Chapter 380

Lidugu.

Zhongli had finished enjoying today's food and tea as usual.

After agreeing to Luo De to watch over Dottore, his life became very regular.

Basically, it's just drinking tea, walking the birds, and watching plays.

Of course.

That's putting it nicely.

Actually, from Zhongli's own senses.

This is no different from being in prison.

But the contract has already been signed with Luo De; even though he has abdicated, he could not possibly violate the contract himself.

Fortunately, Zhongli is naturally indifferent.

Otherwise,

If it were anyone else imprisoned here, they would have surely caused a riot by now.

Approaching the Flower God Festival.

Zubayr Theatre hasn't sent out any touring troupes to perform for a long time.

Even if Zhongli had money, he couldn't hire anyone.

And it's not just Zubayr Theatre.

Other performance groups in Sumeru Cheng he also couldn't hire.

Thus this last leisure activity was also gone because of the Flower God Festival.

Bored, Zhongli flashed to the summit of Lidugu's highest peak, raised his hand to conjure a chair for himself, lay upon it, and began reading.

These books were also sent by Nadixa for him to pass the time.

They contain everything from all over the world, on any subject.

Zhongli has recently taken quite a liking to reading Inazuma's light novels.

Especially those about otherworldly themes.

Such wild imagination always lets him find fresh enjoyment in otherwise repetitive stories.

As he read on,

Zhongli suddenly sighed with regret.

"What a pity."

"Luo De, my young friend, doesn't have the habit of writing an autobiography; otherwise his world would surely be even more wonderful."

Compared to those otherworldly worlds purely described by imagination,

What Zhongli is actually more interested in is Luo De's homeland, that is, that truly existing otherworld.

Actually, even back when he was in Liyue,

Zhongli had once heard him tell stories of his homeland, especially that underground phantom realm beneath the Chasm, and when Xiao described it to him, Zhongli's heart and mind had longed for it for a long time.

He has lived for over six thousand years.

He has witnessed many major events in Teyvat.

Nowadays, to him, Teyvat's stories really have no appeal left; on the contrary, the dream of another world has stirred his long-dormant thoughts back to life.

It's that rascal Luo De.

Every time I want him to talk more about his hometown, he always makes excuses, saying that since he can't go back anyway, recalling it only brings pain, so he'd rather not say much.

I don't know why this usually perceptive fellow has become so obtuse about this matter.

Just as Zhongli was secretly complaining about Luo De,

A man in a white suit wearing a mask silently appeared behind him.

"How did you come here?"

"Isn't there no need for you to preside over the divine vessel anymore?"

Zhongli replied without turning his head.

The newcomer's strength is formidable, even stronger than the weakling god Nadixa.

But compared to Zhongli, he's still a bit lacking.

"Over there, I'm no longer needed."

Dottore walked over to Zhongli's side with a natural expression.

Facing the former Geo Archon, Teyvat's most ancient deity, he showed not the slightest respect, instead acting overly familiar; he conjured a chair of ice for himself, sat steadily beside Zhongli, glanced at the light novel in Zhongli's hand, and said dismissively, "I never imagined the mighty Geo Archon himself would have such a hobby."

"There's nothing wrong with this hobby."

Zhongli's expression remained calm, and he showed no embarrassment at holding a light novel.

In Teyvat.

Especially in Sumeru Cheng, where the academic atmosphere is relatively conservative, light novels are not particularly popular.

One reason is its overly cheerful and casual writing style; another is its excessively fantastical subject matter—for instance, Inazuma's light novel about a reborn Raiden Shogun, though it tops the sales charts, many still dare not read it in public for fear of blaspheming the gods, yet they cannot help but secretly buy it and enjoy it alone at home.

And Dottore is indeed a scholar who graduated properly from the Academy.

Although he is no longer affiliated with the Academy.

Yet his old-fashioned demeanor has been successfully passed down to him.

Thus, upon seeing Zhongli also reading light novels, his impression of the Geo Archon inevitably took a hit.

