Lu Bu, the Thunder General, is my adoptive father in Genshin Impact.

"Aren't you going to tell me now where the War Maniac's bomb is hidden?" The man walked to the grill, flipped the fish over to prevent it from burning, and said, "I have a way to remove the excess air and keep you alive."

Left with no other choice, the fat man tore off the tattered cloth bag from his waist and struggled to hand it to the man.

The man took the package and opened it, his expression gradually turning to joy.

"I didn't expect you to have it with you—what a beautiful little guy! Although it looks incomplete, I can fix it up a bit and it should still be usable."

The other party did indeed keep their promise. After confirming that the heavenly lightning was genuine, Tadokoro Koji's pain immediately subsided. He staggered to his feet, panting heavily.

The man stared at the bomb with one hand and continued grilling fish with the other, as if the fat man didn't exist.

Tadokoro dared not provoke him any further. After recovering, he quickly turned around and ran away.

Before running away, Tadokoro Koji vaguely heard the man talking to himself, as if he was commenting on Tenrai, or as if he was talking about something else.

"I think Tsubasa would like such a beautiful firework, hehe..."

Chapter 20 A little rubbing of the fox brings more joy to life.

The day after the crisis was over, Inazuma Castle.

To fulfill her promise to Xiao Yi, Kujo Sara first took him to the market to have a set of clothes made suitable for meeting important figures, so that it would be convenient for them to go to the castle tower the next day.

After all, Xiao Yi's clothes were dusty and worn. If he were to meet General Lei Dian dressed like that, it would be a great disrespect to the gods.

As for why the tailor from the Kujo family wasn't allowed to make the clothes, it was because of his special status; according to the rules, the clothing was provided to Xiao Yi by the company's stewards.

After discussing it with Jiu Tiao, Xiao Yi concluded that they could only order from private shops.

As it turned out, Xiao Yi didn't know the official design, so Kujo Sara had no choice but to go and help him.

The reason for such attention to clothing was not only because Kujo respected the general, but also because the occasions when Xiao Yi met the general were quite special.

After the war between the shogunate and the Sangoku-no-miya, the Raiden Shogun discovered that he had been deceived by his subordinates. Therefore, whenever a major event occurred, he would convene a meeting of his retainers, consisting of the heads of the three commissioners and some key officials, to report on the events.

The loss of the lightning strike has a significant impact on the holding of the joint examination, and may even affect the safety of the people and the peace of Inazuma. Such a major event naturally needs to be discussed in a meeting, and even if it is resolved, it should not be underestimated.

Kujo Sara planned to take the opportunity to introduce Xiao Yi, who was of low rank but had made great contributions to the incident, to the general at tomorrow's meeting of ministers.

If Xiao Yi were to dress sloppily, even if the general didn't care about such details, it would still attract gossip from those old fogies, which wouldn't be good for the Kujo family or the Kamisato family.

Nevertheless, as a soldier, Kujo wasn't very good at picking out clothes, but luckily she had plenty of money, so it was understandable that she let Xiao Yi choose the style himself.

Incidentally, to prevent Arataki Ichito from impulsively going to put his joke about meeting Raijin last night into practice, Kujo, as a precaution, imprisoned him in the Magistrate's Office on the grounds of "obstructing official business," and would release him after the meeting of the court officials.

Because she believed that Ichito might actually do that.

The young man from the Ghost Clan was a regular at jail, often going in for trivial matters. Each time he came out, he would boast loudly, out of pride, "I deliberately got arrested. Everyone in there is talented, and they all speak so nicely..."

However, this time, Kujo Sara also felt that he had acted somewhat subtly. Although Ichito had indeed interfered with the capture operation at that time, he had contributed to the subsequent defeat of the fat man.

Forget it, I won't think about it too much. I'll just invite him out for a meal to apologize when he comes out.

In the past, the rigidly principled Jiu Tiao would never have done such a thing, but after getting to know Xiao Yi, she was gradually infected by this guy, and her moral principles became much more flexible.

Now, the two are walking on the city streets.

Originally heading to the clothing store, they were drawn to a dozen or so carriages parked by the roadside. The carriages were lined up in front of a jewelry store, seemingly loading goods.

