Honkai: Star Rail, Marry Acheron Upon Landing

Qingque's blatant slacking off had escalated to the point where Fu Xuan herself had to come and apprehend her. One could only imagine how excessively she usually slacked off.

They initially thought that would be the end of it, but who would have guessed that Qingque would become so brazen today as to dare skip her daily check-in.

Good heavens.

Would they really have to see Madam Fu Xuan again today?

Lin Shuang stood nearby, overhearing their conversation.

To be honest, she didn't believe it either.

Wasn't it a daily occurrence for the Divination Master to discipline Qingque for slacking off?

How could the Divination Department possibly send her specifically to play cards?

However, just then, one person at their table felt the jade marker on their wrist suddenly vibrate. She tapped it open and her face immediately fell.

"It's over, my teacher said she needs me for something and wants me to go over."

"No way, sis, we're about to deal the cards, and you're leaving now?"

"Sorry, sorry, I'll treat you to drinks next time. If I don't go, my teacher might hang me on a Starship and fly me for three hours."

With that, the friend plastered on a smile, grabbed her clothes, and hurried away.

And perhaps because Lin Shuang's white hair was too conspicuous, Qingque, who was about to randomly grab someone to fill the spot, froze for a moment when her gaze landed on Lin Shuang.

After a quick scan in her mind, she couldn't recall ever seeing this person at this card hall.

Her eyes lit up, and she waved enthusiastically, calling out:

"Newcomer? Played before? Emperor's Jade, no, what's your name? Want to play a couple of rounds?"

Lin Shuang had intended to sit down and play a few rounds herself. She hadn't expected Qingque to invite her so proactively, so she naturally sat down opposite Qingque without any pretense.

"My name is Lin Shuang. I've dabbled in Emperor's Jade and know the rules, but I don't have any Xun Di, only credits."

"No worries, credits are fine, they're usable on our Xianzhou anyway."

Hearing this, the people at the table knew Lin Shuang must be an Outworlder who had recently arrived on the Xianzhou.

But whether they were Outworlders or not didn't matter in this card hall, as long as they could play.

The others, seeing Qingque begin to deal, chuckled and said:

"Qingque, you're so eager, be careful. Beginner's luck might make you lose all the Xun Di you won today."

Qingque expertly spread her cards out in a line, exuding an air of confidence. It would be hard to lose with these cards!

"Heh, this Emperor's Jade, it's thirty percent luck and seventy percent skill. I'll show you today, even when facing beginner's luck, I can still win!"

Volume 1: Chapter Thirty-Six - Fu Xuan: Qingque! You're working overtime with a vengeance tomorrow!

As she sat down at the table and struck up a conversation with Qingque, the system's prompt also appeared before Lin Shuang in a timely manner:

[Target: Qingque]
[Affection: 58 (Friendly and Expectant)]
[Relationship: None]
['Because she successfully recruited a new card player, she's looking forward to winning Xun Di from you.']

Seeing the affection level, Lin Shuang couldn't help but laugh.

Just by sitting down to play cards, her affection had already neared sixty?

Your affection is really easy to gain.

If I find an opportunity to craft a beautiful set of Emperor's Jade for her, wouldn't her affection just explode on the spot?

With that thought, the card game smoothly began.

Of course.

Lin Shuang wasn't a professional Mahjong player. Although Emperor's Jade was ninety percent similar to the Mahjong she knew, there were still some differences.

She still needed Qingque to guide her through some of the rule questions.

So, for nearly ten rounds, even though Lin Shuang won eight of them consecutively.

Who would have thought that Qingque, stubbornly holding out for big hands, would win two consecutive big hands, effectively taking back everything she had lost earlier.

"See, see! What did I tell you! Even with beginner's luck, my card luck today is unstoppable!"

After Qingque triumphantly finished speaking, she seemed to remember that Lin Shuang was a newcomer. She suddenly changed tack, scratched her head, and gave a simple, honest smile.

"Oh dear, I sometimes speak without thinking. Don't mind me. It's normal when you're not familiar with the rules at first. Once you play a few more times, you'll be able to form big hands."

Lin Shuang certainly didn't mind. She wasn't here to win money; winning a few hands was success enough.

