"So what you mean is… the space station will become a gateway connecting Teyvat to the universe?"
Still recovering from the shock of witnessing the true scale of the cosmos, Ningguang was the first to return to a business mindset.
Yes—she was afraid.
Yes—she had been shaken.
But the moment she thought of the profit potential, her heartbeat quickened again.
Even if she would never dominate the cosmic market, even a tiny corner of the universe was richer than all trade within Teyvat combined.
Fear existed—but retreating? Impossible.
She would crawl, climb, and bleed for this opportunity if she had to.
And before that, she needed Su Ran's backing to establish a foundation solid enough to stand on.
The more she thought about it, the hotter her gaze at Su Ran burned.
"Correct. Or…" Su Ran smirked. "Are you scared?"
Even he had been overwhelmed when he first grasped what the universe truly was.
For someone who had never left Teyvat's soil, the impact must be ten times stronger.
Fear was expected.
"Naturally I'm afraid," Ningguang admitted calmly.
"I've never seen a world this vast."
She didn't hide her weakness.
If she wanted to rely on this man, honesty was the first investment.
A merchant who lies even to their own partner has no future.
She wasn't some shortsighted little profiteer.
She was greedy—yes.
But her greed aimed far, far beyond petty coin.
"Well, now you've seen it," Su Ran said.
"The question is—what will we sell?"
If there was to be trade, there must be goods.
Even as a child selling Mora meat barefoot, Ningguang understood that much.
Su Ran grinned.
"We sell my wisdom. And war. How does that sound?"
Wisdom was fine.
But war…
The word itself felt ominous.
At that moment, Ningguang finally understood why Su Ran fit so naturally in the Fatui.
"…Explain."
Though she loved peace, she knew some businesses were built on blood.
War brought profits that no peaceful era could rival.
"My inventions," Su Ran said, "are treasures in the universe— coveted by all.
That is 'selling wisdom.'"
"And war?"
Su Ran's tone lowered, carrying an unsettling weight.
"I have a species of insect that can multiply infinitely.
They once brought extinction-level destruction to the universe.
If I suppress their impact… they become the most terrifying mercenary force in existence.
That is 'selling war.'"
"...The entire universe?"
Ningguang stared at him, stupefied.
She had just learned how large the universe was— and the next moment he told her something under his control once ravaged two-thirds of all life-bearing regions.
"Not the entire universe," Su Ran corrected.
"Just about two-thirds of the habitable zones.
Countless galaxies were erased."
Ningguang fell silent.
She suddenly suspected Su Ran was playing the same role in the cosmos that the Fatui played in Teyvat— a walking natural disaster in human shape.
Two-thirds of the universe…
She couldn't even comprehend that scale.
Suddenly, he felt too powerful.
Too far above.
Was this still business?
Or was she a child pretending to trade with a god?
Why choose her?
What did he want from her?
Her beauty?
Please—he had two Archons fighting over him.
Her wealth?
The portion of the station she'd seen already exceeded what she could earn in a lifetime.
Her influence?
Laughable—compared to someone who likely outranked Archons.
Then what?
Ningguang realized—
She truly didn't understand Su Ran.
"…Why?"
She finally asked aloud.
"Why choose me?"
"YES. Why choose her?"
Yae Miko immediately chimed in, ears practically twitching with jealousy.
The universe was enormous.
Su Ran was absurdly powerful.
And yet—
Before feeding home-grown foxes, he fed a Liyue woman?
Unacceptable.
Su Ran answered shamelessly:
"White hair, red eyes, elegant demeanor— every trait I like in a woman, Ningguang has.
Isn't that enough?"
"…"
Everyone fell silent.
Even Ei.
"That's it?" Ningguang forced a smile.
"I qualified because of… that?"
Su Ran continued:
"I'm also jealous that some geniuses in my universe have rich sponsors.
So I want one too.
A rich woman I like.
Who among you has Ningguang's 'rich-lady aura?'"
Ayaka → a sheltered noble lady.
Makoto → gentle, graceful, not ruthless enough.
Ei → can fight but… only that.
Yae Miko → walking chaos fox; probably destined for the Path of Elation; completely untrustworthy.
Only Ningguang fit the profile.
If not her, who?
"It sounds ridiculous," Ningguang admitted, "but… I don't feel insulted."
Because his goal wasn't to toy with her.
It was simply a series of coincidences, preferences, and opportunity— and she happened to be the perfect match.
A lucky winner.
"Black Tower said the same thing," Su Ran muttered.
"Who's Black Tower?" Yae Miko perked up.
"The genius I'm jealous of," Su Ran said.
"But honestly— compared to me being jealous of her… she should be way more jealous of me."
Yae Miko: I completely do NOT understand your logic.
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