The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact [285]

Zhongli led the group deeper into Salt’s Hollow, walking at the front with calm assurance. Meanwhile, Jia Changjiang, Lumine, and Paimon hung back, conversing quietly about the recent events.

Thanks to Jia Changjiang’s newly devised team communication system, their conversation was inaudible even to Zhongli.

“Jax,” Lumine asked in a hushed tone, glancing at him, “why did you agree to take part in the relic distribution? Are you really that interested in the Salt Archon’s legacy?”

“Not at all,” he replied with a smirk. “But let’s be real—no one here is actually interested in archaeology today.”

He gestured subtly toward Kliment and Wanyan, who were walking ahead. “That Fatui guy is clearly here to dig up relics and sell them for Mora.”

“That’s not uncommon,” Jia Changjiang continued. “Even adventurers sell what they find in ruins. But Wanyan is a different case entirely.”

“Yeah… I noticed that too,” Lumine said with a knowing nod. “She never once referred to the Geo Archon respectfully. It’s always Morax this and Morax that. And she keeps fixating on the Salt Archon.”

Paimon tilted her head, looking confused. “Wait… is it just me, or did I miss all that?”

Yep, just you, Lumine thought, suppressing a laugh.

Jia Changjiang held up his fingers, ticking off points one by one. “She doesn’t seem particularly knowledgeable about artifacts, yet she knows the mechanisms in Salt’s Hollow inside out. And she’s mentioned multiple times—always with frustration—that Morax killed the Salt Archon.”

“So, she’s not here for archaeology,” he concluded.

Paimon gaped. “Then why is she here? What’s her goal?”

“Could it be…” Paimon trailed off nervously. “What if the Salt Archon really was assassinated by Zhongli?”

“Assassinated?” Jia Changjiang chuckled. “Do you honestly think Zhongli would need to resort to assassination?”

He smirked. “Remember what Venti said?”

“Zhongli earned the title War God with his own hands. He built all of Liyue himself. Even the title of Geo Archon was forged by his own strength.”

“To deal with another Archon, would Zhongli ever need to rely on underhanded tactics?” Jia Changjiang shook his head. “Whether or not Zhongli killed the Salt Archon doesn’t matter right now. The important thing is that he’s leading us to the truth.”

“You know how seriously Zhongli takes contracts,” Jia Changjiang added. “No matter what the truth is, he’ll honor his word and reveal it.”

“That’s how it works in Liyue. Just as Mondstadt’s god embodies freedom, Liyue’s god embodies the weight of contracts—unyielding and absolute.”

Jia Changjiang’s tone grew serious. “Whether the truth is kind or cruel, it will be spoken without compromise. That’s what it means to honor a contract.”

“You sound just like Zhongli right now,” Lumine muttered, rolling her eyes. “You’re starting to look like a stubborn old man too.”

“Stubborn? No, this is called following the rules,” Jia Changjiang said, scratching his chin.

“Oh, is that why you stay up all night drinking with Venti?” Lumine teased. “Is that you embracing the ‘freedom’ to drink?”

“Of course!” Jia Changjiang replied without hesitation. “Drinking freely all night is freedom too!”

Their conversation shifted into playful bickering as they followed Zhongli to the ruins of the Salt Archon.

As they entered the ruin, the group came upon two eerily lifelike statues of people made entirely of salt standing at the entrance.

“Statues?” Kliment muttered, reaching out to touch one.

Before his fingers could make contact, Zhongli’s voice cut through the air. “No. They are people.”

“Wha—?!” Kliment yelped, jerking his hand back as if burned. “They’re people?!”

Wanyan’s expression grew uneasy as she took in the scene. “If these statues are truly people… then all these other sculptures we’ve passed… Are they all…”

“Salt,” Jia Changjiang confirmed, running his fingers across one of the sculptures and rubbing the grains between his fingertips.

“Let’s proceed,” Zhongli said, his tone steady, as though he had anticipated this sight. Without a trace of surprise, he moved deeper into the ruins.

The others, though shaken, hurried after him.

As they continued, they encountered more and more salt statues, each frozen in unique poses. Some appeared to be kneeling in supplication, others were fleeing in desperation, and still others seemed to be praying.

Thanks to Zhongli’s guidance, the group managed to avoid traps and activate mechanisms with ease. Eventually, they reached what appeared to be a place of worship.

On a central altar sat a peculiar object—a small salt lamp filled halfway with grains of salt.

“A half-filled salt container?” Kliment scoffed, waving dismissively. “The Salt Archon must have been a pretty poor god.”

“This salt lamp is far from ordinary,” Zhongli corrected him. “Though it is only half-filled, it never runs out. In truth, it is… infinite.”

“Infinite salt?!” Kliment’s eyes lit up. “If it never runs out, I could sell it by the thousands—no, tens of thousands of bags! I’d make a fortune!”

Wanyan, on the other hand, was furious. “How dare you use the Salt Archon’s relics for something so superficial?!”

Zhongli remained calm. “As per the contract, the first item belongs to Kliment. Wanyan, the next artifact will be yours.”

As they ventured deeper, Lumine’s curiosity got the better of her. Using the team communication channel, she asked Jia Changjiang, “Do you think these statues were created by the Salt Archon? Like, were these people turned into salt by her?”

She hesitated, adding, “Could the Salt Archon have been a bad person? These statues look like they were all running away…”

Jia Changjiang responded just as quietly. “We’ll find out soon enough. But for now…”

He glanced at the statues.

“The Salt Archon is dead. Let the truth speak for itself.”

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This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 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!