After casting the spell, Paimon immediately noticed the astonished look in Hu Tao's eyes.
She puffed out her chest proudly.
"Level-three magic — Animate Dead. Well? Impressed?"
"That is impressive," Hu Tao admitted. "But how do you know level-three magic?"
Hu Tao obviously recognized the spell, but what confused her was how Paimon, of all people, could use it.
In Heroes III, magic was divided into five tiers. While level-three spells only required Basic Wisdom, actually learning them still demanded a Level-3 Mage Guild—and that thing was absurdly expensive.
Hu Tao herself didn't even have one yet.
So where did Paimon learn it?
"Hehe~ I picked up a spell scroll."
"…Ah."
That explained it.
One of Zhongli's instructions for Paimon had been simple: follow Hu Tao closely, pick up any artifacts Hu Tao didn't need, and bring them back for the Teyvat team.
They'd been conquering cities nonstop, and almost all the loot went straight into Paimon's pockets.
Hu Tao had honestly lost track of what Paimon even carried anymore.
Now that she'd used it, the effect was… unexpectedly huge.
Hu Tao was delighted.
Tail, however, was utterly dumbfounded.
It couldn't wrap its head around how that tiny floating creature had just used such a powerful spell.
All its desperate counterplay—completely erased in one move.
With skeletons already flooding over the walls, the Grand Elves were barely holding on, completely overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
"…At least it was me," Tail muttered bitterly.
Defeat was inevitable. The only consolation was that Huo Huo had fainted earlier—if she saw this nightmare of a battlefield, who knew what would happen?
Just as that thought crossed its mind—
A powerful force surged through the body.
Huo Huo's consciousness forcibly returned.
"WHY NOW?!"
Tail had only been able to take control because Huo Huo was unconscious. The moment she woke up, it was instantly shoved back into the tail with zero resistance.
The first sound Huo Huo heard—
Crack. Crack.
Bones grinding against each other.
She opened her eyes.
Two empty eye sockets stared straight back at her—faint red light glowing within.
Huo Huo froze.
First glance: skeletons outside the city.
Second glance: skeletons climbing the walls.
Third glance—
They were right in front of her.
She couldn't understand how they moved so fast. Entire steps of reality seemed to be missing.
Her pupils dilated.
"—Hk."
In that instant, her soul felt like it popped clean out of her body.
She collapsed peacefully, warmth spreading through her limbs.
"So… this is what dying feels like…"
Light enveloped her.
Huo Huo reappeared in the grand hall.
The spectators rushed over as soon as they saw her.
Huo Huo lay flat on the floor, hands folded neatly on her chest.
"H-Huo Huo… how could you leave us so soon…"
Star threw herself dramatically onto Huo Huo, sobbing.
"Move aside."
March 7th rolled her eyes and shoved Star away, then helped Huo Huo sit up.
"Huo Huo, are you okay?"
"Eh…? Miss March… You're all here too… in heaven?"
"…Uh…"
March froze.
By that logic, everyone here had technically died.
Welt adjusted his glasses.
"This isn't heaven. You were just eliminated."
"Eliminated…?"
Huo Huo thought for a moment, then finally remembered she was playing a game.
She clutched her chest in relief.
"Oh thank goodness… just eliminated."
The others stared.
So this was acceptable to you?!
Inside the game world.
Hu Tao and Paimon finished looting the battlefield and entered the captured city.
"…Why did they build so many walls?"
Hu Tao frowned.
The city's construction was… deformed.
Almost no military buildings—everything had gone into fortifications.
Looking at the unit pool, it was completely empty. Recruitment would have to wait until next week.
"Paimon, we're leaving."
"Huh?" Paimon blinked. "We're not keeping the city?"
Wasn't the normal play to hold it and let allies take over?
"Nope. We're going to cause trouble."
Hu Tao waved dismissively.
Their tasks were clear:
Let Paimon collect artifacts.Strip other players of their troops.
Once a city was captured, Paimon could buy out its units, haul them back to the Necropolis, and convert them into skeletons.
But earlier, Hu Tao had received a system message:
Each player may only own one Capitol.
The moment she captured this city, its Capitol automatically downgraded to a City Hall.
Daily income dropped from 4000 to 2000 gold.
That's when Hu Tao realized—
She'd found a beautiful strategy.
She didn't need to hold cities at all.
She could just capture them.
Every time she took a city, its Capitol downgraded.
Even if the owner reclaimed it later, rebuilding the Capitol would cost 10,000 gold.
What wins wars?
Economy.
She explained it to Paimon.
Paimon nodded so hard her head almost flew off.
"Yes yes yes, this is evil. I love it."
Thus—
Two bandits began their grand robbery tour.
The result?
Absolute disaster for the Honkai: Star Rail side.
Players were happily farming, singing, living their best lives—
Then suddenly: City Lost.
Some didn't even realize until long after, rushing back only to find:
Empty cityNo troopsCapitol downgraded
"WHO DID THIS?!"
"MY GOLD—!"
"DON'T LET ME FIND YOU!"
The Star Rail chat channel descended into absolute chaos.
And somewhere in the distance—
Hu Tao laughed.
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