Hu Tao’s Dice of Doom

Liyue's Internet cafe pulsed under the night's lantern glow—its 400 rigs a sprawling symphony of Red Alert 2's tank roars and Monopoly's dice clacks, the LAN a battlefield of greed and guile—and Hu Tao plopped into her VIP seat, "New games—sweet!" her pyro eyes glinting, Ningguang's invite a spark in the digital haze.

Monopoly gleamed—system-tuned, "Solo or multiplayer—two to eight," its rules a lure—and Ningguang opted, "Four's tight—less chaos," her voice a silk blade, "Keqing, Ganyu, Hu Tao—join," the quartet set, the cafe's hum a backdrop to their looming war of wits and chance.

Hu Tao waved—"Hold up—rules first!" her grin a flicker as she skimmed, "Dice, grids, gold—easy peasy!"—and she smirked, "Roll, grab, bankrupt—done," her confidence a blaze, Ningguang's merchant mind, Keqing's realty roots, and Ganyu's ageless calm no match in her hall-master's mind.

Dice flew—order set, "Four—me first!" Hu Tao crowed, her luck a spark, "Hee hee—watch this!"—and she rolled, "Four again!" her avatar hopping, an empty grid hers, "Pastoral Hall—build it!" a funeral parlor rising, its grim spire a taunt in the game's pastel sprawl.

Keqing gaped—"A funeral parlor—what?!" her Qixing poise cracking, "This is nuts!"—and Ningguang chuckled, "Classic Hu Tao—bold and morbid," her Tianquan calm unshaken, Ganyu blinking, "I… don't get it," her qilin innocence a foil to the hall-master's macabre glee.

Hu Tao schemed—"Land's mine—roulette's next!" her plan a ember, "Step here—pay or pray,"—and Ganyu rolled, "Five—past you," her avatar skirting, "Mountains—too pricey," her gold unspent, Keqing groaning, "Four—damn it!" her luck landing her square on Hu Tao's trap.

She cackled—"Welcome to the Hall—big sale!" her voice a sinister chime, "Buy one, get one—more's merrier!"—and the roulette spun, "Pass, Worship, Common, Advanced, Luxury, Supreme," Keqing's fate a wheel, "Not the real Pastoral—please!" her plea a thread, the cafe's melon-eaters leaning in.

The wheel whirled—"Faster—blur!" Hu Tao urged, her grin a wildfire as Keqing winced—and it slowed, "Pass… Worship…" her hope a flicker, "No—Luxury!" the pointer landing, "Three hundred gold—gone!" her starting 1,500 a fifth lost, "Thanks—patron!" Hu Tao's cheer a taunt in the LAN's glow.

Ningguang rolled—"Three—safe," her dice a whisper, "Factory—up!" her grid sprouting steel, "Early rush—end it quick,"—and her strategy gleamed, "No late game for you," her merchant's eye a blade, Keqing nodding, "She's brutal—watch out," their trio braced for her swift assault.

Rounds spun—Hu Tao doubled down, "Funeral parlors—everywhere!" her grids a graveyard, "Death's my trade!"—and Keqing built, "Houses—steady cash," her realty roots a shield, Ganyu drifting, "Shop—no build," her Buddhist calm a wall, "No spending—no losing!" her gold a hoard.

Action flared—Keqing rolled, "Six—Hu Tao again!" her avatar trapped, "Not another!"—and the wheel spun, "Supreme—five hundred!" her gold gutted, "This is robbery!" her shout a spark, Hu Tao cackling, "Business booms—thanks, Qixing!" her coffers swelling in the cafe's din.

Ningguang struck—"Factory rent—two hundred!" Ganyu paid, "Oh—okay," her stash thinning—and Hu Tao rolled, "Five—Ningguang's turf!" her gold drained, "Tch—factories bite," her glee dimming, Keqing smirking, "Payback—sweet!" their rivalry a blaze, the board a warzone of dice and debt.

A subplot twisted—Hu Tao mused, "Real Pastoral—this easy?" her hall-master's dream a spark, "Roulette for all—mora'd rain!"—and Ningguang countered, "Greed's your doom—watch," her factories a tide, Ganyu's calm a foil, "I'll outlast—slow and sure," their styles a clash in Liyue's glow.

Dialogue flared—"Hu Tao—ease up!" Keqing snapped, "Two packages—ruined me!"—and Hu Tao grinned, "Death's profit—deal with it!" her retort a flame, Ningguang musing, "She's wild—effective," Ganyu whispering, "Why fight? I'll wait," their banter a thread in the LAN's pulse.

The cafe buzzed—melon-eaters gawked, "Hu Tao's a menace—funeral empire!"—and Tartaglia joined, "Dice me in—next round!" his hydro flair itching, Rei watching, "Order—chaos," her red eyes tracing, Harribel murmuring, "Game's their war—ours is peace," the night a crucible of glee and greed.

Rounds deepened—Ningguang's factories soared, "Four rents—pay!" her gold piling, "End's near,"—and Keqing built, "Houses—hold!" her stability a rock, Hu Tao rolling, "Six—another parlor!" her empire grim, Ganyu drifting, "Three—no cost," her thrift a shield, the board a tangle of fate.

A twist loomed—Hu Tao landed, "Ningguang—two hundred!" her gold halved, "No—my empire!"—and Ningguang smirked, "Luck turns—pay up," her factories a vise, Keqing laughing, "Funeral flop—ha!" Ganyu rolling, "Four—safe," her calm a tide, the game a seesaw of fortune's whim.

Emotion surged—Hu Tao's glee clashed with dread, "Riches—slipping!" her pyro soul a blaze; Keqing's grit wrestled loss, "Stable—fight on!" her Qixing will a rock; Ningguang's calm hid triumph, "Mine—soon,"—and Ganyu's peace endured, "Wait—win," their hearts a fire in the cafe's sprawl.

Tartaglia cheered—"Hu Tao's chaos—love it!" his dice itching, "Next—me!"—and Rei stood, "Game—ongoing," her spear a sentinel, Harribel nodding, "Balance—holds," the LAN a roar, Monopoly's board a mirror to Liyue's bold, Liam's trek a distant echo in their play.

Hu Tao rolled—"Five—Keqing's house!" her gold spared, "Safe—ha!"—and Ningguang struck, "Six—my factory!" Ganyu paid, "Oh—less now," her hoard shrinking, Keqing groaning, "Four—Hu Tao again!" her Luxury package a gut punch, "This game—cursed!" their war a dance of dice and despair.

Ningguang mused—"Three turns—done," her factories a tide, "Bankrupt 'em—fast,"—and Hu Tao grinned, "Funerals—forever!" her empire a jest, Keqing snarling, "Next roll—hers," Ganyu whispering, "I'm fine—still," the cafe's glow a forge, their saga a blaze in Liyue's night.

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