Chapter 24

Moreover, the lengthy conversation he had shared with Keqing — about how Liyue should be governed if the gods no longer watched over it — now seemed deeply suspicious in hindsight.

It was as though he had known all along that something would happen to Rex Lapis.

And now he had appeared at Yujing Terrace and spirited away that golden-haired Traveler right from the Millelith's grasp. Every one of his actions only made him look more suspicious.

She was on good terms with Jean, the Guild Master of the Knights of Favonius, and the two had kept up a regular correspondence, so she had a fair understanding of Lumine and genuinely did not believe her capable of assassinating Rex Lapis.

But she could not bring herself to trust Lu Lin.

"Hey, hey, hey — you don't actually think I did it, do you? If I really had that kind of power, I would have carved my way through the Guizhong ruins all by myself from the start. Why would I have needed to risk my life a dozen times over?"

"How would I know that wasn't all just a performance to cover your tracks?"

"Come on — I'm trying to have a reasonable conversation with you, and you're being completely unreasonable." Lu Lin was exasperated, and a flicker of genuine anger lit in his eyes.

The spot where they stood was relatively secluded, with a narrow hidden alley nearby. Lu Lin simply grabbed her hand and pulled her into it.

Because she had been presiding over the ceremony, Ningguang was dressed in an exquisite formal robe — made from precious materials, intricately designed, and embroidered with elaborate patterns that radiated an air of noble elegance. She was, without question, the most beautiful and resplendent flower in all of Liyue.

Caught off guard by the sudden move, her instinct was to resist — but when her eyes met Lu Lin's, burning with anger, something in her dissolved, and the strength she had gathered slipped away. She let him drag her into the alley.

The alley, though secluded, was surprisingly tidy. Lu Lin pressed her against the wall and, without a word of explanation, kissed her.

"What are you doing — don't touch me! Mmph~" Ningguang turned her head to dodge, but she was clearly no match for Lu Lin's strength, and her lips were sealed before she could escape.

Because he was genuinely angry, the kiss was aggressive — forceful and relentless, giving her no room to breathe.

Ningguang struggled at first, but under Lu Lin's pressure and persistent advance, she softened quickly.

Sensing her gradual surrender, Lu Lin's hand slipped beneath the lapel of her robe, tracing the line of a perfect curve, grasping at something that filled his palm and yet could not quite be fully contained.

"Mmph~ Lu Lin!" Ningguang's body stiffened, and an indignant sound escaped her lips — though no matter how one heard it, it carried an unmistakable note of coquettishness.

The soft, yielding sensation brought Lu Lin an exquisite pleasure. She was, without a doubt, a full tier above Ganyu — something one simply could not bear to let go of.

Lu Lin was thoroughly enjoying himself, while Ningguang felt that familiar wave of pleasure from the previous night rising in her chest, her breathing growing heavier and heavier.

This time the sensation came from within herself rather than transmitted from another, making it far more bone-deep. Her entire body slowly melted into Lu Lin's arms.

After indulging himself to his heart's content, he pinched the red plum atop the snow-capped peak, released her lips, and a glistening thread snapped between them, falling onto Ningguang's magnificent gown.

"Do you still think I'm the one who assassinated the Geo Archon?" Lu Lin fixed his gaze on her and asked.

Ningguang turned her head away, biting her lip in silence.

"Hmm~"

Lu Lin's hand had not withdrawn. Seeing her ignore him, he gave a gentle squeeze, drawing a soft involuntary sound from her.

"Fine then — if I'm such a villain in your eyes, I might as well live up to it." Lu Lin, inexplicably saddled with such a grave accusation and still carrying a temper, made a show of moving to pull her robe fully open.

Sensing his intent, Ningguang finally stopped holding out. She bit her lip and said quietly, "It wasn't you."

"What was that? I didn't hear you." Lu Lin let a wicked smile spread across his face.

"It wasn't you!" Her voice rose by several notes.

Hearing those words, Lu Lin broke into a satisfied smile. He realized that, without him even noticing, the thick shell around Ningguang had already been cracked open by him.

She was on the verge of yielding.

Of course, part of this was because Ningguang had genuinely reasoned through it and concluded that Lu Lin truly could not be the culprit — his own words had reminded her of that.

He was a lecherous scoundrel, yes, but not a bad person at heart.

He had been the undisputed hero of the monster rampage at the Guili Plains, saving countless Liyue citizens from harm.

Ganyu and Hu Tao were no ordinary women — both were sharp and strong-willed, and Ganyu carried thousands of years of accumulated wisdom and experience.

A man they both held in regard would not, at the very least, be flawed in matters of principle.

