This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [23]
Hu Tao waved cheerfully as Zhongli stepped inside. She then walked over to him, looking uncharacteristically serious.
"These two are our five-star customers at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. They've got a request for you, so make sure to take good care of them, okay?" With that, she grabbed the receipt and headed to the back to file it away.
Zhongli turned to face Luo Qing and Rosalyne, his expression calm and inquisitive.
"Since the two of you are esteemed clients of Director Hu, may I ask what business brings you to me?" he asked politely.
"This isn't the right place to talk. Zhongli, would you mind if we went somewhere more private?" Luo Qing suggested, glancing at Rosalyne. Given her fiery temper, he had no doubt she'd blurt out "Morax" within moments if they stayed here, potentially blowing Zhongli's cover.
"Very well," Zhongli agreed with a nod.
Outside Liyue Harbor, at the outskirts of Lisha
Liyue was a bustling city, its population dense, and Ningguang's informants were everywhere. Unsure where to have a private conversation, Luo Qing suggested they move outside the city to avoid any prying eyes. The outskirts of Lisha seemed like a suitable choice.
The three of them sat down in a quiet pavilion. But before Luo Qing or Rosalyne could speak, Zhongli broke the silence, his gaze fixed on Rosalyne.
"Is she ready?" he asked softly.
"Hmph, that's none of your concern, Morax," Rosalyne scoffed, arms crossed, her expression defiant. "All you need to do is honor your agreement with Her Majesty the Tsaritsa—fulfill your contract and hand over the Gnosis!"
Zhongli regarded her coolly, unperturbed. "I will fulfill the contract I made with her. However, I still wonder if now is the right time."
He glanced back towards Liyue Harbor, his face reflective.
To relinquish the Gnosis meant to forfeit his identity as a god, and without the protection of an Archon, Liyue's fate was no longer something he could predict.
"Zhongli, are you worried that Liyue will crumble without a god's protection?" Luo Qing asked, his tone calm.
"Indeed. Liyue is like a child learning to walk, with its hand still held by its parents. Once that hand is withdrawn, who knows if it will stumble or stride forward."
"Ha, the Gnosis is merely a symbol for you, isn't it? What, are you trying to tell me that the mighty Morax, who once waged war across the land, can't protect Liyue without it?" Rosalyne's voice was sharp, laced with disdain.
Luo Qing shot Rosalyne a sideways glance, thinking to himself that this gentleness was only possible because Zhongli's temperament had mellowed over the years. Back during the Archon War, she wouldn't have finished that sentence before being skewered by a stone spear.
"Lady Rosalyne, I think you're missing the point. Mr. Zhongli here is simply looking to retire, isn't that right?" Luo Qing said with a knowing smile.
"..."
"Indeed," Zhongli replied with a small nod.
Though Luo Qing's phrasing was blunt, it captured the essence of his thoughts.
"The age of gods is over, and the era of humans is dawning. Liyue has walked alongside gods for 3,700 years since its founding. But the old gods will inevitably depart, and I am unsure if Liyue is truly prepared to embrace this new era."
"So, until you confirm Liyue can thrive without the presence of the Geo Archon, you're not planning to hand over the Gnosis?" Rosalyne's eyes narrowed, her irritation growing.
"We don't have the luxury of waiting for you to play your games," she snapped.
"Lady Rosalyne," Luo Qing leaned in and whispered, "you might want to hold back. If this man decides to make a move, neither of us stand a chance."
Rosalyne's expression didn't soften in the least; if anything, her disdain deepened. To her, Luo Qing's warning merely labeled him as a coward.
Turning his attention back to Zhongli, Luo Qing noted the Archon's pensive expression. He didn't look like someone who had orchestrated a test of mortals against gods and adepti. Luo Qing decided to lay out his idea.
"If Zhongli wants to gauge Liyue's strength without him, why not conduct an abdication test? Let's see if Liyue can withstand the tides without the Geo Archon."
"A test of abdication... an interesting suggestion. Would you care to elaborate, young friend?" Zhongli asked, intrigued.
"Ah, young friend is too formal. Please, just call me Luo Qing," he replied with a grin.
"Luo Qing... Are you from Liyue?" Zhongli asked, curious.
"Not exactly. I grew up in Snezhnaya, a true winter child at heart."
"..."
"Then, please, Luo Qing, go ahead."
"Certainly."
Luo Qing patted Rosalyne's shoulder, signaling her to stay quiet, and continued.
"Zhongli, you're well aware of the issues Liyue faces, correct? The distancing of the adepti, the dangers brewing beneath the sea—these are all concerns of yours."
Zhongli nodded, his gaze steady.
"Why not bring all these problems to the surface at once, forcing Liyue to face them head-on?" Luo Qing suggested. "Pressure reveals a person's true limits, and the same goes for nations."
"What do you mean?" Zhongli inquired, intrigued.
"Simple. If you want to see how Liyue fares without you, then just fake your death."
"With the Rite of Descension approaching, all you need to do is simulate your demise in front of Liyue's people. We at the Fatui will handle the rest. You can remain as you are now—a mere mortal—and observe the unfolding events," Luo Qing explained.
Initially, Luo Qing assumed that Zhongli had masterminded the plan to fake his death, but after observing Zhongli's uncertainty, he realized the Archon might not have fully fleshed out his scheme. Since he was already here, he had no problem giving the legendary strategist a nudge in the right direction.
Besides, this way, he might earn extra credit when he eventually reported back to Her Majesty the Tsaritsa.
"A staged death, hmm..." Zhongli mused.
"It's certainly a bold idea, Luo Qing."
"Well then, Zhongli, do you agree?" Luo Qing pressed.
"Yes... it's worth attempting," Zhongli nodded slowly.
From there, Luo Qing laid out the details of the plan, covering everything: inciting tension between Liyue's human and adepti populations, manipulating Childe into becoming an unwitting pawn, and finally releasing Osial beneath the waters of Guyun Stone Forest.
The thoroughness of the plan left Zhongli and Rosalyne slightly taken aback.
Zhongli seemed intrigued by the proposal, and even when Luo Qing mentioned potential casualties during Osial's release, the Archon made no move to object. He had already accepted that if bloodshed was the price of progress, then it was a price worth paying.
Truly a man shaped by the Archon War.
An agreement was quickly reached. Zhongli would concoct a convincing death scene to enact during the Rite of Descension, while Luo Qing and Rosalyne would wait for Childe's arrival and manipulate him into playing his part. The three of them would then retreat to the shadows to enjoy the spectacle over a cup of tea.
If Liyue couldn't handle Osial, Zhongli would intervene to end the chaos himself.
Once their discussion was over, Zhongli returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to prepare for his grand exit, leaving Luo Qing and Rosalyne alone in the pavilion.
With the plan now in motion, the Gnosis retrieval was practically secured. Regardless of the final outcome, Rosalyne would have the Geo Archon's Gnosis to present to the Tsaritsa.
Yet, for reasons she couldn't quite understand, she felt irritated. From the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to the meeting with Morax, she felt like she was playing second fiddle to Luo Qing, as if he were the one leading and she merely his follower.
Her long-cultivated pride chafed at the thought.
But Luo Qing hadn't technically done anything wrong, so she couldn't justify lashing out. She decided to wait—biding her time for the moment when Luo Qing would inevitably cross a line.
When that time came, she'd be ready.
Just you wait.
Luo Qing: ∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° ) ?