Chapter 210: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [210]
After a rather "eventful" night, Makoto was too exhausted to get up. Luo Qing decided to let her rest and left the room quietly.
Since Makoto wasn't up to handle breakfast, the task fell to Theresa. She had spent the previous evening lingering outside their door, waiting for Luo Qing to come out for something mundane like a bathroom break.
Instead, the two had gone at it all night. By morning, Makoto was still bedridden.
Theresa, standing in the kitchen, cast a wistful glance toward the upstairs room.
So envious…
Finally, as she brought breakfast to the table, she hesitantly said, "Master…"
"Hmm?" Luo Qing looked up, noticing Theresa fidgeting.
"What is it?"
"Um… can you pick me tonight? I've already prepared my outfits…"
"…" Luo Qing froze mid-bite, staring blankly at her.
What the hell? Where did she even learn words like that?
"Stop thinking about nonsense like that. I'm heading out for a bit. When Makoto wakes up, make sure she eats something."
"…Oh."
Theresa's head drooped, disappointment plain on her face.
Figures. I'm still not a priority in his heart…
After finishing breakfast, Luo Qing stepped out of the house and made his way toward the outskirts of Sumeru City.
Having spent over a month in the desert, it was time to check on the progress of the God Creation Plan under the Doctor's supervision.
He needed to ensure everything was on track. After all, he wasn't keen on personally clashing with Scaramouche unless absolutely necessary.
Upon arriving at the Akademiya's research facility, Luo Qing was allowed through without issue. As the Twelfth Harbinger, his clearance was unquestioned.
The central workshop was bustling with activity. Suspended in midair by heavy machinery, the Gnosis Mech remained incomplete, its components being painstakingly pieced together.
Once fully assembled, the next step would require the Heart of God to fuse Scaramouche with the mech, granting him unparalleled power.
"Well, well. Look who decided to drop by," came the Doctor's voice.
He stood at a console, monitoring the mech's progress. At the sight of Luo Qing, his lips curled into a faint smile.
"I've heard from Azar that you've been completely out of sight this past month."
"Just a little outreach work in the desert," Luo Qing replied nonchalantly, joining the Doctor by the console to gaze up at the towering purple mech.
"How much longer until it's complete?"
"Why? Are you in a hurry?" The Doctor shot him an amused glance.
"Somewhat," Luo Qing replied, his tone light but firm. "I'd like to finish up here and return to Snezhnaya for some well-deserved vacation. It's hot and humid here, and I'm not a fan."
The Doctor chuckled softly before replying, "The final assembly should take no more than a month. After that, it's your turn to take the reins."
Luo Qing nodded.
The next phase required activating the Void's full computational capacity, including harnessing the mental energy of Sumeru's citizens to finalize the fusion process. His role was to ensure Nahida didn't interfere.
"She won't interrupt," Luo Qing said confidently.
"My, such self-assurance," the Doctor replied with a smirk.
"Shouldn't you be confident too?" Luo Qing countered, his gaze drifting down to where Scaramouche supervised the Akademiya scholars.
"Do you think Her Majesty will let him march this thing into Inazuma and start a fight with Raiden Shogun?"
"That's not my concern," the Doctor replied casually, glancing at the mech. "His ambition is his own. All I want is to create it."
"Well, when Her Majesty comes down on you, don't drag me into it. I'm not taking the blame for this 'masterpiece.'"
With that, Luo Qing waved dismissively and left the workshop. He'd seen enough.
On his way out, Luo Qing remembered the empty Matra position he'd been assigned as a cover.
Maybe there's some work waiting for me there.
Despite his initial hope that being an Akademiya Matra might bring in some frustration value, it had turned out to be a dud. The Grand Matra rarely handed him actual assignments, and roaming around in uniform just to provoke people was far too inefficient.
The only bright side was the chaos in the desert, where the Tanith Tribe and Babale had provided him with a steady stream of frustration points.
Maybe I should reward those tribes later. If they perform well and keep the frustration points flowing, I might even save them from Jeht's blade.
Arriving at his Matra's office, Luo Qing noticed a stack of documents on his desk.
