"Traveler?"
Hu Tao's repeated question snapped Lumine out of her wandering thoughts.
Lumine turned back, hesitated for a moment, then spoke:
"That zombie just now... it was Qingge..."
"What?!"
"Traveler, are you absolutely sure you weren't mistaken?!"
Hu Tao and Keqing stared with wide eyes, their faces etched with shock.
"No, I couldn't be mistaken."
Paimon chimed in, "Paimon saw it too! That 'zombie' really was Qingge!"
Keqing's legs went weak, and she stumbled backward several steps.
How could this be? Wasn't Qingge at Tianheng Mountain?
Hu Tao turned to Lumine with a grave expression. "Traveler, can you describe what Qingge looked like? This is crucial!"
Lumine nodded firmly.
"Qingge... her face was deathly pale, her skin shriveled, she had sharp fangs, and... there was a lot of blood around her mouth. Her left arm was missing, and her eyes were crimson..."
During that fleeting glimpse under the moonlight, Lumine hadn't been able to see much clearly.
After Lumine finished speaking, Paimon immediately added, "And there's more! Qingge's speed is incredible. She moves stiffly, but she's so fast! Lumine and I couldn't keep up at all!"
Hu Tao frowned. Bloodstains?
Has Qingge really...?
No, this can't be happening! Qingge has sacrificed so much for Liyue. How could she end up like this?
Hu Tao clenched her fists, her plum blossom-shaped eyes fixed intently on the distant horizon.
Keqing, longsword in hand, charged forward. Lumine tried to stop her, but it was too late.
"Traveler, please go back and inform the Consultant," Hu Tao said. "I'm going after Keqing."
Hu Tao now understood why Zhongli had been acting so strangely lately. He must know something. She guessed he was probably searching for Qingge too, and it was best to inform him about the situation here.
Without waiting for Lumine's reply, Hu Tao darted after Keqing.
"Hey, you guys—!"
Lumine felt helpless, torn between worry for Qingge and concern for Keqing and Hu Tao chasing after her.
We don't know what state Qingge is in right now. If she clashes with Keqing and Hu Tao, it'll be a disaster!
Helpless, Lumine cleared her throat and shouted into the sky, "Xiao!"
A moment later, Xiao appeared behind her, his chest heaving rapidly.
"What summons me?"
Lumine turned around, her face lighting up with relief. "Xiao, listen. When we were in Liyue Harbor, we heard rumors about zombies haunting this area. So Hu Tao, Keqing, and I came here tonight to investigate. We encountered the so-called 'zombie' and discovered it was Qingge! Her condition is... off. She's moving incredibly fast. Hu Tao and Keqing have already given chase. I wanted to ask you..."
Before she could finish, Xiao vanished with a whoosh, leaving only a parting remark:
"Traveler, please inform the Geo Archon of this matter. I'll handle things here."
Lumine, who had been about to ask Xiao to relay the message to Zhongli, was left speechless.
Fine, fine, she thought. Who am I to argue with someone who can teleport?
But now... where would she even find Zhongli?
No matter, let's head to Liyue Harbor first.
Besides, Lumine had some questions for Zhongli. He likely knew something about Qingge's situation.
-
On the other side, Hu Tao had caught up with Keqing. Relying on the compass in her hand, the two women continued their pursuit.
Suddenly, Hu Tao stopped.
"Director Hu Tao, what's wrong?"
Hu Tao didn't answer, instead moving the compass from side to side. The needle remained stubbornly still. She shook her head.
"Qingge has already fled beyond the compass's range. We... lost her..."
Both women gasped for breath, scanning their surroundings.
Just then, Xiao arrived.
"Conqueror of Demons?!"
Xiao nodded to the pair, then carefully sensed the lingering energy in the area, his brow furrowing.
He circled the spot a few times before swiftly darting off in a particular direction.
Keqing and Hu Tao exchanged a glance and followed closely behind him.
-
After the trio departed, Qingge slowly emerged from behind a dirt slope to the side of the direction they had taken.
Tilting her head, she watched them disappear into the distance. If one ignored the bloodstain at the corner of her mouth, she might have seemed almost endearingly clueless.
In her right hand, Qingge clutched a white rabbit, its neck pierced by her sharp nails, causing droplets of blood to trickle down.
She lifted the rabbit by its scruff and sank her teeth into its neck...
Hu Tao, Lumine, and Paimon were unaware of this gruesome scene, but the players witnessed it in stark clarity.
[Qingge is here!]
[Qingge has really become a zombie...]
[If Qingge still has her consciousness, I don't see anything wrong with it. She hasn't even sucked anyone's blood.]
[No, it's different. Who knows if this is even the real Qingge?]
[Sigh, I just feel so sad. Qingge was such a good person...]
[Rabbit: Feed me peanuts!]
-
After the others left, Qingge tossed the drained rabbit aside.
Even the Two Archons of Anemo and Geo couldn't detect her presence, let alone Xiao. She never expected Hu Tao's Compass to possess such extraordinary efficacy.
Qingge tilted her head back, gazing at the moon in the sky.
For some reason, the moon had been unusually full these past few nights.
After basking in the moonlight for a while, Qingge turned her gaze toward Mt. Aocang.
This place was no longer safe. Gods would likely arrive soon, and Qingge couldn't guarantee her ability to remain hidden right under their noses.
Before being completely exposed, Qingge still had one final task to complete.
-
Mt. Aocang.
Mu Qingxu had been incredibly busy lately. She needed to visit her parents, keep up with her studies, and train in Adeptus arts under her master.
Her studies had always been a concern for her elder sister. Now that her sister was gone, with no one to supervise her, she felt even more compelled to excel.
For the past few days, her master had assigned her a task, keeping her confined to Mt. Aocang for training.
Before dawn, while the sky was still dark, she woke up. Grasping the Vortex, she made her way to the small pond behind Mt. Aocang, a place she often frequented.
Qingxu harbored a single, unwavering ambition: to emulate her sister.
Her sister was truly exceptional. In every aspect, Qingxu could learn so much from her, and she had always looked up to her as a role model.
When her master first offered to teach her spear techniques, she had insisted on learning the same style her sister used.
Her master said nothing, but vanished from Mt. Aocang for several days. When he returned, he brought Mr. Zhongli—or rather, the Geo Archon himself.
Yes, Qingxu had also discovered Zhongli's true identity.
Mainly because Zhongli made no attempt to conceal it.
Qingge's spear techniques hadn't been directly taught by the Geo Archon, but she had always wielded his weapon. As she practiced, her style gradually began to mirror his.
Since Qingxu wanted to learn her sister's spear techniques, no one was better suited to guide her than the Geo Archon himself.
By the pond, Qingxu swung her spear with fierce, domineering motions. Though the Vortex had lost its Geo Element affinity, Hydro Element now clung to its blade, granting the spear formidable power.
Behind a pile of rocks on the opposite side of the pond, a pair of crimson eyes silently watched her every move.
Qingge felt a surge of warmth, a rare tenderness softening her gaze.
That's my sister!