Chapter 52. Not Pretending Anymore?
Futsu Mitama truly had not expected matters to develop this far.
From the very beginning, he never intended to kill Beisht.
There was no irreconcilable hatred between them. At most, he merely wanted to teach her a lesson.
After all, there was an old saying—
If there is no deep enmity between two sides, yet you still appear directly within my line of sight and cause trouble, then being beaten is your own fault.
If Beisht had not attacked Klee and the others—
Or if she had not used Osial's authority to stir up a tsunami of that scale—
Then Futsu Mitama would never have released that strike.
What he had not expected, however, was that Osial himself could temporarily interfere with the seal and forcibly block his attack.
Osial, the God of the Vortex, had never been weak.
Even in the original course of events, before his seal was completely loosened, his mere appearance already brought immense pressure upon the Liyue Qixing and the Adeptus alike.
And although the Jade Chamber was powerful—
It was not powerful enough to truly defeat a god.
The only reason Osial was eventually dragged back beneath the sea was because Morax's seal constantly suppressed him throughout the entire battle.
The seal continuously pulled against him, restricting his movements and preventing him from releasing his full power.
Only after suffering the Jade Chamber's impact did the seal finally drag him back completely.
To put it simply—
The Osial from that battle had practically been burdened with countless stacking debuff from the very beginning.
The seal restricted him.
The Adeptus and Qixing attacked him the instant he emerged.
And after finally enduring all of that pressure—
Someone dropped the Jade Chamber directly onto his face.
In a sense, Osial's situation back then was genuinely miserable.
Yet even so, that battle still demonstrated just how terrifying his true strength actually was. Even while heavily suppressed, he still fought the Adeptus directly and even gained the upper hand at one point.
Had Ningguang not acted decisively enough—
Morax himself likely would have needed to intervene personally.
After all, at that point, Osial had already approached Liyue Harbor itself.
There was no possibility Zhongli would simply stand aside and watch.
Now, however—
Futsu Mitama quietly looked toward the deep sea below before shifting his gaze elsewhere.
Beisht had already vanished completely.
Clearly, Osial's previous intervention was never meant to counterattack.
It was merely to buy enough time for Beisht to escape safely.
And Beisht herself did not behave like some sentimental fool who would remain behind tearfully calling for her husband while waiting for rescue.
The instant an opening appeared—
She escaped decisively.
No hesitation.
No wasted movement.
It was no wonder she survived the Archon War and remained alive even now.
There was a reason for it.
"It's nothing serious."
At that moment, Zhongli appeared beside Futsu Mitama. Looking toward the depths beneath the sea, he spoke calmly.
"This was merely an accident. Beisht fully released Osial's authority from outside the seal, which allowed Osial inside to sense her presence. So he forcibly loosened a corner of the seal temporarily in order to assist her."
"However, doing so also exposed his current condition. It is both a gain and a loss."
Zhongli naturally understood Osial's actions.
If their positions were reversed, he himself might have acted similarly.
However—
Understanding something did not mean ignoring it.
The fact remained that Osial had demonstrated the ability to interfere with the seal. That alone was already dangerous enough.
As Zhongli spoke, Geo energy flowed from his hand into the sea below.
Golden light descended deep beneath the ocean, reinforcing the seal once more.
"Morax!!!"
An enraged roar echoed from the depths beneath the sea.
Clearly, the owner of that voice was Osial himself. He already knew that the moment he intervened, Morax would inevitably reinforce the seal further.
What he had not expected was how quickly Morax arrived.
"Osial."
Zhongli quietly looked downward as a trace of nostalgia flickered within his gaze.
Facing this ancient opponent once more, even Zhongli's emotions became somewhat complicated.
On one hand—
They were mortal enemies.
There was absolutely no possibility he would allow Osial to leave Guyun Stone Forest. Especially now that he had confirmed Osial possessed the ability to temporarily interfere with the seal itself.
If Osial truly escaped—
Then the first target he would destroy would almost certainly be Liyue Harbor.
And if a god-level existence rampaged freely through the harbor—
The entire city could become history within half a day.
Yet on the other hand—the Archon War had long since ended.
Many old friends had already disappeared throughout the erosion of time.
Aside from the Adeptus, Azhdaha, and Guizhong—
The only remaining existence who still shared memories of that ancient era with him—was perhaps this old enemy beneath the sea.
"You…you are Rex Lapis?!"
