Dragonspine in Mondstadt.
Surf's Up Knight Eula had learned that Durin's Heart would revive sometime in the future.
She had come specifically to observe the situation.
Later, upon hearing that the Abyss Order was mobilizing troops against Mondstadt, she wanted to rush back, only to discover that Su Xuan had already announced the outcome of the Abyss Order's mobilization.
So she simply stayed on Dragonspine for the time being.
"He really has a lot of leisure time. He actually came all the way from the Wind Dragon Ruins to Dragonspine just for a Ruin Hunter."
"What does he want? To assemble a legion of Ruin Hunters?"
Eula kept muttering to herself inwardly.
But at this moment, she particularly envied Su Xuan's freedom.
Not only that, even though Su Xuan was just a traveler from beyond this world, everyone seemed to respect him greatly.
Even Wind God Barbatos would proactively offer him gifts to express his gratitude and respect.
Unlike her—a citizen of Mondstadt, yet treated like a pariah there, despised by everyone.
"Is this the unique charm of the strong?" Eula murmured to herself.
Thinking of Su Xuan's imminent arrival at Dragonspine, Eula's mind recalled the locations where Ruin Hunters could be found.
"In the snowy mountains, you can occasionally spot traces of Ruin Hunters."
"Should I go look for one? Maybe I'll run into him."
Once the thought took root, Eula's body moved as if of its own accord. She left her camp and headed toward a spot where a Ruin Hunter might appear.
Finally, as dusk fell, Eula spotted a Ruin Hunter patrolling like a sentinel.
But the instant she spotted it, the machine's steel frame was yanked by some terrifying force and shot straight into the sky.
Eula looked up in shock to see a figure shrouded in radiant light standing in the air.
After making contact with the Ruin Hunter, Su Xuan exerted a slight force with his palm.
The Ruin Hunter, dragged into the sky, couldn't withstand the pressure. Amid bursts of sparks, it was twisted into a lump of scrap metal.
"Urk!" Eula, witnessing the scene firsthand, recoiled in fright, slipped, and "thudded" onto her butt on the ground.
This was telekinesis.
Watching Su Xuan wield telekinesis through a screen before had only felt visually shocking.
But seeing it up close filled Eula with an uncontrollable dread from the depths of her heart.
She couldn't imagine what horrific sight it would create if used on a person.
Blood and flesh splattering into a meatball?
Just picturing it made the naturally cold-loving Eula shiver uncontrollably.
If she'd known she'd witness such a terrifying scene, she wouldn't have come snooping.
Was it too late to regret now?
Seeing Su Xuan land right in front of her, Eula knew fleeing was out of the question.
Howling winds swept across Dragonspine as Su Xuan quietly gazed at the seated Eula. She didn't dare move, averting her eyes elsewhere.
The scene fell into an awkward silence.
Suddenly, Eula felt her consciousness jolt as the diary copy popped up automatically.
[Look what I found on Dragonspine.]
[A wild Surf's Up Knight, Eula Lawrence.]
[Her being here isn't surprising at all.]
[Eula loves the cold by nature and is especially fond of the icy lakes in the snowy mountains. She occasionally comes here for a soak.]
[But the current situation has me baffled.]
[I can't figure out why a proud knight like her is sitting on the ground in such a ridiculous pose.]
[Should I remind her or not?]
The crowd of beauties perked up with interest.
A proud knight sitting on the ground in a ridiculously comical pose.
What kind of pose was it?
Furina, ever the drama enthusiast, eagerly awaited the photo upload.
But after waiting forever, nothing came.
"That's it?" Furina blinked dryly. "Where's the follow-up? Where's my photo of the comically posed knight?"
"Why is he suddenly into cliffhangers now?"
On Dragonspine.
Eula finally realized that due to her slip, her legs were spread a bit too wide right now—wide open facing Su Xuan.
This pose was pure social suicide.
"You..." Eula scrambled up, flushed with embarrassment, and turned away, unable to face Su Xuan.
However, Su Xuan behind her didn't speak.
Instead, he silently updated the diary.
[Now I get it.]
[Eula Lawrence, bearer of the Lawrence family's hopes, tasked with its revival.]
[She endured harsh noble training from childhood.]
[But deep down, Eula doesn't want to be a tool for her family's revival.]
[In rebelling against that oppression, she developed a stark duality.]
[In crowds, Eula maintains elegant pride; alone on Dragonspine, she sits on the ground in comical poses.]
[To release the repression in her heart.]
Amber, having just reported to Jean about the Hilichurl tribes outside Mondstadt retreating, suddenly spotted Su Xuan's diary entry on Eula.
She stared in surprise.
"Eula, she..."
As Eula's close friend, Amber knew Eula was cold on the outside but warm inside.
Always talking tough, but with a kind and fiery heart.
She just never imagined Eula had this side, unknown even to her best friend.
It truly shocked the Reconnaissance Knight.
What kind of Reconnaissance Knight was she if she couldn't see through her best friend's heart? Utterly unqualified.
On Dragonspine.
Eula was dumbfounded and spun around to protest to Su Xuan. "You... don't write nonsense..."
"Do you know other people can see your diary entries?"
"They'll get the wrong idea."
"You..."
Seeing Su Xuan's utterly shameless demeanor, Eula huffed, hands on hips, head turned aside. "This grudge, I'll remember it."
[Eula Lawrence's catchphrase: This grudge, I'll remember it.]
[Why does she always say that?]
[Mainly because as a descendant of the Lawrence family—who oppressed Mondstadt's people in the old days—Eula faces constant disdain from Mondstadt's citizens.]
[They point and whisper about her endlessly.]
[Fed up, Eula threatens them with "This grudge, I'll remember it" to scare off the gossips.]
[Hoping to curb the verbal abuse that way.]
[But... it does jack squat...]
[No matter how much she does for Mondstadt or how she play-acts intimidation, the people treat her the same.]
[Prejudice in hearts is like a towering mountain.]
[The straightest way over it? Tooth for tooth.]
[If they verbally abuse you, chop off their mouths. Do it to a few, and no one will dare anymore.]
[Just like me right now.]
[Eula just threatened me, so I'm striking back.]
Eula: "?"
Under Eula's shocked gaze, Su Xuan waved his hand, and countless Ruin Hunters materialized in ranks on the empty ground behind him.
[One Man Army.jpg]
[Surf's Up Knight, you'll pay the "price" for threatening me.]
Eula: "?"
The Surf's Up Knight's mentality shattered.
Su Xuan clearly knew everything, yet he started a fight out of nowhere.
She had every reason to suspect this guy was just looking for an excuse to mess with her.