"So it really is the case…"
Luocha had already felt that something about the flow of time was deeply wrong. Now that it was confirmed, a bad feeling settled in his chest.
"Everyone—if I were to stay in that place for seven days… would that count as a victory?"
That was the question Luocha had been thinking about.
Since time flowed differently, which time actually mattered—the time inside, or the time outside?
The question immediately stumped everyone.
If they said it didn't count, then Luocha really would have stayed there for seven days.
But if they said it did count, then from the outside, barely any time might have passed at all.
"Uh… no idea."
"I don't think it counts."
"Yeah, probably not. Valerius is way too crafty."
In the end, after some discussion, they reached a unified conclusion:
Whether it counted or not, they had to treat it as if it didn't.
Otherwise, if they relaxed under the assumption that time was up and ended up getting wiped out, that would be a disastrous mistake.
"Wait—that's not right."
Keqing suddenly realized something and spoke up quickly.
"If we get chased by Valerius into that place, wouldn't that mean we could be hunted for several days inside, while barely any time passes outside?"
At that moment, everyone truly grasped how terrifying unequal time flow could be.
If all of them were driven into such an area, then forget seven days—they might be hunted for fourteen.
Just imagining being chased for days while barely any external time passed made Firefly feel chills all over. Then she thought of something, her heart pounding.
"Um… are we sure that place is the only area where time flows differently?"
The room fell silent.
Right—no one ever said there was only one such location.
"No. Tomorrow, we have to identify all areas with abnormal time flow."
Keqing immediately seized on the key issue. These places had to be mapped out, or they wouldn't even know how they died.
"That makes sense."
Bronya nodded, then took out the map. "Also… this area here is the library. There should be something useful for us inside."
She explained what they had found earlier, and everyone agreed. Books really were perfect hiding places.
"So… what about the rest of you? Did anyone find anything?"
Firefly raised her hand. "I found a skill. But I don't have any points."
"Oh?"
"What kind of skill?"
Everyone's eyes lit up with curiosity. They all wanted to see what kind of ability could be used against Valerius.
"Uh… this one."
[Skill: You Go On Ahead, Don't Worry About Me]
Effect: Upon activation, the user grapples the BOSS, greatly reducing its movement speed for 3 minutes. During this time, the user's defense is significantly increased.
Cost: 1 point.
"…What kind of skill is that?"
Everyone was utterly baffled.
"You go on ahead, don't worry about me"?
Why did this feel so familiar?
Wasn't this blatantly a self-sacrifice skill?
"This skill is actually very good. It should be saved."
Luocha reacted quickly. This ability would be extremely valuable at a critical moment.
A skill that guaranteed you couldn't escape after activation was clearly meant for last-resort use.
"Anyone else?"
"I've got one too."
After Firefly, Jingliu took out her Cute Voice Fist Technique.
"This one's even better."
Everyone perked up immediately. Firefly's skill could restrain the BOSS for three minutes—but using it meant she was basically done for.
Jingliu's was different. She didn't need to grapple the BOSS, which meant she could strike and still escape.
"I propose we redistribute points," Luocha said.
"Miss Jingliu must always have points available. And Miss Firefly must carry at least one point at all times."
He took out the two points he had collected earlier and placed them on the table.
"That's reasonable."
Bronya also put her points forward.
Everyone understood what Luocha meant. It was only the first day—there would be more points later. Right now, ensuring those with skills could actually use them was crucial.
Just as Arataki Itto was about to hand over his points, Luocha stopped him.
"Yours stay with you."
"Huh? Why?"
Itto was confused. Everyone else was contributing—why not him? Wouldn't that make him look selfish?
"Your acceleration magic is extremely valuable to the team."
Itto could use acceleration magic, but it also consumed points. Keeping his points with him was necessary.
Finally, they tallied everyone's points:
Keqing: 2 pointsLumine: 1 pointClorinde: 1 pointLuocha: 2 pointsFirefly: 0 pointsBronya: 1 pointJingliu: 1 point
Excluding the 2 points Itto kept, there were only 2 points left to freely allocate.
After final discussion, they unanimously decided:
Keqing: +1 pointLumine: +1 pointFirefly: +1 pointClorinde: +1 pointAll remaining points → Jingliu
This way, all the Genshin-side players had at least basic self-preservation, and Jingliu—with 4 points—could activate her skills up to four times, greatly increasing the team's survival chances.
It was only Day One. Losing anyone now was not an option.
With the point distribution settled, Clorinde stood up and headed toward the kitchen.
"What do you want to eat? I'll cook."
"Eat quickly, then rest. We probably won't have much downtime."
That reminder hit home.
During the day, they had to search for points and skills. At night, they would face the hunt.
Rest was a luxury.
"I'll help."
Keqing and Bronya stood up and went with her.
Time was tight—they needed to move fast.
Live Chat
[Raiden Ei]: Why did they give away the points like that?
[Yae Miko]: Don't talk—you're lowering the average IQ.
[Raiden Ei]: But… points can be used for rewards, right?
[Zhongli]: It's only the first day. Points can be found later—people cannot be replaced.
[Furina]: Exactly. If they lose people now, searching later will only get harder.
[Nahida]: Yes. Miss Jingliu's skill offers maximum protection for the team. Giving her points is entirely justified.
[Jing Yuan]: This round is surprisingly harmonious.
[Ningguang]: Why do I never get situations like this… never mind, I'm getting irritated again…
[Beidou]: Want to perform again?
[Ningguang]: ...
[Diluc]: QI SI OU NEI ER!!!
[Kaeya]: Pfft—your temper really is something.
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