Chapter 18: The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact [18]
"Menacing and ferocious?"
Hearing Lisa's description, Jia Changjiang instinctively reached up to touch his face.
Was that supposed to describe him?
"Lisa?!"
Amber was flustered. She hadn't expected Lisa to throw her under the bus like that, and the intimidating demeanor she'd been attempting to maintain crumbled instantly.
Wasn't this the same as outright telling Jia Changjiang that she'd been tailing him for days? You might as well read out my ID number while you're at it!
Jia Changjiang, still patting his face, glanced at the now-panicked Amber, a sudden realization dawning on him.
"So, you're the little red shadow I kept mistaking for a Rocket Hilichurl these past few days?"
He slapped his thigh in amazement. "I knew it! Since when could Hilichurls fly?!"
"Who are you calling a Hilichurl?!"
Amber puffed her cheeks in frustration. "I'm a Scout Knight of the Knights of Favonius!"
"Hey, don't underestimate Hilichurls! Rocket Hilichurls can fire five, six, seven, eight arrows at once—they're no pushovers!" Jia Changjiang countered, as if earnestly defending them.
"Well, I can shoot two arrows at once!" Amber shot back proudly.
Lisa, standing off to the side, sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Little Amber, the moment you started comparing yourself to a Rocket Hilichurl, you already lost."
"Haha… sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to compare you to them. I've just been fighting so many Hilichurls in the wild lately, my brain automatically went there." Jia Changjiang chuckled heartily, scratching the back of his head before offering an apology. "Amber, I've heard a lot about you from the tavern. You're quite the celebrity."
"The only Scout Knight in Mondstadt—everyone in the tavern has nothing but praise for you. They call you the 'Crimson Knight.' You seem like a responsible person."
Amber's face reddened at the unexpected compliment. "Do they really say that? Hehe…"
"Was it because of my challenge to Jean that you decided to keep an eye on me?" Jia Changjiang asked, his tone suddenly thoughtful. "Looking back, I guess my direct approach was a bit improper. I should've waited for a better time to issue my challenge."
Amber's embarrassment grew under the weight of his praise. "I guess you could say that... ehehe…"
"Ahem." Kaeya cleared his throat pointedly, reminding Amber of the situation.
"Right! This is an interrogation!" Amber exclaimed, snapping back into focus and glaring at Jia Changjiang. "You caused a huge commotion tonight! Start explaining yourself!"
"Explain what? You haven't asked me anything yet."
Jia Changjiang crossed his arms, his gaze shifting between the trio as he silently assessed them.
His experience as a Weapon Master had granted him not only combat skills but also a knack for evaluating others' strength. While most of it was instinctual, he could roughly gauge the capabilities of those around him.
Among the three, Amber's strength was impressive for her age—well above that of an average person—but it didn't seem like she had fully tapped into her potential yet.
Kaeya's strength, however, seemed on par with Diluc's. Jia Changjiang couldn't help but feel a desire to spar with him someday.
But the strongest of the three...
Jia Changjiang's gaze lingered on Lisa, who sat behind Kaeya with her legs crossed, radiating a lazy but serene air.
Her casual demeanor was misleading—he could tell that if she took a fight seriously, she'd be formidable.
(Author's Note: These strength levels are based on story logic and not reflective of in-game mechanics.)
"My, my. Staring at a lady like that is rather impolite, wouldn't you agree?" Lisa's tone was teasing, her lips curling into a faint, amused smile. "Or could it be that you're thinking about challenging me too? What a greedy little traveler."
"Fair point. That was rude of me," Jia Changjiang admitted, meeting her gaze evenly. "But if you were to get serious, you'd definitely be strong."
"Alright, let's get on with the interrogation," Kaeya cut in, smoothly derailing the conversation before it veered into another challenge. "Name?"
"Jia Changjiang. You can call me Jax if you'd like."
"Gender?"
"Male."
…
After the obligatory preamble, Kaeya finally got to the heart of the matter.
"What brings you to Mondstadt? What are you planning to do here?"
Jia Changjiang paused, giving the question genuine thought. "I don't think I have a specific goal. I just happened to end up here."
"So, just traveling?"
"Something like that," Jia Changjiang replied with a shrug.
Fortunately, Kaeya and the others didn't press him too hard. After asking a few more questions, primarily about his earlier fight with Diluc, they eventually allowed him to leave.
As Jia Changjiang stepped out of the Knights of Favonius headquarters, he briefly considered returning to the inn but decided against it.
Tonight's encounter had given him something to think about.
His challenge to Jean seemed to have caused some... misunderstandings.
"So that's why Diluc came after me?" Jia Changjiang murmured, rubbing his chin in thought.
From what he recalled, Diluc had more than one alias. Aside from being the Darknight Hero, wasn't he also called...
Jia Changjiang's eyes lit up as he clapped his hands together. "That's it! The Righteous Man!!"
"No wonder he thought I was a threat to Mondstadt."
With that realization, Jia Changjiang made up his mind. Instead of heading back to the inn, he turned toward Angel's Share.
When he reached the tavern, the "Closed" sign was already hanging on the door. Undeterred, he knocked lightly.
"Anyone home?" he called out, rapping on the door again.
"…"
Inside the tavern, Diluc frowned, surprised.
Someone had come knocking at this hour? Was it the Knights of Favonius? Did the earlier fight draw too much attention?
Though caught off guard, Diluc maintained his composure as he approached the door. Preparing himself to face the Knights, he opened it—only to find Jia Changjiang beaming at him.
"Hi~~"
Diluc's first instinct was to slam the door shut in Jia Changjiang's face. But instead, he managed to keep his tone even. "The tavern is closed for the night, traveler."
"I know. I'm not here for a drink, Master Lu—uh, Master Diluc." Jia Changjiang grinned, wedging his foot in the door before it could close. "Running off after winning one move isn't a good habit, you know."
"I'm not sure what you're talking about. It's late—you should go back to your lodgings." Diluc's voice was calm, his composure unshaken.
"Relax, I'm not here to cause trouble." Jia Changjiang leaned against the doorframe, his grin unwavering. "I'm here to talk."
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This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!