บท 220: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [220]
It was well into the night. Other than the bustling Grand Bazaar, the streets were nearly empty. Passersby who ventured near Luo Qing's home were greeted with an odd, melodic sound drifting from within.
"Let's... learn to meow together... meow, meow, meow, meow, meow..."
Alhaitham sat bound on a branch of the sacred tree, his expression colder than the Snezhnayan tundra. His body refused to obey his will, forcing him to belt out the bizarre song.
What on Teyvat is this nonsense?
As the song ended, Alhaitham let out a heavy sigh of relief, regaining control over himself.
But his current predicament was far from dignified—his wrists bound by strange cuffs, his body tightly secured with ropes, leaving him no choice but to sit helplessly on the branch. Moving was out of the question, let alone defending himself.
"Done singing?"
Luo Qing finally turned his gaze toward him.
The serene beauty of Sumeru's night was enhanced by the faint glow of starlight filtering through the sacred tree's canopy. Enjoying the view while listening to Alhaitham sing had been unexpectedly pleasant.
Though, Luo Qing mused, this setup sounded oddly reminiscent of a southern folk comedy.
"Why the long face?" Luo Qing teased, smirking as he sat cross-legged in front of his captive. "You sang beautifully. Why the sour expression?"
Alhaitham glared silently at Luo Qing, his sharp gaze as cutting as a blade.
Inwardly, however, he felt puzzled.
According to the Akademiya's records, the man before him wasn't named Luo Qing at all. His name was Brighella, clearly of Snezhnayan origin.
Had he targeted the wrong person?
"Hmph, the silent, brooding type, huh?" Luo Qing snorted.
"I know who you are, Alhaitham. The Akademiya's Grand Scribe."
He leaned forward slightly, his golden eyes glinting mischievously.
"I'll give you three seconds to explain why you were spying on my home. If you don't, I'll toss you into the Akademiya plaza and make you sing that lovely tune for a full day and night."
Alhaitham's eye twitched, but he remained silent.
Luo Qing's tone turned teasing, almost conspiratorial. "You wouldn't want the other scholars at the Akademiya to witness such an embarrassing moment, would you?"
"..."
[+1 Frustration from Alhaitham.]
Alhaitham had encountered many powerful individuals during his tenure, but this was the first time he'd faced someone with such a maddening ability to toy with one's mind.
Even his exceptional willpower couldn't resist Luo Qing's strange, compulsive technique.
Seeing Alhaitham's stoic defiance, Luo Qing raised three fingers and began to count.
"Three..."
"One!"
"So, you're one of the stubborn ones, huh? Fine. Off to the plaza you go!"
"Wait!" Alhaitham's composed demeanor cracked, his face betraying a flicker of confusion.
What happened to two?
Luo Qing hefted Alhaitham onto his shoulder with ease and began striding toward the Akademiya.
"Fine, I'll talk!" Alhaitham blurted, his voice laced with frustration. "I'm investigating Azar. The trail led me to you, so I came to observe."
"Oh?" Luo Qing paused, dropping Alhaitham back onto the branch.
"And that's why you were spying on my wives?" Luo Qing demanded, his voice sharp. "How long were you watching?!"
Alhaitham furrowed his brow.
Wives? Plural? Did he just say 'wives'?
Makoto was typically carefree about her attire at home. Unless she had visitors or work-related matters, she usually draped her kimono lazily over herself, exposing far more than she covered.
While this "convenience" had its perks, it also made her prone to accidental wardrobe malfunctions.
If Alhaitham had caught even a glimpse of what he shouldn't have, Luo Qing would have no choice but to use his ancestral memory-altering technique to "adjust" the man's recollections.
"..."
[+1 Frustration from Alhaitham.]
"I used a Void Terminal for the surveillance," Alhaitham explained, gesturing toward the confiscated device in Luo Qing's hand. "Whatever it recorded is exactly what I saw."
Luo Qing raised an eyebrow, inspecting the device.
He accessed the contents, quickly finding the surveillance footage. The recording was just over a minute long, capturing the moment Luo Qing and his family were having dinner.
Due to the limited angle, only Makoto's back was visible, her face obscured.
Relieved that nothing compromising had been captured, Luo Qing's tension eased slightly.
But his irritation returned as he looked down at Alhaitham.
"Why were you spying on a man's wife?!" Luo Qing demanded, jabbing a finger at his captive's forehead.
"..."
[+1 Frustration from Alhaitham.]
Alhaitham felt an overwhelming urge to groan aloud.
Why would I spy on your wife? Who even is she? I was here to investigate you!
Kneeling before Alhaitham, Luo Qing's tone turned icy.
"Let's clarify. Are you sure you didn't see anything inappropriate?"
"All the footage is on that Void Terminal," Alhaitham replied flatly. "What it captured is exactly what I saw."
"I don't believe you. Say 'erhuo.'"
"...What?"
"Say it. If you lie, it means you're my son."
"..."
[+1 Frustration from Alhaitham.]
What had he done in his past life to deserve this?
What kind of childish nonsense is this?!
"Not talking, huh?" Luo Qing's voice turned cold. "If you don't confess, I'll drag you to the plaza, strip you down to your underwear, and leave you there."
"..."
Alhaitham gritted his teeth.
Seeing Luo Qing prepare to lift him again, he let out a long sigh of resignation.
"Fine. Erhuo."
"Good. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Luo Qing's mood lightened instantly.
Satisfied, he plopped Alhaitham back onto the branch.
"Now that we've cleared that up, it's your turn to explain why you're investigating me," Luo Qing said, crossing his arms. "If you're sincere, who knows? We might even become partners."
---
T/N: im actually so tilted rn, i made an alt account on marvel rivals and holy shit are people in lower ranks so fucking stupid
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