However, Zhongli didn't care much about that; instead, waving his light novel, he retorted to Dottore, "Is the way of culture only about being closed and conservative, or isn't that culture? Isn't a novel that takes otherworlds as its theme and is built on pure imagination also a fine kind of culture?"

"As long as you like it, that's fine."

Dottore shrugged, unable to deny it.

He had already experienced how tough it was to argue with Zhongli.

He knew this god was skilled at winning people over with logic, and sometimes liked to play riddles, causing one's enthusiasm to spring up only to be immediately forced to wilt.

So he also couldn't be bothered to argue with Zhongli.

Today he came here simply because there are some things he wants to figure out at the last moment, not wanting to leave any regrets.

Geo Archon.

There's something that's been puzzling me; I don't know if you could give me a little clarification.

Duotuolei also wasn't polite, directly posing the question.

Oh?

You also have something to come ask me?

Zhongli closed the book in their hands and asked curiously.

Not only Duotuolei finds Zhongli difficult to deal with.

Zhongli actually also doesn't much like debating with Duotuolei.

Because this person is extremely cunning and extremely smart, they often set up linguistic traps for people to fall into; if it weren't for Zhongli's rich experience, plus being able to rely on old age knowing everything to play a cold violence tactic, using an unchanging response to all changes, it forces Duotuolei not to dare argue with Zhongli, and Zhongli themselves don't know how many times they'd have fallen into the pit.

Next.

Then Duotuolei calmly posed their question: "I want to know, you and the Empress both placed your hopes on Luo De, rather than that Descender related to the Abyss, is it because you think Luo De is more hopeful to be the key that can break the situation?"

Yes.

Zhongli gave an affirmative answer.

Such a simple answer made Duotuolei's heart skip a beat, and they immediately suppressed their rising temper, asking: "What's the reason?"

There's nothing particularly special about it.

If I really had to say.

Zhongli stroked their chin and said in a serious tone: "It's just intuition."

"Intuition?" "Then, by your logic, is the Empress also intuitive?"

Duotuolei laughed angrily at this answer, thinking, "How could they be inferior to a mere product of intuition?" "How would they know about her affairs?"

Zhongli looked even more innocent, after pondering for a while, then calmly said: "She and I are not the same; her judgment may not be based purely on intuition; perhaps she truly feels that Luo De little friend is more promising than Xingyue little friend."

"Isn't that still intuition?"

Duotuolei had nothing left to say.

Only this old, tough-to-handle doughstick Zhongli could make them repeatedly suffer setbacks in debate; there was no second person.

But this disappointing answer couldn't make them just give up.

After knowing Luo De's importance among the gods.

Duotuolei then continued asking: "If they were to kill Luo De, would your plans be destroyed right then, or would you have to focus all your efforts back on that Descender?"

You?

You can't kill Luo De.

Zhongli shook their head and said firmly: "After today, Luo De little friend will likely be stronger than me; with your strength, it might have been possible before, but now there's no hope."

Well done.

Quite blunt.

Duotuolei this time neither angry nor upset, nodded and said: "I understand; that is to say, with you and the Empress, I am now nearly completely stripped of my utilitarian value."

That's not quite right either.

Zhongli said without hesitation this time, "After all, you are one of the finest scholars on this planet; given your knowledge and wisdom, as long as you haven't fallen into the abyss, to her you remain an excellent partner."

Dottore's approach is based on utility value, whereas Zhongli's is based on partnership.

This is based on the relationship between the Ice Empress and the Executives.

Just as in the Purifying Benevolence Palace, the Ice Empress told Furina that she could not freely mobilize her own subordinates, the Executives.

Among the Fatui Executives.

Only Dadalia and Luoshali are completely loyal to the Ice Empress and willing to unconditionally carry out her orders.

The other Executives, to varying degrees, each have their own thoughts.

Especially the Top Three who possess Archon-level power, and the Jester serving as the Overseer.

These few are truly beyond the Ice Empress's ability to mobilize.

If it weren't for the Jester, one of the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah, sharing the Ice Empress's goals, then these Top Three would truly be able to do as they please.

In other words.

In the Ice Empress's view, her own Top Three Executives plus the Jester as Overseer have no superior-subordinate relationship between them; they are purely partners.

