After their last conversation, which could somewhat be considered a heart-to-heart, Lumine was much less shy around Lu Heng.
She strode into the shop, her face beaming with a confident smile.
It gave Lu Heng the peculiar feeling of a big spender swaggering his way.
One had to admit, today's Lumine had a certain air of a nouveau riche about her!
Lu Heng couldn't help but ask curiously, "How much did your brother fork over? You're even walking with a swagger now."
"Hehe," Lumine chuckled sheepishly, then waved her hand. "Two billion!"
"Two billion?" Lu Heng was surprised. "That's quite a lot!"
But on second thought, Aether was the leader of the Abyss Order. Scraping together two billion Mora probably wasn't that difficult for him. By Lu Heng's estimate, it might not even be hard for Aether to give Lumine another two billion next month. After all, this was the Abyss Order they were talking about!
"Should I pay you your salary first?" Lu Heng asked with a smile, picking up his phone to check Lumine's streaming income.
Accumulated over the past few days, it had actually reached over twenty million Mora!
She really knew how to rake it in!
The key was she managed to make people willingly shower her with gifts!
If you gave gifts to other streamers, it might be because you were captivated by their looks or sweet-talking.
But giving gifts to Lumine? That was purely because her antics were just that hilarious.
Even Lu Heng felt she was a natural talent. Giving her a bit more certainly didn't feel like a loss.
"No need, no need!" Lumine waved her hands dismissively.
She wasn't the type to go all-in with everything she had.
"I still have to take care of Paimon day-to-day, so I need to be frugal with Mora. It's best to keep a sum set aside for emergencies!"
Hearing this, Paimon, who was munching on snacks, paused. "Why do you have to specifically mention Paimon? Is raising Paimon really that expensive?!"
She started thinking about it herself.
Could it be... that she spent a lot of Mora on food?
Not really!
Paimon mentally reviewed her expenses. She felt Lumine mentioning it was just to tease her.
After all, things were different now. There were so many delicious foods she hadn't even gotten to try yet!
"Hard to say," Lumine said with a strange expression, shaking her head.
She smiled and said, "It's a good thing Paimon can be my partner now, otherwise Paimon would just be waiting to get ditched!"
"I'll take a second-hand Paimon here," Lu Heng interjected.
"Hey!" Paimon immediately stomped her foot in mid-air, a look of indignation on her little face. "Paimon isn't some object to be traded! And I'm not a cu— Wait a minute!"
Paimon, what did you just say?
Lu Heng looked shocked, as if he'd misheard, and tapped his ear. "Have you guys gotten this abstract normally?"
Lumine coughed heavily several times, her face flushing red. She hurriedly said, "Let me state for the record, this has nothing to do with me. This is all Paimon's own innate talent."
"It's you who corrupted me!" Paimon also panicked.
It was all Lumine's fault for awakening this... talent in her.
And now, she'd blurted it out without thinking.
"Let's just focus on researching the gacha for now," Lu Heng suggested, trying to steer the conversation back to normal.
Lumine and Paimon both nodded repeatedly.
Munching on potato chips, Paimon said, "With two billion Mora, who knows what Lumine's luck will be like today? Should we go outside and see if you can step in some dog poop for luck?"
"Can't you be a bit more ladylike?" Lumine looked utterly defeated.
"Maybe I should just leave Paimon here with you for recycling?" Lumine sighed.
Lu Heng nodded. "Sure. The shop正好 needs more help. After recycling Paimon, I'll squeeze at least ten times her value out of her. I am a ruthless capitalist, after all..."
Hearing Lu Heng's ominous tone, Paimon shuddered and immediately put on a fawning expression, offering a potato chip to Lumine's mouth. "Let me off the hook! Paimon doesn't want to be a workhorse!"
"Good," Lumine said, while transferring funds to recharge her account, feeling a bit apprehensive.
When it came to gacha, it really was all about luck.
What if her luck turned out to be terrible?
"Bro Lu, are there any universal ritual methods?" Lumine couldn't help but ask Lu Heng for help.
Lu Heng thought for a moment and shook his head. "I'm not really sure about that. But before, when Furina was pulling, she liked to 'sacrifice' this or that. Maybe you could try that?"
Lumine's eyes lit up.
"I get it!" she said, her voice tinged with excitement. Then she asked, "By the way, is it okay to stream the gacha?"
"Sure, it's up to you," Lu Heng didn't object.
If Lumine pulled some good cards and showed off on stream, it could attract more customers for him.
When people see others getting lucky, they often think, 'If I try, maybe I'll get lucky too.'
Just like Lu Heng himself in the past, seeing someone get two 5-stars in a ten-pull would make his fingers itch, wanting to try his own luck.
He's that lucky? Maybe I can get lucky too?
Who can know without trying?!
But if Lumine had bad luck... that could also be effective.
Viewers might still come to pull, recording their own attempts.
They'd imagine themselves getting incredibly lucky in a ten-pull, then post the video in Lumine's fan group, @ing her and taunting her.
Such things might be rare, but they definitely happen!
