Genshin Impact: Villain Life Sim

"Trying to silence me by killing, are you?" Lucas twirled the iron whip in his hand with a smirk. "Yelan, did you get that on record too?"

"Of course," Yelan nodded, her smile cold. "It seems your crimes have just gained another entry."

At this point, Ningguang's confidence visibly crumbled.

While Yelan's strength was enigmatic and formidable, Ningguang believed herself capable of matching her in battle. She had initially thought that the Tianshu was merely a bookish scholar, someone weak and easily subdued. Her plan had been simple—strike him down, destroy the recording device, and concoct a plausible excuse to deal with both him and Yelan, all to protect herself.

But she had severely underestimated him. Without even possessing a Vision, he had effortlessly neutralized her abilities.

Lucas's strength, of course, stemmed from his Rise to the Top talent.

This unique trait allowed his power to grow alongside his rise in authority and position. Now, as a member of Liyue's Qixing, with influence reaching into every corner of the city, his strength had naturally reached unprecedented levels. Even without a Vision, he far outmatched Ningguang. And now, he had Yelan by his side as well.

"You're still unwilling to submit?" Lucas's finger traced the edge of the Xue Bai Enters the Boat scroll. "Such a pity—this Wild Script Shao Stele and Xue Bai Enters the Boat have barely been appreciated. And now, they'll be destroyed along with the Jade Chamber."

Finally, Ningguang sighed deeply. "Fine. State your terms."

"I can let you remain as the Tianquan, allow you to keep the Jade Chamber, and even help you fulfill your dream of expanding it further." Lucas gently patted Ningguang's head, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "The condition is that you obey me without question. In other words, I want you... to be my dog."

"Come on, come on!" Yelan interjected eagerly, her eyes shining. "Join me as Master's dog! It's so much fun!"

Ningguang looked into Yelan's eyes, only to find the person she once knew—a dominant force straddling both the dark and light sides of Liyue—completely transformed. What kind of power did this man wield to reduce Yelan to such a state?

"What you're offering is more influence?" Ningguang asked, her voice bitter.

"No," Lucas shook his head. "What I want is absolute authority—my word as law."

The Rise to the Top trait not only bolstered Lucas's strength as his status climbed but also bred in him an insatiable hunger for power.

If revenge alone were his goal, he could have already ruined Ningguang and Yelan. But instead, he chose to subjugate them, using them as stepping stones to ascend even higher.

"I recognize that look in your eyes," Ningguang said, her voice tinged with sorrow. "It's the look of someone corrupted by power. The deeper you sink, the closer you come to destroying yourself."

"Oh, spare me your moralizing!" Lucas scoffed. "Do you have any idea the suffering I've endured these past years? You're right about one thing—I will climb to the very top! No one will ever trample me underfoot again!"

His words carried an undercurrent of pain and fury.

Though Lucas had risen to become one of the Qixing, he was still a pawn in the hands of the Fatui. Their control over him, symbolized by the secrets they held, made him little more than a tool to be used and discarded. Breaking free from their grip was his ultimate goal.

Even Ningguang, always composed and poised, felt a crushing weight emanating from Lucas, the sheer force of his ambition suffocating.

After a long pause, Ningguang's lips curled into a wry smile. She nodded. "Fine. I accept your terms. Let's see how high you can climb."

Lucas returned her smile, his tone calm but sharp. "A wise choice. You truly are a clever woman."

"So, what's next?" Ningguang asked, her voice light but laced with sarcasm. "Should we draft a contract now?"

"Contracts are for gentlemen," Lucas said, shaking his head. "A relationship like ours can't be bound by something so flimsy."

While Liyue prided itself on the sanctity of contracts, only a true oath sworn before Rex Lapis himself carried weight. Anything less was merely a symbolic gesture.

"Then how do you plan to... tame me?" Ningguang narrowed her eyes, her voice edged with defiance.

Lucas glanced around the room, his eyes falling on the calligraphy adorning the walls. A grin spread across his face. "Let's use calligraphy."

"What?"

Before Ningguang could process his words, Lucas grabbed her prized Xue Bai Enters the Boat scroll. Without hesitation, he crumpled it into a tight ball.

"Stop! What are you doing?!" Ningguang gasped, her composure cracking.

Lucas loosened his grip, allowing the crumpled paper to unfurl. Miraculously, it returned to its original pristine state.

"Relax. Xue Bai's works are always crafted on the finest paper. No matter how much you crumple it, it won't lose its shape. Even if there's an impression left, it will smooth out in time," Lucas said confidently. "It seems you don't understand your own treasure at all."

"Who would waste time doing such a thing?" Ningguang muttered, her brow furrowed. "You're insane."

"You don't get it. Art, like antiques, needs to be 'handled.'" Lucas crumpled the scroll again, then released it. "Frequent handling makes the paper more resilient, the texture more elastic, and the strokes sharper. Look at the 'steel-like' characters—don't they seem even bolder now?"

Ningguang's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Sure enough, the characters 'as firm as steel' seemed to radiate a new strength.

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