Astral Express, Observation Carriage.
Cava stared blankly at the virtual screen before him.
Inside the Astral Express, after that voice entered Cava's mind, the entire carriage fell into a deathly silence. March 7th remained frozen, looking out the window, unmoving. The juice in Himeko’s hand stayed perfectly still in the cup, not a ripple in sight. Even the ever-reliable Welt was motionless, frozen mid-action as he adjusted his glasses on the sofa.
Time, it seemed, had be...
2024-10-17 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
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"Honestly, if one day you were transported into a game and became a character that could be controlled, what would you do?"
In the bedroom, a tall man sat at his desk, writing this sentence in his notebook.
But as he continued writing, he put down the pen and stood up, walking over to the window to gaze at the scene outside.
There were no grassy meadows, no towering skyscrapers—only the vast, silent universe beyond the window, with countless stars twinkling faintly or brig...
2024-10-17 16:00:16 +0000 UTC
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"Screech!"
In an instant, the Chitauri giant apes swarmed the massive skeleton. Xia Luo yanked the webbing in his hand, causing the crystalline strands to tighten abruptly.
"Slice! Slice! Slice!"
In the blink of an eye, the nearly invisible threads easily sliced through the creatures’ flesh, shredding every ape caught in the trap into pieces before they had any time to react. Within seconds, hundreds of apes had been decapitated, their bodies strewn across the ground, leav...
2024-10-16 20:26:20 +0000 UTC
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Yu Lei was surprised as he listened to An Tongxin's insightful analysis. He nodded and said, "Exactly, Wang Yingjie has been winning with a single decisive blow in his previous matches. Let's see if that trend continues today."
On the battlefield, Hu Sheng, sporting freshly tattooed eyebrows, glared at Wang Yingjie with intense animosity. This guy's been gaining way too much attention lately. Meanwhile, Wang Yingjie remained calm, wearing a serene smile on his dark face, showing no sign...
2024-10-16 20:24:06 +0000 UTC
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Seeing Ralts, Lu Cheng couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The originally adorable Pokémon had been drastically altered. Its white, ghost-like gown trailed on the ground, resembling Sadako from horror movies. The eerie, oversized green bowl-cut completely covered its eyes, and perched on top was a red bone-like crest, reminiscent of Ultraman's helmet, giving off a jarring sense of mismatch. As Lu Cheng tried to peer under that green hair, a pair of cold, emotionless blood-red eyes stared back...
2024-10-16 20:12:18 +0000 UTC
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Lu Cheng hadn’t expected Ding Chong to recognize him. “Here, have some of the barley tea I made myself,” Ding Chong offered as he welcomed Lu Cheng inside. With a smile, he added, “Everyone in the whole grade knows about you and Hu Sheng’s situation. Besides, I’ve been keeping track of our school’s participants in the competition.”
Lu Cheng scratched his head awkwardly. He had planned to drop off the package and leave, but Ding Chong insisted on him staying, saying it wa...
2024-10-16 20:06:22 +0000 UTC
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A-Le lost? Pelipper, which had garnered quite a bit of attention after evolving during the qualifying rounds, had become a favorite in the media. But in this very first round of the knockout stage, a schoolmate and seed player delivered a harsh blow to A-Le!
"That was a great battle," Ding Chong approached A-Le with an outstretched hand, smiling. "Your Pelipper is impressive!"
Seeing Ding Chong's offered hand, despite the disappointment, A-Le still reached out to shake hands in go...
2024-10-16 20:00:08 +0000 UTC
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"Hmm, well, what I was really implying is that you're underpaid."
Hearing this bold statement, Keqing surprisingly sheathed her sword instead of getting angry.
"Alright, I appreciate your honesty and directness."
Keqing placed both hands firmly on the table in front of Gu Sanqiu. "I'll cut to the chase—there's a matter that requires the power of a Fengxiang practitioner like you."
"Tell me what the matter is first, then I'll consider whether or not to refuse."
...
2024-10-16 19:45:01 +0000 UTC
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"Ahem."
The black-robed cat darted lightly across the rooftops, but upon hearing a deliberate cough behind him, his face stiffened. He turned to see Granny Ping, hands clasped behind her back, watching him.
"Oh, what a coincidence! You out for a rooftop stroll too?" he tried to play it off.
"I could take a walk to Yujing Terrace, head over to Tigerfish Rock, or even go to the harbor to watch the sunset, but I've never had a hobby or habit of strolling on rooftops," Granny Pi...
2024-10-16 19:40:01 +0000 UTC
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"Well, although the meal wasn’t quite what I expected, it was still pretty good," the black-robed cat said, revealing sharp claws as he picked his teeth, letting out a satisfied belch.
Gu Sanqiu remained silent. From a cat’s perspective, this fellow was definitely overweight. But if he were a human, he might just be a slim, well-proportioned guy?
"This midnight snack was quite satisfactory, so go ahead—ask me any cultivation questions you have," the black-robed cat grinned. ...
