Chapter 232: Hu Tao's Interdimensional Sales Pitch
However, Lucy also knew that now was not the time to quibble over such details with her single-minded leader. She stepped forward again, this time with a bit more force, pushing aside a Caesar who still looked ready to argue.
Then, facing Wise and Belle, she straightened her back, clasped her hands neatly in front of her, and produced a perfectly standard, formal, ladylike smile—an expression utterly alien to her usual demeanor.
"Esteemed Proxies," her voice, too, had become soft and clear. "Whether it was the crucial assistance you provided during the Tour de Inferno competition or the diligent efforts you expended in the arduous reconstruction of Sixth Street..."
"You have both given us, the Sons of Calydon, support that is difficult to repay. Therefore, all members of the Sons of Calydon, with the most sincere gratitude, formally invite you to attend Sixth Street's opening ceremony tomorrow. We hope this may serve as a small token of our thanks."
This sudden shift in style, this impeccable formal etiquette, left Wise and Belle momentarily stunned. They were used to Lucy's usual persona—a bit sharp-tongued and tsundere, shrewdly capable, yet with an eccentric streak. To suddenly see her display the polished manners of a young lady from a wealthy, strictly-trained family was genuinely jarring.
Belle blinked, waving her hands in a slightly awkward gesture. "Lucy, um… you don't need to be so formal. Just talk to us like you normally do. Seeing you like this all of a sudden… my brother and I are still a bit… not used to it."
Caesar, hearing this from the side, seemed to have found his theoretical support. He quickly leaned back into view, declaring loudly, "See! Lucy! I told you the Proxies would definitely prefer a more casual, lively invitation! The way you're talking is so stiff!"
Lucy seemed to completely ignore Caesar's chattering. She looked at Belle's slightly embarrassed expression and, as if letting out a silent sigh of relief herself, her shoulders relaxed. She was back to her usual self.
"Alright, I actually think so too," Lucy admitted, raising a hand to brush a stray strand of hair from her forehead. Her tone returned to its familiar cadence. "Speaking so formally just now made my skin crawl; that's not me at all! Fine, Proxies, Belle, we'll just ask directly—Sixth Street is opening tomorrow, and we're holding our Sons of Calydon victory banquet. Are you coming or not? Give us a straight answer!"
Seeing the familiar Lucy return, both Wise and Belle broke into laughter. This kind of straightforward invitation between friends felt far more comfortable and intimate.
Wise and Belle exchanged a look. Without a word needing to pass between them, the tacit understanding of siblings allowed them to instantly grasp each other's thoughts. The exploration of Amphoreus had concluded, and the chat group's world mission was complete. Tomorrow, they just so happened to be free.
What's more, they had truly poured their hearts into the reconstruction of Sixth Street; one way or another, they had to be there to witness its rebirth.
Wise turned his head and smiled at the members of the Sons of Calydon, who were waiting eagerly at the door for a response. "Of course we'll attend. Sixth Street is like another child of ours. How could we possibly miss its opening celebration after watching it rise from the ruins?"
Belle also nodded vigorously, her face beaming with anticipation. "Mhm! We'll definitely go! An event this lively wouldn't be complete without us!"
"That's great!" Caesar exclaimed, punching the air with unconcealed joy. "Then it's settled! We'll send someone to pick you up first thing tomorrow morning! We guarantee you'll experience the most authentic victory banquet!" He seemed to already be envisioning the bustling scene of the next day.
Lucy also breathed a sigh of relief, a relaxed smile returning to her face. "That's good. We'll inform you of the specific time and arrangements later. We won't disturb your rest any further. See you tomorrow!"
As she spoke, she casually dragged away Caesar, who still looked like he wanted to shout a few more celebratory words. Bernice and the others also waved cheerfully at Wise and Belle, and the group, having arrived in a flurry, departed just as quickly.
After seeing off their friends from the Sons of Calydon, Wise and Belle closed the door and exchanged smiles.
Belle patted her chest. "Lucy was so formal just now, it startled me. I thought something bad had happened."
"She does come from a prominent family, after all," Wise chuckled, then said seriously, "However, we'll need to tell Stelle and the others in the chat group later that we're attending the celebration tomorrow. We might not be able to keep up with the messages."
"Mhm, that's right," Belle agreed.
Meanwhile, on the continent of Teyvat, in Liyue Harbor, within the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
In the quiet room, Zhongli sat upright, his gaze intently fixed on the [World Rune: Guardian] in his hand, which emitted a soft, constant glow.
Since his return from Amphoreus, he had not taken a moment's rest. Beyond his daily tea and leisurely pursuits, he dedicated most of his time to digesting and researching the insights gained from his journey to another world.
He carefully analyzed the basic principles behind Amphoreus's peculiar "aether-slates" and had even taken a moment during a break in the victory banquet to consult Aglaea, the leader of the Chrysos Heirs, about some of the core concepts behind the construction and maintenance of the "Golden Thread Network."
A grand and forward-thinking concept was gradually becoming clear, taking shape in Zhongli's mind.
He planned to build a large-scale communication system in Liyue, one similar to the aether-slate network on Amphoreus, with the eventual goal of expanding it across the entirety of Teyvat.
This was no whim, but a decision born from careful consideration. The continent of Teyvat was vast, and the transmission of information often relied on human couriers, messenger pigeons, or certain elemental spells—all of which were limited in efficiency and lacked stability. If a widely covered, real-time communication network could be established, its value for public affairs, commercial exchange, and rapid response to sudden crises would be immeasurable.
His initial concept was to use the [World Rune] in his hand, which contained a powerful and stable protective energy, as the foundation and core nexus of the entire system. For the transmission channels, he would use the Ley Lines that flowed everywhere in Teyvat, carrying with them the world's memories and information. They would serve as the network's natural conduits.
He would first build a preliminary, simplified version of the communication system covering the main urban areas within Liyue for testing.
The reason for choosing the Ley Lines was compelling: their near-ubiquitous presence across Teyvat provided a natural, ready-made foundation for a network. And the World Rune in his hand, with its inherent characteristic of "stabilizing Ley Lines," could perfectly solve the potential problem of the lines becoming unstable due to contamination or disturbances. The two complemented each other with extremely high compatibility.
Just as Zhongli was immersed in conceiving the specific architectural details of this massive system, the door was pushed open with a soft creak.
Hu Tao slipped in like a nimble cat, her face adorned with her characteristic smile—a playful mix of curiosity and cunning.
"Esteemed Consultant," she drawled, walking over to sit opposite Zhongli. She rested her chin in her hands as she looked at him. "According to what you said before, you've followed that chat group to other worlds several times now, right?"
Zhongli's hands did not stop their work; he was still slowly adjusting the faint elemental energy flowing around the World Rune, attempting to understand its resonance frequency with the energy of the Ley Lines. Hearing her question, he simply replied in his calm, measured tone, "Indeed. What guidance does the Director have for me?"
Hu Tao leaned forward, lowering her voice as if discussing a great secret. "Then… by any chance, have you tried to expand our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's business in those other worlds?"
"For example, introducing the superiority of our 'one-stop' service? Perhaps there's a demand for it in other worlds, too!"
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