After Yae Miko finished speaking, she and Focalors smiled at Lu Heng and fell silent.
Lu Heng suddenly felt like the two were subtly hinting it was time for him to leave.
But was that right?
Wasn't he a guest here?
Alright then!" Lu Heng slapped his thigh and shrugged helplessly. "You two keep chatting—I'll go… wash the, uh… toilet?!
"No eavesdropping," Focalors said with a smile.
"Would I even need to?" Lu Heng coughed lightly, then strode out the door.
Focalors and Yae Miko glanced at each other and immediately started whispering about some mysterious topic again.
After leaving the room, Lu Heng genuinely didn't try to listen in. He filled a kettle, watered the plants in the courtyard, then sat down in a chair and turned his attention to his exclusive gacha pool.
Time to pull!
Soon, Lu Heng had thrown a million pulls into it.
Not only was there no sign of the 'All-Function Shop Coverage Card', there wasn't even a single 6-star red card.
Seriously?
Was his luck really this bad this morning?
Lu Heng found it hard to believe. If these pull statistics were made public, it would be utterly suffocating to look at.
"It's definitely the gacha pool's problem, nothing to do with me personally," Lu Heng asserted.
He then condensed a few character runes and attached them to himself. While boosting his own luck couldn't actually affect the gacha, that didn't stop Lu Heng from deceiving himself.
If my luck is high, then I'm the lucky one! And since I'm the lucky one, not getting good pulls definitely isn't my fault!
"Going out!"
Lu Heng headed towards Sumeru, hands clasped behind his back like an old man strolling in the park.
Entering the Sanctuary of Surasthana, Nahida was clearly away at school. The Great Lord Rukkhadevata, Apep, and the Vermilion Bird were there. It seemed Rukkhadevata was assigning some task to Apep.
Seeing Lu Heng arrive, the smile on Rukkhadevata's face didn't change, but Apep could sense a wave of happiness emanating from her.
So even a deity can change like this because of love? How fascinating.
"The Mora Tartaglia used to buy your Gnosis, I've got it right here," Lu Heng asked with a smile. "Do you want it in cash, or should I transfer it directly?"
"You could have just sent a message on your phone, why come all the way here personally?" Rukkhadevata asked, smiling.
"Missed you, that's why," Lu Heng said without missing a beat.
Rukkhadevata didn't bother pondering whether Lu Heng meant it sincerely or not. Hearing those words simply made her genuinely happy from the bottom of her heart.
"Cash is fine," Rukkhadevata said after a moment's thought. "It's almost payday, and many scholars living frugally still don't have phones yet. The centralized system is already in operation. We'll expand it gradually. Once we have more economic flexibility, we need to properly arrange benefits for everyone within the system."
"Then these five hundred million might not be enough," Lu Heng placed the case of Mora to the side, then added after a moment's consideration, "If you run into any difficulties, just let me know directly."
"There won't be any difficulties," Rukkhadevata shook her head.
It wasn't that she was unwilling to accept Lu Heng's help, but Rukkhadevata genuinely didn't foresee any real problems. When wisdom reached a certain level, one could even calculate events a thousand years in the future. While there were many matters at hand now, none truly troubled her.
Lu Heng nodded in understanding, his gaze shifting. "What about Apep here?"
"I healed her!" The little Vermilion Bird, who hadn't had a chance to speak until now, puffed out her chest proudly. "She's Apep at her peak condition now!"
"Indeed," Apep nodded slightly. "After we dealt with the Withering zones together yesterday, the Vermilion Bird used her South Ming Fire to burn away some of the troublesome 'cells' plaguing me."
Lu Heng looked her over, confirming she was healthy now, and felt relieved.
"So it seems the little bird is actually somewhat useful," Lu Heng said with a laugh.
"Of course! Of course!" The little Vermilion Bird was instantly overjoyed at Lu Heng's praise. Even Rukkhadevata's compliments hadn't made her this happy. Seeing her practically preen, Rukkhadevata also found it hard to hold back a smile.
"When are you starting school?" Lu Heng suddenly asked.
The little bird, who had just been basking in praise, immediately drooped upon hearing this question.
"That matter isn't urgent," Rukkhadevata interjected, shaking her head. "Although the Vermilion Bird is very intelligent, she can't keep up with Nahida's current progress. We'll let her formally enroll at the start of the next semester."
"That puts my mind at ease," Lu Heng smiled.
Having confirmed that, Lu Heng asked another question. "Has anything major happened in Sumeru recently?"
"Major?" Rukkhadevata shook her head. "It's been quite peaceful. Aside from the matter with Apep, probably Tighnari taking the Wind-Fixing Pearl to the Wall of Samiel is worth mentioning."
