Genshin Impact: Villain Impact

"You… I…" Keqing was momentarily at a loss for words. Finally, she sighed deeply and said, "Very well. Since it's already been decided, so be it."

"Lady Keqing, are you perhaps still concerned about something?" Lucas asked.

"Lady Ganyu is beautiful and kind-hearted. I just fear that after staying at her residence for a few days…" Keqing bit her lip before continuing, "...you might not want to come back."

Ah, so that's it—Keqing was worried Ganyu might steal him away!

"Don't worry!" Lucas said with a smile. "As soon as the task is complete, I'll return immediately!"

"Really?" Keqing asked in surprise. "Do you truly find it so hard to leave… here?"

"Of course," Lucas said, seemingly oblivious to the hidden meaning in her words. "We have an employment contract stating clearly that the term is six months. Leaving without notice would mean losing this month's salary."

Liyue's labor laws were notoriously strict. While deducting a month's salary for breach of contract might seem harsh, employers who terminated staff without cause would face penalties amounting to three months' wages.

"So… it's just because of the contract?" Keqing's expression dimmed slightly at his reply.

"It's not just the contract," Lucas said with a shake of his head, smiling warmly. "I enjoy working under Lady Keqing. If I can, I'd like to stay here for as long as possible."

"Now that's more like it!" Keqing couldn't help but smile at his sincerity. "Do a good job over there with Lady Ganyu. If you please her, the Tianshu election will surely be to your advantage."

"Understood!" Lucas replied cheerfully.

Meanwhile, in the skies above Liyue, inside the Jade Chamber…

In an opulent office, two figures sat across from each other. One was a silver-haired woman with a refined and dignified appearance—none other than Ningguang, the Tianquan of Liyue's Qixing. Opposite her sat an elderly man with a kind and grandfatherly demeanor, resembling a typical retiree.

On the table between them lay several cards and a set of dice.

"I'll use seven Geo Elements to summon 'Azhdaha, the Geo Dragon.'" Ningguang pushed seven yellow tokens into a box at the side, drew a card from her deck, and placed it face-up in front of her. She smiled and said, "Uncle Tianshu, surely you'll concede now? Your life points are hanging by a thread."

Yes, this seemingly ordinary old man was none other than the Tianshu of Liyue's Qixing.

"I didn't expect you to have such a rare card," Tianshu said with a smile as he placed five yellow tokens on the table and flipped over an effect card. "Don't be so sure of your victory. I'll use 'Geo Archon's Seal,' which destroys any six-star or higher Spirit card summoned this turn and deals damage equal to five times its star level. That brings your life points to zero."

Ningguang stared at the revealed card in stunned silence before breaking into a helpless smile. "As expected, age brings wisdom. I admit defeat."

"This 'Genius Invokation TCG' has been my focus for years," Tianshu said with a chuckle. "If we were playing your invention, 'Liyue Millennia,' I'd surely be the one losing."

The card game they were playing was none other than Genius Invokation TCG, a phenomenon that had taken all seven nations by storm after its origin in Sumeru.

"Losing to you isn't what bothers me most," Ningguang said, shrugging. "What stings is that my carefully designed 'Liyue Millennia' pales in popularity compared to Genius Invokation TCG. A game relying so heavily on luck isn't exactly my forte."

The rules of Genius Invokation TCG were simple. Each turn, players rolled eight elemental dice to gather resources, which were then used to summon Spirit cards or activate effect cards.

For example, Ningguang's 'Azhdaha, the Geo Dragon' required seven Geo Element dice to summon. If one were lucky enough to roll seven Geo dice in the first turn, they could summon such a powerful Spirit card immediately.

"Luck plays a role, but strategy is equally important," Tianshu replied with a smile. "Your 'Liyue Millennia' is indeed more intricate and strategic, but its steep learning curve and lengthy matches requiring at least four players make it less accessible. Genius Invokation TCG's simplicity is what allows it to spread so easily."

"I understand," Ningguang admitted humbly, even though she was already well aware of these truths. "Uncle Tianshu, could it be that your eagerness to retire is so you can spend more time playing games?"

"Haha! You see right through me." Tianshu laughed heartily as he placed a folder on the table. "Here are the evaluation criteria for the Tianshu election. I'll leave the rest to you youngsters."

With that, he gave a casual wave and strode out of the office with steady steps.

As Ningguang looked at the folder on the table, her expression turned contemplative.

"Uncle Tianshu really trusts you," came a teasing voice. A curvaceous woman with short black-and-blue hair stepped out of the shadows, her tone playful. "Isn't he worried you'll leak the evaluation details to your recommended candidate?"

"Yelan, Uncle Tianshu's trust in me is well-founded," Ningguang replied with a smile. "Besides, knowing you, you wouldn't want to see the evaluation details ahead of time, would you?"