Just hearing the clatter of Emperor's Jade on the table made Lin Shuang feel a sense of familiarity.

And Qingque was quite cute when she smiled.

Lin Shuang didn't hide her feelings. Staring at Qingque, she said with a smile:

"It's fine, it's just a game. Winning and losing is normal."

"Oh, well said! It's just a game, wins and losses happen. The most important thing is to have fun. I'm definitely making friends with you."

Before Qingque could say anything, a fellow card player sitting next to Lin Shuang couldn't help but chime in with praise.

The few of them often got together to play cards, and it was precisely because they were all emotionally stable regardless of wins or losses, unlike some people who would change their tune after losing too much.

Qingque, across the table, clearly agreed. She nodded seriously, swaying her head as she spoke:

"Ah, Miss Lin, you have such insightful words. It's rare to find a newcomer who is both good-tempered and good-looking~"

As she spoke.

Qingque's favorability level jumped again.

[Target: Qingque]

[Favorability: 63 (Like-minded card buddies!)]

[Relationship: None]

['My new card buddy is a beautiful girl perfect for frequent games. What a score!']

Already sixty?

Lin Shuang was speechless for a moment.

Girl, you're really easy to win over.

Once it hit sixty, they could confirm a relationship and I'd get a draw.

Thinking about it, Lin Shuang picked up the conversation.

"I'll probably be staying on the Xianzhou for a while. If you don't mind, could you let me join your card games from time to time?"

"Sure, sure! The more, the merrier when it comes to card games."

Qingque was the first to express her welcome, and the other two nodded in agreement.

After that, the system refreshed once more.

[Target: Qingque]

[Favorability: 63 (Like-minded card buddies!)]

[Relationship: Card Buddy]

['My new card buddy is a beautiful girl perfect for frequent games. What a score!']

[Reward: One Green Draw]

Here it comes.

Lin Shuang looked at the green draw and didn't hesitate to choose it!

The familiar green light flashed. As always, no miracle occurred, and the item that appeared was still green.

Then, as usual, Lin Shuang's mouth drooped.

[Art of Deception (Master Level)]

['What a rare skill! With it, your ability to cheat and steal will be unmatched!']

['If you wish, even the Divination Department's elder wouldn't be able to tell if you're cheating right in front of her.']

['But she can calculate it.']

Who wants this thing…

Lin Shuang almost flipped the table.

Even if it was related to Qingque, this Art of Deception was too outrageous.

Especially with the vast array of cheating techniques and methods being poured into her mind, Lin Shuang felt that if she used it, she'd probably get beaten to death.

Cheating right in front of a Diviner.

Why not just announce yourself as a follower of Abundance in front of the Cloud Knights?

At least that would save some trouble later.

Snapping back to reality.

The new cards were already dealt.

And at this moment, Lin Shuang suddenly felt like the game had changed.

This skill didn't just enhance her manual dexterity; it also came with a wealth of techniques for various board and card games.

With so many skills suddenly at her disposal, Lin Shuang now looked at the game with a subtle feeling of surveying the entire situation, strategizing and planning.

At the same time, Qingque's cheerful voice rang out from across the table:

"My, what good luck! Sorry about this, everyone."

Qingque winked with a smile, confidently playing the cards in her hand.

Let's go!

However—

"Self-drawn, I win."

Lin Shuang's calm voice shattered Qingque's hopes.

She stared wide-eyed at the tiles Lin Shuang had pushed over.

It was a complete disaster, friend.

Although the other two players had also lost, they were now grinning from ear to ear.

Qingque had been focused on making a big hand, setting her multiplier incredibly high.

Who knew Lin Shuang had secretly built her own hand, leading to her efforts being in vain at the last moment.

This meant the other two only lost a little, but Qingque suffered a crushing defeat.

She lost everything she had won earlier.

Despite the loss, Qingque said with a smile:

"Talk about luck turning around, friend! You could get a winning hand at this crucial moment? Quick, quick, let's play another round!"

"..."

"..."

But Qingque's words were met with silence.

The other two players covered their mouths and coughed softly. Lin Shuang hadn't intended to cough, but seeing the other two doing so, she also covered her mouth and let out a couple of insincere coughs.