2024-10-16 19:35:00 +0000 UTC
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"Passing through Liyue Harbor, and then coming here for a meal?"
Gu Sanqiu raised an eyebrow. After thinking about Granny Ping taking a pot of stew earlier, he seemed to grasp the visitor's true intention.
This guy probably, maybe, just might be... a glutton.
But coming here right after Granny Ping delivered the stew? Was this guy not afraid of facing her wrath?
"What would you like to eat, sir?"
"Anything will do. As long as it satisfies me, any dish is fine," t...
2024-10-16 19:30:02 +0000 UTC
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"Come on, kid! Join me on the seas!" Beidou slung her arm around Gu Sanqiu’s shoulders. "From now on, you’ll be the Crux Fleet’s personal chef. We’ll feast like kings! I’ll even introduce you to some lovely ladies from foreign lands. Interested?"
"Tsk, you know Inazuma, right? When my fleet first sailed there, I met the princess from the Kujou Clan, the daughter of the Tenryou Commission. Let me tell you, once you see her, even the most clueless blockhead would be smitten."
2024-10-16 19:25:46 +0000 UTC
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To be honest, when Gu Sanqiu saw that special note, he admitted that his fists clenched involuntarily, and he felt a burning desire to squash whoever wrote it.
He even entertained the wild idea of bribing Zhongli with Mora, luring Venti with apple cider, and then employing various methods to rally the other gods to help him.
His goal? To tear through every obstacle in his path, not for any grand reason, but simply to find out which kind of dark genius crafted his Golden Finger abi...
2024-10-15 21:00:53 +0000 UTC
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As expected, under Gu Sanqiu's deliberate maneuvering, the more intelligent faction took on most of the compensation, aiming to ease their relationship with him. Meanwhile, the less savvy members of the group were overjoyed, thinking that someone else had foolishly shouldered the bulk of the debt. What could be better than that?
Even though it seemed odd that some people would so readily take on the responsibility, these folks didn’t bother thinking about it too much. Why should they ...
2024-10-15 20:57:41 +0000 UTC
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“Wow, that’s impressive.”
Hu Tao shaded her eyes with her hand, watching as the coffins disappeared one by one from sight.
“Sanqiu, I didn’t expect your family’s ancestral techniques to have such interesting uses. I’m impressed~” She glanced at Gu Sanqiu, who was sweating slightly. “A lot of those coffins are empty, aren’t you worried they’ll open them up and check?”
“Have you ever heard of blind boxes?” Gu Sanqiu responded cryptically. “Until y...
2024-10-15 20:53:54 +0000 UTC
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“Hey, have you heard? It seems things haven’t been very peaceful outside Liyue Harbor lately.”
“Huh? What do you mean ‘not peaceful’? You’ve been listening to too many storytellers, haven't you?”
His friend looked puzzled. “We’re just ordinary folks. How would you know anything about unrest outside the city?”
“No, seriously, you’ve got to believe me. Things out there really aren’t peaceful.”
His friend got flustered. “Haven’t you heard...
2024-10-15 20:50:57 +0000 UTC
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"Those old guys probably figured out who I am," Gu Sanqiu muttered as he began reflecting on what might have given him away. His eyes landed on the stack of banknotes he had presented earlier.
"Ah, damn it. Could it be those things?"
Gu Sanqiu finally realized his mistake. "Damn it, these folks in Minlin probably barter most of the time. Hardly anyone carries large-denomination banknotes like these."
"Those old guys are sharp. They must have noticed right away that my bankno...
2024-10-15 20:47:48 +0000 UTC
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"Ah, right this way, Daoist—uh, I mean, Boss!"
The young man quickly led the way. "The place I was talking about, where you can buy spirit soil, is actually my own sect."
"Just call me Daoist. By the way, your manner of speaking seems pretty up-to-date. Looks like there are some talented folks in your sect."
Gu Sanqiu had no intention of giving his real name. These days, the mystical world had probably turned incense-bearers into some kind of mythical monsters. If he menti...
2024-10-15 20:45:17 +0000 UTC
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"Tsk, so how does throwing a random meteor and having a treasure chest appear even work? Or did the old man secretly give me some cheat code during resonance?"
Gu Sanqiu rubbed his temples in frustration. He had just searched three more areas, but without exception, they had all been looted clean by someone else, leaving nothing behind.
Maintaining a precise flow of elemental energy to crack these areas open, akin to unlocking safes, was a huge mental strain on the user. In the pa...
2024-10-15 20:42:58 +0000 UTC
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"Tsk tsk, as expected, a whole bunch of people are following me."
Gu Sanqiu, starting from Yujing Terrace and heading in the direction of Tianheng Mountain, advanced towards several locations indicated on the map. Along the way, both overt and covert figures trailed behind him.
"If I were some second-rate celebrity trying desperately to get famous, I'd probably be thrilled to have so many people following me. Unfortunately, I'm not."
He glanced up at the occasional black sha...
