Guizhong snickered mischievously as she finished whispering her plan to Havria.
Their scheme was simple: lure Jiang Chen back to the Throne of Heroes when the time was right.
The only condition? Lumine must not be around.
Otherwise, she'd find out.
Currently, Lumine was out from dawn till dusk, gathering materials for Jiang Chen.
Rumor had it she'd already cleared out nearby monster camps and was expanding her range.
Soon, she'd be gone for days at a time.
That would be their opportunity.
Lumine couldn't freely enter the Throne of Heroes—she wasn't a Heroic Spirit.
No homecoming, no access—leaving the backdoor wide open.
Too easy.
Though Havria felt awkward about it, she'd rather this than become a power source.
She was all in.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen remained oblivious to their plotting.
He was busy explaining the Archon Power Generation Plan in the group chat.
Cloud Retainer, ever the enthusiast, chimed in.
Seeing her tech repurposed for this, she was thrilled.
After reviewing Jiang Chen's proposal, she gave it her highest praise.
Cloud Retainer:
[Waste utilization at its finest! Turning those wretched Archons into Liyue's power supply? Brilliant!]
[This plan is excellent!]
While others hesitated, Cloud Retainer had no qualms.
Archon business? Not my concern.
I'm an adeptus, not a god.
Besides, those Archons had ravaged Liyue. Reviving them for atonement? Poetic justice.
Ganyu:
[...]
Reading her master's messages, Ganyu facepalmed.
Why are Master and Jiang Chen so… extreme?
Cloud Retainer:
[Ganyu, any thoughts?]
[Speaking of which, you haven't visited this master in ages.]
[I'm in Guili Plains now. Come for dinner when free.]
[Back in my day—]
['Cloud Retainer' has been muted by 'Ganyu.']
Ganyu:
[Understood, Master. No more stories. I'm busy.]
Ganyu's expression darkened.
She immediately opened Jiang Chen's profile, contemplating how to permanently ban Cloud Retainer's account.
This internet thing is a disaster for Master.
Maybe just delete her account entirely?
But as she stared at Jiang Chen's contact, she hesitated.
With a sigh, she closed the chat and returned to work.
Forget it. Too exhausting.
Jiang Chen, watching the chat, smirked.
Cloud Retainer can't resist running her mouth online either.
He half-expected her to become Teyvat's first keyboard warrior.
Hilarious.
"Ganyu muted Cloud Retainer?"
Ningguang, reading the chat, was stunned.
So was Keqing, currently in Guili Plains.
They had moderation privileges—but dared not use them.
The group was full of heavyweights.
Rex Lapis is literally there.
Yet Ganyu? Instant mute.
What did Cloud Retainer even say?
"Don't mind their master-disciple dynamics."
"We've covered everything. Handle the arrangements."
"Contact Mondstadt ASAP."
"Early preparation is key."
"Also, recruit workers. Completed projects will soon go live."
"Guili Plains needs settlers too."
Construction there had progressed rapidly.
Factories and facilities were already built—some even operational.
Just needed equipment installation.
Ningguang nodded.
"Understood. I'll coordinate."
She grasped the urgency.
With that settled, Jiang Chen prepared to leave.
But he wasn't returning to Guili Plains yet.
Might as well explore Liyue Harbor.
A meal at Wanmin Restaurant, then some sightseeing.
Descending from the Jade Chamber, he strolled through Yujing Terrace.
With his terminal in ear, Jiang Chen became the street's main attraction.
The news that Sumeru's terminals worked elsewhere had spread.
Too many Liyue officials were using them to keep it secret.
Civilians would have to wait for commercial sales.
Sumeru was mass-producing them now.
Previous stock had been entirely claimed by Jiang Chen and Venti.
Widespread adoption would take time.
Production was centralized in Gandharva Ville, with shipments routed through the Chasm.
Though no longer perilous, transport still lagged.
Some Liyueans who'd visited Sumeru already owned terminals—making them instant celebrities.
Jiang Chen observed this with amusement.
Soon, he reached Wanmin Restaurant.
Upon entering, he spotted Xiangling bustling about.
Hearing the door, she called without looking:
"Welcome—"
Then she saw him.
"Jiang Chen!"
"You're back?!"
Her face lit up.
Since moving to Guili Plains, Jiang Chen rarely visited.
This was a genuine surprise.
"I've dropped by before—just didn't linger."
Xiangling waved it off. He was a busy man now.
"It's packed today, but Xingqiu's here. Mind sharing a table?"
Jiang Chen had no objections.
In fact, today's meal might be free.