The system that failed to meet its quota

"So that's how it is. But I still hope Zhongli comes back soon."

"Things are such a mess out there right now. Who knows what might happen?"

After hearing Qiu Bai's explanation, Hu Tao finally felt a little more reassured.

"Hehe, so you're worried about Zhongli, Director."

"Don't worry, Director. He'll be fine."

Qiu Bai chuckled as he spoke to the still-worried Hu Tao.

How could anything happen to the Geo Archon? After all, he and Zhongli were the ones pulling all the strings.

"Ugh, forget it."

"You're just like Zhongli."

Hu Tao waved her hand, acting as though she didn't care.

"I'll go get Qiu Yue's room ready, then."

Hu Tao smiled at Qiu Yue as she spoke.

"Come with me, Qiu Yue."

"I'll take you to your room."

Qiu Yue glanced at her brother beside her.

"Go ahead, Qiu Yue. Don't cause trouble for the Director."

"If you need anything, just ask her."

Seeing his sister looking at him, Qiu Bai spoke gently.

Only after receiving Qiu Bai's approval did Qiu Yue nod and follow Hu Tao toward the loft.

"Oh, Director!"

"I have something to take care of. I need to go out."

Hu Tao stopped and looked back at Qiu Bai in confusion.

"Qiu Bai, things are so chaotic outside right now. Maybe you shouldn't go wandering around."

Hu Tao looked at Qiu Bai worriedly, afraid something might happen to him.

"Don't worry, Director. I'll definitely be fine."

Qiu Bai gave Hu Tao a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Hu Tao. My brother will be fine."

Qiu Yue also looked at Hu Tao beside her and spoke softly.

"All right, all right. Just make sure you come back soon."

Since even Qiu Yue had said so, Hu Tao couldn't really stop him.

"I'll be off, then."

With a creak, Qiu Bai pushed the door open and walked out.

"Bye, Brother!"

Watching her brother leave, Qiu Yue smiled and said goodbye.

"Mm..."

"Let's go take a look at your room, then, Qiu Yue."

Hu Tao took Qiu Yue's hand and headed toward the loft.

Once outside, Qiu Bai stretched. Just then...

A voice he hadn't heard in a thousand years rang out in his mind.

Ding! The Strongest Demon God System requests to bind to the host again!

Qiu Bai froze at the familiar sound.

"System, didn't you automatically unbind a thousand years ago?"

"Why are you back now?"

Qiu Bai asked inwardly, both bewildered and puzzled.

He was bewildered because he hadn't expected the system to be able to request another binding.

And he was puzzled because the system had clearly said a thousand years ago that he no longer needed it. Why had it come back now?

"The system didn't want this either!"

"But the system failed to meet its quota and got sent back!"

"Boo-hoo-hoo ┮﹏┭"

"Host, you have no idea how long it took the system to get back here."

Somehow, the system's mechanical voice carried a distinctly human note of grievance.

Qiu Bai's mouth twitched hard at its words.

Seriously? You missed your quota, got sent back for slacking off, and now you're acting wronged?

If I were your boss, I'd definitely fire you.

"Please take the system in, Host!"

"The system will never slack off again! And it's decided to give the host a consolation gift!"

Hearing that there was a consolation gift too, Qiu Bai perked up. Turning down free stuff certainly wasn't his style.

"All right, System. I'll take you in."

"Bind!"

With a thought, Qiu Bai bound himself to the system again after a thousand years.

And it was the same system as before-an old acquaintance. Thinking about it carefully, what kind of system ran off after merely multiplying its host's combat strength by ten?

Didn't systems normally help their protagonists become invincible?

At that thought, Qiu Bai's mouth twitched again. It seemed perfectly reasonable that this system hadn't met its quota.

"Thank you, Host!"

"I love you so much, Host!"

Ding!

Host, please open the consolation gift package!

With a thought, Qiu Bai opened the gift package.

Ding! The host has obtained the Yin-Yang Chaos Sword!

Weapon rating: ten stars!

Qiu Bai examined the longsword carefully. It was very different from the swords he formed with his own divine power.

The sword was roughly three feet four inches long, its black and white surface constantly shifting. Its color was neither black nor white, giving it a sense of chaos.

One look made people want to blurt out, "Holy crap, what a flashy sword!"

Sword description: formed from the Teyvat yin-yang laws. A single slash affects heaven and earth, manifesting extraordinary phenomena! This sword changes continuously according to the host's power!

Note: only those possessing the divinity of the Yin-Yang Demon God can wield it.

"Holy crap, that's ridiculous! System, you're awesome!"

Even his thousand years of composure crumbled before this sword.

"Ten stars? Does Genshin Impact even have weapons of this rank?"

Seeing the weapon's star rating, Qiu Bai couldn't help his mouth twitching. This was his first time encountering a ten-star weapon.

Ding!

There is no need to be surprised, Host.

Complete the tasks provided by the system for even greater rewards!

Qiu Bai rubbed his chin. Rewards for completing tasks, huh? Not bad at all.

Still, it had been so long since he'd opened his system panel that he really wanted to see his current stats.

"System, open the host panel!"

Identity: born at Teyvat's creation, Demon God Morpheus

Current gender: male

Divine power rank: peak Upper-Rank Archon. Note: Demon God strength is divided into ordinary, lower-rank, middle-rank, upper-rank, and top-rank!

Yin-yang divine power: Space Blink, Yin-Yang Incarnation, Flight.

Demon God authority: power of yang: resurrection, restoration, purification, repairing erosion.

Power of yin: destruction, curses, communicating with souls, destroying souls.

Power of yin and yang: gender transformation.

Weapon: Yin-Yang Chaos Sword!

Qiu Bai rubbed his chin. He hadn't expected to be so strong now.

But his mouth twitched when he saw his divine power rank. He hadn't expected his current strength to still be only that of an Upper-Rank Archon.

"System, what rank is Morax's current strength?"

Qiu Bai asked inwardly, curious.

Ding! In answer to the host: half a step from a top-rank Demon God.

The system replied.

"What?!"

"Damn, what a veteran actor. As expected of a god who's lived for six thousand years."

Qiu Bai lost his composure at the answer. He'd thought he was stronger than Morax now.

Although Morax apparently still had his Gnosis, he'd suffered thousands of years of erosion.

Qiu Bai's mouth twitched. Even with all that erosion and his Gnosis still in his possession, Morax was stronger than him.

"Looks like I'm not invincible yet."

There were still the Heavenly Principles above them, too.

"System, give me a task."

"Make it quick. You wouldn't want your boss finding out you're slacking off at work, would you?"

Qiu Bai spoke inwardly with a rather underhanded air.

Ding, ding, ding!!!

Task: use your Demon God authority to curse the segments of the Fatui Harbinger, The Doctor!

Reward: unknown.

"Host from Japan, please calm down!"

Curse The Doctor? Qiu Bai found that rather amusing.

After all, he hadn't used this ability before.

"Dottore, I'll use your body to test it out."

Some unknown distance away, beyond the outskirts of Liyue Harbor, The Doctor stopped in his tracks and shuddered.

"What's wrong now, Lord Doctor?"

"Shut up!"

Smack!

A crisp sound rang out.

"What are you doing~~! Ow~!"

"Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo..."