The Dustborne system: tales of the runaway goddess

Guizhong—had barely escaped Liyue with her freedom and dignity intact.

And now?

She was hiding in Mondstadt.

The City of Freedom.

Which, ironically, was exactly what she needed after almost being captured and turned into Zhongli's immortal wife.

She shuddered just thinking about it.

[NEW STATUS: TEMPORARY SAFETY REACHED]

[WARNING: ZHONGLI IS ACTIVELY TRACKING YOU]

[DAYS UNTIL DISCOVERY: ???]

Guizhong groaned into her cloak as she sat at the back of the Angel's Share tavern, sipping a stolen bottle of dandelion wine.

"Why is he like this? Why is he so obsessed?"

The system happily chimed in.

[Zhongli's Emotional Attachment to You Has Reached Irreversible Levels]

[Projected Behavior Upon Capture: Overwhelming Possessiveness, Utter Worship, and Immediate Efforts to Secure an Heir]

Guizhong spat out her wine.

"WHY IS THAT EVEN A PROJECTION?!"

[Because It's Going to Happen.]

She slammed her head on the table. This was a nightmare.

But at least she was safe for now.

Right?

Chapter 3 part 2: The Hunter's Resolve (Zhongli POV, Liyue)

Zhongli sat in his private chambers in Wangshu Inn, golden eyes staring into the distance.

He was calm.

Patient.

But inside?

He was furious.

He had let her escape.

Again.

For centuries, he had not allowed himself to mourn, to feel, to even whisper her name.

And now she was here, alive, fleeing from him as if she were a mere mortal and not his long-lost beloved.

[Zhongli Emotional Status: IRREVERSIBLE OBSESSION]

[Projected Actions: Unrelenting Pursuit, Psychological Breakdown If Denied, Zero Tolerance for Future Escape]

Zhongli breathed in deeply.

No more games.

No more letting her run.

No more letting fate steal her from him again.

He would find her.

And this time?

He would never let her go.

Chapter 3 part 3: Mondstadt is Not a safe place Afterall (Guizhong POV, Mondstadt)

Guizhong felt the air shift.

The wind stopped.

The city grew still.

And then—

A golden presence entered Mondstadt.

Slow. Unstoppable.

Like a god reclaiming what was his.

Guizhong froze in the middle of the street.

Her heart dropped.

[WARNING: ZHONGLI HAS ARRIVED]

Oh. No.

She turned—

And locked eyes with Zhongli.

He stood at the city gates, golden eyes glowing dangerously, his entire presence suffocating.

A small, terrifying smile played on his lips.

"I found you."

Guizhong ran.

Guizhong—was sprinting through Mondstadt like her life depended on it.

Because it did.

Behind her, **Zhongli—no, Zhongli—**was calmly walking through the city, his golden eyes never leaving her.

Like a hunter who had already won.

[WARNING: CAPTURE RATE NOW AT 85%]

[LITERALLY NO ESCAPE. GG EZ.]

"SHUT UP, SYSTEM!" Guizhong mentally screeched.

She needed a way out.

She needed an ally.

And then—

She saw him.

Sitting on a rooftop, casually drinking wine, completely unaware of the crisis unfolding below.

Venti.

The Anemo Archon.

The God of Freedom.

The only being in Teyvat who might be chaotic enough to actually help her.

Guizhong collapsed at his feet, clutching his pants.

"VENTI! SAVE ME! PLEASE!" she wailed, tears streaming down her face.

Venti blinked. "Uh—?"

Guizhong sobbed louder.

"PLEASE, MIGHTY BARBATOS, LORD OF FREEDOM, WINDBORNE BARD, PROTECTOR OF MONDSTADT, GOD OF BOOZE—WHATEVER TITLE YOU WANT—PLEASE, JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Venti stared at her, then slowly looked up.

And there stood Zhongli.

Unmoving.

Unyielding.

His golden gaze locked onto Guizhong like a dragon guarding its hoard.

Venti whistled. "Ooooh. Wow. You really pissed off Old Rock."

[SYSTEM STATUS: LAUGHING ITS METAPHORICAL ASS OFF.]

Guizhong shook Venti violently.

"PLEASE. HE'S GOING TO CAPTURE ME, WORSHIP ME, AND—AND—"

The system, ever helpful, finished for her.

[AND IMPREGNATE YOU.]

Guizhong let out a strangled scream.

Venti choked on his wine.

"Wait, WHAT?!"

Chapter 3 part 4: Wind vs. Stone

Venti casually took a step back, raising his hands. "Okay, so, uh, just to be clear—this isn't some divine reunion? You're actually being hunted?"

Guizhong sobbed harder.

"LOOK AT HIM, VENTI! DOES HE LOOK NORMAL TO YOU?!"

They both looked at Zhongli.

His smile was calm.

His stance was patient.

His entire aura screamed possessive obsession.

Venti winced.

"Yeah, that's not healthy."

