Chapter 274: A 'Little Sister' Fell from the Sky?

The matter of planting nails in the Academy's forces.

Luo De had already given Nadixa and the Great Merciful Tree King a contingency plan.

There were many backup plans then.

The Lawrence family was merely one of them.

Now that the Lawrence family's arrangements are settled, they only need proper training; there's no need to have them deliberately do anything against peers. Simply by taking up some key positions that can choke off the Academy, for the Academy's people, it will naturally breed hostility.

If Eula's remark 'I'll remember this' when leaving Mondstadt was just a joke with Luo De,

Then this time the remark 'I'll remember this' is truly in earnest.

Because Luo De's arrangement literally places the Lawrence family before the Academy, the local tyrant.

One slip-up.

Just being covertly targeted by the Academy is enough to plunge the Lawrence family, which had barely changed its environment, into another dilemma.

"What do you plan to do next, young friend?"

Back on the street, Zhongli had his hands behind his back, enjoying the exotic street scenery that differed greatly from Teyvat's style, while continuing to discuss the earlier matter with Luo De.

As the Geo Archon who watched Liyue rise from nothing to prosperity.

He understands the twists and turns of the mortal world better than anyone.

He doesn't even need to observe much.

Simply by Luo De discovering his name had been stolen in Xu Mi Cheng, Zhongli realized that the internal situation there remained very bleak.

In short.

That is, some people still want to draw a line between the rainforest and the desert.

This clearly contradicts Nadixa's idea of merging the rainforest and desert.

Given Nadixa's recent display of divine might,

in order not to provoke the gods' wrath.

Those who were once active have also turned to the shadows, using means such as provocation, seizure of power, and suppression to covertly restrain the desert forces' infiltration into the rainforest region.

"I can't just go on a killing spree."

"The rainforest isn't like the desert; its tangled roots are too formidable."

"Otherwise, like when I unified the desert, I'd just kill anyone who didn't obey."

"Look at the present."

"Those most hotheaded radicals dare not say another word, fearing that too much talk will lead to loss."

Luo De shook his head and muttered to vent his dissatisfaction.

His and Nadixa's views are in agreement.

That is, to let Xu Mi Cheng regain peace, the rainforest and desert must truly acknowledge each other's culture and truly merge.

But someone insists on meddling, just to make themselves uncomfortable.

"If killing were effective,"

"the people of Liyue would have long been punished by me with the Rock-eating Punishment."

Having said that, Zhongli laughed and said, "After all, even a god is stretched thin and cannot watch over an entire nation by oneself; young friend, you need not be angry about this—just go ahead and act."

"Let's wait a bit longer."

"With these nails driven in, the fish won't be able to hold back."

"Then we just need to cast the net and catch the fish."

Luo De pursed his lips: "Once the big fish are netted, the small fish will naturally be clueless."

Eula is also a smart person.

The reason she can agree to Luo De's request even when she sees that he is deliberately sending the Lawrence family into the fire pit is that she likewise sees that his actions are intentional; no matter what, even if the Lawrence family suffers in the short term, in the long run they will always reap benefits.

Of course.

Seeing through Luo De's thoughts doesn't mean Eula won't get angry.

One's own blood relatives being used as targets.

Even knowing the outcome, one cannot be so cold-blooded as to feel nothing.

"What if the big fish doesn't show up?"

The more experienced Zhongli offered another possibility: "Or perhaps upon encountering the big fish, a brave warrior would sever his own wings and remove himself from the affair."

"Do you know, Mr. Zhongli, the three words 'baseless accusation'?"

Luo De rubbed his nose, looked toward Xu Mi Cheng, and said calmly: "Those who defy the gods' orders are merely accomplices of the God-defier Azar; it's only reasonable."

Upon hearing that,

Zhongli's smile faded slightly as he asked curiously, "Young friend, this method isn't something someone your age should have."

"If it weren't for Nadixa not wanting to implicate the innocent,"

"I could still be harsher."

Luo De shrugged: "Anyone who selfishly pursues personal gain while ignoring national interests deserves to die!"

"Heh—"

Seeing Luo De's fierce expression of cutting iron and nails, Zhongli smiled and offered no further opinion.

Using the charge of 'baseless accusation' to deal with those big fish who dare not show their faces.

Luo De's conduct fits Zhongli's idea for this matter.

As long as one is not soft-hearted and lenient, this is enough.

Since Zhongli has arrived in Hope City,

then visiting the Great Merciful Tree King stationed at the Pure Benevolence Palace is only natural.

