There's not just a way—there are two ways?
"Elder, please don't keep us in suspense…" Lucas also sounded a bit excited. "What are the methods?"
Director Wu slowly said, "The first one is naturally to trace the origin. Go to Sumeru, find the followers of the Scarlet King—perhaps they might know a way to remove it."
"That sounds way too far-fetched," Lucas said helplessly. "Let's not even talk about where to find the Scarlet King's followers. Even if we do find them, who's to say they'll know the method?"
"No need to worry, young man. There's still a second method," Director Wu took a sip of tea and continued, "This Ring of Manipulation can only be suppressed by divine power—naturally, it must be destroyed by divine power as well."
"You mean…" Lucas probed, "We ask the Geo Archon to… smash it?"
"With Lord Morax's great might, if he dropped a boulder, the Ring of Manipulation would certainly be crushed to dust," Director Wu smiled. "But you, my friend, might also need to be scooped up with a shovel."
"Director Wu, please don't joke like that," Ganyu said helplessly. "What's the real way?"
"Among the Seven Archons, while more than one has the power to shatter this ring, to do so precisely, without harming the wearer… as far as I know…" Director Wu paused, then said, "Only the Electro Archon of Inazuma, with her Musou no Hitotachi, might be able to pull it off."
"That sounds even worse than the first option…" Lucas said, half exasperated. "Let's not even mention whether I can meet the Raiden Shogun in person. Even if I could, why would she agree to cut it for me?"
What do you think this is, some cheap shopping app's discount—ask for a slice and you get it?
"Young man, getting cut by Musou no Hitotachi isn't exactly difficult," Director Wu thought for a moment and said, "As I recall, in the Tri-Commission's public duels, the loser will face the Raiden Shogun's strike."
"Great, so not only does the ring get destroyed, I'd get destroyed with it," Lucas rolled his eyes. "Is this a buy-one-get-one deal?"
"No need to worry. There may be room for maneuver," unexpectedly, a glimmer of hope appeared in Ganyu's eyes. "I have an old acquaintance—Yae Miko, the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. She's quite close with the Raiden Shogun. If I ask her to help plead our case, there might be a chance."
"So should I go to Sumeru first, or Inazuma?" Lucas counted on his fingers, thinking aloud. "One has slim hope and unclear leads, the other has an actual chance… but sounds really dangerous…"
Lucas did believe the Musou no Hitotachi could slice the Ring of Manipulation—but whether the Raiden Shogun could control her strike precisely enough not to chop off his wrist in the process… now that was uncertain.
"In any case, let's wait until the Tianshu Election is over before we decide." Ganyu patted Lucas's shoulder and comforted him, "No matter what, I'll always be by your side."
Just as she said this, a rustling sound suddenly came from behind the bookshelf.
Startled, Ganyu quickly called out, "Who's there?"
But right after speaking, she felt a bit of regret—after all, anyone who could access Yuhai Pavilion's library certainly wouldn't be an outsider, so her tone might have been a bit harsh.
Sure enough, the person who stepped out from behind the shelves was a beautiful girl with purple twin-tails—someone both Ganyu and Lucas knew quite well.
"Lady Keqing?" Lucas blurted out. "What are you doing here?"
Indeed, the person who had been hiding behind the bookshelf all this time was Keqing. Lucas was surprised because he and Ganyu had entered the library early in the morning and hadn't seen anyone else come in.
Keqing's expression was a little complicated as she calmly said, "I was here last night reviewing land planning documents from fifty years ago. I read too late and just fell asleep here."
"I see…" Ganyu gave a helpless smile. "You really are a workaholic."
"Hey, hey…" Lucas said, a little speechless. "Do you even have the right to call someone else a 'workaholic'? I wonder who it was, muttering about work even in her sleep…"
At that, Keqing's expression clearly shifted. She gave a light cough and said, "Lucas, come here. I have a few words to say to you."
Lucas, after all, still had the "identity" of Keqing's retainer, so he nodded toward Ganyu before following her over.
The two circled around three bookshelves before Keqing finally stopped, locking eyes with Lucas. "What do you mean by this?"
Lucas was completely confused. "What… what do you mean?"
