Chapter 5: The Version's Answer Is Tsundere

"Listen to me: your mind is now a chaos; you don't know who you are, why you're here, or what to do next. You feel I'm familiar, yet you're unsure whether to trust me."

"Soon you will encounter many dangers and terrifying predicaments, but you will also experience many wonderful things. You will have companions like family and embark on adventures beyond your wildest dreams."

"And at the end of the journey, all the riddles that trouble you will be solved. This is what Ailiuo foresaw, and the future you will reach—do you like it?"

Kafuka's words carry the effect of verbal spirit; she does not try to control Xing's thoughts, but hopes to use verbal spirit to steady her tangled inner self.

——

Beyond the light screen, in a forest outside the imperial capital, Najieta, the night‑raid leader, is watching together with Chitong and the others.

As the head of an assassination organization, Najieta immediately spots Kafuka's verbal spirit ability, which is even more suitable for killing than Qierxi's "Gaia foundation."

"The effect of language can not only manipulate minds but also stabilize others' emotions? What a convenient ability," Najieta marvels. If such a mind‑controlling imperial device truly existed, infiltrating Minister Aonaisite's mansion would be a breeze, and even daring to kill Aisidesi would not be a far‑fetched tale.

"Najieta, I know what you're thinking. But if we hope for a peaceful future, such a heart‑controlling imperial device should be the least likely to exist, right?" Xuzuo Zhi Nan, the humanoid imperial device of Najieta, easily sees through Najieta's thoughts.

If a woman named Kafuka came to their world, even without mentioning her sharp swordsmanship, she could easily remote‑control a king with just verbal spirit and toy with an entire nation… it would be far too easy.

Not to mention her beautiful, elegant appearance—Xuzuo Zhi Nan, whose combat sense is extremely keen, can see that Kafuka likely has a deep scheming mind, and her danger level may even surpass Aisidesi's.

As for the little girl beside her called Yinlang… Xuzuo Zhi Nan cannot at all grasp what she means by "hacker technique," yet being able to team up with Kafuka on missions and casually wield a teleportation ability like "Shangri‑La" is no small feat.

"Where are you going?" Xing asked.

Kafuka smiled faintly: "To the next place, paving the way for a prepared future. It's like weaving a tapestry; you and I can each only stitch a single golden thread at a time, but it will eventually become a beautiful picture."

"How much longer?" Yinlang urged impatiently beside her, "The Starrail people are arriving soon; we shouldn't linger with them."

"Got it, Yinlang, just a moment, a moment," Kafuka turned her gaze back: "Listen to me, someone will find you soon; go with them without worry. Also, when you have a chance to choose, don't let yourself regret it."

"Kafuka..."

——

Mayin sat beside Tazimi, looking up at the impending farewell in the light screen; her eyes drooped slightly, holding a barely perceptible, fleeting melancholy.

"When you have a chance to choose, don't let yourself regret it," she repeated Kafuka's words in her mind, and after reciting them seven or eight times, finally mustered the courage to look up at the young man beside her.

The young man's features were still slightly juvenile, yet already hinted at a masculine bearing. Mayin couldn't recall when she began to develop feelings for him; not long ago, when he first joined the organization, he was just an inexperienced country boy…

Her ten fingers clenched tightly around her skirt; at this moment, Mayin finally resolved herself in her heart.

In short, this time I must say the words…

"He— Tazimi…"

Just as she began to speak, the courage she had painstakingly gathered vanished in an instant; Mayin's voice became weak for no reason, her eyes unintentionally glanced aside, and her voice was as tiny as a mosquito's.

Tazimi slowly turned, bringing his face a little closer, "Mayin, what's wrong?"

"Um…" Mayin instinctively stepped back; she still didn't dare raise her head to meet Tazimi's gaze, only blushing, fidgeting with her fingers, her eyes darting away like a shy deer. "Actually it's nothing, really nothing…"

Seeing Mayin's odd awkwardness, Tazimi lowered his head and looked at her flustered eyes: "What is it? You've been like this lately."

"Noisy, enough!" Mayin snorted, turning her head; her delicate pink cheeks seemed about to burst, she bit her ruby lips, clutched a pumpkin to her chest, swearing she never wanted to see that dull guy again.

…the only confession in this lifetime, I'll wait until that guy finally gets wise before saying it!

In the light screen on the other side, after Kafuka departed, Xing, lacking the support of verbal spirit, soon closed his eyes and swooned, but shortly after a man and a woman approached her.

The young man wielded a spear, his short black hair framing sword‑shaped eyebrows and star‑like eyes; he was quite handsome, dressed in black armor with golden cloud patterns, and a loose white‑cyan overcoat, giving the impression of exceptional skill.

The girl had short pink hair and rainbow‑colored pupils that seemed like the tangled fate from that neighboring two‑character word game, looking truly animated.

Her white inner layer outlined a graceful curve, covered by a blue dress; the blue‑and‑white fabric clung to her figure, displaying infinite beauty.

Beneath the short skirt, her slender straight legs were adorned with white leg bands, adding a touch of cute charm.

She wielded a massive bow, coordinating seamlessly with the black‑haired youth; their momentum was unmatched. Though the pink‑haired girl looked cute, her bow skill was no joke—her arrows were formed of solid ice, encasing every struck enemy in crystal.

Maveika watched the two's savage beating of the illusionary soldiers with relish, nodding as she praised, "The young man's spear technique is extraordinary; across Natlan, few can rival him…"

"The girl's archery is also impressive; she can manipulate ice elemental energy without a Vision. If she were to come to Teyvat and obtain a Vision, her control over ice could reach even greater heights."

The scene in the light screen sobered Xietra Li's drunkenness by about seven or eight points; as the chief shaman of the smoke cult, she had intended to analyze the images and events with the Fire God, but when her gaze unexpectedly caught the Traveler staring intently at Sanyueqi, a pang of jealousy rose in her heart.

"Look, she doesn't even blink; is this pink‑haired little girl really that pretty?"

"Could it be that someone from another world looks more attractive in their attire?"

"Tsk… If only I'd not stayed up reading light novels last night; now the bags under my eyes are a bit swollen."

Xietra Li suddenly felt a bit annoyed, regretting that she hadn't put on heavy makeup before heading out today.