At that moment, Futsu Mitama suddenly revealed an expression of utter shock, as though he had only now realized Zhongli's identity.
It was as if he genuinely could not believe the consultant from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was actually the Geo Archon himself.
"…"
Zhongli looked at him speechlessly.
You little brat. Do you really think I'd believe you still don't know?
If Futsu Mitama genuinely knew nothing, then Zhongli would never have bothered concealing matters around him from the beginning.
Nor would Futsu Mitama have continuously cooperated with him so naturally all this time.
"I truly never imagined that Mr. Zhongli from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would actually be Rex Lapis."
Futsu Mitama continued acting dramatically, maintaining his exaggerated look of disbelief.
This only caused Zhongli to sigh helplessly once more.
For some reason—
He suddenly felt as though his erosion had worsened slightly.
"Alright, alright, enough joking."
Seeing Zhongli's increasingly helpless expression, Futsu Mitama immediately stopped pushing further.
If he continued pretending not to know, Zhongli might genuinely decide to strike him once out of irritation.
After all, certain things were already obvious to everyone.
Whether it was Barbatos, Raiden Makoto, Raiden Ei, or Greater Lord Rukkhadevata—
Everyone within the Chat Group already knew Zhongli's identity.
They simply remained silent because they understood Zhongli likely had his own plans.
And Futsu Mitama naturally knew the reason as well.
Retirement.
Everything revolved around Zhongli's retirement plan. No one knew how long he had prepared for it already.
But one thing was certain—
Before the plan fully succeeded, Zhongli would never willingly expose his own identity.
As for why Zhongli chose to reveal himself before him now—
Futsu Mitama felt there were likely two reasons.
The first naturally involved Osial.
The second was probably because Zhongli intended to finally speak openly about his plans.
"So…"
Futsu Mitama looked toward Zhongli.
"Should I call you Zhongli…or Rex Lapis?"
From a personal standpoint, calling him Zhongli felt more natural.
But from the perspective of identity—
Even if Futsu Mitama was already recognized as the future successor to the Electro Archon or Geo Archon—
He still technically ought to address him as Rex Lapis.
"As you wish."
Zhongli himself did not care much about forms of address anymore.
Once his identity was exposed, such distinctions became largely meaningless.
Looking toward Futsu Mitama, Zhongli spoke calmly.
"Now that matters have reached this point, I should properly express my gratitude toward you."
"Not only for Bosacius. But also for Guizhong, Azhdaha—"
"And even myself."
All this time, Zhongli had genuinely carried gratitude toward Futsu Mitama.
As the God of Contracts, he never ignored debts owed to others.
And Zhongli understood very clearly that the favors he owed Futsu Mitama had already become impossible to measure.
Guizhong's return.
Azhdaha gradually recovering his sanity.
Bosacius being pulled back from death itself.
None of these things could be measured through ordinary value.
They were priceless.
Before revealing his identity, Zhongli could still repay those favors indirectly.
The inheritance of Geo authority.
Various forms of support.
Quiet assistance behind the scenes.
But now—
As Rex Lapis himself—
He needed to personally express those words.
"It's really nothing…"
Futsu Mitama waved his hand lightly. To him, this was simply something he wished to do. After transmigrating into Teyvat and obtaining the Chat Group—
If he possessed the ability to change tragedies, then naturally he would change them.
If he could rewrite painful endings—then he would rewrite them.
That had always been his true thought.
Because Teyvat contained far too many regrets. If he had the ability to change them—
Why wouldn't he?
Hearing those words, Zhongli's gaze softened further.
Then, after a brief silence, he finally spoke again.
"In truth, I never intentionally concealed my identity. Rather…I was preparing a plan. A plan concerning Liyue's future a thousand years from now."
"Originally, my departure was meant to become the conclusion of that plan. But after your appearance—"
Zhongli looked directly toward Futsu Mitama.
"I changed my mind. I believe you can shoulder this responsibility."
Zhongli's tone remained calm as always.
Yet the seriousness within his voice was unmistakable.
Meanwhile—
Futsu Mitama himself was already beginning to feel a headache forming.
He originally thought Zhongli would merely explain his retirement plan after revealing his identity. He truly had not expected the conversation to progress this quickly.
Had Zhongli already decided all of this back when he handed over the Geo authority?
And this "responsibility"—
Didn't sound good at all.
