As the crowd dispersed, the elderly men remaining in the conference room began to discuss the true gravity of the situation.
"Is it really wise to keep the higher-ups in the dark?" one whispered, his voice trembling slightly. "We are but a border city. If the Akademiya decides to lay blame, we won't be able to withstand the pressure."
"Blame us for what?" another old man snapped, his eyes reddening with fury. "Are we wrong for wanting Gandharva Ville to be better? For wanting Sumeru to thrive? Those people at the top are blinded by their own interests. They sit on high, pretending to be noble, while committing every foul deed imaginable."
He slammed his fist on the table. "Take Collei, for example. Her mother only wanted her child to be saved, yet she was handed over to the Fatui for human experimentation! They injected the residue of a dead god into a little girl. It is the work of demons! Only those from the Abyss could be so shameless."
"I reported it," the old man continued, his voice cracking. "And what did I get? 'Insufficient evidence.' Hah! I suspect they destroyed the evidence themselves."
He had been one of the scholars involved in sealing Collei's power years ago, and her tragic past haunted him. The Akademiya was no longer the bastion of justice it once claimed to be.
"We must be cautious," a third man cautioned. "It's not just the Akademiya's blame we fear. Everyone knows about the Fatui assassins. Since Liyue, Inazuma, and Mondstadt exposed Snezhnaya's schemes, resistance movements have cropped up everywhere, but to little effect. I fear our proximity to Liyue will invite an assassination attempt."
"Tsk. This old man isn't afraid to die," the leader growled. "If my life can spark Sumeru's awakening, it's a price worth paying. My fear is that those fools will die never realizing their mistakes. They call themselves a nation of wisdom, yet they act as enemies of the God of Wisdom. Sumeru is rotting from within."
Silence fell over the room. Everyone knew he was right, but they also knew that restoring Sumeru would require a transformation so vast it would shake the nation to its very foundations. Unlike Inazuma, where the Raiden Shogun could change national policy with a single decree, the Lesser Lord Kusanali held little such prestige here. The people were intoxicated by a "wisdom" that was, in truth, a cup of delicious poison.
Ningguang's Strategic Gambit
Back at Yujing Terrace, the report from the Snail-phone arrived quickly.
"Lady Ganyu, good news! Gandharva Ville has accepted our proposal. They've invited us to begin land modification and railway construction. They've even invited Lady Ningguang to visit personally for further negotiations."
Ganyu smiled, relieved. "That is excellent news. I'll relay it to her immediately."
In her office, Ningguang listened to the report and nodded with a satisfied smirk. "It seems the first phase is complete. Now, we begin the slow dissemination of information. Since we cannot use heavy-handed diplomacy, we shall use other means."
"Sumeru likes to hoard and manage knowledge, don't they?" Ningguang's eyes gleamed with ambition. "Fine. We shall do the opposite. Tell Sucrose to release our latest findings through the Throne of Arcana. Publicize everything: the research on botany, the physical benefits of Spirit Grain, and the properties of the Lunar Maple Tree. Invite their scholars to study it with us."
"What?" Ganyu gasped. "Ningguang, that's our foundation! Is it wise to just give it away?"
"Ganyu, you must understand: to catch the wolf, you must be willing to sacrifice the bait. If we don't show them true power and knowledge, how will we lure the people of Sumeru? They use knowledge to control; I shall use knowledge to attract."
Ningguang leaned back, her smile widening. "Once this next mission is over, Keqing, Beidou, and I will depart for Gandharva Ville. I intend to establish a Liyue Bank right in the heart of Sumeru."
She already had Diluc's winery, ninja units, and assassins slowly infiltrating the nation. With enough information, the collapse of the Akademiya's monopoly was inevitable. She would offer exclusive goods only to those who opened accounts. Want to study god remains? We have some in the ocean. Want to study the World Tree? It's right there in Liyue.
The temptation for scholars would be irresistible.
The Five-Star Mission Refreshes
Time flowed quickly, and as 11:00 AM approached, the group gathered at the Jade Chamber.
"After this, Keqing and Beidou, get ready," Ningguang instructed. "We're heading to Sumeru. We'll keep it quiet—go in, negotiate, and see the situation for ourselves."
"Understood!" Beidou grinned. Opening up Sumeru was a prospect they all relished.
Suddenly, the Dimensional Mission Group interface shimmered with a golden light.
[Ding! Mission cooldown has ended. A Five-Star Mission has been posted!]
Mission: Assist the Ghost King in crushing the Qingyun Sect and rescue the demonized disciple, Zhang Fan.Difficulty: Five StarsCountdown: One HourDescription: The Demonic Sect is attacking Qingyun. Due to the truth being revealed, Zhang Fan has fallen into a demonic state. Assist the Ghost King Sect in defeating the hypocritical Qingyun Sect.Warning: Zhang Fan MUST survive, or the mission is a failure. You will face the combined forces of the "Righteous" sects. Qingyun possesses an ancient Immortal Sword; triggering its full power will spike the difficulty.Team: This is a Team Mission. Limit: 5 members. Points will be distributed equally.
The group was silent for a moment. Five stars.
Mona: "Hiss... an ancient Immortal Sword? This mission is big!"
Ningguang: "It seems we must ask the Raiden Shogun to take the lead. This difficulty is beyond what Beidou and the others can handle alone."
Raiden Shogun: "I shall participate. They have an ancient sword? I have one of my own. A group of mere mortals is of no concern to me."
Xiangling: "Count me out this time! Too high for a chef!"
Beidou: "I just finished the last one, so I'll step back and let others join. But if you need a filler, I'm here."
Yae Miko: "@Su Han... our 'Lord,' come out and explain. What should we look out for? This clash between 'Righteous' and 'Demonic' sects sounds like it'll be fun. Will there be plenty of loot?"
Su Han: "I've thought about the lineup. Aside from the Raiden Shogun, Miko and Hanachirusato must go. We'll also add Bosacius for heavy lifting. For the final slot... Ganyu. This is a rescue mission; her long-range precision is perfect."
Su Han's eyes narrowed as he typed. "The lineup is a bit luxurious, but we're going to make a killing on this one. We're going to wipe out those 'Righteous' hypocrites in one go!"
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