Ch 28

The players who missed out on Venti were suddenly moved.

They wished they could immediately draw Keqing and add her to their team.

When Takumi was designing Keqing, he once considered whether to increase Keqing's stats on her existing foundation. But he ultimately decided against the "strengthen Keqing" plan because this game wasn't the typical PVP type of game.

Keqing's uniqueness lies in her flexible abilities and multi-elemental damage characteristics.

In the future, with the implementation of the Electrograss Intensification reaction in the Inazuma region, Keqing would experience her most significant enhancement, elevating her to the Tier 1 rank.

However, Takumi made a minor enhancement to Keqing's mechanics. He made her Elemental Skill, "Starward Sword," achieve true "teleportation." It would no longer be blocked by terrain or obstacles, and the teleportation distance was significantly increased.

...

"Swordlight, be my guide, and cut through the chaos!"

"[Keqing uses her swiftest sword technique, unleashing the power of thunder, dealing AoE Electro damage.]"

"Then, she hides within the shadows of her sword, performing rapid consecutive slashes like thunderbolts against surrounding enemies."

"This inflicts multiple instances of Electro damage and, on the final strike, deals high AoE Electro damage."

Players were astonished by this swift move.

"This elemental burst is so awesome!"

"Swish, swish, swish, sword shadows everywhere! So graceful and elegant!"

"Keqing's swordplay is extraordinary."

"I've changed my mind! I won't wait for the limited banner; I want to draw Keqing right now!"

"Me too! I'll Build Keqing as my strongest main DPS!"

....

While players in Mondstadt were fervently pulling for new characters, the players in Liyue were embarking on their initial exploration of the game.

This was inevitable as the opening times for the two regions were different. However, Keqing and Ningguang, as people who could become one of the Seven Stars, quickly adapted to new things.

Their progress was quite similar at the moment. Within just three days, they had reached the storyline involving a showdown with Dvalin.

Of course, this could also be because they had obtained information in advance and had done a lot of preparation.

Before entering the domain, Ningguang put down her phone and said to Keqing beside her, "Keqing, this domain will be a challenging part of Mondstadt's story. It's said to have trapped many players."

Keqing lightly adjusted the ponytail on her shoulder, revealing a confident smile. "No problem. I've familiarized myself with the gameplay of this mobile game these past few days, and with the strategies sent from Mondstadt, even the Stormterror Dvalin shouldn't pose a problem."

Ningguang nodded. "Seeing your confidence reassures me. However, I don't have the same level of confidence as you. With the characters currently in our team alone, defeating Dvalin will likely require a lot of effort."

"What do you plan to do, Ningguang?"

"I plan to... pull for new characters. Based on the characteristics of this new character, they seem to be a versatile and burst-oriented character, which might be suitable for countering the Stormterror."

"New character? Are you talking about..."

Ningguang smiled faintly and opened the interface for the standard banner.

Pointing at the image of Keqing on the standard banner, Ningguang said, "It seems that the boss of the game hall, Takumi, values you quite a bit. When the Liyue version was released, he made you a controllable character in the game... and a five-star character at that."

Keqing's face turned slightly red, and she explained with an indifferent tone, "Perhaps he only learned about me through rumors among the people."

"Oh? Is that so? Then let's see how well he knows you," Ningguang said and immediately started a tenfold wish.

There were over ten thousand primogems in her account, clearly indicating that she had already made recharges and was well-prepared for pulling.

"Swoosh..."

"Swoosh..."

Ten tenfold pulls in a row: Jean, Diluc, Skyward Blade, Skyward Pride... even Qiqi was pulled, but Keqing herself was still missing.

Ningguang, who had been composed, looked somewhat helpless now. Was this boss treating her as a cash cow?

However, such thoughts were just a passing fancy. How could this wishing system possibly know what she wanted?

"Let me try," Keqing opened her account's wish interface and casually did a tenfold pull.

Golden light descended.

"I am Keqing, the 'Yuheng' of the Seven Stars of Liyue. The time for change has come, and the order maintained for a thousand years is about to be rewritten. At this historic moment, would you be willing to witness it with me?"

Keqing's illustration appeared on the screen.

Ningguang: "..."

Fortunately, Ningguang was used to grand occasions and quickly adjusted her mindset. "Nice to meet you. Starting with such an opening, Keqing, you truly live up to expectations."

"Ningguang, it seems you were right. This boss really understands me," Keqing said, and her introductory words seemed to reflect her inner thoughts.

In Keqing's heart, there had always been a concern: had the Lord protected Liyue for a thousand years, but would the same happen in the next thousand years, ten thousand years, or even a hundred thousand years?

To others, this was an unnecessary worry, but Keqing couldn't ignore this potential hidden danger. It was a future that the people of Liyue had never considered, but someone had to step forward and create a new path at the forefront of the era.

As Yuheng, Keqing was the natural choice.

However, when it came to "creating a new path," Keqing was still in the stage of effort and planning. However, those words from earlier, about "the time for change has come, and the order maintained for a thousand years is about to be rewritten" and "this historic moment," seemed somewhat untimely. Keqing believed that it was not yet that time. Perhaps in the next ten years, she would have the opportunity to say such words.

