"The Darknight Hero? He's from our Mondstadt!"
"Haha, we were just talking about the Darknight Hero yesterday!" The people of Mondstadt held their heads high and puffed out their chests.
"The Darknight Hero? What's that? Our hero is Big Sister Yoimiya," the children of Inazuma chimed in.
[Yoimiya: Interesting. Are we playing a game?] [Arataki Itto: When it comes to games, I never lose.] [Sayu: Sayu just wants to sleep.] [Ningguang: A livestream of the future?]
"The stories streamed here may very well happen in the future, as one possible course of fate, or they may be stories that have already happened."
The text in the livestream vanished, replaced by a scene.
The camera showed the interior of the Angel's Share tavern in Mondstadt.
It was bustling, with every seat occupied. People gulped down drinks and devoured meat.
Many people in Inazuma looked on enviously. Was this Mondstadt, the city of freedom?
Lumine and Paimon were talking to Charles, the bartender.
[Paimon: Lumine, that's us! Is that us on the screen?] [Lumine: Is this something that might happen to us in the future?]
Paimon asked, "Mr. Charles, what is everyone talking about? Some hot topic?"
Charles calmly wiped a glass. "The legend of someone known as the Darknight Hero."
Charles continued, "According to the legend, he's a mysterious figure who only appears at midnight to punish evil and uphold justice!"
[Thoma: I love hearing stories about heroes.] [Chongyun: Does Mondstadt have someone secretly protecting everyone too?] [Xingqiu: The sort of story you'd only find in a novel. I like it.]
The regular livestream chat was flooded with comments, with everyone joining in.
The story continued.
Lumine asked, puzzled, "Has anyone seen the Darknight Hero?"
Charles replied, "I've heard there are a few eyewitnesses, so it shouldn't be a baseless rumor. If you're interested, why not ask around the plaza?"
Paimon and Lumine arrived at the plaza, where the first person they encountered was Margaret.
Margaret said, "Oh? You're here to ask about the Darknight Hero?"
She paused for three seconds. "The Darknight Hero-is me!"
"Ding-livestream quiz time. Please select the correct answer."
[1: The Darknight Hero is Miss Margaret.] [2: The Darknight Hero is Charles, the bartender.] [3: The Darknight Hero doesn't exist.] [4: None of the above.]
"You have three minutes to think. Only those outside the Mondstadt region may buzz in. Anyone who reveals the answer will have their message censored by the system and receive an immediate punishment."
[Arataki Itto: This is way too easy! Hahaha, I've been watching with my face practically pressed against the screen.] [Xingqiu: I have a feeling it isn't that simple.] [Kaeya: Why isn't the Mondstadt region allowed to answer?] [Lisa: Isn't it obvious? Someone here must know who the Darknight Hero is. He might even answer himself and claim the reward.] [Sayu: If I get it right, can I get medicine that makes me taller?] [Margaret: Oh my, with so many people watching me, I'm suddenly feeling a little shy.] [Sara: Miss Margaret, you look like you're smiling quite happily to me.] [Ningguang: This question makes it quite clear.] [Diluc: Pointless rumors...]
Ningguang smiled, while the three secretaries behind her stared at the glasses.
Baixiao said, "Lady Ningguang, I think it's 2!"
Baiwen said, "I think it's 3!"
Keqing and Ganyu were both pondering it. "Perhaps the first question won't be too difficult."
"Ten seconds remain. Get ready to buzz in. There are ten slots in the regular livestream. The reward for this question is thirty thousand Mora, and the punishment is running ten laps around your current city."
"If no one in the elite livestream buzzes in within twenty seconds, one to three people will be randomly selected and forced to answer."
[Arataki Itto: Time to see who's got the fastest fingers!] [Yoimiya: Let's compete, then.] [Klee: Klee wants to answer too. Why did the buzzer button disappear?] [Thoma: Hehe, everyone in Mondstadt will just have to watch us show our stuff.]
The countdown began. Three, two, one-buzz in.
"Ding-Xingqiu has secured the chance to answer."
[Xingqiu: This humble fellow managed to get it. Thank you all for letting me win.] [Arataki Itto: Darn it! I actually lost a contest of speed!] [Xingqiu: Often, the most dangerous place is also the safest. Miss Margaret has a slender figure and doesn't look like a martial artist, so I choose 2, Mr. Charles, the bartender.]
Ningguang and the other two nodded. Xingqiu's analysis made sense.
Quite a few others nodded too.
"Ding-incorrect answer. Xingqiu's punishment: livestream in women's clothing for ten minutes at the docks of Liyue Harbor, and shout 'I am Xingqiu' three times."
An image of Xingqiu instantly appeared in the bottom-left corner of the livestream.
A blue women's outfit fell from the sky.
Xingqiu's face turned bright red. "Women's clothing? Absolutely not! I'm a man!"
With that, he tossed the outfit onto a stone ledge.
But-
"Resistance detected from Xingqiu. Beginning forced execution and adding mandatory dialogue."
Xingqiu cried, "Ah-why won't my body listen to me? What are you going to do?!"
Millions of people were watching.
Of course, there were also the ten people in the regular livestream.
"Help! I haven't exercised in decades, and now I have to run ten laps around Liyue? This'll kill me!"
"Old Cao, aren't you only in your early thirties?"
"Haha, they've started running over in Inazuma too!"
[Tian Tie Zui: Haha, I guessed right! Thirty thousand Mora-I really got it! The answer is ********]
"Tian Tie Zui has been detected revealing the answer before its announcement. His thirty-thousand-Mora reward will be confiscated, and he will join those running ten laps."
Ying'er sputtered, "Pfft-"
Chef Mao laughed. "Hahahaha, I'm dying!"
De'an Gong said, "Young people ought to exercise more. Hahaha, how entertaining. Good thing these old hands were too slow to buzz in."
Now everyone understood how terrifying this livestream quiz was.
Its punishments were enforced.
Then a split-screen view appeared in the livestream.
Xingqiu emerged after being forced to change clothes in a restaurant-
He strutted out with a catwalk gait, swaying gracefully with his hips raised and his chest bouncing. Slits at the waist exposed his pale legs. Facing the camera, Xingqiu was forced to utter words that filled him with despair.
"Ahem, everyone, am I beautiful?"
Before you continue