Chapter 30: Butterfly Attraction × Tail Star

Sweating profusely.jpg

When Ming Chong tried to sleep in the coffin, the next second Morax's human incarnation walked in.

Oh wow.

——I hope he won’t use Heaven Shake All Things soon... Then again, with such a big reaction, it seems he has the memory of the time with Heulia.

so……

Oh wow.

If it was Morax, Ming Chong's guardian, it would be no wonder that he believed that he would die here without saying a word.

Although, but——

He was a little excited,

Still a little scared,

But I still feel excited.

At the same time, Ming Chong disguised himself to look like he had just died. Hu Tao almost immediately realized his intention and started to cooperate with him.

"Oh, isn't this the guest? Do you know this big client? What a pity, the guest didn't get to chat with him for a while, and this client died after just trying a few coffins." Hu Tao spread his hands regretfully.

“…”

——This is indeed something that Ah Chong can do. As long as he can still breathe, he can get up and do something big.

Zhongli put the thrush on the table at the side, feeling a little sad at this moment, even though they had only met a few times in real life and the other party did not recognize him.

But Zhongli could sense that the memory of his recent dream was very real, and the person before him was indeed the Ah Chong he knew well.

They didn't even have time to chat for a few minutes, let alone recognize each other. Unexpectedly...

Things in this world are unpredictable.

"I do... but he probably doesn't remember me very well." Zhongli recalled Ming Chong's reaction when he first saw him, and sighed, feeling a little sorry.

"Oh? Could it be... one of those 'I held you in my arms when you were a kid' kind of recognitions?"

Just as Walnut was about to continue talking about sex——

"...That's not the case. Young Master Hu, why don't you let me bury this friend first and close the coffin, and then we can discuss other matters."

——This guy is too honest, he just jumped in on his own. It makes me feel bad to bully honest people.

Hu Tao raised an eyebrow. "Well, if I refuse, wouldn't it make me, Little Master Hu, seem particularly mean and ignorant of the seriousness of the situation?"

"That's not the case." Zhongli shook his head and walked step by step towards the head of the corpse in a depressed mood.

——Another familiar face disappeared...

——Alas, the wear and tear...has worsened again.

Zhongli took out a handkerchief and bent down to clean the corpse's face, but the next second—

“Surprise——!!!”

Ming Chong came back to life with his fangs and claws bared, and noticed that this scene paralyzed Zhongli's expression function for 0.01 seconds.

——Hahahaha! In one word, awesome!

In a flash, Zhongli quickly held Ming Chong's face and stuffed him back into the coffin, then closed the lid.

"It seems that Master Hu is gone too early, but I have nothing else to say."

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"Ugh! Wait, wait..." Ming Chong struggled to get his limbs out of the coffin and grabbed the edge, "Mou (mouth covered)... Zhongli you..."

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The coffin shook a few times and then became quiet.

Zhongli was silent for a moment, then he straightened his clothes leisurely as if he had done nothing, and nodded slightly, "Very good, nothing happened."

Although the memory of A Chong is only a hundred years old, Morax's memory is full of various big and small things he did. The experience of just a hundred years has left a deep impression even in the heart of a stone that is more than 6,000 years old.

Zhongli has already developed a complete set of methods to deal with various emergencies caused by A Chong, and corresponding thunder-like means.

He calmly turned and walked towards the thrush he had just acquired. Ming Chong suddenly appeared at Zhongli's feet, limbs flailing wildly, crawling across the ground like it hadn't been tamed yet, shouting something like, "Hahaha, Taoist, I've done it!"

The revenge for the desire for momentary pleasure and peace came quickly. Ming Chong banged the house everywhere, making loud noises. The coffins, tables, chairs, benches, etc. were in a mess, and the thrush was scared away.

Zhongli: ...

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"Hahahaha! Keqing, it seems that you two have a really good relationship!" Walnut stood aside and laughed.

The unidentified creature crawling on the ground paused, slowly turned around, and looked up at the source of the laughter.

Hu Tao performed a smile on the spot and it gradually disappeared. Oh no, it’s coming towards her!

"Little sister, are you infected with Zhongli?" Ming Chong slowly stood up and walked towards her in a very oppressive manner. "Don't you know what Zhongli is like?"

"You're going to ruin yourself!" Ming Chong grabbed Hu Tao's shoulders and shook her wildly, his tone filled with grief and rage. "A brother spent 5 million Mora on Zhongli! He bargained back, and in the end, he didn't make a cent, you know?!"

