Chapter 269: A Promise with the Ice Queen, and the Matter of Borrowing Money!

So then, the situation is just like this.

For now I just brushed her off; honestly, I'm a bit hesitant about how to decide.

Sitting opposite Luo De were Nadixa, Zhongli, and Xiao.

As for Venti,

This guy drank too much.

Just as Nadixa said.

The immortal brew stored by the immortals, even a divine physique can't withstand it.

That jug is roughly equivalent to alcoholic immortal brew.

Luo De drank over ten cups and then slept for three days.

Venti drank the entire remaining jug, and even with the hangover soup that Zhongli needs two hours to prepare, he still hasn't woken up to this day.

Excluding that unreliable guy and Xiao, who is not good at handling such matters.

Luo De could only tell this difficult-to-decide matter to Nadixa and Zhongli.

In short.

The so-called pleading for Duotuolei that the Ice Queen told him.

Actually, she was still trying to recruit Luo De.

It seems she still hasn't given up on this.

For Luo De,

This dilemma has thus been thrown back onto him.

If he doesn't agree to the Ice Queen's request.

Then, even for the sake of face, she will definitely protect Duotuolei and Sumeru, putting them in opposition, and will not give any face to the Dendro Archon and Geo Archon behind Luo De.

This situation is actually quite bad.

The reason still lies in the disparity of national strength.

Snezhnaya has really recruited too many talents over these years.

Relying on the help of these people.

Under the circumstances where they similarly experienced the disaster of darkness.

Snezhnaya not only recovered its pre-war vigor, but even pushed its technology to a level unmatched in Teyvat.

Anyway, given the current situation.

In terms of top-tier combat power, Snezhnaya, counting the Ice Queen, has five god-level powerhouses.

Looking across all of Teyvat.

Apart from Liyue with its numerous immortals, no other nation can match them.

In terms of mid-level experts,

From the fourth seat to the last seat, the Executive Officers, thanks to the Ice Queen's bestowal, also possess strength not inferior to that of ordinary divine retinue.

As for the lower-tier forces, needless to say.

The Doctor's potions and evil eye, the servant's intelligence support, the rooster's logistical supply, the scatter soldier's covert slaughter, the puppet's equipment provision, the lady's iron-fisted diplomacy, and the rich's financial guarantee.

These stem from the contributions of the Executive Officers.

Enough to arm Snezhnaya's military to the teeth.

Luo De deeply felt this during the Chasm.

The remnants of the Ninth Company.

Their conviction is extremely strong.

This has nothing to do with loyalty to the Snezhnaya Queen; it's simply because they believe what they do is just and without error, and even if they might be abandoned by their superiors, they naturally consider this matter unrelated to their superiors; if they haven't completed their mission, considering the bigger picture, even being abandoned would be reasonable.

Such a fearless, death-defying conviction that can abandon one's life at any moment is extremely terrifying.

Even in Luo De's eyes, Snezhnaya's military, compared to the equally famed-for-conviction Knights of Favonius and the Thousand Rock Army, surpasses those two nations' regular armies in personal conviction.

That can be said.

Snezhnaya's current strength covers all aspects from top to bottom.

The mighty Liyue can confront them head-on.

But Sumeru cannot.

Previously, Snezhnaya had not expressed a stance, and Duotuolei accepted Luo De's invitation in a private capacity.

In such a case, even if he died accidentally, at most it would be a diplomatic reprimand.

Even if only Sumeru as a nation, they could properly handle the incident of an Executive Officer dying accidentally in Sumeru.

But now the situation is different.

If the Ice Queen's protection of Duotuolei is spoken, and if Luo De still insists on killing Duotuolei, then he will face Snezhnaya's full retaliation.

So don't look at Luo De's previous tough attitude when talking to the Ice Queen.

But he still doesn't want to have such a fierce conflict with Snezhnaya in his heart.

Even with the backing of the three deities Zhongli, Nadixa, and the Great Merciful Tree King, directly confronting Snezhnaya would still bring many troubles and inconveniences.

Then Luo De merely thought about negotiating a condition with the Ice Queen under such a firm stance.

That is, a condition that could both avenge Ke Lai and avoid conflict with Snezhnaya.

As it turned out, unexpectedly.

But the Ice Queen, with an even tougher attitude, threw this thorny problem back at him.