"You know what I mean!" Keqing bit her lip. "And you're still asking me what I mean by meaning?"
"Miss Keqing, can we not go in circles?" Lucas said helplessly. "I really don't know what you're talking about."
"Dream talk…" Keqing's eyes sharpened. "How did you know what Lady Ganyu said in her dreams?"
Wow. So this is the observation power of one of the Liyue Qixing?
One sentence, and she hit the nail on the head.
Seeing Lucas hesitate for a moment, Keqing stomped her foot lightly. "You… You didn't already… cross the line with Lady Ganyu, did you?"
"I swear by the Geo Archon, Lady Ganyu is still pure!" Lucas declared decisively. "Here's the deal: Cloud Retainer is also here in Liyue Harbor, and in order to hide the fake marriage from her, Ganyu and I had to sleep in the same room."
He said it loud and clear—for good reason. Even though he and Ganyu were quite close, they hadn't crossed the final line. Saying she was still pure? Not even the Geo Archon could pick fault with that.
"Just one room?" Keqing pressed.
"Uh…" Lucas coughed twice. "There was only one bed in the room. And you know me—my back's not good, I can't sleep on the floor…"
"Let me ask you," Keqing cut him off. "During the time you stayed at Ganyu's house… were you happy?"
Seeing the subtle shift in her expression, Lucas nodded. "Ganyu and her family treated me very well."
Keqing clearly picked up on the implication. She was silent for a while before saying, "I see. Looks like you've become too comfortable there… to the point you don't want to come back."
"No way!" Lucas quickly explained. "My work contract is still with you!"
Keqing's eyes lit up. She grabbed Lucas's arm and dragged him away. "Come with me!"
"Hey, ow!" Lucas yelped instinctively. "What are you doing?"
"We're going to make it clear to Lady Ganyu," Keqing said without looking back, "that you belong to me!"
"What?"
Before Lucas could fully process what was happening, Keqing had already grabbed his hand and quickly walked up to Ganyu. Ganyu set down the book in her hands, smiling gently. "Finished your talk?"
"Yes, we're done," Keqing nodded. "Our Lucas seems to have caused you quite a bit of trouble lately, Lady Ganyu. I hope you won't hold it against him."
Whether intentional or not, Keqing seemed to emphasize the words "our Lucas," as if making a point.
However, Ganyu seemed completely unfazed by the subtle hint of hostility in Keqing's tone. She shook her head and said, "Not at all. These days, Lucas feels just like family to us. Master and my junior Shenhe both like him very much. And you should know—they're not ones to easily grow close to outsiders."
Family, huh?
Though Ganyu's tone was calm as always, her words carried an invisible force that caught Keqing off guard.
As secretary to the Qixing, Ganyu's status might technically be on par with the Seven Stars, but there was a long-standing saying in Liyue: "Ganyu remains while the Qixing change." In terms of seniority, Ganyu clearly outclassed Keqing.
"You two carry on then," Director Wu, seemingly sensing the rising tension in the air, said with a smile. "This old man will go out for some fresh air."
As he passed Lucas, Director Wu gave his shoulder a meaningful pat and whispered, "Good luck, young man…"
Lucas had no words—he could only silently swallow his saliva.
"What a pity…" Keqing placed one hand firmly on Lucas's shoulder. "After this mission ends, Lucas will be returning to me."
"I've actually been meaning to discuss something with the Yuheng Star," Ganyu said calmly, placing her hand on Lucas's other shoulder. "Over these past few days, our family has grown so used to Lucas's cooking that we can hardly do without him. I wonder… would you be willing to part with him and let me have him?"
So you're after my cooking, huh?
You're clearly after my body!
Lucas grumbled inwardly. I'm too embarrassed to call you out on it…
Keqing, meanwhile, was fuming inside.
She had graciously lent Lucas to Ganyu as a cover, and now Ganyu was trying to keep him for good?
Even though she was furious, Keqing still maintained her composure. "Apologies, but Lucas is a valued talent in my estate and one of my most capable aides. If you want to take him…"
"You mean it's a matter of money?" Ganyu asked innocently. "Then how about one hundred million Mora?"
Only Ganyu could dig at someone's wall with such righteousness.