This is also why Zhongli deliberately corrected Dottore's form of address.

After all.

No matter how you say it.

Utility value still sounds far worse than partnership, and the gap in status is even greater.

But Dottore merely gave a cold snort, neither refuting nor agreeing.

In his view.

Luo De is the key for the Ice Empress to fulfill that noble dream, enabling a heavyweight figure like the Jester to strive for it; moreover, given Luo De's suspicious nature, they cannot form any real partnership between them—at most they merely exploit each other.

The Ice Empress uses Luo De to realize her ideal.

Luo De uses the Ice Empress to fulfill his desire to kill himself.

Everyone is using each other's relationship, so no one should accuse anyone else.

Realizing that after today there will be a dead Dottore between him and Luo De, Dottore, with a very calm expression, said to the Geo Archon: "You wouldn't mind me using your visage to cause some trouble in the city, would you?"

Oh?

By common sense, I should be bothered, and indeed very angry about it.

Zhongli's gaze suddenly turned sharp, directly aiming at Sumeru Cheng, which was enveloped by the Illusion Realm Hall.

The peaks of Lidugu are extremely high, with nothing blocking the view in between, allowing a clear sight of the scenery inside Sumeru Cheng.

However, this Illusion Realm Hall is ultimately a barrier set up by Nadixa using her own authority; even though Zhongli and she are vastly different in strength, for a moment he cannot see through what's inside.

But with a thunderous boom, the Illusion Realm Hall shattered explosively, and the situation inside instantly became clear.

Zhongli fixed his gaze.

He did not see any of Dottore's slices that bore his own likeness.

Instead, he saw many slices resembling human bombs within the city, the most dangerous of which was even close to the location of the World Tree.

Is this your revenge strategy?

Zhongli withdrew his gaze and said unhurriedly, "But your plan is probably going to fail."

Just now he saw the deity's movement.

Even Barbatos, that lazy fellow, has moved into action, so those human bombs naturally won't harm Sumeru Cheng.

In fact.

Luo De may not have anticipated that there would be human bombs, but he had long guessed that Dottore, with no retreat, would surely lash out, choosing to cause a big incident during the Flower God's Birthday Festival in Sumeru Cheng.

He held the Flower God's Birthday Festival with great fanfare, inviting the deities to gather in Sumeru Cheng, in order to prevent such an occurrence.

Now, looking at it.

Everything played right into his hands.

Dottore's terrifying attack plan has obviously ended in failure.

Zhongli still has great confidence in his old friends.

With them around.

If Dottore's human bombs could be made to explode successfully, then these deities would have done all that work for nothing.

However, when Zhongli spoke the facts, Dottore, who should have been anxious, instead laughed triumphantly.

You really couldn't figure it out.

Hahaha—

My plan is, after all, flawless.

Dottore laughed heartily, showing no annoyance at his plan being thwarted; instead, he was extremely pleased and provoked Zhongli: "Geo Archon, want to make a bet? Guess what my plan is like, how about it?"

Zhongli had no interest in betting with Dottore on such a matter.

He merely furrowed his brows, staring intently at Dottore, trying to discern a clue from his face.

You're not preparing to guess?

That's really a shame, then?

Regarding Zhongli's fleeting killing intent, Dottore did not panic; instead, he spoke with a tone of regret: "Oh dear, such a great plan, and no one guessed the outcome—it seems I really underestimated you."

Until now.

Only then did Zhongli finally speak: "Your plan isn't just to destroy the World Tree, forcing us to launch the plan unprepared, is it?"

Huh?

Isn't that something you could guess?

Dottore's smile did not fade: "Then, honored Geo Archon, can you guess how I will break through the Dendro Archon's layered protections and enter the range of the World Tree?"

Focalors.

Zhongli remained calm, uttering a name that made Dottore's heart skip: "You borrowed her divine identity, plus the special void terminal traded from Apep, thereby reverse‑breaking Buer's World Tree protection to achieve the ultimate goal of destroying the tree."

Upon saying that.

Dottore could no longer laugh, and with a look of astonishment he said: "How did you know?"

(End of chapter)