So Lumine's gacha stream was also a form of promotion.
For people in the Sumeru desert, or in Liyue's Yilong Port, Mondstadt's Jingfu Port...
With the card shop only open in the capital city of each nation, those outside the capital can only learn about the shop through word of mouth or the internet.
It's not like no one has streamed gacha before, but their viewership was too low to cause any stir.
Lumine, however, came with her own popularity, and now she was armed with a massive two billion Mora. This promotional power wasn't small.
And Lu Heng was getting it for free!
"Come on, show us your luck today."
Lu Heng brought over tea, poured a cup for each of them, and sat down in his chair to wait.
Lumine entered her device ID on the screen atop the counter, saw the corresponding number of pulls reflected in her account, and then gave Paimon a look.
Paimon immediately set up the phone and started the stream!
Instantly, countless viewers flooded in.
'Just entered the stream and already see Mr. Lu's handsome face, so happy!'
'Slurp slurp~'
'Lu Heng just sitting there makes me drool!!'
'Control yourselves! Don't randomly lick the screen, watch your comments, or you might get banned!'
'Is it really just drool? (Serious)'
'Don't mess this up! If the AI mods find this stream suspicious, don't blame them if we lose the stream!'
"So enthusiastic..." Paimon muttered.
"What's up?" Lumine leaned over to look at the screen, then leaned back slightly, amazed.
Wow!
Is Brother Lu this influential on my stream?
No, it's more like he just has to stand there, and it's like he's a succubus or something!
Lumine turned her head, her gaze settling on Lu Heng's face.
Was it so devastatingly, earth-shatteringly handsome?
That might be a bit of an exaggeration.
Lumine thought Lu Heng was very handsome. At the same time, his face gave a very visually pleasing impression.
"Hehe." Lumine couldn't help but laugh.
Lu Heng smiled wryly, unhurriedly took a sip of tea, pulled out his phone, opened Lumine's stream, and nearly spat out his tea.
What the heck is this?
The entire screen was filled with comments simping over him.
Lu Heng couldn't bear to watch, silently closed the stream, and put his phone away.
Paimon asked gleefully, "Bro Lu, scared?"
"Hard to describe," Lu Heng shook his head, then said, "How about we just start with the gacha?"
"Right!" Lumine snapped back to attention and nodded.
Standing in front of the counter, she said, "Some viewers have pulled before, but others haven't. Let's take a little time to introduce the card shop to everyone."
Lu Heng watched Lumine introducing the shop, feeling very pleased.
She's so considerate!
After the introduction, Lumine said, "Now, as you can see, the streamer's account has 200,000 pulls. Converted at the standard rate, that's two billion Mora—a huge sum."
"Now we're going to start pulling to see what kind of cards we can get with 200,000 pulls. You can all look forward to it."
'No matter what, just don't be too lucky!'
'Afraid of the streamer suffering, but also afraid of the streamer striking it rich! In short, don't be too lucky! If you're too lucky, I'll get jealous!'
'Let the sky roar with the glorious appearance of trash cards!'
'200,000 pulls! If Lumine isn't unlucky, feels like maybe three 5-star cards?'
"I think my luck is pretty good," Lumine said, first rubbing her hands together, then revealing a sly smile and declaring loudly, "I'll trade my brother's 500 years of singlehood for one 5-Star Gold Card!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Lumine quickly tapped the '10-Pull' button.
The gacha animation appeared. Light wrapped around colorless crystals burst forth with a golden glow!
"?"
Lu Heng was puzzled.
Paimon was shocked.
The live stream chat fell silent for a moment.
Aether, who was watching the stream, stumbled and nearly fell.
"What did she just say?!" Aether was stunned.
What was Lumine doing?
She actually said she'd trade his 500 years of singlehood for a 5-Star Gold Card, and the trade succeeded?!
What the heck did that mean?
Aether said in horror, "Do I really have to be single for 500 years?! Is it okay for her to do this?!"
"Your Highness, don't worry, this should just be a superstitious ritual! It probably won't affect you!" an Abyss Herald quickly analyzed, trying to comfort him.
Aether said worriedly, "My heart is set on my cause. I've never thought about finding a partner... But whether I want to or not is one thing, Lumine can't be this unscrupulous!" Not wanting to find someone and not being able to find someone were fundamentally different!
Aether suddenly felt a bit melancholy.
Meanwhile, question marks flooded the live stream chat.
'Who taught you to gacha like this?'
'Does this sacrificial method actually work?!'
'I didn't believe it before, but a 5-Star Gold Card really appeared. Seems I have to believe it now!'
'Suddenly feel a bit sorry for Aether. Having a sister like Lumine is really his... fortune!'
'This is hard to take!'
'Transaction successful. Aether is destined to remain single for 500 years!'
"See that!" Lumine was incredibly proud now.
Who said rituals were useless?
Wasn't this proof they worked!
Lumine smiled happily, picked up the 5-Star Gold Card, and handed it to Lu Heng.
Lu Heng turned it over and placed it on the counter.
Paimon held the phone closer to film it.
