The Mora spun high into the air before landing neatly in Ningguang's palm.
Heads.
Ningguang paused for a moment, then let out a soft, relieved laugh.
So, fate is guiding me to choose that man, is it?
She tossed the Mora again, and once more, it landed on heads.
This casual act piqued her curiosity. She tossed the Mora a third time.
Heads again!
Ningguang's heart skipped a beat. She examined the Mora closely and her eyes widened in surprise—both sides of the coin were heads!
A misprint?
It was common knowledge that all Mora were crafted by the Geo Archon, Morax, not minted in some factory. The likelihood of a misprinted Mora with two heads was practically nonexistent.
But as the saying goes, there's always an exception. In this world, misprinted coins did exist. Some speculated they were the result of Rex Lapis having a bit too much to drink.
As the saying goes, rarity increases value. Just like in the real world, these misprinted Mora were highly prized for their scarcity. Even Ningguang, the wealthiest person in Liyue, only owned one as a collector's item.
Ningguang seemed to realize something and quickly emptied the contents of her coin pouch. To her astonishment, every single Mora inside was a misprint with two heads!
Could this truly be a sign from Rex Lapis?
Had he altered these Mora to guide her toward supporting Lucas as the Tianshu?
The thought sent a chill down Ningguang's spine, and a fine layer of sweat formed on her smooth back.
---
Not long after, a nimble figure slipped through the door, grinning mischievously. "I'm here! It's rare for you to call me so early. Couldn't sleep and wanted to chat?"
The newcomer was, of course, Yelan.
Ningguang, her expression serious, said, "Actually, there's something important I need to discuss with you..."
The matter at hand was naturally about asking Yelan to support Lucas in becoming the Tianshu. However, even Ningguang found it somewhat difficult to broach the subject.
After all, she had initially asked Yelan to become the Tianshu herself. Now, asking her to support someone else instead might come off as manipulative. Knowing Yelan's personality, even if she agreed, she would likely respond with her usual sarcasm.
Seeing Ningguang hesitate, Yelan chuckled and said, "Funny you should mention that. I also have something to discuss. Should I go first?"
Ningguang nodded. "Go ahead."
"Alright, I'll cut to the chase," Yelan said casually. "About the Tianshu election... I'm afraid I won't be able to fulfill the task."
Ningguang was slightly taken aback. Though she felt relieved, she didn't show it and instead asked, "Why the sudden change of heart? This isn't like you."
The reason Yelan had given up on the Tianshu position was the same as Ningguang's.
Moreover, her dream had been far more intense than Ningguang's. Even after waking up, she could still feel the lingering pain Lucas had inflicted on her in the dream.
Of course, Yelan couldn't use the dream as an excuse, so she casually offered another reason. "I suddenly realized that becoming the Tianshu would come with a lot of power, but also a lot of restrictions. It might not suit me... Besides, I'm not really cut out for 'Genius Invokation TCG.' I probably wouldn't make it past the second round anyway."
Knowing Yelan as well as she did, Ningguang immediately saw through the excuse. After all, something as simple as 'Genius Invokation TCG' wouldn't be a challenge for Yelan.
Yelan's sudden change of heart must have had another reason, but since it worked in her favor, Ningguang decided not to press further. She smiled and said, "In that case, I have another task for you—help Lucas become the Tianshu."
At these words, Yelan's eyes lit up, though her expression remained unchanged. "Why him? If I recall correctly, he's under the Yuheng's wing, isn't he?"
"Not for long," Ningguang said confidently. "I'm sure I can win him over."
"Oh?" Yelan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And how do you plan to do that?"
Ningguang smiled. "What men desire can be boiled down to three things: power, wealth, and women. If he wants power, I can make him the head of the Qixing. If he wants wealth, that's even easier—it's something I have in abundance..."
Yelan's lips curled into a sly smile as she interjected, "But what if he only wants women?"
Ningguang straightened her posture, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Do you really think there's a man in this world I can't handle?"
"Others might believe that," Yelan said, shaking her head. "But don't try to fool me. You've never even been in a relationship, yet you act like you know men inside and out."
"Ahem... enough of that!" Ningguang coughed, slightly embarrassed. "In any case, I need you to deliver this message to Lucas. Let's start by giving him a favor he can't refuse."
---
And so, Yelan found herself in the reception room of Ganyu's residence.
When Lucas and Ganyu arrived, Yelan was idly playing with a set of dice. Seeing them enter, she stood up and smiled. "Ningguang was right. You two..."
Both Lucas and Ganyu's expressions shifted slightly, but Ganyu quickly composed herself and asked, "What brings you here, Miss Yelan? Is it... related to the Tianshu election?"
It was the only reason Ganyu could think of for Yelan's visit.
"Lady Ganyu, you're as sharp as ever!" Yelan nodded with a smile. "Actually, there's something I'd like to discuss privately with Mr. Lucas. If you don't mind..."
Ganyu immediately understood the implication. Though she was curious, she nodded and said, "You two go ahead and talk. I'll prepare some snacks in the kitchen."
As Ganyu left and closed the door behind her, Yelan grinned mischievously. "I didn't expect you to be so capable, catching the eye of even the Qixing's envoy."
It seemed Ningguang had kept her word and hadn't revealed to Yelan that her relationship with Ganyu was a facade.
Lucas quickly changed the subject. "Miss Yelan, what exactly did you want to discuss with me?"
"Oh, 'Miss Yelan' now? A few days ago in the back kitchen of Wanmin Restaurant," Yelan sat on the tea table, crossing one leg over Lucas's lap, her gaze teasing, "you weren't nearly this cold."