Chapter 48: Metaphysical Rituals Before the Gacha
A new day began in the multiversal chat group. The holographic interface flickered to life, projecting a vibrant string of text across the visual fields of its members.
[Zenless Zone Zero - Belle]: "Good morning, everyone! Phew... last night was truly a scare!"
A cartoonish emoji of a yellow face dripping with exaggerated sweat popped up right below her message.
[Zenless Zone Zero - Wise]: "Yeah, we almost got our vehicle impounded by New Eridu Public Security."
[Zenless Zone Zero - Belle]: "We were careless. Since our motorcycle was a reward from the chat group, we didn't have a single piece of paperwork for it! The security officers suspected we were driving without a license and that the vehicle was stolen! Luckily, Zhu Yuan happened to pass by after her shift. She recognized us, vouched for our character, and told us to just get our registration documents sorted within a week!"
[Zenless Zone Zero - Belle]: "Oh, and Qingyi was there too. She specifically pulled us aside to remind us to keep the jade pendant Zhongli gave us completely hidden. We cannot let anyone else see it!"
[Zenless Zone Zero - Belle]: "Now that I think about it, my heart is still racing. If we had been stopped on the road while you guys were riding with us, that scene..."
Another emoji appeared in the chat, this one shivering with a blue face.
[Honkai: Star Rail - Stelle]: "You guys have quite the connections! New Eridu Public Security is probably like the Seat of Divine Foresight, right? Your network is almost catching up to mine. But still not as strong as me. The head of the Seat of Divine Foresight is my good buddy."
Reading the messages, everyone found Wise and Belle's encounter of 'sitting at home while trouble falls from the sky' both funny and frustrating. At the same time, they typed out their relief that Zhu Yuan and Qingyi had arrived in time to bail the siblings out.
Sitting in the archive room of the Astral Express, Dan Heng stared at the holographic screen and let out a long, quiet sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He really wanted to type out a correction, to remind Stelle that the Luofu's public security and law enforcement were strictly handled by the Ten-Lords Commission, not the Seat of Divine Foresight. But knowing Stelle's chaotic nature, she would completely ignore the bureaucratic distinction anyway. He opted for a more practical response.
[Honkai: Star Rail - Dan Heng]: "Thankfully you are safe. But in the future, you still need to pay closer attention to local laws and regulations."
Zhongli, being the God of Contracts, was naturally highly sensitive to matters of law and order. However, he had indeed overlooked the fact that legal codes varied drastically across different worlds. He took the opportunity to issue a warning of his own.
[Genshin Impact - Zhongli]: "Indeed. If there is another opportunity to visit the worlds of our fellow group members, it is strictly necessary to observe these matters. One must never easily violate the laws of the land."
Just then, Stelle jumped back into the chat, flooding the screen with her unique, hyperactive energy, instantly dragging the topic toward a far more exciting direction.
[Honkai: Star Rail - Stelle]: "Oh my! Surviving a great disaster means future blessings! Friends! Look here—great news! We can finally do a ten-pull!!"
[Honkai: Star Rail - Stelle]: "Look at this tempting twenty percent discount! This is a rare opportunity! Do you all want to continue competing to see who has the best luck? European Emperor versus African Chief, this is the battle! And while we are at it, everyone report your family assets. Let us see who is the richest!"
Stelle's suggestion was like a heavy stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand ripples across the multiverse.
The sheer temptation of a discounted ten-pull and the thrill of a luck competition immediately washed away Belle's lingering fears from the night before. She cracked her knuckles, a competitive grin spreading across her face.
[Honkai: Star Rail - March 7th]: "Okay, okay! My points are at 2611! I feel pretty good about this! What about you, Stelle? Although you are the champion, you specifically bought that bamboo dragonfly, so aren't your points lower than mine?"
[Honkai: Star Rail - Stelle]: "Hmph! I have 2135! Little March, how dare you look down on me! Although my wallet has shrunk, luck has nothing to do with how many points you hoard! My luck value is completely maxed out!"
Prompted by the challenge, everyone in the chat group began revealing their bottom lines.
Paimon proudly displayed her 2655 group points. Lumine sat at the top of the hierarchy with a staggering 2935. Dan Heng followed closely with 2875. Belle had 2615, Wise held 2605, and Zhongli, having joined the multiversal group a day later than the rest, brought up the rear with 2469.
[Zenless Zone Zero - Belle]: "Lumine and Dan Heng have so many points, they can even afford to use two of the twenty percent off ten-pulls! I am so envious!"
[Honkai: Star Rail - March 7th]: "Stelle... looking at your points, that bamboo dragonfly you used to win the championship really must have cost a fortune."
[Honkai: Star Rail - Stelle]: "Hmph! Points can always be earned again, but when luck comes knocking, you have to seize it by the throat! My luck value is full!"
Stelle did not care about her low balance in the slightest. Instead, her eyes burned with a feverish intensity.
