This matter, of course, couldn't be left to Xingqiu to handle.
To be honest, it was his own fault. After changing his identity, he had subconsciously forgotten that he wasn't in his "Hei" state, so he continued to eat and drink as he always did.
When it came time to pay, he suddenly remembered that he never carried money with him. He usually just charged it to Tartaglia's account or had his subordinates pay for it.
Ah, the dragon slayer had finally become the dragon. Had he become one of those people who never carried money?
It was inevitable that the Fatui would come after him. In fact, it was a miracle that Tartaglia himself hadn't shown up yet.
He couldn't let Xingqiu intervene.
Swords and blades were blind. Whether the Fatui injured Xingqiu or Xingqiu beat up the Fatui, neither outcome was something Bai Luo wanted to see.
Fortunately, the reverse-blade sword in his hand had a "lock HP" ability. As long as he didn't use any skills, it wouldn't kill anyone—something Bai Luo had personally experienced.
"Capture him!"
The Fatui guards were just ordinary soldiers, without much power or influence. They didn't want to cause a scene in the Liyue market, as the Millelith showing up would be bad for both sides.
So, they planned to quickly subdue this Inazuman thief.
But they underestimated Bai Luo.
If his "Hei" state excelled at assassination, then his "Battousai" state was a master of surprise attacks.
Speed, precision, and ruthlessness were the hallmarks of Eastern swordsmanship, and the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu took speed and ruthlessness to the extreme. Often, by the time the enemy raised their sword, they had already been struck in a vital spot.
Especially the Godlike Speed Draw technique.
Unfortunately, the Battousai Bai Luo had learned from the system was somewhat different from the Kenshin Himura of the movies. It was more like... a modified version.
"Clang—"
Blocking the blade of the Fatui guard, Bai Luo pressed down slightly, and the reverse-blade sword slid along the guard's blade and arm, striking the side of his neck.
The man grunted and collapsed to the ground.
He wasn't dead. The reverse-blade sword was, after all, a weapon that didn't kill. As long as Bai Luo didn't use any skills, it wouldn't be fatal. Plus, Bai Luo had held back, so this strike would at most knock the man out for a while.
"Attack together!"
The other Fatui guards also noticed the anomaly of Bai Luo's weapon, but this actually eased their concerns.
Because the reverse-blade sword couldn't kill.
Unlike in the movies, where one person would feed the protagonist moves while the others waved their weapons around uselessly, the Fatui, regardless of their reputation, were top-notch in terms of discipline.
They had their own unique techniques for coordinated attacks.
Attacking high, attacking low, harassment, limiting movement.
They had everything meticulously planned, with no wasted actions.
This was perhaps one of the Fatui's strengths.
They could endure boredom and loneliness, staying alone in icy wastelands for years. Even if they knew they had been forgotten, they would still carry out the last task assigned to them by their superiors.
Under this kind of coordinated attack, even Xingqiu would need some time to break through without using elemental powers.
But for Bai Luo...
It was a piece of cake.
With just a slight change in his stance, the Fatui's coordinated attack faltered. The guard behind Bai Luo ended up thrusting his sword toward his teammate in front.
"Danger!"
If this strike had landed, his teammate would have been lucky to survive with half his life intact. He might have even ended up like Bai Luo that day, with Fire-Water leaking from his stomach.
Well, actually, that day Bai Luo had just let the wine spill from the corner of his mouth, creating the illusion that it was leaking from the wound in his stomach.
If Fire-Water really had been leaking from his stomach, Bai Luo would have been close to death.
Unable to block the attack in time, Bai Luo had no choice but to slash the Fatui guard in front of him, knocking him to the ground and saving him from his teammate's strike.
Looking at the Foaming-at-the-mouth Fatui guard, Bai Luo couldn't help but sigh.
I'm such a good person.
After a few exchanges, the Fatui guards began to sense something was off.
This guy... how could he dodge their attacks every time? It was as if he knew exactly where they were going to strike. It was downright eerie.
Was it the power of a Vision?
Of course not.
The reason was simple. This coordinated attack was one of the most basic formations taught to new Fatui recruits. It was easy to learn and widely used.
There was a tradition in the Fatui: after training, new recruits would receive a lecture from one of the Harbingers and undergo a ritual to experience the Tsaritsa's will.
This was a long-standing tradition in the Fatui.
When Bai Luo first joined the Fatui, he had undergone a lecture from Pulcinella. At the time, they had used this very formation, only to be thoroughly beaten by Pulcinella.
Later, when Bai Luo became a Harbinger, he had done something similar.
He had experienced this formation from both the perspective of a new recruit and a Harbinger. Using this formation in front of him was like Xingqiu trying to write in front of him.
All their tricks were useless. He could see right through them.
So, in no time at all, Bai Luo had taken down the entire group of Fatui guards with just his sword.
Glancing at Xingqiu, who was shielding Xiangling, Bai Luo explained, "I'm using a reverse-blade sword, so it won't kill them. They should recover soon. I hope you can forgive me."
Sheathing the reverse-blade sword, Bai Luo adjusted his mask and prepared to leave Wanmin Restaurant.
"Cu... customer."
Xiangling, mustering her courage, called out to Bai Luo and pointed at the bill in her hand. While Bai Luo might have seemed fierce when he drew his sword, once it was sheathed, he appeared harmless again.
Xiangling's meaning was simple: charging it to Tartaglia's account was no longer an option, given the Fatui's attitude. So...
Bai Luo searched his pockets, only to reveal an awkward expression.
Aside from a few sunsettias, he had nothing else on him. And the reverse-blade sword was bound to him—he couldn't give it away even if he wanted to.
This was a bit of a dilemma.
After a moment of thought, Bai Luo smiled and said, "Then charge it to Tartaglia's account. He's a friend of mine in the Fatui."
"..."
"And... how about these three sunsettias?"
Reluctantly, Bai Luo pulled three sunsettias from his sleeve and placed them in front of Xiangling.
Xiangling didn't know who Tartaglia was, but she figured charging it to his account was probably the same as charging it to "Childe."
Oh well, it was just one Mondstadt Grilled Fish. It wasn't worth much.
As long as they didn't cause any more trouble, she could let it slide. After collecting the three sunsettias from the table, Xiangling let him go.
Meanwhile, Xingqiu, who had been standing nearby, couldn't take his eyes off the IOU (I owe you) note Bai Luo had left behind.
"Isn't this... the style of The Dihua Grass Sketch?"