After Yelan left, Furina spoke up with a sigh.
"The Geo Archon actually… really died…"
This wasn't something she could say in front of unfamiliar citizens of the Geo Archon, which was why she waited until Yelan had left.
The God of War who once shook Teyvat, the God of Gold—to think his death would be so quiet and uneventful.
The other two followers of the Geo Archon, Shenhe and Hu Tao, showed no reaction to these words.
Neither of them could be measured by ordinary logic.
"It was indeed rather abrupt. If it were me, I'd at least make some noise," Venti analyzed.
"Being so direct would only make people suspicious. I can already see the Qixing harboring doubts."
After saying this, Venti muttered to himself,
"Ah, this old man really has no talent for acting."
"Acting?" Furina caught the keyword.
"Uh… I mean… Ehe." Venti tried to brush it off.
Then, a hand landed on Venti's shoulder, and Zhongli's steady voice sounded.
"My poet friend, we meet again."
Venti broke out in a cold sweat.
"Consultant Zhongli, you've arrived just in time. The upcoming Rite of Parting shall be left to you," Hu Tao said.
"Understood, Director." Zhongli nodded.
Truth be told, even Zhongli couldn't figure out what Hu Tao was thinking.
Even if she didn't yet know he was Rex Lapis, she should at least suspect he was an Adeptus.
Yet, Hu Tao treated him the same as always, with no change in attitude.
Admittedly, this was exactly what Zhongli wanted.
"Young Lucian, were you satisfied with the Rite of Descension?" Zhongli then asked.
Lucian also broke out in a cold sweat.
Zhongli chuckled. He had no intention of giving his old friend a hard time, but since he was in a rare moment of relaxation, he couldn't resist teasing him.
"Things are chaotic right now, so the Rite of Parting will likely have to wait. How about we go for a drink instead?" Venti pulled out another bottle of wine.
Zhongli swiftly snatched it away. "I happen to have an old friend to meet over there. Tea would be more appropriate."
"Eh?! My wine!" Venti chased after Zhongli.
Just as Lucian was about to follow, someone stopped him. It was Ningguang and Keqing, with the Millelith controlling the crowd behind them.
"Mr. Lucian, might we have a word in the Jade Chamber?" Ningguang asked.
"Of course. The others are also esteemed guests—please join us as well."
Lucian was amused. So now people were competing to treat him? Should he go for Adeptus tea or Qixing tea?
In the end, Lucian chose the Qixing tea. After all, the Adepti were already his acquaintances.
Plus, he wanted to see the real Jade Chamber.
As they followed Ningguang up to the Jade Chamber, Lucian couldn't help but admire its grandeur. The real Jade Chamber was even larger than in the game.
Looking around, the luxurious and majestic architecture exuded beauty, with surrounding plants adding a touch of nature to the place.
Hu Tao ran to the edge of the Jade Chamber, peeking down cautiously.
"So high up… How terrifying." She patted her chest as if genuinely frightened.
"Never thought this director would be invited to the Jade Chamber." She grinned.
Meanwhile, Navia was also looking around, marveling at the opulence.
Though the Spina di Rosula was no longer short on funds, building something like this would still be a pipe dream.
Furina remained the most composed, walking gracefully half a step behind Lucian without gawking.
After all, Ningguang had invited Lucian—as the Hydro Archon, she shouldn't steal the spotlight.
If not for maintaining her divine image, Furina would've loved to run around and explore too.
Watching the carefree Director Hu Tao and the awestruck Navia, Lucian sighed inwardly.
They're acting like Raiden Shogun visiting the city for the first time. Aren't you two young ladies as well?
This just showed the difference between a young noblewoman and a true magnate.
A magnate like Ningguang could rebuild an even grander Jade Chamber.
Is there a way to make Ningguang my third boss?
"Lucian, do you know how to build something like this?" Furina whispered in his ear.
Lucian thought, Well, actually, I do.
But the materials required were all in Liyue, so pulling it off would be difficult.
Glancing at Shenhe, he said, "You'll find out in Shenhe's story later."
"My story?" Shenhe looked at him.
"Yes. A tale called 'Divine Damsel of Devastation.'"
Shenhe wondered—what kind of story would hers be? Or rather, would she even have a story?
"Mr. Lucian, you must already know why I sought you out," Ningguang said once they were seated inside.
From Yelan, she had learned of Lucian's "capabilities."
Not only could he foresee the future, but he was also a master strategist—she had been fooled by his outward appearance.
In Ningguang's eyes, Lucian might have already seen through her entire thought process.
This room only held Lucian and Ningguang; the others were with Keqing in a separate chamber.
Hearing Ningguang's question, Lucian thought, Should I know?
What else would Ningguang want from me? Probably about Rex Lapis, right? She must want to confirm his identity.
With that in mind, he nodded.
Seeing this, Ningguang smiled as if her suspicions were confirmed.
"Then I'll be direct, Mr. Lucian."
Without waiting for his response, she stood and walked to a board covered in notes, photos, and connecting lines.
"Based on the intelligence I've gathered, I've found no critical clues about the killer's identity."
"But today's Rite of Descension confirmed a new possibility for me."
Ningguang wrote "No Killer" on the board.
Lucian nodded in approval. Impressive—she saw through the scheme at a glance.
"What if, from the very beginning, there was no killer? What if Rex Lapis never died, and this was all part of his plan?"
"Following this logic, we shouldn't be looking for the killer's identity—but the Geo Archon's."
She wrote "Rex Lapis' Identity" and drew lines connecting various figures.
Then, she crossed out most of them, leaving only three lines—one pointing to Zhongli, another left blank, and the last leading to Lucian.
"I've investigated all newly emerged figures in Liyue Harbor. The most suspicious are you and Mr. Zhongli."
"Mr. Zhongli's demeanor and profound knowledge don't match his supposed age."
"And your sudden appearance, along with your prophetic abilities, are anything but ordinary."
Her suspicion of Zhongli's identity was partly thanks to Lucian's book, which revealed that Zhongli didn't just know a lot—he was also acquainted with the Adepti.
Then, she drew a circle in the blank space and continued:
"Of course, there's also the possibility that Rex Lapis has retreated to the mountains, no longer wishing to involve himself in mortal affairs."
"If Mr. Zhongli is merely an Adeptus and not Rex Lapis himself…"
"Then what about you? Are you also just a seer among the Adepti?"
After speaking, Ningguang gazed at Lucian with a faint smile, like a child proudly presenting their findings to a parent.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice - Ningguang: About Lucian
"A formidable individual. In my view, negotiations and business wars are alike—both require understanding the opponent's hand. But before him, I have no cards to play."