Liyue Harbor.
At a familiar place, Zhongli was listening to Stone recount the history of Liyue, occasionally taking a sip of the hot tea in his cup.
"Zhongli, Zhongli! So you really are here! That's great! We have a very, very urgent matter that requires your help!"
Paimon's voice reached Zhongli's ears before she even arrived.
Zhongli made a "shush" gesture, stood up, and motioned for the approaching Lumine and Paimon to speak outside.
"You two seem very anxious. Have you encountered some difficulty?"
Lumine briefly explained Ruola's situation to Zhongli, then informed him of Venti's request.
"I see. This matter is not difficult. Since that fellow has such a plan, it's best to help him out."
Lumine bowed deeply to Zhongli:
"Thank you, Zhongli!"
"No need for such formality. Since it's an urgent matter, let us depart."
Paimon immediately reminded him:
"Zhongli, we have to wait for the bard to arrive. Oh no, I forgot that he didn't tell us where to meet up..."
Zhongli chuckled softly:
"No need. He has already arrived. The two of you just follow me."
Zhongli led Lumine and Paimon all the way outside Liyue Harbor, arriving at the Statue of The Seven of Rex Lapis.
Venti, who had been waiting there, immediately stepped forward to greet him:
"Old man, thank you for your help this time. You can treat me to a meal later."
Zhongli's expression immediately darkened.
Lumine stepped in to smooth things over: "Ahem, well, let's discuss the main business first..."
Diluc looked at Zhongli and knelt on one knee:
"Diluc of Mondstadt, thank you for your help, Rex Lapis."
He was also aware of how Liyue referred to their gods.
Zhongli helped Diluc up: "No need for such courtesy. However, I hope my young friend will keep my identity a secret."
Diluc nodded vigorously.
Venti took out the jade ring and looked at Zhongli:
"Old man, please reshape her body."
Zhongli nodded slightly, raised his right hand, and many geo crystals appeared out of thin air. These crystals immediately piled together, compressed, and shaped, completing the molding in a moment.
Instantly, a living, clothed Ruola appeared.
Paimon stomped her feet excitedly:
"Ruola! It's Ruola! Traveler, look!"
Lumine covered Paimon's small mouth, unsure if speaking now would affect Zhongli and the others. It was better for Paimon to stay quiet for now.
Diluc was also very excited, but he was restrained, his eyes fixed intently on Ruola.
Venti carefully extracted Ruola's soul from the jade ring, slowly solidified it with his divine power, and then placed it into the reshaped body.
Except for Paimon, everyone present heard the sound of a heartbeat emerging from nothing, and then... the gradual appearance of breathing.
Diluc nervously clutched the corner of his clothes, Lumine was also staring intently, and Paimon's small face was distorted with surprise.
---
Player World.
: "Haha, the last day, so that's what it means, hahahaha!"
: "I don't care anymore, I'm not the only one getting hurt. I'm going to do quests. It's the last day, so shouldn't I spend it well with my Ruola?"
: "I'm already very satisfied to see Ruola in the game again. At least I know her departure won't be painful anymore..."
: "Heh heh, you above seem to have forgotten what Venti said. Being devoured by the Abyss is very painful, and Ruola, her soul only has ten percent left!"
: "Stop it, the kid's going to go crazy soon..."
Chen Xiyao had already started pouting, just waiting for a trigger.
Many teasing comments also appeared in the live stream.
"Heh, you people, I don't know how much you're crying into your screens where I can't see, yet you still come to mock me?"
Just as she retorted, Ruola on the screen woke up.
When she heard Ruola crying loudly in her grandfather's arms, Chen Xiyao could no longer hold back.
"Wuwuwu, damn it, I'm not crying, it's just sand in my eyes, wuwuwu~"
---
Teyvat, beneath the Statue of The Seven.
Ruola opened her eyes, which revealed confusion and fear, like a wounded small beast warily surveying her surroundings.
Only after realizing that everyone present was familiar did the fear in Ruola's eyes slowly fade.
Finally, Ruola's gaze fell on Diluc. The moment their eyes met, she seemed to have suffered an immense grievance, and she immediately threw herself into Diluc's arms, crying loudly.
"Wuwuwah~"
Diluc, with red eyes and tears streaming down his face, tightly embraced his sister.
"Don't cry, Ruola, big brother is here, Lord Barbatos is here too, and also Rex Lapis of Liyue, Lumine and Paimon. Don't be afraid, it's okay now, no one will hurt you again!"
Diluc's comfort was useless; Ruola continued to cry hysterically in his arms.
The crying grew louder and more sorrowful.
Paimon, infected by the emotion, also began to cry.
Lumine quietly wiped away her tears.
Venti looked up, staring blankly at the clouds in the sky.
Zhongli, however, shook his head and quietly left.
After crying for a long while, Ruola's emotions gradually stabilized.
"Brother, it hurt so much, it was so agonizing. It felt like so many things were biting me, and I wanted to resist but couldn't. I wanted to die but couldn't, wuwuwu, Brother~"
"I thought I would stay like that forever, suffering like that forever. Wuwu, Brother, I finally saw you again!"
Ruola continuously recounted her experiences during that time, describing how much pain she endured, tears falling one by one.
Diluc held Ruola, tears falling more and faster than Ruola's, his eyes even more bloodshot.
Every tear Ruola shed was like a sharp knife digging into his heart.
This was his sister, whom he had doted on since childhood. Why did she have to suffer such pain?!
Lumine, with red eyes, found a stone to sit on, her hatred for Malice and for the Abyss growing even stronger in her heart.
Even little Paimon clenched her small fists and waved them a few times at the air.
The surrounding wind became exceptionally boisterous, and Lord Barbatos's murderous intent deepened by several points.
---
Player World.
Chen Xiyao was already crying so hard that she was gasping for breath, and a pile of crumpled tissues had accumulated on the table.
The comments were also full of sorrowful exclamations.
All the comments teasing the streamer had disappeared.
: "Ruola, don't cry. If you cry, I'll cry too..."
: "Damn it, playing this game actually cured my years of dry eye!"
: "Beasts, truly beasts! How could they lay hands on an angel like Ruola? The Abyss truly is a bunch of beasts!"
: "Grandpa is going to collapse, that look in his eyes scares me..."
: "Damn MHY, today is another day of cursing you!"
: "Wuwuwu, my heart aches!!!"
: "I'm over forty and still playing this game. Ruola truly reminds me of one of my daughters. I'm crying my eyes out."
: "Father-in-law, father-in-law, look at me! Do you have any tissues left? Shall I send you a pack?!"
"..."
.
.
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_