"It's… it's not about Mora!" Keqing's face flushed red. "I was the one who had him first! Besides, Lucas and I have a signed contract!"
"If it's an employment contract, it can be dissolved with a proper breach fee. But really…" Ganyu's gaze fell on Lucas. "Rather than argue, why don't we ask Lucas where he wants to stay?"
With that, both women turned toward Lucas, eyes filled with anticipation.
This was absolutely a trap question—no matter who he chose, the other side would never let it go easily.
But Lucas was no longer the naïve boy he had once been. In the blink of an eye, he had already come up with a way out.
"Since employees must compete to rise above the rest… shouldn't it be fair for employers to compete as well?" Lucas folded his arms. "How about this—why don't the two of you compete, and whoever wins, I'll go with her."
This way, even if it didn't resolve the conflict, it at least shifted it back between the two women for now.
"You mean… a match?" Keqing immediately perked up, cracking her knuckles. "Interesting. No matter what the contest is, I won't lose!"
From a young age, Keqing had always been that "model child" everyone praised. Highly competitive, she had worked her way up to become one of the Liyue Qixing at an impressively young age.
"I have no objections," Ganyu said sweetly. "Though… if it's a fight, wouldn't that be a bit unfair to Keqing?"
This wasn't meant as provocation. While Keqing was undeniably formidable among humans, she was still a few steps behind Ganyu—who had once shone brilliantly in the Archon War as an Adeptus.
But her words instantly struck a nerve with Keqing, who retorted coldly, "If it's a battle to the death, I'm not your match. But if we're just comparing techniques, I may not necessarily lose."
"Then let's have a match—purely comparing techniques," Ganyu smiled. "Neither of us will use our Visions. And of course, I won't use my Adepti powers either. I'll face you using only my human strength."
"Uh…" Lucas said awkwardly from the side. "Shouldn't I be the one to decide what we're competing in?"
"Do you have any objections?" Ganyu and Keqing asked in unison.
"No objections!" Lucas stood at attention. "The two bosses make the call!"
...…
Yuhai Pavilion, Training Grounds
This training ground was located in the basement of Yuhai Pavilion. It was spacious, with various training equipment and a wide selection of weapons along the sides.
As for why a mostly administrative organization had a training ground—according to Ganyu, it was meant to help staff avoid lacking in physical fitness. But due to the heavy workload at Yuhai Pavilion, no one really had the energy to train here anymore.
Only Ganyu occasionally came by to blow off steam.
"Please,"
Keqing held a wooden sword in her hand. "May I ask what weapon Lady Ganyu will use?"
Ganyu shook her head. "Barehanded is fine."
Hearing this, Keqing frowned slightly.
Ganyu's strength was certainly immense—but no one knew exactly where her power lay. After all, she hadn't fought seriously in thousands of years.
Keqing's confidence came not only from her own swordsmanship, but also from the general understanding that on Teyvat, combatants without Visions had a very limited ceiling.
A Vision, like a Devil Fruit in One Piece, was something that separated the ordinary from the exceptional. To reach the apex without one—such people were as rare as phoenix feathers.
"In that case, I won't hold back," Keqing said, leaping forward with her wooden sword. With a sharp thrust toward Ganyu, a curved trail of motion shimmered in the air:
"Yunlai Strike!"
This was the Keqing clan's ancestral Yunlai Sword Technique, renowned for its lightness and speed. Keqing was the most gifted heir in generations to grasp its essence. She had even integrated the Yunlai Sword Technique with her Electro elemental power, creating the unique move known as "Stellar Restoration."
Though martial prowess had its limits, when combined with the elemental power of a Vision, it could ascend to greater heights.
However, Ganyu remained perfectly still.
Keqing was secretly delighted. As her wooden sword was about to pierce Ganyu's chest, Ganyu moved with a speed barely visible to the naked eye and, with only her palm, effortlessly neutralized Keqing's attack. Before Keqing could react, she felt all the force in her body instantly dissipate.
Still, being a swift and capable fighter, she immediately sensed something was wrong and leapt away. However, she still looked somewhat disheveled as she rolled across the ground several times before finally steadying herself.
Beautiful!
Experts watched for technique, while laymen watched for excitement.
