"What... is that thing?"
Ningguang barely managed to force the words out, her voice trembling. Every instinct scread that the object in Luo Qing's hand was dangerous.
"Allow to introduce it to you, Miss Ningguang," Luo Qing said, his tone suddenly rising theatrically, as though he were the host of an opera.
He held the strange purple orb up before her and continued in a calm, almost casual voice:
"This little thing is called a Master Ball. If I were to throw it, the first living creature it touches would form a servitude contract with and beco my slave."
Luo Qing's smile deepened as he explained, "Miss Ningguang, do you know what it ans to be a slave? It ans they would obey my every command unconditionally. Every command, mind you, no exceptions.
"Once the contract is ford, it's for life. They'd never be able to break free. They would only ever belong to ."
He tilted his head slightly, a trace of mischief in his eyes. "So, what do you think? Isn't it amazing?"
The playful smile on Luo Qing's face suddenly faded, his tone growing quieter. "Now, Miss Ningguang, if I were to press this onto your forehead, what do you suppose would happen?"
"..."
Ningguang stared at Luo Qing coldly. She struggled against the invisible force holding her in place, but her efforts were futile.
Luo Qing had already demonstrated his ability to control her body. His claims about the Master Ball's functionality seed increasingly credible. If the orb worked as he described, one touch would seal her fate. She'd beco his slave, bound to follow his every whim without question.
"I suppose we're about to find out," Luo Qing murmured. He slowly raised the Master Ball, holding it before her forehead and inching it closer.
Ningguang's heartbeat quickened, pounding so hard it felt as though it might burst from her chest. Cold sweat dripped from her temple as panic seized her. She tried desperately to resist, but her body refused to respond to her commands. Without Luo Qing's permission, even lifting a finger was impossible.
The ominous purple orb crept closer, filling her vision. Her mind spiraled into chaos. mories of her past flashed before her eyes.
As a child, poverty had forced her into the harsh world of comrce at an early age. She worked tirelessly to beco the greatest rchant in Liyue, pouring her life into every deal, every decision. Her unyielding determination and brilliance had propelled her to the role of Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing.
And now, all of it was about to be undone.
Luo Qing's little ball threatened to turn her from one of Liyue's most powerful figures into his personal servant. The thought of such humiliation was unbearable.
But what could she do? She couldn't even move her head, let alone resist. All she could do was watch helplessly as the orb drew nearer.
Eventually, her fear overwheld her resolve. Tears of frustration welled in her eyes, and she clenched them shut, resigned to her fate.
In that fleeting mont, Ningguang couldn't help but reflect: If I hadn't confronted Ganyu last night, if I hadn't set my suspicions on Luo Qing, would things have turned out differently?
But it was too late.
Sweat trickled down her brow as she braced for the inevitable, her entire body tense as though awaiting a death sentence.
Seconds passed.
She felt sothing press lightly against her forehead—but nothing happened.
A few more monts passed. Still, there was no sensation of any kind.
Realizing that sothing was amiss, Ningguang cautiously opened her eyes. To her astonishnt, the object touching her forehead was not the purple orb—but Luo Qing's index finger.
"Eh...?"
Pop!
Before she could process the situation, a sharp flick landed squarely on her forehead, the sound echoing through the room.
"Ow!" Ningguang yelped, instinctively raising both hands to cradle her forehead. The flick was so painful that tears pricked the corners of her eyes.
A few seconds later, she noticed sothing even more surprising: she could move again. Her limbs were her own once more.
Letting out a deep breath, Ningguang felt the tension leave her body. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the floor, drained of strength.
"What are you...?"
She looked up at Luo Qing, her eyes brimming with confusion.
"What, you're asking why I didn't make you my slave?" Luo Qing teased, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "So you're saying you wanted to, Miss Ningguang?"
"Of course not!" she snapped, her face flushing red.
"I told you, this was just a little lesson." Luo Qing leaned forward and offered her a hand. "We're supposed to be partners, right? And partners shouldn't do such rebellious things, don't you agree?"
"..."
For a long mont, Ningguang said nothing. Her expression was complicated as she gazed at Luo Qing.
She had held the position of Tianquan for quite so ti, accustod to maintaining control over every situation. As the de facto leader of Liyue, she approached everything with the mindset of an overseer, ensuring all events played out within her carefully crafted plans.
Now, staring at Luo Qing, she finally realized: she was just a mortal with a Vision.
There were beings in this world far beyond her control.
Even if she could command all of Liyue, it wouldn't matter. Luo Qing could appear in her room at any mont, press that orb to her forehead, and shatter her autonomy.
The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Luo Qing..." Ningguang bowed her head low, her tone respectful. It had been years since she had last apologized to anyone, and the gesture felt foreign to her.
Taking his hand, she allowed him to help her back to her feet. After steadying herself, she turned and quietly poured Luo Qing another cup of tea.
This ti, there was no trace of her earlier hauteur. Her actions were no less graceful, but they carried an air of genuine humility.
"All right, all right," Luo Qing said with a dismissive wave, taking a sip of tea. "I'm a reasonable man. It's in the past. No need to dwell on it, Miss Ningguang."
"..."
Ningguang remained silent, her mind racing. The events of the past few minutes would likely haunt her for the rest of her life.
If she really had beco Luo Qing's servant...
To obey his every command...
Shudder.
No, it was too terrifying to even imagine.
"Well then, let's get back to business," Luo Qing said, breaking the tension. He picked up the stack of docunts Ningguang had prepared. "Now, can you tell who's trying to unseal Osial alongside Beisht?"
"Mm..." Ningguang's deanor shifted. The harrowing experience seed to have reignited sothing in her—a spark of determination from her younger days, when she had clawed her way up in the business world.
"These are reports from various departnts. According to intel from returning rchant ships, Beisht has been spotted lingering near Liyue's coastal waters. She even made contact with a certain ship..."
Ningguang placed a set of docunts on the desk before Luo Qing. Among them were photographs showing Beisht interacting with soone aboard the vessel.
"This..."
Luo Qing frowned as he examined the ship. He couldn't help but let out a sigh.
"Of course it's a Fatui military vessel..."
In hindsight, it wasn't surprising that Ningguang suspected him.
From her perspective, it really did seem like he was pulling the strings behind all of this.
---
T/N: WOO I SHOULDNT HAVE DOUBTED U KING!!!
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