Ningguang, be my wife

Something Lin Yi had never dreamed possible had actually happened.

Seeing a living, breathing character from a game standing before him, he felt both excited and nervous.

As a longtime Ningguang fanatic, he had angrily splurged 648 yuan just to get her to constellation six.

Now that he saw Ningguang in the flesh, Lin Yi realized she was far more beautiful than her version on a computer screen.

"Ning... guang... my wife!"

Lin Yi blurted it out again without thinking, itching to step closer and get a good look at the wealthy beauty who had haunted his dreams.

But before he could get up, an oppressive force slammed him flat against the floor.

"You Regicide! How dare you call me your wife?"

Ningguang looked down at Lin Yi with her regal face. Seven golden, gemlike Star Swirls spun behind her, poised to pierce his body at any moment.

Lin Yi jolted in fright, his earlier delight instantly evaporating.

Only when reason returned did Lin Yi realize the predicament he was in.

A fallen dragon, the Rite of Descension, regicide.

This was fucking identical to Liyue's storyline in the game, except the game's protagonist had escaped, while Lin Yi had been caught red-handed.

And he had been identified as Rex Lapis's killer.

Holy shit!

Looking at Ningguang's hostile expression, Lin Yi felt deeply uneasy.

The Liyue Qixing had always wanted to free themselves from the constraints of gods and adepti and establish human rule in Liyue.

Now that Rex Lapis is dead, doesn't that play right into Ningguang's hands? All she has to do is insist I'm the killer.

Execute me in public to appease the people of Liyue.

Then Liyue will never have to obey a god's will again.

Having figured it all out, Lin Yi broke into a cold sweat.

No. I absolutely can't admit to it.

"Ningguang, my wi... uh, my lady! I'm not the Regicide! I've been framed!"

Ningguang smiled faintly at that. "If I say you are, then you are!"

"...!"

Hearing that, Lin Yi wanted to cry but had no tears.

His mind immediately raced as he desperately searched for a way to stay alive.

After racking his brains and finding no way out, Lin Yi gritted his teeth and decided to throw caution to the wind.

"You can't kill me! I'm actually Rex Lapis!"

"Oh? You're Rex Lapis just because you say so? How will you prove it?"

Ningguang watched Lin Yi with a teasing smile.

"Rex Lapis possesses a Gnosis bestowed by Celestia. Do you have one?"

Lin Yi stammered, at a loss. "I... I do... maybe?"

The instant he said "maybe," something happened.

A strange power suddenly welled up inside Lin Yi. It was solid and vast, carrying an intense sense of security.

Then a tremendous surge of Geo power poured from Lin Yi's body, slowly gathering before him into something resembling a chess piece.

"A Gnosis!"

"A Gnosis?"

The two cries rang out simultaneously. Ningguang's eyes widened as she stared at the Gnosis before her in disbelief.

Lin Yi looked just as bewildered.

Having played the game, he knew what a Gnosis was: an advanced external organ for channeling magical power, granted by Celestia to The Seven.

It was far superior to the Visions possessed by people like Ningguang and Keqing.

But why the hell is this thing inside me?

Isn't this something big shots like Zhongli and the Electro Archon have?

After thinking it over, Lin Yi finally remembered something entering his body when he first fell and touched Rex Lapis's body.

Could that have been the Gnosis?

But why would Rex Lapis give it to me?

Lin Yi couldn't figure it out, but he wasn't going to dwell on it.

Since he had it, he might as well keep up the act.

"You see the Gnosis, right? I told you, I'm Lin Yikesi, the successor personally chosen by Rex Lapis, Morax, to become the next Geo Archon!"

Ningguang was still staring blankly at the Gnosis before her. Only after hearing Lin Yi speak did she snap out of her daze.

She looked him up and down, her suspicious gaze making his skin crawl.

Then she smiled again. "Although I don't know why he would entrust his Gnosis to someone who came from who knows where, don't think possessing it means you can rest easy."

"The Fatui of Snezhnaya have coveted the Gnosis for a long time. What do you think they'll do if they discover it's in the hands of someone who can't use elemental power?"

Hearing that, Lin Yi's joy instantly turned cold.

Shit, I forgot Tartaglia is operating openly in Liyue, with La Signora lurking in the shadows. They've been plotting to get Rex Lapis's Gnosis all along.