[Honkai: Star Rail - Stelle]: "Alright then. The mystical ritual, activate!"
The Astral Express lounge instantly erupted into chaos. Stelle's eyes locked onto her target with the predatory focus of a starving tiger. Across the patterned carpet, Pom-Pom, the Conductor, was peacefully pacing.
"Pom-Pom! Pom-Pom! Lend me some good luck!" Stelle lunged, arms outstretched. "Last time I pulled the bamboo dragonfly in one go right after petting you! You are my lucky star! Good Pom-Pom, just let me rub your ears!"
"Pom-Pom?! Passenger Stelle! Stop it, Pom-Pom!" The Conductor shrieked, their long ears standing straight up in sheer panic. Pom-Pom's short legs became a blur, scurrying frantically around the plush sofas to evade Stelle's demonic claws. "Pom-Pom is not a mascot, Pom-Pom!!"
March 7th watched Stelle chase the Conductor in circles. She giggled, but then the memory of Stelle's previous gacha success flashed in her mind. She struggled internally for a mere second before her own greed took over.
"Conductor! Please! Let me pet you too!" March 7th joined the hunt, cutting off Pom-Pom's escape route. "You are our train's lucky... no, our lucky star! Just for a second!"
"Pom-Pom! Pom-Pom! Pom-Pom!!!" The Conductor's wails echoed through the carriage as they sprinted past the phonograph. "Why is Passenger March like this too, Pom-Pom!! Help, Passenger Dan Heng, Pom-Pom!!!"
Dan Heng stood by the observation car's porthole, his arms crossed over his chest. He watched the flowing galaxy outside the glass, his expression completely blank. He simply refused to participate in such childish, metaphysical rituals. The starlight reflected in his calm eyes, shimmering slightly as the chaotic footsteps and desperate squeaks faded into the background.
On the other side of the multiverse, inside the Random Play video store on Sixth Street, Wise and Belle watched the group chat scroll by. They listened to the audio logs of the grand spectacle unfolding on the Astral Express, exchanging a thoughtful glance.
"Brother, should we also set up some kind of ritual?" Belle tapped her chin. "I heard there is a very accurate fortune-telling shop somewhere in New Eridu..."
Wise shook his head, his tone firm. "Fortune-telling? It is better to trust our old friend."
He walked over to a soft cushion tucked in the corner of the store. He crouched down and gently scooped up the little black cat they had adopted from the streets. Inky was currently in the middle of a deep, peaceful nap.
"Inky, lend us some good luck," Wise murmured.
The black cat woke up with a sharp, highly displeased "meow." But as Wise's fingers expertly found the sweet spot behind its ears, the annoyance vanished. Inky comfortably narrowed its golden eyes, a loud, rumbling purr vibrating in its chest.
Belle laughed and joined in. She scratched the cat's chin while Wise massaged its head, giving the feline a full-body spa treatment.
"Purrrrr... purrrrr..." Inky rolled over, exposing its belly, entirely surrendering to its new role as the siblings' living luck amplifier.
"Alright, Inky-brand lucky buff, fully charged!" Belle clapped her hands together, a bright smile on her face.
Meanwhile, beneath the bright blue skies of Teyvat, Lumine and Paimon reviewed the group chat's lively atmosphere and made a swift decision.
"Paimon, the day is still young." Lumine tilted her head, looking up at the drifting clouds. "Let's go to Mondstadt."
"Mondstadt?" Paimon floated in a lazy circle, her eyes lighting up with sudden excitement. "To find Venti? Or to eat a massive feast at Good Hunter?"
"To find the luckiest little sun in the world—Klee!" Lumine smiled, already adjusting her travel gear.
"Last time, your single pull was just a test," Lumine explained. "But this time, it is a twenty percent off ten-pull. It will cost over a thousand points, which is a massive expense. We need guaranteed luck, so it is absolutely worth the trip. Plus, we have the Teleport Waypoints, so the round trip will take no time at all."
Lumine reached into her inventory, pulling out a pair of soft, round plush toys. "It just so happens that these cute bunny dolls we bought in New Eridu yesterday will be perfect as a 'lucky blessing' thank-you gift for Klee."
"Oh, right! Klee is Mondstadt's ultimate lucky star! Maybe her blessing is even more effective than petting Pom-Pom!" Paimon pumped her tiny fists in the air, instantly buzzing with energy. "Quick, quick, let's go!"
Lumine focused her elemental energy, connecting with the leylines. In a flash of blue light, the two of them vanished, reappearing instantly at the Teleport Waypoint high above Mondstadt City.
The wind carried the familiar scent of dandelions and fresh pastries. They skillfully handled the stone steps and windmills, making a beeline for the Knights of Favonius Headquarters. Just as Lumine pushed the heavy oak doors open, they nearly collided with a tall, blonde woman stepping out of the adjacent office.
Acting Grand Master Jean paused, blinking in surprise at the sudden arrival of the Traveler.
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