Hu Tao Is Monetizing My Existence. [50]

Jiang Bai and Hu Tao soared through the air, gliding past Bishui River before landing atop the hills of Qingce Slope.

The mountains were covered in dense shrubs and golden wildgrass.

After folding her wind glider away, Hu Tao took a moment to get her bearings before leading Jiang Bai forward.

Unlike the flatlands, the mountainous terrain was far more treacherous. Though pathways had been carved into the land, they were steep and difficult to traverse. The thick vegetation also made it easy for monsters to hide, which was why most Liyue residents avoided venturing too deep into the mountains unless necessary.

“At our pace, we should reach Jueyun Karst by nightfall. We’ll set up camp there and continue in the morning.”

“Got it.”

As they followed the trail forward, Jiang Bai struck up a casual conversation.

“Director Hu, are there many adepti like Xiao in Liyue?” He was still quite curious about Xiao’s story—though some questions weren’t exactly appropriate to ask in front of the adeptus himself.

Then, a thought struck him.

If simply calling Xiao’s name was enough for him to hear… then wouldn’t talking about him behind his back be just as risky?

Jiang Bai immediately abandoned any plans to complain about the adeptus.

That karmic aura was not something he wanted to provoke.

“There used to be many,” Hu Tao explained. “But as time passed, the adepti gradually perished, sacrificed themselves, or withdrew into seclusion. These days, the ones who remain are few, and most live deep in the mountains, rarely concerning themselves with the mortal world.”

“Would any adepti choose to live in Liyue Harbor?” If his understanding was correct, wouldn’t Xiao technically count as an adeptus in seclusion at Wangshu Inn?

“That, I wouldn’t know. If an adeptus wanted to live among mortals unnoticed, it wouldn’t be easy for us to find them. But it’s not impossible—Liyue Harbor does have a number of people with adeptal blood. If you ever see someone with animal ears or a tail, they’re probably a human-adeptus hybrid.”

“Huh? There are mixed-blood people like that?” Jiang Bai was surprised—he had never heard of such a thing.

But why animal ears and tails?

Did that mean all adepti had beast forms? Was that why their descendants inherited animalistic traits?

But if they were beasts, wouldn’t there be reproductive barriers?

“You really haven’t seen much of the world, huh?” Hu Tao gave him a smug look, as if she were schooling an ignorant child.

“Do you know what our Geo Lord’s true form is?”

“What is it?”

“The Geo Lord’s true form is that of a dragon—an Earth Dragon!”

“Oh, I see…” Jiang Bai nodded in understanding before another thought occurred to him. “Then does the Geo Lord have any offspring? Would they have long dragon horns or a tail?”

Hu Tao rolled her eyes. “The Geo Lord has no descendants.”

“As far as I know, no gods have offspring.”

“Why is that?” Jiang Bai mused, his curiosity growing. “Is there no mother capable of bearing the child of a god? What if two gods were to… y’know, combine forces? Would that result in divine offspring?”

“Where exactly is your mind going?!” Hu Tao crossed her arms, and the little ghost hovering beside her cackled mischievously, as if eager to punish Jiang Bai for his nonsense.

Jiang Bai quickly shielded his head and bolted. “I’m leaving! I’m leaving!”

Watching him flee, Hu Tao shrugged helplessly.

He could only ask questions like these around her.

If he had dared to ask Xiao something like that, he’d probably be dead before he could finish his sentence.

Jiang Bai picked up the pace, widening the distance between them.

If he couldn’t fight back, he could at least run away.

“La la la~ I’m the little paperboy~” he hummed some nonsense song that had randomly popped into his head.

He ran along the mountain path, occasionally climbing trees to pluck fruit, picking sweet flowers, or chasing after lizards like an overexcited puppy, finding entertainment in every little thing.

Behind him, Hu Tao wore the deadpan expression of an old man struggling to use a smartphone.

“…Is he actually an adult?”

She was beginning to doubt Jiang Bai’s real age.

The little ghost on her shoulder tilted its head in confusion—it was just a ghost, how would it know?

“The last time I chased lizards like that was years ago…” Hu Tao muttered, scoffing at Jiang Bai’s childish antics.

“Director Hu! I just saw a huge lizard!” Jiang Bai suddenly popped up again, excitement evident in his voice.

Hu Tao’s eyes gleamed. “Really? Really?! Where?!”

She immediately tossed aside all the disdain she had for him just moments ago, eagerly following him to see the lizard.

The little ghost tilted its head again, a giant question mark practically hovering above it.

“Look! A huge lizard!” Jiang Bai peeked out from behind a rock, pointing at a creature digging into the stones.

Hu Tao gave him a deadpan look before knocking him on the back of the head, the sound of impact echoing loudly.

“That’s a Geovishap Hatchling, not a lizard.”

“Geovishap? But doesn’t it still count as a lizard?” Jiang Bai rubbed his head, looking innocent.

It’s called a ‘Geovishap.’ Just because it has ‘Geo’ in front of it doesn’t mean it’s not a lizard!

Hu Tao sighed, feeling a headache coming on. “They’re completely different creatures, got it?”

“Oh.”

“It’s blocking our path. Should we take it out?” Jiang Bai asked, gripping his club, [Debate Club].

Also… could Geovishap meat be eaten?

If it was edible, maybe he could bring some back for Xiangling to try cooking.

“You go ahead, I’ll cheer you on.” Hu Tao patted his shoulder, motioning for him to take the lead.

Geovishap Hatchlings were incredibly fast, and their shells were absurdly tough. She wasn’t particularly fond of fighting them—if Jiang Bai wanted to, he could have at it.

“Director Hu, I’m going in!”

With his club resting on his shoulder, Jiang Bai charged forward.

Hu Tao casually sat on a rock, pulling out a bag of sunflower seeds.

The Geovishap Hatchling had simply been sharpening its claws when it heard Jiang Bai’s approach. It immediately turned its attention toward him.

Curling itself into a ball, it shot forward like a rolling boulder, completely unfazed by the massive spiked club in Jiang Bai’s hands.

“Whoa—” Jiang Bai yelped as it lunged at him, swiftly dodging to the side.

No wonder it was considered a monster.

If that thing hit him head-on, he’d probably go flying!

The Geovishap missed, but it didn’t stop. Turning on a dime, it charged at him again.

Jiang Bai dodged left, then right, playing an intense game of tag with the creature.

After several failed attempts to land a hit, the Geovishap grew frustrated. It let out an enraged screech, leaping into the air before curling into a ball and plummeting toward Jiang Bai.

“Dodge~”

“Dodge again~”

Jiang Bai nimbly evaded, not even getting grazed by the pebbles the creature kicked up.

The Geovishap, now absolutely furious, suddenly burrowed into the ground. Moments later, it erupted from beneath where Jiang Bai had been standing.

But Jiang Bai had been watching for this.

As soon as it emerged, a protective shield flared to life around him. The Geovishap slammed into the barrier, unable to harm him. Instead, it was itself that got flung backward.

“Heh heh heh… Now it’s my turn.” Jiang Bai grinned, his grip tightening on his club.

“This Geo shield is way too useful. Why don’t I have an ability like that?” Hu Tao muttered, still munching on her sunflower seeds.

If she had a shield like that, she wouldn’t even need fancy footwork—she could just charge straight in!

—

This is a fan translation of 胡桃拿我冲业绩 by 余溯. 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!