Kaiyang had barely finished speaking when Tianxuan immediately voiced his agreement.
"Yuheng, I know you've always held deep resentment toward the Fatui. But without solid, irrefutable evidence, we absolutely cannot conclude that they're the masterminds. Over the years, the Fatui have, indeed, contributed to Liyue's development."
The diplomat Tianji followed with a grave tone.
"This matter involves Liyue's relations with Snezhnaya. A single misstep could trigger a serious diplomatic crisis."
Then Yaoguang openly aligned with Kaiyang.
"I propose that we do not escalate this incident any further. Stabilizing public order must be our priority—any major uproar will only worsen the situation."
EvenTianshu (Leonard), after a brief hesitation, added,
"For Liyue, stability always comes first. If relations with Snezhnaya deteriorate, countless merchants and citizens whose livelihoods depend on that trade route will suffer. We must be prudent."
With five members of the Liyue Qixing now standing firmly against implicating the Fatui, Keqing felt flames surge in her chest.
She shot to her feet, eyes blazing with fury.
"How can Liyue ever prosper… when it is run by vermin like you?"
Without waiting for a response, she turned sharply and strode toward Ganyu, who was recording the proceedings.
"Ganyu, please report today's meeting to the Geo Archon—exactly as it happened."
Ganyu nodded calmly.
"Rest assured. I will report every detail truthfully."
Keqing left the chamber with quick, decisive steps.
Once she was gone, the Qixing exchanged uneasy looks. Regret crept across more than one face.
Their gazes settled on Ningguang, who had remained silent the entire time.
She was just about to speak when her secretary Baiwen hurried inside, whispering rapidly into her ear.
A bad feeling washed through the room.
Kaiyang and the others sensed that something was terribly wrong.
After listening, Ningguang's lips curved into a faint, meaningful smile.
"Everyone, we'll adjourn here."
Before anyone could object, she rose and walked out.
The remaining Qixing immediately moved. Something significant must have happened.
They rushed out of Yuehai Pavilion to question their trusted aides.
Soon, the news reached them:
Wang had died in his prison cell.
And before dying, he had used his own blood to write one line on the wall:
"The Fatui are the real culprits."
A heavy chill gripped their hearts.
They instantly ordered the Millelith to suppress the news—
to stop it from spreading and prevent further chaos.
But the Millelith refused.
Earlier, Keqing had issued a direct command forbidding any attempt to block the information.
And under the rules of the Liyue Qixing, when two orders contradict each other, a full meeting and majority vote are required to determine which command is valid.
Now they understood why Ningguang abruptly ended the previous meeting—
to deny them the time needed to call for a vote and suppress the news.
Within hours, the message exploded across Liyue.
With deliberate agitation from certain parties, the victims and their families gathered at the doors of Northland Bank, staging a massive protest.
They raised banners, chanting loudly, demanding compensation for every loss the Fatui had caused.
Across the street—in a teahouse overlooking the swelling crowd—Zhongli quietly observed, his amber eyes filled with layered emotion.
He turned toward Adrian, speaking in a deep, steady voice.
"From a rational perspective, using public outrage to pressure the Qixing and the bank is not a particularly sophisticated tactic."
Adrian lifted his teacup, savoring the aroma before taking a sip.
"True. Public opinion is a double-edged sword. It can be easily manipulated, easily abused, and often becomes the tool of those with hidden motives.
But the common people—the ones with no power at all—what other method do they have to defend their rights?"
Zhongli fell into a long silence.
Finally, he sighed.
"You are correct. The people at the bottom often have no better means. They are the most helpless group in society."
His gaze drifted back toward the roiling protest.
"So what happens next? Will Northland Bank compensate the victims?"
Adrian shook his head without hesitation.
"No."
Zhongli frowned.
"Why? For a financial titan like Northland Bank, the compensation is trivial. Wouldn't paying it calm public anger?"
Adrian explained, steady and patient.
"Because the Fatui have committed countless crimes in Liyue. If the bank compensates this time, news will spread—and every single person ever harmed by the Fatui will flood this street, demanding their share."
Zhongli took a sip of tea.
"Then what do you intend to do?"
A thin smile, cold as winter steel, curled on Adrian's lips.
"Do you know the one thing banks fear most?"
Zhongli thought carefully, but dismissed each guess.
Finally, he asked,
"What is it?"
Adrian's tone was calm, but the weight behind his words was unmistakable.
"People think banks have endless money. But in truth… banks are the ones most desperate for money.
They must constantly push funds out as loans just to earn interest.
Aside from the cash needed for daily operations, they hold almost no reserve."
Zhongli's expression sharpened—he understood.
If Northland Bank mishandled this crisis, the financial giant that spanned seven nations could collapse within days.
"Why take things this far?"
Adrian's voice lowered into something cold and quiet.
"Yesterday, Li Daping's elderly mother passed away. She dug her own grave so she wouldn't trouble anyone."
His expression darkened.
"She never harmed anyone. She never wronged anyone.
So why… why did all the suffering in this world fall upon her?"
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