And besides…

Even though he had always taken advantage of her and used all manner of tactics, he had never once used outright force… That counted as having a bottom line, didn't it?

Ningguang also realized that her attitude toward Lu Lin had shifted enormously without her even noticing — from outright loathing at the beginning to now…

What was happening to her?

She could not make sense of her own change, but Lu Lin had seen through it to some degree.

Though Ningguang was strong-willed and proud, she was still human, and like any human she was subject to a host of negative emotions.

She could become disheartened and lost when faced with difficulty. Her capacity for self-regulation was formidable, and her resolve was iron — in the past, whenever she encountered hardship, she had always managed to adjust her mindset and rally herself.

But this time was different. The adversary she faced was not a rival in the business world — it was Lu Lin, someone who sought to conquer her on an emotional level, using methods that lay entirely beyond the bounds of her experience, eroding her defenses one step at a time.

And it was precisely when a crack had appeared in those defenses that the earth-shattering news of Rex Lapis's assassination struck, dropping the entire weight of Liyue onto her shoulders all at once and plunging her into confusion, even leaving her at a loss for what to do.

Otherwise, the moment she suspected Lu Lin of being the culprit, she should have mobilized the Millelith and Liyue Harbor's finest to surround and capture him — not come alone to hand herself over.

Thinking this through, Lu Lin let out a quiet sigh inwardly, and felt a pang of sympathy for her — though outwardly, he maintained his dominant composure.

"Since Lady Ningguang herself has said it wasn't me, then I suppose this has nothing to do with me. May I leave now?"

Even with her defenses crumbling, Ningguang could not help rolling her eyes at that.

You're holding me in your arms, kissing me and squeezing me, and now you're asking if you can leave? As if I could stop you?

If you want to leave, then let go of me and go!

Ningguang understood what Lu Lin was getting at. Having asked the question like that, he obviously had no intention of leaving.

He wanted to hear her beg him.

In truth, this was also the other reason she had come to find him alone. If she could confirm he was not the culprit, then this enigmatic, far-sighted man would make an ideal ally.

And right now, she needed an ally.

Lu Lin had seen this coming too, which was precisely why he had said it that way — he simply wanted to hear Ningguang ask for his help.

The two locked eyes. Ningguang bit her lip hard and held his gaze for a full two minutes.

In the end, she let out a soft sigh and asked, "Lu Lin… would you be willing to help me?"

"Hmm? Can I take that as you asking for my help? Your tone doesn't quite sound like someone making a request."

A flicker of grievance surfaced in Ningguang's eyes. She had fought her way up to this position through sheer hard work, and she had never once spoken soft words to beg anyone for anything.

What she had just said was already enormously difficult for her to voice — she had steeled herself with great resolve before getting it out — and yet he was still pressing her further!

Lu Lin caught her expression and felt rather like a scoundrel himself, like some pampered young lord who bullied and oppressed everyone around him.

But he knew this was no time to go soft. The crack in Ningguang's defenses was the result of many factors converging at once. An opportunity like this might never come again — it wasn't as though he could ask Zhongli to die a second time, after all.

So he had to press on with full momentum and seize this chance to shatter that thick protective shell once and for all.

Lu Lin's hand still hadn't withdrawn. He kneaded and squeezed a few more times, the smile on his face deepening.

"What's the matter? A person of Lady Ningguang's stature — surely people come to you for help all the time? Think about how they phrase it."

Ningguang's teeth clenched tight. Conflict played across her strikingly beautiful face in rapid succession. Finally, she drew a deep breath, softened her voice, and pleaded in a gentle, almost coaxing tone: "Lu Lin… please help me. Won't you?"

The words came out a touch performative, the softness a little too deliberate.

Yet Ningguang had a naturally lovely voice, and the sheer contrast with her usual commanding presence made it land with tremendous effect — Lu Lin was thoroughly satisfied.

"Hmm~ Now that's a little more like it. But it's still not quite enough~"

"Don't push your luck. What more do you want?" Ningguang glared at him, but the imperious aura of someone in authority was entirely gone — she looked almost endearingly flustered instead.

"Think about it carefully. When people come to you for help, don't they always offer something in return?

Liyue is a nation of commerce. Rex Lapis valued contracts and fairness above all else, and every transaction has always been built on a foundation of equal exchange.

If you want my help, you'll need to put forward terms that are equally worthwhile."

Hearing him ask for something in return, Ningguang's heart clenched.

She wasn't afraid of him asking for money or goods — she had more wealth than she could ever spend, and if it were truly that simple, things would be easy.

But knowing this scoundrel as she did, what he wanted would certainly not be money.

"What do you want?"

