The following morning, at the gates of the Wings of the White Horse Inn.
Zhongli and Madame Ping walked side by side.
Well—Zhongli walked at his usual slow, measured pace, while Ping itched to hurry along, only holding herself back because she dared not outpace the Rock King himself.
"Em—Zhongli," Ping asked softly, her voice betraying her nerves, "is it really appropriate for us to come this early?"
Her heart was caught between urgency and restraint. She wanted nothing more than to meet Taro at once… yet feared that rushing might offend this new, mysterious figure.
Her mood was tangled.
Zhongli chuckled, his tone calm as ever.
"How amusing. You stood atop the roof of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor since before dawn, restless, yet now that we've arrived you fret like this? Relax. Taro is not so hard to speak with."
"I know," Ping replied quickly, adjusting her state of mind. "But… it's hard not to feel apprehensive. To ask for something so precious—if I request it outright, will it…"
"Patience." Zhongli's amber eyes glimmered. "Sincerity will be enough. Since he offered the bait willingly, clearly he does not mean to make things difficult. That bait… is simply too tempting. Having already bitten, we need only discuss the price."
Ping pressed her lips together. Though her heart was racing, she nodded. Still, she couldn't help thinking of her meager possessions. Unlike Zhongli or the other Adepti, she had little wealth or collection to barter with. Her only treasures were old music scores, and the spear techniques she once adored. Would those truly be enough to buy back Guizhong's chance at return?
If only… if only I'd cherished more rare items back then… she thought bitterly.
Before her doubts could deepen, a bright, relaxed voice called out:
"Well, Zhongli! You're early today. I was just thinking whether I ought to drop by the Parlor to find you, and here you are instead. What a coincidence!"
It was Taro, emerging from the inn. He glanced with interest at the graceful, otherworldly woman at Zhongli's side—clearly no mortal.
Ah, of course. An Adeptus.
She wasn't familiar, though. Not someone Taro remembered from his game knowledge. Well, there were bound to be more Adepti than those who appeared in the story…
Zhongli gave a warm nod. "Indeed. Quite the coincidence. Taro, how was your sleep?"
"Perfect. Couldn't have been better," Taro answered cheerfully, before gesturing toward Ping. "And who's this? Not going to introduce me?"
"Certainly." Zhongli inclined his head. "This is Madame Ping—family, you might say. My… younger sister."
Ping raised her hands in a respectful gesture. "Madame Ping, honored to meet you, Taro."
Taro blinked. Ping…?
Ah. Madame Ping. The same who once danced with spears and music beside Guizhong. No wonder Zhongli brought her here.
"Pleasure to meet you," Taro said with a smile, nodding in return.
He wasn't surprised. Yesterday's bait—handing over that resurrection staff—was bound to reach not just Zhongli but the Adepti. Still, he'd expected Cloud Retainer to show up first.
That it was Ping… yes, that made sense. It had to be about Guizhong.
Zhongli smoothly guided the conversation forward. "Taro, today Xiangling is on duty at the Wanmin Restaurant. How about we share breakfast together? Her cooking is Liyue's finest, not to be missed."
"Good idea!" Taro nodded instantly. "I wanted to eat there yesterday, but by the time I got around to it, I'd missed the hours. Can't make that mistake again. Let's go—you're paying, right?"
"Naturally." Zhongli touched his pouch, quite satisfied. For once, he had actually remembered to bring Mora.
Thus the three of them made their way through the bustling morning streets of Liyue Harbor, Ping and Zhongli leading, Taro in between.
"By the way," Zhongli added, "the two townhouses you requested have already been transferred under your name. Do you wish me to arrange people to tidy them up?"
Taro's eyes widened. "Already? That was fast."
"For what you need," Zhongli said with a faint smile, "the sooner the better."
"Then I'll trouble you," Taro grinned. "I'm new here, not familiar with anything. With you helping, it's a huge relief."
"I'm pleased you're satisfied," Zhongli answered.
Then Taro's eyes gleamed mischievously. "And how about that staff? Works as promised, right? If there's any issue, I offer full after-sales service. Warranty guaranteed."
Zhongli's gaze shone with subtle intensity as he nodded. "No problem. The effect exceeded expectation."
Indeed—last night, Xiao had already brought Indarias before him. The resurrection had succeeded, with only a minor loss of cultivation. That could be recovered in time. It was far less of a setback than he had feared.
It was, in truth, a miracle.
Taro chuckled, satisfied. Good. Now that they've tested it, they understand its value. And with that… the bait is well and truly hooked. They won't escape, even if they wanted to.
(End of Chapter)
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