Hu Tao was deeply moved, her upper and lower lips trembling, and her face looked guilty, nervous and scared.

Zhongli: (pointing to himself) Me? .jpg

Is he a part of some PL?

"He's gone crazy now!"

Hu Tao's eyes wandered, "Don't pull me, I need to go spend some money..."

"(suck) Go and turn yourself in! You come with me to the bank and turn yourself in! We'll save all the Mora today, and you definitely won't be able to spend it! You still have a chance!"

"It's too late!" Hu Tao lowered her head and sobbed, "I'm going to be Zhongli's boss soon, and I'll be responsible for spending Zhongli's money from now on..."

Ming Chong and Hu Tao stood facing each other, sobbing one after another... Then they both raised their heads at the same time, met each other's eyes, and moved at the same time the next second.

"Hu Tao! I at least called you 'Little Sister', but you just stood there and watched me get pushed into the coffin by Zhongli?!"

"Ouch! My dear brother, how can I get involved in this!" Hu Tao was chased away, and her legs left afterimages. "Sometimes, this... is where the human relations and social customs lie!"

The two chased each other out of the house, circled Zhongli twice to the yard, and then ran back to circle Zhongli.

Zhongli sighed, feeling slightly tired.

"Hu Tao, don't run! Do you know how much harm your behavior has caused to my young heart?" After stopping, Ming Chong frowned and accused Hu Tao through Zhongli.

Hu Tao also stopped and took the opportunity to catch her breath. "If you don't chase me, I won't run! And how am I supposed to know what you're talking about? Besides, I was cooperating with you, and the guest's reaction wasn't what I expected. Shouldn't I blame him?"

"You're still laughing over there! From now on, we'll be the best in the world!" Ming Chong leaned to Zhongli's left, and Hu Tao fell to the right; he leaned to the right, and Hu Tao fell to the left.

“…”

Zhongli tried to dodge, but was pulled back by people on both sides at the same time.

This is the power that can even hold back Morax!

"Hmph! You're still blaming me! You're not one yourself!" Walnut also became confident, "In the past, when you needed me, you called me 'Little Sister'; when you didn't need me, you called me 'Walnut'!"

"Little Chongzi, if you leave me, who will still treat you as a child?"

They circled around Zhongli for a few rounds and then ran back to the yard to continue chasing each other.

There was a commotion outside the Wangsheng Hall. Elder Hu, who was lying in his room, vaguely heard a familiar noise. "Huh? Why do I think I hear the voice of my granddaughter Hu Tao? Is this the time?"

The attendant who was looking after him shook his head, "Master, this is not an illusion, it's just that Little Master Hu is playing around with her friends outside."

"Friend..." Master Hu repeated, "Young lady of honor, could you help me to the window? I want to see what Hu Tao looks like now."

"Master..." The waiter hesitated to speak, wanting to say that it would be better not to open the window too wide to avoid the wind, but this was a request from a grandfather about his granddaughter.

A steady and deep voice came from the doorway, "Young lady of the ceremonies, let me do it."

"Mr. Zhongli! Okay, thank you for your help." Upon hearing this, the waiter breathed a sigh of relief and made room for the seat next to the old hall master Hu.

"Hahahaha! Thank you so much, Guest Zhongli!" Old Hall Master Hu laughed heartily.

The old, frail and seriously ill hall master, with the steady support of Zhongli, approached the window step by step. First, he stepped his feet into the sunlight, and then the old hall master gradually tried to break away from Zhongli's help and support himself on the window frame with his hands.

"Squeak--" I opened the window a little more and could see a small half of the yard.

Outside is his granddaughter Hu Tao. Due to physical problems, she has been sensible since she was a child. She stays away from her peers, does not make friends, and is not close to her teachers.

As Old Master Hu watched, a tenderness and a pity of love involuntarily appeared in his eyes. "Hu Tao... This is the first time I've seen her so happy. She even brought her friends over..."

"Keqing, you know a lot of people. Do you know where that older child comes from?"

"...Master, that's my home."

"Oh? Great... Great!" Old Hall Master Hu couldn't help but sigh, "Guest, how do these two children usually get along? Is it the same as today?"

Zhongli pondered for a moment, then quickly gave up, "It's a bit... too noisy."

"Hahahaha! Making noise is good, making noise is good!" Old Master Hu was even happier after hearing this. "Making noise means you're energetic, and being energetic is a good thing! Hu Tao and that kid get along really well..."

"...Hey, where did the two kids go?" After talking with Zhongli, Old Master Hu planned to take another look, but he didn't find anyone, so his mood dropped.

