In Liyue, at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Director Hu Tao lay lazily on a chair, looking completely lifeless.
"So boring… why hasn't there been a new Cao Zhong video?"
"I don't want to work, I don't want to cultivate… only Cao Zhong's videos can keep me going."
"Without them, life is unbearable!"
Zhongli watched Hu Tao's complete loss of motivation and felt a headache coming on.
Short videos really are harmful…
[Hu Tao]: @Cao Zhong, it's been three days since your last video. You didn't… die, did you?
[Venti]: True. Cao Zhong's videos are good, enjoyable, and I want more.
[Kaeya]: Maybe… he's at home "recovering his energy."
[Jean]: ?
[Amber]: ??
[Barbara]: ???
[Venti]: Insider info?
[Hu Tao]: Brother Kaeya, explain in detail.
Hu Tao instantly became energetic again, like she had been revived.
Her pale face turned rosy, as if she had come back to life.
At this moment, she felt completely refreshed.
Cao Zhong, you're my miracle cure!
[Kaeya]: Let me tell you… that day I risked my life, staked my career, and secretly listened from the corner…
[Jean]: Get to the point!
[Amber]: Get to the point!
[Eula]: Get to the point!
[Barbara]: Get to the point!
[Hu Tao]: Get to the point!
[Kaeya]: I know you're all in a hurry, but relax.
[Venti]: @Hu Tao, I understand why they're anxious, but why are you?
[Hu Tao]: I just want to enjoy the drama!
[Kaeya]: So here's what happened… (long explanation)
[Venti]: What the—!
[Hu Tao]: Haha! "You used to call her sweetheart, now you call her madam"—this is hilarious!
[Jean]: @Cao Zhong, didn't expect you had such tastes.
[Amber]: @Cao Zhong, back then you wouldn't even let me hold your hand, and now—
[Barbara]: @Cao Zhong, even the Anemo Archon won't protect you now.
[Eula]: @Cao Zhong, just perish!
[Venti]: @Cao Zhong, come out and explain!
Meanwhile, in the workshop, Cao Zhong was fast asleep.
The past few nights had been exhausting, so he was catching up on rest.
But the chat notifications kept ringing non-stop.
It reminded him of the days when he worked under a harsh boss.
[Cao Zhong]: Can you all let me sleep? Do you have no decency?
[Hu Tao]: He's here! "Married-man Cao" has arrived.
[Venti]: My friend, is your stamina still intact?
[Jean]: @Cao Zhong, why aren't you dead yet?
Cao Zhong was confused.
Why was everyone attacking him again?
He scrolled up through the chat.
The more he read, the worse it got.
His vision darkened—he almost fainted.
"Kaeya… you've ruined me!"
[Cao Zhong]: That's not what it looks like! Listen to me! She's just a normal lady!
[Hu Tao]: "Normal~"
[Venti]: "Leopard print~"
[Kaeya]: "Lady~"
[Jean]: Go explain it to the Anemo Archon.
[Cao Zhong]: Grand Master Jean, you can't do this! You all know I'm a traveler from another world. She just wanted to learn a new language from me while she's young!
[Hu Tao]: Stop explaining. Explanation equals cover-up, cover-up equals truth!
[Cao Zhong]: I will not say another word until my lawyer arrives!
[Xingqiu]: Speaking of which, in the recent novel "The Chancellor's Struggles," the chancellor reminds me very much of Cao Zhong.
[Venti]: The scoundrel is among us!
[Kaeya]: "Chancellor" is just a title—being a scoundrel is a spirit!
[Xingqiu]: @Kaeya, you understand him well.
[Venti]: @Kaeya, you understand the spirit.
Just as the chat was lively—
A sudden message appeared and caught everyone's attention.
[Paimon]: Wah! That scared me! I just saw a huge dragon in the forest—so huge!
[Lumine]: Yes! It was enormous!
Cao Zhong looked at the messages and fell into thought.
He had already figured out the timeline.
Lumine had just awakened from her long sleep, fished Paimon out of the water, and was heading to Mondstadt—only to encounter Stormterror in the forest.
So this is where everything begins…
Cao Zhong smiled.
"Looks like the story is just starting."
Thinking further—
If Lumine is here, then Aether must have already been taken.
At this time, he was likely already the Prince of the Abyss, hiding in the shadows.
A bold thought suddenly appeared in Cao Zhong's mind.
If I get close to Lumine… will Aether come out early to fight me?
Meanwhile, at the Knights of Favonius—
Jean frowned as she read Lumine and Paimon's messages.
Stormterror had been appearing more frequently.
If this continued, it might soon threaten Mondstadt itself.
But she still didn't fully understand the dragon's situation.
This is troublesome…