"Don't move. I'm helping you put your shoes back on," Lu Lin said, voice soft as a breeze.
A blush bloomed on Ganyu's cheeks, but she stayed still and let him.
She was too trusting.
Seeing how her attitude toward him had shifted, there was no way Lu Lin was going to behave too properly.
He gently stroked the top of her foot, then, before she could react, slipped her sock off.
"Eek!!"
Her whole body trembled, toes curling tight.
Her feet were small and perfect, each toe like a little pearl. Her skin was so pale and smooth it looked like it had been soaked in milk. Held in his hand, her foot was cool and almost too soft to grip. There wasn't even the faintest hint of sweat—only a light, floral fragrance.
Had he stayed in Liyue longer, he'd have recognized the scent of Qingxin flowers.
"D-don't…" Ganyu's voice grew even softer, realizing she'd been tricked.
Who took someone's sock off to put their shoes on?
But she had no strength to resist. And more importantly… she didn't really want to.
A new idea stirred in Lu Lin's mind. He quietly granted Ganyu the residency perk.
[Double Happiness]: Whenever the holder feels happiness, the sensation is doubled.
The system didn't chime for her. All she knew was that she suddenly felt more sensitive.
Lu Lin's fingers slid lightly over the top of her foot, every gentle stroke making her tense.
When the doubled sensation crashed over her, she was caught completely off guard. She wrapped both arms around his head, legs ramrod straight, and only after more than ten seconds did she finally exhale and relax.
The perk's effect was… impressive.
Satisfied, Lu Lin played with her dainty foot for a while longer before reluctantly putting her sock and shoe back on.
Just when she thought it was over, he picked up her other foot.
No one knew how long it took, but eventually both shoes and socks were back in place.
At that moment, Ganyu's face was crimson, her eyes dewy and unfocused. She slumped against the headboard, utterly drained and impossibly charming.
The sight made Lu Lin's heart stutter. He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her gently into his embrace.
She looped her arms around his neck. Their eyes met; unspoken feeling flowed between them.
She pouted slightly and closed her eyes.
He understood. He bent his head and kissed her.
Her lips were cool with a hint of sweetness. He kissed with slow, careful tenderness, wanting to give her the best possible feeling.
Doubled through [Double Happiness], that pleasure flooded back into her, uplifting and overwhelming.
Her legs stretched tight, rubbing restlessly. She clung to him like she wanted to melt into his arms.
They didn't know how long they kissed. Eventually, Ganyu felt that same strange energy flow through his lips, driving every trace of dark mist from her body.
Sensing the change, she opened her eyes in surprise.
"Did the mist inside you disappear?" Lu Lin asked, lifting her chin lightly.
"How did you know… Was it the kiss just now?" she asked.
"Yeah. I don't know why, but the mist doesn't affect me—and I can purge it from others," he admitted.
"How did you figure that out… Wait. Was it Hu Tao? You and she…" Ganyu trailed off, connecting the dots.
Damn. I forgot about that…
Color crept up Lu Lin's neck. He coughed, a bit embarrassed, and nodded.
"You're such a bad guy," Ganyu huffed, fingers finding his waist. She gave him a light, harmless twist but didn't push it further.
Seeing that she wasn't truly angry, Lu Lin relaxed and quickly changed the subject. "Do you know anything about this domain?"
"This domain was once Guizhong's palace," she said.
"Guizhong—the God of Dust?" Lu Lin asked, startled.
"That's right. You've heard of her?"
"I know Guili Plains used to be hers. She died in the Archon War. I've heard some of the old stories. No wonder the puzzles are so intricate—it's her work," Lu Lin said.
"Her talent for mechanisms even surpassed my master's. This domain used to be her residence. Every trap was designed by her own hand.
"After she fell in the Battle of Guili Assembly, the entrance vanished and stayed hidden until now," Ganyu said.
"The Abyss Order broke open the entrance, right?" Lu Lin asked.
"Yes. The black mist is created by fusing abyssal power with godly remnants from a certain demon god who attacked this place long ago.
"That demon once invaded this palace. The Abyss Order used its remnants to locate the domain and forced the entrance open. That's why the entrance started wandering around Guili Plains and ended up dragging us in," she explained.
"And their goal… that green sphere on the altar?" Lu Lin asked.
"Most likely. But I don't know exactly what's inside," Ganyu admitted with a little shake of her head.
"If we don't stop them, won't they eventually succeed?"
"Not for a while. The yellow barrier around the altar was left by the Geo Archon himself. Two Abyss Mages aren't going to break it quickly, even with demon god remnants," she said.
"A barrier from Rex Lapis… Yeah, that's reassuring," Lu Lin agreed. The name alone was enough.
"Now that the mist is gone from my body, those two Abyss Mages won't be a problem. Why don't we go out there right now and take care of them?" Ganyu puffed her chest a little, a hint of pride in her voice. "If I hadn't been worn down by the mist and all those monsters, I would've taken them out already."
It wasn't arrogance. She was an adeptus who'd survived the Archon War. Her true strength was far beyond what she'd shown.
This was simply the first time she'd encountered mist made from demon remnants and abyssal power. She'd been caught off guard, then forced to fight several hard battles in that weakened state.
She'd entered Guili Plains earlier than Lu Lin but reached Guizhong's palace later. That was how many fights she'd gone through.
Lu Lin cupped her face, rubbing her cheek with a smile. "No. Even without the mist, you burned a lot of strength. Rest first, then we'll go together."
"I'll be fine. I can—"
He cut her off. "Hu Tao wasn't affected by the mist either, thanks to me. But she still couldn't take a single blow from an Abyss Mage because she'd spent too much energy beforehand.
"I can only get rid of the mist, not restore your stamina. Don't be reckless."
Ganyu thought it over. "All right. I'll listen to you. It's just… I'm worried…"
"You're worried about Xiangling?" he asked.
"Yes. She's been missing for a long time. I'm afraid she may have fallen into this domain too. If we delay, she might be in danger."
-------
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