The woman, Yelan, was an operative of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Ningguang's recommendation for the Tianshu election.

"What's the point of a gamble if you already know the dice rolls?" Yelan chuckled as she casually picked up one of the eight-sided dice from the table. "If the Tianshu election were as simple as rolling dice to win, I'd already have this in the bag."

Though an expert gambler, Yelan wasn't in it for the money. For her, the thrill of uncertainty was the ultimate prize.

"The election isn't a gamble, and your opponents won't be as easy to manipulate as those in a casino," Ningguang warned with a wry smile. "Have you gathered information on the other candidates recommended by the Qixing?"

For Ningguang, knowing the evaluation criteria was secondary. Understanding the competition was paramount.

The most likely winner of the Tianshu election would undoubtedly be one of the Qixing's recommended candidates.

"To know one's enemy is the key to victory," a principle Ningguang had mastered through years of navigating Liyue's business world.

"I've gathered intel on the candidates recommended by Tianxuan, Tianji, Kaiyang, and Yaoguang," Yelan said, handing Ningguang a stack of documents. "However, the Yuheng candidate is a complete mystery. It's as if they materialized out of thin air."

Ningguang frowned as she flipped through the documents. When her eyes fell upon the photo of the Yuheng candidate, she let out a quiet "Hmm?"

"What's wrong?" Yelan asked curiously. "Do you know this man?"

"No, I don't…" Ningguang shook her head, though her brow furrowed. "He just looks oddly familiar, as if I've seen him somewhere before."

The events of the simulation had subtly influenced Ningguang's subconscious. While she couldn't recall specifics, Lucas' face stirred a vague sense of recognition.

"Don't tell me you've taken a liking to him," Yelan teased, nudging Ningguang with her elbow. "Is love finally blooming for our Tianquan Star?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ningguang laughed. "Wait, isn't this the same man who recently helped the Knights of Favonius quell the dragon crisis?"

"Indeed, that's him," Yelan confirmed. "For some reason, just looking at this guy irritates me. If I get the chance, I'll make sure he's the first to be eliminated."

Ningguang ignored Yelan's comment and opened the folder Tianshu had left behind. Her lips curled into a knowing smile. "So this is your true goal, Uncle Tianshu?"

"What is it?" Yelan asked, intrigued. "Is there something interesting in the evaluation criteria?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Ningguang said with a sly grin, closing the folder. "Focus on your preparation. I have something to take care of."

With that, Ningguang left the office, leaving Yelan to glance at the sealed folder with narrowed eyes.

.....

Ganyu's Residence

At this moment, Lucas was completely unaware that he had already caught the attention of an unseen "formidable rival."

The moment he stepped into the house, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him.

After all, in the simulator, this was the place where he had grown up. Every tree and blade of grass here was intimately familiar to him.

"This place is quite spacious, but I'm the only one living here," Ganyu explained as she walked alongside Lucas, giving him a brief introduction. "This is the study, over there is the kitchen, and that's the bedroom…"

As they walked, they came upon a crooked tree. Lucas casually patted the tree trunk and remarked, "This tree would be perfect for a swing."

The words were barely out of his mouth when Ganyu froze.

Because, in her dream, she had indeed built a swing on this very tree for her son. They had spent many joyful moments together on it.

Could he really be her son from the dream?

Ganyu shook her head silently. It was probably just a coincidence, a casual remark. No matter what, the man in front of her couldn't possibly be her child.

"Yes… yes, that's true," Ganyu replied, her smile tinged with a trace of bitterness. "Actually, there's no need for too much formality here. You're free to go anywhere in the house, except for one locked room—don't enter that one under any circumstances."

Lucas didn't recall any off-limits rooms in his simulated memories of this house, but since Ganyu had said so, he nodded. "Don't worry, I won't wander where I shouldn't."

"That's a good boy." Ganyu instinctively reached out and pinched Lucas's cheek. Realizing the inappropriateness of her action, she quickly withdrew her hand. "Sorry… I think I got a bit carried away."

"It's fine," Lucas said with a grin, unbothered. "If we're pretending to be a couple, small displays of affection like this are actually normal, right? Being too reserved might make Cloud Retainer suspicious."

"You… you have a point," Ganyu replied, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Actually, I was worried about that too. Master is extremely perceptive and might see through our act. That's why I invited someone to help us practice pretending to be a couple, so we won't slip up."

"You can get coaching for this sort of thing?" Lucas laughed awkwardly. "And who might this 'love coach' be?"

Before Ganyu could respond, a knock came from the door.

"Looks like she's already here," Ganyu said with a smile. "Don't worry. She's the most reliable person I know. You can trust her completely."

When the door opened, the visitor was revealed to be a stunning silver-haired beauty dressed in an elegant golden qipao.

It was none other than Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing.