As Luya stepped onto Yujing Terrace one step at a time, the once noisy surroundings instantly fell silent. Everyone stared, dumbfounded and in disbelief, at what was unfolding before their eyes—Liyue's future was actually being entrusted to a human.
Some people began whispering among themselves, their faces full of shock and doubt.
"How is that possible?"
"Is the shopkeeper really going to become the next Emperor?"
"I never imagined our Liyue would be led by a mere mortal…"
At this moment, Luya stood at the center of Yujing Terrace. He could feel countless gazes converging on him, yet he remained calm and composed.
Luya knew full well the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders. From this day on, he would guide Liyue's path forward and strive to make this nation even more prosperous.
And high above in the distant sky, it was as if a pair of eyes were silently watching over Luya.
...
"This is the contract for succeeding Liyue."
With a solemn expression, Ningguang gently presented to Luya the contract drawn up by Rex Lapis, Zhongli.
Luya took a deep breath, then reached out with both hands and carefully accepted the heavy contract from Ningguang. He examined the text and patterns closely, feeling the power and responsibility contained within.
Then, Luya picked up the pen and steadily signed his name on the contract.
The instant his brushstroke fell, the contract suddenly burst into dazzling golden light. Within that glow, dim, ancient runes flickered, as if bearing witness to this historic moment.
The contract was sealed!
"Those who break their word shall suffer the punishment of the stone…"
Zhongli's voice resounded through the air like a great bell, carrying an unshakable authority and force. Every word fell like a heavy stone, weighing on everyone's hearts.
As the final syllable faded, the contract that had been shining with brilliant golden light slowly dimmed, returning to its ordinary, unremarkable appearance.
However, no one dared to ignore the significance and weight it now held.
In the blink of an eye, Zhongli had already taken on his dragon form once more and slowly flown toward the vortex in the sky, gradually disappearing from sight.
Gazing in the direction Zhongli had gone, the humans and Adepti of Liyue all fell into silence.
A gentle breeze drifted past, as if quietly recounting the untold story between Luya and Zhongli.
And at this moment, the land of Liyue, too, was destined—because of this great upheaval—to usher in an unprecedented transformation.
Luya looked at the contract he had just signed, a strange surge of excitement rising in his heart.
From this moment on, Luya had officially become the one in power over Liyue. He now had the authority to freely direct the Liyue Qixing and handle all affairs, great and small.
Despite the weight of such responsibilities, Luya did not feel particularly troubled. Over the years, Liyue's administrative system had grown highly mature, and all matters proceeded in an orderly fashion.
For Luya, there was no need to drastically alter any of the existing systems or regulations; he merely needed to maintain this sound state.
Right now, there was only one thing on Luya's mind: how to make Yu-Gi-Oh! the key and core element of Liyue's future development. He firmly believed that through this game, he could guide Liyue along an entirely new path—toward becoming a Duel Kingdom in the truest sense.
Luya resolved to spare no effort in achieving this goal. He hoped that through the influence of Yu-Gi-Oh!, the people of Liyue would enjoy a higher quality of life.
This included not only advanced technological applications and vibrant, enjoyable entertainment, but also a thriving, prosperous economy in every respect.
...
This grand and solemn Rite of Descension finally came to an end.
Under Zhongli's entrustment, Luya had officially taken over this nation called Liyue. From this day forward, Luya would possess absolute authority within Liyue, able to shape and develop it according to his own will and ideals.
Luya found himself thinking, Now that Liyue belongs to me… does that mean I don't have to pay taxes anymore?
The thought alone made him grin.
However, he soon realized that even if he no longer needed to pay taxes to anyone else, investing funds into Liyue's prosperity would, in essence, still be a form of taxation.
Regardless, that hardly mattered—so long as he could make Liyue flourish, the returns would naturally be even greater.
To Luya, becoming Liyue's ruler meant endless opportunities.
First of all, he could freely build factories and carry out all kinds of business ventures within Liyue's territory. It would also become far easier to recruit workers for the Electronics Factory.
Even better, the taxes paid by these workers would flow into the national treasury, further supporting Liyue's growth.
In this way, he could effectively reduce labor costs while also contributing to Liyue's rapid development—a true win-win.
...
The news that Luya had taken over Liyue sent shockwaves through all factions across the land.
Whether it was the Fatui in Liyue Harbor, the various local merchant guilds, or merchants from other nations…
At that moment, Charlotte, who had been hiding among the crowd, suddenly leapt out, snapped a photo of Luya, and began drafting her article.
Charlotte had already been full of curiosity and anticipation toward Liyue Harbor's Rite of Descension. She had planned to come join the excitement and, along the way, dig up some worthwhile news leads.
Yet she never imagined that this year's Rite would explode with a world-shaking, earth-shattering piece of news:
Humanity had taken over Liyue!
And not only that… the one taking over was the very person who had brought Yu-Gi-Oh! to Liyue?!
The news detonated in Charlotte's mind like a bomb. She realized this story would cause an uproar and become the focus of attention across all of Teyvat.
Her heart raced with excitement, and she couldn't wait to share this shocking discovery with as many people as possible.
Thus, she immediately launched into her investigation, digging deep into the ins and outs of the event, unwilling to let a single detail slip by.
...
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