Gacha Hell: Furina Edition

Half an hour earlier, Lumine had been strolling through the streets of Liyue Harbor.

Ningguang had specifically sent her secretary to find Lumine and invite her to the Jade Chamber for a chat.

Ningguang's emotional intelligence was exceptionally high.

Conversing with her made Lumine feel very comfortable.

Moreover, the two of them weren't exactly strangers, so the conversation flowed naturally.

Amidst the pleasant exchange, Ningguang suddenly took out a gift, leaving Lumine visibly surprised.

With a smile, Ningguang said, "This is just a small token of appreciation. Without you, we might not have been able to suppress the ancient god Osial so smoothly in the original fate."

Lumine, however, shook her head. "I didn't do much. Even without me, you would've found a way!"

Though Lumine was eager to progress the storyline with her brother, she had also paid attention to other plotlines.

She knew very well that even without her, Liyue would have managed to deal with Osial.

That final strike wasn't absolutely necessary.

With so many adepti present, any one of them could have freed up a moment to deliver the decisive blow.

In Liyue's main storyline, her role was more of a witness—present, but not pivotal.

Lumine had a clear understanding of her own position.

"Thank you for your trust."

Ningguang smiled warmly. "Of course, we have full confidence in ourselves, but we can't ignore the help extended by others."

"Thanks to your assistance, the relationship between humans and adepti has grown much more harmonious."

"So…"

"We've prepared some gifts as a gesture of gratitude, along with certain privileges for you within Liyue."

Hearing this made Lumine feel incredibly pleased.

As expected of Ningguang.

A self-made tycoon, beautiful, wealthy, and with such a soothing voice.

Even Paimon, standing beside Lumine, was grinning foolishly from the praise.

"Aside from a sum of Mora, Liyue will also provide you with certain conveniences."

Ningguang was never stingy.

If the Knights of Favonius could do it, the Liyue Qixing had no reason to lag behind.

Offering gifts and privileges was a simple way to foster goodwill.

After a moment of hesitation, Lumine didn't refuse. There really was no reason to.

She had helped, after all, and accepting gifts in return was only natural.

Besides, the gifts weren't excessive.

If Ningguang had offered tens or even hundreds of millions, Lumine would have genuinely hesitated—after all, the value of Mora had already skyrocketed in this era!

But 1.2 million? That was just right, not enough to cause any psychological burden.

Seeing Lumine accept, Ningguang's smile deepened.

She then asked, "I heard you've been to that ruin?"

"How did you know?" Paimon exclaimed in surprise.

Ningguang shook her head. "The Millelith reported seeing your departing figures while clearing out monsters. They later informed me."

"I see."

Lumine nodded, admitting openly, "I met my brother there. I don't know what he's planning, but I swear I won't let innocent people get hurt!"

"I believe you." Ningguang nodded slightly. Lumine's personality was evident in the game.

A kind-hearted girl, always eager to help those in need.

No one needed to worry about her aligning with the Abyss Order or becoming a villain.

That said, from a national security standpoint, certain things still needed clarification—just in case.

Ningguang didn't press further, only getting a general idea before shifting topics.

"You don't have a place to stay in Liyue Harbor yet, right? I've had Baiwen prepare a residence for you. Would you like to see if it suits your taste?"

She pointed to a location on the map.

Lumine took one look and was stunned. "This place must be expensive!"

"Don't overthink it."

Ningguang chuckled. "This is a property I invested in years ago. No one's lived there, and I reside in the Jade Chamber anyway."

"Rather than leaving it empty, I'd prefer to lend it to you. That way, it'll have some human warmth instead of gathering dust."

Before Lumine could respond, Ningguang added, "Utilities like water and electricity are fully covered."

"Hehehe…"

Paimon's eyes sparkled with greed.

Lumine's lips twitched.

It wasn't that she lacked experience, but this treatment was practically reserved for retired war heroes!

Ningguang hadn't specified a time limit, but given her temperament, she likely intended for Lumine to stay indefinitely.

"I… uh…"

Lumine felt a little embarrassed.

Accepting Mora was one thing, but now there were all these privileges—ones that might not seem like much at first glance, but for someone living in Liyue, even for just a few months, their value was substantial!

