Zhongli coughed softly, his gaze flickering toward Ningguang as if inadvertently.
As shrewd as she was, Ningguang understood his meaning in an instant.
She stepped forward, her face filled with indignation and her voice rising with an air of awe-inspiring righteousness:
"How bold of you, spy Zhu Fugui!!"
"What utter insolence!!"
"To dare use such inflammatory words to deceive the masses, attempting to drive a wedge between Mr. King and the people of Liyue!"
She waved her delicate hand toward the empty space where Zhu Fugui had vanished:
"That fat pig just now was clearly a spy planted in my Liyue by the Abyss Order!"
"His words were venomous and his intentions sinister, specifically aimed at inciting Mr. King's dissatisfaction toward Liyue!"
"Should Mr. King leave in a huff, the Abyss monsters will surely return!"
"At that time, Liyue's destruction would be imminent, and billions of lives would be lost!"
"This scoundrel's heart is treacherous! His actions deserve death!"
She took a deep breath, her voice becoming even more impassioned and her gaze as sharp as a blade as she scanned the crowd:
"And you all! Ignorant and foolish, incited by a spy, you actually dared to harbor resentment against Mr. King, who saved Liyue from destruction?!"
"This is absolute rebellion!"
"Guards!"
A Millelith captain, who had been itching for action on the sidelines, immediately rushed forward with a group of fierce soldiers.
"Surround these foolish dogs who were bewitched by the Abyss spy, shook the people's morale, and nearly caused a great disaster—give them a thorough beating!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
The Millelith soldiers shouted in unison, their eyes "menacing" and their movements swift as they completely surrounded the several thousand people who had just echoed the sentiments.
"I've been wronged, Lady Ningguang! I only nodded just now because my neck was itchy!"
"Exactly, we aren't spies!"
The surrounded people wailed and pleaded, kowtowing like pounding garlic.
"Hmph! If your neck is itchy, then chop it off!"
The Millelith captain kicked over a grain shop owner who was shouting the loudest and roared, "Whether you're a spy or not, we'll know after we beat... bah, after we interrogate you!"
"Ouch! My ass!"
"Gentle! Take it easy, officer! I have hemorrhoids!"
"Help! Lady Ningguang, have mercy!"
The Millelith soldiers didn't care if they were in pain.
They had received clear instructions from Lady Ningguang to "severely punish the spy's accomplices."
Their kicks were steady, precise, and ruthless, specifically targeting painful spots.
They beat these pampered individuals until they wailed for their parents, exposing their unsightly true colors.
Upon closer inspection, not a single ordinary citizen was among those ungrateful wretches being kicked.
Ninety percent were bloated merchants, and the rest, rolling in the mud with their silk robes and crooked official hats, were officials accustomed to throwing their weight around.
Relying on their wealth or connections, they had been the most enthusiastic in echoing the spy earlier.
Now, "corralled" in the middle by the fierce Millelith with their shields, they were kicked around like rolling gourds, their wails rising one after another.
"Ow! My ribs are broken!!"
"Spare me! This lowly one will never dare speak out of turn again!"
"Stop hitting me! Stop, I'm going to die! I'll donate money! I'll donate money to repair the harbor, is that okay?!"
Watching the pathetic state of these usually arrogant figures, the fear in the hearts of the surrounding fearful citizens unconsciously dissipated; some even stifled laughs, feeling only a sense of catharsis.
Although King had ultimately wiped out all the monsters after the great battle, Osial's previous rampage had still caused significant damage to Liyue Harbor.
The harbor area was a mess, with broken piers, overturned cargo crates, and seawater flooding into the low-lying streets.
More troublesome were the thousands of merchant ship wrecks, damaged by Abyss energy waves, which were clogging the shipping lanes.
Even the pinnacle of Fontaine's technology...
The indestructible justice was covered in countless deep scratches and dents, and its magic-conducting engine seemed to have some issues, emitting an uncoordinated low hum.
Ningguang's eyes lit up, and she immediately stepped forward, bowing deeply to King with a sincere tone:
"Mr. King, Liyue Harbor has suffered this calamity, and it is all thanks to you for turning the tide."
"We are duty-bound to address the damage to your ship."
"While Liyue is not as skilled in the sophisticated shipbuilding techniques of Fontaine, we have master craftsmen who can perform repairs to ensure it can sail safely."
"Until the ship is repaired, I hope Mr. King will do us the honor of staying temporarily at the Jade Chamber, allowing Liyue to show its hospitality."
She spoke with heartfelt sincerity, arranging everything in an orderly fashion, humbling herself to the dust.
King cleared his throat.
"Ningguang."
It was just a casual call.
However, the moment his voice rang out—
It was as if a pause button had been pressed on Liyue Harbor.
All sounds—crying, wailing, pleading, whispering, even the sound of breathing... disappeared entirely.
Dead silence.
Absolute dead silence.
Everyone shut their mouths in unison, and even their breathing became subconsciously shallow.
With gazes of indescribable awe and fear, they all looked toward the man in the blue windbreaker holding a white floating object.
King didn't even lift his eyelids, merely looking at the deeply bowing Ningguang before him, speaking in a tone so flat it was almost like casual conversation:
"Do you still remember what I said back in the private booth?"
Ningguang's delicate body trembled violently!
Her mind was so exquisite and clear that she understood King's subtext almost instantly!
The words in the booth?
Kill!
Take the parasites clinging to Liyue and sucking its blood, from top to bottom, and leave not a single one—
Kill them all!
An indescribable surge of ecstasy and excitement coursed through Ningguang's body like an electric current, making her almost unable to control her expression!
Nice!
An opportunity!
A massive opportunity!
Previously, she had been troubled by how to take action, how to balance interests, and how to avoid instability.
But now?
These parasites, who usually lived off the people's toil and threw their weight around, had barely regained their senses after the God's disaster before they impatiently jumped out to bark at the great benefactor who saved Liyue!
They had handed the knife to Mr. King themselves!
No, they had handed it to Liyue!
What timing could be more perfect than now?
Public indignation had been ignited, the evidence was right before them, and their cause was righteous!
More importantly, Lord Morax was present, and the two Gods, Barbatos and Beelzebul, were watching from the side.
Furthermore, the indisputably "strongest man," Mr. King, was here to oversee everything.
Who would dare move recklessly?
Who would dare resist?
"Who would dare say a single word of 'no'?"
Ningguang suddenly looked up, her beautiful eyes shining with startling clarity and realization!
Without hesitation, she immediately cast a sharp, murderous glance toward Keqing beside her!
Keqing was equally alert; a cold light flashed in her purple eyes as she understood instantly!
Kill!
Kill them until everything is clean!
Kill to create a brand new Liyue!
She immediately turned her head and gave a "do it quickly" look to Ganyu, who was still a bit bewildered.
Ganyu was stunned for a moment, her pale purple eyes blinking before she also quickly reacted.
Was she the one who was supposed to act?
That made sense; her attack range was the largest.
Ganyu did not hesitate; she raised her hand, and an ice-blue longbow was already in her grasp, cold air diffusing around it!
However—
"Buzz—!!!"
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