Regarding this.

After listening, Nadixa immediately gave Luo De an answer: 'This is simple; just become one of their Executive Officers, right?'

Ah?

Luo De tilted his head, looking at Nadixa, his expression quite puzzled.

"What Buye'er said is absolutely correct."

"This is indeed the current optimal solution."

"What surprised Luo De even more was that Zhongli actually agreed with Nadixa's statement."

This made him, who always harbored great hostility toward Snezhnaya, quite torn.

Luo De's hatred toward Snezhnaya is all-encompassing.

Not only do they have those executives committing various inhumane acts for personal gain, but also their various domineering actions relying on national strength.

When Rosaly initially conveyed the will of the Ice Empress and invited Luo De to become an executive,

Luo De simply refused without hesitation.

Zhongli and Nadixa both knew this.

Then why would they now have Luo De agree to exchange an executive seat with the Ice Empress for Dottore's life? "There's nothing hard to understand about that."

"Even if you become an executive, would you go to other countries to cause trouble like those other executives?"

Nadixa swung her legs, asking Luo De in a relaxed manner.

Impossible.

Luo De shook his head.

Look.

Isn't it settled then?

Nadixa's mouth curled into a crescent shape: "You know you won't truly serve Snezhnaya, we also know you won't truly serve Snezhnaya, so do you think she wouldn't know?"

The 'she' Nadixa spoke of is the Ice Empress.

Luo De fell silent.

It must be said.

That makes a lot of sense.

Given the Ice Empress's ability to command eleven executives, she couldn't possibly recruit Luo De without knowing this.

Then why is she doing this?

Luo De furrowed his brows, muttering to himself.

Since knowing he could never serve Snezhnaya, he still proposed such a condition.

Could it be that the Ice Empress also wants to kill the disobedient Dottore?

Is this condition merely proposed because they're unwilling to waste a talent? 'No, it shouldn't be.'

Luo De narrowed his eyes.

Dottore's importance to Snezhnaya goes without saying.

This madman obsessed with turning human bodies into machines, his research project is very important for boosting Snezhnaya's military strength.

Whether it's the evil eye he developed, or the potions made from archon remnants that can turn soldiers into bio-warriors, not to mention his ability to transform a person into a monster in a short time.

Although among Snezhnaya's executives he is the most anti-human.

But just as the Ice Empress said.

Dottore still has usable value to be squeezed out.

If he were to die pointlessly.

For Snezhnaya, the loss would be too great.

"Your importance is enough to match that executive." This is what Zhongli said at the right time.

Then he continued: "Precisely because you are important enough, she will not impose overly harsh demands on you; as long as you can be drawn to her side to help her, that is enough."

"This way."

After Nadixa and Zhongli's alternating analyses, the hesitant Luo De also quickly made a decision.

"Then I'll go agree to her?"

Luo De asked tentatively.

"Go."

Nadixa and Zhongli unanimously affirmed his words.

Based on their words.

Luo De no longer hesitated, got up and went to the Ice Empress's chamber, gave her an affirmative reply, and then watched the Ice Empress, smiling on her face, disappear into Amber Prison Mountain.

Two days later.

Luo De, now with a new identity, set off on the return journey to Sumeru together with the Sumeru envoy team.

Zhongli accompanied Luo De as agreed.

As an externally hired scholar of the Academy.

A position very fitting for him.

Along the way.

Similarly, the scholar teams that withdrew from the Chasm also surrounded Zhongli every day, asking this and that.

For those scholars who have not yet obtained higher degrees.

Zhongli, such a learned mortal, is far more approachable than Nadixa the deity.

From the knowledge of the School of Natural Philosophy to that of the School of Subtle Philosophy, and then to the School of Knowledge.

Zhongli's terrifying knowledge reserve left all the scholars in the ranks astonished.

Especially scholars who specialize in studying history.

Moreover, they constantly pester Zhongli every day, not letting him go.

Zhongli also has a good temper.

For these knowledge-thirsty scholars, he holds nothing back, each time explaining in exhaustive detail everything he knows.

Whenever this happens.

Luo De will quietly eavesdrop from the side.

What Zhongli speaks of is knowledge that may not even be learnable at the Academy.

For Luo De.

The allure of this knowledge is equally great.

Just like that.