It was like having a VIP membership—special treatment everywhere!

And now, a fully furnished house to live in for free?

This was nothing like the Knights of Favonius' dormitory.

This was an actual house—with a courtyard!

"Just accept it. If you refuse, I'll have to find someone else to take care of it."

"Well… then I'll graciously accept."

"That's more like it."

After chatting a while longer…

Ding.

A message popped up on Lumine'phone:

[****]: Meet me at the same place.

An unfamiliar number.

Lumine reacted instantly—this was Aether's way of contacting her!

She immediately grew restless.

Ningguang noticed Lumine's shift in mood and smiled. "Something came up? Go ahead. We can chat another time."

"Sorry…"

Lumine felt bad, but she had to go. "We'll take our leave first!"

"Let me see you out." Ningguang stood up.

"No need!" Lumine waved her hand. "You're busy with work. No need to trouble yourself."

Ningguang smiled and watched as Lumine and Paimon left.

Then, she lowered her gaze to her phone.

"The Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine… Lady Yae Miko?"

Should she go to receive her?

From a diplomatic standpoint, the other party's status was very high.

If there were formal diplomatic documents, at least two of the Qixing would need to be present for the reception.

But now…

After some thought, Ningguang decided to contact Ganyu.

Though Ganyu was a secretary, she was also a follower of Rex Lapis—her status wasn't far from Yae Miko's.

She made the call.

After explaining the situation, Ganyu's surprised voice came through:

"Miko is coming? I know what to do. I'll go receive her myself!"

"Just you?" Ningguang frowned.

"Just me is enough. It's fine."

"Alright."

Ningguang's brows relaxed.

If Ganyu said so, it meant their relationship was good.

After hanging up, she set the matter aside and glanced at the mountain of paperwork on her desk, sighing.

With the arrival of a new era, laws and regulations had to keep pace.

Free time was scarce.

Dusk, Outside the City

Lumine and Paimon had just arrived when they saw Abyss Heralds moving crate after crate of goods.

Mora!

So much Mora!

As the crates were shifted, the clinking of coins could be heard inside.

Paimon's eyes practically turned into Mora symbols.

Seeing Lumine approach, Aether spoke:

"Mora isn't of much use to the Abyss Order—only for alchemy. So we don't have much in reserve."

Lumine glanced at the dozens of crates.

You call this 'not much'?

But considering the Abyss Order's influence spanned the continent, rivaling even the Fatui in scale, it made sense.

An organization that had existed for centuries, even if it didn't actively hoard Mora, would still amass considerable wealth!

Especially since the Abyss Order had been around for so long—they must have accumulated plenty!

We're rich!

Lumine's face lit up with joy as she gave Aether a sweet smile.

Aether, seeing her gentle expression, suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Is this really my sister?

He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

After a deep breath, he said, "This is the first batch. The rest is still being gathered. It'll be sent over later."

"Also, I haven't counted it. I figured you'd want to do that yourself."

Lumine nodded eagerly.

Counting money at a bank was boring—it wasn't hers.

But counting this? This was her Mora!

"Brother is so nice~"

Aether: "…"

So cloying! Disgusting!

He coughed awkwardly. "I have things to do. I'll take my leave."

With that, Aether fled into an Abyss portal.

"Pfft."

Lumine couldn't help but laugh.

She then turned to Dainsleif, who had been standing nearby.

"Why are you so opposed to him?"

Dainsleif shook his head. "Our paths differ. I don't agree with his current path, and he doesn't agree with mine… There's no point in discussing it further. I merely followed the Abyss' aura here. Since he's gone, I'll take my leave."

Lumine approached Aether, who was still on guard, and placed her hands on his shoulders, massaging them gently.

"Brother worked hard~"

With that, the Abyss Heralds finished moving the crates and left one by one.

Lumine patted the pile of Mora, feeling invigorated.

Now the Traveler is rich too!

Just as she was reveling in her newfound wealth, footsteps echoed from behind.

Lumine turned to see a blond man wearing a half-mask standing at the end of the path.

Dainsleif?

Dainsleif scanned the scene and frowned slightly. "He left?"

"Just now."

"What a strange person," Paimon whispered.

Lumine nodded in agreement before declaring, "Alright, time to count my money!"

