NOVEL WEB Chapter 176: Mission Complete, With Two Fellow Patients
One afternoon at the end of summer, in the quiet Dawn & Craft Brew, Lu Chen heard a long-lost system notification.
[Challenge Mission: Mondstadt Special Drink]
[Assist Diluc in rebuilding Dawn Winery and brew a highly acclaimed otherworldly beverage]
[Mission complete. Reward: 4,800 Primogems; 4.8 million yuan in real-world currency]
Yes!
Lu Chen felt like it had been ages since he last heard the sweet sound of Primogems being credited. Seeing those sparkling blue-and-pink crystals again, a smile unconsciously curled at his lips.
"Eh? Boss Lu, what's got you so happy?" The bartender glanced curiously at Lu Chen, who was grinning at thin air.
"Uh..." Lu Chen quickly wiped the smile off his face. He was getting older—why was he still so excited every time he saw Primogems?
"Nothing, just thought of something nice."
"Oh, and one more thing," Lu Chen added, glancing at him. "Stop calling me Boss Lu. Makes me sound ancient."
Every time Miko called him "old man," it really got under his skin. He still saw himself as a young guy...
"Alright, Lu... Brother Lu." The bartender kept his head down, continuing to wipe glasses.
"Mission's done?" Diluc placed his cocktail shaker down and looked over with interest.
"Yeah." Lu Chen nodded.
After proposing a "cooperation" with that scar-faced man known as "Brother Wang," Diluc's Mondstadt Special Drink had finally made its way into their rival bar.
That bar was way livelier than theirs—lots of foot traffic. And since the drink itself was already excellent, it sold out by the third day of release.
Word was that customers at the rival bar were getting impatient over the lack of restock, pestering the owner every day. Eventually, that so-called competitor showed up first thing in the morning to inquire about the supplier—only to be met with a whole round of eye-rolls.
[Archon Mission: Reopen the Gate to Teyvat – Current Completion Rate: 58%]
After Lu Chen shared the latest mission progress in the group chat, the place exploded with activity.
[Ei: Has that much time passed already?]
[The Greatest Bard: I haven't had enough fun yet. Don't tell me I'm getting sent back? (sobbing emoji)]
[I am Barbara: Lord Barbatos! How could you say that?! Mondstadt still needs you! (angry! angry!)]
[Eightfold Chief Editor Blessed with Beauty and Brains: Hahahahaha! My daily disillusionment with our Archon +1]
[Teyvat's Handsomest: Hey hey! No one said you're getting kicked back! There's been no special prompt—it's obviously a two-way gate!]
[Zhongli: Reasonably speaking, young friend Lu Chen makes a fair point.]
[Xiao: What the Lord says is absolutely correct.]
[Master Hu: Heard someone trashed your place, Lu Chen? Need a little backup?]
[Diluc: No fatalities.]
[Master Hu: Oh. (image: disappointed.jpg)]
The group chat quickly devolved into a lively mess of chatter. Everyone had something to say—except Qiqi. Lu Chen chuckled and pocketed his phone.
By the afternoon, the Dawn & Craft Brew was packed again. The girls from the day before had brought even more friends to see the handsome guys.
Lu Chen scanned the room, feeling the heat of the stares coming from every direction. His scalp tingled.
Still hardly any male customers—just hordes of fangirls swooning over good-looking bartenders.
He had already lost count of how many times he'd refused to add someone on WeChat. Eventually, he gave up and hid behind the counter, glancing helplessly at Diluc, who remained perfectly composed.
"Let's head back home and take a look at the other quests..."
"Alright." Diluc nodded slightly.
"Noooo!" Venti suddenly bolted over with his phone. "I haven't had enough to drink yet..."
Lu Chen glanced at his screen—it was the WeChat app. He'd already added a ton of people.
"You're really thriving, huh?"
"Obviously!"
"Alright then, the shop's yours." Lu Chen gestured toward Xiao, then made a swift getaway with him and Diluc.
That left Venti and the bartender alone in the bar, eyeing each other—along with a pack of fangirls staring hungrily in their direction.
...
Back at the seaside villa, Lu Chen saw Zhongli trimming the garden in a sunhat.
He wore a plain white T-shirt, holding pruning shears in one hand and a spray bottle in the other, carefully tending to two rows of cosmos flowers in front of the villa.
Even in simple clothing, Zhongli exuded a quiet elegance in everything he did. Lu Chen and Xiao paused at the entrance, silently watching the old man work.
As he looked more closely, Lu Chen noticed a few familiar plants growing in the nursery—Jueyun Chilis and Glaze Lilies.
These Liyue specialties were practically useless in-game items he'd pulled from gacha. Lu Chen had tossed them to Zhongli without a second thought, thinking they were worth less than two- or three-star gear. He hadn't expected Zhongli to actually grow them—and quite well, too.
"Living a pretty leisurely life, huh?" Lu Chen walked up beside him.
"Glaze Lilies are ancient flowers that once flourished all across Liyue. Nowadays, only cultivated varieties remain. I didn't expect you to have a wild strain."
Zhongli looked at him and said slowly, "It would've been a shame to throw them out. Though the wild blossoms aren't as full, they have a tenacious vitality. Whether for culinary, medicinal, or even cultivation purposes, they hold great value."
"Oh..." Lu Chen tried mimicking his thoughtful gaze. He had to admit—they were pretty nice-looking. The old man really had a green thumb.
Xiao watched Zhongli's movements closely, a contemplative look in his golden eyes.
"Hmm... medicinal... cultivation..."
"Lord Zhongli, are you—"
"You doing this for some hidden purpose?" Lu Chen finished for him.
Xiao looked at him, slightly confused. Lu Chen just shrugged, "Not everything has to be some grand scheme. Can't Lord Zhongli have hobbies too?"
"Hobbies?" Xiao looked even more puzzled.
"Looks like you still need time to get used to your Lord's retirement routine." Lu Chen laughed.
Zhongli glanced at Xiao's bewildered expression and let out a barely audible sigh.
It seemed he agreed—he was truly just gardening out of interest. No deeper meaning behind it.
Lu Chen could empathize with Xiao.
For thousands of years, the Geo Archon had protected Liyue—not just with power, but with wisdom and strategy.
He was far-sighted, shrewd, and understood the world to its core.
That was how he subdued rival Archons, earned countless allies, and won the reverence of both mortals and Adepti.
Everything the Lord had done always carried deeper meaning.
Until he retired...
Now Xiao was left trying to wrap his head around a world where that wasn't the case.
Lu Chen patted the confused, clearly struggling adeptus on the shoulder—then turned his gaze to Barbara, who was jogging toward them, waving cheerfully.
She'd probably just returned from Starlight Company. Ever since becoming an idol, Barbara was glowing with happiness—her smile bright and warm like the sun.
Watching her, Lu Chen couldn't help but think about how disillusioned she'd become with her own carefree Archon...
"I think... you two fellow patients might want to talk."