In the System's blindingly white pocket dimension, Jiang Mumu's consciousness manifested.
It had been a long time since she last visited this space. Since her seven clones descended upon the continent of Teyvat, she had never returned here.
Her consciousness had been rotating among the seven clones. Had the System not strengthened her awareness, she would have long lost track of her true self.
This visit, too, served a purpose.
Having accumulated enough Emotional Feedback Points, she could finally execute the next phase of her plan.
She needed a villain—a thoroughly wicked villain—to kill her clones.
To ensure her seven clones met a spectacular end, it was best if the villain were under her control.
With a mental blueprint in mind, creating a clone proved swift.
This clone required no meticulous crafting; aesthetics were irrelevant, as its sole purpose was to attract hatred.
Within just fifteen minutes, an Incarnation of Malice emerged: a towering, pitch-black figure standing two and a half meters tall, radiating an ominous, abyssal aura.
During its creation, Jiang Mumu drew heavily from the Abyss Herald's design while incorporating terror-inducing elements. The mere sight of this clone exerted immense psychological pressure.
He was the kind of guy who made you feel incredibly uncomfortable, the kind you wanted to run away from.
As for the Abyss...
Jiang Mumu had previously considered various origins for the Malice Incarnation: from beyond the world, a God, or even affiliated with the Fatui or the Five Sinners...
But in the end, she settled on the Abyss.
As Teyvat's most traditional villains, the Abyss was undeniably the best choice.
No monster emerging from the Abyss would seem out of place, and the sudden appearance of this entity wouldn't draw excessive attention.
However... she needed to apologize to Aether in advance.
As one of the Twins, proving he wasn't responsible for these actions shouldn't be too difficult, right?
Probably...
As the ultimate antagonist poised to haunt Lumine's entire journey, Malice's strength naturally couldn't be weak.
Otherwise, if Venti could wipe him out with a single ultimate attack upon their first encounter, the whole scheme would backfire.
Yet... elevating the Malice Incarnation's power to the level of the Seven Archons...
That was undoubtedly a pipe dream. If that were the case, Lumine might as well give up, get annihilated instantly, and just stretch her neck out to await her demise.
Therefore, this avatar had to be strong enough to escape the Seven Archons, yet not so strong as to make the game pointless.
This seemed like a contradictory requirement.
In reality, it wasn't. Jiang Mumu had spent a considerable amount of Emotional Feedback Points to add numerous buffs to the Malice avatar.
Beyond that, for the Malice avatar to reach Jiang Mumu's desired level, it needed a catalyst.
And that catalyst lay in Mondstadt.
Everything had come full circle, back to where the dream began. Only after this final piece was in place would the Malice avatar be truly complete.
Its combat strength wouldn't be overwhelming, but its escape abilities would be absolutely first-rate, making it exceedingly difficult to kill. Jiang Mumu could already imagine the frenzy it would incite among the people of Teyvat.
"Alright, prepare for deployment."
-
Liyue.
Mu Qingge had been recuperating at Bubu Pharmacy for three days. Defying Baizhu's objections, she left the pharmacy.
She hadn't gone far when she encountered Zhongli standing in the middle of the road, as if waiting for her.
"Re... Mr. Zhongli."
Zhongli nodded slightly and walked toward a nearby lotus pond.
Mu Qingge trailed behind him, looking like a schoolchild caught by her teacher after misbehaving.
"Why didn't you follow my medical instructions?"
"Liyue has suffered a great calamity. Rumors of the Geo Archon's 'demise' have spread like wildfire, and many are whispering in private. Worse, petty criminals are seizing this opportunity to commit crimes. The Millelith are stretched thin. While Feng Yan is capable, he can't handle everything alone, and I'm worried."
"Ah..." Zhongli sighed softly.
"I know you're conscientious, but your health is your greatest asset. Your primary duty now is to rest and recover properly, to ease the worries of your family and friends."
"As for the matters you're concerned about, the Millelith and the Kaiyang aren't the only ones handling them. Ningguang, Yelan, and others are closely monitoring the situation. I've even asked the Traveler for assistance, so you don't need to burden yourself further."
"That Traveler from a foreign land is exceptionally capable. You're acquainted with her yourself, so you can rest assured knowing the matter is in her hands."
Having said all this, Mu Qingge was left speechless.
Seeing her silence, Zhongli extended his right hand.
Meeting Mu Qingge's puzzled gaze, Zhongli opened his right hand, revealing a jade talisman in his palm. He explained:
"This is the Mystic Barrier, a defensive artifact I commissioned Madame Ping to craft. It automatically activates when it senses danger. Keep it with you."
Mu Qingge was flustered. "This... this is too precious. I..."
Zhongli remained silent, his hand still outstretched.
Mu Qingge fell silent, then slowly reached out and took the jade talisman. She clutched it tightly in her hand. "Thank you, Geo Archon, for this divine gift!"
Only then did Zhongli nod in satisfaction. "Return now. Come again in three days at the earliest."
Mu Qingge acknowledged his instructions and retraced her steps.
As Mu Qingge disappeared from sight, Zhongli suddenly recalled the mission the Director had entrusted to him. He shook his head with a wry smile.
These children... they truly never cease to worry me...
-
In the following days, Lumine and Paimon visited Mu Qingge. Paimon even brought her favorite snacks.
It was hard to imagine how the little one had resisted eating them all the way here.
Five more days passed, and Mu Qingge was finally "discharged" from the hospital. This time, the Geo Archon wasn't waiting for her halfway home.
Mu Qingge first went home to check on her family. To her relief, her parents and younger sister were unaware of her injuries.
She owed Keqing and the others a great debt of gratitude for keeping it secret.
Returning to the Millelith, Mu Qingge took over Feng Yan's duties.
Just as Zhongli had predicted, despite her absence for several days, the Millelith's administration and external missions had proceeded flawlessly. Not a single issue had arisen due to her absence.
While Ningguang and the others had undoubtedly assisted, Feng Yan's capabilities remained undeniable.
It seemed he had truly grown into his role, and she could now confidently step down when the time came.
-
One day, Paimon and Lumine found Mu Qingge.
"You mentioned you were going back to Mondstadt?"
"Yep! Mondstadt reported a blond man who perfectly matches Lumine's description of her brother. We can't waste any time—we're leaving right away!" Paimon exclaimed excitedly, Lumine looking equally eager beside her.
"We came to ask if there's anything you need us to take back to Rola?"
Mu Qingge shook her head. "Thank you, but there's no need to trouble you. Once I've finished handling these matters, I'll personally visit Mondstadt myself in a few days. It's both for official business and personal matters, so I'll see Rola myself then."
"Oh, okay! Then we'll be off. Goodbye, Qingge!"
Lumine: "Goodbye, Qingge!"
Mu Qingge: "Goodbye. I hope Lumine finds her brother soon. May you be reunited swiftly!"
-
(Spy-Oh boy mondstadt... hehe)