Ningguang and Signora both understood clearly—this conversation was only the beginning. The relationship between their sides would still need time to adjust and settle.
Under normal circumstances…
Logically speaking, during such a sensitive period, neither party would let their guard down easily. After all, a single misstep could lead to irreparable consequences.
But this moment was anything but normal—
"Heh."
Signora let out a cold, scornful laugh—mocking and contemptuous, sharp as a blade stabbing straight into the hearts of the Liyue delegation.
Her voice wasn't loud, but in the tense silence, it rang clearly in everyone's ears.
Her gaze gleamed with disdain, as if everyone from Liyue was no more than ants beneath her feet.
Every word she spoke cut like a knife, slicing deep.
The expressions of the Liyue officials darkened, eyes brimming with fury and helplessness.
Their fists clenched, struggling to contain the fire burning inside.
A heavy tension blanketed the hall—like a storm on the brink of breaking.
Keqing could no longer hold back. Her face clouded, eyes flaring with rage.
She stood abruptly and slammed a document down in front of Signora. Papers scattered to the ground with a sharp rustle.
"You think the Fatui's actions have gone unnoticed?!"
Her voice boomed through the diplomatic hall, fierce and resolute, cracking through the silence like thunder and shaking everyone to their core.
Signora picked up the document and glanced at it. It was evidence of certain Fatui "experiments" carried out in one of their "factories."
She sneered.
"Just a few experiments. What exactly are you trying to prove?"
"You—!"
Keqing's voice shot up an octave. Her fists clenched tight, lightning sparking from her arms. Her eyes burned with fury as she glared at Signora like she would tear her apart.
The atmosphere turned stifling. No one dared speak.
Keqing's breathing quickened. Her body trembled slightly, clearly struggling to keep her emotions in check.
"Keqing!"
Ningguang called out at once, her voice laced with warning.
This was a crucial moment—there could be no mistakes. She understood Keqing's anger, but now wasn't the time for rash action.
Just then, The Gambler spoke, his voice low and raspy behind the mask as he stood up.
"Disappointing… both of you."
Keqing and Ganyu froze slightly, eyes fixed on The Gambler.
His voice was unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar at the same time.
Ningguang's body tensed.
"What a shame. This diplomatic mission has failed."
The Gambler raised a hand—slicing the table clean in two with a thread of silk.
The faces of the Liyue delegation turned grim, stunned and furious.
Even Signora and Tartaglia were taken aback. They hadn't expected The Gambler to make a move so suddenly.
Ningguang's voice trembled slightly.
"As a Fatui Harbinger and diplomatic envoy… do you mean to declare war on Liyue?"
The Gambler waved a hand dismissively—his gesture elegant, unhurried.
"War? Tianquan, don't be ridiculous. Perhaps if the adepti and Liyue's elite forces were united—or if the Geo Archon Morax still walked among you—we might show restraint."
His tone dripped with contempt. He knew well: a divided Liyue was like loose sand, easy to crush underfoot.
"But…"
His expression turned cold and ruthless.
"Now, the Liyue Qixing and the adepti barely acknowledge each other. Morax is gone. The cards on this table are not in your favor."
"Let me put it plainly."
His Cryo Delusion flared with light—his voice laced with menace.
Frost spread through the hall. The temperature plummeted.
"Even if we did declare war—so what?"
The mood turned instantly suffocating. The faces of the Liyue officials turned pale and furious. Their hands clenched. Their eyes blazed.
Signora and Tartaglia were visibly surprised by the sudden shift.
Frost crept along the ground and up the walls, encasing the entire diplomatic hall in an icy shell.
The Liyue side shivered from the cold and the oppressive pressure radiating from The Gambler.
Ningguang's voice trembled; her face had gone pale. She stared hard at The Gambler, struggling to maintain her composure.
He stood tall, calm, composed—his Cryo Delusion gleaming with a ruthless glow. In the frosty light, his figure seemed even more imposing and severe.
The air was thick with tension, a silence that threatened to snap at any moment.
Liyue's delegates clenched their fists, their gazes filled with resolve.
And The Gambler, towering above them all, displayed his power and presence like a monarch descending upon mortals.
…
"Adventurine, this really isn't like you today~"
Rosalyne lounged on the sofa, filing her nails with practiced grace.
Beside her lay Shajin.
After the unpleasant end to the Liyue-Fatui negotiations, the group had returned to the Northland Bank.
Shajin collapsed next to her, deep in thought.
"Right after Morax's 'death,' the top priority should've been to reach out to the adepti—to stabilize the situation. Liyue still holds the right to mint currency. It had every reason to maintain its legacy."
She rolled over, frustration boiling inside her.
"Morax was a god of war, the oldest surviving Archon—wielding unmatched might. And yet… they dared to point fingers at the crowd who came to pay their respects."
"Sure, the Qixing's ties with the adepti are strained, with only Ganyu maintaining a meager connection… but they should have prioritized the bigger picture."
Rosalyne blew gently on her nails, surprised by Shajin's words.
"You've grown rather fond of Liyue, haven't you?"
Shajin sat up and poured himself a glass of firewater. It burned on the way down—but cleared her head.
"I wouldn't say fond. I just don't want my friends to lose what they hold dear."
"After all… only those who've been soaked by the rain want to hold an umbrella for others~"
A quiet emotion stirred in Shajin's heart.
He remembered his past—the pain and losses he suffered.
He knew the agony of losing what one treasures.
And he would never let those around him face that same despair.
_
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