Lucas naturally recognized Ganyu's maneuver. While he too could perform such "neutralize and redirect" techniques, to achieve the same level of precision and ease as Ganyu did was no simple feat.
"The Yunlai Sword Technique truly lives up to its name," Ganyu said breezily. "At your age, your grandfather's swordsmanship likely fell far short of yours."
This wasn't Ganyu boasting. Forget Keqing's grandfather—even if her ancestors rose from their graves, they would still respectfully address her as "Senior Ganyu."
"Again!"
Keqing rose to her feet, face filled with unwillingness, and lunged at Ganyu once more.
The two clashed for seventy to eighty rounds. Keqing had nearly exhausted her entire Yunlai Sword Technique, but she still hadn't managed to land even a single blow on Ganyu.
Though they had agreed not to use external power, Ganyu's Adeptus physique still gave her a distinct advantage. Keqing was already drenched in sweat and panting, while Ganyu remained steady and smiling, like an unshakable mountain.
"Why won't you fight back?" Keqing frowned. "Do you look down on me?"
"Not at all. This battle is just to determine a winner. You're one of Liyue's pillars—I don't want to injure you," Ganyu shook her head. "Now that you've seen the gap between us, why not concede?"
Even Lucas might not best Ganyu in pure technique—let alone Keqing. Though fiercely competitive, she wasn't reckless. No one knew better than her just how vast the gap between her and Ganyu was. Continuing would only make her look more pathetic, with no real chance of victory.
Could she really… give up?
"Tsk, tsk. Just like that, thinking of giving up already?"
Suddenly, a familiar yet unfamiliar voice echoed from deep within Keqing's mind.
Her vision blurred, and a shadowy figure suddenly appeared before her.
It was a woman who looked identical to her—but with an entirely different aura.
Three parts cold, three parts wicked, and three parts arrogant.
Only a sliver of her resembled the real Keqing.
"Who… who are you?" Keqing asked in shock.
"I'm you," the other Keqing replied. "No—more precisely, I'm the more advanced you. We have the same potential. The difference is, I know what I want, and I've pushed that potential to the extreme. You, meanwhile, have wasted it in your repetitive, stagnant life."
"What a joke!" Keqing snapped. "I… I'm far from ordinary!"
Indeed, Keqing had achieved high status at a young age. Calling her "ordinary" was definitely unfair.
"But you can't even defeat that seemingly delicate woman right now, can you? Forget weapons—she only used one hand," the other Keqing said with disdain. "If you lose here, you'll be handing that man over on a silver platter."
Keqing fell silent. After a moment, she muttered, "I… I really can't beat her."
"Let me take over, and I'll show you your true potential," the other Keqing extended her hand, her smile wicked. "If you're willing… just give me your hand."
Surrender her body?
Cautious by nature, Keqing would never normally make such a reckless decision.
But the burning unwillingness deep in her heart refused to let her lose to Ganyu. After a few seconds of thought, she finally chose to grasp the other's hand.
"A wise choice, my dear," the other Keqing's body turned into a dazzling streak of violet lightning that surged through Keqing's entire being. "Oh, right—you may call me… Raiksha."
Indeed, this sudden voice in Keqing's mind was none other than the "Thunder Rakshasa" version of herself from another simulator.
At some point, her consciousness had become capable of linking with her "main world" counterpart. And when Keqing's emotions surged, that connection grew stronger, allowing Raiksha to pierce through space and speak directly to her.
Of course, to outsiders, the entire exchange occurred in the blink of an eye.
Seeing Keqing momentarily dazed, Ganyu asked again, "Have you made your decision?"
"Of course…" Raiksha smiled coldly. "Take this!"
For some reason, Ganyu felt that the Keqing before her was now completely different. But before she could think further, her opponent had already arrived in front of her. Ganyu quickly raised her palm to counter, but to her surprise, Keqing's moves were no longer the Yunlai Sword Technique—instead, they were ghostly and unpredictable, hard to follow.
Had Keqing been hiding this?
Ganyu no longer dared to hold back and engaged Keqing seriously.
Lucas didn't dislike watching women fight, but the sheer intensity between the two was simply overwhelming.
