Genshin Impact: Back From Teyvat - The Archon Follows Me Home!

As summer arrived, the coastal heat grew even more intense.

Lu Chen shut all the doors and windows in the villa's living room and cranked the air conditioner to full power, yet he still felt hot.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he considered sneaking into Qiqi's room to get himself flash-frozen for a bit.

He stared at her door, then raised his hand and made a slow beckoning motion.

The Cryo lingering in the air seemed to respond to his call, gathering toward his palm.

With the element swirling around him, the surrounding temperature dropped rapidly. Lu Chen leaned back on the sofa with a smug grin—it felt incredible.

"It's so cool around you, Chen..." Ei looked over curiously as she snacked and scooted closer to him.

But the coolness didn't last. A moment later, Ei frowned. "It feels warm again...?"

That was because the ambient Cryo was limited. Since Lu Chen had borrowed the chill from Qiqi's room, she seemed to have noticed.

The cold energy began retreating from around him, slipping back through the gap under her door—returning to where it came from.

Lu Chen's eyes widened in surprise. He waved his hand again, and the Cryo flowed back out from Qiqi's room.

"It's cold again," Ei said.

Qiqi's door suddenly swung open. She glanced into the living room, puzzled.

Lu Chen casually took a small cake from Ei's plate, keeping a calm expression.

"Strange..." Qiqi mumbled, then closed the door again.

Just then, Diluc walked over from behind the bar with two iced drinks in hand.

"It's getting pretty hot. Try this new brew I've been working on."

Lu Chen picked up his glass and was surprised by the clarity of the liquid.

Did he finally manage to integrate Slime Condensate?

This wasn't a cocktail—it was a handmade creation Diluc had been working on for days. It carried a subtle floral aroma, like the wild fields of Mondstadt.

He took a sip, and a refreshing sensation spread instantly through his body. Lu Chen let out an appreciative sigh.

"This is amazing! People are going to love this!"

Ei also accepted a glass, gave a small nod, and softly said thank you.

"Mmm..." She sipped and commented, "Cool and refreshing, with a gentle flavor. Not too strong either—perfect for summer."

"But the yield's too low," Diluc said, shrugging helplessly.

Lu Chen hadn't brought back enough ingredients, so after these few glasses, there was none left. Launching a new drink at the bar would require a steady supply of high-quality materials.

"I'll handle that," Lu Chen said.

He hadn't been idle since the start of the break. Aside from helping Venti scout locations, he'd been tracking the elemental anomaly zones on the map.

He'd planned a route stretching from the coastal provinces inland, and once Venti returned from Starlight Company, they'd depart immediately.

...

A little while later, the sound of a car pulling up echoed from outside—Venti had returned with Barbara.

Barbara trained at Starlight Company every day, and Venti always accompanied her. Besides supporting the followers of the Anemo Archon, he also collaborated with Tony on their new album.

Seeing the two of them chatting and laughing as they came through the door, Lu Chen smiled.

Barbara's opinion of her Lord Barbatos had risen dramatically during this time. Just as he had expected—spending enough time with someone like Venti, it was hard not to fall for his personality.

From the initial shock that "the drunken poet is actually a god" to becoming a devout Anemo believer... it was only a matter of time.

"We were just waiting on you!" Lu Chen changed into a more suitable jacket for traveling.

Venti nodded. "Let's get going!"

Ei, a little worried, said, "You two better come back soon. If anything happens that you can't handle, let us know right away!"

"Relax!" Lu Chen smiled and waved.

Given the current situation, it wasn't practical to bring too many people. He had initially planned to go alone.

The only reason he invited Venti along—was because he made for the best transport.

...

Half an hour later, the two of them soared high above the ground. The nearest anomaly zone was already in sight.

Venti carried Lu Chen through the air as a swirling breeze, while space around Lu Chen shimmered and warped—manifesting his skill [Spatial Authority: Temporal Rift].

They arrived at a mountainous area in a neighboring province. Still hidden within the rift, Lu Chen and Venti didn't emerge immediately.

In addition to the bouncing Electro Slimes in the area, they spotted numerous mysterious figures clad in hazmat suits and full tactical gear.

Lu Chen manipulated the rift, drifting closer with Venti in tow.

These people were clearly professionals—well-prepared and equipped. They seemed to know the characteristics of Electro Slimes. Their suits shielded them from electric arc attacks, and when a large Slime leapt forward, the team reacted swiftly, scattering in perfect formation to avoid the shockwave.

What caught Lu Chen off guard was a tall man in a differently colored suit approaching the Slimes from behind. He held a bizarre weapon—part baton, part short sword.

Lu Chen immediately sensed the faint Pyro aura around it.

So the weapon is infused with Pyro...

With a sizzling sound, a solid hit landed, knocking a quarter off the Electro Slime's health bar.

Their attacks are working!

Enraged, the Slime lunged at the man, but several others rushed forward with shock-resistant riot shields. As expected, the attack was neutralized.

As they moved in closer, Lu Chen spotted a familiar emblem on their suits—"Special Operations Team for Anomalies."

They'd clearly made progress. Not only had they found a way to store elemental power, they'd also figured out how to exploit elemental affinities and weaknesses.

Though the infused Pyro in the melee weapon was limited, and they had to recharge it after every few strikes—it was still a major breakthrough.

Lu Chen even saw a plastic containment cage being unloaded from a military truck. They were planning to take the Slimes back for study.

This mountain valley, which should have been lush and green in summer, had been severely eroded by Electro. Most of the vegetation was dead, and the air crackled faintly with static.

Ordinary people wouldn't be able to handle this environment. Fortunately, the Special Operations Team had sealed off the area in advance. In addition to the combat squad, plenty of support personnel waited down the mountain—they'd come prepared.

Eventually, after a long effort, the team captured the Electro Slime with its health bar nearly drained. Lu Chen quietly followed them as they headed downhill.

Once they exited the anomaly zone, the team members passed a quick inspection and removed their hazmat suits.

A middle-aged man with a square face and dark skin walked over with a big grin.

"Nice job, Team C! Capturing the subject codenamed 'Thunder Type II' is a huge win for the research project. You're getting a major commendation for this!"

The young man in the yellow suit pulled off his mask and exhaled deeply. "Thanks, Captain Gu—but it wasn't just me."

He glanced at his team with a smile. "First real mission as team leader. I couldn't have done it without everyone's support."

"You're being modest!" Captain Gu clapped him on the shoulder. "Wang Qi, you were already a famous adventurer back in the day—this was small stuff for you!"

Wang Qi stayed humble, and Captain Gu let out a hearty laugh as the two of them chatted and headed into a temporary operations tent.

...

Watching from the rift, Venti turned to Lu Chen. "Looks like an old friend of ours."

Lu Chen hadn't expected this. That young adventurer who had once risked everything in the mountains—Wang Qi—had now joined the Special Operations Team and become a respected squad leader.

He looked up again at the valley, heavily tainted by Electro. This was one of the most severe anomaly zones on the map.

Those few Slimes were just the appetizer.

What came next... would likely be far more dangerous.