"Baiwen, tell me, what kind of person is he?"
Behind the desk in the Jade Chamber, Ningguang asked Baiwen as she slowly approached.
From her expression, she likely had many insights and questions.
"Hmm... how should I put it?" Baiwen pondered, resting her chin on her hand. She organized her thoughts and said, "He's... a very unpredictable person."
"Unpredictable?" Ningguang recalled Yelan's assessment of Yu Jin and nodded slightly. Baiwen's evaluation was very similar to Yelan's.
"Yes, unpredictable. That fellow named Yu Jin seems to act on impulse; his thoughts jump around a lot."
Baiwen actually felt that 'unpredictable' was a bit inappropriate. A more fitting description for Yu Jin would be 'unserious'; he handles matters very unseriously.
"Jumping thoughts," Ningguang repeated softly. More accurately, he was 'unreliable'.
Recalling the pained expression of her business partner when Yu Jin was mentioned, Ningguang's lips curved into a faint smile.
It seemed this was the first time someone had caused Yelan such a headache and helplessness.
"Lady Ningguang, is he really worth so much of our attention? The Fatui's recent movements are quite significant."
Baiwen looked at Ningguang, a hint of confusion on her face. With Yelan, the strongest intelligence officer, away, Liyue's intelligence capabilities should be used where they matter most.
"Hmph, no need to worry." Ningguang walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at the vast Liyue. She slowly said:
"Childe is just a simple-minded fellow. As for the Lady? A narrow-minded old woman. Snezhnaya sending these two Harbingers, they probably look down on me a bit."
"Wow, Lady Ningguang is so cool!"
Baishi, carrying a large stack of documents, saw Ningguang's powerful declaration, and her eyes immediately turned into stars.
"Cough, cough!" Baishi's words choked Ningguang. Among her three secretaries, Baishi was the one Ningguang understood the least.
Several times, Ningguang had seen Baishi smiling foolishly at her. When asked, she would only get a reply of "to choose outfits for Lady Ningguang," and nothing else.
Over time, Ningguang had grown somewhat accustomed to Baishi's gaze.
"It seems Lady Ningguang has already made preparations. In that case, I won't worry anymore." Baiwen nodded to Ningguang, then pulled the ecstatic Baishi out of the hall.
With Baiwen and Baishi gone, the vast hall of the Jade Chamber fell silent. Ningguang walked back to the desk from the window and tapped the adjacent wall.
A hidden compartment appeared, and Ningguang took out two scrolls from it and unfurled them.
One was written with soft, dark ink, the other with sharp, crimson ink.
What was on the soft scroll? The leader of an unparalleled armed fleet; reclusive but renowned Adepti... They were all powerful individuals who could stir up trouble in Liyue but had no desire to do so. Their strength or influence warranted more attention from the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
As for the red scroll with its sharp brushstrokes, it listed Liyue's potential enemies.
The various Harbingers of the Fatui; the Apostles of the Abyss Order who had once been active in Liyue; even the God who commanded the Fatui... anyone who was an enemy of Liyue was on it.
However, neither scroll contained Yu Jin's name.
Logically, he should have been on the first scroll. But Yelan, the transcriber of the scrolls, had not written him down.
This wasn't because Yelan didn't value Yu Jin, but because the pressure he exerted as a 'black blade' was too great. An assassin who could never be seen was every intelligence officer's nightmare.
Liyue once had physical records of Yu Jin, but when Yelan checked, she found that those records had long since turned to ash, she knew not when.
In fact, Ningguang learned all of Yu Jin's information through Yelan's erratic hints. Someone Yelan treated with such caution naturally deserved her attention too.
"Whew~, with the Rite of Descension approaching, Liyue is getting lively again." Ningguang put away the scrolls, sighing with a smile.
