C3 Aooo!!
Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
At first glance, the name carries a certain elegance.
But...
Its name is a direct reflection of its business...
A literal send-off to the afterlife!
To be exact, their specialty is funerary services.
And now I'm supposed to join Hu Tao, the seventy-seventh Master of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, in promoting burial culture...
How am I supposed to do that?!
Should I go door-to-door advertising? Offering buy-one-get-one deals at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? Discounts of twenty off a hundred??
No way, I'd probably be chased off as a troublemaker...
But then again, if the promotion actually works... what kind of reward would I get?
It's as if the System heard my musings, and that chilly mechanical voice piped up again.
Quest reward: 200 Crystals, one random character experience card, with no time limit on this quest.
Whoa...
The character experience card is trivial...
It's the 200 Crystals that matter!
Mu Jin was so thrilled she nearly leapt for joy, but seeing Xiangling still leading the way, she managed to contain her excitement.
Alright! Today, I, Mu Jin, will become the long-lost half-sister of Hall Master Hu Tao, whom I've never met!
Even if it's just me acknowledging the kinship (one-sidedly, of course).
And it's just about spreading the word of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's burial services! I'm determined to make it shine!
Before long, Liyue, no, Mondstadt, and even Inazuma will have their own branches of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!
"Come to think of it, your voice sounds quite similar to Hu Tao's, only hers is a bit more vivacious."
Well, that's because we share the same voice actress.
"I'm genuinely excited to meet Hall Master Hu Tao."
Mu Jin spoke sincerely.
After all, she was after the crystals associated with Hu Tao... Oops! I mean, she was eagerly anticipating meeting her newfound half-sister!
I'm not one for such base motives!
Given the eerie atmosphere of Wuwang Hill, Mu Jin remained vigilant, wary of any bizarre occurrences that might give her a fright.
But while she was preoccupied with what lay ahead, she failed to notice the silhouette of a girl appearing behind her.
"Do you wish to see the Hall Master?"
The voice caught Mu Jin off guard.
By the time she gathered her wits, she was so startled that she instinctively clung to Xiangling, who was just ahead.
"Eek!"
"Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! A ghost! Ahhh!"
Chaos erupted in an instant.
Embracing, embracing... it took a moment for Mu Jin to snap out of it, and the more she thought about it, the more something seemed off.
Hold on, why did that voice sound so familiar?
Mu Jin held back the words she was about to say and, gathering her courage, turned around to face a young girl with deep brown twin tails. She wore a black hat adorned with a decorative plum blossom, and she looked strikingly pretty.
Her crimson eyes, shaped like plum blossoms, were indeed beautiful, but at the moment, they were fixed on her with a hint of annoyance.
"How impolite. I was the one who pulled you back," she said with a pout, her hands clasped behind her. To be exact, she was glaring at both of them with displeasure.
Her friend had bailed on her, and the person she impulsively saved was now scared of her. Hu Tao was truly upset!
This won't do! She needed Xiangling to make her some boiled fish and shrimp dumplings as compensation!
Xiangling, realizing Hu Tao's discontent with both herself and Mu Jin, could only bow her head and gently explain to Mu Jin, who was nestled in her embrace.
Hugging was one thing, but being this close to another girl was a first for her.
She could feel the softness against her chest...
It reminded her of a white slime!
So soft! It looked tempting enough to eat!
No, no! Focus on the matter at hand!
Xiangling feigned a cough to draw their attention to herself.
"This is Hu Tao, the seventy-seventh Division Leader of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. She helped me carry you back that day."
Though her method might have been more of a drag than a carry.
Xiangling decided it was best not to voice that thought.
Because Mu Jin seemed... somewhat frightened of Hu Tao.
But then, Mu Jin's next move left Xiangling speechless.
"You, you're Division Leader Hu?"
So you're my half-sister!
She may have known many characters in the game, but she wasn't that mute... Bah, traveler.
She had no bonds with these characters now.
But patience is key! No need to rush the crystal farming!
Being overly enthusiastic might just scare people off, and that's not good!
She released Xiangling's hand and strode confidently toward Hu Tao.
Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at the young woman before her.
"I can't thank you enough, Hallmaster Hu. Without you and Xiangling, I'd have passed out from hunger on the side of the road! I'm truly grateful! If there's ever anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask me."
Hu Tao observed Mu Jin, who had become unexpectedly fervent. Despite feeling a bit puzzled, whenever she caught sight of those admiring blue eyes fixed on her...
She couldn't help but think the girl resembled an eager dog awaiting affection.
No, that couldn't be right.
And their voices were so similar...
Hu Tao, usually quite spirited, found herself outmatched by Mu Jin's forwardness and sought Xiangling's assistance with a desperate look.
The last time she felt this helpless was when she sampled the Slime Condensate she concocted.
Xiangling caught Hu Tao's plea for help with a suppressed giggle: "Okay, okay, let's head back to Wanmin Restaurant. It feels odd to chat out here."
As they made their way back to Xiangling's family-run Wanmin Restaurant, they engaged in much conversation, mostly about everyday trivialities.
Xiangling dominated the talk with her culinary experiments.
"So, Hu Tao, what exactly does Wangsheng Funeral Parlor do?"
In the course of their casual conversation, Mu Jin had effortlessly transitioned from calling her "Hallmaster Hu" to "Hu Tao."
Hu Tao paused her humming, looked at Mu Jin with a mischievous grin, and decided to playfully tease the girl who shared her voice.
She was curious to see Mu Jin's reaction upon learning about the true nature of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's services.
Oh dear, even I, Hu Tao, can have my wicked moments.
Xiangling kept quiet, but as they neared Wanmin Restaurant, she learned that Mu Jin knew nothing beyond her own name.
This revelation stirred a touch more compassion in her for Mu Jin, who seemed so forlorn, yet was cleverer than she let on.
Head back and whip up some more tasty treats for her! Fatten up this poor kid good and proper!
"Hmmph..."
"Do you truly wish to learn what my line of work entails?"
Mu Jin simply nodded, her face betraying no hint of hesitation.
Hu Tao let out a mischievous giggle.
"I am Hu Tao, the seventy-seventh Hallmaster of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. We specialize in escorting souls to the afterlife!" She attempted a spooky face, which turned out to be adorably unconvincing.
Yet, Hu Tao failed to notice any fear in Mu Jin's expression. On the contrary, it seemed...
She had taken a genuine interest in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
This one really threw me for a loop!
I used to scare the other kids with that face all the time!
But what's with her excitement now?
Indeed, Mu Jin was thrilled.
Upon hearing Hu Tao's introduction...
She finally felt the reality of her journey to a new world and the beginning of a fresh chapter in her life.
(Xiangling: ?)
Truth be told, she was struggling to contain the goofy Kaslana personality that came with her new body.
Mu Jin burst into action, bounding over to Hu Tao, grabbing her hand as if she were an unleashed pup, her bright blue eyes reflecting Hu Tao's image.
"Guiding souls to the afterlife is just too awesome!"
"Hey, Hu Tao! I'd love to take a tour of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor! No, scratch that, I want to be part of it!"
"I've got to spread the word about how cool this is!"
Hu Tao's face twisted into an expression of exasperated amusement.
Why did she feel like she and Xiangling had stumbled upon an endearingly clueless hound?
(Xiangling, long ignored: Feeling a bit dejected, folks, but isn't it nice? A double dose of joy (smile))
