Chương 256: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [256]

With countless questions still lingering in his mind, Luo Qing glanced at the emerald-green branch quietly resting in his system inventory.

As he prepared to leave the Void, a soft voice called out behind him.

"Luo Qing, did you feel it just now?"

"Feel what?"

Feigning confusion, Luo Qing turned to look at Nahida's adorable, soft face. Her expression stirred a memory from earlier: the name Nahida… Wasn't that the name he had given her?

No way… Did she really turn out to be my daughter?

"I felt a familiar presence in the Void," Nahida murmured, her voice low. "But it disappeared before I could locate it."

She had been guiding Lumine and Paimon through the Endless Dream when she suddenly sensed an energy in the Void—an energy strikingly similar to her own. Yet, before she could investigate, it had vanished.

"Sorry, Nahida, but I didn't sense anything," Luo Qing replied after a moment's thought. He decided against telling Nahida about what had just happened.

At least not until Buer was resurrected and he had unraveled the truth about the past few millennia.

"I see…"

Nahida lowered her head, disappointment evident in her demeanor.

She had a hunch that the energy she sensed was left behind by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata…

But she had failed to grasp it.

"Hey now."

Luo Qing gently ruffled her hair and said softly, "A girl frowning all the time won't look pretty, you know."

"Ugh…"

"By the way, how's Lumine doing?" he asked, smoothly changing the subject.

"They've figured out the truth of the dream and are searching for the person at the core of it."

"So soon?"

"Soon?" Nahida tilted her head, confused.

"It's almost dawn outside," she replied.

"Dawn already?!"

This time, it was Luo Qing's turn to be surprised.

Had that much time really passed while he was in Buer's dreamscape?

"Well then…"

"Nahida, I have some other matters to handle, so I'll be going now."

"Huh?"

Before she could say more, Luo Qing's figure vanished from the Void.

When he opened his eyes again, his consciousness returned to his body.

The lingering scent of Theresa's fragrance still clung to the bedding.

Luo Qing glanced toward the staircase, his mind already racing.

"That divine knowledge capsule needs two Gnosis to unlock…"

"There's no way Scaramouche will lend me his. Guess I'll have to play the double agent, huh…"

"And the new house… I need to hurry up and discuss it with Kaveh…"

"Ah, what a mess…"

Luo Qing had a sinking feeling.

When Buer finally returned, things at home would likely become even more… lively than usual.

But what could he do?

In the pure dream, Buer had confessed to him so openly.

There was no way he could stand by and do nothing.

Could any man really turn away a gentle, green-eyed older sister figure who had waited five hundred years for him?

Turning to look out the window, he saw the first rays of dawn breaking through the horizon.

Luo Qing got dressed and left the house, heading toward the Jade Purity Workshop.

---

At the Jade Purity Workshop

Thanks to contingency plans, the Akademiya and the Doctor's long-prepared God-Creation Project had not been disrupted by the anomaly in the Void.

Overnight, the Electro Gnosis had successfully fused with Scaramouche.

The scholars of the Akademiya were utterly drained, sprawled haphazardly across their workstations, their clothes disheveled.

As Luo Qing entered the workshop, he couldn't help but wonder:

Did these guys throw a party last night?

In the central plaza, the Doctor and Azar were in deep discussion. Nearby stood the fully assembled Mechanical God, now fused with the Gnosis.

Atop its towering form, Scaramouche's face was contorted in pain, seemingly enduring the agony of integrating the Gnosis's power.

"Well, well, Grand Sage," Luo Qing teased, eyeing Azar's conspicuously red cheek. "What's with the flushed face? Thinking happy thoughts?"

"…"

Azar shot a glare at Luo Qing but said nothing.

Just wait until I have control of this new god… Then we'll settle our score.

"Is it done?" Luo Qing asked nonchalantly, his gaze shifting to the massive purple giant.

He began to wonder how the Mechanical God would fare against his current Susanoo.

Not that he'd likely need to step in—Lumine and her team were still in Sumeru, after all.

Besides, didn't Scaramouche want to go back and settle the score with his mother?

Well, I've brought her here for you.

Helping a colleague out—it's the least I could do.

"It's nearly complete," the Doctor replied with a small nod. "Once he fully absorbs the power and authority of the Gnosis, he will become a true god."

The corner of the Doctor's lips curled into a faint smile, as though admiring his masterpiece.