Curious, he picked one up and found a mission briefing.
Finally, an assignment?
The briefing described a smuggling operation involving Canned Knowledge originating from Port Ormos. The Akademiya wanted available Matras to investigate the flow of illegal goods.
They must really be short on people to hand this to me.
"Port Ormos, huh…" Luo Qing muttered.
The trip would take days by normal means. Even with his accelerated travel ability, Zero Time, it would still take a full day.
I'm a Harbinger, not some Akademiya errand boy.
He frowned, debating whether to take on such a mundane task.
"…But then again, I don't actually know what this Canned Knowledge stuff is all about."
Curiosity got the better of him. Might as well check it out.
Returning home, Luo Qing decided to bring Theresa along.
Someone had to act as his assistant, and with his other subordinates still stationed in the desert, Theresa was his only option.
When he entered, Makoto and Theresa were hunched over the dining table, scribbling on something.
At the sound of the door, they quickly pressed their bodies against the table to block his view.
"Hey! Don't you know how to knock?" Makoto exclaimed, her cheeks turning pink.
"This is my house. You're my wife. And I have the key," Luo Qing replied smugly.
"…Fine. You pass!"
Though she tried to act annoyed, Makoto was secretly pleased by the casual use of "wife."
If only he'd add "first wife" to that title…
"Theresa, take this upstairs," Makoto said, handing her a mysterious notebook.
"Got it!" Theresa grabbed the notebook and turned to leave.
"Wait," Luo Qing interrupted.
"You're coming with me for a few days."
"Huh?!" Theresa froze mid-step, her expression shifting from shock to delight.
Finally, my turn?!
And for several days?!
Is this real life?
This is it… this is my moment!
---
Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this moment together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.
If you'd like to support WiseTL, you can visit [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Even a small gesture is like sunlight and rain to a growing flower—it helps the garden of stories flourish and bloom!
-With love, Nahida 🌱
Chapter 211: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [211] [30 PS]
Bonus chapters are like surprise blossoms—unexpected, yet full of joy! 🌱
---
Port Ormos
Under Luo Qing's time-efficient, full-speed travel, it took exactly a day to arrive at Port Ormos.
As Sumeru's largest port, Port Ormos handled all sea trade connected to Sumeru, making it a hub bustling with foreign merchants—far more than the city of Sumeru itself.
However, due to the port's distance from Sumeru City, its law enforcement was notoriously lax.
Mercenaries often gathered to stir up trouble, and smuggling was a common occurrence. Among the smuggled goods, the canned knowledge unique to Sumeru—capable of granting instant expertise—was a highly sought-after commodity.
Luo Qing wasn't here to investigate the smuggling of canned knowledge to its roots; he simply wanted to understand what it was used for and whether he could produce some himself.
By the time the two arrived at Port Ormos, it was already noon.
Under Theresa's insistence, Luo Qing begrudgingly rented just a single room for their overnight stay.
After lunch, Luo Qing glanced at the bustling docks and suddenly thought of a certain short-haired, lavender-haired little girl with a shrewd, merchant-like grin. Turning to Theresa, he ordered:
"Go take a look over there. If you spot a short-haired little girl with lavender hair and glasses, come back and find me."
"Ah?"
Theresa blinked, looking a little confused.
"My lord… do you mean an underage little girl?"
"Probably. Why?"
"My lord, interacting with minors in this way… that's illegal in Snezhnaya…" Theresa muttered hesitantly.
"...?"
"What's in that brain of yours besides inappropriate thoughts?"
Luo Qing flicked her forehead.
"I'm heading this way. If you see her, report back to me."
"Understood, my lord."
Theresa held her forehead, her shoulders drooping in a mix of embarrassment and slight hurt, as she trudged off in the opposite direction.
So, my lord brought me along to work...
She had thought...
Maybe...
After a few days, if they skipped protection...
There might've been a chance to conceive...
---
Elsewhere
Luo Qing had no idea what was running through Theresa's mind.
Relying on his memories of the game, he headed toward the spot where Dori had once conned Lumine into buying canned knowledge.
But the real Teyvat was vastly different from the game world, and Port Ormos, apart from its bridge, lacked any other distinct landmarks.