Raiksha had not only undergone special Abyss Order enhancements—she had also survived countless life-or-death battles. Her combat style was far more ruthless than Keqing's. The wooden sword in her hand alternated between being a short sword and a dagger. Even the experienced Ganyu struggled to anticipate her next move.
Suddenly, Raiksha reversed her grip and slashed toward Ganyu's abdomen. At the same time, Ganyu, fully immersed in battle, didn't dodge. Instead, she struck toward Raiksha's chest with her palm.
Either blow would result in injury.
"Stop fighting!"
At this critical moment, Lucas suddenly stepped between them. Both women were startled and tried to stop—but it was too late.
Swish! Thump!
A sword and a palm strike landed simultaneously on Lucas's body.
Both Ganyu and Raiksha were startled.
But Ganyu reacted more swiftly. She immediately caught Lucas, frowning slightly as she asked, "Are you alright?"
"Are you looking to die?" Raiksha snorted coldly. "If you hadn't jumped in, that strike just now would've landed."
"It would've landed, sure—but you probably would've been sent flying too," Lucas replied with a glint of golden light flashing across his body. He grinned, "Don't worry, I've got a sturdy body. I can take it."
Had it been an ordinary person receiving both those blows, they'd likely be lying in Bubu Pharmacy's critical care unit by now. The reason Lucas was unharmed was because, at the last second, he had activated the Pure Yang Vajra Indestructible Body. Without it, even if he hadn't been injured, the pain would've been quite something.
Though Raiksha felt some resentment, she knew in her heart that if both of them had landed their blows, her wooden sword likely wouldn't have done much to Ganyu. But Ganyu's palm strike—she definitely wouldn't have walked away unscathed.
Raiksha snorted and said, "I lost."
"How about another round, then?" Lucas chuckled helplessly. "Besides, I never said the two of you had to compete in martial arts. Shouldn't it be up to me to decide what the competition is?"
Ganyu and Raiksha exchanged glances before nodding in unison.
"Fair point," Ganyu said thoughtfully. "Lucas, what would you like us to compete in?"
"As everyone knows, an employee's job is to serve their boss," Lucas folded his arms across his chest and flashed a mischievous smile. "So, I'd like to try being pampered by my bosses for a change."
"Tch, finally can't hide your fox tail anymore. Showing your chicken feet at last," Raiksha snorted. "This was your real goal all along, wasn't it?"
Lucas himself couldn't help but feel something was off. Although Keqing had never exactly treated him gently before, the current Keqing seemed even more aggressive—there was an odd sense of déjà vu.
"I… I think what Lucas said makes sense," to his surprise, Ganyu blushed and said, "Employees and bosses do need to empathize with each other from time to time."
As expected of the true leader of Yuehai Pavilion—her words carried real tact.
"Empathize how?" Raiksha sneered. "In position?"
"In any case, I have no objections," Ganyu looked at Lucas with eyes full of tenderness. "If you don't want to compete, you're welcome to forfeit."
"Compete? Why wouldn't I?" Raiksha frowned. "But… what exactly are the rules?"
"It's simple," Lucas raised a finger. "Each of you gets one hour. Whoever makes me feel the most relaxed and happy within that hour wins."
As for what "relaxed and happy" really meant, both Ganyu and Raiksha clearly understood without needing explanation.
"That's all well and good," Raiksha said suspiciously, "but 'relaxed and happy' is far too subjective. If it's entirely based on your own feeling, isn't that a bit unfair?"
"Don't worry, I've already thought of that."
Lucas pulled out a handgrip exerciser from who-knows-where and said, "When I feel particularly happy and satisfied, I subconsciously grip things more tightly. The tighter the grip, the greater the pleasure. So we can measure the values recorded by this grip strength tool to objectively compare whose turn made me happier."
"Interesting," Raiksha gave a cold smile. "I accept the challenge."
"So do I," Ganyu smiled knowingly. "Let's treat this as a company benefit."
Whether it was "an employee benefit" or "giving the employee a benefit," only Ganyu herself knew.
...
This time, the battlefield shifted to Ganyu's office.
As the highest-ranking decision-maker of Yuehai Pavilion, Ganyu's workspace was undoubtedly the best—fully equipped and complete with a private rest area. After all, Ganyu's narcolepsy was no secret, and the staff had gone to great lengths to ensure her naps were of the highest quality.
