Iηησcєηт Ɓℓσσd

007 Gυιzhσηg

That night, the recurring events of Zhongli's past manifested in another gut-wrenching nightmare. Guizhong appeared to him again, covered in blood, eyes dull, as he cradled her broken corpse desperately in a field of glazed lilies and wept bitterly.

The first lantern rite festival Zhongli attended was a ruse orchestrated by an elite coven of evil vampires to capture him, and Guizhong was their ally--a spy who had fallen in love with her target. Her mission was to earn Zhongli's trust by using any means necessary, even her body.

At first, Guizhong is loyal to the coven, but after spending quality time with Zhongli and his band of misfits, she has a change of heart. They became more than mere acquaintances; she even confided in him later that she had an affinity for the mechanical arts.

Initially, she thought Zhongli would tease her endlessly, but instead, he encouraged her to build the Guizhong Ballista at Mt. Tiansheng pass to defend their territory from invaders.

He also assisted her in collecting dangerous machines all across Liyue and even suggested new regions where she could excavate and find many priceless materials for her research.

During their lively brunches on Mt. Aocang, Guizhong's admiration for Zhongli grew daily. Although she was a social butterfly, realizing her affection for him made her shy, reserved, and self-conscious. Before she knew it, she was hopelessly devoted to him.

Every small gesture they shared made her heart flutter like a teenager's, and when their eyes met, or their fingers touched, she would avert her face timidly, trembling with excitement, although she feared that he would discover her secret.

Zhongli was a master of courtesy, which made it difficult for her to decipher his heart. His calm, polite, and reserved demeanor gave nothing away, leading her to believe her love was unrequited.

Moon Supreme --the Progenitor of vampires-- had given Guizhong this crucial mission because he trusted her implicitly and no one else. Her duty was to persuade Zhongli to attend the Lantern Rite Festival, where he would receive his vision and blessing from the Gods descending from Celestia.

Guizhong's heart broke as she saw Zhongli's silhouette approaching the entrance of the yearly Festival. He wore a stunning white Hanfu; his gorgeous umber hair was swept in an elegant high ponytail with little golden ribbons on each side. His smooth fringes framed his chiseled cheeks like a halo.

He is an Adonis, she beamed, and her heart swelled with pride. Many guests were vying for his attention, but his eyes vigilantly searched the crowd for her ethereal beauty.

Lately, Guizhong's awkwardness has persuaded Zhongli that she is in love with him. He had waited patiently for her to accept him, so he wanted to express how much he adored her after receiving this incredible honor tonight. Guizhong's heart was thumping wildly in her chest as they waltzed around the dancefloor gracefully.

Her smile was dazzling, yet it didn't reach her luminous eyes, which didn't go unnoticed by Zhongli. Still, he ignored his misgivings and twirled her out of his embrace; before she could safely return, a blood-curdling scream was heard over the mellow sound of the lyres.

"Help me, somebody, please!"

The woman in the hideous powdered wig shrieked in terror before she was decapitated. A hoard of hellish beasts descended from the sky, and for the first time in his life, Zhongli had known fear. Losing Guizhong before he could-- no, that was not an option, so he maneuvered her behind him safely and pried the dull blade from the severed hand of a dead soldier.

As the terrifying massacre continued, Zhongli realized that they were not the primary targets of these onslaughts, or so he thought, until a deafening silence filled the room. An enthusiastic, slow clap could be heard approaching them from the recesses of the darkness.

"Bravo! You deserve a fucking award for that remarkable performance Haagentus."

The tall figure approached her with a strange, gliding movement. The lights fell upon its face. It's perfectly white, perfectly bloodless. His eyes were perfectly polished steel, his lips drawn back, and the principal feature next to those dreadful eyes was the teeth -the fearful-looking teeth- projecting like a rabid animal, unsightly, glaringly white, and fang-like.

The bloody carnage stopped at his ominous voice, and the vampires bowed submissively. On cue, Guizhong stepped forward obediently and kowtowed.

"Sire, I am not worthy of such praise."