Chapter 302: Zhongli, Stop Talking!
Soon, everyone finalized their selections, tailoring the configurations to their unique combat styles and immediate needs.
Stelle enthusiastically loaded the heavy, unyielding power of the Path of Preservation into her interface, immediately following it up with the volatile, explosive characteristics of the Path of Destruction. She wanted her Substitute Doll to be an absolute bruiser—a vanguard tough enough to take a hit and hit back twice as hard.
March 7th, meanwhile, carefully calibrated her settings to focus on the creation and precise control of Six-Phase Ice, alongside advanced Bow Mastery. Across the multiversal Chat Group, screens flickered as each member locked in a combination of abilities they deemed most optimal for their artificial companions.
The initialization process concluded with a soft, chiming confirmation.
The very next moment, a deep and entirely alien sensation washed over everyone. It felt as though a secondary consciousness had suddenly bloomed within their minds—an additional 'body' that they could perceive, feel, and control in perfect synchronization with their own.
Silently, a figure materialized beside each of them. These 'people' were perfect replicas, identical down to the exact weave of their clothing, the stray hairs framing their faces, and even the subtle resting expressions they usually wore.
The only discernible difference lay in the eyes. The Substitute Dolls possessed a slightly hollow gaze, lacking the vibrant, living spark of their originals., their initial movements carried a faint, robotic stiffness, requiring a deliberate push of conscious thought to articulate properly.
For a brief period, bizarre and surreal scenes of 'people staring at themselves' played out across the various worlds connected to the Chat Group. The sudden, dizzying sensation of operating a physical doppelganger left everyone feeling a mix of deep novelty and utter unfamiliarity.
[Paimon]: "Wow! Another Lumine just popped out of thin air! There are two Lumines! Which one is Paimon supposed to follow?!"
[Belle]: "Ugh, this is such a strange feeling... It's like my brain is processing two different fields of vision at the exact same time. Trying to make both bodies walk is making me a little dizzy..."
[Stelle]: "Haha! Look at this! Two of me! Double the trash-can-raiding efficiency!"
(Attached is an image of Stelle and her Substitute Doll. The two of them have their arms slung around each other's shoulders, flashing the exact same defiant, chaotic peace sign directly at the camera.)
After a brief period of awkward stumbling and mental recalibration, everyone gradually grew accustomed to the dual-perception network.
Stelle was already treating her Substitute Doll like a long-lost twin, practically skipping around the Astral Express.
Venti, entirely true to his nature, immediately found a way to use the miraculous technology for pure leisure. The bard leaned comfortably against the base of his own Statue of the Seven, a bottle of dandelion wine in hand. His Substitute Doll sat right beside him, mirroring his relaxed posture and holding its own wooden cup. Every so often, the real Venti would shift his consciousness to make the doll 'clink'glasses with him, happily sighing about experiencing'double the happiness.'
Back in New Eridu, Belle focused intensely on her secondary body. Her tongue poked out the corner of her mouth as she clumsily, yet successfully, piloted the doll to pick up a pitcher and pour a glass of water for her original self. This completely tangible, physical control bypassed any virtual reality dive she had ever experienced. It was incredibly addictive, and she giggled in delight as she made the doll perform little dances.
The Chat Group's interface quickly transformed into a scrolling waterfall of excited chatter. Everyone eagerly shared their thoughts on the Substitute Dolls, marveling at the sheer miraculous nature of the item. Most of the members acted like children who had just unwrapped the ultimate toy, testing out all sorts of bizarre, hilarious, and utterly absurd applications.
However, the more careful and grounded members of the group—namely Wise and Dan Heng—were already analyzing the long-term tactical implications.
[Wise]: "This Substitute Doll... it essentially gives us a disposable set of 'eyes'and'hands' for high-risk commissions."
[Wise]: "If we encounter an extremely dangerous Hollow, or an area we suspect is rigged with traps, we can send the doll in first. We secure real-time, first-person intelligence while keeping our actual, physical bodies completely out of harm's way."
[Dan Heng]: "Agreed. While the system noted that it cannot replicate our absolute peak strength—resulting in a noticeable reduction in raw combat capability—it is more than sufficient for forward reconnaissance and executing specialized tasks that don't require direct confrontation."
[Dan Heng]: "This is a highly valuable strategic asset. It provides a massive safety net for the complex and unpredictable situations we are bound to face in the future."
Amidst the bubbling excitement of the others, Wise maintained his analytical calm and typed out a sobering reminder.
[Wise]: "Everyone, listen up. While the doll's functionality is undeniably powerful, I need to emphasize something important."