The next second, a burst of whispering was heard at the door.

"We are no longer the best friends in the world. I don't want to see your grandfather."

"I'm not the best friend of yours, I also have Big Mi and Little Mi! It's just that Big Mi and Little Mi couldn't come, so I brought you here!"

"Humph! I knew it was something no one else wanted, so why would they let me pick it up?"

"Look, I just said a few more words, and you act like this!" Hu Tao quickly learned the essence of Ming Chong's strange words.

“…Hu Tao——?” Old Master Hu slowly sat back on the bed and called out.

"Grandpa!" Hu Tao responded loudly, then grabbed Ming Chong's clothes and pushed the door open.

Ming Chong also became nervous. He had no experience of seeing an elderly person who was about to die of illness in real life.

So he immediately restrained himself, held his hands, smiled shyly, and followed Walnut in calling "Grandpa".

Hu Tao's eyes looked like "belike" - I knew it, didn't you still call me "Grandpa", and before you said your grandpa and my grandpa.

Ming Chong: No, haha.

"Hu Tao, this must be your friend, right? Can you introduce him to grandpa?" said the old master Hu with a smile.

"Grandpa, his name is Ming Chong. Don't be fooled by his young age, but he's the secret prosecutor of the Seven Stars of Liyue!" Hu Tao puffed out her chest with some pride. "The last time we went to the General Affairs Department for an inspection, he and I worked together!"

ah?

...Prosecutor?

Ming Chong opened his eyes wide, looking refreshed. "...Yes, that's right!"

—I just slacked off for a few days, and something new has already been developed in Liyue's era?! ...Oh yeah, I wasn't very familiar with Liyue's official system.

——What if it already exists here?!

"Master, Liyue has been streamlining redundant officials recently and has also established a new department. A Chong is the first prosecutor on trial." Seeing that two people present were confused, Zhongli took the initiative to explain.

After Ming Chong, he began to clasp his hands together, put them in front of him, pretended to be obedient and smiled foolishly, staring at Zhongli eagerly.

—Morax, hurry up! Keep rescuing!

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"So that's how it is..." Although the old master Hu was somewhat out of touch with reality, he still had some insight.

Ming Chong looks to be seventeen or eighteen years old, but he is still not as smart and eloquent as his granddaughter Hu Tao when she was seven or eight years old.

It’s absolutely correct to say that they are older children.

And judging from the looks of it, he also has some ability to travel the world on his own. Otherwise, it would be fine if it was just Walnut. Zhongli's explanation was very logical, and the young hostess's expression did not show any strangeness at all.

"Just now, Ah Chong and the young hall master were playing together. I hope the hall master doesn't mind. He just came out of the mountains a few days ago and doesn't know much about many things. He relied on his abilities and received some support from Ningguang of Tianquan Star..."

Zhongli spoke slowly and calmly communicated with the old master Hu about the situation of his children at home.

Hu Tao elbowed him: So you are so familiar with Tianquan Star!

Ming Chong elbowed back: Without me, who will still treat you as a child? (Little Beaver said sarcastically).jpg

Walnut continued to elbow him: "Humph! No matter how good your kung fu is, you're still afraid of a kitchen knife. So, no matter how strong your skills are, you lack intelligence! Without brains, you're no better than barbecued pork!"

Ming Chong elbowed him back again: "No need! There are so many smart people, but how many are as smart as me?"

"Ouch!" Hu Tao was elbowed to the ground. The others turned to look at them. "Since none of us are convinced, why don't we go to the statue of Lord Yan and have a game of truth or fortune!"

"Come on--" Ming Chong turned his eyes and his gaze involuntarily fell on Zhongli.

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"Uh... Zhongli, haven't you said the last part yet? I don't want to go n-- with Walnut at all."

Zhongli used a speed that was inconsistent with his usual performance and covered Ming Chong's mouth with his hand, while still looking calm.

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"Young Hall Master, please don't act silly. The Liyue Seven Stars are able to look after A Chong precisely because of the Emperor's instructions. A Chong has his own unique abilities. There are some things that the Emperor cannot accomplish, but perhaps my child can."

"I'm sure someone as clever as the young hall master would have guessed it long ago, right?"

Hu Tao only thought about it for a moment, then looked at Ming Chong, whose mouth was covered, with a playful look and raised an eyebrow, "...The God of Thieves, with nothing in his hand?"

After being released, Ming Chong held his head high and chest puffed out, revealing a proud expression, "Haha! Are you scared?!"