This was good too; if one didn't use their mind for too long, it would rust... Mt. Tianheng. This was the tallest peak around Liyue Harbor. Legend had it that Mt. Tianheng nearly collapsed during the Archon War, and it was Skybracer who propped up the collapsing Mt. Tianheng with his antlers.
The truth of this legend was unverifiable, but the magnificent scenery of Mt. Tianheng was undeniably real. Ascending to the summit, one could enjoy a breathtaking view almost on par with the Jade Chamber.
"Why did you bring me here? To see the scenery?" Yu Jin stood beside Zhongli, looking at the bustling city below.
Baiwen the tour guide was offline, and Zhongli the tour guide was online.
So, being led around to see the scenery was a must-experience in Liyue, huh?
"What do you think, Brother Yu Jin?" Zhongli asked, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes showing more fatigue than relief.
Though Zhongli's appearance was that of a robust man, inwardly he was like an old man, every movement carrying immense weariness.
"It's beautiful, and very prosperous. At least more so than Mondstadt and Inazuma." Yu Jin thought for a moment, deciding it was better to be cautious.
"Hahaha, with Brother Yu Jin's words, my two millennia haven't been in vain after all."
Zhongli laughed heartily a few times upon hearing Yu Jin's words.
Yu Jin glanced at Zhongli. Those few laughs just now finally made him seem a bit like a young man.
"So, what does 'farewell to the ancient body' mean?" Yu Jin interrupted Zhongli's laughter and continued to ask.
Why did everyone like to be a riddle-speaker?
"It's just as it sounds." Zhongli looked up at the Jade Chamber in the Sky.
"You want to change bodies?" Yu Jin immediately became interested. Sculpting people, that he was good at.
"Come, come, tell me your requirements, we'll start sculpting right away. Male or female? Height and weight? I think your current appearance is quite good..."
Yu Jin rubbed his palms. He hadn't expected such a big task as sculpting a body for the Geo Archon right off the bat; he was even a little excited.
"Cough, cough, cough... Brother Yu Jin, you exaggerate. It's not that superficial." Zhongli waved his hand, declining.
"Then what do you mean? You don't want to be the Geo Archon anymore?" Yu Jin put down his eager hands and said casually.
"It seems I can't hide it from Brother Yu Jin." Zhongli nodded. As expected of a God even older than him, he had seen through his thoughts in an instant.
Actually, Zhongli's understanding of Yu Jin's identity had a 'slight' deviation, but this didn't affect anything.
"Really?"
Even through his armor, Zhongli could feel Yu Jin's shock. So Zhongli suddenly wanted to retract what he had just said.
Yu Jin seemed to have truly just guessed blindly.
"Absolutely true. The Geo Archon, Morax, has walked Liyue for over two millennia."
"The people under his protection have grown strong enough to face the storms, so it's time for him to step down."
"Liyue should be a stage for humans."
Zhongli's tone was complex: relief? relaxation? wistfulness? Perhaps all of them.
"You need to think carefully. You are Liyue's visible God. If you die, won't other nations stir up trouble?"
Yu Jin recalled the rise and fall of human kingdoms, speaking as if to warn him.
"Haha, don't worry about that. The relationship between The Seven Nations is not like that of ordinary kingdoms."
"The territories of The Seven Nations were demarcated in ancient times; no one would be foolish enough to break that balance."
"Moreover, my colleagues also know that Morax is not so easily killed."
"Tsk, it seems you've prepared everything perfectly." Yu Jin looked at Zhongli's confident demeanor, remarking with a sigh. The latter, naturally, nodded.
Compared to a certain bard, Zhongli was indeed quite responsible.
"Then why did you ask me to come here?" Yu Jin changed the subject, shrugging his hands.
He had everything ready, so why call him? To be part of the 'atmosphere team'?
"Hahaha, of course, I have something to ask of Brother Yu Jin. Please come to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for a discussion." Zhongli said, then turned and walked down the mountain.
Yu Jin heard this and immediately felt exasperated, because they had just climbed up from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!
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