Once Hu Tao settled on her plan, she hurried back to Liyue without delay.
Some things have to be struck while the iron is hot.
Otherwise, if Ken suddenly changed his mind, she'd miss a golden opportunity.
As the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao felt she needed to lock down the matter with Ken as soon as possible.
After all, Ken's specialty shop in Mondstadt had become so popular that it was well-known even in Liyue—clear proof of his heat.
She had to ride that wave.
…
It was already the dead of night in Liyue, all silent. When Hu Tao stepped out of the vortex gate, she found she wasn't at Wuwang Hill but had already returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
"Zhongli?"
Just as she was about to work out her plan, Hu Tao saw a tall figure, bathed in moonlight, sauntering in from outside.
The man wore a retro long robe in black and gold, carried a calm, restrained air, and wore a face as unruffled and steady as a mountain.
It was none other than the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's consultant, Zhongli.
In reality, the funeral parlor sat on very spacious grounds. By modern measurements, beyond the public-facing frontage, the inner compound was at least a three-courtyard residence.
Hu Tao's quarters were in the innermost courtyard. As the parlor's Director, no one dared tread into her yard without her permission.
The front courtyard had staff dorms, though many employees didn't actually live there.
Zhongli usually came and went like a ghost and was rarely seen at the parlor; she hadn't expected him to return tonight.
The moment she saw Zhongli, Hu Tao stopped in her tracks.
Even her expression turned strange. She rubbed her chin, a half-smile playing on her lips. "What a coincidence, Consultant Zhongli."
"Hu Tao?"
Zhongli hung the birdcage in his hand on a tree branch, sensing something odd in Hu Tao's smile tonight.
Hands clasped behind her back, Hu Tao paced over and gazed at the moon, speaking in a deep tone: "Tonight I, your Director, divined the heavens and learned that a great figure is hiding in our halls—thus my mind was troubled, and I could not sleep."
Zhongli: "…"
A flicker of surprise crossed his face. Watching the girl put on her solemn act, he looked a bit helpless.
As expected… he couldn't handle this child at all.
Every day brought some new bizarre idea, as if her head were filled entirely with mischievous schemes.
He wondered whether she'd settle down a bit after getting married someday.
Zhongli held his tongue, waiting for Hu Tao to continue.
"Why aren't you asking me who the 'great figure' is?" Not getting the reaction she wanted, Hu Tao looked a little put out.
"In general," Zhongli replied softly, "what the Director wishes to say, she will say on her own."
"Alright, alright…" Hu Tao waved dispiritedly, then arched a brow. "You seem pretty free lately. Help me find a shop nearby—closer to the funeral parlor the better."
A shop…?
Zhongli was a little surprised. "What does the Director intend to do?"
By common reasoning, even if the parlor were to open a branch, it wouldn't be that close by.
But given Hu Tao's sense of duty and love for the parlor, she shouldn't be doing other businesses.
Even if business had been slow recently.
"I, your Director, of course have my own plan. Once you find a place, help smooth things over. I've got something important coming up," Hu Tao said mysteriously.
Zhongli chuckled. "If I remember correctly, that's not in my job description."
"You don't want to?" Hu Tao grew even more excited. She'd been waiting for Zhongli to refuse, so she could follow up with that classic line.
Zhongli: "…Hm?"
Seeing Hu Tao's odd reaction, Zhongli felt a headache coming on.
Perhaps he shouldn't have returned after walking his bird.
Even quietly gazing at Liyue Harbor from a sheer cliff would be easier than dealing with the quirky Director Hu.
"Heh-heh-heh…"
Seeing Zhongli utterly confused yet clearly unwilling to take the job, Hu Tao let out a villain's laugh.
Then—
She walked into the courtyard, sat down, crossed one leg over the other, and said smugly, "Zhongli, you wouldn't want your identity as the Geo Archon to be exposed, would you?"
It was a line she'd seen on Ken's computer.
Though she didn't really understand the exact context of that kind of rhetorical threat, she found it oddly amusing.
And it felt perfect for the situation at hand.
"Hm?"