However, like a cat that prefers the alleyway over its cat condo, Ganyu preferred napping on the desk or couch rather than in the break room.
"Since this is my home turf, let me go first this round," Ganyu said with a smile. "What do you think?"
"Doesn't matter to me," Raiksha flopped onto the couch, legs spread, completely at ease. "But seriously—an hour? You really think he's got that kind of stamina?"
"Looks like, as his former employer," Ganyu's eyes gleamed with subtle meaning, "you don't know your employee that well."
With that, she disappeared into the rest area. A moment later, she peeked out, cheeks glowing pink. "What are you doing just standing there? Hurry up and come in."
"Oh… r-right!" Lucas snapped out of it and quickly followed.
"This guy…" Raiksha spat, muttering, "He didn't act this dumb when he was with me."
Just then, Keqing's figure flickered into clarity before Raiksha's eyes.
Though her body had been temporarily borrowed by Raiksha, her consciousness hadn't been lost. In fact, she could even share sensory input with Raiksha.
"What… exactly are you?" Keqing asked with a complicated expression.
"You've already asked that," Raiksha sneered. "So? Admit it—my strength is far superior to yours, isn't it?"
Keqing looked a bit indignant, but losing to "herself" didn't exactly count as disgraceful. She reluctantly nodded. "How… did you gain such power?"
"When you're constantly hunted by dozens of assassins, or when you wash down every meal with your enemy's blood, it's hard not to improve," Raiksha replied mockingly. "But what are you doing now? Mapping terrain? Drafting city plans? You're squandering your talent."
"Someone has to handle those things if we want to build a better Liyue," Keqing said calmly. "That's why I need Lucas. I can tell—if I have his help, that dream can come true."
Those words made Raiksha want to laugh.
After all, in another world, she and Lucas had already agreed to destroy Liyue completely.
"Give my body back," Keqing said again. "Let me handle the next round."
"You?" Raiksha finally burst out laughing. "You think you know how to please a man?"
"I… I really don't," Keqing's cheeks flushed bright red. "But if I don't try, how will I ever know?"
"Don't worry, leave this matter to me," Raiksha chuckled, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm confident I can win this match for you."
"But…" Keqing hesitated, still seeming uncertain.
"Your body is right here. If you want to take it, you can do so anytime," Raiksha said with a smirk. "However, if you're just going in with a 'let's try it out' mindset, you won't be able to satisfy that beast."
"Mmm…" Keqing fell silent for a moment, only for a strange sound to emerge from the lounge.
...
Rewind to a short while earlier.
Lucas had just stepped into the lounge when he saw Ganyu already sitting on the red velvet bed, her face adorned with a gentle smile.
"What are you standing there for?" Ganyu patted the spot beside her. "Come, sit down."
Not daring to hesitate, Lucas quickly took a seat next to her. The dim lighting of the room only deepened the ambiguous atmosphere.
"This is so strange…" Lucas spoke up, trying to dispel the awkward tension. "Even though it's no different from being at home, it feels completely different here."
"Maybe it's the change in environment," Ganyu whispered close to his ear. "Do you know why I rarely sleep here?"
Lucas shook his head blankly.
"Because this bed is way too soft," Ganyu leaned back, sinking into the plush mattress, her expression one of pure contentment. "If I lie down here, I won't want to get up—it'd interfere with my work."
Lucas pressed down on the mattress beneath him and nodded. "Yeah, it's really soft. Even softer than the one at home."
But then, in the next second, Ganyu suddenly sat up and pinned him down with a bed-dive, whispering, "Between me and the bed… which one is softer?"
The flirtatious remark caught even the seasoned Lucas off guard, his face flushing red.
After all, when he first met Ganyu, she was a shy, easily flustered girl. Now, she had turned the tables on him.
Truth be told, Lucas himself was 99% responsible for her transformation.
"Isn't it obvious?" Lucas averted his gaze slightly. "The bed… doesn't squeeze me."
Ganyu's cheeks immediately turned crimson, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Who's squeezing you?!"
With that, she stood up and poured a glass of water from the table.
"I don't really feel like drinking water," Lucas said playfully. "Got any fresh coconut milk?"
