Chương 276: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [276]
While waiting for Ei to arrive, Luo Qing found himself with idle time and shifted his consciousness into the virtual network.
At that moment, Lumine and Paimon had just reached the Sanctuary of Surasthana to meet with Nahida. They seemed to be discussing something. Luo Qing, having a general understanding of their topic, didn't linger there. Instead, with a slight shift of intent, he directed his focus toward Cyno.
The moment he switched over, he saw Azar tied to a chair by Cyno, surrounded by racks full of various torture devices. It was evidently an interrogation room.
"So the Akademiya has such places, huh?" Luo Qing mused with curiosity, deciding to observe further.
Cyno picked up a leather whip from the rack, gripping it tightly as he approached Azar. In a low voice, he said:
"I'll give you one minute to confess your crimes, or you'll have no one to blame but yourself for what happens next..."
"Hah, my crimes?" Azar sneered. "I have a clear conscience. What crimes could I possibly have committed?!"
Cyno snorted coldly and stopped talking. The whip in his hand lashed out fiercely, and a blood-curdling scream echoed through the interrogation room, each cry more pained than the last.
"How boring to just beat someone. Let me spice things up for you," Luo Qing chuckled softly and willed his intent.
The next moment, Azar, who was being tortured in the interrogation room, suddenly found his surroundings shifting. Emerging from the shadows of the dim room was a group of beastfolk, identical to those in his nightmares.
The beastfolk walked past Cyno, heading straight for him. As they moved, they began removing their clothing.
"You... you all!"
"Stay back! Don't come any closer!"
At this moment, Azar's psychological defenses completely crumbled. His voice was filled with despair and hoarseness.
He had feared the whip far less than this.
"Please, Cyno, make them go away! I'll tell you everything, just don't let them near me!" Azar begged Cyno frantically.
Yet a flicker of doubt passed through Cyno's eyes. Is this guy insane? It's just the two of us here.
No matter—perhaps he was just faking it.
Cyno continued the interrogation, his whip lashing down again. Screams of anguish once again filled the room.
This time, however, Azar's eyes held nothing but emptiness and despair.
---
"Ugh... why did that even have to happen?"
The scene in the interrogation room was a bit much. Luo Qing felt that if he watched any longer, he might explode. With a sigh, he withdrew his consciousness from the virtual network.
After a while, several figures came running from the other side of the valley, heading towards the location of the Joururi Workshop. Noticing Luo Qing on the riverbank, they changed direction and ran towards him instead.
"Luo Qing, what are you doing here..."
Lumine looked at him, seated by the river with a fishing rod, then glanced at his subordinates standing behind him. Her confusion was palpable.
Luo Qing smiled faintly. "Didn't I tell you? I'm fishing~"
"..."
[Frustration +1 from Lumine.]
This guy!
Every time she had an important mission, this man always seemed to show up on her path with some random excuse!
"Tell me, Luo Qing, you're not here to stop us, are you?"
Paimon asked with a puzzled look, her eyes gleaming with innocent curiosity.
"That's right! I'm here to stop you," Luo Qing said with a grin. "If you want to pass, you'll have to leave Paimon behind as my cup. How about it?"
"Cup...?"
Paimon scratched her head.
"Why would I be a cup...?"
"..."
"Paimon, he's teasing you," Lumine interjected, unable to watch any longer.
"Huh?"
Paimon looked even more confused, still dwelling on why she'd be turned into a cup.
"Luo Qing... that false god, he's inside, isn't he?"
Nahida approached Luo Qing and asked softly.
"That's right, my little Nahida~ Why, are you here to avenge Sumeru?"
Luo Qing reached out to ruffle Nahida's hair. As expected, the sensation in the real world was much better. That faint grassy scent...
Ah, bliss.
"Luo Qing, I know he's your colleague, but I cannot forgive what they've done to Sumeru. So—"
Before Nahida could finish her plea, Luo Qing pulled her into his arms, gently pinched her cheek, and said tenderly:
"Be careful, my little Nahida~ If he dares to bully you, just tell me! I might not be able to lay a hand on him myself, but I'll have someone deal with him for you."
"Mmh... okay, I'll remember that," Nahida nodded lightly. Their foreheads accidentally bumped, but for some reason, Nahida felt no discomfort. On the contrary, she seemed to like it.
Luo Qing's scent... it felt familiar, as if she had smelled it somewhere before.
"Alright, you should head in now." Luo Qing patted her shoulder and gently nudged her towards Lumine and Paimon, looking like a father sending his daughter off to kindergarten.
"If anything happens, just call me. I've got a professional team standing by~"
"..."
