[Extraordinary Group Chat]
[Osel]: No way, I'm a Demon God! How dare you?! (Kamisato Ayaka · Stunned)
[Kaeya]: White clothes outshining snow, striding across the sea—handsome as hell! (Clapping)
[Dvalin]: Betting Osel begs for mercy after a few moves! I bet ten moves! (Venti · Confetti)
[Venti]: I bet eight!
[Furina]: I bet six!
[Raiden Ei]: One spear thrust and done! (Nodding)
[Osel]: Do you people have any respect for a Demon God at all? You really think anyone can pin me down at Qingyun Peak with a single spear like Morax did?! (Xinyan · Furious)
[Osel]: All of you, open your eyes wide and watch how I handled Gu Chen in our previous life! (Paimon · Leave it to me!)
In the video.
Gu Chen quickly closed in on Osel.
Osel had already noticed Gu Chen's presence by now, sensing the threat emanating from him.
Neither side exchanged words. The battle was about to erupt.
Five streams of elemental energy shot straight toward Gu Chen, while a massive vortex suddenly appeared beneath his feet.
Gu Chen's expression remained unchanged. He strode across the seawater as if it were flat ground. With a flash of his figure, the silver-white spear thrust out.
Pfft!
The spear tip pierced one of Osel's heads, slicing through it like tofu without the slightest resistance.
In the next moment, Gu Chen swept the spear horizontally, sending that head plummeting toward the sea surface!
Before Osel could react, Gu Chen spun around fiercely, his spear already impaling another of Osel's heads and severing it in the same manner!
[Venti]: @ [Osel] My eyes are wide open. I just saw two of your heads get chopped off—one per move! Absolutely brilliant!
[Kaeya]: Say something! Why aren't you talking?! (Grinning)
[Rahu Dragon King]: Tsk, is that all Osel's got? Looks like I overestimated him. (Facepalm)
[Paimon]: Gu Chen made it look so easy? Osel didn't even put up much of a fight!
[Osel]: Just caught off guard, that's all. My heads are condensed from elemental energy anyway—it's no big deal!
[Dvalin]: Guess Demon God mouths are the hardest part. You're on the verge of death and still won't admit it. Even as an elemental dragon, I wouldn't dare say losing a wing is "no big deal," but you just did!
[Tartaglia]: Osel doesn't seem that impressive. (Confused)
If not for the adepti struggling against Osel earlier, everyone might have thought he was all talk.
But in front of Gu Chen, Osel truly was all talk.
Sensing the threat of death after losing two heads, Osel grew even more enraged.
A massive head whipped toward Gu Chen. He dodged with a flash of his figure and thrust his spear down, piercing it once more.
Osel let out a pained howl.
Sizzle!
Another spear strike landed, and Osel's aura grew even weaker.
"Get lost!"
As Gu Chen's words fell, he withdrew his spear and plunged it toward the seabed.
Boom!
The silver-white spear plunged into the sea, striking Osel's body hidden beneath the waves.
The razor-sharp spear, carrying terrifying force, mercilessly pierced through Osel's body.
Osel's surface body visibly slackened, slowly sinking into the depths.
[Paimon]: Osel's dead just like that? (Paimon · Shocked)
[Dvalin]: Nah, Gu Chen wouldn't kill Osel so casually.
[Osel]: See? He couldn't do anything to me! (Shrugging)
[Zhongli]: Isn't it possible that killing Osel would cause him to erupt with devastating power and pollute the seas? Considering that, Gu Chen held back and just suppressed him instead?
[Osel]: ...
Would it kill you not to point that out?
Can't you leave a Demon God some face?!
[Furina]: Five moves. I counted five—off by just one from my guess. I win! (Venti · Celebrating)
[Kaeya]: Off by one move, but that one move's worth an entire Tartaglia! (Grinning)
[Tartaglia]: What the—?! Why am I the unit of measurement again? (Qiqi · Collapsing)
[Rahu Dragon King]: Ignoring Gu Chen, Liyue's strength seems pretty weak! Now I'm even more confident! (Rahu Dragon King · Roaring)
[Lumine]: Isn't it possible that Rex Lapis really isn't dead?
[Rahu Dragon King]: ?
[Osel]: Hah, I don't buy it. I was about to reach Liyue Harbor. If not for Gu Chen, it would've been a river of blood. Morax still hasn't shown up—doesn't he care about his people?
[Ningguang]: Watch the video yourself.
In the video.
After suppressing Osel, Gu Chen returned to shore amid the cheering Liyue citizens welcoming back their hero.
Slipping away from the enthusiastic crowd, Gu Chen brought Lumine and Paimon to the Northland Bank.
The moment they entered, they witnessed a jaw-dropping scene.
Tartaglia was arguing with Signora, with a calm-looking Zhongli standing nearby.
"Seems some acquaintances of yours have arrived." Signora said coolly.
"It's Zhongli and Tartaglia. Wait—you're that Fatui Harbinger!" Paimon pointed at Signora in shock.
"Signora!" Lumine frowned.
"Hmph, it's you two. We met once in the bard's city, right? Not bad—you remembered my name well."
"Ah—it's hard to forget the feeling of watching a friend lose something precious right in front of you, powerless to stop it..."
A sneer crossed the arrogant Signora's face.
Tartaglia's expression suddenly turned odd, and he fell silent.
Sizzle!
The air was sliced by a sharp blade.
The tip of the silver-white spear was already pressed against Signora's fair neck. Gu Chen's gaze was hostile as he said, "Venti going easy on you doesn't mean I will. Think twice with that fire-scorched brain of yours before you speak!"
Feeling the sting from the spear tip, Signora was both shocked and furious.
With a cold snort, she said, "Got it!"
Gu Chen withdrew his spear.
Signora turned to Zhongli. "No need to waste time. Per our agreement, I'm here for your Gnosis, Morax."
"What are you talking about?!" Paimon was dumbfounded.
"The contract is fulfilled. As promised, I grant you the object you seek."
Zhongli calmly raised his hand, and a pale yellow chess piece materialized in his palm—the Gnosis!
"What?! You're Rex Lapis?!"
Paimon was stunned, as if seeing Zhongli for the first time.
Lumine had suspected as much before but lacked proof. Now, seeing this, she wore an "as expected" expression and glanced at Gu Chen, who seemed utterly unsurprised, as if he'd known all along.
[Hu Tao]: ???
[Tartaglia]: ???
[Ningguang]: As expected. I had my suspicions, but now it's confirmed—Rex Lapis faked his death!
[Keqing]: I don't get it. Why would Rex Lapis do this?! (Kamisato Ayaka · Stunned)
[Osel]: @ [Rahu Dragon King] Don't contact me anymore. I'm afraid Rex Lapis will misunderstand.
[Gu Chen]: Scared now? (Grinning)
[Venti]: Bro, you're no match either. Too weak! (Grinning)
[Rahu Dragon King]: Speechless. Total waste. Why don't you stand up and fight Morax yourself? (Sneering)
[Rahu Dragon King]: @ [Zhongli] Cowardly sneak. When I break free, I'll make your fake death real! (Xinyan · Furious)
[Zhongli]: You're welcome anytime. (Shrugging)