2024-10-15 20:39:34 +0000 UTC
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"Sniff, sniff, sniff—"
In the morning, Gu Sanqiu glanced at Hu Tao, whose small nose was twitching slightly beside him.
"What are you doing?"
"Hmph, Sanqiu, come clean. What bad things were you up to last night?"
Hu Tao's face took on the expression of a detective possessed. "I smell a woman's fragrance."
"...You know perfectly well what happened at my place last night. Do you think I had the time or energy for anything like that?"
Gu Sanqiu remained unfa...
2024-10-15 20:36:16 +0000 UTC
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“This isn’t divination at all! This is just a business tactic! It’s disgraceful cheating!”
ヽ(#`Д´)ノ
Mona trembled with anger, feeling the urge to pick up the wine pot and swing it at Gu Sanqiu’s face.
“This is divination. It’s simply one possible outcome, but I’m choosing to reach that outcome using a different method,” Gu Sanqiu said with a grin. “Maybe you could call it… commercial divination?”
“There’s no such thing as...
2024-10-15 20:31:15 +0000 UTC
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“Come on, let your great master check if there’s anything strange going on with you.”
Gu Sanqiu flipped Shadowhawk’s wings back and forth, inspecting the bird until it protested loudly several times. Only then did he give up the idea of continuing the examination.
“You think I’m just petting my pet, huh? Well, if that’s what you think, you’re sorely mistaken.”
Gu Sanqiu spoke with mock seriousness, “Do you really think that black mist from earlier was you...
2024-10-15 20:27:15 +0000 UTC
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As the shouts echoed in the night, the leader of the Millelith berated his squad. However, when he noticed the location of the disturbance, his expression stiffened.
"Wait… is that… the Gu Clan?"
"Yes, sir. It seems someone tried to break into the Gu household, but we... didn’t dare go in."
The rules of Liyue Harbor—or more accurately, the unspoken codes—were things the Millelith knew well, and the one about "never entering the Gu Clan after dark" was etched i...
2024-10-15 20:23:14 +0000 UTC
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As the sun set, Amir saw Gu Sanqiu off with a wide smile on his face outside Northland Bank.
That "welcoming the big spender" smile on the banker's face sent a chill down the spines of the spies who had been watching all day. Even without knowing what exactly had transpired inside, seeing the Snezhnayan being so deferential was enough to make them realize just how much of an impact it would have on their target.
"Heh." Gu Sanqiu flashed a sly smile as he waved at the familiar...
2024-10-15 20:19:27 +0000 UTC
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The next morning, Gu Sanqiu woke up unusually early, popped something he'd gotten from his golden finger into his mouth, and slowly made his way out of the house.
Item: Flame Sea Urchin Egg
Origin: Underwater Volcano
Notes: A delicacy produced by some mysterious sea creature dwelling in the volcano, though the creature itself remains an unsolved mystery in the scientific community.
As Gu Sanqiu peeled the sea urchin's shell, he could feel a spicy tingling se...
2024-10-15 20:15:21 +0000 UTC
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"Connections, or to put it more bluntly, alliances."
Beidou's expression turned uncharacteristically serious. "If you were just a Fengxiang Clan member without a Vision before, then this kind of stuff wouldn't have had anything to do with you. But now, it's different."
"Not only will certain people start noticing you, but the Qixing might also put you on their 'potential threat to public safety' blacklist. That's the standard treatment for Vision bearers."
"You’ve bee...
2024-10-15 20:12:22 +0000 UTC
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"Rooaaar!!"
The colossal beast let out a deafening roar, seemingly defying the laws of physics as it slowly ascended into the sky. On the ground, an endless wave of Chitauri giant apes surged forward, their wild energy spreading across the battlefield. Behind them, Infinite Tony’s nanotech suit activated, its back opening like the petals of a blossoming flower.
“Cap, I need your help,” Tony called over his shoulder.
“No problem, I’m always here.”
Old Steve ...
2024-10-15 19:50:19 +0000 UTC
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The man sat in the vast room. At the center of the round table, a virtual reality screen displayed the battle scene. The passionate voice of the commentator echoed in the room: "Let's congratulate Lu Cheng!"
Gazing at the Vulpix on the screen, the man smiled faintly and gently stroked the Ninetales beside him. "Not bad, this kid," he muttered. The Ninetales' pupil-less eyes glowed faintly blue, its presence nearly imperceptible, cloaked in the hidden aura of its psychic abilities. It ke...
2024-10-15 19:44:38 +0000 UTC
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“I am Thor, the God of Thunder! You mortals who desecrate the gods will pay the price!”
Thor’s roar echoed through the corridor for so long that the guards were forced to activate the mute mode, sealing the loud voice inside the room. Several passing guards glanced at Thor through the glass, seeing him flailing like a mute, and couldn’t help but sneer.
“Huh, this is supposed to be a god?”
“Hahaha, what a terrifying god!”
“Yes, we’re so scared, hahah...
2024-10-15 08:50:17 +0000 UTC
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