bookbashuk Page 4
Page 4
Yura screamed silently in her heart, trying to use all her strength to pour all her thoughts into her eyes and fix them firmly on Yichen's face.
Her eyes held a strong hint and a barely perceptible plea.
Behind the windmill daisies! On the oak tree! At the lookout tower! It's packed with people!
You blockhead! Open your eyes and take a good look!
How can I possibly agree to this in a place like this?!
Find a secluded spot!
Anywhere is fine!
However, in Yi Chen's eyes, which were completely occupied by mission thinking and the mask of "deep affection," Yura's icy blue eyes, which seemed to contain a thousand words and were burning with intense passion, could only be interpreted in one way—a cold, angry glare.
Angry indeed.
Yi Chen understood.
Being confessed to in public so many times by someone you don't like would make anyone furious.
It seems that pinch just now was the final ultimatum.
So, instead of fading, the perfect smile on his face deepened, carrying a sense of "mission accomplished, feeling relieved" and... self-righteous apology.
He withdrew his hand with remarkable ease, even waving it at Yura with the nonchalance of a Freljord.
"Oh dear, as expected... I got rejected again."
"What a shame."
There wasn't a trace of genuine regret in his tone; it sounded more like a sigh of relief after a day's work.
Yi Chen nodded slightly, his posture impeccable.
"I won't disturb Captain Yura's patrol any longer. Goodbye!"
Having said that, he turned around without looking back, his steps light as if he had unloaded a heavy burden, and walked towards the direction where the lights of Mondstadt were just coming on.
The setting sun cast a long shadow of him, giving him an air of nonchalant elegance, as if he had accomplished his mission and was about to leave.
Yura Lawrence was left alone, stiffly holding the bouquet of daffodils that were still dazzlingly bright in the twilight, standing there as if she had been frozen in place.
The evening breeze blew, ruffling her hair, but it couldn't dispel the sudden loss of color from her face, the almost tangible astonishment, shame, and... a trace of bewilderment struck by an immense sense of absurdity in her eyes.
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
The message I desperately tried to convey with my eyes seemed to have sunk to the bottom of the sea, failing to even cause a ripple.
The bunch of daffodils, symbolizing "farewell," felt as heavy as a block of ice in her arms.
Meanwhile, the onlookers in the shadows:
Behind the daisy bushes, Amber released her hand from Klee's, covered her face with a look of utter disappointment, and slumped her shoulders.
On an oak branch, Lisa closed her observation notebook, which she had barely written in, and let out a soft laugh with a strong sense of mockery.
In the blind spot of the observation deck, Kaiya clenched his fist tightly and silently swung it forcefully in the air, his single eye bursting with a light of wild joy!
"YES! No! Perfect! Standard ending! Hahahaha! A resounding victory at the opening! Tonight is a gift from the angels, drinks galore! It's on me!!!"
He could almost see the mountain of Mora beckoning to him, and even the old wound under his ribs seemed to hurt less.
The sun sank completely below the horizon, and twilight gently enveloped Mondstadt.
At the city gate, Yura's figure, holding a bouquet of flowers, appeared particularly lonely in the deepening night.
She stared intently in the direction where Yi Chen disappeared, as if she wanted to burn through that dashing departing figure.
Her fingertips unconsciously tightened, squeezing the delicate petals of the daffodil until they were slightly deformed, and a little sweet juice seeped out, staining her gloves.
101st time...
...Absolutely! Absolutely! I'll make you, you cosmic-level blockhead, pay back the 'debt' you owe today, with interest!
Chapter 7 Deliberate Punch
At this moment, Yi Chen rushed into a quiet, deserted alley in Mondstadt, his feet barely touching the ground.
The last rays of the setting sun were cut into fragmented spots of light by the towering buildings, barely illuminating the mottled, damp walls.
He leaned against the cold stone wall, his chest heaving violently.
He completely forgot about the pain in his waist and Yura's cold, piercing gaze.
He abruptly closed his eyes and frantically "slapped" the interface that had been silent all afternoon:
"Hurry, faster! System, I want to claim my reward!"
[Host, the mission 'Confess to Yura Lawrence 100 times' has been completed. √]
Evaluation: Although the process was full of flaws and the ending was somewhat abstract, the process was complete and the spirit was commendable (referring to the persistence in checking in and slacking off).
[Mission Reward: 1 Deluxe 10-Draw Ticket!]
【Do you want to draw now? 】
"Draw! Draw it now! Draw it immediately!"
Yi Chen practically roared it out in his mind, his fists clenched unconsciously, his knuckles turning white from the force.
【OK! As you wish!】
The system seemed to snap its fingers (though it didn't).
[Ten-draw lottery begins! Spin the lucky wheel!]
Accompanied by an extremely flamboyant electronic sound effect, like background music from a cheap amusement park, a huge, glittering, high-speed spinning roulette wheel seemed to appear in Yi Chen's mind, densely covered with various meaningless and differently glowing icons.
[Extraction in progress...]
Basic Combat Techniques (Beginner)
Weapon Master (Beginner)
[Physical Attribute Enhancement x4: Host, congratulations! Your current base physical attributes are approximately equivalent to four Captain Americas! In short—Humanoid Self-Propelled Gundam (Youth Version)!]