"Yeah!"

Paimon cheered loudly, already drooling at the thought.

Lumine took a photo of the scene and sent it to Lu Heng.

[Lumine]: Old friend, once I'm done counting, I'll come to your place to spend it!

Receiving the message, Lu Heng raised an eyebrow.

Well, well. Lumine has found her true path to wealth.

This haul was no small sum.

The Abyss Order's financial resources were nothing to scoff at.

With their backing, Lumine no longer needed to scrape by doing odd jobs.

She had effectively latched onto a gold mine.

After all, that was her brother. She could spend freely!

Dainsleif didn't hesitate. He turned and left without another word.

Half an Hour Later

Lu Heng sat in his shop, sipping tea and scrolling through his phone.

As he glanced up, he noticed someone outside.

At the street's edge, Dainsleif was eyeing the card shop.

Sensing Lu Heng's gaze, Dainsleif nodded slightly before walking away.

He actually resisted the urge to come in and spend?

Lu Heng was surprised.

After all, a 5-star gold card was equivalent to the power of an Archon.

Dainsleif was already strong, but who wouldn't want to be stronger?

This guy's self-control is impressive.

Then again, maybe he just didn't have much Mora.

Daily life might be manageable, but for someone constantly chasing the Abyss, earning money wasn't a priority.

Shaking his head, Lu Heng turned his attention back to his phone.

Thankfully, Nahida was at home.

After returning to his pocket dimension for dinner with her, he came back to the shop.

Furina and Focalors weren't planning to return tonight—they were busy chatting with Navia.

Women, especially those sharing the same man, always found plenty to talk about.

Nahida didn't join them. She was busy refining the Moonlight Bracelet.

The sooner she recovered, the sooner Lu Heng could enjoy her dual forms.

Street Corner

"Come on~" Lumine urged.

"I-I'm scared…" Paimon covered her mouth, her tiny face full of fear.

She genuinely didn't dare face Lu Heng.

It was like a rabbit facing a tiger—even if the tiger did nothing, the sheer pressure was terrifying.

"He doesn't bite. What are you afraid of?" Lumine sighed.

Then, with a sly smile, she added, "If you go, I'll give you 200,000 Mora as allowance."

How much?!

200,000 Mora!

Paimon's eyes sparkled, practically turning into Mora symbols.

She took a deep breath, psyching herself up.

The allure of Mora seemed to dispel some of her fear.

"Let's go!" she declared.

"That's more like it!" Lumine beamed, inwardly sighing in relief.

Money really can move the world.

Now, even Paimon's fear was no match for the power of Mora.

Inside the shop, Lu Heng had already spotted Lumine and Paimon.

The two walked in, radiating joy—a stark contrast to their last visit.

Now, Lumine exuded confidence.

Money was a person's backbone, and she was clearly feeling much more self-assured.

"Old friend, sorry for bothering you so late," Lumine said apologetically.

But her excitement was palpable.

Unlike last time, she was now a seasoned customer.

She pulled out Mora and started topping up without hesitation.

"No need to be so formal."

Lu Heng smiled, gesturing for them to sit. "For a big client like you, even a midnight visit is no trouble."

As he poured tea, he asked casually, "How much did you get from your brother?"

Lumine didn't hide it.

Lu Heng already knew her well—no need to pretend to be a lady.

She grinned. "2.6 billion!"

Damn!

2.6 billion?!

Lu Heng was inwardly shocked but maintained his smile. "Congratulations on your windfall."

"Hehe."

Though she didn't have a Serenitea Pot or a Vision to store items, the Traveler's abilities were mysterious.

She seemed to have some sort of spatial storage—a must-have for adventurers.

After topping up, watching her Mora convert into pulls, Lumine was practically glowing.

But instead of pulling immediately, she turned to Lu Heng.

"Will you be closing up soon?"

"Not for a while," Lu Heng replied. "Probably around midnight."

"Then let me treat you to a late-night snack?" Lumine offered. "To make up for taking your time."

Lu Heng chuckled. "I happen to be free later. Sure, let's go together."

Lumine nodded. "Then I'll start pulling!"

"Go ahead. Show me what you've got." Lu Heng grinned.

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T/N:

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