"???"
Is there really such a saying in Liyue?
Keqing looked at Yelan with a face full of question marks, clearly not understanding what she was talking about.
"If we miss this opportunity, it means Liyue will officially fall out of step with the times," Yelan said seriously.
"My suggestion is to follow Su Ran's pace as soon as possible. Compared to his other identities, his status as a Fatui Harbinger is honestly insignificant."
As a native of Liyue, Yelan knew very well that this was for Liyue's own good.
Su Ran had handed Liyue an opportunity— they had no reason to let it slip away.
As for whether outsiders would understand?
That wasn't her concern.
But one thing Yelan was absolutely certain of—
If Liyue missed this chance, it would definitely regret it in the future.
"Oh, and I've met the Geo Archon," Yelan added casually.
"He has no objections to Liyue developing alongside Su Ran, and he also supports Ningguang."
She even brought out Rex Lapis himself.
This completely stunned Keqing.
After a long internal mental storm, she finally snapped back to her senses.
"You… you've met the Geo Archon?"
"Otherwise, how do you think I came back?" Yelan said with a grin.
"I'm different from the other Liyue citizens who returned—I saw the Geo Archon's true form with my own eyes."
The moment Yelan mentioned seeing the Geo Archon's true form, Keqing's curiosity exploded.
She wanted to ask more—but felt embarrassed to open her mouth.
Her visibly restless, cat-like expression immediately amused Yelan.
"However, I can't casually reveal the Geo Archon's current identity," Yelan continued.
"If I disrupt his life in Liyue Harbor, I'd become a sinner."
"He's… still living in Liyue Harbor?!"
Keqing's eyes widened in disbelief.
Compared to everything Yelan had said before, this single sentence was by far the most shocking.
That meant—
The Geo Archon had been living among the people all these years?
Not just appearing once a year?
And more importantly—
With so many people in Liyue Harbor… who was the real Geo Archon?!
"Ah~ I think I said too much. Oops, slipped up."
Yelan covered her mouth, looking full of regret.
But her exaggerated acting fooled no one.
She had deliberately told Keqing.
Even someone as great as the Geo Archon hadn't interfered—so Keqing really shouldn't be clinging so stubbornly to her stance.
"Cough, cough—say a bit less," Ningguang interrupted helplessly.
When she first learned that Zhongli was Rex Lapis, she had been just as shocked.
In the past, she had even thought Zhongli was a talented individual worth recruiting—
a pity she never succeeded.
Only after seeing Zhongli return with others did she finally understand—he was the Geo Archon himself.
Thankfully, she hadn't stubbornly tried to provoke him back then.
Otherwise, the weeds on her grave might already be three meters tall.
Of course, compared to her first encounter with Su Ran—that was nothing.
Because she had actually wanted to cause Su Ran trouble.
If not for being intimidated by the Raiden Shogun…
She truly had to thank the Narukami of Inazuma for that.
"I've seen many things out there," Ningguang said calmly.
"Some of them can't be revealed to you yet—but giving you a general understanding of the outside world is no problem."
That was precisely why she had brought the tablet down with her.
The space station wasn't somewhere Keqing could visit yet.
And the Jade Chamber didn't possess such outrageous technology.
So she could only rely on a portable tablet—
To bring Keqing over to her side.
To gain a crucial ally in the Qixing meetings.
—
After an entire afternoon of exposure—
Keqing was completely convinced.
She didn't know exactly how much value that technology held.
But she knew one thing for certain—
It was technology that did not exist on Teyvat.
Technology that surpassed Liyue by tens of thousands of years.
Even Keqing couldn't help but feel her heart tremble.
What did "tens of thousands of years" mean?
Liyue had been established for a little over 3,700 years.
The Geo Archon had ruled for over 6,000 years.
Yet even the oldest of the Seven—
had not existed for ten thousand years.
Not even close.
So what reason did they have to reject technology that was tens of thousands of years ahead?
Even if the leap was too big to swallow all at once—this opportunity could not be missed.
With nothing more than Ningguang's explanations that afternoon— without even any deliberate persuasion—
Keqing became a firm supporter of Ningguang's position.
Taking too big a step at once was dangerous.
But she simply couldn't find a reason to refuse.
Technology tens of thousands of years ahead—
how could she possibly bring herself to reject it?
"No wonder you're so unwaveringly on that Harbinger's side," Keqing muttered.
If it were her instead—
she would've made the same choice.
"So these past few days… you went out and toured the outside world?"
Just hearing about Ningguang's opportunity made Keqing itch with envy.
She wanted nothing more than to take her place.
"This trip was meant to let me experience space station management firsthand," Ningguang explained.
"With a working example, I can more accurately find my own path."
If Su Ran's space station weren't still completely empty—
Ningguang would've already been eager to make her mark.
"This blessing from the heavens actually landed on my head," she said softly.
"I'd better make the most of it."
As she sighed over her sudden good fortune, Ningguang noticed Keqing staring off into space.
"What are you thinking about?"
"I was thinking whether I could take your— I mean!"
Keqing reacted instantly and corrected herself.
"I was thinking that this time, Liyue absolutely cannot stay out of it. Whether it's Snezhnaya or Inazuma, they already possess advantages we don't."
She had almost revealed her true thoughts.
Though she recovered quickly, those two words still didn't escape Ningguang's notice.
However, Ningguang said nothing—pretending she hadn't heard them.
Because if it were her—she would've had the same thought.
After all, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
A fortune falling straight from the sky.
Whether it was her or Keqing before—they had both been quite close to Su Ran.
It was simply that she had been the one chosen.
Seeing Ningguang's perfectly normal expression,the guilt-stricken Keqing couldn't help but admire her composure.
Because Ningguang was far too intelligent—
There was no way she hadn't noticed.
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