Zhongli slowly lifted his gaze. His tone remained unruffled, though he was a touch surprised inside.
He had thought Hu Tao had come up with some new idea; he hadn't expected her to guess his identity.
Zhongli found it strange.
He'd hidden his identity well; after so long walking the mortal world, he'd long since withdrawn his divinity from display. If another god sensed him, that would be reasonable—but Hu Tao? Impossible.
"Consultant Zhongli, I already know who you are, and I know your plans for the future. What virtue does our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor have, to harbor an ancient god?"
Hu Tao spoke with earnest feeling, her watery plum-blossom eyes bright with spirit.
"Hm?"
"You're still 'hm'-ing? Looks like you don't want to admit it… In the coming Rite of Descension, you plan to fake your death and arrange your own funeral."
"The Director has been to Blue Star."
At that, Zhongli stated calmly, not the least ruffled at being exposed.
The passing of millennia had made the Geo Archon steady as a mountain. As Hu Tao animatedly revealed these things, Zhongli had already deduced the cause.
It must have been the great prophet who saved Mondstadt—the otherworldly visitor who could easily pierce the world's barrier—who invited Hu Tao to Blue Star and prophesied about Liyue.
Otherwise, not to mention Hu Tao—even the Liyue Qixing wouldn't know his plan.
"Eh? How did you know?"
Seeing Zhongli remain as calm as ever, Hu Tao's thrill at exposing him waned a bit.
As expected of Zhongli—unfazed even when unmasked.
Kind of boring.
"By common reason," Zhongli said, sitting down slowly and pouring himself tea, "the Director's power does not reach the thoughts of a god. Only the great prophet who's been in the limelight recently could tell you such things."
Hu Tao frowned with mock resentment. "Didn't expect you to guess even that. In that case I won't hide it—I did go to Blue Star for a bit and learned a lot. So… the shop matter's in your hands. You must agree, or else… hm-hm."
"I agree," Zhongli said, sipping his tea.
Even if he didn't, given Hu Tao's character, she wouldn't expose his true identity.
But once his cover was blown, Zhongli suddenly felt as if he owed her one.
After all, all his extravagant spending in Liyue had been reimbursed by the funeral parlor.
Before, when she didn't know his identity, that was one thing; now that it was exposed, he felt a bit of "divine responsibility" to behave.
Besides—
Zhongli suspected that given Hu Tao's excitement, this new shop likely had something to do with Mr. Ken.
A man who could break the barrier between worlds—Zhongli had some curiosity. Helping find a shop to get acquainted didn't seem bad.
It was a pity that since the Khaenri'ah calamity five hundred years ago, the Seven had never gathered. Otherwise he might have asked that wine-soaked Barbatos.
"Good. I'll keep your secret sealed tight," Hu Tao said, patting her flat chest in assurance.
Setting down his teacup, Zhongli rose and headed for his room. His steady voice drifted out into the night: "A contract is formed. May the oath-breaker suffer the penalty of broken oaths."
Hearing that, Hu Tao's smile grew brighter.
With a contract formed, Zhongli would certainly handle the shop matter impeccably.
That would give her time to visit Blue Star as a guest and plan publicity for the funeral parlor.
Thinking of this—
Hu Tao hopped back to her room and carefully studied how to eat the snacks Ken had given her.
…
Blue Star.
At 7:30 in the morning, after calling Klee up for breakfast, Ken sent her home.
The dual-travel window had ended.
The time limit left Ken a little helpless, so he opened the gachaa to see if he could get a time-extension card.
"System, draw."
Using the ten draws he'd earned from Klee and Hu Tao, Ken went for it decisively.
[Ding—]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Water Forbidden Spell: Siren's Aria]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining a Glaze Lily]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining a Dandelion Seeds]
[…]
The ten draws pleasantly surprised Ken.
His gaze fell on the exclusive water-element forbidden spell.
[Siren's Aria: A technique created by a once-lost god. In the boundless blue deep, sirens sing carefree. Their voices are wondrously beautiful—the ocean's thunderous roar and the gentlest healing—purifying all that is impure in the world.]
