One does not strike a smiling face.
Faced with such a grand welcome, King couldn't just turn around and leave.
He nodded and said plainly, "You're too kind. We're just passing through and will leave after restocking supplies."
"Passing through?"
Ningguang smiled slightly, his eyes flickering.
"Mr. King, why the hurry?"
"You have come from afar, helped Inazuma set things right, and saved Watatsumi Island from peril; such righteous deeds have already spread throughout Teyvat."
"Liyue is a land of etiquette. If we let you pass through so hurriedly, wouldn't it seem like we've lost our way of hospitality?"
He stepped aside and made a "please" gesture.
"A banquet has been prepared. Though it lacks rare delicacies, it is a token of Liyue's sincerity."
"I hope Mr. King and the esteemed guests will surely grace us with your presence."
Since he put it that way, refusing would seem a bit heartless.
King glanced at Zhongli, who was calmly drinking tea nearby.
He suddenly had an ominous premonition... Liyue Harbor, Jade Chamber.
In the luxurious private room on the top floor, a huge round table was filled with exquisite Liyue dishes.
Adeptus' Temptation, Crystal Shrimp, Squirrel Fish, Lotus Flower Crisp... the aroma wafted everywhere, making one's mouth water.
Paimon had long forgotten his previous nervousness, his eyes fixed on the table, drooling: "So much delicious food, I want to eat... I'm about to lose control of my body!"
Lumine helplessly pressed him back into his seat.
Everyone took their seats.
King sat in the main seat, with Ningguang, as the host, arranged by his side.
Zhongli sat on King's other side, tasting the Bamboo Shoot Soup in front of him as if he were truly just there for a free meal.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes.
The atmosphere seemed harmonious, but King could feel that Ningguang and Keqing's gazes were constantly falling on him, intentionally or not.
Finally, after another delicacy was served, Ningguang put down his chopsticks, gently wiped the corner of his mouth, and spoke seemingly casually:
"Mr. King's journey to Inazuma was swift and decisive, truly amazing."
"I wonder what your impression of my Liyue is, sir?"
Here it comes.
King thought to himself, keeping a calm face: "Prosperous and wealthy, it lives up to its reputation."
"Only prosperous and wealthy?" Ningguang chuckled, his gaze sharpening slightly, "As you passed through Liyue Harbor, did you see the workers carrying bags at the docks, the thick calluses on their palms? Did you see the elderly and the young huddled under the eaves at the end of Chihu Rock?"
He paused, his voice soft but tinged with sorrow:
"Liyue's ills are deep-seated and difficult to change."
"Merchants are as wealthy as nations, while the common people struggle to survive."
"The laws seem comprehensive, but there are always loopholes to exploit."
"The upper class lives in luxury, while the lower class struggles for survival."
"Such a scene is so similar to Inazuma."
The private room fell silent.
Paimon even forgot to chew the shrimp in his mouth.
Lumine's expression was complex.
Raiden Ei was lost in thought.
Zhongli was drinking tea.
King put down his teacup, looked at Ningguang, then glanced at Zhongli beside him, feeling speechless.
"So?"
"What do you want to do?"
Ningguang and Keqing exchanged a glance.
Finally, he took a deep breath, stood up, and gave King a solemn bow.
"I dare not ask anything of you, sir."
"It's just that everyone in Liyue has heard of the reforms in Inazuma and your methods."
"We have suffered from these deep-seated ills for a long time, and we have struggled to find a way to break the deadlock for a long time."
"Today, I shamelessly implore you—"
"To point out a clear path for Liyue."
As his voice fell, several Adepti eavesdropping outside the door nodded slightly.
The middle-aged scholar transformed from Moon Carver said slowly: "Liyue indeed needs a thorough cleansing now."
Cloud Retainer also said indifferently: "Calculating every move is not as good as a swift strike."
King looked at Ningguang and Keqing before him, seeing the complex expression of expectation, helplessness, and determination in their eyes.
He then looked at Zhongli, who was still focused on dealing with the Braised Meatballs.
He fell silent.
For a long time.
King slowly leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers gently on the table, making a dull sound.
"Point out a path?"
He curled his lips, revealing a nearly cold smile:
"Fine, then I will point out a clear path for you."
He raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Ningguang, Keqing, the Adepti eavesdropping outside, and finally landing on Zhongli, saying word by word, clearly:
"Kill."
"Take the parasites sucking blood from Liyue, from top to bottom, leave not a single one—"
"Kill them all."
The Adepti eavesdropping outside held their breath.
A brilliant light flashed in Moon Carver's eyes, and he couldn't help but pat his hands and whisper: "Good! Mr. King is a great talent! Decisive when it's time to act, and resolute in slaughter! This is the way to break the deadlock!"
A hint of excited blush appeared on Cloud Retainer's cold face: "It should have been done long ago! They should have been killed long ago! Those parasites sucking on Liyue's flesh and blood are a disaster if left alone! Once they are killed off, the world will be clean!"
"I agree." Xiao was more composed than the previous two, but his tone also carried approval: "Scraping the bone to treat the poison may hurt for a while, but it benefits for thousands of years. Liyue's chronic illness cannot be cured without strong medicine."
"Sigh..."
An old sigh rang out with heavy helplessness.
Granny Ping leaned on her cane, her cloudy eyes full of disapproval: "Everyone, Liyue is not Inazuma."
"Although Inazuma's deep-seated ills are deep, its scale is small; it can still withstand a thunderous strike."
"But my Liyue has been established for over six thousand years, its trade network spans across Teyvat, and its internal connections are intricate; touching one part moves the whole body."
"Killing joyfully today will plant the seeds of hatred tomorrow, leading to a cycle of vengeance; Liyue's thousand-year foundation might be destroyed in an instant."
Inside the room, Ningguang and Keqing's faces had turned completely pale.
Ningguang's usually calm and elegant smile froze on his face, his fingertips cold.
He had envisioned many kinds of "guidance," perhaps a subtle institutional reform or sophisticated economic tactics.
But he never expected such a simple, direct, and brutally suffocating answer.
Kill them all?
If the butcher's knife were truly raised, when would it stop? How much blood would flow?
More importantly, what happens after? Is Liyue supposed to rebuild its prosperity on a sea of blood?
Is this really a way to govern a country?
Keqing bit his lower lip hard, the struggle in his purple eyes even greater.
He yearned for change and longed to clear the deep-seated ills, but such a cruel method...
Would it really not cause Liyue to bleed into a river and completely collapse?
Ganyu was even more completely dazed. He subconsciously turned his head to look at the funeral parlor assistant who had been quietly sipping tea.
His pale purple eyes were filled with helplessness, his lips moving slightly, silently conveying a question:
Rex Lapis, is this your intention?
Did you allow Mr. King to say this because you wanted to use his mouth to push this matter?
Are we... are we really going to do this?
Everyone's gaze focused on Zhongli.
This funeral parlor assistant, the former Geo Archon of Liyue, finally put down the cup of tea that seemed never-ending.
Then, under the nervous gaze of Ningguang and others, Zhongli nodded slightly.
"Young friend King is a great talent."
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