"Mr. Lu, please... don't say anymore..."
Ganyu spoke weakly, her demeanor looking utterly helpless and easily bullied.
Lu Heng couldn't help but laugh. If he continued, it felt like Ganyu might just bury herself in the ground out of sheer embarrassment. Of course, the more likely scenario was that she'd simply flee on the spot.
Returning to the topic at hand, Lu Heng asked, "Then let's talk about your wish to draw cards. What are your plans?"
Hearing this, Ganyu breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the conversation wasn't about that potted succulent, she was fine. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said softly, "I've brought 300 million Mora."
Wait—
How much?!
300 million?!
Before Lu Heng could react, Venti, who had been lounging on the sofa chatting with Zhongli, immediately sat up straight. Zhongli also froze for a moment before quickly understanding.
As everyone knew, Ganyu had been working in Liyue Harbor for thousands of years!
Yes.
Back when Liyue was first established and the Qixing were formed, Ganyu had already been assisting the original members.
Since it was work, of course, she had to be paid!
At first, Ganyu refused a salary—she was following the Emperor, after all, and as a half-adeptus, what use did she have for Mora? In her eyes, it was better to invest that money where it was needed most. As long as she was fed, that was enough.
Back then, Liyue was far from the prosperous nation it was today!
The main source of income was mining!
But times changed.
The Emperor's vision was far-reaching.
Mines would eventually be exhausted, right?
So they had to develop all sorts of industries.
Slowly, Liyue got back on its feet, but then they realized—Ganyu still wasn't receiving a salary!
How could that be right?
Though Ganyu was an adeptus and didn't care much for money, rules were rules. She had to be paid!
In the past, when times were tough, everyone worked hard for development—that was understandable!
But now that things were prosperous, how could they not pay her?
Besides, Ganyu lived among humans. Surely she needed Mora to sustain her life, right?
And so, Ganyu was handed her first paycheck.
She rarely spent Mora, but over the years, she had indeed used some.
As for the rest?
Naturally, she saved it.
And so, until today...
"How long would it take to earn 300 million?" Lu Heng asked curiously.
"At my current annual salary, without eating or drinking, about 500 years," Ganyu answered.
An annual salary of just 600,000?
Lu Heng had to admit, for someone like Ganyu, this salary was far too low.
But then again, if they tried to raise her salary, she'd probably refuse!
What kind of person was this?
An innate work saint!
Working at the same company for over 3,000 years, with a salary of just 6,000 a month!
If you tried to raise her salary, she'd turn you down!
Her efficiency was absurdly high, and she'd even voluntarily work overtime!
What boss wouldn't want an employee like that?
As Zhongli once said:
The prosperity of Liyue wasn't built solely on the divine decrees of the Geo Archon, but on the countless mortals and followers who upheld their contracts!
Without people like Ganyu, could Liyue have flourished under the Geo Archon alone? Unlikely.
Hardworking and uncomplaining, she'd even feel insecure if given a vacation, wondering if she was no longer needed.
If Lu Heng had an employee like that, he'd be laughing in his dreams.
Back to the topic of Ganyu's salary...
If only she hadn't been so prone to refusing back then, today's Ganyu would undoubtedly be among Liyue Harbor's wealthiest!
Not through any other means—just 3,000 years of wages!
What a shame.
Lu Heng snapped out of his thoughts. "Let's not dwell on the past. Will your salary increase in the future?"
Ganyu paused, thinking carefully before answering, "Probably...?"
She seemed conflicted.
Now that Mora had become increasingly important, the Qixing would surely find ways to raise her salary.
But should she accept it, or refuse as she had before?
Seeing her expression, Lu Heng knew she was struggling.
But she'd probably figure it out.
"Let's see what luck you have today."
Ganyu carried the bloodline of auspiciousness, but whether that luck translated to drawing cards was another matter.
Put simply, Teyvat's upper limits were fixed. What counted as auspicious in Teyvat might not mean much when it came to drawing cards.
If a pure-blooded qilin from a higher realm were to draw, Lu Heng suspected the results would be far better.
Ganyu converted her Mora into draws.
