Villain Simulator, GenshinImpact

"No," Zhongli shook her head slightly, her tone calm yet resolute. "I think your words are not without merit."

"Wait…" Xianyun furrowed her brow. "You can't be serious, can you?"

Zhongli didn't answer directly, offering only a faint smile. "Perhaps the time has indeed come to entrust Liyue entirely to its people."

....

Unnoticed, the sky outside had darkened, and evening had fallen. Dinner was now being served.

"I'm done!"

Lucas and Shenhe declared in unison, hastily finishing their meal.

"Huh?" Ganyu looked at them curiously. "Why are you eating so fast today?"

"Senior Sister, we've got something else to do," Shenhe said, glancing at Lucas. "Shall we go?"

"Let's go!" Lucas nodded. "Don't wait up for me tonight. You should rest early."

With that, the two hurriedly left the dining hall without another word.

"How strange…" Ganyu tilted her head, confused. "Where are they off to?"

"Playing cards," Xianyun said leisurely. "They mentioned practicing for the upcoming Tianshu selection."

"So diligent?" Ganyu felt a wave of warmth in her heart, thinking of Lucas's efforts to "win" her hand. She murmured to herself, "It seems I'll need to add a little extra 'reward' for him next time."

"Reward?" Xianyun raised a curious eyebrow. "What kind of reward?"

Ganyu's face turned crimson. She stammered, "N-nothing! I'll just go wash the dishes!"

"There's no need," Xianyun interjected, shaking her head. "You've been working all day and must be tired. Leave the dishes to me. I've just invented a new device specifically for dishwashing—freeing up your hands entirely. After all, it wouldn't be right for me to keep eating here for free."

"Are you sure about this?"

Ganyu's expression was somewhat skeptical. Having suffered from Cloud Retainer's "inventions" since childhood, she knew all too well that while they often looked promising, they invariably ended in mishaps.

"What's the matter?" Xianyun narrowed her eyes slightly. "You doubt my inventions?"

"Of course not," Ganyu replied with a resigned smile. "Since you insist, I'll leave it to you. I'll go rest now."

.....

As it turned out, Ganyu was only half correct.

Lucas and Shenhe's enthusiasm for card games was indeed partly due to their desire to prepare for the Tianshu selection.

But the other reason was simple: playing cards was genuinely fun!

The immense popularity of Genius Invokation TCG across Teyvat wasn't without reason. Its combination of strategic deck-building and randomness ensured that no two duels were ever the same.

The game offered the satisfaction of methodical planning and executing complex strategies while also delivering the thrill of summoning powerful cards through sheer luck.

Lucas's enjoyment was unsurprising, but even Shenhe—typically detached from worldly pleasures—found herself captivated by Genius Invokation TCG.

Of course, Shenhe's competitive streak was a major factor in her newfound obsession.

Despite her best efforts, Lucas won eight or nine out of every ten matches, even with the handicap of Shenhe's 'Solitary Star Fate' affecting his luck. Losing under such conditions was unacceptable to her.

Several hours later, it was already late at night, but the lights in the room remained lit.

"Let's see if you can handle this!" Shenhe declared, slamming a Combat Card onto the table. "I summon the Level 7 Combat Card, 'Echoes of the Whirlpool – Baizhe'!"

A fearsome three-headed creature emerged from the card, its imposing presence filling the room.

In Genius Invokation TCG, Level 7 and above Combat Cards were typically considered demigod-level or deity-level entities. With their impressive stats and game-changing abilities, such cards could easily turn the tide of a duel.

On Lucas's side, only a Level 5 Combat Card, 'Ningguang,' stood in play. The difference in power was stark.

"Too bad," Lucas said with a sly grin, flipping over a face-down card. "I activate the Quick-Play Effect Card, 'Fall of the Jade Chamber'!"

[Fall of the Jade Chamber]

Effect | Quick-Play

Condition: Can be activated only when a Combat Card with the 'Ningguang' tag is on the field. Pay 1000 Life Points to destroy a Level 7 or Level 8 Combat Card and deal damage equal to the destroyed card's level × 200 to your opponent's Life Points.

While most Counter Cards could only be activated during the opponent's turn, Quick-Play Effect Cards could be used as long as they were set on the field.

A massive structure suddenly materialized in mid-air, crashing down on Baizhe. The creature shattered upon impact, and Shenhe's Life Points were reduced to zero.

[Shenhe's HP: 1200 → 0]

"Darn it, darn it!" Shenhe clenched her fists in frustration. "I worked so hard to summon that powerful Combat Card!"

"Yawn…" Lucas stretched, covering his mouth as he yawned. "Let's call it a night. I'm exhausted."

"Wait!" Shenhe blocked his path, determined. "I refuse to believe I can't win a single match against you. Let's go again!"

"Playing more won't change anything," Lucas said lazily. "I already told you—I'll play with you again tomorrow."

"No!" Shenhe's stubbornness mirrored Ganyu's. "If I don't win at least once, I won't be able to sleep tonight!"

"Well, you're not letting me sleep either," Lucas sighed. "Fine. How about I just count this as your win?"

"Don't treat me like a child," Shenhe said resolutely. "I want to win fair and square!"

Lucas suddenly grinned mischievously. "What time is it now?"

Shenhe paused, then glanced at the clock on the wall. "Just past midnight. Why?"

"Since it's after midnight, it's officially adult time," Lucas said, rubbing his hands together. "Want to try a 'Dark Duel'?"

"Dark Duel?" Shenhe asked, puzzled. "What's that?"

"Simple," Lucas crossed his arms. "The loser must obey one condition set by the winner. So, what do you say? If you're brave enough to play a Dark Duel, I'll keep playing."

----

AN: Seggs??