[Wise]: "Even with this avatar available to absorb lethal risks, we cannot afford to get sloppy. When facing unknown missions—especially those explicitly flagged as dangerous by the Chat Group—we must maintain absolute caution. Do not let your guard down or rush into a meat grinder just because you have a 'substitute' to take the fall."
He paused, his fingers hovering over his keyboard before he delivered the final, painfully realistic blow needed to cool their heated minds.
[Wise]: "Also, I just took a moment to check the group store's updated inventory. If your Substitute Doll is destroyed, or if you wish to purchase a secondary one, the replacement cost is exactly 2,000 points."
[Wise]: "For the vast majority of us, that is quite literally our entire life savings. Many of you wouldn't be able to afford a replacement even if you emptied your accounts completely. So, please... treat them with care."
Wise's stark reminder hit the Chat Group like a bucket of ice water. The chaotic, enthusiastic atmosphere instantly evaporated. Everyone snapped out of their 'shiny new toy' honeymoon phase, their expressions turning serious as they re-evaluated the silent clones standing beside them.
Two thousand points. For almost everyone at this current stage, that was an astronomical sum. It was the kind of wealth that required careful budgeting, blood, sweat, and tears to accumulate.
This was no longer a fun little gimmick. It was a premium strategic resource. If it broke, their wallets would bleed dry.
Just as the group members were silently calculating their meager finances and sweating over the liability standing next to them, Zhongli finally chimed in. The former Geo Archon had been quietly observing the doll, cross-referencing its mechanics with his vast, ancient memory.
[Zhongli]: "Judging by common sense and the flow of its internal energies, the wondrous application of this 'Substitute Doll'bears a striking resemblance to the'Body-Outside-Body' technique. Specifically, the one detailed within the Mount Shu classics that Paimon recently acquired."
[Zhongli]: "Both methods involve using highly specialized esoteric arts to condense a physical doppelganger—one that is tethered to the user's consciousness and inherits a fraction of their divine or martial abilities. If this doll operates on a similar foundational principle, the heavenly treasures and spiritual cultivation required to forge even one of these vessels are by no means ordinary. Therefore, the store's asking price of two thousand points is, in reality..."
His text flowed onto the screen at an unhurried, methodical pace. It carried his signature penchant for deep historical textual research and his entirely skewed perception of an item's intrinsic value. To Zhongli, value was measured in history, artistry, and material rarity—concepts that existed in a completely different dimension from standard market economics.
He was clearly building up to a grand conclusion: that 2,000 points was an absolute steal, a bargain of a lifetime, and that the system was practically giving them away for free.
However, before he could hit send on his final, damning sentence, two messages violently slammed into the chat, practically vibrating with sheer, unadulterated terror.
[Lumine]: "Zhongli! Stop talking right now!!!" (Horrified_Screaming.jpg)
[Hu Tao]: "Consultant! Stop! Please, for the love of the heavens, shut your mouth!!!" (Frantic_Flailing.jpg)
In the minds of both Lumine and Hu Tao, a terrifying, PTSD-inducing flashback had just triggered. They perfectly envisioned Zhongli standing in the middle of a high-end Liyue Harbor boutique, crossing his arms, nodding approvingly at a ridiculously overpriced artifact, and calmly stating, "I'll take it all. Charge it to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor," or worse, "Charge it to the Traveler's tab."
Their reactions were so violently synchronized that the rest of the group could practically feel their mental collapse through the screen.
The members from other universes might have been tilting their heads in confusion, but Lumine and Hu Tao—the two poor souls who actually had to manage finances around the man—understood the sheer danger of letting him finish that sentence.
Yes, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor consultant was a walking encyclopedia. Yes, he was experienced, refined, and possessed world-shattering power. But he had absolutely zero concept of money, budgeting, or universal currency.
In Zhongli's golden eyes, 'value'was a romantic concept. Actual market price? What was that? Was it edible? He never haggled. If a merchant quoted him an exorbitant price, he simply nodded and thought,'Ah, this item has a rich history. The price is reasonable.'Worse yet, there were times when he looked at a priceless artifact and genuinely believed,'Such a treasure... the asking price is far too low. I should offer them more.' He didn't know how to bargain; he only knew how to accidentally inflate the market!
What if... what if this all-powerful Chat Group possessed some sort of dynamic market regulation mechanism?
If the system registered Zhongli's 'expert appraisal'that the Substitute Doll was heavily underpriced, it might instantly'correct' the market value! In the very next second, the price tag could skyrocket from 2,000 points to 5,000, or even 10,000 points!
For Lumine, who scraped and fought tooth and nail for every single point, wishing she could snap a single coin in half to make it stretch further, that would be an apocalyptic catastrophe.
If the price increased because of Zhongli's casual review, they wouldn't just be broke. They could work tirelessly until the heat death of the universe and still never afford a replacement!
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