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One Piece Breaking the Gene Lock
Genshin Impact: I am King Arthur
Naruto: Reviving the Fourth Hokage from the Start
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"You're not afraid the Cryo Queen will tear things open with you?"
After the Tsaritsa departed, Zhongli asked with curiosity.
Rowan Galehart had pressed so hard—wasn't he afraid Snezhnaya would rip the mask off?
If it came to that, two nations at war, lives in ruin—bad for both sides.
Teyvat had been recovering for so many years. Since the Abyss incursion five hundred years ago, aside from Natlan, the other nations had been regaining their strength.
If a great war broke out over this, the ones who'd benefit would not be them—
But the Abyss, already itching to move.
Whether the Abyss Order or other Abyssal forces,
They weren't something ordinary people could withstand.
It often took the might of an entire nation just to barely hold the line.
Natlan had been dragged into constant war by the Abyss, never syncing up with the other six nations, forced into passive isolation.
You can imagine how terrifying the Abyss is.
"Tear things open?"
"She's not worthy."
Rowan snorted, disdainful.
He took a sip of tea, then said,
"You think the Yakusoku Sareta Shōri no Ken (Sword of Promised Victory) in my hand is for show? If she refuses, I don't mind cutting again."
"At that point, I won't be merciful."
"If I don't turn Snezhnaya to ash, I'll take the Tsaritsa's surname."
Such domineering words made Zhongli frown despite himself.
He felt the baleful edge on Rowan was too heavy.
His prejudice against Snezhnaya seemed far too deep. Could a man like this truly lead Mondstadt to glory?
"You think I'm being too cruel to Snezhnaya, don't you?"
"That I'm ready to wipe them out at the slightest disagreement?"
"..."
Zhongli said nothing—but he didn't refute it.
Clearly, he accepted Rowan's read.
Rowan gave a helpless shake of his head.
"You gods—always looking at Teyvat from a god's vantage."
"From where you stand, as one of the Seven, the Tsaritsa is your colleague. You feel you owe her some face."
"So you think I've gone too far—because I didn't give Snezhnaya or the Tsaritsa any face."
Zhongli nodded. That was exactly what he'd been thinking.
He hadn't expected Rowan to see through him so easily.
But why still act this way? Didn't he understand the value of harmony?
Was there a need to go to such extremes?
In truth, Liyue had not suffered Fatui predation as Mondstadt had. No one had been dragged off to serve as material for human experiments.
That, too, was the Geo Lord's capability.
Anyone who harmed a Liyuean in Liyue's borders courted death.
Hence why, of the Seven Nations, the Doctor had labs almost everywhere—except Liyue.
Only an "Iron Puppet" foundry.
Because the Doctor did not believe he could build a lab under Zhongli's gaze.
If discovered, a single Ten-thousand-Rocks-Fall would be the lightest punishment.
If the Liyue Qixing seized on it, the Fatui could only swallow the loss.
Such was the weight of the eldest among the Seven—Morax.
If Liyue had suffered as Mondstadt did, would Zhongli still think it "too far"?
"Zhongli—if you haven't lived through what Mondstadt has, don't forgive Snezhnaya on behalf of those who died to the Fatui."
"If you had witnessed the Doctor's cruel experiments, you'd know—there's nothing wrong with what I'm doing."
"Not just Mondstadt—Inazuma, Sumeru. Which nation doesn't have the Doctor's labs?"
"Do you know how many heaven-offending sins he's committed?"
"No. You don't."
"I'll put it plainly: they're guilty as charged."
"I don't care to lecture you further, so I'll leave you one reminder."
"'If you haven't tasted another's suffering, don't urge them to be kind.'"
At that, Zhongli's hand—mid-sip—stilled.
His eyes changed, turning inward as he mulled over the meaning.
Only Venti at the side truly understood what Mondstadt had endured.
When Durin appeared, he'd wanted to help.
But in his state back then, he couldn't awaken; awakening would have made him a burden.
And Dvalin, poisoned by Durin's blood and gnawed by the Abyss, had fallen into slumber.
Powerless, Venti could only watch from the shadows.
He knew the whole cause and course—and the Doctor truly was, as Rowan said, depraved.
As for the excuse "it was all the Doctor; it has nothing to do with Snezhnaya"—that might fool a child.
To them, it was laughable.
Where did the Fatui's Delusions come from?
From research into Vision bearers—by the Fatui.
How did they "research"?
Do we need to spell it out?
They abducted Vision holders from other nations, dissected and studied them.
Snezhnaya's rise owed much to the advent of Delusions.
If they enjoyed the fruits of the Doctor's research, how could they not share his guilt?
Like the children of a criminal crying online that they're innocent—
Yet they bask in the comforts bought by his crimes, and claim it has nothing to do with them.
Ridiculous.
Zhongli wasn't a fool; he understood quickly. He blinked, then looked at Rowan.
"You… know me?"
Rowan had not called him Morax earlier—but Zhongli.
"Of course I do. Why?"
Zhongli's mouth twitched. He pulled back his hood, revealing those signature gilded eyes.
"You could've said so earlier. I thought my disguise was solid."
"So I was exposed from the start."
Seeing this, Venti also dispelled his divine guise, returning to the familiar layabout bard.
"You seem to know too much about Teyvat."
"And your hatred of the Fatui—surely it isn't just Mondstadt's suffering you speak for?"
Zhongli had noticed how often Rowan mentioned Inazuma and Sumeru.
Clearly, he knew exactly what the Fatui had done elsewhere,
Or he wouldn't loathe them so.
Zhongli believed there is no love or hate without cause.
But for a newly arrived Descender to know so much about this world—
Did he perhaps possess prophecy?
"I know you all, naturally. Not just you two—I know who the other Archons are, too, and what state they're in."
"Want to hear it?"
(End of Chapter)
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