After listening to all of Venti's grumbling, Lu Chen noticed him suddenly looking past him with a curious expression.
Yae Miko stood out clearly, hugging a giant fox plushie.
"Huh? Why is she holding... a plushie of herself?"
Lu Chen turned his head, stifling a laugh.
"Miko, look! Everyone says this toy looks like you, and you still won't admit it!"
Miko didn't bother responding, but Lu Chen could feel a chill on the back of his neck—she was definitely glaring daggers at him.
Ei chuckled too. "Honestly, it really does look like Miko when she was little."
At that, even the usually expressionless Xiao and Qiqi looked up.
The two from Liyue glanced at Miko, then at the fox doll in her arms.
No one was trying to mock her, but Lu Chen could see Miko's face turning redder by the second—even the fox ears hidden in her pink hair were bright crimson.
"Ei!" Miko finally snapped. She hated being teased in front of others.
"Why are you doing this too? You're just like that old geezer!!"
With that, she set the giant plush on the table and suddenly turned on Ei—her revenge method: tickling.
Miko grabbed Ei from behind and began tickling her relentlessly.
Ei turned red and laughed uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.
"Ahaha, Miko~"
"Miko, I won't say it anymore—hahaha—stop it~~"
Lu Chen saw Miko's face twist into a fierce little grin, clearly saying: "I can't take it out on Lu Chen, but I can definitely take it out on you!"
Ah, the curious balance of power between the three...
"You guys are really close, huh..." Venti smiled as he watched, ordering another cold drink for Xiao and Qiqi.
Xiao and Qiqi looked away and resumed eating their frozen treats.
"Yeah..." Lu Chen picked up the oversized fox plush. It still carried a faint, pleasant floral scent—probably Miko's.
The plush was incredibly comfy to hug, and...
Lu Chen examined it. "It really does look like Miko as a kid..."
...
After a full day of fun, they returned to the hotel. That night, the carnival's red carpet event was set to begin.
The group had originally planned to cheer Barbara on and pose as fans, but once they arrived, the crowd was overwhelming—there was no way to squeeze in.
Lu Chen looked toward the red carpet where stars from all over appeared in glamorous outfits, and camera flashes fired like crazy. It was the literal definition of "star-studded."
He couldn't name any of the celebrities, but the fans' explosive cheers made it obvious how popular they were.
"Brother! Brother!"
"Happy birthday! Mommy loves you!!"
"Over here—!"
"Aaaaahhh! He looked at me!!"
Lu Chen rubbed his ears. The sheer volume made his eardrums throb.
Venti complained, "Maybe we should just go back..."
"We promised to cheer for Barbara!" Lu Chen gave him a look. "What kind of archon doesn't support his own follower?"
Venti mumbled, "I'll cheer for her in my heart..."
Just then, Miko pointed excitedly. "Hey? I think I see her!"
Everyone turned toward the end of the red carpet. Sure enough, a group of idol-styled girls was waving their way.
The girls, each with their own unique charm, wore matching uniforms resembling JK school outfits—perfectly fitting for a school idol group.
Despite the similar outfits, Barbara stood out immediately—she was simply the most stunning.
Tony and Mr. Zhao had done her justice. After hearing Barbara's phenomenal voice, they rushed to form a group around her, with Barbara as the undeniable center.
Though hastily assembled and not widely favored at first, Lu Chen believed that once Venti's new album dropped, people would remember Barbara's soul-purifying voice.
"Go Barbara!"
"Let's go, Barbara!"
"You've got this, Barbara!!"
Before they knew it, Lu Chen and the rest were just as hyped as the die-hard fans earlier.
It was Lu Chen's first time being a fan, and it was surprisingly exciting. Especially when he saw Barbara step onto the red carpet, it felt like watching someone he'd helped nurture—he couldn't help but yell the loudest.
Barbara heard the shouting, blinked her big eyes, and quickly spotted Lu Chen in the crowd.
She beamed with an angelic smile and waved adorably in their direction.
This little moment caught the attention of the crowd—and the reporters.
Soon, the photographers who'd been focused on the big stars began snapping shots of this previously unknown idol group.
...
After cheering their hearts out for Barbara, the rest of the red carpet event wasn't very interesting, so Lu Chen suggested heading back for the night.
But as they neared the hotel, Xiao—usually unreadable—suddenly frowned, his golden eyes locking onto the shadows.
"What's wrong?" Venti followed his gaze but saw nothing.
Lu Chen, however, had a bad feeling. Xiao was only ever this tense about one thing.
As everyone watched Xiao shift from alert to full battle-readiness, curiosity filled their eyes.
"Something evil?" Lu Chen asked.
Xiao nodded. "Possibly more than that."
Lu Chen frowned and glanced around. This was a bustling downtown area, and with the carnival going on, there were crowds of tourists.
If a monster showed up here, the collateral damage could be massive.
"I'm very sensitive to the scent of Archon remnants. After millennia of battle, I'd never mistake that stench..."
"Archon remnants?"
Lu Chen was shocked. Since the Gate of Teyvat appeared, the strongest creatures crossing over had only been large elemental beasts.
He hadn't expected to face anything Archon-tier here.
"Everyone, be careful." Lu Chen looked at them seriously. Even remnants of an Archon weren't to be underestimated.
Guided by Xiao's senses, the six of them made their way toward a parking lot.
It was pitch black inside, with few people passing through. Lu Chen scanned the area, his gaze landing on the surveillance cameras high above.
"Ei!"
Ei and Lu Chen understood each other immediately. She nodded.
"On it."
As soon as she spoke, the electrical circuits around them sparked and fizzed. In a flash, every camera shorted out and exploded.
Then, just as Xiao had warned, Lu Chen also sensed it—a foul, lingering, resentful aura. The source was just ahead.
[Cleanup Mission: Enter the domain area and eliminate the Archon remnants spreading into the real world]
[Important Mission Alert: This cleanup is vital to the safety of the Gate of Teyvat. Complete it with full effort]
[Upon completion, Archon mission progress will reach 60%, and the system will undergo routine updates and maintenance]
"What the..." Lu Chen had never seen the system act like this. Three back-to-back alerts, as if urging him to hurry.
The Archon remnants were dangerous, sure—but he was now a demigod, and he had two true gods with him. Even a real Archon wouldn't be a huge threat, so why the urgency?
As they stepped into the parking lot, Lu Chen thought it through.
There was only one explanation: the spread of these Archon remnants posed a real threat to the Gate of Teyvat. Something—someone—was orchestrating this.
Lu Chen immediately thought of the Abyss Order. Those guys had already discovered the other side of the Gate and were using elemental creatures to gather intel on this world...