At six-thirty in the evening, Goro stood outside the entrance of Crescent Moon Pavilion, spotting Lu Heng emerging from a shop across the street.
"Mr. Lu, over here!" Goro called out.
Lu Heng strolled over with a smile. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long?"
"Not at all," Goro replied, shaking his head. "We just got here ourselves. This way, please."
"Lead on," Lu Heng said with a nod.
As Goro guided him, he mentioned, "This dinner is on Miko, but getting a spot here is no easy feat. Thankfully, Miss Ganyu pulled some strings."
"Crescent Moon Pavilion and Glaze Lily Terrace are like that," Lu Heng remarked knowingly. A regular merchant would struggle to secure a same-day reservation, but for someone like Ningguang, who owned both establishments, it was a simple matter of adding an extra table for people like Lu Heng or Ganyu—no cutting in line required.
As they chatted, they entered a private room. Ganyu was tucked in a corner, finishing a phone call. Spotting Lu Heng, she quickly wrapped up, hung up, and turned to Miko and Goro. "Everything's set. We leave at nine."
"Thanks, Ganyu," Miko said warmly.
Lu Heng chuckled. "All this formality?"
Miko gestured toward the head of the table. "Mr. Lu, please, take the seat of honor."
"Going all out, huh?" Lu Heng laughed but didn't protest. He sat down and asked, "You two okay with Liyue cuisine?"
"I'm fine with it," Miko replied. She'd been to Liyue before, perhaps before Crescent Moon Pavilion existed, but she'd tasted authentic Liyue dishes.
All eyes turned to Goro, who shook his head. "I'm not picky. As long as it's edible, I'm good."
"Edible or not, food's just food. Filling your stomach is what matters," Lu Heng said with a shrug, then asked, "If we're leaving at nine, that gives us some time. How are we getting there?"
"Antigravity airship," Ganyu answered.
Antigravity airship? It sounded fancy, but in truth, it was just a vehicle that could adjust its altitude at will—think of it as a car that could float.
"Better than a plane," Lu Heng noted. "Those things are way too noisy."
"Thanks to Ganyu again," Miko said with a smile. A little noise was nothing to her, eager as she was to return to Inazuma. But if the noise could be eliminated entirely, even better.
"It's nothing," Ganyu said modestly. "Since everyone's here, shall I have them start serving?"
"Sounds good," Lu Heng agreed. "We've got time, but let's eat and talk."
Crescent Moon Pavilion was efficient. Preparations were already in place; they were just waiting for Lu Heng's arrival to start cooking. Soon, servers began bringing out dishes that didn't take long to prepare.
Over dinner and conversation, the mood was light and pleasant. Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was eight-thirty.
"I'll walk you out," Lu Heng offered with a grin.
Miko blinked, surprised. "You're personally seeing us off?"
"Why not?" Ganyu smiled. "The airfield's right next to Crescent Moon Pavilion."
In the modern era, with new transportation methods, Liyue Harbor had carved out a spacious area for an airfield. It wasn't the kind with kilometer-long runways but more like a heliport. The space was planned to avoid accidents from chaotic activity. From the main slope by the General Affairs Office, the airfield was just a short walk away.
Helicopters were parked there, yachts docked by the distant shore, and parking spaces lined the walls. The vendor stalls that once occupied the area had been relocated elsewhere.
Ganyu led the way to a peculiar, disc-shaped object. It wasn't massive—about thirty meters tall with a sixty-meter radius. It hovered a few centimeters off the ground, untethered to the earth.
A General Affairs staff member in uniform awaited them. "Miss Ganyu!"
Ganyu nodded and introduced him. "This is Jin Shun, responsible for the antigravity airship. He'll be escorting Miko and Goro back to Inazuma."
"Mr. Lu, honored to meet you," Jin Shun said, then turned to Miko and Goro. "And to our guests, I'll ensure you reach your destination safely."
"Thank you," Miko replied.
Goro clasped his fists in gratitude. "Much appreciated."
"Just doing my job," Jin Shun said with a smile, looking to Ganyu. "Shall we board?"
"Safe travels," Ganyu said with a nod.
Jin Shun led Miko and Goro into the UFO-like airship. The hatch closed, and the vessel began to ascend slowly, its speed gradually increasing. Moments later, it shot off toward Inazuma.
"How fast is it?" Lu Heng asked.
"I think its top speed is around Mach 3?" Ganyu said, uncertain. "I'm not too familiar with the details."
Lu Heng nodded, just curious. Mach 3 wasn't slow, but what impressed him was that at such speeds, ordinary passengers needed no protective gear—a testament to the airship's technology. It was impressive, though not revolutionary.
"It's nine already. You heading back to work?" Lu Heng asked, glancing at the time.
Ganyu thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Not much left for tonight. Tomorrow morning's busier."
"Then you can actually rest for once," Lu Heng teased.
"That potted plant you gave me has helped," Ganyu said, but her expression soured. "The only issue is…"
"Don't stress yourself out too much," Lu Heng said gently. "Rest is key—for your health and your work. And honestly, you're in great shape. No need to worry about that."
"I get it," Ganyu said, biting her lip. "I'll try not to stress."
Easier said than done. Slaying a beast didn't faze her, but the teasing from her elders was far scarier.
"It's not a big deal," Lu Heng said with a smile. "We've got time tonight. Want to take a walk?"
"Sure," Ganyu agreed.
Liyue Harbor was vast. A single evening wasn't enough to stroll from one end of the docks to the other. They walked quietly for a while until Ganyu checked her phone. "It's getting late. I should head back."
"I'll walk you home," Lu Heng offered.
"But if we go this way, we'll pass your place first," Ganyu pointed out. "You'd have to double back."
