At the entrance of a coffee shop on Sixth Street, Sam Li took a sip of his coffee. The taste was surprisingly good—on par with the high-end cafés of earth.
"Not bad. It'd be even better with a little sugar."
Saying that, he picked up a spoon and added half a scoop.
Leaning back in his chair, he enjoyed the morning coffee, waiting for his client to come to him.
Just then!
The radio inside the coffee shop crackled to life, playing a program produced by New Eridu City TV.
"As we discussed last time, back then, New Eridu was in turmoil. The sky was shrouded by the Sky Hollow, while the ground was being eroded by the Zero Hollow. The people of the old era stood united, vowing to create a brand-new world."
"Next, let's review the key figures who turned the tide—"
"First, the third-generation head of the Xingjian family, who single-handedly beheaded the Archbishop of the Church of Praise..."
"Second, Lady Wanzhou, former CEO of the Marcel Group, who successfully neutralized the Nestlord Hollow in the sky and developed the first generation of Bangboo..."
"Third, Investigation Guild ACE leader Joyce, who braved the Labyrinth of the Gods alone and established the standard procedure for Hollow investigations..."
"The fourth, fifth, and sixth figures are Colonel Vick of the Scepter Army, Lieutenant Colonel Dan, and the leader of the Fargingham Mercenary Group..."
"These individuals laid the foundation for the Ether Energy System and established the five major attributes."
...
As the names were listed, the other coffee drinkers around him set down their cups, their expressions filled with admiration.
It was thanks to these people that order had been restored, paving the way for the prosperous New Eridu of today.
The radio continued:
"Rumor has it that, in addition to the five known attributes—Fire, Electricity, Ice, Physical, and Ether—there exists a sixth attribute, yet to be discovered…"
At this, many people scoffed.
"What nonsense. You can tell the TV station just hired some random 'expert' for cheap."
"Anyone who's been to elementary school knows there are only five attributes."
"If someone actually found a sixth attribute, they'd shake all of New Eridu and shoot straight to the top of the Public Security Bureau."
The crowd dismissed the claim with ridicule.
Only Master Tingman remained firm. "The sixth attribute is real. Someone once ventured deep into the Zero Hollow and saw it with their own eyes."
Laughter erupted around him.
"Going into the Zero Hollow and making it back alive? Sounds like a fairy tale."
Master Tingman hesitated. He wanted to argue, but after a moment's thought, he let it go.
No point in debating with customers.
Instead, he turned the radio down to its lowest volume and continued listening alone.
...
But Sam Li's hearing was far superior to that of ordinary people.
Even at the lowest volume, he could still make out every word.
"Logically speaking, the Geo element should be considered the sixth attribute."
Sitting outside the café, sipping coffee while listening to the broadcast, Sam Li felt like he was back in Liyue, enjoying a storyteller's tale.
This was life.
Suddenly!
The system chimed in:
[Ding! System notification: Congratulations, host! Daily Task 3—Listen to a Book—completed.]
[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received: Teyvat Treasure Chest ×1. Open it now?]
Listening to the radio counted as completing the "listen to a book" task.
Sam Li decided—this café would be his daily check-in spot from now on.
"Open the chest."
[Ding! Treasure chest opened successfully! Congratulations, host! You have received: Teyvat Fried Egg ×1 (Common Dish).]
[Teyvat Fried Egg (Common Dish): Revives a selected target, restoring 100 HP.]
The moment the system notification ended, a golden light flashed.
A freshly cooked Teyvat Fried Egg materialized on the table before Sam Li.
In an instant, all eyes were on him.
"What the hell? Where did that golden light come from?"
"Look! It's a fried egg…"
"He's doing a magic trick, isn't he? Probably wearing loose clothes, hiding an LED light inside the egg, then sneaking the egg out from under his shirt. Come on, that's a kids' show-level stunt—I outgrew this in third grade."
"Nice trick, though. Maybe swap that agency ad on the table for a street magic flyer, start a live stream, and boom—instant fanbase."
...
Hearing the murmurs around him, Sam Li quietly put away the Teyvat Fried Egg, took a small sip of coffee, and continued enjoying his peaceful morning.
As time passed, noon arrived.
The street grew livelier—office workers in suits, students in school uniforms, couples out shopping...
Among the crowd, a burly man of Xiongxi descent stood out, carrying a pile driver over his shoulder and sporting a thick gold chain. The Xiongxi people were known for their warrior heritage, and this man's imposing build and confident stride made him an unmistakable presence
Finishing his coffee, Sam Li showed no sign of leaving. Instead, he ordered another cup of the New Eridu Special Blend.
Finally.
A woman in an oversized hoodie, her face half-hidden by a hat, emerged from the crowd and sat directly across from Sam Li.
"The thieves these days sure are getting bold, advertising their services so openly on the street."
"You flatter me. Taking on jobs so openly in the middle of the street—you're pretty bold yourself."
Sam Li set down his coffee cup.
He knew business had finally arrived.
The woman slid a file folder across the table toward him.
"Let's cut to the chase. You seem gutsy enough, so I want to hire you for a job—go to the Red Fang Gang and retrieve this box. My client is willing to pay you an amount of Denny that you couldn't spend in a lifetime. Think you're up for it?"
A picture was attached to the outside of the folder, showing the box in question.
"I accept."
"You're taking the job just like that? Not even going to negotiate?"
The woman looked genuinely surprised.
Before approaching Sam Li, she had already contacted over a dozen agencies. The moment they heard the name Red Fang Gang, not a single one was willing to take the job—no matter how much Denny was offered.
If not for that, she wouldn't have resorted to hiring an unfamiliar agent off the street.
Yet now, Sam Li had accepted without hesitation.
No questions. No bargaining. Just an immediate yes.
It was so straightforward that it made her uneasy. Could she have run into a scammer?
The woman hesitated for a moment before muttering, "Before the job is completed, I can only pay 20% upfront..."
"Deal."
"This is 100,000 Denny as an advance."
"Transfer it to Hare's House account."
Sam Li never once glanced at the money.
The woman suddenly understood. "So you're with Hare's House. No wonder you're so fearless. No time to waste—get the box today, and I'll throw in an extra 20% commission."
She had heard that everyone at Hare's House was not normal.
Now, it seemed that rumor was true.
With that, she stood up to leave.
But Sam Li called out, "Hold on."
"What now?"
"Miss Client, could you please pay for the coffee?"
"..."