Foolish Old Man moving mountains.

Truly, a story worthy of song and tears.

"Forget it. As long as nothing dangerous happens, it's fine."

Zhongli didn't care much, and the rest were just in it for the fun.

Ryen rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then spoke softly:

"By the way, if I remember correctly, Teyvat has something like a Kamera, right?"

Everyone's eyes lit up instantly, immediately guessing Ryen's plan.

"Ehe~!"

Venti blinked mischievously.

"How about I stay here tonight? Trust in my skills — as the greatest traveler in the mortal realm, photography is an essential talent."

"Bard! Didn't you say you're a bard?"

Paimon shot Venti a look of disdain, but Venti just waved it off.

"A bard still has to 'wander,' you know! And I've traveled farther than any of you."

He then looked at Ryen with bright expectation.

"So? So? Let me stay, and tomorrow I'll guarantee you the most spectacular shots of Tartaglia's glorious impotent rage!"

Ryen nodded approvingly.

"Not a bad idea — but I refuse."

"Eh?!!"

Ryen smirked.

"Your eyes have been glued to the Twilight Forest portal this whole time. If I let you stay, you'd sneak in there in the middle of the night.

If there's anyone I can fully imagine committing 'guard-turned-thief,' it's you."

Venti opened his mouth but didn't argue with Ryen — mostly because Ryen was right.

He had been planning exactly that.

Off to the side, Diluc said calmly:

"How about I stay? I happen to want to study the synthesis of firearms."

Hearing this, Ryen nodded.

"Alright. Then you stay — and make sure to get some good shots of Tartaglia. This is the kind of moment worth remembering."

Diluc's lips curved slightly as he nodded in agreement.

By now, the last rays of the sunset had completely faded from the sky.

Their trip into MC for the day had come to a satisfying close —

they had stationed the Millelith, revived the adeptus, and even built the portal.

So, even though they had only entered in the afternoon, they hadn't wasted any time.

With a snap of his fingers, the double-portal slowly materialized.

Ryen stretched lazily.

"Let's go back. Rest well tonight. You adepti should also take the chance to meet and catch up.

Tomorrow we set out for the Twilight Forest, so keep yourselves in top condition tonight.

Also, we still haven't decided — who's staying behind tomorrow?

Klee, Nahida, and Paimon can't go to the Twilight Forest, at least not on the first trip."

Hearing this, Nahida's little face scrunched up again.

The dignified Dendro Archon, five hundred years old, being treated like a child by Ryen…

But she knew protesting was pointless. Better to stay quiet and, when they got back, use the "you owe me" card to make him spend a whole extra day with her.

That kind of thing? Nahida was an expert.

The God of Wisdom had devoted all her divine cunning… to romance.

When Ryen's words sank in, everyone avoided his gaze, looking at their noses or the ground.

The Twilight Forest was such a wondrous place — who wouldn't want to explore it?

Sure, they could go later, but the first expedition, working together to clear it, was a unique experience.

Seeing that no one answered for a long while, Madam Ping chuckled and shook her head.

"I'll stay and watch the place."

Beside her, Yixiao and Tongque added:

"We've just been revived. We're not familiar with this world yet, so we won't join the excitement."

Ryen thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

With three adepti guarding the home base, any problems could be easily handled.

Ningguang felt a quiet sense of relief.

Indeed, the more people there were, the better.

At least no matter where they went, there would always be someone to take the boring job of staying behind.

~~----------------------

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