Sacrificing Myself: Nine Transmigrations (Genshin Impact)

"But... it's really high. Let me go instead. Qiqi, find a place to hide and be careful."

Elliot still wasn't comfortable letting Qiqi climb. Even though she was a zombie and couldn't be judged by normal standards, she was still just a small girl...

"Qiqi... is a zombie... not afraid... Qiqi is only scared of Hu Tao..."

Clearly, she was still shaken from Hu Tao's earlier stunt.

Elliot wanted to protest, but then remembered—his mission was to help Qiqi learn how to survive on her own.

Someday, she'd have to face situations like this. Climbing, surviving... it was all necessary.

With a sigh, Elliot relented. "Alright, but be careful, Qiqi. I'll be right here to catch you."

"Okay... Qiqi... is going up now..."

She reached out her little hands, grasped the rock face, and slowly, cautiously, began to climb.

Glaze Lilies tended to grow in high places, and with Qiqi's petite frame, it would take time to reach them.

Elliot stood below, watching her intently, worried she might fall.

And sure enough...

The very thing he feared the most happened.

Halfway up the cliff, Qiqi slipped. Her eyes went wide as she fell.

Elliot reacted instantly—he hurled his spear, pinpointing its trajectory, then triggered Flame Flash.

In a blink, he vanished and reappeared mid-air, barely managing to grab the back of Qiqi's clothes.

Kicking off the cliff wall, he pulled his spear free and landed safely with her in his arms.

Qiqi immediately clung to him tightly, trembling.

She was terrified.

And yet, even as she'd fallen, she hadn't screamed. Not a sound—only silence. That's what it meant to be a zombie.

"It's okay. I've got you. I'm here."

Elliot gently patted her back, speaking softly to calm her.

"I'm sorry... Qiqi... is so stupid..."

"You don't need to apologize, Qiqi. You did really well."

"Really...?"

"Really. Don't blame yourself. I like you just the way you are."

Qiqi froze, then hugged him even tighter.

"Not scared... not scared..."

"Can we... stay together... forever?"

Elliot looked into her hopeful eyes and hesitated for a moment.

He didn't want to lie to this simple, kind-hearted child.

But her gaze was so full of hope...

"Mm." He smiled awkwardly. "We will."

"Really?"

"Of course. We'll always be together."

"Mm... then I'll protect you..."

"It's supposed to be me protecting you," Elliot corrected.

"Then... let's pinky promise."

Qiqi held up her little finger with anticipation.

"Alright." Elliot hooked his pinky with hers.

"Pinky promise, no backing out, for a hundred years, no changes."

Qiqi gave a faint smile, her heart quietly overjoyed.

Then she turned her eyes back toward the Glaze Lily on the cliff.

This time—

She was full of determination.

She looked at the flower halfway up, then back at Elliot.

"Not scared... not scared..."

She reassured herself and started climbing again.

This time, her movements were steadier. Though slow, she safely reached the flower and picked it.

They continued collecting from nearby cliffs until they had enough Glaze Lilies.

"What... were we supposed to do next?"

Qiqi tilted her head, visibly confused. She seemed to have forgotten their next task.

"Check your notebook. That's the most important thing."

Elliot gave her a firm instruction.

From now on, everything important would be written there. If she forgot to check it, the consequences could be serious.

"Check my notebook... the most important thing..."

Qiqi repeated it solemnly, as if engraving it into her memory.

She flipped open the notebook. On the page, it read: "Do flexibility exercises with Elliot."

"Right... it's time for stretching..."

She seemed to suddenly recall and turned her big eyes toward him.

"Come on, let's head back and do them at home."

...

Back at the forest cabin, they completed a round of gentle exercises and went to sleep.

Notably, Elliot didn't sleep beside Qiqi.

He lay far away—almost like he was avoiding her.

But that was far from the truth.

Elliot remembered that Qiqi disliked heat. Zombies had a much lower body temperature than humans.

If he slept too close, she'd feel like she was wrapped in a down jacket and wool quilt in the middle of summer.

Or so he assumed...

But Qiqi didn't see it that way.

Seeing Elliot so far away, she remembered she was a zombie... and a realization seemed to dawn on her.

"Qiqi... is too cold... Elliot doesn't like me..."

Once Elliot fell asleep, Qiqi quietly got up.

She stepped outside and began doing flexibility exercises alone.

"Exercise... makes the body warmer... Qiqi must work hard..."

"One, two, Qiqi... Two, two, Qiqi..."

Determined not to be disliked by Elliot, she threw herself into the exercises, repeating every move with precision.

But no matter how long she trained, her body didn't sweat.

She knew that when people were warm, they sweated.

So Qiqi pushed harder, continuing her movements in front of the cabin.

By the time morning light began to shine, she was still going strong.

"Why... why isn't my body warm yet...? I don't want to be cold... Elliot will hate Qiqi..."

"I don't want him to hate me..."

"It must be... because I'm not trying hard enough..."

As the sun rose higher, Qiqi moved into its full light.

Though the heat made her uncomfortable, she gritted her teeth and pushed through it.

"Qiqi... keep going..."

Her body began to warm, and it felt worse and worse.

But despite the physical discomfort, her heart was happy.

She knew—she was getting warmer.

Just a little more...

And maybe she could sleep beside Elliot.

Just need to sweat...

With that thought, Qiqi stood under the blazing sun, enduring the unbearable heat.

Though her body ached, she never stopped—not even once.

...

Meanwhile, a sliver of sunlight slipped through the cabin's wooden cracks.

Elliot stirred and slowly woke up.

He stretched lazily—

Then jolted upright.

"What the hell!? Don't tell me Hu Tao took her again!"

Panic set in as he rushed outside—

And spotted Qiqi, standing under the scorching sun, still moving diligently through her exercises.

When she saw him, she froze like she'd been shocked.

Her raised hands dropped slowly.

Her big pink eyes shimmered with tears.

Elliot had just been about to say, "Glad you're okay,"

But instead—he saw Qiqi burst into tears.

"Qiqi, what's wrong? Did someone hurt you?"

Clueless, Elliot stood there, completely at a loss.