——I can do it! Split waist for a while.jpg

"I see, you're worthy of being our guest at the Rebirth Hall! You must have a few words to say among the immortals!"

"Of course—ah?"

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ah?

no!

How can you praise him?

...Anyway, it's all Morax's fault!

Hu Tao opened her mouth, shook her head, and whetted Ming Chong's appetite before she slowly spoke, "Oh, my dear brother, this is the downside of going out without thinking! Look at you, you're so healthy, yet you've just left the mountain gate and been tricked into joining a treasure-stealing group. You're just too skilled and daring..."

"That's how you earned the nickname 'Miraculous Hands'. Don't you think that's a good reputation? Thankfully, it was Lord Tianquanxing who found you first, otherwise you wouldn't be treated so well now."

“…”

That makes sense.

This logic, this train of thought, this analysis...

——As expected of my little sister! Thumbs up.jpg

Ming Chong fell into deep thought, and he was sublimated.

But there is a problem -

He actually gave himself the nickname “Miaoshou Kongkong”! Isn’t it nice?! How cool is that!

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"That's not the point!" Ming Chong said stubbornly, "I swear in front of Morax. Humph, I bet he wouldn't even believe it!"

"...Moreover, practicing in the secular world cannot be considered 'being deceived'...Practicing in the secular world! How can the affairs of extraordinary people and extraordinary minds be called 'deception'?"

You have to know that he is wearing the clothes of the continent of Teyvat. No one has discovered his disguise for so long. Although someone has already made up a story for him, saying that he is from the Woodcutter Valley, this is only recently that he has made a series of efforts to fix the bugs he had previously fixed.

——They always say I’m stupid, but I’m not stupid at all. Most of the time I’m quite witty! [1]

That is, during the first simulation, the initial equipment was the treasure-hunting group. Ming Chong, who had just arrived, stayed directly where he started.

From then on, he ran all the way on the road of the great thief...

No one deceived him!

Thinking of this, Ming Chong's clear eyes instantly became firm. It must be that Hu Tao has not seen how powerful he is. After all, he is not an ordinary thief.

He is the great thief (bushi) in Wang Wei’s poems!

"Ahem... Walnut, if you don't enter the Tao, you'll see me like a frog in a well looking at the moon in the sky. If you enter the Tao, you'll see me like an ant looking at the sky!"

——The version where Ming Chong pretends to pose.

"Great! Well said! That's quite true!" Walnut's eyes lit up. "From now on, I, Walnut, will be in charge!"

Seeing Ming Chong's temper flare up, Hu Tao finally spoke up, "Ahem... I told you you're a healthy person. Others cultivate the bright path, but you insist on taking the winding, narrow path. Those who know you think you're sincere and innocent, but most people, upon hearing your nickname, can't help but grumble."

That's what she said, but Hu Tao herself is used to not following the beaten path. It's just that Ming Chong looks more worrying than her.

——He was walking on a road that could easily lead him to the other side, and his involvement with the other world was getting deeper and deeper.

"Grandpa once said that although our Wangsheng Hall isn't considered a grand institution, it still serves as a necessary link in the secular world. Funerals and funerals are not about social status or wealth.

Walking on the line between life and death, perhaps I've seen far more people and events than you! ... Even in the busy streets of Wangsheng Hall, many people avoid it, let alone the treasure-stealing group you're involved with?

"Xiao Chongzi, like what you said about entering the world and entering the Tao—

"Aren't we already in it?"

“…”

Ming impulsively moved his mouth, feeling as if he had lost. What she said made sense, but what exactly did she say?

Um……

He didn't quite understand what he heard. He didn't fully grasp it. Even after going over it in his mind once, he had already forgotten what was said before.

I can only say, if you understand.

My head itches, as if something is about to grow out.

—I wonder if there are chat logs in the simulator? If there are battle logs, maybe there are chat logs too!

Hey, what is this? Click it!

Reality Chronicle

You ran into Hu Tao by chance in the General Affairs Department and had a great chat with him.

——Unlock team mode*@ミ￡%■屮……

——Complete player route compatibility...

——Friends’ assistance has been unlocked.

[Xue Ji Mei Xiang Walnut] has joined the team.

?

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——My little sister has joined the team!

Even though his ears were still being fed with information, Ming Chong's mind was no longer focused on it. He finally came to his senses and decided that he didn't want to hear about things like understanding the world and the ways of the world.

It's all wear and tear! (I'm sure)

Before he traveled through time, he didn't have cheats, so he had to learn all this; after he traveled through time, he had cheats, so he still had to learn all this. Wouldn't that mean he traveled through time in vain?!