Whether becoming the next Electro Archon or the next Anemo Archon as Barbatos jokingly mentioned before—
Futsu Mitama genuinely did not want either position.
The reason was simple.
Troublesome. Far too troublesome.
If something happened, he could certainly help solve it.
But managing an entire nation every single day?
He would rather die.
Thinking this, Futsu Mitama cautiously asked,
"When you say 'shoulder this responsibility'—do you mean becoming the next Geo Archon?"
At this moment, he was very carefully probing Zhongli's intentions.
If Zhongli answered "no," then he could agree immediately without issue.
If Zhongli answered "yes"—
Then he needed to quickly think of ways to delay and refuse this conversation.
"Yes."
Zhongli nodded calmly.
The moment those words fell—
Futsu Mitama's expression changed immediately.
"I'm not suitable for this. For one thing, I'm from Inazuma."
"I already investigated this matter." Zhongli replied calmly. "One of your ancestors originally came from Liyue before marrying in to Inazuma four hundred years ago."
"So in theory, Liyue blood still flows within you."
Futsu Mitama rubbed his forehead helplessly.
Although he himself never personally investigated his lineage—
With both Guizhong and Zhongli independently confirming it, the matter was probably true.
Even Raiden Ei and Yae Miko previously acknowledged that his ancestors likely originated from Liyue.
But that still did not change one fact.
He grew up in Inazuma.
He identified himself as someone from Inazuma.
That was the important part.
"Even then, I'm still unsuitable."
Futsu Mitama immediately shifted the topic elsewhere.
"Guizhong is far more appropriate. She's the God of Dust."
Rex Lapis's longtime companion.
A close friend of the Adeptus.
Beloved throughout Liyue itself.
Whether among the Qixing or ordinary citizens, stories about Guizhong were already widespread across the nation.
Especially among opera storytellers.
After all, Liyue's people adored stories involving Rex Lapis.
Battles against ancient gods.
Legends of protecting the land.
Tales involving the Adeptus.
But among all those stories—
The only figure ever associated with emotional rumors involving Rex Lapis—was Guizhong.
Thus, from any perspective, Guizhong becoming the next Geo Archon sounded entirely reasonable.
However, Zhongli simply shook his head.
"The current era of Liyue belongs to both humans and Adeptus. Guizhong and I already discussed this matter. If the next Geo Archon remains another god—"
"It may instead hinder Liyue's future development. Therefore— You are the most suitable candidate."
Zhongli looked directly toward Futsu Mitama as he spoke with absolute seriousness.
This was not a joke.
Nor was it a passing thought.
Even though Guizhong herself once suggested taking the position personally—
Zhongli still refused that outcome.
The reason was simple.
A god's love could easily become excessive protection. And modern Liyue no longer needed to remain sheltered beneath divine wings forever.
Ever since Guizhong returned, she had continuously prepared for future crises.
The Azhdaha Mech.
The reconstructed Guizhong Ballista.
Countless war-related mechanisms.
All of it proved one thing clearly—
Guizhong cared deeply for Liyue. Too deeply.
Was that bad? No.
It was admirable.
But such measures should only exist as hidden safeguards. If the people of Liyue became too dependent upon protection—
Then eventually, irreversible problems would emerge.
After ruling Liyue for thousands of years, Zhongli understood this better than anyone.
His retirement was never simply about leaving.
It was about allowing humanity to truly stand on its own.
Thus—
The leader needed in this new era could no longer be another god.
It needed to be a human.
A true human in every sense.
Someone capable of earning the Adeptus's recognition while simultaneously proving something to the people of Liyue.
That humans themselves could one day stand at the same height as gods.
Zhongli once heard ordinary citizens speaking among the streets of Liyue Harbor.
"The Rex Lapis is a god high above the heavens. How could mortals like us ever compare?"
Those words were entirely understandable.
And yet—they also revealed something important.
Humanity possessed limitless potential. But they still required time to grow.
Gods, meanwhile, were different.
Demon Gods were born already possessing authority.
Even the weakest god still possessed power capable of overwhelming ordinary mortals like a natural disaster.
But what if—
The one standing at humanity's forefront—
Was a human who possessed the power of a god?
Zhongli truly wanted to witness such a future. Because of that, he no longer concealed his intentions and directly expressed his stance. The position of the next Geo Archon had to belong to Futsu Mitama.
"Does it really have to be me?"