"Looks impressive," Luo Qing remarked, glancing at the Mechanical God. "But the color scheme could use a little green to balance all that purple."

"By the way," Luo Qing turned to the Doctor, "you fused the Gnosis with him. Aren't you worried about reporting back to Her Majesty the Tsaritsa?"

"There's no need for concern."

The Doctor chuckled. "Everything is proceeding as planned."

"…"

Another one of those "it's all part of the plan" types, huh?

Luo Qing didn't bother responding, instead taking another look at the Mechanical God.

"So, it's up to Lumine after all…" he thought.

Acquiring the Dendro Gnosis would be straightforward—he could simply storm the Akademiya and take it. Their pitiful combat ability wouldn't require him to lift a finger.

At most, he'd need to console Nahida afterward.

But the Electro Gnosis… That was a different story.

Now fused with Scaramouche, it was unlikely the brat would lend it willingly.

Forcing it from him would mean burning bridges entirely—a move that would complicate Luo Qing's relationship with the Tsaritsa.

And since his usual emotional manipulation tactics didn't work on her, angering her could result in him being turned into an ice sculpture.

Better to tread carefully.

All things considered, Lumine was the perfect candidate for this task.

He could nudge her toward collecting the Gnosis for him and throw in some minor benefits for Paimon to help sway her decision.

It's what we Harbingers do, isn't it?

A little self-interest here and there was perfectly reasonable.

With his plan set, Luo Qing decided to track down Lumine and give her some subtle hints.

Just as he was about to leave the workshop, a thought occurred to him. Turning back, he addressed the Doctor.

"Oh, and when Scaramouche wakes up, be sure to pass along a message for me."

Luo Qing's lips curled into a sly smile as he added, "Tell him that to celebrate his ascension, I've prepared a little gift."

Hey, Kunikuzushi. Guess what? I brought your mom to Sumeru.

How's that for a surprise?

---

(morax transferred to scribble hub!)

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Chương 257: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [257]

After Luo Qing and Azar had both left the workshop, the Doctor began lightly tapping the screen in front of him, pulling up the Void System interface used during last night's Gnosis fusion. He started to manipulate the controls.

Although Azar had taken precautions to deny the Doctor access to the Void, preferring to oversee the God-Creation Project personally, it was child's play for the Doctor to bypass those restrictions.

Within moments, he had gained control of every Void terminal in Sumeru. After a brief search, his screen froze on a scene of Lumine and Katheryne deep in conversation.

"So, she's here as well… along with that one," he mused with a smirk.

"Hmph. Perhaps it's time for a meeting."

---

Stepping out of the workshop, Luo Qing focused his mind, scanning the Void for Lumine and Paimon's whereabouts.

Since they had just exited the Endless Dream, neither of them were currently connected to their Void terminals. Instead, he could only observe them from another person's perspective—seeing the pair conversing with Katheryne, the Adventurers' Guild receptionist.

Of course, Luo Qing was fully aware that the "Katheryne" in front of them was being controlled by Nahida.

For now, he couldn't let Nahida know about his plan to borrow the Gnosis. He would have to wait until Lumine and Nahida parted ways before approaching her for a discussion.

With the main questline on hold, it was time to tackle a side quest.

The four rooms in his current house were definitely not enough.

If Buer joined the household, it would inevitably lead to exciting moments between all the girls. A larger and more spacious home was a must.

After his last conversation with Kaveh, the architect had eagerly run off to design a blueprint based on Luo Qing's requirements. Judging by the timeline, it should be ready by now.

Activating the Void once more, Luo Qing locked onto Kaveh's location and headed straight for him.

---

At Alhaitham's Home

Kaveh was slumped over his drafting table, drooling onto the surface. Hanging on the nearby bulletin board was the blueprint for Luo Qing's new home.

Originally, the only hard requirement had been "twelve bedrooms," but as they discussed the details further, Kaveh quickly realized that earning money from this Fatui-backed client would be no simple task.

What kind of normal person needed an oversized hot spring bathhouse capable of accommodating a dozen people?

And why would a grown man insist on a three-to-four-meter-wide soft pink bed for his master bedroom?

Kaveh had lived many years, but he learned an entirely new set of eccentric preferences from Luo Qing.

"I'm heading out. Clean up before I get back," Alhaitham remarked dryly, glancing at the drooling architect before leaving the house.

