"So, the curse worked, right?"
"I wonder what will happen next."
Qiu Xue smirked slyly.
The Doctor, holding Qiu Xue's weakened body, turned to the Mirror Maiden.
"I'll leave her to you."
Without another glance at Qiu Xue, he handed her over and walked off on his own.
"Understood, Lord Doctor."
The Mirror Maiden's face flushed slightly as she looked at the stunningly beautiful woman before her. Then, without hesitation, she lifted Qiu Xue onto her back.
Qiu Xue's smooth legs and delicate feet dangled against the Mirror Maiden's waist, while her arms draped over her shoulders.
Nearby, Fire Gun and Rock Gun gawked at her legs, eyes fixed in a daze.
However, a single cold glare from the Mirror Maiden made them quickly withdraw their indecent stares.
"I have to admit, the Mirror Maiden has an incredible figure."
"And she's so tall—at least 1.9 meters, right?"
Qiu Xue wondered to herself. Was everyone in Snezhnaya this tall?
—
Ding!
"Host mission complete!"
"Reward: One lucky draw chance!"
The system's voice echoed in Qiu Xue's mind.
"A lucky draw?"
Lying on the Mirror Maiden's back, Qiu Xue raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
Ding!
"Replying to Host!"
"The Host can open the system's lottery page to draw a reward!"
Hearing the explanation, Qiu Xue focused her thoughts.
"Open the lottery page!"
A dazzling array of golden items filled her vision, leaving her momentarily overwhelmed.
There were all sorts of strange things—like a counterfeit Heart of God that could double one's divine power.
"Draw!"
Qiu Xue called out internally.
Ding!
"Congratulations, Host! You have drawn... a pair of stockings condensed from the Law of Yang!"
"Pfft!"
Qiu Xue couldn't hold back and nearly choked on air.
The Mirror Maiden turned her head slightly, glancing at Qiu Xue's face in confusion.
"Is something wrong, miss?"
Qiu Xue quickly shook her head.
"No, no, it's nothing, sister! Just... thought of something funny."
"...I see."
The Mirror Maiden turned back around and continued carrying Qiu Xue forward.
Qiu Xue's face flushed red and pale in turns, embarrassment bubbling up inside her.
"System! You did that on purpose, didn't you?!"
She mentally shouted in indignation.
"Host, you wound me with such accusations!"
"These stockings are top-tier! Wearing them will slowly nourish your divine power!"
Hearing the system spew nonsense so seriously only made Qiu Xue more frustrated.
"Hehe~"
"Besides, don't you think these stockings suit you perfectly, Host?"
The system's previously mechanical voice now carried a disturbingly lecherous tone.
"...System, do you even hear yourself right now?"
Just as Qiu Xue was about to argue further—
Thud!
A loud sound came from ahead.
"Lord Doctor! Lord Doctor!"
"Are you alright?!"
The voices of four or five Fatui members pulled Qiu Xue back to reality.
Curious, she looked forward—only for the corner of her mouth to twitch.
Not far ahead, the Doctor had tripped over a stone.
The ground was still damp, likely from rain the night before. He had landed right in a patch of mud, and even his raven mask was smeared with it.
The surrounding Fatui were about to help him up, but he raised a hand to stop them. Though his face was hidden, his posture radiated silent fury.
A second later, he kicked the offending stone away in frustration.
Then, turning his head, his gaze landed on Qiu Xue, still lying on the Mirror Maiden's back.
"Haha… It seems this place really is a tripping hazard."
"Miss, if you ever pass through here again, be sure to watch your step."
The Doctor had never experienced such an embarrassing moment before—his only option was to laugh it off.
Just moments ago, he had been suspecting Qiu Xue of being a spy from Liyue Harbor.
But now...
He took a deep breath and resumed walking forward.
And then—
Thud!
He fell again.
"Pfft—"
"Hahahahaha!"
Qiu Xue couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into laughter.
The Fatui members covered their mouths, stifling their laughter—they wanted to laugh but didn't dare.
