Childe Arrives in Liyue! Zhongli's Plan!
By the time Luo Li had skillfully soothed Rosalyne, he realized that the opera below had already ended and the second performance was about to begin.
Swallowing the clear, glistening trace at the corner of his mouth, he looked toward the unruffled Zhongli.
"I overheard your conversation earlier. It sounds like the Fatui are planning to do something in Liyue this time—and they even have your tacit approval."
Despite already knowing what would soon happen in Liyue, Luo Li deliberately asked.
"Yes. Even the most enduring bedrock cannot withstand the erosion of time," Zhongli replied.
His tone carried an indescribable sense of weariness and resignation.
After bearing the weight of Liyue for over three thousand years, it was time to set it down and allow humanity to decide its own future.
"So, you plan to follow Venti's example? Become a hands-off god and quit the job altogether?" Luo Li asked.
"As expected, I can't hide anything from you."
Zhongli pondered briefly, then spoke frankly, making no effort to conceal the truth from his old friend.
"Just as you suspect, I intend to use the Fatui as an opportunity to test Liyue's current capacity—to see how far this nation can go without divine guidance."
If it had grown enough to soar freely, there would be nothing more to say.
But if it failed to overcome the coming trial, Morax would personally step in and suppress everything.
As the God of War, he possessed the strength to dominate all directions.
"Heh. In the end, you still chose this path. I told you two thousand years ago—humanity's road must eventually be chosen by humans themselves."
Luo Li couldn't say Zhongli's past decisions were wrong. Without divine guidance, humanity would never have survived its fragile infancy.
Zhongli nodded slowly.
"I understand your philosophy—and Barbatos's as well. Is that why you refused the position of Geo Archon back then?"
"Of course. What's so good about being a god? Living freely on one's own is far better."
Listening to their conversation, Rosalyne was momentarily stunned.
The implications were far too immense. She hadn't expected Luo Li to be a figure from two thousand years ago—nor to have such deep ties with the gods. It even seemed possible that he had once been the original Geo Archon himself.
She wanted to ask—but seeing the two deep in discussion, she swallowed the questions back down.
Zhongli smiled faintly.
"Perhaps you and Barbatos are right. Still, instead of lecturing me, you might want to say these things to Beelzebul on the other side of the sea."
Though he wasn't angry, he couldn't resist teasing an old friend.
Luo Li: "..."
He instantly felt a headache coming on.
Of all things, why bring up Ei?
Unlike Rosalyne, he had been traveling freely with Makoto for quite some time now—and the two of them had shared more 'deep exchanges' than he could count.
When he returned, who knew what kind of expression Ei would wear? She might draw her blade on the spot.
"Let's not talk about that. Onto something else."
Pretending he hadn't heard, Luo Li quickly changed the subject and glanced at Rosalyne.
"Tell me—are you still planning to collect the Gnoses in the future?"
"This…"
Rosalyne was caught off guard by the question.
She had once hated the Abyss because of Luo Li's 'death.' Now the man she loved stood perfectly fine beside her—and had just tasted her lips.
That hatred seemed to dissolve for no reason at all.
After a long pause, her hesitation turned into resolve.
"The Cryo Archon saved me. In return, I'll give her the two Gnoses. After that, we'll be even."
With the man she loved at her side, why should she continue risking her life in endless battles? Wouldn't it be better to fly together as a pair?
Luo Li seemed quite satisfied with her answer. The matter of Gnoses ran too deep—it wasn't something she should be involved in.
Otherwise, she might end up being cut down by a yandere-shadow Ei one day, with no place left to cry.
Zhongli gave a soft hum.
"Our agreement still stands. The contract only requires that it not be disclosed."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted meaningfully toward Luo Li.
"Don't worry. I keep my mouth shut," Luo Li replied casually, wrapping an arm around Rosalyne's waist with the relaxed air of a seasoned veteran.
"Very well."
Reuniting with old friends was, after all, a joyous thing.
Yet just then, there came another gentle knock at the door.
"Um… excuse me. Is Teacher here?"
Ganyu's voice came softly from outside, careful not to disturb anyone.
She had been waiting patiently next door for quite some time. When Luo Li never returned, she began to grow anxious.
If her teacher disappeared again, Ganyu didn't know how she would endure it.
So, despite his request for her to stay put, she came looking for him herself.
Perhaps the door hadn't been fully closed—at a light knock, it opened on its own, revealing the scene inside.
Seeing Luo Li with a Fatui woman sitting in his arms, Ganyu froze, her eyes slowly filling with grievance.
She had thought her teacher had simply gone to meet an old acquaintance—who knew he was entangled with another woman instead?
Seeing his obedient little disciple puff her cheeks slightly, Luo Li stood up and beckoned to her apologetically.
"Sorry. I ran into two old friends and ended up talking longer than I intended."
What could Ganyu do? She could only respond with a soft, aggrieved "Oh."
She clearly hadn't recognized Morax in Zhongli's guise—her attention was entirely fixed on Rosalyne.
Not only was this woman a Fatui Harbinger, she also had a relationship with her teacher. It was simply too infuriating.
Yet despite her grievance, Ganyu instinctively obeyed his gesture and came over to sit on the other side, her gaze occasionally drifting toward Rosalyne.
At the same time, a respectful report came from outside.
"Lady Signora, Lord Childe has arrived in Liyue and wishes to see you."
Rosalyne frowned instantly. She had no desire to see that man at all—wasn't staying here with the man she loved far better?
But it was official business. No matter how unwilling she felt, she still had to go.
Fortunately, once the Geo Archon's Gnosis was obtained, she would finally be free.
Reassuring herself with that thought, Rosalyne relied on her formidable self-control and reluctantly stood up from Luo Li's embrace.
"I'll be leaving first. If you wish to find me, come to the Northland Bank. I'll be waiting."
She had been bold even as a young girl—let alone now as the mature Rosalyne. The implication in her words was unmistakable.
Leaving those words behind, she turned and left the private room without hesitation.
The moment she stepped outside, the docile charm vanished from her face, replaced once more by lofty arrogance and icy elegance.
Other than Luo Li, no one was qualified to receive her warmth or affection.
The two Fatui guards, unaware of what had transpired inside, remained respectfully bowing as always.
Though they didn't know what relationship that devilishly charming young man had with Lady Signora, they still dutifully closed the door behind them as they left.
"Apologies for the disturbance, everyone."
The Fatui—usually so domineering—were uncharacteristically humble at this moment.