Ken currently wielded three elemental powers, but what he lacked most was water.
He mostly knew offensive elements, while water carried healing power—very important to him.
He hadn't expected such luck today: drawing a water-element forbidden spell, and one that seemed potent, even with purification.
"Extract: Siren's Aria."
At his words, a clear, cerulean stream appeared from nothing, slowly wrapping around him to form a transparent water-cocoon.
Unlike the other elements he'd obtained,
the water's elemental force was especially gentle, like lying in a vast sea, cushioned by soft waves and bobbing with the surf.
Within that gentleness surged a mighty water power.
A technique of a lost god might not match Barbatos at his peak, but it was still a surging force of water capable of purifying all things.
Especially once it merged with Ken's current three elemental powers, it would grow even stronger.
[Ding—]
[Congratulations, Host. Global Genshin popularity has reached 500 million. Popularity reward unlocked.]
[Congratulations, Host. The Invitation Gate's time is fully unlocked.]
As Ken finished absorbing Siren's Aria, the system's popularity reward chimed in his mind, making him beam.
Well now.
Perfect timing.
With more and more partners under contract, a locked Invitation Gate schedule was getting inconvenient.
This was a pillow delivered when he was dozing.
[Host: Ken]
[Contract Partners: Klee, Barbara, Mona, Venti…]
[Abilities: C6 Klee, C6 Lisa, C6 Venti, Siren's Aria]
[Life Skills: Top-tier Cooking, Compendium of Medical Knowledge, Top-tier Forging]
[Physique: Abyssal Antibodies]
Seeing the increasingly dazzling status panel, Ken felt refreshed.
Leaving Siren's Aria aside, the full unlock of the dual-travel gate time was huge news.
With the time fully unlocked, he could travel freely.
"Let's get ready and go check out Liyue."
Decision made, Ken planned to handle his real-life matters and then head to Liyue Harbor for a look.
Maybe he'd run into Lumine and Paimon.
Who knew where those two were now.
…
Liyue, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Though she went to bed late, Hu Tao still rose early.
After a proper wash, she sat in the front courtyard and pulled out a cup of beef-flavored instant noodles.
"Director, what are you doing?"
Meng from the parlor watched Hu Tao's ritual-like movements, quite curious.
Aside from funeral rites, their Director rarely cared for ceremony—she usually acted on a whim.
"Heh-heh… You wouldn't get it. This is a delicacy I brought back from Blue Star. So, what brings you here to see me right now?"
Hu Tao rubbed her hands, excited.
Meng suddenly understood. "Oh! Chef Xiangling from Wanmin Restaurant is here for you!"
"Xiangling? Let her in!"
Thinking of Xiangling, who was so easy to spook, Hu Tao's big eyes sparkled.
After all, Wanmin Restaurant, where Xiangling worked, was a famous eatery in Liyue.
Hu Tao often ate there, and over time got to know Xiangling.
Because of her love for cooking, Xiangling would often head into the wild to find ingredients and inspiration; Hu Tao, meanwhile, would go to the wilds to look for lone adventurers to sell her services to.
So the two would occasionally meet in the field.
Hu Tao had even secretly tailed Xiangling, worried that if Xiangling met with danger there'd be no one to collect her body—being unable to be laid to rest was the greatest misfortune.
Thus, their relationship was… delicate.
So hearing Xiangling had come calling, Hu Tao was a bit surprised.
"Hu Tao, I brought you a new dish I made!"
Before long, a sprightly girl stepped in, her fair legs looking even more delicate under the morning sun.
It was Xiangling of Wanmin Restaurant.
In her hands she carried a wooden food box, inside of which lay her latest creation: Qinxin Stir-Fried Slime.
"A new dish? As much as I want to try it, I'm sorry, Xiangling—I've got something I want to eat even more," Hu Tao said, eyes smiling.
Xiangling sat down, her gaze landing on the instant noodles. "Hm? What's that? The packaging looks so strange."
…
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Advanced chapter here: p-atreon.com/Sajaboyzzz
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