Lumine glanced at Luo Qing, at a loss for words. Sharing a look with Nahida and Paimon, she nodded and led the group into the Joururi Workshop.
Once they disappeared inside, Luo Qing's smile faded.
He returned to his fishing chair, watching the bobbing float on the river. In a calm voice, he asked Igor, "Have you notified everyone inside?"
"Yes, sir. According to your temporary orders, everyone has been evacuated ahead of schedule. All the Akademiya scholars have also left. Only the Balladeer remains inside," Igor replied.
"Good," Luo Qing said with a faint smile, leaning back and basking in the sunlight.
"The debts of those at the top shouldn't be paid by the workers. No point fighting to the death over a few Mora."
"Well said, sir. But..." Igor hesitated before asking, "By helping that Traveler and setting up a trap for the Balladeer, aren't you worried the Tsaritsa might hold you accountable?"
"If blame comes, Dottore will be the first to take the hit. I'm just here on a state-funded vacation—it has little to do with me," Luo Qing replied lazily, a mint leaf in his mouth.
"Besides, if Her Majesty truly saw the Traveler as an enemy, why would she list her as someone we are forbidden to kill in your operational handbooks?"
"Igor, never speculate about the intentions of those above you. Otherwise, you'll only bring trouble upon yourself."
"Understood, sir. I overstepped."
Igor bowed slightly and stepped back, falling silent.
---
T/N: also holy grail war got blocked :), caught me in a bad time so no reposting here just going to go straight to scribblehub!
Ahem! Gather close, esteemed audience! Do you comprehend the privilege of basking in my radiance? Truly, you're witnessing history in the making—a performance unparalleled in the annals of Fontaine!
Ah, but don't get distracted! Let me be clear: this brilliance isn't conjured from thin air. No, no, no! It requires effort, dedication, and… well, a touch of your generosity. If you fancy being part of something truly extraordinary, do step forward here: [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Oh, but wait! You're probably wondering, "Furina, how can someone as magnificent as you need assistance?" To that, I say: why deny mortals the honor of contributing to such greatness? Supporting me is supporting art, and who doesn't want to say they were instrumental in a legend's rise?
Now, off you go. Make your offerings, and perhaps, perhaps, I'll acknowledge you in my next soliloquy!
— Furina ✨
Chương 277: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [277]
"General," Igor greeted respectfully with a slight bow, wisely excusing himself from the scene.
Ei nodded politely in response, then walked up to Luo Qing. Her expression held a trace of irritation.
"Well, that was fast," Luo Qing said cheerfully, patting the fishing chair beside him. "Come, I saved a seat for you."
Noticing that she had come alone, he tilted his head in confusion. "Where's Sergei? Didn't I send him to call you?"
Ei glanced disdainfully at the chair next to Luo Qing. After a few seconds of hesitation, she reluctantly sat down.
"I sent him to buy me some novels instead," she said coolly.
"Tch, that's so you..." Luo Qing chuckled softly before continuing. "By the way, that puppet you gave freedom to is down there now, preparing to become the new god. Any thoughts on that? Care to share?"
"Hmph..." Ei leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes.
"It has nothing to do with me."
"Tch, with that attitude, it's no wonder Scara always wants to take a swing at you. If I were him, I'd probably come after you too," Luo Qing teased.
"Oh?" Ei opened one eye and glanced sideways at him.
"I'm kidding, of course. How could I? I care about you too much," Luo Qing said, grinning.
Care, a verb, implying that in bed, he… cared very deeply for her.
"Anyway..." Luo Qing leaned back in his chair, speaking casually. "If all goes well, Lumine should be able to handle Scara. That means you won't have to step in and give him a long-overdue lesson in motherly love."
"Then why did you even call me here?"
You're wasting my time—time I could've spent reading novels or enjoying my sister's latest desserts.
"Well, you know, just in case," Luo Qing replied with a grin, lightly tapping Ei on the forehead with his finger.
The next moment, Ei's vision was overlaid with a live feed. It showed Lumine and her group's current position in the Joururi Workshop, streaming without delay.
"That Dottore is lurking around somewhere, spying in secret. If I step in, he might run off to tattle to Her Majesty the Tsaritsa. That would be troublesome," Luo Qing explained. "So after much thought, I decided it's best for you, as the mother figure, to handle this.
"Me? I'm just the stepdad—it's not really appropriate for me to get involved."
"..."
[Frustration +1 from Ei.]
"I'm not his mother, and you are not his stepfather..." Ei said quietly. "Say that again, and I'll cut it off."
