Chương 71: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [71] [200 PS]
Bonus Chapter! Woah 200!
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Luo Qing glanced at the sudden notification of two new Frustration Values in his system.
It seemed that the package he entrusted to Kirara had successfully reached Kamisato Ayato.
But what puzzled him was why Thoma was also involved.
Could it be that Thoma had run back to inform Ayaka of his intentions to meet her?
Am I really that intimidating?
He thought about it briefly but ultimately brushed it aside, focusing on leading Natalia and the others as they continued their journey toward Inazuma City.
Inazuma Island, with its unique geography, was the only place among the archipelago that had vast plains. Even though they had been traveling for almost a week, they had only just passed through Konda Village and reached Byakko Plain.
They still had about half the journey left before they would reach Inazuma City.
Fortunately, with Natalia and the others around, Luo Qing didn't feel too bored. When things got slow, he could always amuse himself by teasing his subordinates and accumulating more Frustration Value points.
"Natalia, it's been a week since I asked you to learn We Learned to Meow, and you still haven't mastered it?"
"And you, Sergei, is doing a Lightning Whip five times in a row really that hard? Even a seventy-year-old grandpa can pull it off. What's your excuse?"
"Igor, you're laughing, but all you've done is memorize the first line of Thirteen Deadly Spear Strikes. If you want to learn spear techniques from me, you'd better recite it ten more times!"
As they trudged along, Luo Qing continued drilling his three subordinates, tirelessly making sure they followed his orders.
On the other hand, Natalia, Sergei, and Igor, who initially thought their master would be less eccentric after leaving Snezhnaya, quickly realized just how mistaken they were.
At this point, they finally understood:
When the team is in danger, the danger lies outside the group.
But when there's no danger outside, Lord Luo Qing himself becomes the biggest threat!
With gloomy faces, the three dutifully carried out his commands. By now, they must have looked like some sort of traveling performance art troupe.
Luo Qing, observing their efforts, nodded in satisfaction. He had successfully amassed another thousand Frustration Value points—enough for another ten-pull in the system's lottery.
Suddenly, his gaze shifted, noticing something in the distance. Along a side path, a young woman with short, light-blue hair was surrounded by a group of Hilichurls.
These Hilichurls emanated a faint purple aura, clearly tainted by the forces of corruption. Leading them was none other than a Thunderhelm Lawachurl.
"What a coincidence."
Luo Qing raised an eyebrow, motioning toward Kamisato Ayaka's direction.
"You three, go help her out."
"Us?"
Natalia and the others were taken aback. "Lord Luo Qing, are you sure you want us to use those weapons?"
"Is there a problem? Do you expect me to step in? Right now, my cover is that of a powerless Snezhnayan merchant, remember?"
"This... understood, Lord Luo Qing."
After receiving the command, the three stopped walking. They set down the large black cases they had been carrying and opened them, revealing sleek modern weapons.
Luo Qing glanced at them once more and added, "Be careful not to hit that lady."
Though he said that, in his Time Zero domain, even the fastest bullets would slow to a crawl, so there was no real risk of things going wrong.
However, considering how close Ayaka was to the Hilichurls, only Natalia's heavy sniper rifle, the M82A1, would be effective.
Ever since Luo Qing had given Natalia this weapon, she had diligently trained with it. New recruits in Snezhnaya already received basic firearm training, and with the system's auto-replenishing ammo buff, her marksmanship had improved significantly. This would be a good test of her skills.
Meanwhile...
Facing the sudden ambush by the Hilichurl group, Kamisato Ayaka remained calm, her gaze focused on the Thunderhelm Lawachurl leading them.
Though she was the daughter of the Kamisato Clan, the Vision Hunt Decree was in effect, and even she couldn't casually use the power of her Vision unless absolutely necessary.
If word got out, it could become a political weapon for the Tenryou and Kanjo Commissions to use against the Yashiro Commission.
But the Hilichurls, corrupted by malevolent forces, had no interest in mercy. The corruption had twisted their minds, leaving them with only the urge to destroy.