Anyway, no matter who asks, this is what Morax taught me.

——Wow, you can share the passive ability, but each teammate can only activate one... No one in this world is better at healing than me!

——It’s decided to be you! [Life]!

"Have you... figured it out?" Hu Tao looked at Ming Chong seriously.

"Master Hu Tao, I've finally realized it!" Ming Chong's expression grew serious, and he spoke each word clearly. "If you endure the most bitter hardships, you will endure endless suffering in the future!"

"boom--"

A gust of air suddenly erupted from the body of the old hall master Hu on the side, and he suddenly felt his body become lighter, as if all his illnesses were gone.

Master Hu, Hu Tao, and the young maid were all shocked, but Zhongli seemed to be thinking about something.

"A Chong, did you do something again?"

The others all looked at him. Ming Chong felt a little flustered. In fact, he had been distracted for a while. "Ah? Me?"

"I don't know!"

"Originally, I wanted to let Hu Tao see the power of the God of Thieves..." Ming Chong spread his hands innocently.

Zhongli followed up the conversation and asked, "So...?"

"So I shared a passive ability with her, and who knows how, it ended up being used on Grandpa Hu."

"Then I guess the problem lies here..." Zhongli pondered for a moment and did not ask Ming Chong anything else. Instead, he turned to explain for the remaining three people, especially the two hall masters.

"How rude, Hall Master. This young man in my family has been somewhat unusual since he was young. He was born with the ability to steal all kinds of things easily. Property is the inferior one, and power and curses are the middle one. What you have seen today is the superior one—"

"destiny."

Zhongli's narration immediately cast a veil of mystery over Mingchong, the carefree but intelligent-looking figure. "Old Hall Master Hu's previous feeling was indeed correct. In time, things should indeed turn out as you predicted."

Hu Tao looked from moment to moment at Zhongli, then at Mingchong. After hearing this, she began to understand a little more, only to realize that life is truly unpredictable and unpredictable.

The previous second she was still making profound remarks, which made Hu Tao think that she could be so open-minded in the future. The next second her new friend saved her grandfather who was dying and bedridden.

...Would he be rejected after being cured? After all, the words had already been spoken. She had entered the Dao through the secular world and the bustling city. Now, she was so embarrassed that she dug a Liyue Harbor in the ground with her toes.

The problem is that although she says she doesn't care about life and death, Hu Tao is actually still a little reluctant to leave her grandfather. If she can get through this embarrassing incident, her grandfather can stay with her for a while longer.

Hu Tao felt that it was not unacceptable.

What's more, the other party is her close friend regardless of age difference...

"The young hall master has been protected by Ah Chong, stealing his destiny and shielding him from the mysteries of heaven... Therefore, the side effects of that special fate can't find a host body, and there's a chance that the old hall master's body will recover.

The vision just now should be the power that Chong shared with the young hall master... Chong, I should be right, right?"

Ming Chong was silent for a moment and nodded heavily.

Just treat it as... that's it!

"Alas, now that things have come to this, I hope you can keep this secret for A Chong. If this ability gets out, it will easily attract prying eyes." Zhongli sighed as he continued to clean up the situation for him.

Old Hall Master Hu was in high spirits. "Hahahaha! Don't worry, Guest Zhongli. Even if you don't consider the Rock King Emperor's face, you can't forget that this person is my savior!"

"Mr. Zhongli, please rest assured, I will never tell anyone!" The waitress nodded repeatedly.

A flash of inspiration flashed through Hu Tao's mind, and he hesitated. "Keqing, you just said this is a top-notch thief. So, is there any price to pay for Xiao Chongzi? Although he can use this skill to perfection, he can definitely avoid paying the price..."

"But, after all, it still exists, right?"

"This..." Zhongli rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought. "Based on common sense, it does exist. But in Ah Chong's case... Sorry, Young Master, I'm not sure."

“…”

Ming Chong only realized at this moment that the atmosphere was a bit strange. "So what? I have the ability to tamper with the rules. Is there anyone among the Seven Gods who surpasses me? Since even my control over the rules cannot be matched, it means that there is nothing in this world that can threaten me!"

Seeing that Hu Tao still had a tense face, Ming Chong couldn't sit still and pulled her out.

"Oh my! Anyway, your grandfather is fine now, so you don't have to rush around all day long. It's just like—" Ming Chong's knowledge was a bit of a slog, "A beggar walking the night street, busying himself for nothing!"

"Go out and play!"