After wandering for a while without encountering the lavender-haired merchant, Luo Qing debated whether to meet up with Theresa to check her findings.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something in a dark alley.
A lavender-haired little girl was rubbing her hands together, talking with a burly man in the shadows—a sight that easily aroused suspicion.
Sensing someone watching, the lavender-haired girl locked eyes with Luo Qing.
That one glance seemed to freeze time.
"Not good! Law enforcement! Scatter!"
Before Luo Qing could react, the girl shouted, ditching the burly man and sprinting into the depths of the alley.
"Huh?"
Luo Qing was momentarily dumbfounded.
Why is she running so fast? Do I really look like law enforcement?
Glancing down, he suddenly realized.
Damn it.
He was still wearing his matra discipline officer's uniform.
"No wonder..."
---
Meanwhile
Dori's instincts told her that a matra officer had spotted her. Despite the suddenness, she didn't panic. Following her pre-planned escape route, she darted into narrow passages where only she could squeeze through, confident no adult could follow.
After running for a while, she stopped, noticing no one was pursuing her.
"Phew… that was exhausting…"
Wiping sweat from her forehead, she muttered to herself, "How was I exposed? My backup routes should still be secure…"
Just as she contemplated whether to investigate who had betrayed her, a male voice sounded behind her.
"So, you're the one selling canned knowledge?"
"Hmm??!"
Dori spun around, startled, only to find the uniformed man somehow standing behind her.
"When did you...?!"
"Answer my question first. You're the one selling canned knowledge, right?"
Luo Qing's tone was calm. Since she had already mistaken him for a law officer, he figured he might as well play along.
"Uh… well…"
Smuggling canned knowledge was illegal. If caught, she'd have to surrender all her earnings and pay a hefty fine on top of that. For someone like Dori, whose sole life goal was to amass wealth, losing money was worse than death.
"That… big brother, I have no idea what you're talking about," she said in a coy voice, pretending to fidget shyly. "I'm just selling fruit…"
"..."
Luo Qing was speechless.
Why does she seem so… eccentric?
"Answer properly, or I'll take you in."
"Okay, okay…"
Seeing her act exposed, Dori dropped her pretense. Folding her arms, she said flatly:
"Name your price. How much to let me go?"
"And if I name one, will you actually pay it?"
"..."
[Dori's Frustration +1]
Why does he seem to know me so well?!
"Don't worry. I'm not here to arrest you."
Luo Qing's tone softened. "Do you have any canned knowledge left in stock?"
"Eh?"
Dori blinked in surprise.
So he's here to buy canned knowledge? Then why did I even bother running…
"You're not baiting me, are you?" she asked, leaning back tactically.
"Why would I?"
"Hmm, fair point…"
In this shadowy alley, with just the two of them…
If Luo Qing wanted to do anything to her, he wouldn't need to sweet-talk her first. He could've just taken action.
"Oh, you should've said so earlier, customer!"
Dori's expression shifted back to the shrewd merchant he had expected.
Rubbing her hands together, she cheerfully presented a list.
"Lucky you, I just got a new batch in! Here's the catalog. Anything catch your eye? Spend over a million mora and I'll give you a 10% discount~!"
To Dori, business was business, even if the client was law enforcement.
"These…"
Luo Qing scanned the list. Titles like Fishing: From Beginner to Expert, Mastering Fried Rice, and The Art of Being a Scumbag left him unimpressed.
"This is it?"
"Not what you're looking for?"
Dori's smile didn't falter. "No problem, I've got something more… impressive."
She pulled out another list from her bag.
"Let's see… 100 Ways to Win a Rich Lady's Heart, Steel Wool Applications…"
"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
"Ahem… customer, the content of canned knowledge isn't something I can control! Just tell me what you want, and I'll keep an eye out for it. Don't worry, I won't even charge you a high finder's fee~!"
"No need."
Luo Qing shook his head.
"Do you have the device to produce canned knowledge?"
"The device?"
Dori leaned back again, this time more cautiously.
"Customer, that comes at a whole different price~."
---
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-With love, Nahida 🌱
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