Qin Yu rubbed her eyes and looked again.
[Target: Shenhe]
Was this for real? Her as the first target? Wasn't the difficulty level too high?
Qin Yu recalled Shenhe's aloof demeanor, which seemed untouched by worldly concerns, and felt a headache coming on.
How was she supposed to approach this? For starters, she didn't even know how to get close to the woman, let alone develop anything further. Could they switch targets? Maybe a warm, generous, and energetic girl would be better?
Or perhaps it was simply because among all the people she'd met, only Shenhe met her standards?
Regardless, the bar was set so high from the start that she felt like giving up.
Yet the opportunity was right before her. If she didn't seize it now, she might never get another chance to turn her life around.
"There's no choice. I'll just have to give it a try..."
First things first—she needed to prepare!
The ancients said, "A craftsman must first sharpen his tools to do good work." This wisdom held true even for matters resembling a celestial rendezvous. Without proper preparation, her hopes might be dashed on the spot.
While exploring the System earlier, Qin Yu had discovered it came with a gift package.
A weapon with 9999 damage? That would be too good to be true. Instead, it was rather meager: one free combat skill point, one free production skill point, along with corresponding weapons and tools.
Nothing else.
Still, better than nothing. Skills and capabilities were part of one's charm too. To get closer to someone, you needed to strengthen your bond.
And a worthless fool with no skills couldn't possibly make any progress.
"It's free anyway. Might as well use it."
The first row of the combat skill tree was filled with weapon specializations: sword, spear, bow, dagger, shield, staff...
There were many options, and the skills weren't isolated. Learning a sword skill could lead to related spear skills, or even cross-discipline connections. As long as she had enough points and met the skill unlock conditions, anything was possible.
Since this was her first weapon, she naturally wanted to choose something suitable and appealing.
Swords and spears looked cool, but to be honest—she feared pain.
These close-range weapons meant she'd have to fight at close quarters with enemies, increasing her chances of injury compared to ranged weapons.
While it's true that avoiding damage prevents growth, she simply didn't want to get hurt.
So she skipped the close-range weapons for now. She'd reconsider them later when her mindset matured, her combat experience grew, and she no longer feared pain.
What about ranged weapons then?
Hidden weapons, bows, magic wands, firearms...
"Hmm? Firearms?"
The term immediately caught her eye. She carefully read the description of "Firearm Proficiency 1":
"Enables basic mastery of various firearms including but not limited to firearms, pistols, shotguns, and cannons. Unlocks subsequent upgrades."
This was exactly what she wanted!
What gave her the most peace of mind? Was it a knife? A sword? No, it was a gun.
With a gun, she could eliminate any demon or monster. If the gun wasn't enough, there were cannons. And if cannons failed, they'd bring out something even more powerful. There was no crisis that couldn't be resolved by firepower.
After allocating Skill Points, "Firearm Proficiency 1" lit up.
Simultaneously, the system automatically delivered the corresponding weapon: a firearm named "Short Firearm" and 100 matching bullets.
"So beautiful..." Qin Yu caressed the firearm, reluctant to let go.
Later, she tested it in the wilderness.
This Short Firearm looked like a flintlock, but it didn't require manual loading. As long as there were bullets in the system inventory, it would automatically reload.
It was quite magical, but why would the system - something even more magical - provide such tangible results?
The reload time was approximately two seconds, with three rounds loaded each time.
Thanks to the Firearm Proficiency 1 effect, Qin Yu took to the weapon almost instantly. While hitting small targets at 20 meters was hit-or-miss, she could nail large objects within 20 meters every time.
The only downside was that, being a basic model, its damage output was rather low.
However, with enough points, she could upgrade it. The future certainly looked promising.
The weapon normally resided in the System's inventory. To retrieve it, she simply needed to think about it.
As for ammunition, she had to purchase it herself using points. Fortunately, compared to the points required for upgrades, ammo was dirt cheap - one point bought five bullets.
But as the weapon's level increased, so would the type of ammunition required and the points needed to purchase it... This could be a problem, but there was no need to worry.
Because she had no points!
When it came to production-type skills, Qin Yu chose "Cooking Proficiency 1" without hesitation.
The reason was simple: she was a foodie.
With this, Qin Yu had completed one-third of her initial preparations.
Next came the second step.
As the saying goes: "Know yourself and your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat."
Though this wasn't about engaging Shenhe in passionate physical combat to shake heaven and earth, even such "combat" required understanding one's opponent.
Only through knowledge could she choose the right approach!
Thus, Qin Yu immediately took to Liyue's streets and alleys, joining conversations and inquiring about Shenhe.
"Shenhe? Sorry, I don't know anyone by that name."
"A white-haired female Adeptus? Ah... I've heard rumors, but I've never seen her myself."
"Don't know, but if you want to understand... I've got something nice in my room... Hey! When did the Millelith arrive?! Gah! Wait, wait!"
The result:
0!
Rumors of a white-haired female Adeptus circulated in Liyue. They said she would appear like the wind when others faced danger, offer assistance, then vanish immediately after.
What a passing hero. That's kinda cool.
"Wait, no time for admiration," Qin Yu groaned, clutching her head.
Not a single piece of useful information. What a mysterious woman.
But now it's time to reverse my thinking!
If Liyue Port doesn't have her, that means she's not operating here. To see her, I'll have to leave the city and search the mountains and wilderness.
Qin Yu wasn't particularly confident in her luck. In her previous life, she'd played mobile games where every guaranteed drop turned out to be a useless item, leaving her utterly frustrated.
Getting back to the point:
"I didn't gather enough intelligence, but there's nothing I can do about that..."
Next came the third step.
And the most crucial one.
Since I couldn't tailor my approach to her specific preferences, I'd have to create a universal persona. Let's think - what qualities do most people find appealing?
Gentleness goes without saying - that's a must. Vigor? A spirited demeanor certainly attracts people, especially in a beautiful young girl. And tolerance - the ability to forgive others. What else was there... Right, courtesy... And...
Qin Yu sat at her desk, pen in hand.
In both this life and her previous one, her temper had never been particularly good. While she didn't use vulgar language, people often described her as awkward or prickly. She had little confidence in being able to connect with others using her true personality.
So this is what needs to be done.
A little effort, a little skill, a little patience, and a dash of cuteness... With these, one can cast magic on themselves to become dazzlingly beautiful.
"Ahem... Hello there! I'm Qin Yu. It's lovely to meet you~!"
I smiled at the mirror.
The smile was perfect, the voice charming, the tone flawless, the small gestures impeccable... Perfect! Who could dislike such a beautiful young girl? Even Shenhe herself would find it hard to resist.
-
Made a discord if anyone is interested
https://discord.gg/BFW77h7XyS