Late at night, Luo Qing bolted upright in bed, drenched in cold sweat.
Since arriving in Teyvat, this was the first time he'd ever had a nightmare.
Beside him, Makoto stirred groggily, the thin blanket slipping down to barely cover her chest. Noticing his sudden movement, she shifted closer, leaning against his chest and wrapping her arms around him.
"What's wrong? You're acting all jumpy," she mumbled sleepily.
"I think… I had a nightmare," Luo Qing replied, still catching his breath.
"A nightmare?"
"Mm…"
"What kind of nightmare? Tell me," Makoto said, her voice heavy with drowsiness, her eyes still half-closed.
"Well…"
Luo Qing hesitated.
Aside from his dreams of a past life constructed via the Void, this was the first time he'd experienced such a vivid and terrifying dream.
In it, a silver-haired woman wielding a spear relentlessly pursued him, shouting, "Luo Qing! How dare you betray me!" as she aimed for his kidneys.
Stripped of all his powers, he fled for what felt like an eternity. Just as he thought he had escaped, a massive azure qilin appeared, blocking his path.
The qilin rammed him skyward, where the silver-haired woman speared him clean through.
Then, the qilin transformed into a blue-haired girl, who linked arms with the silver-haired woman. Together, they approached his lifeless body, their voices sweet and eerie:
"Luo Qing… now we'll never be apart again."
From somewhere, they produced an enormous forty-meter-long blade, which they swung down at his neck—
And that's when he woke up.
"Forget it?"
Makoto rubbed her eyes and looked at Luo Qing, who normally feared nothing, now wearing an uncharacteristic expression of distress.
She couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Climbing onto his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head into the warmth of her ample chest, gently stroking his hair.
For context, they had spent the previous night in an intense "battle," and she wasn't wearing anything beneath the blanket.
The quality of this soothing treatment was top-notch.
"There, there. It was just a dream. Nothing to be scared of. Let's go back to sleep, okay?"
Makoto planted a light kiss on his forehead, her tone akin to comforting a child. Despite the teasing, it worked.
Or maybe it was the treatment.
Surrounded by Makoto's calming presence and the soft fragrance of cherry blossoms on her skin, Luo Qing felt his nerves ease.
He pushed the dream aside.
What could they do, chase me all the way to Sumeru?
And besides—
All I did was flirt with them a bit. I didn't even hold their hands.
What betrayal? What nonsense.
Back to sleep!
---
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows as Luo Qing woke from a peaceful slumber.
Sitting up in bed, he gazed at the clear blue sky and muttered to himself:
"How can nightmares have sequels…?"
"Who dreams about their head getting chopped off and still seeing it happen?"
"I haven't done anything to feel guilty about…"
"They wouldn't actually come to Sumeru, would they…?"
"This wasn't part of the story…"
"They won't come… right?"
After a brief session of self-reassurance, Luo Qing leaned over to kiss the sleeping Makoto before finally getting out of bed.
---
Today was the Akademiya's so-called "Divine Exchange Day."
As a recognized collaborator—if not a wholly trusted one—Luo Qing was required to attend.
Officially, the event involved transferring carefully curated canned knowledge into Lesser Lord Kusanali's consciousness.
This subtle mental manipulation was designed to keep her pacified, preventing her from awakening and challenging the Akademiya's authority.
Luo Qing's supposed role was to leverage his unique abilities to deepen her sleep and suppress any resistance.
At least, that was what Azar and the Doctor believed.
In truth, Luo Qing simply used the opportunity to chat with Nahida, reporting whatever progress—or lack thereof—suited him. If questioned, he would casually blame her divine nature for the slow results, all while enjoying his extended break.
---
Upon arriving at the Sanctuary of Surasthana, Luo Qing found Azar and his entourage already hard at work, surrounded by an array of equipment.
Learning from their previous mistake—when Luo Qing had "accidentally" burned out their transmission device—they had prepared multiple backups this time.
"Finally here?" Azar barely spared him a glance, focused on overseeing the transfer process.
"The calibration for the Shouki no Kami is nearly complete," Azar muttered, staring at the unconscious Nahida trapped in her cage.
"Soon, we'll move to the final step. You and that Doctor had better ensure she doesn't wake up prematurely and disrupt our plans."
"Why so nervous?" Luo Qing chuckled, casting a glance at the sleeping Nahida.
"She looks perfectly serene to me."
"Hmph." Azar scowled. "Her consciousness has already infiltrated the Void multiple times, causing significant computational losses and delaying our progress.
"The Akademiya is no place for dead weight, so you'd better live up to your reputation as that Doctor's ally."
"Oh?"
Luo Qing tilted his head, his smile fading as he stepped closer to Azar.
"Perhaps you've forgotten—our relationship is a partnership, not a hierarchy. Isn't that right?"
"Hmph, and what if I—urk!"
Before Azar could finish, a wave of nausea overcame him. Clutching his stomach, he began retching uncontrollably.
In mere moments, the contents of his stomach spewed onto the floor, and an alarming pressure built in his lower body.
"You… what did you… do to me?" Azar croaked, his face pale.
Luo Qing knelt to meet Azar's panicked gaze, his tone icy and deliberate.
"I understand your ambition to create a god. But don't forget—until you succeed, Sumeru is without divine protection."
"Today, I'll let this slide. But next time you speak to me without respect, it won't just end with a little vomiting and diarrhea."
With a derisive snort, Luo Qing straightened up, glancing disdainfully at Azar's mess.
"Tsk. What did you eat last night? It reeks."
Turning to the stunned guards, Luo Qing waved a hand dismissively.
"Take your so-called Grand Sage away. Clean up the floor while you're at it."
"..."
The guards exchanged uneasy glances, hesitant to act.
They had long heard rumors of the Fatui Harbingers' ruthlessness, but witnessing it firsthand left them rattled. Luo Qing's casual defiance of Azar sent a clear message: he was not to be trifled with.
In the end, they chose survival over loyalty, hauling Azar—still vomiting and retching—out of the sanctuary.
No amount of Mora is worth dying for.
---
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