Realizing that there was no avoiding a battle, Ayaka gripped her blade, prepared to draw it.
Suddenly, a deafening sound rang out.
In an instant, the towering Thunderhelm Lawachurl in front of her was cleaved in two, falling lifeless to the ground.
Then, with several more thunderous shots, the Hilichurls surrounding her suffered the same fate, cut down by an unseen force.
"..."
Ayaka's eyes widened in shock. She could hardly believe what had just transpired, so much so that she didn't even notice the blood that had splattered onto the hem of her skirt.
A few seconds later, she turned in the direction of the gunfire, wary of what she might find.
Not far away, a blonde girl had just gotten back on her feet, holding a strange, dark weapon that resembled a firearm. She was rubbing her sore shoulder as if the weapon had a hefty kick.
"A foreigner?"
Ayaka wondered silently, watching as a black-haired man, who seemed to be the leader of the group, waved and began walking toward her.
Sensing no ill intent, Ayaka relaxed slightly. She was grateful for their assistance in dealing with the Hilichurls and figured she should at least offer her thanks.
When Luo Qing and his group reached her, Ayaka gave a small, polite nod.
"Thank you for your assistance."
"A few shots, nothing more. Miss, are you heading to Inazuma City as well?" Luo Qing asked politely, pretending it was their first meeting.
"Yes, I am on my way to the city. Are you travelers? Your attire seems unfamiliar."
"We are," Luo Qing nodded, continuing, "My name is Luo Qing, a merchant from Snezhnaya. These are my guards."
"I see..."
Ayaka glanced at the three people behind Luo Qing. Their blonde hair and blue eyes were consistent with Snezhnayan features.
But why was the merchant's face so different from his Snezhnayan guards?
"My name is Kamisato Ayaka. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Luo Qing bowed slightly and offered, "Since you are familiar with the area and we are newcomers, might we accompany you on the way to Inazuma City?"
At this, Natalia's patience began to wear thin. She was annoyed. After doing all the hard work—carrying the heavy sniper rifle and taking out the enemies—now Luo Qing was all excited to chat up a pretty girl?
What's wrong with my broad shoulders and long legs? Are they not appealing enough?! she thought bitterly.
Her shoulder was still sore from all those sniper shots!
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T/N: C-can I just keep it Sergey...? I don't feel like editing it right now...
heh i edited to sergei get frigged past me
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Chương 72: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [72]
Kamisato Ayaka hesitated. There were still a few days left in her journey to Inazuma City, and traveling alone, she couldn't just agree to accompany strangers, especially foreign travelers.
But after a moment's thought, considering the skill demonstrated by the girl behind Luo Qing earlier, if they had intended to harm her, they wouldn't need to resort to such pretenses.
After a brief internal struggle, Ayaka gave a gentle nod.
"Very well... I shall guide you all to Inazuma City as a gesture of gratitude for your assistance earlier."
"Then we are grateful, Miss Kamisato," Luo Qing said politely. He shot a glance at the trio behind him, and Natalya, along with the others, quickly packed up their belongings. They instinctively kept a respectful distance, giving Ayaka and Luo Qing some space to walk together.
Though they kept straight faces, the three of them felt a wave of relief.
Watching their boss flirt openly was a bit awkward, but at least his attention was off them, sparing them from another round of intense drills.
Kamisato Ayaka glanced at the trio's behavior, puzzled as to why they were keeping such a distance from her and Luo Qing. However, it wasn't her place to ask, so she simply nodded to Luo Qing and sheathed her sword, leading the way towards Inazuma City at a leisurely pace.
Luo Qing, not one to miss a golden opportunity, followed her closely, engaging Ayaka in light conversation every now and then. This was the perfect chance to learn more about the current situation in Inazuma.
A few days passed.
At first, Kamisato Ayaka had been a bit reserved whenever Luo Qing started a conversation. But as time went on, she found him far more interesting than she initially expected. He always seemed to bring up topics she loved, like the latest light novels from Yae Publishing House, tea leaf divination for love fortunes, or how to make adorable sweets.
These were things she had never shared with anyone.