30,000 draws!
Immediately, Zhongli and Venti crowded around to watch.
"Emper—Mr. Zhongli," Ganyu greeted respectfully.
Zhongli, seeing her expression, immediately said gravely, "Let me make one thing clear—whatever you draw has nothing to do with me!"
What to do when a child is too filial?
It was heartwarming, but Zhongli absolutely would not accept it.
Ganyu blinked, stunned.
Right.
That was exactly the sort of thing the Emperor would say.
She silently tapped the 10,000-draw button.
Eight purple cards appeared, with nothing else noteworthy.
Another 10,000-draw.
Golden light erupted!
"Here comes the good stuff!"
Venti perked up instantly.
Zhongli's expression also turned serious.
Five-star gold cards had no truly "useless" options—only three possibilities:
Something good!Something good but not immediately useful!Something good but physically repulsive!
The last category included things like Ningguang's [Blood Demon's Body] or Furina's [Abyssal Maw].
If you could stomach them, they were actually quite powerful—it just depended on whether you had a choice.
"Let's not rush. Finish drawing first?" Lu Heng suggested.
"Okay."
Ganyu nodded gently, a hint of joy bubbling in her heart.
She tapped the final 10,000-draw.
"Another gold?!"
How was this fair?!
30,000 draws, two gold cards—was this reasonable?
Tartaglia couldn't comprehend it. He was both shocked and envious.
Was this the draw data of a lucky god?
The jealousy burned!
Lu Heng shot him a glance.
Clearly, Klee's single-draw gold was an extreme rarity. While enviable, it wasn't too outrageous.
But 30,000 draws provided slightly more meaningful reference data.
Though, the poor fool probably hadn't heard of Furina's legendary three gold cards in 30,000 draws.
"Ganyu's luck is quite good," Zhongli remarked with a smile.
He was pleased.
The stronger his juniors like Ganyu became, the more gratified he felt.
Looking at the two gold cards lying face-down on the table, Ganyu also smiled sweetly.
Now, it was time to see what the two cards actually did.
"Let's take a look."
Lu Heng flipped the first one.
The illustration depicted an incredibly muscular arm.
Its fist was clenched, the bulging biceps prominently displayed.
Around the flexed arm were upward-pointing arrows, as if indicating some kind of buff.
What the heck was this?
Lu Heng's gaze shifted to Ganyu's slender arms.
Of course, Ganyu's combat prowess was nothing like her delicate appearance suggested!
Every adeptus who survived the Archon War was formidable in their own right!
Ganyu was proficient in all eighteen weapons!
A sweet, gentle-looking girl who could wield any weapon with mastery!
But... if she really ended up with muscles like the ones on the card, would that even be okay?!
What, was she supposed to become some kind of buffed-up warrior princess?!
"I..."
Ganyu also looked terrified.
A storm of conflicting emotions raged within her.
This was, after all, a five-star gold card...
Equipping it would undoubtedly strengthen Liyue's foundations.
For Liyue, for the Emperor... should she accept it, or mentally prepare herself before accepting it?
Zhongli's expression also shifted abruptly.
The muscles reminded him of his most valiant general, the Tengu Marshal Bosacius!
But replacing Bosacius's face with Ganyu's gentle features... how could that be right?!
Zhongli took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling.
If it came to it, he'd have to accept his child's filial offering!
Lu Heng swiped his hand over the card's surface.
After appraisal, the five-star gold card not only became clearer and more colorful but also gained additional effects!
The muscular arm remained unchanged, but the surrounding arrows now continuously rose before vanishing.
[Enhancement Amplification]
[Rarity]: Five-star Gold
[Type]: [Skill Card]
[Description]: When this skill is used, all attributes are amplified omnidirectionally. The enhancement will not exceed five-star tier.
—Skill potency +1, hooray~!
The description was playful, but it made everyone exhale in relief.
Ganyu wiped away nonexistent sweat from her forehead.
So it was just an enhancement skill card—she'd scared herself for nothing.
Zhongli's tension also dissipated completely.
"This card is ridiculously strong," Lu Heng commented.
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T/N:
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