Mingchong still felt aggrieved.

——Really, what’s wrong with these people? They always want to give me lunch boxes...crazy.

—Are they all knife-wielding spirits?! Enough is enough.

After a lot of pulling and tugging, the two of them walked away in a noisy manner.

Zhongli was not too worried. Perhaps because he had previous experience, he knew that Ming Chong's worst lifespan would be that of an ordinary mortal.

The first time is new, the second time is familiar. From Ming Chong, Zhongli at least learned to focus on the present.

Seeing that Master Hu seemed to have thought of something more, Zhongli spoke:

"Master, don't worry too much. I understand that child. He's always been mischievous. He just keeps moving forward, doing things without often considering the consequences... But it seems that precisely because of this, the child has a certain amount of luck. Everything always works out for him..."

"Yes, you are right. If we worry too much, we will be letting him down." Old Master Hu quickly relaxed his brows and smiled.

"Since he and Walnut get along so well, I'll let my old bones hold on for a few more years and let them play freely for a few more years. When Walnut grows up a bit and I can really let him go, we'll make plans then."

…

The old head of Wangsheng Hall recovered overnight without any medication. Rumors spread that his illness was actually a death sentence, while others claimed he couldn't let go of his young granddaughter and used Wangsheng Hall's methods to extend his lifespan...

In short, there are all kinds of opinions.

"Did you catch the tail?"

"It's just a clue for now, take a look."

Ye Lan handed over a document. "Master Hu's account was too concise, while Miss Hu Tao included a lot of unnecessary details. If neither of them is lying, and... then the problem must lie with the ceremonial lady."

After the old hall master recovered, he had planned to remain in seclusion for a while to avoid attracting attention. Unexpectedly, within just a few days, his news spread.

However, the simple contract made by Zhongli remained untouched.

"I've been fighting that guy for quite some time now. This method of guiding people step by step in life, bypassing contracts, and using the omnipresent shadow to extract information is definitely his."

Ningguang raised her head, closed the file, and smiled slightly. "If the clue you're talking about is that person, then I'm not optimistic about your plan."

"Oh? So, the informants you placed elsewhere provided you with other clues?" Ye Lan stood nearby with her arms folded. "However, relying solely on the subjective evaluations of those children shouldn't be enough. I thought you knew that well."

"You misunderstood, Ye Lan." Ningguang chuckled and picked up a delicate pipe. "I'm not confident about what you mentioned."

"That's..." Soon, a gleam of light flashed in Ye Lan's eyes, "Is it him?"

Ningguang smiled but said nothing.

——

——

"Brother Zhiyi——"

“…”

"Brother Zhiyi!"

"...Oh, it's Xiao Shuo." Zhiyi awoke with a start, his usual smile plastered on his face again. "Didn't you go out and do justice today?"

Dugu Shuo shook his head, then excitedly shared with Zhiyi, "The blacksmith said that if I could persevere for a week and greet passersby near the dock, he would forge a 'Dugu Sword' just for me!"

"Really? This is something worth celebrating..." Zhiyi thought of something else as he spoke. He took a deep breath and said, "Then I congratulate you in advance, Hero Dugu."

"Dugu... Great, great hero?!" Dugu Shuo's eyes sparkled, and he felt both shy and happy. He immediately became excited. "Brother Zhiyi, and what's more, uncle even thought of a slogan for me: 'With a sword in my hand, I can roam the world freely'!"

"Sounds like it would suit you, Xiao Shuo." Zhiyi felt around in his pockets. "Ah, what a pity I forgot to bring some candy today..."

"Ah, no, no! I haven't finished the candy that Brother Zhiyi gave me last time!" Dugu Shuo waved his hands quickly, and the next second he saw someone coming from a distance, "It's Uncle Gao, I'm going to say hello, goodbye Brother Zhiyi!"

"Goodbye, Xiao Shuo."

Zhiyi watched Dugu Shuo run away, stood there for a while, and then slowly turned around and left.

Not far away, on the attic of the pier.

“…”

"Hey, I was wondering why you looked so listless these past couple of days. I didn't expect you were doing the work of an unscrupulous reporter."

Ming Chong's eyes, which were originally half-closed and gleaming with a murderous gleam, suddenly became half-moon-shaped. "How is that possible! ... What are you talking about? It's all your fault, you jinx!"

"..." Hu Tao immediately remembered what he was referring to, and her expression became slightly serious. "No way, no way, no way! Who said what at that time? Let me think-"

"Knowing that the past cannot be changed, we can realize that the future can be pursued... The past cannot be reversed, so we should do what we can do now to the fullest...