With the Kamisato Clan currently undergoing a revival, Ayaka had to present her best self and carry the responsibility of her family's name alongside her brother. These small hobbies became her secret, personal joys.
Yet, this traveler she had met by chance seemed to effortlessly bring up the things she treasured in her heart, as if he could see right through her.
Normally, she was always careful with her words and actions, even when sharing her interests, maintaining proper decorum to uphold the Kamisato name.
But gradually, Ayaka found herself lowering her guard, revealing the more genuine side of herself.
"Really? Mr. Luo Qing, you've also had your fortune told about your love life?" Ayaka asked quietly, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"Of course! When I was in Liyue, a fortune-teller said I was destined to be a heartbreaker. They said the girl I would eventually fall for would be gentle and cool on the outside but passionate at heart," Luo Qing said, acting mysterious. Noticing Ayaka's interest, he leaned closer and whispered with a teasing tone:
"The fortune-teller even said that the girl I would meet in the future might just have an Ice Vision."
"I-Ice Vision?!" Ayaka was stunned, and she slowly lowered her gaze, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.
Did Luo Qing know that she had an Ice Vision? Was he hinting at something?
But she had kept her Vision well-concealed this whole journey, never letting it show...
For a moment, Ayaka found herself replaying the conversations she had shared with Luo Qing. This foreigner had a knack for bringing up her favorite topics, even guessing secrets only she knew...
Could it be true, what he was saying...?
"But it's a shame," Luo Qing continued, feigning disappointment. "With the Vision Hunt Decree going on, I haven't seen a single person with a Vision, let alone someone with an Ice one."
He cast a sidelong glance at Ayaka, noting with amusement how she seemed increasingly flustered.
"Y-Yes, it is quite a pity... the Vision Hunt Decree..." Ayaka murmured.
Part of her wanted to tell Luo Qing that she possessed an Ice Vision herself, but reason held her back. The Decree was still in effect, and revealing her Vision could make her and the Kamisato Clan targets.
"But I think the Vision Hunt Decree might end soon. If it does, Miss Kamisato, could you help me keep an eye out for an Ice Vision wielder?" Luo Qing asked, flashing her a playful smile. "And if you could make an introduction, that'd be even better~."
"This... I-I suppose..." Ayaka stammered.
"Well then, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for you, Mr. Luo Qing."
Meanwhile...
With Luo Qing's attention firmly on Ayaka, Natalya and the others trailing behind found themselves with some free time.
When people are idle, they tend to gossip—especially when there's such juicy material right in front of them.
Watching their master's expert conversation tactics unfold step-by-step had been both enlightening and entertaining for the trio. From the initial, careful topic probing to the gradual pressing of advantage once Ayaka had relaxed, and finally ending with light, playful flirting... they were impressed.
It was clear now—Luo Qing was definitely a heartbreaker. In just a few days, he'd managed to make Ayaka blush and smile like a giddy schoolgirl.
If this trip had been as long as some of their journeys in Liyue, it wouldn't be surprising if Ayaka ended up genuinely believing that Luo Qing was her fated partner.
"Man, if you count this one, that makes three girls the boss has successfully flirted with," Igor commented in a hushed voice.
Sergei's eyes widened. "Keep your voice down! If he hears you, he'll make us do a striptease on Inazuma's main street!"
"Don't worry, they're too into their chat to notice us," Igor said with a smirk. "Who'd have thought—our boss is a real player."
"Yeah," Sergei added with a nod. "He's got skills... though it's a bit shady."
Only Natalya seemed slightly irritated, silently lamenting that despite her good looks and figure, Luo Qing had never once treated her like the girls he flirted with.
It's not like I'm as clueless as Theresa... she thought, pouting slightly as she adjusted the heavy sniper rifle still resting on her sore shoulder.
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T/N: For some reason I made sure it's Sergei but I'm gonna keep the whole Natalia and Natalya thing Idk why I find it amusing. Oh and ANOTHER ICE VISION USER??? FIRST GANYU THEN SHENHE THEN AYAKA??? WHOS NEXT TSARISTA??
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
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