"You have the nerve to ask! I used to have extra coconut milk every week, but ever since you came along, it's… it's never enough," Ganyu swirled the water in her glass. "Besides, this water… isn't for drinking."
"Then what's it for?" Lucas asked, puzzled.
Ganyu suddenly tossed the water into the air, scattering droplets everywhere. Then, under the influence of Cryo energy, the droplets instantly crystallized into dozens of glistening ice beads, falling back into the glass with a crisp clinking sound.
"Impressive!" Lucas clapped. "Lady Ganyu, are you planning to switch careers and become a magician?"
"I read about this in an ancient text at home…" Ganyu said, slightly embarrassed. "Alternating between hot and cold can create intense stimulation. Using ice beads for the cold and adeptal energy for the heat can achieve the same effect."
Lucas seemed to understand something. "What… what kind of ancient text was it?"
"The Art of the Skilled Mouth in Liyue."
After revealing the book's title, Ganyu poured the ice beads from the glass into her mouth.
She had stuffed in so many that her cheeks puffed out adorably, like a hamster with its mouth full of nuts.
"Hehe…" Lucas couldn't help but laugh. "If you stuff too many ice beads in, your tongue might freeze."
Ganyu shot him a light glare before spitting out half of the beads, mumbling, "Hold the grip trainer… I'm starting."
...
And so, the strange noises Keqing and Raiksha heard from outside began.
"Wh-what is that sound?" Though Keqing didn't fully understand, she couldn't help but feel inexplicably shy.
"Isn't it obvious?" Raiksha sneered. "That qilin girl is definitely… working hard right now."
"Don't insult Lady Ganyu like that," Keqing said disapprovingly.
"Why are you defending her?" Raiksha frowned. "She's trying to steal your Lucas away."
"That's a separate matter. No matter what, Lady Ganyu, as an emissary of the Qixing, has contributed far more to Liyue than I ever could," Keqing said solemnly. "No matter the outcome, my relationship with her and my respect for her won't change."
"Tsk, you're just too honest," Raiksha sighed—a rare occurrence. "That's why we could never truly be each other."
The strange noises from the room grew even more intense. After a while, even Raiksha couldn't help but click her tongue. "She looks so refined and ethereal, like a fairy, yet who knew… she could be so wild."
"Isn't it possible…" Keqing corrected, "that she actually is a fairy?"
Unlike in the real world, in Liyue, "fairy" was still a complimentary term. And given Ganyu's half-adeptus heritage, she truly deserved the title in every sense.
One hour later.
The lounge door finally opened, and Lucas and Ganyu stepped out slowly.
"Mmmph… mmmph mmmph…" Ganyu mumbled with her mouth closed before quickly walking out of the room.
"What did she say?" Raiksha narrowed her eyes.
"She said…" Lucas cleared his throat awkwardly, "it was a bit stuffy inside, so she wanted some fresh air."
"Yeah, right…" Raiksha raised an eyebrow. "So, how was her score?"
"Here, see for yourself." Lucas handed her the grip trainer, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "Honestly, even I was surprised by this number."
When Raiksha saw the reading, her eyes widened in shock.
"Three thousand, seven hundred and sixty-two pounds?!" she muttered. "Should I be more surprised by your strength… or by how durable this grip trainer is?"
An average adult's grip strength is usually around a hundred pounds. But Lucas? He was pushing over three thousand. Thankfully, he was only gripping a strength tester—if it had been something else, he might've crushed it to bits.
Of course, that was just unnecessary worry. If needed, Lucas could control his strength. Besides, Ganyu's physique was far from ordinary—even if he squeezed her, she'd probably just end up with a few red marks at most.
Ten minutes later, Ganyu finally returned to the room, her cheeks still faintly flushed, though her expression carried a hint of adorable smugness.
"Lady Ganyu, you truly are impressive," Raiksha chuckled, clapping her hands. "It seems victory is already in your grasp?"
"I wouldn't go that far," Ganyu said modestly. "It's just that after living with Lucas for so long, I've come to understand his… habits."
Habits?
Lucas felt like he'd just learned a new euphemism.
"Still, don't think I'll just roll over and accept defeat," Raiksha said, suddenly grabbing Lucas by the collar. "Come on! Inside!"
