Watching the newfound confidence in Gu Sanqiu, Ningguang suddenly smiled—a gentle, warm smile, like that of an older sister next door, rather than the Tianquan of Liyue or the socialite Ningguang was known to be.
She stood up and walked behind Gu Sanqiu, gently cupping his cheeks with both hands, kneading them as if he were a ball of dough.
“Not bad. My cute little brother is finally making some progress in this area. I’m very pleased.”
“Sis, I’m already this old. Can you stop calling me cute? If you said ‘handsome,’ I’d be fine with it.”
“How old you are doesn’t concern me.”
Ningguang raised her right hand, gently ruffling Gu Sanqiu’s hair. “No matter how old you get, you’ll always be my adorable little brother.”
“But… do you really think you’ve won?”
“Huh?”
Gu Sanqiu froze, only to see Ningguang place two silver-and-gold-embellished cards in front of him.
Emperor’s Arrival: The Geo Lord sweeps the land, removing all negative effects on my side. Unity increases by 200%, and infrastructure efficiency rises by 100%.
Fragrant Door Opens: The leader of the mystical sect leads the lineage down the mountain, increasing resistance to all enemy policies by 60%, while triggering the special effect “Millennial Legacy.”
Millennial Legacy: Protected by numerous cultivators, key personnel on my side are in an “invincible” state for a set duration.
“Now, do you still think my post-war reconstruction will be slow or affected by you?”
“Do you think there’s any chance you can turn the tables?”
…
Gu Sanqiu leaned back in his chair.
This game was impossible to play, utterly impossible!
Emperor’s Arrival was one thing—after all, in this world, those things truly existed and weren’t just superstitions.
But Fragrant Door Opens with that Millennial Legacy effect…
I did this to myself…
What nonsense!
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
And you don’t even look like one of those card-forging maniacs!
Could we just have a straightforward match for once—oh, forget it. That’s not something I can complain about.
“I guess I finally understand why I got that Endless War card.”
Gu Sanqiu looked up at Ningguang, who was blowing a puff of smoke in his direction.
“So, you’ve been waiting for me here this whole time, huh?”
“Of course. Why would I set up an unwinnable scenario? Trust in my design skills for the Liyue Millennial.”
“No, strictly speaking, drawing both Emperor’s Arrival and Fragrant Door Opens in one go, and holding onto them until after I used the Endless War card to turn the tables—that’s such a specific and rare condition that it’s nearly impossible.”
Gu Sanqiu seemed speechless. “If anyone got those two cards from the start, they’d use Emperor’s Arrival early on to get an advantage, and at most keep Fragrant Door Opens as a backup.”
“But under the effects of the Endless War card, even with Millennial Legacy protecting your political structure from collapse, if the economic lifeline is seized by a foreign power with a complete political system, the political structure becomes irrelevant.”
Gu Sanqiu rested his cheek on Ningguang’s hand. “And you say this wasn’t deliberate? Who’d believe that?”
If she didn’t conjure those cards on the spot, I’d eat the Jade Chamber whole!
“Alright, I’ll admit it, you’re smart. After all, with my strong-willed little brother running off to such a dangerous place, I, as your older sister, had to ensure you learned a small lesson.”
“Fine, but if it were just that simple, you wouldn’t have called me to the Jade Chamber. What else is there?”
“Well, when that lawless captain came to tell me you were heading to Guyun Stone Forest, I did consider having you all brought back.”
Ningguang pulled her hand back, placing it atop Gu Sanqiu’s head while raising her smoking pipe to her lips.
“Hah, at the time, I suspected it was a plot by the Three Secrets Society, aiming to distract me by sending you away. But after learning who the other two were, I let go of my worries.”
“The Three Secrets Society… those fools.”
A flash of killing intent crossed Gu Sanqiu’s eyes, only to be met with a warm tap on the head from Ningguang’s smoking pipe.
“No killing intent in my Jade Chamber.”
Ningguang said lightly, “So, while you were out at sea, I deliberately exposed a tiny flaw to lure the Three Secrets Society out, making them suffer a hidden loss.”
“Otherwise, with my mischievous brother and the second son of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, I would have already asked Ganyu to bring you all back.”
“…So, if it weren’t for the Three Secrets Society, we might never have made it to Guyun Stone Forest?”
Gu Sanqiu paused, feeling a mix of emotions.
Should he actually thank those brats?
If they hadn’t kept Ningguang occupied, he might never have witnessed the power suspected to belong to Khaenri’ah influencing the Hilichurls.
But… the Three Secrets Society was also the primary suspect behind the Fire Vein Golden Stone case—the same case that got the real Gu Sanqiu killed!
“Sis, have you made any progress on that matter?”
“No, not exactly. The Three Secrets Society is good at staying hidden. If you’re not paying close attention, they’re hard to track down, let alone find clues about that old case.”
Ningguang smiled faintly. “In Liyue Harbor, nothing escapes my watch. Their actions only confirm my suspicions further.”
“The Fire Vein Golden Stone case… it’s nearly certain.”
Ningguang patted Gu Sanqiu’s shoulder, signaling him to follow her out of the main hall.
“Ah, the fresh air outside feels so much better.”
Gu Sanqiu stretched, then lazily lay down on the deck, resting his head on his arms.
“The Fire Vein Golden Stone… How did those guys break into my house? And how did they time it exactly when I was offering the stone?”
“The key is—it was nighttime!”
Gu Sanqiu’s gaze darkened. “Everyone says entering my house at night means certain death, yet those two cloaked maniacs succeeded. That’s the part I find most absurd.”
“I’m still investigating that, but I do have a lead I can share.”
Ningguang sat beside him. “There’s something similar to your family’s power—a kind of item that still exists in the world, beyond our official reach and count.”
“That kind of power neutralized whatever was guarding your home, allowing them to hurt you and steal the Fire Vein Golden Stone.”
Gu Sanqiu furrowed his brow, realizing only one thing fit the description.
“The Forbidden Seal?”
“Yes, as of now, the only match is the Forbidden Seal. It’s the most likely culprit.”
“The Three Secrets Society possesses a Forbidden Seal?”
Thinking about the now-safe Fire Vein Golden Stone, Gu Sanqiu shrugged.
“After all that, it’s likely those two’s Forbidden Seals shattered to pieces. They might not even be alive.”
“Is that so? I originally intended to investigate the drug trade from that period, but it seems unnecessary now.”
Ningguang pinched Gu Sanqiu’s cheek. “I’ve said all I needed to. After you leave, make sure to visit the Millelith at Yuehai Pavilion.”
“Why?”
“Do you really think you can go to such dangerous places without informing me, play a game, and get away with it?”
Ningguang twisted his cheek playfully. “Brat, if you do this again, I’ll have you working at Yuehai Pavilion until you drop. No leaving!”
Three golden gems appeared beneath Gu Sanqiu, lifting him up and accelerating him toward the edge of the deck with a sudden stop!
“Reflect on your actions!”
As Ningguang’s authoritative voice echoed, Gu Sanqiu’s stunned face plummeted downwards.
(°ー°〃)
“Sis, this is… really high up!”
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