Futsu Mitama looked at Zhongli somewhat helplessly. Seeing the seriousness written across the other party's face, he could already tell that Zhongli was not joking with him this time.
"What about Raiden Ei? I'm already considered the next Electro Archon."
Although Futsu Mitama himself did not particularly wish to become the Electro Archon either, that did not stop him from immediately dragging Raiden Ei into the discussion.
Hearing those words, Zhongli merely smiled faintly.
"It does not matter."
His tone remained calm and steady as always.
"If Baal truly returns, then naturally you will no longer need to become the next Electro Archon."
Zhongli's evaluation of Raiden Makoto had always been extremely high.
Five hundred years ago, Inazuma under her governance had remained prosperous and orderly.
Although the nation's fortunes collapsed after the catastrophe five centuries ago, causing Inazuma to continuously decline throughout these long years, none of that was irreversible.
At least, according to Yae Miko's own words—
The moment Raiden Makoto truly returned, Inazuma's situation would immediately reverse by five hundred years.
And this was not some exaggerated joke.
The return of a god was already enough to overturn the fate of an entire nation.
Not to mention—
The returning god in question was Raiden Makoto herself.
As one half of the twin gods ruling Inazuma, Raiden Makoto's death had undoubtedly left a deep influence upon Raiden Ei.
If she truly revived and returned together with her authority, then Raiden Ei's strength would very likely increase once more.
This was precisely why Zhongli did not hesitate in attempting to "snatch" Futsu Mitama away.
Inazuma no longer lacked gods capable of governing the nation.
But Liyue was different.
What Liyue lacked now was not another god. What it lacked—
was a "person"—a human.
A true human capable of standing between gods, Adeptus, and mortals alike.
Since such a person finally appeared before him, how could Zhongli possibly allow the opportunity to slip away?
As for Mondstadt—
There was still Barbatos there.
Heh.
"…"
Futsu Mitama suddenly found himself unable to continue the conversation. The topic had already reached a dead end.
In the end, he could only respond vaguely.
"Can you at least let me think about it first? This matter is far too important. I'll probably need some time to consider it carefully."
This time, Zhongli did not continue pressing him.
He merely nodded slightly.
Everything in this world required moderation. Even Zhongli understood that pushing Futsu Mitama too forcefully would only backfire.
Originally, Zhongli had intended to wait until Futsu Mitama returned to Liyue Harbor, rested properly, and settled down before slowly discussing the matter with him in detail.
However, Osial's sudden disturbance disrupted those plans entirely.
That was why Zhongli personally came here.
On one hand, he needed to confirm the state of the seal himself.
On the other hand—
He also wanted to speak directly with Futsu Mitama regarding the inheritance of the Geo Archon position.
Before leaving, Zhongli suddenly spoke once more.
"On my way here, I encountered that Fatui Harbinger, Tartaglia. If he asks you about Osial, you may reveal some information to him appropriately."
As those words fell, Zhongli turned around.
Golden light quietly enveloped his figure before his body transformed into a stream of radiance and disappeared from the area entirely.
After Zhongli left, Futsu Mitama stroked his chin thoughtfully as a rather subtle expression appeared on his face.
Tartaglia came here? And Zhongli specifically mentioned Osial to him?
No matter how he looked at it, this clearly meant Zhongli was already preparing to scheme against someone.
It seemed the plan surrounding Osial was truly about to begin.
The only thing left unknown now was just how much mora and effort Tartaglia would eventually invest into this entire matter.
While Futsu Mitama remained lost in thought—
Two familiar figures rapidly approached from the distance.
Shenhe traversed the sea atop a massive jellyfish construct while Sangonomiya Kokomi flew through the air nearby.
"Where is the enemy?"
The moment Shenhe arrived, she immediately asked the question directly. A trace of confusion surfaced within her cold eyes.
Meanwhile, Sangonomiya Kokomi also looked around rather strangely.
Before arriving here, both she and Shenhe had clearly sensed the aura of another powerful existence.
Yet after reaching the area, that aura had already disappeared completely.
Although their speed was slightly slower than Futsu Mitama's spatial movement, neither of their perception abilities were weak.
Naturally, they had both sensed the lingering traces left behind here.
"Ran away." Futsu Mitama shook his head lightly. "Let's talk after we return."
Naturally, he had no intention of explaining everything here and now. Some matters were still inconvenient to discuss openly at the moment.
So for now—
Returning first was the better option.
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