ALL NOVEL Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Pregnant
That year, that night, Yu didn't fully understand what had happened. All he knew was that by the next morning, after half a day of furious battles, the Geo Archon finally showed a rare expression of fatigue.
Yu estimated his own strength compared to Zhongli. If he were to go all out, he figured he might be able to match about half of Zhongli's power.
The following day, a slightly unsteady Zhongli approached Yu.
"Yu, I have a task for you. You need to hunt down six gods calling themselves the Six Paths of Reincarnation."
"Six Paths of Reincarnation? Got it. I'll make sure to bring back their heads."
The commotion from the previous night had been significant. News spread across Liyue Harbor—someone had attempted to assassinate the Geo Archon but failed. However, judging by Zhongli's weary appearance, it was clear that he hadn't emerged unscathed. Bold, audacious criminals! Did they really think Liyue lacked defenders?
In no time, the name Six Paths of Reincarnation became infamous throughout Liyue. The bounty for their capture was posted everywhere, accompanied by an unspoken but clear declaration: this wouldn't end until they were caught.
Yu and several Yakshas worked relentlessly for days, their bloodlust ignited by the mission.
"Eyes on me, everyone!" Yu shouted, rallying the group.
---
"Brother Yu, maybe we should capture six random gods to present to the Archon as a token," Bosacius suggested.
"Let's not bother. Think of it as a necessary sacrifice for Liyue's sake. We don't know the full situation yet. All the other gods have gone into hiding, and it's impossible for us to surrender now—our reputation is already in shambles. For now, we'll need to tough it out and lie low."
"Alright, we'll follow your lead, Brother Yu."
"What about the rest of you?"
"We agree too," Bonanus chimed in.
---
Days passed, yet the culprits remained free. Yu, frustrated, could only claim, "I've practically turned the entire ground upside down," but Morax simply replied, "If that's not enough, I'll have Azhdaha help you dig deeper."
Despite their efforts, there was no breakthrough. However, an unexpected piece of news soon spread—Guizhong was pregnant!
Yu couldn't help but wonder, What exactly would be born from a union of stone and dust?
On the bright side, Yu no longer had to pretend to search fervently every day. He had been putting on an act of being thoroughly invested, while in reality, he was just faking it. Now, that was no longer necessary—he had been reassigned to guard Guizhong.
Today, Guizhong visited Madame Ping, hoping she could divine the fate of the child in her womb.
After a moment of calculation, Madame Ping frowned deeply.
"What's wrong? What's wrong? Is there something wrong with my child?" Guizhong asked anxiously.
Madame Ping remained silent for a moment before speaking. "Guizhong, the result might not be favorable."
Guizhong felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Why is my fate always so difficult? After finally solidifying my relationship with Morax…
"What exactly do you mean? Tell me!" Guizhong pressed, growing increasingly uneasy.
"The girl in your womb is destined to be rebellious by nature. She will face many hardships in her early years, and…" Madame Ping hesitated.
At that moment, Yu, squatting nearby in boredom, perked up at the conversation. A rebellious girl by nature? Wait, a girl? So it's going to be a daughter—an imperial princess of the Geo Archon?
"Madame Ping, did you make a mistake?"
"It's not impossible. The child of a god is inherently full of uncertainties, and the cause and effect surrounding them are immense. Such a result is not uncommon," Madame Ping replied, glancing thoughtfully at Yu. "Yu, would you like me to read your fate as well?"
Hearing this, Yu figured he had nothing better to do, so he agreed.
"Once again, the result is… naturally rebellious. Maybe I'm the one with the problem," Madame Ping said, perplexed.
Guizhong finally breathed a sigh of relief.
---
As time passed, Guizhong's belly grew larger, and her temperament became increasingly erratic. Cloud Retainer brought Ganyu, a qilin child born under auspicious signs, to accompany her. Ganyu's presence was believed to be beneficial for both mother and child. Zhongli frequently visited to check on Guizhong as well.
One day, during a casual conversation about the rebellious fate, Zhongli glanced at Yu, then at Guizhong's belly, lost in thought.
Lately, an air of unease had settled over Liyue. Zhongli sensed an impending crisis. Despite the deceptive calm, he was acutely aware that this was still the era of the Archon War, and danger could strike at any moment.
As Guizhong's due date approached, a coalition of gods suddenly launched an attack.
"Morax, you've grown too powerful. We have no choice but to unite against you," they declared.
Eighteen gods gathered their forces and marched on Liyue.
To minimize casualties among the Qianyan Army, Zhongli sent out all the Yakshas and Adepti to defend the city. Meanwhile, only Guizhong, Yu, and little Ganyu remained at the rear.
At this moment, Ganyu had reverted to her qilin form, resembling a small blue foal, happily munching on the snacks Guizhong was feeding her. Yu, bored out of his mind, sat nearby, polishing his Wolf's Gravestone over and over again.
"So boring!"
Normally, Yu didn't care much for mechanical arts, so he rarely interacted with Guizhong. And with everyone saying that pregnant women could be temperamental, Yu didn't dare provoke her. He quietly played his role as her bodyguard instead.
Suddenly, Guizhong clutched her stomach. "It hurts!"
"Guizhong is about to give birth!" little Ganyu exclaimed in a panic.
At that moment, a commotion erupted outside.
Ganyu's ears perked up as she became alert. "Stay with Lady Guizhong. I'll go check it out," Yu instructed before stepping outside, only to find that the city was under attack.