Keqing’s Crumbling Confidence
Keqing brimmed with unshakable confidence as she tackled Dig to Ascend, certain that a game of mere perseverance couldn't possibly outmatch her steely resolve as Liyue's Yuheng star.
Liam, lounging behind the counter, exchanged knowing glances with the crowd of onlookers, all eagerly anticipating the spectacle of the poised Yuheng unraveling under pressure.
They'd seen this game humble bolder souls than hers, and the thought of Keqing's fierce determination cracking promised a show worth every Mora they'd paid.
She launched into the first obstacle with precision, swinging the hammer toward the gnarled tree trunk blocking her bald character's path in the glowing screen.
The hammer caught the bark, hoisting the bald figure—still comically wedged in his jar—into the air with a satisfying lurch of momentum.
The jar clinked against the trunk but held firm, though the hammer slipped slightly, forcing a minor adjustment before she pushed forward again.
A flicker of doubt crossed her mind as the controls proved trickier than expected, but she dismissed it as a fleeting hiccup in her inevitable triumph.
After a handful of deft retries, she mastered the angle, flipping the bald man over the tree with a flourish that drew gasps from the watching crowd.
Liam clapped enthusiastically, his voice ringing out, "Lady Keqing, that's incredible—you've outdone everyone who's tackled that tree so far!"
Her gaming knack outshone Liam's own clumsy attempts from his past life, where he'd floundered for minutes before clearing that same hurdle.
Pride swelled in Keqing's chest as the praise from Liam and the murmuring onlookers washed over her, fueling her drive to conquer the next challenge.
Beyond the tree, a cluster of smooth stones cradled a branch, a simple enough barrier that she vaulted over with a few quick swings of the hammer.
The game's true teeth bared themselves ahead: a towering rock wall, its base jutting out with a single protruding stone, daring her to scale its vertical face.
She guided the bald figure to strike the rock, launching him upward, but a misjudged angle sent him veering left instead of straight up the wall.
No matter, she thought—a minor stumble wouldn't halt Yuheng's ascent—and she repositioned the hammer for another go with calm determination.
The next swing hooked a paddle-like ledge above, its narrow grip reminiscent of the tree branch, and she aimed to leap from there to a jutting trunk in one fluid motion.
Her flick of the mouse faltered, the hammer skidding off the paddle's edge, and instead of soaring, the bald man plummeted back to the rocky base below.
A faint smile tugged at her lips as she murmured, "A bit tricky, but that's what makes it worth mastering," her competitive spirit igniting at the challenge.
Liam watched her unshaken poise with a mix of amusement and dread, knowing the game's knack for turning confidence into tears by the end.
Back on the screen, the rock wall loomed higher, its surfaces growing slicker, the hammer's grip slipping more often as she climbed toward unseen heights.
Keqing's eagerness betrayed her, her swings growing hasty, and she cursed under her breath as the bald figure tumbled down yet again.
"Slow down, Keqing, no rush," she coached herself, her voice steadying as she reined in her impatience to approach the climb with calculated care.
With renewed focus, she maneuvered the hammer deliberately, the bald man inching up as it scraped against stones and steel bars in a tense, grinding ascent.
Yet the game demanded finesse she hadn't yet grasped, and at a new ledge, her timing faltered, sending her crashing back to the start once more.
The twitch in her eye betrayed a crack in her composure, this relentless test of patience gnawing at the edges of her famed Yuheng resolve.
Snickers rippled through the crowd behind her, soft but unmistakable, their amusement at her struggle pricking her pride like a thorn.
She brushed it off with a huff—falling was nothing, just a chance to rise again—and gripped the mouse tighter, restarting from the ground below.
Step by grueling step, she clawed her way back, her focus razor-sharp, until a new nightmare emerged: a narrow gap flanked by twin stone protrusions.
The passage was a mere slit, barely wide enough for the jar, and swinging the hammer inside felt like threading a needle with a boulder.
To hook the protrusions, she had to wedge the bald man in, using a lower stone as a pivot, a maneuver that demanded precision she hadn't yet honed.
Her first attempt went awry, the hammer's arc too wild, and the bald figure lurched left, teetering on the edge of another humiliating drop.
Panic flared as she swung desperately to catch something—anything—but the smooth stones and steel plates offered no mercy, and down he went.
With a resounding crash, the screen reset to the starting point, the bald man back in his "happy hometown," mocking her with his blank, shiny stare.
Liam couldn't stifle a chuckle, the sound slipping out as he watched the unflappable Keqing deflate before this absurd, pot-bound bald menace.
Her head snapped around, her glare piercing him like a bolt of suppressed lightning, and he quickly tilted his gaze to the ceiling, feigning innocence.
The crowd bit back their own laughter, turning aside to hide their grins, though the air thrummed with their barely contained mirth at her expense.
Fury simmered in Keqing's chest, her fingers itching to hurl the mouse across the room and storm out of this maddening cafe for good.
But surrender wasn't in her blood—Tangtang Yuhengxing bowing to a game was unthinkable—and she forced a deep breath to steady her rattled nerves.
She clicked to restart, her jaw set, vowing silently that no jar, no hammer, no slippery rock would rob her of the victory she deserved.
Liam's system purred, soaking up the storm of her frustration, each fall and flare of temper a delicious boost to his growing power.
The onlookers leaned in closer, their whispers turning to bets on how long it'd take the proud Yuheng to crack—or conquer—the game's cruel design.
Keqing's hands steadied, her eyes narrowing as she swung the hammer once more, her mentality shifting from cocky assurance to a grim, unyielding fight.
This wasn't just a game anymore—it was a battle, and she'd climb that cursed wall if it took every ounce of her stubborn, unbreakable will.
***
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