"I don't know — that depends on what you're willing to offer. But I do know that the role I can play in this crisis is greater than you imagine. Whatever you pay, you'll get more than your money's worth."

Lu Lin was brimming with confidence, utterly at ease.

Ningguang pursed her lips. What Lu Lin wanted, they both understood perfectly well — he simply refused to say it aloud.

He wanted her to offer it of her own accord.

So be it. She had come to find him alone — wasn't this the worst-case scenario she had already anticipated? She had, in truth, been prepared for it.

And even so, this wasn't truly the worst outcome. It was still better than him being the culprit.

She pressed her lips together, waging an internal war with herself, hesitating again and again, and again and again. It was the first time in her life that making a decision had felt this difficult.

At last, the woman who could be called the most distinguished in all of Liyue lifted her chin, and the resolve in her eyes solidified.

"Didn't you say a few days ago that you wanted my heart? If you can help Liyue through this crisis… I… I'll give myself to you, to do with as you please."

With those words spoken, Ningguang let out a long breath, and her entire body relaxed, leaning against Lu Lin's chest.

It was a side of Ningguang no one had ever seen — soft and nestled against him like a bird sheltering in the warmth of another.

Lu Lin couldn't resist giving her another squeeze — teasing her was simply too much fun.

"Mm, I'm fairly satisfied with those terms. Then by Liyue's customs, the contract is sealed —"

"Those who break their word shall receive the punishment of consuming stone!" Ningguang's crimson lips parted softly.

Watching those rosy lips open and close, Lu Lin could not help himself and kissed her again.

This time Ningguang made no move to struggle at all. Instead, she instinctively began to respond, and in the secluded little alley, the two of them remained entwined together for a long, long while, neither willing to part.

* * *

At the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao was actually in quite a good state of mind.

As someone who walked the boundary between the living and the dead, she had always regarded life and death with equanimity. The assassination of Rex Lapis had shocked her, certainly, but it did not leave her grief-stricken.

And Ganyu, currently at work in the Yuehai Pavilion, was not the least bit sad.

As an adepti who had fought alongside Rex Lapis since the days of the Archon War, she understood all too well just how formidable he truly was.

There might exist forces in this world capable of killing him — but there was no one who could do so without a sound, without a trace.

Of course, on the surface, Ganyu still had to put on a sorrowful, grieving expression. Who knew what plan Rex Lapis had set in motion? Playing along with the performance was all she could do.

The performance was proving rather difficult, however. Mainly because, in the middle of acting, a familiar wave of pleasure suddenly welled up from deep within her.

That scoundrel Lu Lin — how could he be tormenting someone at a time like this? She couldn't tell whether it was Hu Tao or…

The sensation grew stronger and stronger. With the [Double Happiness] bonus amplifying everything, Ganyu was on the verge of losing her composure.

Fortunately, though the pleasure was vivid, it remained controlled and did not intensify further — it seemed things had not reached the final step. Otherwise, Ganyu would have truly needed to retreat into the Serenitea Pot to hide for a while.

* * *

Back in the alley, Lu Lin — having taken more than his fair share of liberties — finally released Lady Ningguang, whose face was flushed crimson and whose eyes shimmered with unspoken feeling. He deigned to withdraw his hand from within her robe.

He considerately helped her straighten her disheveled clothing, then said, "Let's go. We'll head back to the Jade Chamber and gather all your capable lieutenants. I need to start assigning tasks."

* * *

Jade Chamber.

Keqing watched Ningguang and Lu Lin walk back side by side, and her feelings were complicated.

When she had woken up, she too had felt as though the sky had fallen.

She had actually spent two consecutive nights listening to someone else's sounds and taking matters into her own hands — and had blacked out twice from the intensity of it.

It was utterly mortifying.

And both incidents had something to do with this man named Lu Lin.

She had no idea whether Ningguang would tell him about her shameful behavior last night — surely she wasn't that loose-lipped?

She had already suspected yesterday that the two of them shared a close relationship, and now, seeing them walk back together — with none of the distant, guarded air Ningguang usually wore around others — her suspicion was all but confirmed.

But why Ningguang had ended up in that state last night was something she still couldn't quite work out. Whatever the reason, she was certain it wasn't as simple as self-comfort — who in the world comforts themselves for over three hours straight?

Keqing studied Lu Lin's handsome face, her gaze layered with emotions she couldn't quite name, and said quietly, "Lu Lin… I didn't expect your words from yesterday to come true so quickly. Liyue has truly lost the guidance of Rex Lapis…"

She championed human governance and did not believe in over-relying on the gods — but that did not mean she lacked respect for Rex Lapis. The prosperity Liyue enjoyed today had been built by his hand, and that was something she fully acknowledged.