Chapter 234: Venti Laments Mondstadt's Plight
As Hu Tao's silhouette vanished through the doorway, Venti finally turned his head. He looked toward Zhongli, who had been sitting in quiet contemplation, observing the entire exchange with an unnervingly calm expression.
The mischievous grin on Venti's face softened, melting away into a carefully constructed mask of weary concern.
"Ah, Zhongli, you know…" Venti began, letting out a soft, theatrical sigh as he launched into his tale of woe.
"Our Knights of Favonius's Grand Master, Varka, took nearly eighty percent of our main forces on a grand expedition, and there's still no word of their return. Mondstadt may be called the City of Freedom, but our defenses… well, they're stretched dangerously thin."
He continued, his voice laced with practiced hardship. "City defense, daily patrols, fending off monsters, and the constant harassment from the Abyss Order—it's all enough to drive poor Jean and Kaeya to their wits' end. Things have been… rather difficult in Mondstadt lately."
As he spoke, he subtly watched Zhongli's face, hoping his words might stir a flicker of sympathy in his old friend.
However, Zhongli merely raised a hand, the motion both elegant and firm, a clear gesture to stop. His golden eyes remained as placid as cor lapis, giving away nothing. It was clear he had seen through Venti's performance from the very beginning.
"Enough, Venti," Zhongli's voice was steady and deep, carrying a quiet authority that was impossible to ignore. "Between you and me, there is no need for such theatrics. State your purpose."
Caught red-handed, Venti showed not a hint of embarrassment. Instead, a familiar, playful "ehe" escaped his lips as he instantly reverted to his usual carefree demeanor. "Alright, alright, I still can't pull one over on you. To be honest, I was just thinking… since Mondstadt and Liyue have always been such good neighbors here on the continent of Teyvat, shouldn't we…"
He leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with his true intent. "Strengthen our cooperation? For instance, if you in Liyue have any excellent development projects in the future, or perhaps a crisis that requires a joint response, please don't forget about us in Mondstadt! Let's make mora together and face our troubles together!"
His words were refreshingly direct. Hearing them, a glimmer of understanding lit Zhongli's gaze.
In truth, when he had first conceived of using the World Rune: Guardian and the ley line network to build a communication system spanning all of Teyvat, he had never imagined it was a project Liyue could undertake alone. It was destined to be a colossal undertaking, one that would require the cooperation of all Seven Nations. After all, the ley lines crisscrossed the entire continent. The construction and maintenance of signal relays, and even the establishment of the rules governing their use, would be impossible without the support and recognition of the other nations.
Even if Venti hadn't appeared tonight, Zhongli had already planned to approach the other nations—especially his old friend who governed the nation just next door—once the plan was more concrete.
Venti's timely arrival had simply saved him the trouble.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhongli spoke. "Speaking of cooperation and development… I am, in fact, conducting a study at present. One that might… require Mondstadt's assistance."
"Oh? What kind of study?" Venti's interest was immediately piqued. He leaned forward, his posture radiating eagerness. "If we can help, just say the word!" He sounded almost giddy; anything that would require Zhongli himself to ask for "assistance" was bound to be extraordinary.
Zhongli didn't answer directly. Instead, he began by recounting his acquisition of the World Rune: Guardian. "Sometime ago, within the Chat Group's gacha pool, I was fortunate enough to obtain a purple-quality 'World Rune'…"
"Wow! Purple quality!" Venti exclaimed right on cue, his tone dripping with the perfect amount of theatrical envy.
"Zhongli, your luck is just too good! Quick, tell me, what does this treasure do? And how does it connect to what we were just talking about?" he urged, his curiosity now fully ignited.
Zhongli, long accustomed to Venti's boisterous interruptions, simply continued. He briefly described the power of the World Rune before cutting to the heart of the matter. "…During my previous travels in Amphoreus, I was deeply impressed by the convenience and efficiency of their 'communication slates.' It was then that the idea of introducing similar technology to Teyvat first occurred to me."
"Now, by relying on this World Rune's ability to stabilize and nourish the ley lines, and by using the ley lines' inherent continent-spanning nature as a channel for information, I have formed an initial concept. It may be possible to build a grand communication system, first in Liyue, and then across all of Teyvat."
He paused, watching as Venti's eyes gradually widened in astonishment. Then, he slowly revealed the greatest obstacle. "While the idea has taken shape, and I have a rudimentary grasp of the technical principles from studying the Amphorean communication slates and consulting with local scholars, the specific implementation…"
"The greatest challenge at present is a lack of relevant talent. Whether it's for energy guidance, the in-depth application of ley line properties, or large-scale engineering and construction—all of it requires specialized personnel."
The pieces clicked into place for Venti. The smile on his face grew even brighter. "I get it! You mean… you're short on manpower. Specifically, you're short on people skilled in these fields, right?"
Zhongli gave a slight nod, confirming his guess. "Precisely. This matter concerns the future of information exchange across Teyvat. Its significance is immense."
"If it can be built, it will have a deep effect on the internal governance of every nation, as well as on international collaboration and crisis response. If Mondstadt is willing to participate, you will naturally share in its convenience and secure a place in the creation of its future rules."
Though Venti usually appeared carefree and unrestrained, as the former Anemo Archon who had once governed Mondstadt, his foresight and wisdom had never truly dulled. While observing the Chat Group's discussions about Amphoreus, he had paid particular attention to the technology they called "communication slates."
The ability to achieve real-time communication with almost no regard for distance—on a continent like Teyvat, where grassroots communication still relied on messengers, carrier pigeons, and rudimentary elemental magic, and where information between nations traveled with painful inefficiency—its potential influence and value were self-evident.
Now, hearing Zhongli personally confirm his intent and seek cooperation, a sharp glint flashed in Venti's emerald eyes. He quickly patted his chest, his tone even more enthusiastic than before. "Oh, my dear friend! I thought it was some impossible problem! Is it just talent you need? We have that! Mondstadt has plenty!"
He began counting on his fingers, listing his nation's treasures. "Look, we have the Knights of Favonius's librarian, Miss Lisa! A genius witch who graduated from the Sumeru Akademiya, the likes of which they only see once every two hundred years! Her understanding of the elements, runic studies, and various energy theories is absolutely top-notch!"
"And then there's Albedo, the 'Kreideprinz,' a disciple of the renowned alchemist Rhinedottir! His achievements in the creation of life, material composition, and energy conversion—you'd be hard-pressed to find many across Teyvat who could rival him! With those two participating, plus the skilled artisans in the Knights' logistics department who handle all our engineering, what do you think? Is that an impressive enough lineup for you?"
Zhongli nodded slowly. He clearly approved of the candidates Venti proposed. Lisa's erudition and Albedo's creativity were indeed perfect complements for this massive project.
He then took the lead, beginning to outline the initial steps. "Cloud Retainer, who is exceptionally skilled in the art of mechanics, along with Mondstadt's Miss Lisa and Mister Albedo, and other relevant technical personnel, will form a joint research team. Their task will be to advance the research and initial construction of the communication system."
The specific frameworks for cooperation, resource allocation, and other such details would naturally require careful discussion between the officials of their two nations later. But with the intent of their leaders aligned and the key personnel identified, the first foundation for this epoch-making project had been laid.
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