I, the Geo Archon Morax with 2.1 Billion Mora, Have Joined a Chat Group [85]

“Hmph.” After delivering her pointed words, Keqing cast a sharp glance at the Traveler. “I know you’ve been helping Ningguang and working with the Adepti.”

“But neither the Adepti nor Ningguang have my acknowledgment.”

“The Adepti represent a shackle that binds Liyue’s people from striving for their future. Ningguang treats Liyue like a marketplace, discarding principles for profit.”

“And I detest both.”

“...”

Keqing’s cutting remarks left the Traveler in thoughtful silence. After a brief pause, she finally spoke.

“Then... what would you do?”

“Me?” Keqing tilted her head slightly, her gaze cool but intent.

“Fine, Traveler. Let me tell you—and you can pass this on to the Adepti you’ve met as well.”

“If it were up to me, I’d spend an entire month immersing myself among the gamblers and enforcers, unraveling their web of interests. I’d figure out how they lure ordinary people into becoming addicted to gambling, and why it’s so easy for someone to spiral into ruin.”

“Next, I’d investigate the source of their funding, track their clientele, and analyze who might step into their place once they’re eliminated.”

“When targeting operations like the Stone Gate Teahouse, I’d ensure each takedown is decisive, while simultaneously educating ordinary workers about the dangers of gambling. I’d rebuild trust by demonstrating that the Qixing will protect their legitimate interests.”

“I firmly believe that the so-called darkness in people’s hearts and the city’s underbelly are not insurmountable. A century ago, when Rex Lapis personally governed the mortal realm, such things didn’t exist.”

“What some claim as ‘impossible to resolve’ is merely an excuse for laziness—or worse, a pretext to profit from it.”

“If Rex Lapis could maintain order, then we ordinary citizens of Liyue can do the same.”

When she finished, the Traveler fell silent again, absorbing the weight of Keqing’s convictions.

Keqing gave a slight shake of her head at the Traveler’s quiet contemplation before continuing.

“If I were to address the Adepti directly, I would say this: If you wish to protect Liyue, then you have my gratitude.”

“If you do not, then so be it.”

“I will not barter anything of mine to secure your guardianship.”

“The history of Liyue’s people must be written by their own hands.”

“This is not something the Adepti can accomplish for us. The current chaos in Liyue Harbor is a trial we must face. Relying on the external force of the Adepti will only lead to future instability. The only true path forward is for us to discover how to govern ourselves and work with the people to overcome this challenge together. That is Liyue’s real rebirth.”

“The Adepti are our friends, our partners, our allies in shared ideals. But we are not helpless mortals cowering under their protection.”

“Rex Lapis built this nation on the foundation of contracts, and at the heart of those contracts lies fairness. Even so, within the framework of fairness, there are always loopholes Rex Lapis himself allowed.”

“But I am different. While I agree that Liyue needs contracts and fairness, the agreements I wish to establish are not contracts between some higher being and Liyue’s people.”

“I want a contract between the nation of Liyue and its citizens.”

“A contract of justice at its core—one that binds the state and the people together.”

Her words were measured, her tone calm, but the depth of her resolve was undeniable. They struck the Traveler deeply, filling the air with a sense of unshakable determination.

Keqing glanced at the Traveler, her lips curving into a faint smile at the silence that followed her speech. Rising from her seat, she walked to the counter to settle her bill. Then, carrying her sword case, she strode out of Wanmin Restaurant.

Moments later, a flash of purple lightning illuminated the darkened street outside. It streaked through the night, swift and soundless, like a silent thunderclap. Almost instantly, the ten enforcers from the Stone Gate Teahouse collapsed to the ground, their bodies convulsing uncontrollably.

Keqing stood a short distance away, her sword drawn, her expression cold.

A crowd had gathered nearby, hundreds of Liyue citizens drawn to the commotion. Those who recognized the Yuheng Star and the fallen enforcers gasped in astonishment.

“Arrest these thugs!” Keqing commanded, her voice clear and resolute, cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. “Bring them to the Millelith for interrogation. Let’s find out just how deep the connection runs between the Fatui Harbinger Childe and our Liyue merchant, Master Mao. Take them away!”

Her crisp voice carried all the way back into Wanmin Restaurant, where the Traveler and Paimon sat, their expressions tinged with awe.

Before long, the Millelith arrived, dragging the unconscious enforcers away. The noise outside gradually died down, and the streets of Liyue Harbor returned to their usual bustling rhythm.

Some in the crowd began whispering in hushed tones, others clapped their hands in delight, and a few smiled quietly, gazing at the Jade Chamber in the sky with an unspoken sense of satisfaction.

Inside Wanmin Restaurant, the Traveler and Paimon sat silently, their thoughts swirling as they reflected on all that had just transpired.

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T/N: 2 mao's

This is a fan translation of 我，21亿岩王帝君加入聊天群 by 大一统. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!