"Beisht?"
Hu Tao repeated the name.
"That's quite an interesting name. But isn't this a Liyue name? Aren't you from Fontaine? Oh, the person you want to help arrange a funeral for is from Liyue, right?"
"It's not wrong to say they're from Liyue, but strictly speaking, they're not human."
"Not human?"
Hu Tao was puzzled and turned to look at Zhongli.
"Mr. Zhongli, our knowledgeable consultant, do you know which adeptus Beisht is?"
"Strictly speaking, Beisht is not an adeptus but a demon," Zhongli replied calmly, glancing at Ye. "She is the wife of the Vortex God Osial and is still very much alive. After Osial was defeated by Rex Lapis, Beisht hid in the depths of the ocean, guarding Osial's seal and waiting for the day he might break free. Ye, what did you mean earlier about Beisht's funeral? She's still alive and well."
"It's always good to plan ahead," Ye said earnestly. "When Osial briefly broke free earlier, Beisht must have been overjoyed—only for the Jade Chamber to crush him back into the seal. She must despise Liyue and the Jade Chamber now. And after hearing about Rex Lapis's passing, she's clearly growing impatient for revenge. Ningguang is currently rebuilding the Jade Chamber, and once it rises into the sky again, Beisht will undoubtedly attack Liyue... and then she'll die. So, preparing her funeral in advance isn't a bad idea, right?"
"That makes sense. It makes perfect sense!"
Hu Tao looked at Ye as if she'd found a kindred spirit, nodding repeatedly.
"So many people just don't understand this logic, which is why my business is so hard! Funerals should always be planned ahead. What's wrong with preparing early and saving some Mora? Why can't people grasp this?"
Zhongli ignored Hu Tao's musings and stared directly at Ye, his tone still steady. "I believe that would be quite difficult. Liyue has now entered an era where the adepti have withdrawn. Having lost both its god and its adepti, Liyue may be able to repel Beisht, but killing her would be extremely challenging."
Ye met Zhongli's gaze and slightly lowered his eyes. "Lady Furina came to Liyue to enjoy the Lantern Rite and admire Ningguang's Jade Chamber. To ensure nothing disrupts Lady Furina's enjoyment, I will also take action when the time comes."
"As a guest from Fontaine, it would be best not to interfere in Liyue's affairs so casually. Otherwise, it might lead to diplomatic complications."
At this point, Hu Tao fell silent.
Even she could sense the tension in the air.
Hu Tao glanced back and forth between Zhongli and Ye, narrowing her eyes with an intrigued smile.
She had always harbored suspicions about Zhongli's identity—she thought he might be an adeptus.
And now, the two at the table were clearly no ordinary individuals.
If Zhongli really was an adeptus, then Ye must be an existence on par with the adepti.
And Furina, who stood above even the adepti—what kind of being was she?
Of course, all this speculation hinged on Zhongli actually being an adeptus.
And now might be the perfect moment to find out.
Just as Hu Tao was thinking this, Ye responded calmly to Zhongli's words: "Is that so? Mr. Zhongli makes a fair point—we should indeed be mindful of that. But speaking of which, since Mr. Zhongli is so knowledgeable, might you know about the Fatui's movements? I recently heard that the Abyss Order is trying to transform the Vortex God Osial into a weapon. Are you aware of this, Mr. Zhongli?"
"Oh? Such a thing?"
Zhongli's tone remained indifferent as he expressed surprise.
"Transforming a god is no simple matter. How does the Abyss Order plan to accomplish this?"
Ye didn't press the issue further, instead sighing slightly. "The Abyss Order stole one of the Anemo Archon's statues, yet the Anemo Archon seems completely unaware."
"Well, it's common knowledge that the Anemo Archon is not in Mondstadt."
Ye said nothing more and sipped his tea.
Good. Mission accomplished—perfectly diverting Lady Furina's attention.
Ye thought Furina ought to thank him properly.
Zhongli, however, felt that now might be the best opportunity to probe Ye further.
"Furina."
So, Zhongli spoke.
Looking directly at Furina, he said plainly:
"You are not Focalor—"
—Furina's eyes widened instantly, her pupils trembling with unconcealable fear.
It's over.
In that moment, her mind went blank, leaving only this single thought.
Everything is over.
Yet, unexpectedly—
Furina's blank mind did not get to hear Zhongli's next words.
Because—
"Mr. Zhongli."
Ye softly interrupted him, his voice just as calm.
"Please don't address Lady Furina so familiarly by name. Otherwise, I might get jealous."
In those light, almost careless words, there was a bone-chilling killing intent—one only Zhongli could sense.