Qin Yu lived in a rented apartment in Liyue. The furnished unit had reasonable rent, though its small size meant limited storage space. Still, it was quite comfortable.
Despite this, she'd been running short on money lately.
The job from a while back was gone. The boss had not only left workers unpaid but also vanished without a trace. The Ministry of Civil Affairs seemed to still be investigating the person's whereabouts.
Qin Yu hadn't received a single cent last month, and this month she hadn't found work either, just idling at home.
She herself, before awakening her memories from her previous life, had been a glutton who spent extravagantly on food and drink.
Though her figure remained unchanged, as good as ever, her wallet couldn't withstand this burden and had become much lighter.
In fact, if she didn't find work soon, her wallet would become completely empty, unable to even pay this month's rent.
No, it should be said that she couldn't even afford vegetables anymore, and could only go to the wilderness to gather wild herbs and fruits to cook at home.
She hadn't encountered any danger in the past few days, but today she did. If that white-haired Adeptus hadn't happened to pass by and come to her rescue, who knows what might have happened.
As Qin Yu reminisced, she stared at the "Wild Vegetable Platter" on her plate and reluctantly picked up her chopsticks with a bitter expression.
"Hmm... Mm... The taste is indeed not good."
But it was enough to fill her stomach.
After eating and drinking her fill, Qin Yu sat on the bed, organizing her memories.
In this life, her parents had been so angry they left without a trace, leaving only the name "Qin Yu" behind.
Fortunately, after that, a private school teacher adopted her and raised her as his own daughter.
However, the adoptive parent was already around 40 years old when he took her in. After raising her to adulthood, he couldn't overcome the natural laws and passed away, leaving her alone in the world.
No friends, no partner, no family - she could have been the Liyue Batman, but wait, she didn't have the superpower called "money".
She could only be the broke version of Batman.
Then today, she awakened her memories from her previous life.
"This is the world of Genshin Impact..."
As mentioned earlier, she hadn't played much Genshin Impact before, but she understood that since this mobile game had enemies to fight, this world could never be safe.
And indeed, based on her memories and knowledge from this world, there were many dangers lurking here.
Treasure Hoarders, demonic beasts...
Qin Yu suddenly recalled an incident from her past travels when she'd been unexpectedly attacked by demonic beasts. With no one around to help, she'd nearly met her maker.
Fortunately, a passing adventurer had come to her rescue at the last moment. Otherwise, she'd already be six feet under.
The memory sent shivers down her spine.
"Just as that Adeptus said, I got lucky this time. Next time might not be so fortunate. While I can try to avoid leaving the city, even within its walls isn't necessarily safe."
To protect herself, she needed to take some action.
"Speaking of which, what was that evaluation that popped up earlier?"
When she'd accidentally stumbled and been caught by the white-haired Adeptus Shenhe, a [ Evaluation: D+ ] had flashed in her vision... It looked quite similar to the combo evaluation system from Devil May Cry.
As Qin Yu pondered this, a translucent interface materialized before her eyes as if in response to her thoughts.
"I see..."
After some time, she managed to grasp the basics of the system.
This system called itself the "Sticker System."
Does that sound strange? In fact, it is truly bizarre! Similar to systems found in other web novels, this one has points that can be used to upgrade and obtain three types of power: "Skills," "Abilities," and "Attributes." It also allows purchasing and upgrading corresponding equipment and items.
But the problem lies in how these points are obtained.
It's simple in theory, yet deceptively difficult in practice. There is only one way to acquire points: by "snuggling" with specific female targets.
In other words, you have to get all citrusy with them.
Hugs, kisses on the cheek, that sort of thing...? Qin Yu wasn't entirely sure about the specifics, but it essentially meant maintaining a distinctly yuri atmosphere with other women.
The system also featured a combo mechanism.
The more snuggles you performed in a day, the higher your combo rating would climb.
Higher ratings granted increasingly powerful point bonuses.
Once midnight struck, the combo would automatically reset, and points would be tallied.
After thoroughly examining the system, Qin Yu fell into a prolonged silence.
Then she clutched her head and exclaimed, "What kind of twisted thing is this?!?!"
While the prospect of quickly becoming stronger through shortcuts sounded appealing, the price demanded her to become intimate with other women?
What kind of joke is this?! If she could manage to form genuine connections with others, she wouldn't have earned the title of "Lone Legend" in both lifetimes!
Forget about that dizzying combo evaluation that made her vision go dark. To achieve high evaluations, she'd have to cling desperately, to maintain intense physical contact with other women.
This was essentially working a job! Putting on an act!
Yet she couldn't deny the allure of this power.
At a glance, skills were divided into "Combat" and "Production" categories. Each section offered a dazzling array of options.
Various weapon specializations, unique combat techniques... Not to mention the ability to harness all seven elemental powers.
"That is truly tempting... But it requires me to engage in professional interactions with other women... While I don't have interest in men either, in this life I'm a woman with no attraction to the same sex—"
No, that wasn't entirely true? Though unexpected, Shenhe's embrace had felt undeniably comforting... reassuring...
"Hah?! What am I thinking? I'm not that kind of woman." Qin Yu drew in a deep breath, then exhaled sharply.
She managed to calm herself slightly.
"But..."
She approached the dressing table, studying her reflection: shoulder-length hair dark as ink, amber eyes sparkling with intelligence, skin luminous and pale...
Her chest might be small, but bigger isn't always better in this area. With her petite frame and height, this delicate charm actually accentuates her pure beauty.
If she were to wear more vibrant clothes, she'd undoubtedly draw attention and admiration.
Bending forward, she props her hands on her knees, striking a seductive pose with a playful expression.
Qin Yu strokes her chin thoughtfully.
"Given my foundation, most people probably wouldn't mind getting close to me, right? In fact, they might even welcome it. If I just act a bit more obedient and energetic, instead of being so temperamental like before, maybe it could work..."
Her appearance gives her confidence.
It's true that not everyone is a looks-obsessed person, but neither is anyone completely immune to the charms of a beautiful young girl. By leveraging this fact and presenting herself as likable, earning points shouldn't be too difficult.
If that's the case... why not give it a try?
After all, no one's actually going to be turned gay.
Though this is a mobile game world, Liyue's current social norms remain quite conservative. True romantic development is impossible here—Mondstadt might be different, but she's in Liyue now, not the free-spirited Mondstadt.
In other words, it's perfectly safe!
All I need to do is be a good friend, occasionally putting on a show of affection... Then I can gain power, use it to make money, escape poverty, and feast on delicacies from the mountains and seas—eating whatever I want... It's practically perfect.
Even if I can't achieve financial freedom right away, at least I'll have the strength to protect myself.
No, the ability to protect myself is what really matters.
Qin Yu's expression changed from pain to determination as she clenched her fists.
"Alright, so it's just about creating a borderline imitation of yuri? Even third-rate products can manage that—I can definitely do this."
To ensure her safety and future, she decided to check if there were any targets... And there was one right in front of her! Perfect, let's use you as my first practice subject!
[Target: Shenhe]
"Huh?"