[Self-Healing Factor (Deadpool Level): Immortal, but becomes abstract, purely weakening the host]
[A deliberate, powerful punch: Smash it!]
Accumulate Heroic Spirit (gained from being hit or provoking), and once fully stacked, unleash a devastating punch that knocks the opponent away, stuns them, and forces them to break their guard!
Increases damage against female targets by 500% and inflicts a 'Mind Shock' (confused) effect!
[Blurring the lines between men, women, young, and old: Your son is not a woman, and your wife is not a child]
【Mamba Elbow (Ultimate): Zero wind-up, super armor, unblockable, prone to crashing, must say "man" before or after activation】
"..."
The alley was deathly silent. Yi Chen leaned against the cold wall, motionless.
The last rays of the setting sun cast intermittent shadows on his face.
Like a frozen sculpture.
【...? Host? Are you still alive? Should I start the tutorial?】
A very faint laugh, trembling with disbelief, escaped from Yi Chen's tightly pursed lips.
"Ha ha ha ha ha……"
Immediately afterwards, the laughter amplified and spiraled out of control like a flood bursting its banks!
“Hahahahahahahaha——!!!”
Yi Chen suddenly raised his head and let out a deafening laugh at the narrow, twilight-tinged sky above the alley!
The laughter was filled with extreme absurdity, ecstasy, and a kind of manic "I'm finally going to take off!"
He laughed so hard he bent over, pounding the wall (which dented with a fist), and tears streamed down his face.
"Hahahaha! Generous?! This reward is far more than generous! Hahahaha!"
He laughed wildly and waved his arms as if embracing this sudden, abstract "bright future".
"Four Captain Americas! Immortal! Deliberate punches! And this... this ultimate 'Man' elbow strike! Hahahaha!"
He wiped away the tears that had welled up from laughing.
"Work? What kind of work is this?! Hahaha! Mondstadt! Teyvat! Tremble! Your king of slacking off... no, your 'God of War,' is about to make his grand entrance! Hahahaha—Man!!!"
In the alley, the echoes of Yi Chen's maniacal "Man!" still reverberated against the damp walls. He was excitedly practicing the starting stance of the "Mamba Elbow" in the air when the system's notification in his mind, like icy holy water, poured over his head:
[Congratulations, host, on completing the tutorial!]
The second main quest is now being issued:
Make one hundred heartfelt confessions to Jyn Gunnhildr, the acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius!
Goal: With marriage as the premise!
Location: Any!
Please continue your efforts, Host, and spread the brilliance of 'Mondstadt's First Deepest Affection' to an even wider sky!
[Mission Reward: 1 Deluxe 10-Draw Ticket!]
Additional information: Upon completion of the task, the system will, depending on the host's performance, provide a 'Special Surprise Gift Pack' (containing high-value items!)!
Yi Chen's maniacal laughter froze instantly, as if a pause button had been pressed. His half-finished elbow strike was suspended in mid-air, his eyes wide open and his mouth slightly agape, looking like a bass that had been thrown ashore.
"system--!"
"Are you a 'confession system' or a 'suicidal mission system'?!"
"Wake up, you idiot! I just confessed to Yura a hundred times! And now I'm trying to seduce the acting leader?!"
This isn't just two-timing, it's like dancing the 'Dark Star' in a thunderstorm zone! I'll be chopped into dumpling filling by the entire Mondstadt's cleavers!
[Isn't that a narrow perspective, Host?]
What if I said...?
[...In the next ten-pull prize pool...]
[...will be extra, special, and very thoughtful...]
[...inserted in a pair of 'Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan'...]
[...and a bill with a face value enough to buy almost half of the Dawn Winery...]
[...What about the Northern Bank's bearer VIP black gold cheque (tens of millions of Mora are just the starting price)?]
[After all, Host, your face is 99.9% similar to that 'Uchiha Sasuke'! It's so frustrating to have such a cool and arrogant face all the time, but only be able to see the world with ordinary eyes!]
A deathly silence spread through the alley.
Yi Chen remained frozen in the position with his head in his hands, only his heart, which had been enhanced by the "four Captain Americas" in his chest, was pumping wildly at a frequency of 180 times per minute, like the beating of a war drum!
Eternity... Mangekyou Sharingan!
And... tens of millions of Mora!!!
Buying almost half of the Dawn Winery?!
What does that even mean?!
It means that in this life, the next life, and the life after that... he will never have to smell the smoke of deer hunters again!
No more clanging from the blacksmith's shop! You can lie on a mountain of Mora and drink dandelion wine!
Yes... we can say goodbye to the word "working" for good!
"Gudong..."
A distinct, clear sound of swallowing saliva echoed through the quiet alley.
The next second, Yi Chen suddenly raised his head!
All the grief, indignation, accusation, and despair on his face were wiped away as if by an eraser, and instantly replaced by the dazzling light of "it's so good!"
He stood ramrod straight, like a warrior about to go into battle, his right fist clenched, pounding heavily against his chest with a dull thud.
"I did it!"