"Seele, this arduous task falls to you! I believe you won't disappoint everyone, will you? You won't, right!"
Wendy patted Seele's shoulder solemnly, as if sending a warrior off on a journey of no return.
"Huh? Wait, why me? I... I really can't, don't all stare at me like that."
Seele was flustered. She never expected to be chosen for this accompanying spot. She thought the two sisters beside her would fight over it, but it was just given to her.
"Why? That's a very simple question. It's because we trust you more. I'm sure Seele won't refuse, right?"
Looking at Bronya's pleading eyes, she could only nod numbly. Thus, the spot to accompany them was decided.
Lu Ze saw this scene and simply nodded indifferently. To him, it didn't matter who went; there wasn't much to do anyway.
"It's getting late, let's all go to bed."
Time passed quickly in the blink of an eye. A night quietly slipped by. Lu Ze yawned and walked down the stairs. After a simple breakfast, he prepared to set off.
The two walked out the door, with some people waving goodbye from behind.
Walking up the street, one could see the commercial district. The Liyue Honkai Impact 3rd figurine shop had long been renovated and stocked with many items. The second volume of the "13 Archons" was also quietly released.
Several new figurines had been added, but they were mostly of Honkai Beasts.
Since its opening, the shop had attracted a high volume of customers. Perhaps the popularity of the Honkai Impact 3rd IP was already very high.
Inside the shop, one could see Hu Tao busily working in her brown attire, wearing a hat on her head, with a smile on her face.
It seemed she quite enjoyed this life. Helping out, minding the shop, and earning a considerable income. For her, it was truly great.
"Hm? Lu Ze! Long time no see! This Hall Master misses you dearly!"
The moment she saw Lu Ze, Hu Tao leaped out of the shop and hugged him. Although she wasn't as soft as he imagined, she was quite flat.
"It has been a while. But I'm not here to play this time; I have important matters to attend to. I can't say much. We'll talk next time we meet."
Seele, standing beside him, felt a pang of anger for some reason. Her small mouth puffed out slightly, but she didn't make any move, just stood quietly in place.
"Is that so! Then you go ahead. It's quite busy at the shop, so I won't bother you."
Hu Tao was very understanding. Like a rabbit, she jumped off him and turned back into the shop, waving goodbye as she left.
"Mhm, do your best, and don't overexert yourself."
"I know!"
And so, Lu Ze and Seele continued on their way. Going further up would lead them to Bubu Pharmacy, but if they turned right, they would see a square formation of troops.
"Lu Ze, you seem to have great luck with romance."
Seele's words made Lu Ze stop in his tracks. He turned his head slightly, a bead of sweat on his face, and instantly tensed up.
He wasn't afraid of the current Seele, but of Seele's other personality. Seeing that she hadn't turned dark as he'd expected, the stone in his heart finally landed.
"Ahahaha, Seele, you jest. Just friends, just friends."
Hearing such a perfunctory response, Seele felt a hint of regret. Why did her other personality like this person so much? Was there some unspeakable secret? Even if there was, it wouldn't be worth sacrificing herself, would it?
"I want to ask you, back then... I mean the other me, what exactly happened between you and me?"
When this was mentioned, Lu Ze could recall the orphanage, but this wasn't something he could discuss now. For future events, please see the next episode. Heh, Kuai Shu Ge.
"Ahem, how about this! If you want to know what happened back then, wait until we return, and I'll tell you slowly. Let's deal with the current matters first."
It didn't matter if she heard it now or in the future; it was all the same. Although it was a bit of a cliffhanger, she still accepted it.
The two slowly walked down the stairs and saw Ningguang on horseback and Keqing in casual attire, counting the number of people.
"Everyone, this time we are going to challenge a legendary Archon. But do not be afraid. Liyue's land should be protected by its people. We cannot leave threats unchecked, nor can we turn our backs to the enemy! This battle is either their death or ours!"
"Either their death or ours!"
"Either their death or ours!"
The soldiers shouted in unison, their hearts filled with passion. With such soldiers, how could they not defend the world?
"Their morale is quite high, but morale alone is not enough. Without matching strength, they are still vulnerable. However, for ordinary humans, achieving this much is already commendable."
Lu Ze didn't rush down, quietly observing everything. After all, he was just going as a bodyguard. He could at least witness the courage of these soldiers.
"Aren't we going down yet?"
Seele placed her hands on her chest, her deep blue pupils calmly watching everything.
"No hurry, let's wait a bit longer."
Soon, the formation transformed into rows and columns of soldiers. Seeing such a grand display, even the nearby Liyue citizens showed reverence, but more so, the soldiers' parents were praying for their sons.
"Lu Ze, how long are you going to watch?"
Hearing Ningguang's call from below, Lu Ze didn't respond immediately but slowly walked down step by step. The soldiers behind him were excited to see Lu Ze, as the events of not long ago were still vivid in their minds. With him present, their chances of victory had certainly increased.
Casually finding a horse, Lu Ze mounted it and took the lead. Then, he grabbed Seele with one hand and successfully pulled her onto the horse, making her sit steadily in front.
"Are you alright? Riding a horse might be uncomfortable for you. If you feel unwell, tell me immediately, understand?"
"I understand."
Seeing the two showing affection, Ningguang felt a surge of anger from somewhere, but she didn't vent it, silently enduring it all.
Lu Ze glanced at Ningguang from the corner of his eye. Seeing her angry expression, he even felt a little pleased.
"You two, hurry up! This isn't the place to show off. There are people watching behind you."
Keqing kindly reminded them. Seele quickly buried her head in her chest, feeling quite embarrassed by her previous actions.