"H-Hey, wait!" Lucas was practically dragged into the room, protesting, "At least give me a minute to recover!"
"BAM!"
The door slammed shut behind them with enough force to ruffle Ganyu's hair.
"Hah…"
Ganyu suddenly touched her cheek, wincing slightly. "Mmm… so cold… Maybe next time, I should use fewer ice beads."
...
Raiksha was nowhere near as gentle as Ganyu. The moment they entered the room, she shoved Lucas onto the bed.
If she had taken off her glasses right then, Lucas might've blurted out something like "Keqing, please, no!"
"Well?" Raiksha untied her hairband, letting her long purple hair cascade down. "What's your move?"
"Something's off…" Lucas lay on the bed, staring at her, his suspicion growing. "Young Mistress Keqing, you've been acting… really strange today."
Even someone as dense as Lucas could tell something was wrong.
First, her attitude toward Ganyu had been oddly aggressive. And now, this? Keqing was a noble lady—there was no way she'd act so… forward.
"Hmph, so you've finally noticed?" Raiksha sneered as faint lightning-shaped markings flickered across her face. "Seems like you've been enjoying yourself a little too much here."
"You're—" Lucas's eyes widened. "Thunder Rakshasa?!"
"Oh, so you do remember me," she said coldly. "What happened to our plan to conquer Liyue together?"
That's right—back in a previous simulation, Lucas had altered history and promised Raiksha they would take over Liyue in that timeline.
But after everything that followed, he'd gotten distracted and completely forgotten about it.
And now? She'd come to collect.
But Lucas was nothing if not quick on his feet. After a brief pause, he sighed dramatically. "Can't you see? Everything I'm doing now is to… build our strength. How else are we supposed to stand against Liyue's powerhouses? The Geo Archon alone is at the pinnacle of the Seven. And even the Three Eyes and Five Manifestations would be too much for us as we are now."
Raiksha considered this, then nodded. "You make a fair point. But I still don't understand—why does this world have another me, another Liyue, another Ganyu… yet you are still just you?"
The concept of parallel worlds wasn't that hard to grasp, and Raiksha quickly accepted the idea of alternate realities.
But if everything in this world had a counterpart in the original, why was Lucas the only constant?
"Because I am me," Lucas said with faux profundity. "A flame unlike any other."
Raiksha's disgusted expression made him cough awkwardly. "A-Anyway, compared to last time we met, I have gotten stronger. That much is undeniable, right?"
"True enough," Raiksha conceded. "Fine. Now that I know how to enter this world, it's not like you can run away."
"Wait…" Lucas suddenly realized something. "If you're using Keqing's body right now, then… where's her consciousness?"
"Relax, she's still in here," Raiksha tapped her temple. "And I've been blocking our conversation from her."
Keqing could share Raiksha's senses, but the reverse was also true—Raiksha could shut her out whenever she pleased. So while Keqing had seen them talking, she had no idea what they were saying.
"No wonder…" Lucas rubbed his chin. "I was wondering how Keqing, with her mediocre skills, could even hold her own against Ganyu."
Not that Keqing was weak—but compared to Lucas now, she was outclassed.
"By the way," Raiksha said flatly, "I just lifted the block. She heard that last part."
"Thanks for nothing," Lucas groaned. "Alright, enough messing around. Give Keqing her body back. Once I'm done with my current business, I'll come find you."
Of course, saying this made Lucas feel a bit like a certain Pokémon trainer who totally meant to come back for his Pidgeot.
"Oh, I'll return her body," Raiksha said, climbing onto the bed. "But only after this little 'contest' is over."
"You… You're taking her place?" Lucas asked warily.
"With her naive personality? She'd never outplay that secretly wild qilin," Raiksha patted his chest. "Turn around. Grab your grip tester."
"Turn around?" Lucas hesitated but obeyed. "What are you planning?"
"That woman's only trick is stuffing her mouth with ice. How boring," Raiksha smirked, her tongue crackling with faint arcs of electricity. "Ready? I've been practicing this move just for you."
Lucas's eyes widened. "W-Wait, don't tell me you're going to—"
"LIGHTNING VIPER STRIKE!"
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