Even with a deity presiding, the envoy team's atmosphere remained lively in this eager-to-learn environment, until everyone sailed back to Aomos Port.

As the first deity to visit Sumeru after Nadixa regained her divine position.

Although she is a deity from the previous generation.

But this does not affect Nadixa's enthusiasm for Zhongli.

At the banquet in the Pure Goodness Palace that day.

Luo De, as the sole attendant of the current Dendro Archon, became the only human capable of accompanying both deities.

Of course.

Eating the deities' banquet did not make Luo De forget his original intention in inviting Zhongli.

"Mr. Zhongli."

"Regarding Doto Lei, this time I also need to ask you to lend your aid."

Luo De bluntly brought up the matter of killing Doto Lei.

I don't know whether they returned early or Doto Lei departed late.

In short.

Now Doto Lei, who is on the must-kill list, has not yet arrived in Sumeru, making him slower than Luo De and company, who were delayed for a long time in Liyue.

But this is also fine.

If he hasn't arrived, Luo De has more time to arrange his killing.

As for Snezhnaya,

the fact that Luo De has succeeded Doto Lei as the Second Executive has not been made public.

According to the Ice Empress's wishes,

this matter must at least wait until after Doto Lei's death, when she feigns a visit to Sumeru to demand an explanation, before it can be made public.

Zhongli, who had long known Luo De's intention, naturally did not refuse and readily agreed to come and help at that time.

"Not urgent for now."

"Zhongli can first wander around Sumeru and have fun."

"Doto Lei still needs to do something for Sumeru before he can die."

With Zhongli's agreement, Luo De's spirits soared, and he laid out all subsequent plans in full.

What he said he needed Doto Lei to do for Sumeru

was to create a god.

However, it is not like the Primordial God that requires two Gnoses to activate; it is a false god already possessing true divine power.

What Luo De needs

is a vessel similar to the Primordial God, but a weakened divine body operated by mortals.

As for faith, Gnosis power, none of that is needed.

"With the Scarlet King's technology, combined with Sumeru's techniques and materials, plus Doto Lei's research on deities,"

"to leave Sumeru a weapon capable of resisting foreign invaders when the deities are absent."

This is Luo De's true purpose.

I don't know why.

After coming into contact with the Void and the Ice Empress,

Luo De's heart has been filled with unease, always feeling that these two, in their process of defying heavenly principles, will once again cause a terrifying disaster akin to the Abyssal Blight.

Given Sumeru's current strength,

another Abyssal Blight would likely truly evolve into a cataclysmic calamity.

Anyway, relying on Nadixa and the weakened Great Merciful Tree King, they absolutely cannot resist the blight's corrosion; at worst, the World Tree could suffer secondary contamination.

From this perspective,

Sumeru urgently needs a person or object that can hold the line beneath the deities.

And Luo De's choice

is to create such a weakened version of the Primordial God.

This idea came to him after he agreed to the Ice Empress's request.

He also discussed this with Nadixa.

The final conclusion was that it is feasible.

"It is."

"Mr. Zhongli, I hope you can mediate to help us reach a loan agreement with Liyue that has a longer term and a larger amount."

When saying this, both Nadixa and Luo De felt somewhat embarrassed on their faces.

Building a city is not an easy matter.

For Hope City.

Sumeru has poured too many resources into it.

Although Luo De isn't clear on Sumeru's exact economic situation, Nadixa knows it well and explicitly said that, given Sumeru's current finances, the chance of realizing a false god as Luo De envisions is essentially zero.

Thus Luo De turned his thoughts to Liyue and Mondstadt, which are now part of the Brother Alliance.

However, compared to Mondstadt, which has long been bullied by Snezhnaya...

Obviously, Liyue still has more spare money.

Borrowing money from Liyue is clearly the better choice.

Hehe—

"Little friend, you're quite good at figuring things out."

After hearing Luo De's loan request, Zhongli took a sip of wine, gently shook his head, and said: "Never mind, I'll convey this to Xiao."

Immediately.

Zhongli changed the tone of his speech, solemnly said: "Little friend, you know I have stepped down and no longer intervene in Liyue's affairs; this is just this once, not to be repeated."

Realizing that Zhongli was genuinely somewhat displeased...

Luo De also knew to quit while ahead, not daring to be cheeky anymore, he accompanied with a laugh: "Of course, of course."

(End of chapter)