"Is it you who understands the Luofu, or me?"
Even if the Qixing didn't know everything about the Abyss Order,
Lumine and Paimon both understood one thing:
they were the ones with the best chance of finding out.
And for that, they needed a good relationship with the Liyue Qixing.
Come to think of it, their time with the Yuheng the previous night had gone surprisingly smoothly.
Maybe they could get a lead straight from her.
"Because," Kairo said quietly, "he wants to draw all the currents under the surface together—stack the pressure until it reaches the limit… and then let everything erupt at once."
"He's lived a very, very long time. He wants to see if Liyue can step into a new era without him."
"Yes."
Zhongli nodded, picking up the thread of Kairo's words in that unhurried tone of his.
"I have walked this world for more than six thousand years. It has been three thousand seven hundred since I built Liyue together with the adepti."
"Even a rock that no whirlpool can shatter will eventually be worn down by time. I kept telling myself the day it cracked had not yet come."
"Until, one drizzling day, I happened to walk along the harbor and heard a merchant praising one of his subordinates: 'You have fulfilled your duty. Now go and rest.'"
"At that moment, I stood among the crowds for a very long time, asking myself over and over…"
"Have I already fulfilled my duty?"
"But when I truly began to consider stepping down from my divine seat…"
"That was when I realized I still had many reasons I could not leave behind."
"Liyue, this land that has walked with its god for so long… is it truly ready to enter a new age?"
"I had to create an opportunity to observe it properly, and only then make my decision."
"So I designed this year's Rite of Descension with care—drawing in the Fatui, the adepti, and the Qixing, watching how they would act when chaos came."
"It's exactly the same as what Kairo said…"
Paimon's eyes went wide as she looked at him.
"Back at Wangshu Inn, you already said the Rite of Descension would go terribly wrong!"
He'd completely predicted the Geo Archon's own plan.
"Oh?"
Zhongli raised a brow, genuinely surprised as he gave Kairo a measuring look.
Even he hadn't expected anyone to see straight through his design.
"So," he said softly a moment later, "in what comes next, I hope you'll help me keep this matter secret."
"In exchange, during the Rite of Descension you may act to assist the Qixing. If you earn their friendship, they will be happy to share their intelligence on the Abyss with you."
"This arrangement benefits you as well."
He turned his calm gaze to Lumine.
"What do you say, Traveler?"
"I see…"
Lumine scratched her cheek.
So the Geo Archon planned to test Liyue—and her job was just to keep quiet and not report him.
Then, during the Rite of Descension, she would intervene at the right moment, win the Qixing's trust… and, through that, gain access to the information she needed.
You couldn't ask for a cleaner path into Liyue's highest circles.
Without something like this, befriending the Qixing would have been much harder.
She'd already made up her mind to agree—
but before she spoke, she glanced toward Kairo.
He was the one whose judgment she trusted most.
"Of course," Kairo said, nodding lightly.
There was nothing to be gained from refusing Zhongli's proposal.
Agreeing would win him favor with the one holding all the strings in Liyue…
and on top of that, the system would reward him.
Why not?
As his agreement settled in his mind,
the familiar translucent panel appeared again in front of his eyes.
[Faced with Jing Yuan's invitation, you chose to be direct—pointing out that everything happening on the Luofu is already within his calculations.]
[Jing Yuan has been fishing from the start, and he already knows where the Stellaron is. But since the matter involves the Alchemy Commission and the secret of how it was smuggled in, he needs time if he wants to catch everything in one net.]
[Your words surprised him—you laid out his entire plan in a single breath, and not even the other Six Charioteers know his true intentions.]
[Congratulations. You have obtained the reward for Option Three: Snow-Lion Mimi. The stone lion that stands before the Divination Commission's gates. After obtaining it, you can freely shift it between lifelike lion and stone statue at will.]
Kairo's lips curved into a small, contented smile.
Another reward secured.
Nice.
"Then allow me," Zhongli said, returning his attention to them, "to show you more of Liyue's scenery today."