Even the Mirror Maiden pressed a hand to her lips, her expression betraying her struggle to hold back a chuckle.
The Cryo Fatui Skirmisher from earlier, known as Bing Pang among his peers, watched with his usual blank expression.
"Doctor, you're so funny."
"You fell twice in a row." Bing Pang looked at the fallen Doctor and spoke innocently.
The Doctor shook himself off, stood up, and looked behind him at Bing Pang.
The intent to murder was unmistakable in his eyes.
"So this is how a curse works, huh?"
"Hahaha, seeing the ever-serious Doctor trip and fall is just too funny!"
Qiu Xue quickly covered her mouth, barely suppressing her laughter when the Doctor turned to glance her way.
Ding!
"Host, the stronger the target, the more effective the curse!"
"It will bring them bad luck for an entire day!"
The system explained.
"I see... No wonder the Doctor is having such a streak of misfortune. And this is without me even fully using this authority."
Nodding as she processed the explanation, Qiu Xue turned her gaze back to the increasingly unlucky Doctor.
The Doctor stood up once more, no longer caring about the dirt clinging to his robes, and continued forward.
"What the hell is going on?"
He muttered to himself, puzzled by his sudden misfortune.
This time, he meticulously watched where he stepped, ensuring each movement was slow and deliberate to avoid tripping again.
But no amount of caution could protect him from what came next.
Above him, a flock of birds circled in the sky.
And then—
With perfect timing, a rain of bird droppings came pelting down on him like a cruel joke.
The Doctor looked up at the sky.
For all his composure, he couldn't stop himself from blurting out,
"Holy shit!"
...
And so, throughout the journey, the Fatui and Qiu Xue witnessed an ongoing spectacle—watching the Doctor stumble, trip, and get pelted from above.
...
After a full night of travel, the first light of dawn broke over Liyue. A golden ray of sunlight pierced through the dense forest at the city's outskirts.
At last, their group had arrived near Liyue Harbor.
Gathered around a small campfire, the Doctor, the Fatui, and Qiu Xue sat in silence.
The Doctor, now significantly less composed than usual, finally spoke up.
"Please, young lady, do not speak of today's events to anyone."
A polite smile graced his face, though it was clear he was eager to bury this entire day.
"Don't worry, my lord. You saved me, and I haven't even thanked you yet."
"My leg has mostly healed, and since we're so close to Liyue Harbor, I'll return on my own from here."
Qiu Xue looked at the Doctor's forced smile and barely held back her laughter.
Who would've thought the infamous Doctor could make such a face?
"Haha, that's good to hear."
"Then, perhaps we shall meet again if fate allows."
The Doctor kept his polite expression, though inwardly, he was desperate to see her leave.
"Mirror Maiden, brothers, I'll be going ahead!"
"Come find me in Liyue Harbor if you ever get the chance!"
Qiu Xue stood up, dusted off her clothes, and started walking toward Liyue Harbor.
The Mirror Maiden watched her retreating figure with a tinge of sadness.
She wasn't sure if, after today, she'd ever get the chance to see Qiu Xue again.
"The Doctor plans to release the abyssal god..."
"I wonder if this young lady will be caught up in it."
Her gaze lingered on the fire as she fell into silent contemplation.
Meanwhile, Bing Pang stood up as well and called out,
"Goodbye, big sister!"
Without turning around, Qiu Xue raised a hand and waved.
"Goodbye, Bing Pang!"
The Doctor watched Qiu Xue's silhouette disappear into the distance.
Then, a cold smirk crept onto his lips.
"Well, as a Liyue native, you won't be alive for much longer anyway."
"I suppose I can let you live for one more day."
The smirk vanished in an instant, replaced once more by his usual, amiable smile.
Turning to the Fatui around him, he spoke with a chilling finality.
"Today's events never happened."
"Understood?"
The Fatui members hastily nodded.
They knew all too well just how twisted and terrifying the Doctor truly was.