Kujo, on the spot, acted out of his professional instincts and walked towards the horse-drawn carriage team.

"According to the Tianling Urban Road Improvement Law and Traffic Management Law, you are not allowed to park like this..."

However, she was only halfway through her sentence when a seductive voice came from inside the shop, interrupting Kujo's warning.

"Hmm? Isn't this General Kujo? It's been a long time since I've seen you in Hanamizaka."

A woman with long pink hair, fox ears, and dressed in a shrine maiden outfit walked out of the shop, observing Kujo Sara with a mocking gaze before glancing at Xiao Yi beside her.

“I came to this shop to buy ore, but I have been granted permission by the Heavenly Enforcer. It seems you have been too busy lately to pay attention to the details of the city.”

Although there was nothing wrong with the content of the words, they still had a sarcastic or unsettling tone.

"Lord Yae-no-miya," Kujo greeted him helplessly.

Xiao Yi recognized this vixen.

Yae no Miko, the chief priest of Narukami Taisha Shrine, a member of Raijin's family, and also the editor-in-chief of the light novel publishing company Yaedo.

Like a lively and mischievous fox spirit in legends, the divine child's personality is unpredictable. She is a carefree and cheerful person who enjoys life, but she can also shoulder great responsibilities at crucial moments.

In short, she's a great bad woman.

Not only Kujo Sara, but many officials among the three magistrates disliked dealing with the goddess, because they could easily fall into her trap. At best, they would be made fun of and become the subject of her amusement; at worst, they would become tools for the goddess to carry out her plans.

The goddess glanced at Xiao Yi again, as if selecting a doll from a shelf.

"You seem to be peeking at my ears, is it something you're curious about? If you want to touch them, you can try~~"

Undoubtedly, this was a teasing joke. Throughout his long life, Yae no Miko had said similar things to many people. A smart person would naturally pretend not to hear, otherwise the consequences would definitely not be good.

Try it? Try it and you'll die!

The young man with black hair did not blush as expected; instead, he stared blankly, as if pondering philosophical questions such as "Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?"

The goddess began to feel bored, so she turned back to Kujo Sara and asked her about Xiao Yi's identity.

"Who is this indifferent young man?"

Before Jiu Tiao could reply, Xiao Yi suddenly did something unexpected that surprised everyone present, including the porters who were loading the goods.

He actually rushed up to the pink fox and presumptuously reached out to stroke her ears, just like he was petting a kitten.

Xiao Yi's recent contemplation was precisely about deciding whether or not to touch it.

Kujo Sara was utterly shocked, the onlookers were dumbfounded, and even the goddess herself was startled. She quickly resumed her enigmatic smile, but it was by no means a benevolent one.

Xiao Yi was not intimidated at all; instead, he went even further, touching the ears while commenting, "I've long heard that Yae no Kyouji's ears are soft and bouncy, and seeing them today, I can confirm that they live up to the hype. Thank you for your hospitality!"

He had his reasons for doing this. He was going to meet General Thunder tomorrow, and if the system succeeded and he rose to prominence as a result, he would have no need to be afraid of that scoundrel fox with his status at that time.

Ultimately, we are all "children of the gods".

Therefore, once you get your hands on a fox-shaped coin-operated machine, you absolutely must experience it.

Xiao Yi rubbed himself thoroughly and respectfully returned to his original position.

Yae no Miko said with a gentle smile, "Continuing our previous topic, it seems I should try a different approach. Who is this courageous but eccentric young man?"

Kujo Sara finally snapped out of her shock. Not wanting the troublesome Yae no Kyoji to know too much, she only introduced herself as a contractor for the Xiao Yi Society.

"I never expected that the serious General Kujo would actually have an epiphany," the Divine Child chuckled, covering her mouth. "He's finally learned to be considerate of himself and has hired a private nutritionist."

The fox-like creature wore a pleased expression and looked Xiao Yi up and down again: "Can you make fried tofu? Why don't you switch jobs to our Narukami Shrine? We guarantee you won't be treated badly."

