đź’– If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon. I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/DragonOP
--------------------
The scene on the massive floating screen reached a fever pitch as the digital versions of Liyue's most powerful women stared at each other under the moonlight. The atmosphere in the virtual chat room was electric, with every viewer from Mondstadt to Inazuma holding their breath.
Beidou finally broke the silence on the screen, looking genuinely puzzled. Ningguang, what exactly was the point of calling me out here today? You've been acting strange all evening.
Ningguang let out a soft, frustrated sigh, her eyes tracking the ripples in the water around their feet. Don't you understand? I went through all the trouble of dressing up so beautifully today. Obviously, I have things in my heart that I've been waiting to tell you.
The digital Beidou froze, a thought bubble appearing above her head for the audience to see. No way. Is she finally going to say it? Is she actually going to say those words?
Beidou, I want to tell you that...
The audience in the live broadcast room collectively leaned forward. The gossip was burning so hot it felt like a Pyro Regisvine had moved into the chat. Even the real Beidou and Ningguang, watching from their respective locations in Liyue, were sweating. They were gripped by a nervous tension they hadn't felt in years, watching their reputations hang by a thread.
Suddenly, the Ningguang on the screen snapped. Her elegant composure vanished, replaced by an explosive, irritable energy that shocked the viewers.
Beidou, today is a date! Do you even understand the concept of dating? Can you please stop being such a total straight girl for five minutes? I am begging you to live a more refined life. Treat yourself better! Buy something nice! Maybe even bring a gift when you go on a date! How many years has it been? we've eaten together, worked together, taken baths together, and even slept in the same room. How can you still not understand what I'm trying to say to you?
The version of Ningguang in the video had clearly been pushed to her breaking point by Beidou's legendary density. In the broadcast room, a wave of sympathy washed over the viewers. Many people in the audience found themselves relating to the struggle, remembering times they had poured their hearts out to someone who remained as oblivious as a piece of wood.
On the big screen, after her sudden outburst, the digital Ningguang realized she had lost her cool. she quickly coughed twice, trying to smooth over the awkwardness and regain her dignity. Beidou just stood there, her mind clearly struggling to process the mountain of complex social information that had just been dumped on her.
Hey...
Just as the digital Ningguang began to look truly disappointed, believing the night was a total failure, the digital Beidou suddenly looked like a lightbulb had gone off in her head. She seemed to have finally figured it all out. She stood up abruptly, a determined grin spreading across her face.
Before Ningguang could react, Beidou launched herself forward like a hunting bear. She pounced, knocking Ningguang backward and sending both of them splashing into the shallow water of the pond.
The video ended abruptly at that exact moment. The screen went dark, and a single paragraph of glowing text appeared in the center of the void.
The following is paid content. It is not for you to see.
The video has ended. Thanks for watching.
The protagonist of the video, Beidou, receives a reward: A gourd of premium spirits.
The protagonist of the video, Ningguang, receives a reward: A pure and odorless artisan filter pipe.
The live broadcast room will close in five minutes.
The crowd of onlookers across Teyvat sat in stunned silence for a few seconds before a collective roar of anger filled the chat. The cliffhanger was too much for them to handle.
Pallad: What! You can't just cut it off there! That is the opposite of freedom! I demand to see the rest!
Nimrod: Exactly! Who cuts a video at the most critical moment? This is a crime against entertainment!
Eury: Nimrod, what's the matter with you? Do you really want to keep watching that?
Nimrod: Er, well, I think I might have had a little too much to drink today. What just happened? I can't seem to remember a single thing.
Eury: Still drinking, are you? Tonight, you're going to kneel on the floor and apologize to me until sunrise!
Xu Hao: Cough. I am willing to offer three hundred thousand Mora to the system. Please, just show the rest of the video to me privately.
Beidou: Xu Hao, you better watch your back! I'm coming for you!
Ningguang: Xu Hao, if you find that you no longer wish to reside in Liyue, I would be more than happy to arrange for your immediate relocation to a very distant country. Perhaps the middle of the ocean?
Xu Hao: Wow, the sun sure is looking nice today. Such a peaceful afternoon.
Arataki Itto: Damn it all! It cut off right when it was getting good! You're going to charge for the most interesting part? Do you think the great Arataki Itto can't afford it? I'll give you eighty thousand Mora right now! Release the rest of the footage immediately!
Kuki Shinobu: Boss, do you even have eighty thousand Mora? Last I checked, we couldn't even afford lunch.
Kaeya: By the way, is that guy above named Arataki Itto actually a child? He sounds like he doesn't know anything about how the world works.
Arataki Itto: What did you say? Is there anything in this world that I, the Great Itto, don't know? And I'm not a kid! I am the one and only Arataki Sumo King! The pride of the Oni! The Crimson Beetle Gladiator! The King of TCG! I am the man who can lose a thousand times but will never admit defeat! Aahahaha!
Ying: Yeah, okay. This guy is definitely not playing with a full deck of cards.
Paimon: I told you! The guy is a complete idiot.
Eula: No matter how you look at him, he acts like a child who hasn't grown up yet. Who gives themselves that many weird nicknames? It's honestly embarrassing.
The five-minute countdown finished quickly, and the millions of viewers were unceremoniously kicked out of the virtual space and returned to reality. The response to this broadcast was significantly stronger than the reaction to the previous one featuring Keqing. Parodying two of Liyue's most prominent figures at the same time had set the entire continent on fire with gossip.
Back in Liyue, the real Beidou and Ningguang felt like they wanted to cry, yet no tears would come. Their private lives—or at least a very strange, distorted version of them—had just been broadcast to every living soul in Teyvat. The "straight daughter" and "lipstick-eater" labels were likely going to haunt them for a long, long time.
Meanwhile, Xu Hao sat in his room, looking at the massive influx of emotional value in his system. He didn't care about the threats. He was too busy planning his next move. The system had successfully rewarded the victims, and he had even seen the physical items appear in their hands through the screen. He knew that as long as he kept the content coming, his power would only grow. He wondered if he should take Arataki Itto up on his "request" next. The Oni's reaction alone would probably be worth a fortune in system points. He began scrolling through his collection of videos, a mischievous smirk on his face. Teyvat wasn't ready for what he had planned next. Each chapter was a goldmine of reactions, and the more powerful the person he parodied, the better the rewards. He looked at the gourd of spirits and the pipe that had appeared as his commission fee for the broadcast and laughed. This was going to be a very interesting year in Liyue.
As the sun set over the harbor, the chatter in the tea houses didn't die down. In fact, it only grew louder. People were already placing bets on who would appear in the next "Second Creation" and whether the "paid content" would ever be leaked. In the Jade Chamber, Ningguang sat in silence, staring at the odorless filter pipe that had appeared on her desk. On the Alcor, Beidou was staring at a gourd of the finest spirits she had ever smelled. Neither of them knew whether to be angry or impressed by the sheer magical power behind the gift. But one thing was certain: the name Xu Hao was now etched into their minds, for better or for worse. The game had truly begun, and the rules were being written by a traveler who knew all their secrets.