"Yeah, yeah…"

Still half-asleep, Kaveh grumbled as he adjusted his position, trying to find a more comfortable spot to continue his nap.

Moments later, a knock sounded at the door.

"What now…"

Assuming Alhaitham had forgotten his key, Kaveh dragged himself to the door, ready to unleash his frustration.

"You can't even remember your—"

"Mr. Luo Qing?!"

"Good morning, Kaveh." Luo Qing greeted him with a faint smile. "Have you finished my blueprints?"

"…"

If it had been Alhaitham waking him up, Kaveh would have had no qualms about arguing right then and there.

But Luo Qing?

This client is king. Kaveh couldn't afford to offend him.

After serving Luo Qing a cup of tea, Kaveh laid out the blueprints he had been painstakingly working on for the past few days.

To be honest, Kaveh couldn't quite understand Luo Qing's priorities. The exterior design of the house barely seemed to interest him, but his focus on practicality and durability bordered on obsession.

Take, for instance, Luo Qing's insistence that the bed frames be sturdy enough to withstand extreme shaking or that the rooms have top-notch soundproofing—enough to block out even the loudest screams.

At one point, Kaveh had genuinely wondered if Luo Qing was building a private prison for torture experiments.

"Mr. Luo Qing, here's the initial design draft. Let me know if anything needs to be revised."

"Hmm…"

Luo Qing nodded as his gaze fell on the blueprint.

The design was straightforward. Each floor was displayed on its own sheet, making it easy to understand. The four-story mansion, complete with a front courtyard and a back garden, resembled a small estate.

Kaveh had included everything Luo Qing had requested—a hot spring bathhouse, a spacious master bedroom, a private fitness area.

Now all that was left was for Luo Qing to approve the design so Kaveh could head to the Northland Bank and cash in the check to begin construction.

"This…"

Luo Qing took a sip of tea and said casually, "Kaveh, how much force can the walls of this mansion withstand?"

"Force?"

Kaveh blinked, confused.

"What kind of force are we talking about, Mr. Luo Qing?"

"Well…"

After a brief pause, Luo Qing explained, "For example… the aftermath of a battle between gods?"

"?"

Kaveh stared at him, a large question mark practically floating over his head.

Is this a private residence or a military fortress?

"Um…"

Kaveh hesitated, looking slightly awkward.

Though Luo Qing was undoubtedly a generous client, his requests could be… eccentric.

"That… would be impossible," Kaveh admitted with some difficulty. "Surely, Mr. Luo Qing, you understand the vast difference between gods and mortals. I doubt there's any structure in all of Sumeru that could withstand the force of a god's attack."

Not to mention, where would you even find gods fighting inside a house these days?

"Never mind, it's not a big deal," Luo Qing replied with a smile, brushing off the concern.

But in his heart, he was already mulling over the potential chaos.

Last time, the General had kicked down the front door with ease.

If any of the girls in the house got into a fight in the future, wouldn't that tear the whole place apart?

"So, where do you plan to build this mansion, Mr. Luo Qing?" Kaveh asked.

"That's…"

Kaveh's question left Luo Qing momentarily speechless.

Initially, he had sought out Kaveh only to fulfill a task assigned by "Makoto."

But now that he was genuinely considering creating a long-term residence, the choice of location became far more important.

At the moment, he was staying in Sumeru because of his mission. Whether he would remain here after completing it was another matter entirely.

If this was to be a permanent home, Luo Qing had a specific preference in mind.

Taking another sip of tea, he smiled and looked at Kaveh.

"Kaveh, would you be able to design and build something outside of Sumeru?"

"Huh?"

Kaveh's face went blank.

"You want me to go to Snezhnaya?"

"Of course not." Luo Qing waved dismissively. "As much as I'm a Snezhnayan, that place is far too cold for my taste."

"Then where…?"

"Mondstadt."

---

T/N: oh no Eula...

Reader, your presence signifies commitment.

To walk this path is to contribute to the pursuit of eternity.

Should you wish to further fortify our resolve, step forward: [patreon.com/WiseTL].

Each action contributes to the unyielding foundation of our creation. Together, we etch a mark that transcends the fleeting nature of time.

For those who aspire to push the limits further, offering one 'Burger' will unlock an additional 5 chapters: [ko-fi.com/wisetl]. Specify which story your donation pertains to; this offer applies exclusively to stories available on Scribble Hub.

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