Now that the price has been paid, you finally regret it! "

Ming Chong yelled in dissatisfaction: "It's not that serious, it's you who is, stop cursing me!"

"So what's going on now?" Hu Tao pointed her chin in the direction of Zhiyi in the distance, tilted her head and crossed her arms.

"Uh...it's a long story, and I don't know where to start..." In the past few days, he always entered Zhiyi's perspective day and night, and at first he satisfied his desire to pry into other people's lives.

It was like it was stuck afterwards, and he couldn't cut off this perspective no matter what. Ming Chong felt that entering Zhiyi's perspective in his own room made him look like a perverted voyeur.

In order to comfort myself, I could only run out to watch the live broadcast of the large-scale reality show, "Zhi Yi's World" with full of resentment.

You know what, the effect is pretty good. After watching the live version, I haven't been stuck in that 3D theater perspective again.

Unfortunately, Ming Chong still hadn't figured out which skill he hadn't controlled well, which led to this situation.

Moreover, if we talk about Zhiyi, we have to start with putting on the sack.

However, the problem is that he really only used [Theft] before the fusion!

This sequelae seems to be the result of [revelation] or [soul seal] not being controlled properly and spreading out.

The object of [revelation] must be his believer or someone with whom he has a high degree of bond;

While [Soul Seal] is an extension of [Revelation], it can also be understood as a mere mark—it's unclear what the mark of the "New Wind Domain" will look like after merging with it...

If I had to explain it, it felt like [Soul Seal] was influencing [Revelation] in turn, but that didn't explain why the problem had only recently erupted.

Ming Chong has even begun to suspect that this is actually the cosmic malice left over from Wang Xia Yixi!

——That makes so much sense. Isn’t the only connection between me, Hu Tao, and Zhi Yi the salt-roasted lizard?

"So, this situation has only occurred in the past few days. Doesn't that speak volumes?" Walnut spread her hands, sighed, and shook her head. "Although this price seems a bit strange, since it's for you, little Chongzi, I don't think it's a big deal."

——Why doesn’t this sound like a good thing?

Squinting Suspicion.jpg

"Well, forget it. Since this is the price I, Walnut, should pay, you don't have to waste your brain on it. Just leave it to me, Walnut!"

Ming Chong's expression changed instantly, and he immediately leaned on Hu Tao's tender shoulders like a little bird, "Hehehe, thank you for the gift of brains from my little sister!"

Walnut pounded his chest and smiled confidently:

"Don't worry, you'll be fine!"

After that, Ming Chong turned over a new leaf and stopped being a fan of Zhiyi. He took Hu Tao into the 3D screening room to watch the big-screen reality show "Zhiyi's World" together.

Unlike Ming Chong, Hu Tao quickly discovered the clues -

This Zhiyi was clearly a clerk in the General Affairs Department in charge of the Procuratorate, yet he was reading ancient books and miscellaneous books on folk customs and techniques such as life and death, fortune-telling, etc.

"Little Chongzi, let me show you something fun. Look what that is?"

"Uh... Are the disciples of Uncle Tian from Tianshu Star reading the heavenly book?" Ming Chong looked in the direction Hu Tao was pointing with great interest. This sight made him shrink like a wind slime that was stabbed.

Good, good, the case is solved.

This wave actually resulted in a complete failure for the poor students.

"So...what's going on?"

"I have some guesses now, but I'm missing the last piece of the puzzle..." Walnut shook his head and pretended to be profound.

"..." Ming Chong scratched his head curiously. He felt that even if Hu Tao explained it, he might not understand. But, who made him so green and playful?

"Oh? There are Fatui?!"

walnut:?

"Where? Where? Why can't I see it?"

"Hehe, Sister Haier, you don't understand this! No one can pretend in front of me, no one!"

walnut:……

"Xiao Chongzi, if the Fatui are behind this, we need to act quickly. Even Walnut knows that they are a group of people who have no moral integrity.

And we still don't know what they're planning! Your abnormality is of great importance, and it's caused by me, so we can't be careless!"

Seeing that Zhiyi was tempted by the vague news about the Rebirth Hall left by the fools, Hu Tao suddenly realized the seriousness of the matter.

However, when it comes to a conflict that cannot be explained by reason, how to solve it still needs to be observed...

"...Okay! So what do we do next?"