However, Zhongli hadn't yet arrived at the place.

The Great Merciful Tree King appeared on his own.

"Morax, long time no see."

"Hmm."

"It's been about five hundred years, right?"

"You're still the same as before."

The Great Merciful Tree King, whose appearance had slightly changed, laughed while circling Zhongli twice, then immediately pointed in a direction and said: "Before, you always hosted banquets and invited us; this time, with great difficulty you've come to Sumeru, how about I treat you?"

"Huh?"

Following the direction pointed by the Great Merciful Tree King, Luo De froze for a moment.

What the Great Merciful Tree King pointed to was exactly his new home in Hope City.

Meanwhile, Zhongli seemed not yet accustomed to the Great Merciful Tree King's drastically changed demeanor, and together with Luo De they stared blankly for a while before he said: "Then I'll obey rather than show respect."

At that moment.

Luo De, who had been dazed for a long time, finally came to his senses, lowered his head to look at the few bags of fresh ingredients the Great Merciful Tree King was holding, his lips twitching as he said: "You've already prepared this to go to my house to entertain Mr. Zhongli, haven't you?"

Luo De's new home was just as lively as when he was in A Ru Cun.

Even though its master was not present.

However, Dixiya, Kusela, A De Ba Yi, Ke Lai, and Felushan all lived there.

Sometimes Juleshi and Nafisi would also go to his house for a vacation.

Moreover, it wasn't just Luo De's own home that was lively.

The area around his home was even livelier.

Basically, anyone who had a good relationship with him had purchased property near his home.

Those with more money, like Saino, bought a single detached small villa, while those with less, like Tinari, bought just a house sufficient for temporary rest.

Even Kantisi deliberately set up a residence here.

No matter how you say it.

Hope City is too far from other places.

And when it was first built, the property prices were not high.

So, in order to have a temporary resting place for future gatherings, they also did not stint on their money.

The only exception.

It's Ka Wei.

No matter where he goes, he always rents a house.

Currently, the only house under his name is the one in A Ru Cun that his father once lived in. For the benefactor's descendants.

A Ru Cun not only charged nothing, but during expansion they deliberately kept this house, and even followed Ka Wei's advice to preserve its original appearance, merely making some reinforcements; when Ka Wei is away, they still send someone to help clean the house to ensure he can stay in the most comfortable environment each time he returns.

"This matter is actually worth promoting heavily."

After listening to the Great Merciful Tree King chatter on about recent events, Luo De rubbed his nose and said.

"I already said."

"He just didn't agree."

The Great Merciful Tree King regrettably smacked his lips: "What a missed opportunity to establish a positive image for the desert~~~"

"Given his personality, it's normal for him to disagree."

"But you."

"Can you explain why you're not staying at your own Pure Good Palace and coming to my house to do what?" Luo De frowned slightly and said: "You're not going to learn from that Venti guy, are you?"

"Don't be so stingy——"

"I'm not like Barbatos, freeloading."

The Great Merciful Tree King shook his finger and proudly said: "I do pay rent!!!"

"Ha——?"

Now it was Luo De's turn to be bewildered: "Rent? What rent? When did my house get rented out?"

"Hehe——"

Upon mentioning this, the Great Merciful Tree King became even more proud, hands on hips, hehe-laughing: "My idea~~~~"

"Your idea?"

Luo De didn't quite know what to say.

What the heck!? He clearly remembered that before going to Liyue, this house of his wasn't even finished yet.

How could he just go out for a trip.

And upon returning, this newly completed house had been rented out to someone?

Who let your house be so big with so few people.

Leaving so many empty rooms.

Idle is idle.

Might as well rent it out~~~

The Great Merciful Tree King justified his actions with righteous confidence.

Luo De laughed angrily: "My family has six or seven people inside and out; if my teacher came to visit, those rooms would barely be enough—where would there be vacant rooms to rent out? Tell me the truth—what exactly did you do?"

Perhaps it's due to sharing the same origin.

Don't think that just because the Great Merciful Tree King is also a deity, Luo De has no reverence for her at all; compared to how he treats Nadixa, it's even more natural.

Don't think the Great Merciful Tree King is a deity—Luo De feels no reverence for her at all, and his attitude is even more natural than when he deals with Nadixa.

Speaking of an analogy.

【

Basically, Luo De treats the Great Merciful Tree King just as casually as he would his own siblings.

After all, looking across all of Teyvat.

Aside from the flower spirit clan still seeking healing in the desert for the myriad mother trees, the Great Merciful Tree King and Luo De are the closest by blood.

