5:30 AM.
Diluc was already standing in line outside the Liyue branch of the card shop.
He had arrived early, but he was still only in the middle of the queue.
The card shop's popularity in Liyue was within his expectations.
A little waiting time was nothing to him.
Morning.
Lu Heng woke up feeling refreshed.
The challenger who had dared to face him on the battlefield last night was still asleep.
Lu Heng didn't wake them, letting them rest and recover their strength for the next time they'd bravely challenge him again.
Before leaving, he thoughtfully left a thick blanket over them.
Then, the teleportation array activated, its watery ripples gradually swallowing Lu Heng's figure.
Opening the Shop.
Lu Heng unlocked the shop's doors.
"Boss Lu, morning! Had breakfast yet?"
"Mr. Lu, you're early today!"
"Good morning, Mr. Lu!"
Lu Heng nodded slightly, smiling in response. "You're all early too. Been waiting long? If you're here to pull cards, go ahead. I'm just grabbing some food first."
Even though the meals made from ordinary ingredients didn't have any special effects, Lu Heng didn't rely solely on card-based tools for every meal.
Walking through the morning streets of Liyue, he could keenly feel the city's lively atmosphere.
Everyone was a living, breathing person.
Some were rushing to work, their steps hurried.
Others strolled leisurely as if taking a casual walk.
Lu Heng bought a simple breakfast and sat down to enjoy it.
After finishing his meal, he slowly made his way back to the shop.
Sitting inside, he brewed a pot of tea before noticing Diluc in the queue.
To be honest, Lu Heng wasn't particularly surprised.
It made sense for Diluc to arrive earlier than the official representatives—after all, he had his own intelligence network.
What did surprise him was how quickly and early Diluc had come.
Diluc also noticed Lu Heng's gaze and gave a slight nod in greeting.
There was no rush.
Once his turn came, there would be plenty of time to talk.
At the End of the Street.
The street-roaming trio was already making their way toward the card shop.
Before long, Klee, spotting Lu Heng inside, shouted excitedly.
"Gah!"
The little girl, carrying her backpack, dashed through the crowd straight toward Lu Heng.
"Is that the youngest titled knight of the Knights of Favonius?"
Diluc was slightly taken aback.
"She's here too? And seems very familiar with Lu Heng."
"Master Diluc~!" Venti waved at him.
"It's you?"
Diluc nodded slightly.
This drunkard was clearly no ordinary person—his relaxed demeanor made that obvious.
He must have arrived in Liyue days ago and was already mingling with locals, likely having made friends.
"Diluc?"
"That name sounds familiar."
Tartaglia thought for a moment before it clicked. "Oh! The guy they said repeatedly destroyed the Fatui's strongholds back then, right?"
Diluc's brows furrowed slightly.
He studied Tartaglia carefully.
A Fatui Harbinger!
Just from the aura, Diluc could almost confirm his identity.
His wrist tensed, but his expression remained neutral.
There were too many people around. No matter what, he couldn't start a fight here and risk harming innocents.
"You know him too?" Zhongli asked, surprised.
"Not personally, just by reputation," Tartaglia shrugged.
At nineteen, Tartaglia had only become a Harbinger after falling into the Abyss at fourteen.
His rise wasn't immediate—he had spent years proving himself on battlefields before catching the Tsaritsa's attention and being granted a Delusion.
Diluc's clashes with the Fatui had happened about four years ago, around the time Tartaglia was newly appointed.
Back then, someone had sought revenge after Il Dottore's experiments in Mondstadt.
The conflict had dragged on for months, forcing a Harbinger to intervene—though Tartaglia himself hadn't been involved.
What intrigued Tartaglia was that Diluc had fought without a Vision, relying solely on a Delusion.
"With both a Vision and a Delusion, how strong would he be?"
In the past, Tartaglia would've been eager for a duel.
But now? Without powerful cards, Diluc simply didn't interest him enough.
"Seems like a man with quite the history," Zhongli remarked mildly.
He wasn't familiar with Diluc, so he didn't press further, merely exchanging nods before heading into the shop.
"Master Diluc, I've got high hopes for you. May the Anemo Archon bless you," Venti said cheerfully.
Diluc's expression didn't change as he nodded again.
Inside the Shop.
"That kid's adorable."
Lu Heng mused that he should try having one of his own someday.
"Here to spectate?" Lu Heng glanced at the three.
Tartaglia wasn't here to pull cards—he was still saving up for a big haul.
Zhongli and Venti? Broke. They barely had enough for meals, let alone gacha.
So their purpose was obvious: Venti wanted to watch Diluc pull, and Zhongli and Tartaglia were curious too.
"Take a seat, have some tea."
Lu Heng poured tea for the trio before asking, "Got any rare teas left?"
Zhongli shook his head. "All out."
As the Geo Archon, Zhongli's private stash had been top-tier—but he'd already gifted it all to Lu Heng.
"...Pity." Lu Heng sighed.
Teyvat's native teas were excellent.
He'd been hoping someone might pull something like "Enlightenment Tea" so he could try it.
No such luck yet.
As they drank and chatted, time passed.
Lu Heng sat behind the counter, pouring tea for Diluc.
"Did you research before coming?"
Diluc nodded. "But not in-depth."
"No worries. Ask if you have any questions later."
For big spenders like this, Lu Heng was happy to explain personally.
With a smile, he asked, "How much are you planning to spend?"
"Five billion."
"How much?!"
Venti's ears practically twitched.
Five billion?!
Even if converted into coins, that was enough to skip stones across water five thousand times!
In terms of pulls? Five billion meant five hundred thousand attempts!
Zhongli was equally stunned.
He'd thought Ningguang's four billion was insane—but this was even crazier!
"That rich?"
Tartaglia gaped. "How does he compare to Ningguang?"
"Hard to say," Venti admitted.
In terms of total assets, Ningguang was undoubtedly wealthier—Liyue's economy ensured that.
But liquid funds? Diluc might have the edge.
After all, Mondstadt was a nation of alcoholics.
As the undisputed king of Mondstadt's wine industry, Dawn Winery's influence was immense.
The Ragnvindr family, one of Mondstadt's historic noble houses, owned sprawling vineyards.
For Diluc, as long as Dawn Winery kept producing, half the revenue was pure profit!
Wine was a lucrative business—cheap batches sold in bulk, premium ones as luxury goods.
Profit margins were always sky-high.
So Diluc casually dropping five billion? Totally within expectations.
"Master Diluc, ever considered hiring me as your lackey?" Venti asked solemnly.
Diluc just gave him a sidelong glance and ignored him.
Lu Heng chuckled. "Eager to climb the social ladder?"
"Absolutely," Venti laughed.
Not grabbing onto a thick golden thigh when you had the chance? That would be stupid.
Too bad—this thigh wasn't for holding.
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T/N:
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