Chapter Fifty-Six: Foolish Fu Fu Enlightened

“Ahem, ahem.” Furina straightened her back and coughed twice, secretly giving Lu Mingfei’s hand a little squeeze. She said nothing, but he immediately understood her meaning.

Relax a bit—I’m about to put on a show!

What else could he do? Of course, his precious Furina deserved to be indulged!

Without a word, Lu Mingfei immediately lessened the intensity of his psychic suppression on her, while amplifying his control over the surrounding elemental energies, forcefully suppressing a wide area—all elements, not just one. Although the Servant’s attribute was fire and she had indeed used fire elements in her last counterattack, he decided to play it safe and suppress all elemental forces. That way, even if the Servant could draw upon other attributes, it would be useless.

“Good afternoon, Servant. Did you have a pleasant morning?” Furina asked with a proud smile, one hand on her hip.

“Hmph!” The Servant snorted coldly, her scorn undisguised in the face of such naked mockery. “So you dare stand before me and speak so boldly because you’ve borrowed power from beyond this world?”

“You… you!” Furina’s hackles rose instantly, as if her tail had been stepped on—a mixture of agitation and endearing helplessness. She bit her lip, pointed at the Servant, but after a long moment, still couldn’t find a retort.

Because the Servant was right. That was her only confidence—without Lu Mingfei backing her up, she wouldn't even dare face the Servant alone.

My foolish Furina…

Seeing her subdued by a single remark, Lu Mingfei sighed inwardly.

He stepped forward, golden dragon eyes blazing with authority as he looked down at the Servant and declared, “And you—what makes you think you’re alive to speak at all?”

With those words, his psychic pressure surged, slamming the Servant to the ground. Bracing herself on trembling hands, she fought desperately, but resistance was futile. The suffocating weight conjured memories of the morning’s two nightmares.

This man…

He actually intends to kill me outright!

The pressure continued to mount, turning into tangible gravity that twisted her body, making strange noises as death crept closer. This slow, inexorable suffocation was far more terrifying than her earlier deaths combined.

“Next time, mind your words.”

That was the last thing she heard. As the words faded, her vision went black—she could see nothing. The crushing force was destroying her body and shattering her spirit, dragging her toward oblivion.

…

“Ah—!” The Servant awoke abruptly in her cell, fresh waves of agony flooding her senses—pain stacked upon pain, worse even than the two deaths she’d endured that morning.

Did… did I just die again?

Cold sweat dotted her brow. Hugging herself, she wanted nothing more than to curl up in a dark corner and hide, but she couldn’t—her plan hadn’t even begun.

Just endure a bit longer, just a bit more. This technique must take a lot out of Lu Mingfei. If I can just recover some strength, then I’ll…

A familiar dizziness swept over her. The Servant nearly lost control of her expression. At that moment, her composure began to collapse.

How can he keep dragging me into dreams like this? Isn’t there any cooldown at all?

Before she could think further, darkness swallowed her mind. As consciousness slipped away, she seemed to hear voices: Why is the targeting even fuzzier than last time? Never mind, just let the Servant have it—she can take it.

Servant: ???

…

“Ugh!” The Servant woke again to find herself back on that all-too-familiar bench, under the same night sky. Honestly, she was starting to develop a phobia of benches—she never wanted to see one again in this life.

A girl’s cough sounded a short distance away. The Servant turned to see Furina and Lu Mingfei. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. After a long, complicated inner struggle, she exhaled deeply and said, “Sorry. I admit my tone just now was too harsh.”

“Oh? Only one death and you’re already giving in? I thought you’d need a few more,” Lu Mingfei said regretfully, his gaze brimming with undisguised malice.

A few more? If you did, there’d be nothing left of me! Do you think dying once is no big deal? Do you know how agonizing it is to be ground to death, bit by bit, by psychic force?

The Servant raged inwardly, but dared not speak up. She kept thinking: If I threaten to kill myself in prison, would he dare kill me again? Maybe not, but I can’t be sure. If I have no other choice…

She was, after all, a Harbinger of the Fatui. If she died in prison—especially by suicide—it would cause a diplomatic crisis in Fontaine, all the more so at a time like this.

The accusation against the Hydro Archon was Furina’s word alone; no one else could confirm it. If the Servant died in prison under dubious circumstances, Snezhnaya could easily interpret it as a provocation from Fontaine. That was serious—potentially enough to spark war.

She hadn’t believed Lu Mingfei could keep dragging her into dreams like this, but now she had to. If he killed her on the spot, then pulled her into dreams and killed her twice more, she might truly perish.

“Hmph, weren’t you so arrogant just now? Why not keep it up? Well, you’re right about one thing—he is the reason I dare stand before you!” Furina declared proudly, hugging Lu Mingfei’s arm and resting her head on his shoulder. She stuck out her tongue and made faces. “Nyah-nyah-nyah, come on, hit me if you can! Come over here, I dare you! Nyah-nyah!”

When the Servant vanished, Furina had realized something profound. The stubborn pride she clung to was meaningless—maybe it was time to let go.

This is a dream. Here, it’s just Lu Mingfei and the Servant—no citizens of Fontaine to watch her every move. Lu Mingfei was on her side, and as for the Servant, even if she repeated what happened, who would believe her?

So…

As long as I accept my weakness, I’m invincible! Time to kick back! Hahaha!

“Lu Mingfei, look, look at her face! She looks so awful right now! I bet she wants to hit me so badly but she can’t, and she doesn’t dare! It feels amazing to have the upper hand—hahaha!” (งʘ͡ʖ͜ʘ͡)ง Who’s afraid of whom now!

Creak—

Seeing Furina pull a face that was practically begging for a beating, the Servant’s fists clenched instinctively. For a split second, she honestly wanted to kill Furina, no matter the cost. But reason prevailed.

No, I can’t act rashly.

(▼皿▼#)