"According to the rules of this mobile game, with each version update, new characters will be introduced."

"Ningguang, I think you'll join eventually and become a limited five-star character," Keqing said.

Ningguang smiled slightly without confirming or denying it.

Next, Ningguang casually spent ten million Mora, appearing to be quite extravagant. Finally, she managed to pull Keqing from the banner.

They immediately maxed out Keqing's level and talents.

"It feels like among the current five-star one-handed swords, there isn't a weapon that suits you well," Ningguang remarked. "I watched that video Takumi made, and the weapon used in the video was the four-star weapon 'The Flute.' Actually, that weapon is a treasured sword passed down in my family, but because it's too sharp, I rarely use it. I never expected it to appear in this game..."

Keqing displayed a somewhat strange expression. "In fact, that weapon is a treasured sword passed down in my family, but because it's too sharp, I rarely use it. I never expected it to appear in this game..."

"Hehe," Ningguang didn't mind. "So far, we've discovered a limited amount of real-world details corresponding to this game. The designer seems to be omniscient, revealing vast amounts of information, whether in the macro aspect of nation-building or in the micro details of the characters. I'm already looking forward to the upcoming Liyue storyline; it's bound to bring us some astonishing plot twists."

Keqing nodded slightly. "Well then, let's make the most of our time and defeat Dvalin."

A dozen minutes later, Keqing and Ningguang successfully completed Dvalin's storyline. Keqing marveled at how useful she was in this storyline. Every time Dvalin launched an attack, she could quickly throw out Thunderclap, outputting it at his weak points. After two rounds of output, they could break Dvalin's shield, causing him to collapse on the platform. At this point, they could use "Starward Sword" to instantly move to the dragon's back and continue attacking the blood clot, quickly ending the battle. Surprisingly, they cleared this challenge on their first attempt.

In fact, they had benefited from the groundwork laid by others. Without the strategy provided by Mondstadt, it would have taken many attempts to understand Dvalin's attack patterns and come up with countermeasures.

They continued with the storyline. After returning the Skyward Sword to the Cathedral of Mondstadt, Venti was ambushed by the Fatui's Fatui's Eleven in front of the cathedral's doors. Moreover, the "lady" executive of the Fatui's Eleven personally took away the "Heart of the Deity." This plot development shook Keqing and Ningguang, prompting some reflection.

This was because Liyue now also had an executive of the Fatui's Eleven, codenamed "Childe," whose real name was Tartaglia. Even before this, Ningguang had conducted some investigations on this individual and believed that they had ulterior motives.

Now, the game's storyline seemed to confirm it. "Childe" Tartaglia was very likely after the Heart of the Geo Archon!

"Keqing, how do you see this matter?" Ningguang asked.

"If the Fatui's Eleven's goal is the Geo Archon's Heart, they will definitely seize the opportunity at the upcoming 'Rite of Parting,' because that's the only chance in the year to meet the Geo Archon."

Keqing paused briefly and continued, "But I don't think he will emulate the 'lady's' actions in Mondstadt. Although the Archon only descends once a year, this tradition has continued for thousands of years, and the Archon has never shirked their duty."

"To hope for a direct confrontation or to seize the Geo Archon's Heart through ambush would be overly naive," Keqing remarked. "The title 'Geo Archon' carries profound meaning; it isn't something taken lightly."

Ningguang nodded in agreement, clearly approving of Keqing's statement. "Indeed, I never thought that the Geo Archon would have their heart taken as Windborne Bard's heart was in Mondstadt. However, the Fatui's Eleven will stop at nothing to achieve their goals... I doubt they'll engage the Archon straightforwardly."

A faint gleam flickered in Ningguang's eyes. "Well... it's all just my speculation so far; there's no concrete evidence. We'll soon have actual evidence."

Keqing pointed at the phone in front of her. "In this storyline, the 'Rite of Parting' is about to begin. We can use this method to know in advance what plans the Fatui's Eleven are hatching."

Before, the main storyline in Mondstadt was collectively referred to as the "Prologue," and now that they were in Liyue, it had become the "First Chapter." This likely indicated that the story's formal development would begin in the nation of Liyue. After inquiring with some locals in Liyue, they learned that the "Rite of Parting" would indeed take place today. The location was at the highest point in Liyue Harbor, Jade Chamber.

Once they found the location, the Traveler also followed the custom and made a wish in front of the incense burner, "I hope to find my brother soon." So far, everything seemed to match Keqing's impressions of the "Rite of Parting," with no particularly unusual discoveries. It appeared that the Fatui's Eleven had not set up anything at this occasion.

This year, the host of the "Rite of Parting" was Ningguang, and if all went as expected, Keqing could come over later as an ordinary visitor to make a wish and observe. While they were thinking about this, the screen indicated that it was time for the "Rite of Parting" to begin.

"Wow, there are so many people!" Paimon exclaimed, flying up above the crowd to get a better view. "Let's move forward a bit; we can't see anything from back here."