"I ate too much. Need to burn it off," Lu Heng said, feigning seriousness. "I might have body image issues too."
Ganyu laughed, incredulous. "You? Body image issues?"
"Why not? All these friends keep inviting me to feasts. If I don't watch it, I'll balloon up," Lu Heng said, shaking his head. "Gotta stay active."
Ganyu just smiled, giving him a look that said, Sure, I believe you.
They continued on, and Lu Heng escorted her to Glaze Lily Terrace. By the time they reached the entrance, it was eleven-thirty.
"Alright, I'm heading in," Ganyu said. "You should get some rest too."
"I will," Lu Heng replied, then added, "You're not a kid anymore. Take care of yourself, okay? Don't make people worry."
Ganyu froze for a moment, caught off guard. It dawned on her that Lu Heng was much younger than her—by centuries, even. With a playful smile, she said, "Why's the younger one talking to the older one like a parent?"
"Can't help it," Lu Heng said, spreading his hands. "The older one doesn't take care of herself. I may be young, but I've got life figured out."
Ganyu was speechless, chuckling softly. "Fine, off to bed then. Goodnight."
"Night!" Lu Heng called as he turned to leave.
As Ganyu watched him go, a realization hit her. She'd initially seen Lu Heng as some cunning mastermind, only out to prove his own worth. But now, she saw he genuinely cared—worried she'd burn herself out with work. He'd even made up an excuse to walk her home, just to remind her to rest.
"What're you standing there for?" Keqing's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
Ganyu turned to see her approaching. "What brings you to Glaze Lily Terrace this late?"
"Dropping off some documents for urgent processing tomorrow," Keqing said, then squinted at her. "You were zoning out. What's on your mind?"
"Nothing," Ganyu said, shaking her head. "Let me see the files."
"No way," Keqing refused. "This is tomorrow's work. Go rest."
Ganyu sighed, at a loss for words.
Midnight.
Lu Heng appeared right on time in his pocket dimension. Funina was sprawled on the couch, playing Genshin Impact, her feet in white socks swaying idly. The Great Mercy Tree King sat on a stool, also playing, her delicate feet in white stockings catching the light.
Lu Heng scanned the scene, amused. What a feast for the eyes.
He cleared his throat loudly to announce his presence, then declared, "Quick! Shove an ice cream in my mouth!"
The next morning, Lu Heng woke early, refreshed by his mastery of the "Breath of Recovery" technique. It was, frankly, a game-changer—a godly skill for endurance battles. How had he not realized its potential sooner? He figured it was because past fights hadn't pushed him hard enough to notice.
Now that he'd mastered it, even Focalors couldn't keep up her bravado.
Normally, he'd sleep in, but not today. There was something fun to see.
At dawn, in Inazuma's Watatsumi Island, the UFO delivered Goro straight to Coral Palace. The sight of a flying saucer left the resistance soldiers stunned, some nearly fainting from shock. Those in the know recognized it as an airship; others thought the sky was falling.
Thankfully, Goro stepped in to calm things down, or morale might've collapsed.
"I'll leave this to you. I'm heading back to Narukami Island," Miko said before the UFO took off again.
Sangonomiya Kokomi, rushing over upon hearing the news, didn't even get a chance to see her.
"Lady Sangonomiya!" Goro greeted, brimming with excitement.
"Calm down," Kokomi said. "Let's talk inside."
Back at Coral Palace, Goro recounted his journey, each revelation more shocking than the last. Kokomi's worldview began to crack.
"So that's the fate of Inazuma?" she murmured, struggling to process it. The Eye Hunt Decree was orchestrated by the Fatui, and the Shogunate had been manipulating the war's balance for profit. The depths of human greed stunned her.
Goro went on, detailing the card shop he'd visited. "Lady Sangonomiya, look at this."
He showed her a webpage with a video of a golden-armored deity defeating Osial. Kokomi watched in silence as the god fell, her mind reeling.
Good grief, the world had changed this much?
"These are the cards I drew," Goro said, spreading them out. Kokomi's eyes locked onto a single Tier-5 golden card: Demonization.
"This card…" she began.
Goro nodded. "If used perfectly, its power rivals an ordinary Archon."
Kokomi was speechless. Three hundred million Mora for an Archon-level card? The world felt alien to her.
"Keep it safe," she finally said.
"Got it!" Goro replied, thrilled. The card was perfect for him.
"So, we don't need to fight anymore?" Kokomi asked.
"Probably not," Goro said thoughtfully. "Miko won't let Inazuma stay in chaos."
"Then let's focus on rebuilding—on the people and the economy," Kokomi said, taking a deep breath. For the first time, she saw hope for healing Watatsumi's sacred soil.
By eight in the morning, the UFO had dropped Miko off at Narukami Grand Shrine and departed. Nana Kano, witnessing Miko step out of the strange craft, hurried to greet her. "Lady Miko!"
"Everything alright at the shrine?" Miko asked.
"All's well," Nana replied.
"Good," Miko said, relieved. As the Raiden Shogun's confidante, she wasn't worried about anyone targeting the shrine, not even the Fatui.
"Anything happen elsewhere while I was gone?" she asked.
Nana thought for a moment and shook her head. "Nothing major, or at least, nothing's reached us."
"Go handle your duties," Miko said, her mind already elsewhere—on Ei, secluded in the Plane of Euthymia. After their last meeting, normal conversation wasn't an option anytime soon. If Miko couldn't reach the Plane, how could she draw Ei out?
Storm the gates? Too dramatic. And frankly, Miko wasn't strong enough to challenge Ei or the Raiden Shogun.
"The Wild Records haven't boosted my strength yet…" Miko mused, an idea forming.
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T/N:
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