"The place where gods once walked holds three thousand seven hundred years of history. You have yet to experience even a fraction of it."
"The preparations for the Rite of Parting will also be part of your journey, broadening your horizons."
"Liyue is the most prosperous of the Seven Nations, guarded by gods in the past and governed by the Qixing in the present. I doubt your experiences here will disappoint you."
"Sounds great!"
Paimon rubbed her hands together, eyes shining.
"Having a god as a tour guide—that's something most people can only dream about!"
"Mhm."
Lumine nodded without thinking.
She hadn't expected that walking out the door this morning would lead straight to Zhongli, and to so many answers all at once.
Just then, another line of text flashed before Kairo's eyes.
[Because you saw through Jing Yuan's plans, he has asked you to help keep his secrets in this time of unrest on the Luofu.]
[In exchange, he will act as your guide, showing you around the Luofu and its many sights.]
[Faced with Jing Yuan's goodwill, you choose…]
[Option 1: Accept Openly. If Jing Yuan is willing to offer a sightseeing tour in exchange, there's no reason to refuse. You wanted to investigate the Luofu's situation anyway—why not make use of this chance to gather intel while you admire the scenery? (Reward: Lightning Attribute Power. Once fused, your Trailblazer path will gain the lightning attribute. From then on, your attacks will carry elemental thunder.)]
[Option 2: Flatly Refuse. Keeping secrets for him? That's not your concern. The Luofu's political struggles have nothing to do with your own goals—you didn't come here to get dragged into Jing Yuan's schemes. And there's no such thing as a free lunch; his sudden warmth is far too deliberate. (Reward: Ever-Life Bough. A withered, ancient branch from a divine tree, the source of the Xianzhou immortals' endless lifespans and the remnants of an Abundance miracle. After the Three Disasters, the Xianzhou was drowned in death and ruin. Those on the verge of falling into demonic madness will be taken by the Judges to the Underworld Court for trial.)]
[Option 3: Take the Initiative. Is it you who understands the Luofu, or me? You know where the Luofu's future is headed. Even as a newcomer, you grasp its current state all too well. Jing Yuan's goodwill clearly hides deeper schemes, and your next steps cannot be taken under his constant gaze. With the Luofu on edge and hearts unsettled, his sudden friendliness is obviously suspicious. So why not push back, test his limits, and see who is really examining whom? (Reward: Immortal Happy Tea. An extremely unhealthy junk drink that makes a strange smile appear on your face after you drink it. Temporarily increases your attack power by five times. Don't drink too much—the calories are outrageous. It's okay, though, it's been chilled and the label says it contains L-carnitine.)]
Kairo: "…"
He stared at the options in silence.
Immortal Happy Tea?
Was that supposed to be serious?
Five-fold attack power?
If Zhongli drank this stuff, would he be able to unleash five hundred percent of his strength?
That was downright broken.
But of course, that option's reward—tempting as it was—was only a consumable.
Once it was gone, that was it.
The best reward here was clearly Option One.
If he could awaken lightning as an attribute for his Trailblazer power, he'd be able to control Electro in Teyvat—
and convert any elemental energy he wielded into raw thunder.
That was a permanent upgrade.
Option Three, on the other hand, meant poking at Jing Yuan's bottom line—
which, in this world, translated neatly into testing Zhongli's patience.
Completely unnecessary.
He'd already agreed to keep the secret; there was no need to stir up more trouble.
And Zhongli was not Jing Yuan.
"As for our plans today," Zhongli said, oblivious to the system panel in front of Kairo, "once we finish breakfast, I'll show you around the city."
"At midday, we can visit the Yun-Han Opera Troupe and listen to some proper Liyue opera."
"In the evening, we'll head to the Pearl Galley and let you experience Liyue's nightlife and its people."
"Eh?"
Paimon's eyes went wide with delight.
"Yes, yes! We don't know anything about Liyue yet, so having you lead the way is perfect!"
