Half an hour later.
Lu Chen and Ei were walking hand in hand with the others through the bustling streets of the Magic City.
As expected of a major metropolis, it was far livelier than any coastal town. Even on a weekday, the streets were packed with people and traffic flowed like a river.
With such a good-looking group walking together, they naturally drew all kinds of attention.
Perhaps because the Starlight Carnival was only a few days away, many people mistook them for celebrities. Young onlookers quickly whipped out their phones to take pictures.
Everyone was more or less used to this kind of attention by now—everyone except Xiao, who stayed vigilant, constantly scanning their surroundings.
Lu Chen couldn't shake the feeling that there was a touch of bloodlust in his gaze, like he might slap on his Yaksha mask at any second.
"Relax, relax!" Venti whispered. "They just think you're a celebrity! Stay cool—don't go all killer instinct on us!"
"I know..." Xiao muttered, his hands tucked in his pockets. But even so, he looked ready to pounce at a moment's notice.
"It's just that their stares are... too much."
"Too much is putting it mildly," Lu Chen grumbled from up ahead. The way some of those girls were eyeing Xiao, it was like they wanted to glue their eyes to him.
Xiao's detached, aloof demeanor only made him stand out more, drawing even more stares from the crowd.
Lu Chen couldn't even begin to picture how Xiao would act inside an amusement park.
They strolled casually through the shopping district, stopping here and there, until they reached a plaza with a clear view of a giant Ferris wheel.
When they spotted the massive ride and Venti gave a quick explanation of what an amusement park actually was...
Xiao refused.
"You guys go ahead. I'll keep watch from the shadows."
"Why?" Venti blinked. "Why do we need protecting?"
"I..." Xiao glanced at the noisy crowd within the park, at the laughter of the carefree young people.
His expression grew even more resolute.
"I'm not going in."
That reminded Lu Chen—Xiao had always disliked mortal festivals. After all, many of these celebrations commemorated the defeat of demons and monsters.
On days like this, residual hatred and negative energy often surfaced. Every year during the Lantern Rite, Xiao was constantly busy.
"Relax. There's no danger here," Lu Chen said with a smile.
"Yeah, and don't forget—you made a promise!" Venti added, locking eyes with him. "You said you'd help us with this mission. Only then can you get another chance to return to Liyue!"
At the mention of "returning to Liyue," Xiao's expression finally wavered.
Lu Chen sensed the hesitation and added fuel to the fire, "Come on, come on! This might even help you purge some of your karmic burdens!"
Xiao's golden eyes flickered with doubt. "Really?"
He looked around at everyone. Lu Chen and Venti both nodded enthusiastically.
Lu Chen turned to Ei and Miko, who also nodded understandingly.
Even Qiqi, who had barely made her presence known until now, nodded along. Surrounded by so much encouragement, Xiao's expression finally softened.
"I see..."
But he still didn't say yes.
So Lu Chen brought out the big guns—
He pulled out his phone and opened WeChat, scrolling to a contact with an old man's profile picture of a lotus on a green leaf.
"How about I ask Lord Zhongli to talk to you directly?"
"Fine, I'll go," Xiao said immediately.
Lu Chen stared in shock at how fast his attitude flipped.
If he'd known it'd be that effective, he would've name-dropped Lord Zhongli right from the start...
Still.
Just because Xiao agreed to come didn't mean he was going to enjoy it.
When he sat stiffly on the roller coaster, face dark and expressionless, Lu Chen and Venti began whispering between themselves.
"Maybe..." Venti said, glancing toward the sky, "we should take him to something else?"
Bracing against the 90-degree wind resistance, Lu Chen forced out a reply.
"Yeah, probably."
"So what would he enjoy?"
Lu Chen was practically gasping as he spoke. Even as a demigod, the roller coaster wind pressure had him breathless.
What did Xiao like?
Almond tofu? But they weren't here to eat.
And what kind of person came to an amusement park to eat anyway?
After a moment of thought, Lu Chen could only say, "Xiao likes... slaying demons."
"I've got it!" Venti's eyes lit up.
When they finally got off the coaster, the regular tourists looked pale and nauseated—some even threw up.
Only Lu Chen's group was still full of energy. These people were far beyond human, seemingly unfazed by any thrill.
"I know what we can take him to!" Venti announced, rushing over.
"What?" Lu Chen asked, confused.
"The haunted house!"
"The haunted house?"
"Yep!" Venti declared, pushing a reluctant Xiao toward the spooky-looking attraction.
"Wait—hold up—" Lu Chen was just about to follow when a gust of wind blew him back.
"It won't be fun with too many people! You two go have your date—we won't be third wheels!"
Lu Chen and Ei exchanged glances, surprised that Venti had actually been considerate for once.
And he didn't stop there. With Xiao in tow, the high-EQ Venti also grabbed the dazed Qiqi.
"Qiqi! Let's go! I'll show the Liyue crew something fun!"
Qiqi blinked her large eyes.
"Oh... okay..."
And just like that, Lu Chen and Ei were left standing there, side by side.
With Miko still there too...
"That Venti!!"
Lu Chen gritted his teeth as he glanced at Ei's puzzled expression, then at Miko's unreadable gaze, and finally at Venti's fading figure.
That guy just loved making things complicated! If he'd left anyone else behind, it wouldn't be this awkward!
"Chen?" Ei's violet eyes looked up at him in confusion.
"Oh—huh?" Lu Chen quickly recovered his expression.
"So... where are we going next?"
"Let's..." Lu Chen looked at Miko for help. "Miko, you decide."
Miko fiddled with her nails, casting Lu Chen a playful look.
"Oh my~ Asking a girl where she wants to go during a date? A gentleman should already have something planned!"
Lu Chen winced.
"It's not even a date..."
"Not a date?" Ei tilted her head.
"It is a date—no, wait, not exactly—" Lu Chen was tripping over his words more than usual today.
Miko watched his flustered face with growing amusement, her eyes glinting with delight.
"Well then..."
Ei lowered her gaze slightly, also falling into thought.
"Let's go see a movie," Miko said, pointing at a nearby theater.
"Let's get some snacks," Ei said at the same time, her eyes locked on an outdoor café across the street.
Both paused. Then, together, they turned to look at Lu Chen, leaving the decision up to him.
Faced with two pairs of beautiful eyes staring at him in unison, Lu Chen rubbed his temples. His brain felt like it was overheating.
Thoughts raced. For a moment, he saw the first star after the Big Bang—
Two massive gravitational forces tearing at a single celestial body, until it disintegrated into dazzling cosmic dust...
"How about this..."
Lu Chen snapped his fingers with a deliberately casual air and pointed up at the massive Ferris wheel in the sky.
"Do you two like that?"
"No," Ei shook her head.
"Boring," Miko crossed her arms.
"Perfect." Lu Chen grinned. "Then let's go ride it."
He was a genius.