Su Ran's consciousness had just returned from Herta's Space Station when he noticed the Herta-puppet on standby suddenly boot up.
It glared at him viciously, then raised a middle finger.
"Scumbag!"
And immediately logged off again.
"...She really has nothing better to do.
Actually followed me back along the network?"
On the Jade Chamber, Ningguang was still admiring Liyue's scenery when she heard the familiar sound of footsteps behind her.
She turned, puzzled and saw Su Ran walking over carrying a large crate.
"So fast?"
How long had he been gone?
Maybe half an hour?
And he already returned with an entire crate?
"Of course," Su Ran said.
"These aren't rare. Herta's Space Station has plenty.
I casually grabbed a hundred."
He dropped the crate onto the floor.
"Careful!"
Ningguang was more anxious than he was.
Perhaps in the outside universe these weren't special, but on Teyvat,
an item that allowed cross-species communication was practically priceless.
"Want to take the first dose?
Where should I inject it?"
Su Ran glanced at her neck and then at a certain… rounded area behind her.
"…"
Ningguang raised an eyebrow.
Something about his gaze felt extremely improper.
"Is there a recommended spot?" she asked cautiously.
Trust was one thing.
A woman still had her modesty.
"Nope," Su Ran shrugged.
"Anywhere works. Just one shot."
He held up a Synesthetic Anchor, eyeing her thoughtfully.
"…The neck is fine," Ningguang answered stiffly.
Anywhere else she really didn't want him touching.
Su Ran looked faintly disappointed but injected the Anchor into her neck anyway.
Thankfully, the needle wasn't long.
Just piercing skin and reaching the nerves was enough.
Within moments, it activated.
Ningguang frowned slightly aside from the initial sting, she felt nothing unusual.
"I don't feel any different.
It doesn't seem like I understand more languages?"
Wasn't this thing supposed to let her talk across species?
"That's normal," Su Ran said.
"You've only been inoculated.
Now you can understand other species it doesn't mean they can understand you.
For full communication, both sides must be inoculated."
"…"
So complicated?
Still, for Ningguang, this was already good enough.
Just being able to understand others was a miracle worth a sky-high price.
"How much do you think this will sell for?" she asked.
"What do I think?" Su Ran grinned.
"I think it only needs hype.
Selling it is a waste.
Besides, I need to bring some back for Duckie."
"Duckie? Who's that?"
Someone actually had such a ridiculous nickname?
"The Cryo Archon."
"…"
Calling the Tsaritsa something so cute no wonder Ningguang was speechless.
Anyone else would be frozen into an exhibit for such disrespect.
"What do you plan to bring her?" she asked.
"Fifty."
That number was… excessive.
Ningguang instantly felt distressed.
How many would she be left with?
"And what about the Raiden Shogun?"
"Oh… she gets nothing."
Ningguang's eyes brightened.
Suddenly she had enough again.
"You're not worried she'll be upset?"
Anyone could see his relationship with the Shogun.
Even the Shogun herself had openly acknowledged it.
And yet he wasn't leaving her a single Anchor?
Ningguang wondered if they had fought.
"She only gets mad when I go out womanizing."
As for not gifting her anything?
In Ei's view, Su Ran had already given her
far more than she could ever repay.
She didn't need more.
Ningguang carefully planned the distribution of the Anchors.
Of the remaining forty-eight, she only intended to administer them to her three closest aides.
As for other subordinates none would receive even a single dose.
Unnecessary.
Not worth it.
Baishu and Baixiao had followed her for years, competent and loyal.
Ganyu deserved one.
As for Keqing, forget it.
In Ningguang's view, Su Ran seemed unusually interested in teasing Keqing.
Better to let her handle that herself.
The reason there were forty-eight instead of forty-nine was because Su Ran used one on himself.
She watched him casually jab a needle into his own arm.
He clearly could've used the arm injection— so why did he insist on sticking hers in her neck?
Ningguang glared resentfully at him.
If this continued, she feared she might…
actually get used to being bullied by him.
"All right, I'm off. Take care!"
Leaving the forty-eight Anchors behind, Su Ran slung the crate under his arm and departed.
Only after he vanished did Ningguang suddenly freeze.
"Wait…
Why did he come here in the first place?"
It couldn't have been just for the Anchors.
Even Su Ran had forgotten—
His original reason for coming to the Jade Chamber was to construct a portal that linked to his space station, so Ningguang could travel freely between the two.
But now?
He had left without doing it.
All Ningguang's fault.
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