Lumine scratched the back of her head.
"Where's the Liyue branch of the Adventurers' Guild? I still need to stop by and register, and maybe ask them to help me track any commissions related to the Abyss."
If her brother was tied to the Abyss Order, she might as well pay Mora for information.
She could always ask the Qixing later—but they were probably far too busy right now.
"It's near the harbor," Zhongli replied with a nod.
"Convenient enough to visit this afternoon."
After they'd eaten their fill and finished their tea, the three of them stepped away from the breakfast stall.
Morning sunlight spilled across the blue stone slabs underfoot as Liyue's splendor gradually revealed itself.
Zhongli walked ahead with his usual measured stride, back straight, bearing as refined as ever.
Even in the middle of the bustling street, he carried a sense of calm detachment,
like a painting calmly hanging above the noise.
Shops on either side of the road were already busy.
Vendors arranged fresh wares and called out to customers; steam curled from food stalls.
Teahouses and taverns were opening their doors to a steady flow of patrons.
Even in the morning, Liyue's commerce was already in full swing.
As they walked, Zhongli occasionally pointed out buildings and landmarks, calmly introducing Liyue's history and customs.
He talked about the way its merchants did business, how its trade routes had formed, the stories behind various stone arches and carvings.
At the corner of the street, a beautifully carved archway rose with golden characters inlaid at its apex.
Zhongli's fingertips brushed lightly over the stone column.
"This arch," he said, "was raised five hundred years after Liyue opened its harbor—built by the local trading guilds in thanks for the Geo Archon's protection."
"Back then, Liyue's main trade routes had finally taken shape, merchants came and went in a steady stream, and the city grew day by day."
Lumine glanced sideways at the archway, something stirring in her chest.
Liyue's faith in their Archon wasn't only in altars and rituals…
It was chiseled into every brick and beam of the city.
Paimon, meanwhile, listened with half an ear while her eyes roamed eagerly over the nearby food stalls, clearly ready for a second breakfast at any moment.
Just then—
"Whoa! What's that?!"
Her gaze snagged on a building up ahead, and she nearly shot upright midair.
Her jaw hung open as if she'd just discovered some rare treasure.
The structure in front of them was ostentatious, to say the least.
Red columns and blue-gold tiles glowed in the sunlight, a striking, luxurious combination.
A large plaque hung above the main entrance, blazing red with bold Liyue characters carved across it—imposing and impossible to miss.
And the building's overall style…
was lavish in a way that felt distinctly foreign, clearly different from the surrounding Liyue architecture.
Paimon floated up higher to get a better look and sucked in a sharp breath.
"This place is way too fancy!"
"Is this some huge merchant guild?"
She turned toward Zhongli, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"They can just build something this big and shiny in the middle of Liyue City?"
Zhongli lifted his gaze, then gave a faint, almost amused smile.
"That is the Northland Bank," he said calmly.
"A Fatui enterprise."
"…"
Paimon's smile froze.
She stared in stunned silence for two full seconds.
Then it was like a thunderbolt hit her.
She jerked backward in midair, alarm blazing across her face.
"W–Wait, what did you say? A Fatui enterprise?!"
"You mean those bad guys? They can open a bank in Liyue? H–How is that even possible?!"
Memories of their clash with the Fatui in Mondstadt surged up at once, and her voice climbed a full octave.
"How could Liyue let the Fatui run a bank here?!"
"And such a fancy one, too!"
Lumine frowned slightly, her gaze sharpening as she studied the building.
She'd seen the Fatui's hand at work in Mondstadt.
Their methods were insidious, like creeping frost—seeping everywhere, hard to get rid of.
But in a place like Liyue, built on fair dealing and thriving trade,
they were allowed to openly operate a bank in the city center?
It was… more than a little suspicious.
What is Liyue thinking?
The question rose in her heart, but she held it back, waiting to see what Zhongli would say.
He, for his part, remained as calm as ever, as if he'd long grown used to this sight.
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