Sacrificing Myself: Nine Transmigrations (Genshin Impact)

Liyue, Wanmin Restaurant.

"Perfect timing—you two can help me restock some ingredients!"

Xiangling beamed as she saw Elliot and Qiqi arrive.

"What do you need today?" Elliot responded with a warm smile.

Helping Xiangling gather ingredients was something he and Qiqi did often.

Once they brought back everything she needed, Xiangling would treat them to a meal—always including Qiqi's beloved coconut milk.

"Let me think..." Xiangling tilted her head, deep in thought.

"Slime condensate, lotus pods, Qingxin, glaze lilies, silk flowers, snapdragons..."

"Looks like it's quite a list. Sorry to trouble you both!"

The three of them set off—Elliot and Qiqi teamed up, while Xiangling went off on her own.

Splitting up made things much more efficient.

They'd tried a full split once before, but that time Qiqi got lost on the way home. Elliot and Xiangling had been frantic, searching from afternoon until nightfall. When they finally found her, Qiqi was sitting on the ground sobbing.

Since then, Elliot never let Qiqi go alone to gather ingredients again.

"Do your best, gather lots! Let's meet back here at eleven."

"Got it, no problem."

"Qiqi... will do her best...!"

They headed into the forest and parted ways.

This time, Xiangling needed quite a bit, so collecting everything would take a while.

At exactly eleven, Elliot and Qiqi returned to the meeting spot, their arms full of ingredients—but Xiangling was nowhere to be seen.

They waited for a while, but she still didn't show up.

"Elliot... Did Xiangling... get lost?"

Qiqi tugged at his sleeve, worry in her voice.

"She couldn't have. She knows this area like the back of her hand…"

Even Elliot was beginning to feel uneasy.

Without hesitation, the two began searching the forest, calling out Xiangling's name.

"Xiangling!?"

When Elliot finally spotted her, his pupils contracted sharply.

She was trapped halfway up a cliff—three Hilichurl archers at the base were firing arrows at her without pause.

Xiangling clung to the cliffside with one hand, barely holding her weapon in the other to block incoming shots.

The scattered arrows on the ground made it clear she'd been stuck there for a while.

She was completely exhausted, and the archers were letting loose once more.

Three arrows soared straight toward her at terrifying speed.

"Flame Flash!"

Just as the arrows were about to strike, a spear embedded itself into the rock beside her.

In the blink of an eye, a figure flashed into view.

Thud!

Blood splattered.

Xiangling's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the figure in front of her.

"Are you alright? Can you hold on?"

Elliot smiled gently and extended his left hand to her.

"Here—take my hand."

Seeing the arrow lodged in his arm, Xiangling froze.

—Elliot...?

—How did he get here so fast?

—He saved me?

—He's the one who got hit… so why is he still smiling and asking if I'm okay!?

Pushing aside her thoughts, Xiangling instinctively dropped her weapon and reached for him.

Elliot grabbed her hand, gritted his teeth, and pulled her up with a burst of strength.

With both hands now braced against the rock, Xiangling finally stabilized herself. Below, Qiqi had already taken care of the Hilichurl archers.

The danger had finally passed.

Xiangling's left arm had been hanging there far too long. If Elliot had been a second later, she would've either been struck down or fallen from exhaustion.

"Elliot, you—"

"Let's talk after we get down. We're still on the cliff."

Before she could say more, he cut her off.

Still gripping the cliffside, he pulled his spear free with his right hand and tossed it down.

The moment it hit the ground, he used Flame Flash again, bringing Xiangling safely down with him.

...

"Elliot… Xiangling… you're both hurt…"

"We have to see a doctor—now!"

Qiqi was panicking, stomping anxiously as if ready to drag them straight to the infirmary.

"It's just a scratch. I'll live."

Elliot grabbed the arrow in his right arm and yanked it out. Blood gushed immediately.

"Ahh—" He hissed through clenched teeth. It definitely wasn't painless.

Qiqi and Xiangling were stunned.

"Elliot! You can't just do that—you'll lose too much blood! Let a doctor handle it!"

Xiangling was frantic, overwhelmed by the sight of so much blood.

"It's just getting in the way. It'll feel better out."

Fortunately, none of the arrows had hit any critical areas—one in the left arm, one in the right shoulder, and one in the thigh.

Elliot braced himself and pulled all three out. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead from the pain.

Xiangling quickly began tearing fabric to bandage the wounds.

"Use mine—my clothes are already ruined."

Elliot stopped her, gritting his teeth as he began removing his own tattered shirt.

"At a time like this, you're still worried about that? You've been bleeding nonstop!"

Xiangling was so anxious her scalp tingled. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't worry. I won't die from this."

He smiled again, completely unfazed.

After a quick bandage job, the bleeding slowed, but they still needed to get to a proper healer to avoid infection.

Because of the wound in his thigh, Xiangling had to support Elliot as they limped slowly back toward Liyue.

"I'm sorry… this is all my fault…"

Xiangling lowered her head, sobbing softly.

"It is," Elliot replied without missing a beat.

Her guilt intensified, and she lowered her head even further.

"It's your fault for sneaking off alone to pick Glaze Lilies."

Xiangling blinked, stunned, and looked up at him.

"I know you didn't want to trouble us with something dangerous."

"But come on—you could've just treated us to an extra meal."

"We're partners, remember? You always give us the easy stuff to gather, then go off alone to collect the hard ones? That's not right."

"If we'd gotten here just a moment later—what then? If something happened to you, Qiqi and I would've been heartbroken."

"No more of that, alright? Next time, if you do this again… Qiqi and I won't go ingredient gathering with you anymore."

Xiangling was completely speechless.

Her eyes turned red, and tears streamed down her cheeks like pearls.

"Mm… Qiqi also thinks… Xiangling shouldn't lie…"

"We have to… pick ingredients together…"

"Qiqi is good… at finding Glaze Lilies…"

Qiqi nodded in firm agreement.

"I'm sorry… I really am. I won't do it again next time…" Xiangling whispered through her tears.

Images of what Elliot had just done replayed in her mind.

To save her, he'd thrown himself into danger without hesitation.

Even with arrows piercing his body, he had smiled and asked if she was okay.

He called them "just scratches," pulled them out with sheer willpower, and even insisted on using his own ruined shirt to stop the bleeding.

His gentleness, strength, and thoughtfulness etched themselves deeply into her heart—

Like a mark that could never fade.

"Qiqi… you're so lucky…"

Xiangling glanced at Qiqi, that thought quietly echoing in her mind.

...