"Alright, alright, I won't say it anymore," Luo Qing replied with a laugh. "Anyway, since you're here, I might as well teach you how to fish. Come, sit on my lap, and I'll guide you hand-in-hand..."
---
Meanwhile, in the Joururi Workshop
Upon entering, Lumine had expected to encounter fierce battles. Yet as they advanced, they found not a single soul in sight. It was as if someone had evacuated the place before their arrival.
Recalling Luo Qing's smug face, Lumine felt like she already had her answer.
With Nahida's help, Lumine and her companions quickly bypassed the workshop's security mechanisms.
Pushing open the final circular gate, they reached their destination.
A massive mech, deep purple and revealing only its upper half, stood silently on a semicircular platform.
Inside the mech's head, Scaramouche was covered in a tangle of tubes, his eyes closed as if in slumber.
Sensing movement, Scaramouche slowly opened his eyes.
There they were—Lumine, Nahida, and the others, standing at the command platform, studying him.
"So, it's you..."
"Hmph..."
"I was wondering why today was so peaceful..."
"Turns out I have esteemed guests," Scaramouche sneered, cracking his neck. The movement triggered a series of mechanical groans, and the devices anchoring the mech detached with a clatter.
"The so-called God of Wisdom—is this an invitation to re-enact the Archon War?"
"Ah... the surge of power... the excitement it stirs in my heart... Heh..."
"I'm thrilled."
"Come, let's dance, Buer, the God of Wisdom—"
Before he could finish his theatrics, Paimon cut in.
"Why is Scaramouche talking to himself like that? Is he still the same Scaramouche? He doesn't seem all that smart anymore..."
"You insignificant pest! Do you realize you're interrupting a conversation between gods?!"
Scaramouche's voice cracked with anger, his expression growing even more menacing.
"Uh... I guess he is the same Scaramouche," Paimon muttered.
"Disrespectful wretch!" Scaramouche roared, dropping his pretense. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a massive hand toward Lumine and her group.
But before it could reach them, Nahida raised her right hand. Vibrant green Dendro energy spiraled forth, spreading across the mech.
"Hmph, trying to weave dreams into my body?!"
Scaramouche snorted disdainfully, channeling his power to disperse the green energy.
"So, Dottore was right after all. A God of Wisdom who doesn't rely on brute force can only play petty tricks."
"Did you really think I'd be ensnared by your dreamscape? How laughable!"
---
Riverbank
Watching Scaramouche get caught in Nahida's dreamscape while obliviously grandstanding, Luo Qing couldn't hold back his laughter.
"Look at him, Ei. Doesn't he remind you of someone? He's like your carbon copy—hey, don't pinch me, I didn't say you're stupid."
"Just look at him. He's already trapped in the dream, and he still doesn't realize it."
"He's just sitting there, grinning like an idiot."
"..."
Ei said nothing, but her emotions were complicated.
Luo Qing's words were harsh, but the scene of Scaramouche in the dreamscape was undeniable.
How had he ended up like this over the years...?
She still remembered the pure and innocent look in his eyes once upon a time.
But now...
---
Dreamscape
Thinking he had seen through Nahida's ploy, Scaramouche reveled in his imagined triumph. After theatrically "defeating" her by piercing her with a single strike, he suddenly realized—it was all still a dream.
He thought he had outwitted her, but in truth, it was only another layer of the illusion.
"You dare mock a god?!"
Scaramouche flew into a rage, bringing both hands together in a thunderous smash aimed at Lumine and Nahida.
Lumine shielded Nahida and dodged the attack, but the command platform crumbled beneath them, forcing them onto the circular platform below.
"Hmph. So what if you dodge? Do you really think mere strategy and intellect can bridge the gap in strength?!"
Scaramouche sneered, summoning lightning in one hand and wind in the other, ready to strike Lumine down.
---
Ahem! Gather close, esteemed audience! Do you comprehend the privilege of basking in my radiance? Truly, you're witnessing history in the making—a performance unparalleled in the annals of Fontaine!
Ah, but don't get distracted! Let me be clear: this brilliance isn't conjured from thin air. No, no, no! It requires effort, dedication, and… well, a touch of your generosity. If you fancy being part of something truly extraordinary, do step forward here: [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Oh, but wait! You're probably wondering, "Furina, how can someone as magnificent as you need assistance?" To that, I say: why deny mortals the honor of contributing to such greatness? Supporting me is supporting art, and who doesn't want to say they were instrumental in a legend's rise?
Now, off you go. Make your offerings, and perhaps, perhaps, I'll acknowledge you in my next soliloquy!
— Furina ✨
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
200+ Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
686 Đá
Quyền lực 
bình luận đoạn văn