"So, with time being tight and the task being critical, you must all—hmm?"
Hearing someone call out behind him, Luo Qing turned around. His subordinates also glanced back, curious.
Standing there was a tall, blue-haired woman wielding a massive greatsword. Her fiery, intimidating gaze was locked onto Luo Qing as if he were her sworn enemy.
"Who's calling me… huh?!"
When Luo Qing and Eula's eyes met, the atmosphere suddenly fell silent.
"So, it really is you…"
Eula's voice trembled with anger, and before anyone could react, her hand shot to her sword, and she swung it at Luo Qing.
Even Kaveh, who had been spectating nearby, was utterly stunned.
So the rumors are true—people really do chase down Fatui operatives on sight?
Barely moments into their arrival, and his boss was already being attacked?!
The scene unfolding before him gave Kaveh the distinct urge to grab his tools and flee. But…
I signed the contract…
If he broke it now, he'd owe Luo Qing a hefty sum of Mora.
Ugh. If I'd known he was with the Fatui, I wouldn't have signed so readily…
"Now, now…"
Luo Qing casually raised a hand and stopped Eula's strike by gripping the hilt of her sword. With a smooth twist of his wrist, he disarmed her, taking the greatsword for himself.
Wait. Why did I think "again"?
"Is that how you greet an old friend? By swinging at them?" Luo Qing teased.
"Who's your friend?!"
Eula's anger flared even hotter.
This man—this thief—had not only stolen her sword but also tickled her feet, spanked her, and carried her off like a sack of potatoes. And now he had the audacity to call her a friend?!
Shameless!
"Give me back my sword!" she demanded, her tone seething with fury.
"Here."
Luo Qing handed over the greatsword he had just taken from her.
"And the other one!"
"The other one?" Luo Qing tilted his head, pretending ignorance.
"The one you took last time!" Eula snapped.
"Ohhh, you mean that one," Luo Qing said, as though finally remembering.
Indeed, during their previous encounter, he had confiscated her favorite greatsword as a form of punishment for her incessant complaints. It had been sitting unused in his system inventory ever since—probably gathering dust by now.
"Nope. Not giving it back."
"..."
[Eula's Frustration +1]
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Eula swung her sword at him again, but to Luo Qing, her attack was no more threatening than a child's tantrum.
With a casual swipe of his hand across her weapon, the greatsword vanished into thin air.
"Alright, this one's mine now too."
"..."
[Eula's Frustration +10]
"You… Fatui scoundrel…"
Eula clenched her fists, her body trembling with rage.
With no sword left, she prepared to engage Luo Qing with her bare hands. But before she could make a move, Luo Qing turned away as if she were no longer worth his attention.
"You all can go handle your tasks," Luo Qing said, addressing his subordinates. "I have a personal matter to deal with."
"Yes, my lord…"
Natalia glanced at Luo Qing, silently sighing to herself.
Another woman chasing after him?
With the six women back at the house in Sumeru already stirring enough drama…
Ugh… this isn't going to end well.
Once the others had left, Luo Qing turned back to Eula.
"So? Do you still have something to say?"
"I…"
Eula fumed internally. If it weren't for the strict etiquette lessons drilled into her as a member of the Lawrence clan, she would've already cursed him out.
"You Fatui scum! Give me back my sword, or else don't blame me for what happens next!"
"Oh, so being Fatui is the problem now?" Luo Qing shot back, smirking. "Did a Fatui operative steal your family's rice, or something?"
"I'm here investing Mora into Mondstadt's GDP as a major business owner. You'd better show me some respect."
"And besides," he continued, "you attacked me first. It's only fair that I keep your sword as a war trophy, don't you think? So, what are you going to do about it, huh?"
"You…!"
Under the barrage of Luo Qing's rapid-fire retorts, Eula found herself at a loss for words.
"But," Luo Qing said, his tone suddenly shifting. His eyes roamed up and down her figure.
They say Eula's rear is Mondstadt's pride… truly legendary.
Ah… perfect.
"If you ask nicely, I might just return it to you," he added with a teasing smile.
"You… you scoundrel!"
Feeling unnerved under his strange gaze, Eula instinctively stepped back half a step.
"So? Are you going to ask?"
"Hmph! Dream on! I'd never stoop to begging you!" Eula spat, her voice icy.
"No begging? Then I guess we're done here. Farewell."
And with that, Luo Qing's eyes glowed briefly with a golden light, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished.
"Wha—?!"
Eula gasped.
"Damn it! Get back here! Give me back my sword, you Fatui scoundrel!"
But no matter how loudly she shouted, there was no response. It was as if Luo Qing had left Mondstadt entirely.
"My sword…"
After yelling for a while, Eula realized passersby were staring at her with bemused expressions. Embarrassed, she felt tears of frustration welling up in her eyes.
She had saved up for months to buy that new sword, and now it was gone again!
Damn it. The next time I see that man, I'll tie him up and drag him to the Knights' dungeons myself!
Then a thought crossed her mind.
Wait… those other people were with him, weren't they?
Eula quickly abandoned her plans to wash up, heading straight for the Knights of Favonius Headquarters to report her findings.
---
Meanwhile, in Sumeru
Luo Qing had no intention of lingering in Mondstadt. After escorting Kaveh and Natalia there, he quickly returned to Sumeru via teleportation.
As for Eula's sword?
It wasn't of much use to him, but he planned to hold onto it until Eula stopped being so stubborn. Once she learned how to sweet-talk him, maybe he'd consider giving it back.
After all, taming a tsundere is one of my favorite pastimes, he thought with a grin.
By the time he returned to Sumeru, night had already fallen.
He was about to head home and enjoy some quality time with his "wives" when he noticed something unusual in the city.
The citizens seemed… off, moving mechanically, as if under some form of control.
"Hm?"
Luo Qing frowned and projected his consciousness into the Void.
In an instant, he discovered the cause.
The Doctor had hacked into the Akademiya's Void permissions through the God-Creation Project and was now controlling all of Sumeru's citizens.
At that moment, the Doctor stood in front of the Akademiya plaza, putting on a theatrical display for Lumine and her companions.
"Well, well," Luo Qing muttered, shaking his head as he made his way toward the plaza. "Impressive. Even cracking the Void's permissions? Quite the feat."
---
At the Akademiya Plaza
Lumine and Paimon, along with Nahida (disguised as Katheryne), were surrounded by Sumeru citizens under the Doctor's control.
Lumine hesitated. She couldn't bring herself to harm innocent people, even if they were being manipulated.
Protecting Nahida, she retreated step by step as the circle of armed citizens closed in.
The Doctor stood nearby, arms crossed, watching with a smug expression as though enjoying an entertaining play.
Just as Lumine was preparing to defend herself, the controlled citizens suddenly froze, as if the Doctor's influence had been severed.
A familiar voice rang out from behind them.
"You're going a bit overboard, Dottore."
---
T/N: If my ass was as legendary as Eula's my life would be perfect
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