Zhongli took a step forward.

The ground rumbled.

The very air in Mondstadt grew heavy with ancient power.

"Guizhong," Zhongli's voice was low, almost gentle. "Come back to me."

Guizhong clung to Venti harder.

"NOPE! NO THANK YOU! I LIKE FREEDOM, ACTUALLY!"

[EMOTIONAL SURGE DETECTED: ZHONGLI—PATIENCE NEARING ITS LIMIT. +6,000 EP]

Venti scratched his head.

"Sooo, you need a getaway, huh?"

"YES! PLEASE! I'LL DO ANYTHING!" Guizhong begged.

Venti grinned mischievously.

"Anything?"

Guizhong hesitated.

Then, she heard Zhongli take another step forward.

"ANYTHING! JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Venti snapped his fingers.

The wind erupted, lifting Guizhong into the sky with unnatural force.

Zhongli's eyes widened.

He reached out—only for the winds to snatch her away.

And just like that—

Guizhong was gone.

Zhongli stood perfectly still, his outstretched hand closing into a tight fist.

The winds carried her away.

His Guizhong.

His beloved.

Gone.

For the second time.

The entire city trembled.

A deadly aura rolled off him in waves.

Adepti watching from the rooftops backed away in terror.

Zhongli was beyond livid.

Slowly, he exhaled, composing himself.

Then, softly, dangerously, he muttered:

"Barbatos."

Somewhere in the sky, Venti sneezed.

High above Teyvat, Guizhong—now Guizhong—was being yeeted across the continent by Mondstadt's favorite drunkard.

Venti was laughing way too much for someone who just kidnapped her mid-air.

"You know, I don't usually get involved in lovers' quarrels, but wow—this one's a classic!" he cackled as the wind carried them toward Dragonspine.

Guizhong, who was hanging on for dear life, had absolutely no time for jokes.

"THIS IS NOT A LOVERS' QUARREL, YOU CHAOTIC GREMLIN! HE WANTS TO LOCK ME UP AND TURN ME INTO A GEO BABY FACTORY!"

Venti choked on air.

*"Whoa, whoa, hold on! You're saying Zhongli—**Mister Contracts and Tea—*wants to... you know…?"

Guizhong's voice cracked.

"THE SYSTEM KEEPS SAYING IT!"

[CONFIRMED: ZHONGLI INTENDS TO ENSURE HIS LEGACY THROUGH HOST]

[ADDITIONAL CONFIRMATION: GEO DRAGON INSTINCTS ENHANCING OBSESSION]

[TL;DR: HE WANTS YOU TO CARRY LITTLE ROCK DRAGONS.]

Guizhong screamed.

Venti wheeze-laughed.

"Okay, okay, I'll admit—that's absolutely terrifying." He paused, then snickered. "Buuuut also kinda funny."

Guizhong slapped him.

Back in Mondstadt, the entire city was on edge.

Because **Zhongli—**calm, patient, rational **Zhongli—**was absolutely seething.

The air was thick with his fury.

The ground beneath him rumbled dangerously.

The very stone of Mondstadt trembled, despite not even being his domain.

Zhongli's golden eyes locked onto the sky, following the path of Barbatos' winds.

Barbatos had taken her.

That fool.

That damn wind spirit had stolen his Guizhong.

Again.

Slowly, he exhaled.

His voice, despite the absolute rage within him, remained calm.

"Barbatos."

The name was spoken with deadly intent.

The citizens of Mondstadt shivered, sensing an oncoming disaster.

Adepti watching from the distance stepped back.

This wasn't Zhongli speaking.

This was Morax, the God of Geo and War.

And he would not be denied.

With a flick of his wrist, a golden sigil burned into the ground.

In an instant, every Geo construct in Mondstadt turned toward Dragonspine.

His voice was final. Absolute.

"You cannot run from me forever, Guizhong."

The hunt was back on.

Guizhong felt it.

The air itself shifted.

Zhongli was coming.

[WARNING: GEO LOCK ACTIVATED. EVASION RATE DROPPED TO 30%.]

"VENTI!" Guizhong shrieked. "HE'S COMING!"

Venti spun around mid-air, frowning. "Wow, he's persistent! I don't think I've seen him this mad since Rex Lapis-era Liyue."

Guizhong grabbed his shoulders.

"DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A JOKE TO YOU?!"

Venti grinned. "A little."

Guizhong almost smacked him again.

Then—

The mountains groaned.

The sky darkened.

And golden chains of Geo energy shot toward them from the land below.

Zhongli was reaching for her.

Venti's eyes widened.

"Welp! Time to get serious!"

With a snap of his fingers, the winds shifted direction—blowing them straight into the blizzard of Dragonspine.

[NEW OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES WHILE EVADED GEO DRAGON BOYFRIEND]

Guizhong wailed.

"WHY IS THIS MY LIFE?!"

The system laughed.

[BECAUSE IT'S HILARIOUS.]