"Peace is good too," Lu Heng nodded. "What are the plans for Apep?"
"To guard the Ley Lines," Apep answered herself.
Ley Line issues could often be minor or major, but they couldn't be ignored. Having Apep guard the Ley Lines gave Rukkhadevata some peace of mind. After all, her power was substantial, and her long life had endowed her with rich experience and knowledge.
"Feels like everyone has their own things to do," Lu Heng mused.
"Don't you want to come to school too?" the little Vermilion Bird asked.
"Sorry, I've already graduated," Lu Heng replied with a bright smile. "I won't disturb you all further. Since I'm free anyway, I think I'll go take a look at the Wall of Samiel."
What kind of effect would a magical treasure like the Wind-Fixing Pearl have in a world like Teyvat? Lu Heng was quite curious.
Leaving the Sanctuary of Surasthana, Lu Heng took out his phone and sent a message to Tighnari.
Soon after, Tighnari sent a location pin.
About fifty li north of Aaru Village.
Tighnari looked at the digital map. The map's origin was the Civilization Core scanning all of Teyvat, so its accuracy reached the centimeter level.
"If we place the Wind-Fixing Pearl here, the effect should be optimal," Tighnari thought to himself.
"Planning to put it where?" Lu Heng appeared silently beside him.
"Mr. Lu, you're here?" Tighnari proceeded to explain to Lu Heng the various data calculated by the Akademiya scholars and the advantages of this chosen location.
Lu Heng listened and nodded. "The scholars are quite capable."
"Does Mr. Lu also think this location is good?" Tighnari asked.
"The location is excellent," Lu Heng affirmed.
Sumeru was under Rukkhadevata's governance, and given his relationship with her, it was almost like he had a stake in Sumeru himself. Since he had a stake, Lu Heng paid close attention, even using his Cyber Divination to verify.
The result confirmed the scholars' calculations were correct.
"That makes me even more confident!" Tighnari said. His main expertise was botany, and now with cards, he was more skilled in spiritual herbology. Surveying wasn't his forte. Now, with both the scholars' and Lu Heng's verification, it confirmed the spot was perfectly chosen.
Immediately, Tighnari took out a small golden sphere that looked like a marble.
The Wind-Fixing Pearl, also known as the Wind-Calming Pill, possessed no offensive power but could still wind and clouds.
Tighnari tossed the pearl into the air. It instantly transformed into a golden streak of light that flew into the clouds and vanished.
The flow of clouds and breeze didn't seem to change at first.
Tighnari held specialized equipment, observing a cloud map-like display. On the real-time map, one could see the wind patterns changing.
The Wall of Samiel itself was tall enough to block most winds, but some sand still got carried high into the air by strong gusts, crossing the wall and falling into the rainforest.
Now, on the real-time map, the high-altitude winds seemed to hit an invisible, intangible wall, forcibly changing direction.
"The effect is quite good," Lu Heng remarked after a glance.
The area affected by the Wind-Fixing Pearl could, of course, be controlled. From a bird's-eye view, the restricted area now formed a straight north-south line, creating a wall along the Wall of Samiel. Fierce winds absolutely could not cross this boundary, while gentler breezes incapable of lifting sand could pass, albeit with reduced speed.
Essentially, the pearl was precisely used for 'sand prevention' and 'storm prevention,' not for completely cutting off airflow between the two regions.
"The Akademiya will monitor the situation in real-time from now on. After this is done... scholars in some fields might have to consider changing professions," Tighnari said with a hint of sympathy.
"Can't be helped," Lu Heng shook his head. Changing the subject, he asked, "How's your spiritual herbology coming along?"
"I've only just grasped the basics. Lately, I've had some ideas. I'm planning to start a spiritual herb cultivation project in Sumeru, to see if we can achieve self-sufficiency in spiritual herbs for Sumeru."
"The rainforest environment is suitable, worth a try," Lu Heng nodded, then smiled. "If you're interested, you could get those little radishes to help you."
"Little radishes?" Tighnari was puzzled for a second, then realized. "The Aranara?"
"Yes. The properties of spiritual herbs can affect the local environment. Some herbs should create environments the Aranara would love. That way, you provide the Aranara with better living conditions while also getting a group of helpers to watch over the herb gardens for free..."
Tighnari was amazed by this idea and mentally noted to try it later. He had originally planned to hire help, but now it seemed he could save a portion of the budget!
"The work here is done. I should head back soon. What about you, Mr. Lu?" Tighnari asked.
"I'll just wander around a bit," Lu Heng wasn't in a hurry. "I'm a bit interested in the desert, places like the Mausoleum of King Deshret. Thought I'd go see them in person."