"Let me tell you my guess first, and explain it to you clearly while we have time." Walnut looked quite serious. "It's a long story, Xiao Chongzi, you probably don't know much about me, so I'll just pick out the parts you can understand--"

"I was born at a time when the boundary between life and death was at its weakest. My fate is peculiar. I am also a member of the funeral lineage of the Wangsheng Hall. Simply put, I was born with the ability to see ghosts and spirits, and have been easily attracted to ghosts with strong yin energy since I was a child..."

My grandfather named me "Tao," which means "peach," after the "peach" in the peachwood sword, used to suppress negative energy. And the "tao" in my often-mentioned mischievous character, "tao," carries the water element, suggesting a greater tendency to get into trouble.

Despite this, my parents died before I could even remember them, which means... they were killed by me."

Hu Tao paused for a moment. "If you hadn't hidden me from the realm of fate, Grandpa... would probably have been killed by me. Only when I become a truly lonely person will this fate that brings disaster to my family cease."

"Besides, Xiao Chongzi, although you hid me, Zhiyi didn't. As you said before, you stole Zhiyi himself, and his fate disappeared from the world for a brief moment. Zhiyi may still have your mark on him, and -

You leaked your energy.

If I'm not mistaken, Zhiyi and I have similar fates, and in the process of stealing both of us, you confused fate's vision..."

Ming Chong could easily understand such a plain explanation.

——Because fate is blind.

And Zhiyi is the unlucky guy, the big victim.

However, his misfortune did not end there.

The biggest difference between Hu Tao and Zhi Yi is that Hu Tao was born in the Wangsheng Hall lineage, so her uniqueness can be taken seriously. Although her kinship is shallow, she has a natural advantage in practicing magic.

Zhiyi was born in an ordinary family and had few relatives. However, he was spiritually ignorant. Although he encountered difficulties and hardships from time to time, his life was not in danger and it was not a big deal.

In other words, Zhiyi is more likely to encounter dangers caused by unnatural forces, but because he is an ordinary person, he knows nothing about it and does not receive positive feedback from his fate.

——I have experienced a lot of bad things, but I have never experienced any good things.

He might get some compensation in other areas, but that was not his destiny, so no matter how well he did, he would lack that last ray of hope for one reason or another.

Hu Tao was quite touched by this analysis.

Ming Chong took it well and even told a joke.

"Isn't this the case for ordinary people in this world? Monsters are something everyone encounters, but their powers are completely unmatched. The upper limit does exist, and it's high, but the barriers are also very thick."

This world's attitude towards humans is truly endearing, like the affection between brothers—

I am afraid that my brother is having a hard life, and I am also afraid that he is driving a Land Rover.

Ming Chong also made some simple changes so that Hu Tao could understand it.

In response to this, Hu Tao laughed, then felt weak all over and could only sigh.

Of course, the above is the original situation, and now we have entered the new version.

For various reasons, Zhiyi became interested in Wangsheng Hall. So, he finally got the hang of it.

"Before, his spirituality was dim, so those disasters only seemed like bad luck. But now it's different. It could even cost his life."

"As Zhiyi understood more, his spirituality began to emanate. Fate naturally saw him as the Walnut I, but unfortunately, Zhiyi remained an ordinary person, and he didn't break through the final barrier."

"...It sounds no different from before. Isn't it just the same old story in a new bottle?" Ming Chong couldn't help but feel pity for Zhiyi. "Oh no, he's even worse off."

"So, now you understand! The Fatui will only use this to make things worse. If something really happens to Zhiyi, then I, Hu Tao—"

Walnut's mouth opened and closed, and finally her voice lowered as she uttered a few words faintly:

“It will be hard to let go of it later.”

The two looked at each other for a long time, and both saw the solemn expressions on each other's faces. At the same time, they felt that the three of them were now in the same boat... although Zhiyi himself didn't know it yet.

But that's okay, this is the default camp.

"Oh, by the way, we've been talking for so long, it seems like we missed a few episodes in the middle. Where is he going now?" Ming Chong pointed at the picture with some confusion.

Walnut looked left and right and shook his head.

After rewinding the video for a while and combining it with the gossip of the Fatui, Walnut understood everything.

“It’s ‘border’.”

"Could it be that he went there to imitate Grandpa Hu's tactics and bring back some family member?"

This is the drawback of relying on inferences without understanding Zhiyi’s past.

According to Hu Tao, it would take at least two or three days to get from Liyue Harbor to the "border" at Wuwangpo, and Ming Chong could get there in one second, so there was plenty of time.

Ming Chong really wanted to use [Memory] to see the effect, but he felt that things were already complicated enough, so -

"Help!!!"

"Lord Ningguang..."