On the gold-bordered card face, the turbulent sea was depicted in black and white, and on the sea's surface was a mass of darkness.
Lu Heng brushed his hand over the card face.
As the card was appraised, color flooded the image.
In the azure blue seawater, a mass of orange-red burned fiercely.
The seawater boiled from the flames, tendrils of steam continuously rising.
"What is this thing?" Paimon asked curiously.
A strange look crossed Lu Heng's face.
[Abyssal Flame]
[Rarity]: 5-Star • Gold
[Type]: [Skill Card]
[Traits]: [Tidal Blaze] [Ocean Fire]
[Description]: Legend speaks of flames burning within the depths of the northern sea, their form like a blooming lotus, their fiery tongues pulsating like ocean waves. Ancient cultivators are said to have broken through their bottlenecks within these fiery seas, ascending to greatness in a single step!
After reading the card info, Lu Heng was reminded of an old friend.
Seeing the reminiscent look on Lu Heng's face, Lumine asked curiously, "Bro Lu, have you seen a card like this before?"
"In a way," Lu Heng nodded slightly, somewhat感慨地说道. "An old friend of mine, who always talked about 'luck', possessed a flame very similar to this one."
"Very similar?"
Lumine said in understanding, "No wonder Bro Lu looked like you were remembering something."
"A flame that burns in the sea feels both magical and powerful," Paimon marveled, then asked curiously, "Bro Lu, how strong was that old friend of yours?"
"How strong?" Lu Heng smiled. "Could crush Teyvat with one hand."
'Uh...'
'Well, he is an old friend of Mr. Lu's! Anyone who can be an old friend of Mr. Lu can't be weak!'
'Not necessarily! Among Mr. Lu's friends, there's also our Honorary Knight who used to fall asleep whenever she encountered danger! (Wry Smile)'
'Don't hate. The past is the past, the present is the present! Lumine is the type who's bad but practices more, oh no, the type who changes her fate by spending! (Dog Head)'
Lumine sighed. "Paimon, you really shouldn't have asked."
"Indeed, I take back the question," Paimon sighed, then asked, "How strong is this card?"
"Lumine's luck is very good," Lu Heng said. "This card's strength is at the high tier of 5-Star."
"That's the peak of Archon level!"
Lumine immediately equipped it.
Then, flickers of firelight bloomed in her palm.
The spreading tongues of flame rolled forth like surging waves.
Instantly, the humidity in the surrounding air rose, while a strange, intense heat scorched the air, making even space itself feel thin and fragile.
"See this, folks?" Lumine boasted.
"With just this flame, your streamer dares to say she has few rivals left in Teyvat!"
Lumine felt incredibly refreshed!
And this was only after ten thousand pulls!
Her very first ten-pull yielded a powerful high-tier 5-Star card!
This formidable flame could be channeled onto weapons or infused into other techniques!
Its overall utility was excellent!
Moreover, Lumine also had her magical aptitude, which included the field of potion-making.
For potions that required brewing, using this fire to concoct them would surely give at least a +1 quality effect!
Heck yeah!
Lumine's smile grew wider and wider. She quickly clasped her hands towards the stream. "Thank you, brother, for your contribution of 500 years of singlehood, which allowed your little sister to get such a powerful card! But your little sister has one more small request! Can you ensure my luck stays good for the next 149,990 pulls?"
Aether: "..."
Couldn't be bothered to retort.
He'd just sacrificed 500 years of singlehood, and now she wanted more from him?!
"I'm starting to wonder if fully investing in Lumine was the right decision," Aether mused quietly.
An Abyss Herald said solemnly, "Your Highness's decision is correct from a long-term perspective!"
Think about it, now Lumine has a powerful flame to rely on, her strength has increased again!
The stronger she is, the greater the gains for the Abyss Order!
At least in the future Teyvat, which will be full of powerful individuals, Lumine will have the strength and confidence to protect Aether in return!
"Fine!" Aether sighed.
Yes, from a strategic standpoint, the decision was undoubtedly correct. It's just that he had to suffer a bit mentally, that's all.
But then again, if he didn't invest, would he be spared this suffering?!
Since he was going to suffer either way, he might as well invest in her!
The happy Lumine wasn't in a hurry to check the 4-Star Purple Cards.
She wanted to press her advantage while her luck was good!
"I'll trade my brother's 1000 years of singlehood for another 5-Star Gold Card!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Lumine tapped the 10-Pull button.
Lu Heng breathed a sigh of relief when he saw only a rich purple light in the gacha animation.
That's more like it!
How could a ritual work every time?
Balance between luck and misfortune was usually the norm!
Seeing Lumine's slight disappointment, Paimon pondered and said, "How about switching to someone else?"
"Who should we switch to?" Lumine's gaze fell on Paimon.
Paimon recoiled in horror. "Don't look at Paimon! Paimon's still young, don't ruin Paimon's life! Use your own!"
Her own?
Lumine glanced furtively at Lu Heng and quickly shook her head.
She'd rather sacrifice her own lifespan than her years of singlehood. That would be worse than killing her!
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T/N:
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