"Then I'll be heading back quickly. There's a lot going on at the Akademiya, and the new project needs to be scheduled promptly." Tighnari had been quite busy lately. After bidding farewell to Lu Heng, he hurried back.
Lu Heng stood on the high ground, gazing towards the desert.
To be honest, Sumeru wasn't exactly a likable place. The reason was simple: Why are there so many damn holes everywhere?
While doing quests and exploration, you had to crawl into this hole, then that hole, enough to drive anyone crazy. The Mausoleum of King Deshret and other ruins were even worse, like proper mazes.
Lu Heng hadn't thought about it much before, but coming here now to check on the Wind-Fixing Pearl reminded him. He needed to see for himself how massive the Mausoleum really was!
It was fortunate these places were now historical sites, almost like tourist attractions. Otherwise, with his current mood, Lu Heng might have just gone and demolished them.
Lu Heng stepped through the Wall of Samiel.
Even though it was only morning, the sunlight in the desert was intense, making the sand slightly hot to the touch.
Lu Heng didn't choose to teleport. Instead, he glanced at the map, identified the direction, and started walking towards the direction of the Darshan Presentation Hall. The Mausoleum and the Presentation Hall lay roughly in a straight line from his position.
In the desert, if your luck is bad enough, you encounter sandstorms.
Encountering a sandstorm in the desert is a danger on par with lacking water.
Sandstorms, capable of lifting countless tons of sand into the air, could often cause significant losses for a merchant caravan or blow away a traveler's belongings, burying them who-knows-where.
Lu Heng looked at the sandstorm looming right in front of him and fell silent.
"Is my luck really that bad today?" This didn't make sense.
Lu Heng looked at the character runes attached to himself. He was certain his luck was boosted. So why had he run into a sandstorm just a few dozen kilometers after crossing the Wall of Samiel?
"Sigh." Lu Heng let out a sigh.
The fierce winds raged, but around Lu Heng's body, it was as if an invisible wall existed. No wind or sand could enter.
According to the sandstorm's trajectory, it would soon crash directly into the Wall of Samiel and then dissipate against the magical barrier of the Wind-Fixing Pearl.
Lu Heng paid it no mind and simply continued walking in the direction of his destination.
Ahead, the wind gradually weakened. The sky, once obscured by yellow sand, reappeared, and sunlight once again fell upon Lu Heng.
After the sandstorm, the terrain here had subtly changed.
Lu Heng walked through the vast, sandy desert.
Ahead, the sand began to shift and bulge.
Then, the sound of machinery operating could be heard.
Creak... Creak...
It sounded like some old, rusty machine, making noises that made one worry it might fall apart at any moment.
Under Lu Heng's gaze, a roughly humanoid-shaped ruin machine awkwardly broke through the sand.
Its recognition instruments scanned the sand beneath it. Its body seemed to be missing some parts, likely due to the recent sandstorm.
Gurgle... Gurgle...
The program maintaining the machine's operation seemed confused, almost like a dazed human.
It noticed Lu Heng and its gurgling intensified. It scraped at the sand while emitting mechanical whirrs, as if asking for help.
Lu Heng spotted the Akademiya emblem on its chassis.
Was the Akademiya raising autonomous constructs like the Fontaine Research Institute now?
As it scraped at the sand, more sand fell away, revealing a line of text etched onto its body:
It means no harm. Its primary task is to search for someone. Please do not damage it. — The Akademiya.
Lu Heng was taken aback for a moment.
A distant memory surfaced.
This machine... was it Tamimi?
Lu Heng raised his hand. The sand parted like water flowing away, revealing the parts Tamimi had lost in the desert.
After reattaching Tamimi's parts, Lu Heng patted its chassis. "What a coincidence meeting you here."
If they hadn't met here, Lu Heng might not have remembered Faruzan so quickly.
The Akademiya, after accessing Genshin Impact, already knew Faruzan was still alive and had prepared to dispatch forces to find her. But recently, too many things had happened in Sumeru. The Akademiya was also being purged by Cyno's team, so the search had been delayed again and again.
Lu Heng glanced down at the luck-boosting runes on himself, then looked at Tamimi. "Come with me. I'll take you to find Faruzan."
Gu... Gu... Tamimi emitted a series of meaningless mechanical sounds.
"Trust me," Lu Heng said. "We'll find her soon."
Having already reached the 'Golden Core' stage, Lu Heng naturally possessed spiritual sense.
Lu Heng input his intention to use his spiritual sense to scan all of Sumeru into his Cyber Divination.
Now having a clear target and the means to search, the Cyber Divination instantly provided an answer.
"Follow me."
He could visit the Darshan Presentation Hall and the Mausoleum anytime.
Lu Heng changed direction and, taking Tamimi with him, headed towards the ruins where Faruzan was trapped.
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T/N:
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