Chapter 24: Vimara Village

Lin Feng stepped slowly into Vimara Village. Carrying a massive pack, he naturally drew the attention of many residents. Elderly folk and children strolling nearby cast curious glances his way, their expressions shifting to one of recognition once they noticed the Vision at his waist.

In the distance, Lin Feng spotted three children running toward him as a group. Leading them was a black-haired boy, followed by a slightly shorter girl and a young blonde boy.

"Kavus, Yudan, Sudabeh!"

"Slow down! Be careful not to trip!"

A blonde figure with the features of a Fontaine native called out from behind them, sounding worried.

Lin Feng, who had been somewhat relaxed, suddenly looked up at the young blonde man. Memories from the game flooded his mind. With a thought, he opened the blonde man's profile:

[Individual Info: Human — Trofin Snezhevich / Alphonso]
Level: 43 (Through rigorous training and a forbidden Delusion, he has acquired partial elemental power. If he stands behind an enemy, he is confident in defeating even a Vision holder.)
Affinity: Pyro
Traits: Assassination Arts 4, Sewing 4, Delusion: Pyro Affinity 3, Stealth 3, Cooking 3...
Mood: Vigilant
Favorability: -10 (A stranger with a Vision; he may influence the plan. He is wary of you.)

Seeing the information, Lin Feng finally recalled the identities of the four: Fatui agents sent by the Harbinger "The Doctor" to investigate the Withering and the Aranara, alongside the three children saved by Rana in the Aranyaka questline.

Ensuring his face betrayed no abnormality, Lin Feng watched as the three children approached.

"Big brother, is that the Vision that Brother Alphonso talks about? This is my first time seeing one!" the lead boy, Kavus, said excitedly, eyeing the accessory at Lin Feng's waist.

"I heard that people with Visions are super strong—they can even defeat giant bears in the mountains! Is that true?" the blonde boy, Yudan, added with equal excitement.

"You two, don't block the guest! You're being a nuisance!" Sudabeh, wearing her hair in two low pigtails, looked embarrassed by her reckless friends.

The young girl looked at Lin Feng and said sheepishly, "Sorry, big brother. We didn't mean to bother you. I'll drag these two idiots away right now!" She reached out to pull the curious boys away.

Lin Feng, who had been pondering how to deal with the Fatui, felt his mood improve at the sight of the adorable trio. On a whim, he reached out and plucked a cluster of wildflowers from the roadside. With a flick of his hand, the closed buds blossomed into a vibrant bouquet.

Handing the flowers to the girl, he smiled and said, "It's alright. Even with a Vision, there isn't actually anything special I can do. Here, take these, you polite little one."

"Oh! Really? Thank you, big brother!" The girl’s eyes lit up. After taking the flowers, she was chased off by the two boys, who were clamoring for a closer look.

Alphonso’s pupils contracted at the sight of Lin Feng’s display, but he quickly smiled and said, "Sorry about that. The children were a bother. I hope you don't mind."

"I should go after them. I hope you enjoy your stay in Vimara Village."

With that, Alphonso ran off after the children like any ordinary neighbor, leaving Lin Feng standing there, deep in thought.

Adjusting his plans slightly, Lin Feng found a small inn and decided to stay the night. The inn was unexpectedly clean and tidy. Despite being on the ground floor, there was no sign of dampness or mildew. Satisfied, Lin Feng set down his luggage and rolled around on the comfortable bed.

...

At night, Alphonso walked past the inn as if nothing were amiss. However, while passing Lin Feng’s room, he seemed to stumble, dropping some of the mushrooms he had gathered. As he bent down to retrieve them, he took the opportunity to toss a small pebble near Lin Feng’s lodging.

Inside the room, Lin Feng opened his eyes and sighed, choosing to feign ignorance and continue sleeping.

...

The next day, Lin Feng found the village chief and rented a boat, intending to travel along the river toward Vanarana.