“Since Lord Yaeji has permission, please continue transporting your goods.” Kujo pulled Xiao Yi toward the nearest clothing store. “We won’t bother you any longer, goodbye.”

Unfortunately, the shopping process that followed was not as smooth as expected.

The pink-furred fox followed the scent and, upon hearing that Kujou was going to help Xiao Yi buy clothes, after some roundabout teasing, actually offered to design outfits for Xiao Yi.

After much persuasion from the Divine Child, Xiao Yi finally obtained a set of clothing made primarily of black fabric, covered with the golden crest of the Shenli family.

The reason it's the Kamisato family crest is because he was a contractor for the company, even though he had never been to the Kamisato residence.

Although the family crest is technically a snow jasmine flower, from a distance it looks more like a bunch of little turtles.

Xiao Yi suspected that the fox had done this on purpose, using it to trick him and get revenge for touching his ear not long ago.

But he's always been indifferent!

Anyway, it doesn't matter what clothes the godfather wears; the most important thing is whether the other party accepts the new son. We'll see what General Thunder's response is tomorrow.

Chapter 21 The Attack from General Thunder

The meeting of the courtiers was held at the castle tower.

Important figures, whose names are known, gathered at the entrance of the council hall, waiting for the meeting to begin. Apart from a few spirited young people, they were mostly old men.

Because entry to the meeting venue was also based on official rank, the attendees lined up in an orderly fashion.

The first to bear the brunt is the Heavenly Commander.

According to the rules, Kujo Masahiro, the eldest son of the Kujo family, should have attended as the representative. However, due to the special circumstances of this case involving lightning, the attendee was Kujo Sara, the adopted daughter of the Kujo family and the one who solved the case.

Everyone is familiar with General Kujo Sara, but today she has a strange guy by her side, which makes everyone's eyes involuntarily focus on her.

The so-called oddball was a black-haired young man whose stylish clothes always revealed one thing—he belonged to the Shabu-bugyou (corps magistrate) and was a retainer of the Kamisato family.

After all, the entire outfit is covered with the crest of the Kamisato family; it can't be said that it's just because it looks good.

But he stood beside Kujo Sara, completely unconcerned about the gazes of those around him, acting arrogantly as if he were related to Lord Raiden.

A few seats behind the representative of the Tenryo magistrate stood the leader of the magistrate, Ayato Kamisato, the head of the Kamisato family.

Unlike the surprised reactions of the others, he smiled and squinted as usual, paying no attention to the young man who was covered in his family crest but trying to curry favor with others.

At first there were whispers among the crowd, but as time passed, the area in front of the council chamber became unusually quiet.

Xiao Yi secretly made up his mind that as long as he found an opportunity, he would directly call out the system's achievement reward, regardless of anyone's obstruction, until the general agreed.

Most importantly: Don't target the wrong person!

squeak-

The heavy wooden doors of the council chamber suddenly opened automatically, symbolizing that the meeting was about to begin. Those at the front of the line could already catch a glimpse of Thor's imposing figure.

This is a historic moment for Inazuma, the adopted son of God, who has his first audience with the great Ōgosho Narukami.

Yes, Xiao Yi saw it clearly.

At the far end of the council chamber, there is a small platform slightly higher than the tatami mats, above which the noble figure of the deity kneels.

The woman, whose entire body was covered in high-quality purple fabric, had her eyes closed. Her voluptuous figure was dignified and elegant, and her long purple hair, like a waterfall, was tied into a huge braid and hung naturally behind her head.

No matter how you look at her, she appears to be a beautiful young woman, lacking any divine majesty.

Of course, this is on the premise that she hasn't opened her eyes.

The civil and military officials entered the spacious council hall in an orderly fashion. With the Thunder God at the center, soft cushions were placed on both sides, stretching from the depths of the room all the way to the door.

They knelt on the cushions that had been set up beforehand. The position of the Heavenly Leader was closest to the small platform, but there was still a distance of about ten meters, representing that God's dignity was inviolable.

Xiao Yi didn't have a designated cushion, so he had to improvise and sit on the tatami mat next to Kujo. If Thor hadn't looked like he was sleeping, he might have blindly charged at the tower.