At this moment, the perspective shifted to the host of the "Rite of Parting." The host was Ningguang. The screen zoomed in on Ningguang as she gazed up into the sky. Then, it seemed that Ningguang received confirmation and took a step forward, announcing, "The auspicious moment has arrived."

Two secretaries stepped back, giving Ningguang plenty of space to perform. Geo elemental energy emanated from her, condensing into four golden gemstones, representing the four cardinal directions. With a single finger, Ningguang directed the gemstones to be placed inside the incense burner.

In an instant, the incense burner emitted a dazzling radiance, shooting up into the sky. Vortexes of storms appeared in the clear sky. As the golden light reached the heavens, these storms grew increasingly fierce. At this moment, they were covered by a strange black light, and the Jade Chamber below was shrouded in shadow. Confusion rippled through the crowd.

Ningguang herself kept a close eye on the situation in the sky, her expression filled with uncertainty. Such a situation had never occurred in previous Rites of Parting.

However, there was no time for excessive contemplation. A colossal black shadow fell from the center of the storm with a loud crash, instantly shattering the offering platform below. Incense burners and offerings were scattered everywhere. The crowd let out cries of astonishment; each individual was left dumbfounded, unaware of what had just occurred.

Ningguang was the first to react, wearing a puzzled expression as she approached to inspect. The fallen black figure was none other than the Geo Archon, half-dragon and half-human! At this moment, it seemed to have lost all vitality, appearing as a lifeless shell.

Upon realizing this fact, Ningguang's gaze sharpened. She stood up and commanded the surrounding adepti soldiers, "The Archon has been assassinated! Seal off the area!"

...

"What... what on earth is happening?" Keqing's pupils contracted slightly as she looked at Ningguang beside her. The latter also wore a grave expression, her face showing signs of distress.

Ningguang had already foreseen that there would be shocking events in Liyue's main storyline, but she never expected that it would happen right at the beginning – the Geo Archon's assassination during the important Rite of Parting. Whom could they even appeal to in this situation? In Ningguang's heart, a sense of absurdity surged.

In the game, she was hosting the event in the first-person perspective. However, at this moment, she was witnessing everything in the third person. The latter often allowed for the discovery of more hidden details, but during the recent Rite of Parting, she had observed every step carefully, with no negligence or oversight.

Yet, the unexpected had still occurred. If she hadn't already experienced the wonders of this mobile game, Ningguang would have thought it was a sensationalized scenario. Who could assassinate the Geo Archon in secret, throwing the body down during the Rite of Parting when no one was informed? This was a monumental mockery, representing the perpetrators' disdain for the Geo God and Liyue.

Ningguang's finger lightly tapped her forehead. Keqing, who was beside her, remained silent with a solemn expression. Both needed some time to come to terms with the plot and contemplate all the overlooked details so far.

After an unknown amount of time had passed, Ningguang shook her head and spoke first, "I never expected... but one strange thing, when the Rite of Parting began, it seemed like the black mist in the sky obscured our ability to discern what was happening at that moment."

"Do the Fatui's Eleven truly have the capability to do something like this?" Keqing questioned, almost asking herself.

Both of them were intelligent individuals, considered among Liyue's brightest minds. After the initial shock, they began to rationally analyze the current situation. A moment later, Keqing provided her own answer.

"It's impossible. If the Fatui's Eleven really had the ability to carry out such an act, they wouldn't need to engage in subterfuge in Liyue Harbor before this. If they truly possessed the ability to assassinate the Archon, there would be no need for their previous elaborate schemes."

"Indeed," Ningguang nodded, "There are too many unreasonable aspects. Let's continue to watch the following plot. Perhaps there will be new developments."

....

"What... what on earth is happening?" Paimon wore a skeptical expression, as if she were questioning life itself. Such an event happening as soon as they arrived in Liyue left anyone bewildered.

"She mentioned 'the Archon has been assassinated.' Could it be that the Geo God... is dead?!"

"Ah, it's the 'Qixing'! It seems they are interrogating individuals who got too close to the scene."

"It's terrifying; the culprit is among us."

"Now that you mention it... Aren't we the ones who got too close to the scene?"

It seemed that whenever in a tense situation, Paimon's tendency to talkative increased significantly.

"The God... may have been an enemy back then."

"It should not fall into the hands of their believers."

The Traveler promptly made a judgment. Although they might seem suspicious, it was better to escape from the chasing Qixing forces first. This way, at least they would retain some control. The process of escaping wasn't too difficult; they just had to stay out of sight of the Qixing forces.

However, just as they were about to turn down a fork in the road, the Traveler accidentally stepped on a fallen leaf on the ground. The Qixing forces, searching not far away, had extremely keen hearing and immediately discovered their presence. Seeing the Traveler acting suspiciously, they didn't hesitate to order a pursuit.

Now, evasion turned into a bold escape. Soon enough, the Traveler was cornered by the Qixing forces coming from different directions.

"Nowhere to run!"

Faced with this situation, the Traveler drew their weapon, clearly not planning to go down without a fight.

Just then, a male voice came from behind.

"Miss, be careful not to move, alright?"

Three water elemental forces condensed out of thin air, and three arrows shot forth, instantly knocking the spears out of the hands of the Qixing forces.