Lying in the narrow boat—barely wide enough for two people—Lin Feng watched helplessly as "Whitey" darted through the water like a torpedo. *Why does a Treasure Hoarder Weasel love the water so much?*

Before departing, Lin Feng had conducted a sweep of the quiet village. Sensing the unusually active Withering zones near Vimara Village and noting the images provided by elemental feedback—showing Alphonso reporting to a group of Fatui—he silently gathered the nearby Dendro energy.

...

Deep within an underground cavern typical of the rainforest, a group of ordinary Fatui members in uniform was busy working among mechanical devices.

"Faster! You useless bunch of freeloaders!"

"It’s been three days and you still haven't finished installing the Withering-catalyzing device. If it's not done today, I'll use you trash as test subjects for Lord 'Doctor' instead of the children we captured!"

In the dark cave, a Fatui agent in specialized purple armor barked orders with a vicious expression.

"Lieutenant Morris, that is enough." Among the cowering crowd, a young blonde man stepped forward to stop the raging Morris.

"I have no intention of interfering with how you manage your subordinates, but these are devices crafted personally by Lord 'Doctor.' If they are destroyed because you were too impatient, no one will escape the subsequent punishment."

"Hmph! Don't tell me what to do, Trofin!" Morris glared at Alphonso.

"The children you brought last time are already 'discarded.' If you don't hurry and bring some new ones, don't blame me for targeting the children in this village."

"..."

Alphonso wanted to say something, but suddenly, his limbs felt weak and his head grew heavy. Watching the Fatui members collapse one by one, and seeing beautiful flowers blooming silently in the corners, he realized they had been attacked. A young man's face flashed through his mind, and Alphonso collapsed helplessly into the slick moss of the cave floor.

...

After confirming that the Withering seeds in the vicinity had been cleared, and sensing the life force vanish from the cave, Lin Feng felt a strange heaviness.

He knew he couldn't change Alphonso’s mind unless he stormed Snezhnaya and wiped out all of "The Doctor's" segments—a fact he was certain of after seeing Alphonso's hidden side.

As he drifted along the water, he reflected on his initial desire to talk to Alphonso and couldn't help but feel naive. No matter how much they loved those children, as members of the House of the Hearth, loyalty was their first principle.

His lingering hesitation had led him to give Alphonso more chances, but yesterday’s surveillance and today’s gathering had shattered his illusions. In the end, he had been forced to use the most brutal methods to resolve the problem.

Though he had removed a threat to the children, Lin Feng couldn't muster any joy. Whatever the Fatui’s goals were, their crimes—kidnapping children, human experimentation, and inciting chaos across the continent—were indefensible.

Lin Feng felt no affection for such an organization, but erasing a life that yearned for freedom brought no sense of accomplishment. Recalling the research facilities he saw in the elemental feedback—the ones that would clearly intensify the Withering—he added another tally against "The Doctor," whom he already detested.

Pushing those troubles aside, Lin Feng observed the scenery along the banks. Having never traveled by boat in his previous life, he found the experience somewhat novel. Watching Whitey frolic in the water, his mood slowly began to lift.

As the wide waterway gradually narrowed, Lin Feng drew closer to his destination.

Beside a lush patch of rainforest, the boat finally came to a stop. Stepping off the vessel, he secured it and set out on the final leg of his journey to Vanarana.

...

Scanning the forest, Lin Feng could only conclude that the Aranara’s dome-shaped houses were far too conspicuous. He wondered how those scholars had conducted their research if they couldn't spot such obvious anomalies.

Stopping and starting, he dispatched over a dozen groups of Fungi along the way, finally arriving at his destination without further incident.

Staring at the circular stone before him, Lin Feng tried to commune with the power of dreams within him, then slowly placed his hand upon it.

The ordinary-looking stone suddenly emitted a glow. Facing this power, which originated from the same source as the God of Dreams, Lin Feng entered his destination without resistance: the home of the Aranara—the Vanarana of dreams.

Gazing at the magnificent purple sky and breathing in the air saturated with dream energy, Lin Feng exhaled a long breath. *Finally here.*