Capítulo 152: Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [152]
"Alright, you're starting to get the hang of the combat basics. But as a healer, no matter how skilled you are, you're always going to be the one your team is most inclined to protect. That's just how it is."
He continued in a lowered tone, as they were alone in the library, "You've only been training for a few hours, but already you're capable of handling basic hilichurls and slimes, proving you've got a natural talent for combat."
"However, when you get the chance, it's good to get some experience fighting people too. Outside of dealing with wild creatures, human opponents are what you'll likely face most often."
He handed her a test he had scribbled together. "These are just questions I came up with on the spot. As long as you pass, then today won't have been a waste."
"Yes, Teacher! I'll do my best!" Barbara's new title for him, "Teacher," had appeared somewhere along the line. Gu Sanqiu casually said "begin," then picked up a random book to read, content to let her work in peace.
The best thing about a student like her, he mused, was that her character made cheating unlikely, even though he hadn't left much opportunity for it in the questions.
If it had been Hu Tao or Xingqiu taking the test, though, he might have had to stand guard to prevent all the ways they'd likely try to pull tricks on him, just for fun.
Half an hour later, Barbara beamed, handing in her paper with pride.
"Teacher, I've finished all the questions! Please grade it."
"Just as I expected," he murmured, marking the paper with a speed that might seem careless to anyone watching.
"Now, this question here," he tapped on her answer, " 'What do you do if you encounter an injured Treasure Hoarder asking for help?' You answered from three perspectives: as an adventurer, as a knight, and as a healer. Mind telling me why you gave all three?"
"Oh… that was a thought I had partway through."
As they left the library and stepped out to the steps of the Knights' headquarters, Barbara, who had been nervously twisting her skirt, finally looked up, her gaze steady on Gu Sanqiu.
"I know Treasure Hoarders sometimes fake injuries to deceive kind people, just to rob them later. But… what if he really is hurt?"
She explained, "For an adventurer, they might simply detain the hoarder and hand him over to Mondstadt for a reward. As a knight, they'd probably do a routine check and, if it's a suspicious situation, might withhold treatment until they got some answers."
Barbara's tone turned serious. "But as a healer, I can't say either approach is wrong, but my duty would be to help them first. That's my calling as a healer!"
However, seeing Gu Sanqiu's calm, unreadable expression, Barbara's seriousness faded into a sheepish smile.
"Heh… actually, I wanted to put just that last answer. But I was afraid I'd lose points, so I wrote everything I could think of."
"That might seem like a bit of a shortcut, but in a written test, that's a reasonable approach." He crossed out some notes with his pen. "However, it's not a perfect score."
"What? Why?" Barbara's eyes widened as she gave him a look full of suspicion.
"Teacher, you can't let personal feelings affect your grading! Scoring should be based on the answer's accuracy!"
Pop!
Gu Sanqiu tapped her on the head with the rolled-up paper.
"Your answer is fine—for someone who hasn't learned what you did today."
"Think about it: of everything I taught you today, was there anything you could have applied to this question?"
"If 'practice is the sole measure of truth,' then this test question was your 'practice.' But in your answer, you didn't combine today's lessons with this scenario."
Barbara tilted her head in confusion, a bemused, innocent expression on her face.
"Is… is that right?"
"Hint: the perfect answer for this question should take your own identity into account."
"My identity… as a healer? Or as a Vision bearer?"
"You're the one who should be answering, not me."
After a few minutes of thought, Barbara's shoulders slumped, a clear look of defeat on her face.
"I… I can't think of it. Teacher, please tell me the answer."
"Pull out your notes from this morning, specifically the chapter on the 'Slow Death Strike.' I covered it with you."
Sanqiu's lips curved into a smirk. "I think you'll find it's a solution tailored to you—a way to perfectly handle this dilemma."
"Oh, right away!" Barbara flipped through her notes. "'The Slow Death Strike targets specific pressure points with a precise amount of force, causing immense pain and disrupting the body's natural balance, leading it to generate toxins...'"
"'Unless properly treated within a specific timeframe, even antidotes won't neutralize the self-generated toxins.'"
Barbara's eyes widened as she glanced up. "Teacher, your people in Liyue openly teach techniques like this? Isn't that… a bit reckless?"
"I contributed some to that book myself. I remember the Qixing even put public funding behind it. It's limited to one copy per household, though, so it's not as if everyone has it lying around."
He chuckled. "It even sells with a complimentary General Affairs pamphlet of safety tips. This is one of the few times the Qixing have actually lost money on something."
"The more widely known these techniques are, the less useful they become as secret weapons—and the more suspicious anyone trying to use them would look. That's what the Qixing intended."
"Even if the nobility tried reprinting it for profit, the Qixing would support it. The more widespread, the safer Liyue's people are."
Sanqiu shrugged. "Unless, of course, people suddenly grew extra pressure points."
"But if someone from outside Liyue came all the way to specifically buy it, they're probably up to no good. Just asking for it might be enough to get them locked up by the Millelith."
"Wait." Barbara bit her lip thoughtfully. "Teacher, are you saying I should use that technique if I encounter a wounded Treasure Hoarder, to render him defenseless?"
"Not exactly. You're missing a step."
"After you hit those pressure points, remember the pain it inflicts. You could add in a little persuasion—tell him he's as good as dead if he tries anything and that he'd better stay put if he doesn't want to die."
"Words, combined with actions, can have a surprisingly strong effect."
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T/N: ALSO reminder that Sanqiu is in his early 20's while Barbara is still under 18 so don't you get any ideas you hear me? ( ｡ •̀ ᴖ •́ ｡)💢
If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.
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