If he finds out I've got Rex Lapis's Gnosis, he'll activate Foul Legacy, and there probably won't even be scraps left of me.

What do I do?

Ningguang had frightened Lin Yi into another cold sweat.

Seeing Lin Yi's frightened expression, Ningguang looked as though she had him right where she wanted him.

It was as if she were telling Lin Yi, Go on, beg me!

That expression rubbed Lin Yi the wrong way, and an inexplicable competitive streak flared within him.

Fuck that. I've been playing Genshin Impact since launch. I know the main storyline backward and forward. Like hell I'll let you wrap me around your finger!

"Enough. It doesn't matter whether I'm Rex Lapis. The Gnosis is with me, so Liyue is still under a god's rule."

At the mention of a god's rule, Ningguang's smile gradually faded.

Unlike the Yuheng, Keqing, who openly declared her irreverence toward the gods, Ningguang respected them. Deep down, however, she didn't want a god to govern Liyue forever.

After all, Liyue belonged to its people, not to a god.

Hearing Lin Yi state it so bluntly, Ningguang had no choice but to reassess him.

Seeing that he now had Ningguang right where he wanted her, Lin Yi felt instantly satisfied.

"Even if you kill me, wouldn't someone else obtain the Gnosis? Liyue would still remain under a god's shadow. So if you want to turn Liyue from a nation ruled by a god into one ruled by humans, there's only one way."

"What way?"

"Well, undo these first!"

As he spoke, Lin Yi held out his cuffed hands. Ningguang waved a hand, blasting the cuffs to pieces.

Free of his restraints, Lin Yi stretched his arms while surveying the Jade Chamber.

Without a trace of fear, he even made himself at home and sat on Ningguang's desk.

"Actually..."

Lin Yi took a sip of tea, putting on an air of profundity.

"Actually, all you have to do is marry me!"

Marry you?

Ningguang had thought Lin Yi genuinely had a good solution, which was why she had listened patiently.

Instead, nothing decent came out of his mouth. All he offered was this nonsense.

Even Ningguang, who usually remained unruffled no matter what happened, clenched her teeth, her chest heaving.

The Star Swirls reappeared behind her and shot toward Lin Yi without hesitation.

Just as the Star Swirls were about to hit him, Lin Yi spoke with perfect composure.

"What would a public union between a god and a human signify?"

As soon as Lin Yi finished speaking, the murderous Star Swirls stopped just short of him, then shattered and vanished.

Phew!

Lin Yi let out a quiet breath of relief. Looks like this wealthy beauty Ningguang has understood what I meant!

"All right! I agree!"

After a moment's contemplation, Ningguang looked at Lin Yi with her beautiful eyes and spoke earnestly.

Hearing Ningguang actually agree, Lin Yi grew so excited that he got a little carried away.

"Since you've agreed, how about giving your husband a kiss?"

As he spoke, he shamelessly leaned his face toward her.

"Absolutely not!"

Ningguang's expression turned icy, and the Star Swirls appeared again.

But Lin Yi seemed to have found a way to keep Ningguang in hand, and he didn't panic this time.

"When we announce our marriage to the people of Liyue tomorrow, we'll definitely have to kiss. If you don't practice now, how will we put on a convincing show when we're really married?"

After Lin Yi said that, Ningguang's face tightened. She frowned and sank into thought.

After struggling with herself for a moment, Ningguang actually gave Lin Yi a shy glance.

Seeing that Lin Yi kept his eyes closed, she puckered her lips and leaned toward him, her face flushed.

Smack.

Lin Yi felt a sudden cool touch against his cheek, and it was as though he had ascended to heaven.

Ningguang, meanwhile, was blushing furiously. Looking like a bashful young woman, she ran out.

Lin Yi had never seen this side of Ningguang before. His eyes filled with lovestruck delight, and he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from rising.

Just then, a series of mechanical voices rang out in Lin Yi's mind.

"Ding! Ningguang's first kiss obtained. Activation condition fulfilled. Teyvat’s Number One Rich Lady Development System activated!"

"Ding! Congratulations, host! You have received a system gift package!"

"Ding! Congratulations, host! You have obtained a Geo Vision!"

Hearing the system's voice, Lin Yi, who loved reading novels almost as much as playing Genshin Impact, knew exactly what a system was.

It was the ultimate tool for showing off!

Although he still didn't understand what this system did, having one felt like receiving a buff, and Lin Yi instantly brimmed with swagger.