"Hmph—"

The Great Merciful Tree King, pouting after Luo De's barrage of questioning, finally spoke frankly: "I told them I was your long-lost younger sister, and then your family warmly welcomed me in."

"."

Luo De stopped in his tracks, astonished.

At the same time.

Having listened to the gossip for a long time, Zhongli couldn't help but burst out laughing with a puff.

It could make even this deity, who wouldn't change expression even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, show such an expression.

The impact of the Great Merciful Tree King's words is easy to imagine.

"You look like this, I look like this."

"And then you say you're my sister? They just believed that?"

Luo De pointed at the Great Merciful Tree King's face, then at his own, his expression full of shock.

After rebirth, the Great Merciful Tree King's appearance is exactly that of a grown Nadixa, which is the original appearance of the adult Great Merciful Tree King.

And now, after her disguise.

Her biggest change is that her original green hair turned black, her pupil color shifted slightly, her figure became a bit taller, and she added a fake Grass Element Divine Eye at her waist.

That's it.

For comparison.

Although Luo De still doesn't tan, at a glance he could easily be mistaken for someone from a rainforest, but his build and face have undergone considerable change since he first arrived in Teyvat, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the strikingly beautiful Great Merciful Tree King.

Not to mention, Dixiya knows Luo De is an outsider from beyond this world.

So she should be clear that unless there is a situation where the luminescent one fills the world searching for a brother, Luo De could not possibly have a sister similarly stranded in Teyvat.

After ruling out the possibility that everyone in the household truly believed it.

There is only one possible explanation for this.

"Just a little, a tiny psychological suggestion."

The Great Merciful Tree King pinched her fingers, indicating she really just used a little cheating trick to deceive Luo De's mortal family.

"I just knew."

Luo De covered his forehead and let out a light sigh.

Indeed, the Great Merciful Tree King used her authority to implant a psychological suggestion, causing Luo De's family to accept that she was his long-lost younger sister.

Things have come to this.

There's nothing more to say about it.

Anyway, the Great Merciful Tree King couldn't possibly harm Luo De's family, and explaining would be a hassle.

Thus Luo De could only resignedly accept the fact that he nominally gained a sister, returning home together with Zhongli, who was full of smiles from gossiping, and the Great Merciful Tree King, who kept smirking.

The one who opened the door was Ke Lai.

At first sight of Luo De standing outside the door, she—having grown considerably taller—rubbed her eyes hard, convinced she wasn't mistaken, then lunged forward, sobbing: "Teacher, you're finally back!"

Her crying.

called out everyone who was busy with other things.

Actually, there weren't many people around at this time.

Dixiya needs to patrol during the day, so she can only return at night.

Faelu Shan is now the head of the Hope City Rune Mechanisms Project Team, and she usually only comes back once every few days.

A De Ba Yi, after his reputation was restored, accepted Tinari's invitation to join the Mushroom Beast Cultivation Plan, a brand-new topic that the Academy had just launched not long ago; usually he doesn't return home.

So now the only ones at home are Ke Lai, who just got out of school not long ago, and Kuseila, who is wearing an apron like a homemaker and cleaning the room.

Compared to Ke Lai, whose eyes were brimming with hot tears.

Kuseila wasn't as agitated; her expression toward Luo De was more like the relaxed look of someone who had let out a breath of relief.

However, when he saw the Great Merciful Tree King standing behind Luo De, his complexion suddenly flashed with a hint of change.

Although it was merely a brief moment of solemnity.

But this could not escape Luo De's eyes.

Rubbing Ke Lai's head, Luo De gave the Great Merciful Tree King a triumphant glance, meaning roughly: "Your psychological suggestion isn't working either—isn't there still someone who doesn't believe you?"

However, the Great Merciful Tree King gave no response to his provocation; instead, she put on a look of watching the show, picked up the ingredients she had just bought, and went to the kitchen.

Afterwards, when Ke Lai took Zhongli to rest, only Kuseila and Luo De remained in the spacious living room.

That old fellow mysteriously pulled Luo De aside, covered his mouth with his hand, and whispered in a voice for fear of being overheard: "I say, son-in-law, that's really your sister—you gotta restrain yourself, absolutely must not do anything wrong and let Dixiya down!"

"I—"

In an instant.

Luo De seemed to hear the Great Merciful Tree King and Zhongli mocking him wantonly, which suddenly gave him the urge to sew Kuseila's mouth shut.

Not being able to speak, actually you don't need to speak! (End of chapter)