"Huh?" Hu Tao stared at the young man in front of her in disbelief. What nonsense was he spouting? How could someone not die?
"Mhm," Akio nodded with a smile, looking at the stunned Hu Tao.
"Impossible! The balance of yin and yang, the unpredictability of fate—death may be hard to predict, but it follows its own rules. As humans, we must respect death and not provoke it lightly," Hu Tao regained her composure and spoke seriously.
"Then what if I told you there's a possibility I'm not human?" Akio leaned closer to the girl and whispered, "A god who controls life and death—how could death ever touch me?"
"..." Hu Tao stared blankly at Akio as he walked away with a smile.
"!" Hu Tao snapped out of her daze and watched Akio's retreating figure, biting her little fang in frustration. Ugh, I'm usually the one teasing others! How did I lose so badly today?
"Even gods can't escape death!" Hu Tao muttered to herself. She didn't believe what Akio had said. Even Rex Lapis would one day pass away, and when that happened, wouldn't it still be the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's job to handle his remains?
With that thought, Hu Tao's mood lifted, and she hummed a tune as she walked away.
"The sun's out, so I'll bask in the sun…"
...
"Achoo!" At that moment, Zhongli, who was enjoying a performance at the teahouse, suddenly sneezed.
Someone nearby asked with concern, "Mr. Zhongli, are you catching a cold? Should I fetch some medicine from Bubu Pharmacy?"
"Thank you for your concern," Zhongli shook his head. "Perhaps I caught a slight chill last night. A cup of hot tea should suffice to drive away the cold."
"Strange… Why did I sneeze?" Zhongli wondered to himself.
After teasing the girl, Akio was in a much better mood. It didn't take long for him to reach the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
"Hello! This is a restricted area of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter," a Millelith guard stopped Akio at the entrance.
"Then could you please inform Secretary Ganyu of Yuehai Pavilion that a friend is here to see her?" Akio said. If he wasn't allowed in, then so be it.
"A friend of Secretary Ganyu? I've never seen you before," one of the Millelith guards frowned at Akio. Since when did Secretary Ganyu have such a handsome male friend?
You see, this guard came from a wealthy family and had used his connections to join the Millelith just to be close to Ganyu. He had been infatuated with her for so long but had never even gotten near her.
"?" Akio frowned at the guard. "What does Ganyu's friend have to do with you? Do I need your approval?"
"Hmph, Secretary Ganyu is busy with work and can't be disturbed right now. You should leave," the guard waved his hand dismissively, trying to shoo Akio away.
"..." Akio felt a surge of anger rising within him. "I'll say it again. Go and inform Ganyu. Now."
"Who do you think you are?" The spoiled guard immediately took offense. He glared at Akio and shouted, "I'm warning you, leave the Ministry of Civil Affairs immediately, or I'll arrest you for disturbing the peace!"
"Hah…" Akio laughed in anger, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Enough! Brother! We're on duty at the Ministry. Don't make a scene," another Millelith guard stepped in to mediate.
"It's just a message. I'll go and inform her," the other guard said. "You know Secretary Ganyu's personality. She probably won't see him anyway."
"Don't you dare! Who do you think you are, giving me orders?" The spoiled guard roared. This wasn't just about informing Ganyu—it was about his pride!
He had never been spoken to like this in his entire life.
"You should leave now!" The other guard turned to Akio and waved his hand, signaling him to go.
"Does he dare?" The spoiled guard shouted, pointing his white-tasseled spear at Akio. "Take one step and see what happens!"
"A mere ant dares to insult a god like this?" Akio's eyes burned with anger. He had promised Morax not to cause trouble, and he didn't want to stoop to the level of an ant. But this guy had gone too far—even pointing a weapon at him?
Under Akio's wrath, the white-tasseled spear in the guard's hand began to crack and shatter. An ordinary weapon couldn't withstand the pressure of a god's aura.
In an instant, an overwhelming pressure enveloped the entire Ministry of Civil Affairs, leaving everyone feeling suffocated.
"..." Zhongli seemed to sense something and his expression changed. He quickly stood up and hurried out.
"Mr. Zhongli, you haven't paid yet!" The storyteller called out.
"Put it on the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's tab, as usual. I have an urgent matter," Zhongli said as he rushed off.
In the eyes of the terrified onlookers, the spoiled guard was lifted into the air by an invisible force.
"The nation of contracts, the gathering place of the world's wealth—how could such scum exist here?" Akio's gaze was cold. As expected, wherever there are people, there's conflict. This spoiled brat, who knows nothing but how to waste his life, has even become a Millelith guard? What a disgrace to the Millelith!
The spatial force slowly tightened, and blood began to seep from the guard's seven orifices. His screams echoed through the air.
"Lord Akio! Please show mercy!"
At that moment, a melodious voice rang out. Everyone turned to see Ningguang and Ganyu approaching. The one who had spoken was Ningguang.
"Show mercy? Ningguang, is this how Liyue treats its guests?" Akio said coldly.
"My apologies, Lord Akio. He's just an ordinary Millelith guard. He didn't know your identity," Ningguang quickly explained.
"A mere Millelith guard dares to treat me like this? If it were an ordinary citizen, wouldn't they be bullied to death?" Akio roared. "With a single word, he dares to pass judgment? To throw someone in prison? If it were an ordinary family, wouldn't he ruin their lives?"
"Ningguang, you rose from humble beginnings to where you are today. How can you let such behavior slide? Are you so comfortable in your position as the Tianquan that you've forgotten your roots?" Akio stared at Ningguang. "Or has wealth made you blind to the suffering of the common people?"
Ningguang's face paled, and she fell silent.
She suddenly found herself at a loss for words.
The man before her was a god personally acknowledged by Rex Lapis, someone who had to be treated with the utmost respect. A single word from him could have unimaginable consequences. And now, he had placed such a heavy accusation on her shoulders.
"Lord Akio…" Ganyu was about to speak when she suddenly noticed a figure approaching. She felt relieved.
Rex Lapis had arrived. Now, they could rest easy.
"Akio, I'm deeply sorry this happened. It's my fault," Morax said. "Please spare him. I'll make sure he's properly disciplined. Consider this a favor I owe you."
Akio looked at Morax. On that divine face, only he could see a hint of pleading.
"Death can be spared, but punishment cannot be avoided!" Akio nodded and waved his hand. The guard's limbs twisted and shattered, and he let out a blood-curdling scream before passing out.
Akio tossed him aside like garbage. He had his own considerations—after all, they were in Liyue. Killing him outright would be too disrespectful to Morax. After all, the guard's life wasn't worth as much as a favor from Rex Lapis.
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