Three hours later, the "Sustainer of Heavenly Principles"... ah, no, it was Ah Quan, readjusted her clothes.
"It's torn here," the Herrscher of the Void stated, her face devoid of expression.
"Ah, it's fine. It's not like anyone else can see it anyway."
The three wings of the Subspace Lances on Ah Quan's back had become translucent and crystalline. Her brilliant golden eyes stared coldly at Ye Feng.
"Didn't you say that lust injures the body?"
"Lust injures the body. And I'm perfectly happy with that."
"..."
The Herrscher of the Void fell silent. She glanced at Cecilia, who was still in the hot spring. The married woman, with her smooth, rounded shoulders exposed, returned the Herrscher's gaze with a gentle smile, yet she remained completely oblivious to Ye Feng's presence.
"Don't do this again," the Herrscher of the Void said to Ye Feng.
"She's just a piece of virtual data. Even if I were to enter, I'd have to specially simulate the feeling myself. It's completely illusory, with no sense of reality."
Instantly, a ferocious malevolence erupted from the Herrscher of the Void's golden eyes, as if to say, "Say one more word, and I'll slice you to pieces."
"Oh? You know you're no match for me, and that even if you tried, you'd just end up pinned to the ground with your ass in the air, yet you still want to draw your sword? Haji-Void... you're really getting good at this. Even Saber would be moved to tears."
Dressed in the attire of the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, the Herrscher of the Void said nothing, merely staring at him with eyes full of divine majesty.
Ye Feng, however, wore the expression of a proud father, looking at her with a sense of欣慰, as if thinking, "It seems you've grown up."
"This is wonderful, Ah Quan. You finally have something you want to protect, instead of just being a machine of destruction."
"..."
In the past, the Herrscher of the Void would have retorted with a few scathing remarks, or at the very least, her "queen's pride" would have been ignited with rage.
Her sentiment would have been something like, "Mere humans, ants. What is there worth protecting?"
But now, she neither confirmed nor denied it. She simply unleashed her oppressive aura, expressing her anger.
Ye Feng sat on a low rock by the hot spring and smiled. "Alright, don't be angry. What I mean is, since you like her so much, Ah Quan, I'll resurrect her in the future and give her to you to play with. How about it?"
The Herrscher of the Void's pupils widened.
She was the "evil side" that had split off from Sirin. When all the dark desires for revenge and slaughter faded away, all that remained was the initial, most heart-pounding emotion... the longing for a mother's love.
Though she remained silent, her trembling eyes clearly asked, "Really?"
"When have I ever lied to you? As for the timing... it'll probably have to wait until the grand finale."
"Grand finale? What do you mean?"
"You don't need to worry about that. In any case, hearing this news must make you very happy, right, Ah Quan?"
"..."
The Herrscher of the Void's eyes flickered, and her tightly clenched fists relaxed.
Seeing the "successful dog training," Ye Feng couldn't help but reveal a gentle smile.
In truth, her training had been more or less completed long ago. It was just that she would go through a rebellious phase every now and then.
"Alright, can I ask you to do something for me, Ah Quan?"
"Can I refuse?"
Ye Feng sat brazenly beside Cecilia, his forearm held even higher. He placed his hands on his thighs and said:
"Kiana has extended her 'tentacles' to Teyvat through the Cosmic Juggernaut. I've already had Snakey pinpoint the coordinates. With your power, you should be able to travel to Teyvat using the Divine Key. This is an authority you inherently possess."
Oh. The Herrscher of the Void understood instantly.
He wanted her to act as a madam, to go and pimp for him.
"Yes, that's right. It's exactly what you're thinking."
Ye Feng admitted it openly. "I'm in a hurry. I'm the King of Impatience. Who knows how long it'll take for the [Map] to expand on its own. But it's now clear that by extending the 'tentacles' of those who have signed a contract with me, there's a high chance I can pull in the people I want."
Ye Feng slurped. "People like... Ganyu, Keqing, Shenhe, Ayaka, the Raiden sisters, and so on and so forth. I've been craving them for a long time."
"Hey? Ah Quan, what's with that expression? No need to be jealous, you all are still my favorites. It's just that after eating so many delicacies, you have to change your palate once in a while. Right, Ah Quan?"
What Ye Feng said wasn't wrong. They were all his favorites.
It was just like the meme, "I will always love xxx.jpg."
Did that mean he no longer loved the names that were crossed out before?
Of course not!
"I prepared this outfit especially for you. It can be manifested in the real world. Remember to wear it at all times when you're over there."
The Herrscher of the Void looked down at the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles' clothes. This could actually be manifested?
"The [Stigmas] I draw for you all can be manifested, can't they? What's so strange about this?"
"So you're saying... what I manifest in the real world... is a human body sketch?"
"Hmm?"
Ye Feng was slightly surprised. "You've just given me a new idea. Alaya is a human body sketch, and she also uses Kiana's body."
But speaking of bodies...
"I can't act over there without a physical body."
"No problem, I'll have Little Bug cooperate with you. If she doesn't listen, I'll drag her over here myself. She's been using the body all this time; it's about your turn."
After all, it was hard to say who that body truly belonged to.
Kiana and the Herrscher of the Void were two souls born from Sirin's wish, two branches growing from the same tree, stretching in different directions.
But the "root" was the same.
"See, I'm a very fair person. However, if you don't like it, Ah Quan, you can construct a body for yourself, just like Snakey did. The performance would definitely be even better."
"No, I'll use that body," the Herrscher of the Void stated.
"Alright. Then go and prepare."
Ye Feng waved his hand, but the Herrscher of the Void remained standing where she was.
She looked at Ye Feng, then looked worriedly at Cecilia in the hot spring.
"Why are you still here?"
"Uhm..."
The Herrscher of the Void hesitated, but the ever-perceptive Ye Feng said, "Relax. Although my fetishes are broad, I'm long past the phase of messing with data."
Long past?
So you're saying you've definitely done it before.
That made sense. How else would he understand it so clearly?
Having received Ye Feng's assurance, the Herrscher of the Void finally departed.
Though she herself didn't know why she had asked Ye Feng not to touch Cecilia.
---o---
St. Freya High School.
Underground Laboratory.
The Herrscher of the Void's consciousness suddenly appeared, startling Kiana.
"You, how did you get out?"
Kiana remembered Ye Feng saying that she was "imprisoned" in the snowy village and wouldn't appear unless it was something important.
And for the Herrscher of the Void to appear, it could only mean...
"Just a mission from Ye Feng."
The Herrscher of the Void said indifferently, her tone as majestic as a queen's.