Jia Changjiang and Diluc didn’t waste much time dealing with the hilichurls at the entrance to the ruins. Avoiding most of the groups, they followed the path deeper into the ruins until they reached a chamber where the Pyro Abyss Mage was stationed.
Peering into the room from the doorway, the two observed the mage intently. The Abyss Mage stood near a small bonfire, with strange, glowing purple symbols hovering above the flames.
Diluc turned to Jia Changjiang, gesturing between the two of them and then at the mage. Without speaking, he mouthed his instructions.
“Move in slowly. Take him alive.”
Jia Changjiang carefully mimicked Diluc’s mouth movements.
“Charge in boldly? Take him alive?”
He nodded enthusiastically, a look of approval crossing his face.
Ah, Diluc finally embraces a direct approach to battle.
With this thought, Jia Changjiang gave Diluc a thumbs-up.
Diluc raised three fingers, signaling a countdown.
“Three… two… one—”
Before Diluc could lower his hand or take a step forward, an explosive sound shattered the quiet.
“ABYSS MAGE, FACE YOUR END!”
Jia Changjiang stormed into the room, battle axe in hand. He shattered the door with sheer force and swung his axe, slamming the unprepared Abyss Mage into the wall before it could even activate its elemental shield.
“A… an otherworlder?! How?!” the Abyss Mage gasped. Its entire body ached, bones seemingly shattered by the initial strike. It struggled to summon a Hydro shield to defend itself.
Before the shield could fully form, a blazing greatsword pierced through it, pinning the Abyss Mage’s shoulder to the wall.
Diluc stood at the doorway, his posture calm, maintaining the throwing stance from which he’d launched his flaming greatsword. Jia Changjiang’s axe was already resting threateningly against the mage’s neck.
Despite the chaos, the two had managed to capture their target alive.
“Perfect execution!” Jia Changjiang said, grinning in satisfaction.
“…”
Diluc said nothing, his silence heavy with judgment, but he didn’t deny the results.
—
Despite the unconventional approach, the two began interrogating the Abyss Mage.
“Curse you… How did you find this place? Damned Knights of Favonius…” The Abyss Mage spat, still trying to maintain its defiance despite its situation.
“I’m no knight,” Diluc said coldly, crossing his arms. “Speak. What is your plan?”
The mage sneered. “Do you think I’d tell you? Hah… keep dreaming.”
Diluc’s gaze darkened. Without a word, he placed a hand on the mage’s head. A moment later, flames from his Vision enveloped the mage’s face, licking at its features with precise intensity.
Fire surged into the Abyss Mage’s nose and mouth, forcing its way into its core.
“What… fire manipulation of this degree?!” the Abyss Mage choked, writhing in agony.
Diluc’s control over his Pyro Vision was exacting, ensuring the flames caused the maximum amount of pain without killing the mage outright.
“Let’s see how long you can keep that mouth shut,” Diluc said, his voice icy.
“Stop!”
The mage’s screams echoed through the chamber as it drifted in and out of consciousness, the pain reviving it each time it passed out. Diluc, unfazed, continued his relentless method, never asking another question.
Eventually, the Abyss Mage broke. “I’ll talk! I’ll talk! Stop it! I’ll tell you everything!”
Its will shattered, the Abyss Mage confessed under the pressure of Diluc’s merciless interrogation.
“The Order… the Order is targeting three individuals in Mondstadt. We’ve prepared plans to eliminate them and the threats they pose.”
“Three individuals? Who are they?” Diluc pressed.
“The Honorary Knight, Jia Changjiang. The Acting Grand Master of the Knights. And the Darknight Hero.”
Pinned against the wall and scorched by flames, the Abyss Mage continued spilling its secrets.
“We’ve gathered all the forces available outside Mondstadt. Tomorrow night, we’ll launch a coordinated attack. To ensure those three face us alone, we’ve set up specific traps for each of them.”
It explained the motives behind the plans:
Targeting the Darknight Hero would rally their forces and demoralize Mondstadt. Taking out Jean would leave the city defenseless. And Jia Changjiang… his mysterious otherworldly power posed too great a risk.
For the Honorary Knight, the Order had even procured a powerful weapon—something capable of eliminating Jia Changjiang in one blow before he could unleash his strength.
“Th-that’s all I know! Please, stop the fire!”
Diluc ended the Abyss Mage’s misery with a swift final strike, ensuring no chance of retaliation.
—
“A coordinated plan against the three of us,” Diluc mused aloud. “The Traveler wasn’t targeted. Is it because your abilities are seen as the greater threat?”
“Maybe,” Jia Changjiang replied, crossing his arms thoughtfully. “But while we know of their plans, the finer details are still missing.”
The mention of a one-hit-kill weapon aimed at him gave Jia Changjiang pause. For once, he seemed genuinely cautious.
“A weapon like that… we’ll need to figure out more. Let’s head back and regroup with Lumine and Venti.”
“Agreed. More heads might give us a better chance of coming up with a counterplan,” Diluc said, already moving toward the exit.
—
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!
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