Chapter 3: Chapter 3: How Could We Ever Fathom the Archon’s Thoughts?
"Rex Lapis falling? That's impossible!"
Keqing was completely opposed to the idea. As someone deeply respectful of the Archon, despite advocating for human governance, she couldn't bear the thought of Rex Lapis falling. The idea was unbearable to her.
"Of course, it's impossible. Rex Lapis is the most powerful War God in all of Teyvat, the strongest among the Seven. Even if the other gods joined forces, they wouldn't be able to bring him down."
"Then why did you say Rex Lapis would fall?"
"Because Rex Lapis won't truly fall, but he can 'fall.'"
Li Yue tapped the table and glanced at Zhongli.
"You understand what I mean, right, Zhongli?"
"I don't understand."
"No! You do understand! It's just us here, no need to hide anything. With your intellect, you definitely get my meaning!"
"Alright," Zhongli said with a slightly stiff nod. "What Li Yue is suggesting is that Rex Lapis will fake his death."
"Fake his death?" Keqing was astonished.
"Exactly! Rex Lapis has protected Liyue for thousands of years. He's always willing to try anything that's good for Liyue's future. That's why Liyue has remained prosperous for so long. The human governance you've proposed is one such possibility, and he would surely consider it. As I've said, for Liyue to move toward human governance, the influence of Rex Lapis must be removed, and the only way to do that is for him to 'die.' So, just like Zhongli said, Rex Lapis will choose to fake his death!"
Li Yue spoke confidently, even with Zhongli right in front of him.
"And the most effective way to spread the news of his death would be for him to 'die' publicly during the Rite of Descension. Imagine—he could fall from the sky and crash right in front of everyone. There's no way to make a bigger impact or be more convincing than that!"
"With this, the entire world of Teyvat will know that Rex Lapis has fallen, and Liyue will have no choice but to enter an era of human governance. His influence will be weakened, and you, Keqing, as the first person to advocate for human governance, will be able to take center stage and fully realize your vision!"
"Meanwhile, Rex Lapis will remain hidden, still protecting Liyue in secret. Because more than anyone, Rex Lapis understands that in Teyvat, a nation without a god is nearly impossible to sustain. Gods are the strongest force in every country, and even the weakest god is far beyond the reach of humans. While there may not be any open wars between the Seven Nations right now, there's a big difference between having a sword but choosing not to use it, and not having one at all."
Li Yue finished speaking and looked at Zhongli again.
"You understand what I mean, right, Zhongli?"
Hearing the same question again, Zhongli couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine, but he still nodded stiffly.
"Li Yue's suggestion is... quite possible."
Although there were minor differences in detail from his own retirement plan, the core concept was strikingly similar. This young man—had he already discovered Zhongli's true identity? No, no, that couldn't be it. Zhongli was confident that he had hidden his identity well, and he had tested Li Yue too. He was just an ordinary person, without any power, not even as strong as the dock workers in Liyue Harbor. There was no way he knew the truth or had such a detailed understanding of his plan.
The only explanation was that Li Yue was exactly as he claimed—he simply understood Rex Lapis extremely well, enough to guess what Rex Lapis would do.
Zhongli's gaze towards Li Yue grew more complicated.
"I... I don't believe it!" Keqing exclaimed. It was one thing for Li Yue to say this, but for the highly knowledgeable Zhongli to agree with him? This shook her deeply.
"Huh?" Li Yue made a sound of disbelief.
"Keqing, haven't you always wanted human governance? Rex Lapis is willing to fake his own death just to give you the chance to learn from your mistakes. Why are you hesitating now?"
"It's not that I'm unwilling. Of course, I want Liyue to try human governance. I just don't believe in the possibility you've described. Rex Lapis faking his death? That's just too outrageous. Even if he wanted to give me the opportunity, he doesn't need to go to such extremes."
Keqing shook her head, her twin purple ponytails swaying as she did.
"You say that Rex Lapis admires and respects me, and I'm honored to hear that. But I can't believe he would go this far."
"But Rex Lapis has no other choice!" Li Yue stressed.
"Liyue has been under his protection for thousands of years. His influence is so deeply ingrained that as long as he remains in power, Liyue will never be free of his shadow. Human governance will be impossible. The only way is for him to step back and relinquish his power, so Liyue can enter the era of human rule."
"I only want human governance. There's no need for Rex Lapis to make such a huge sacrifice for my sake."
Ah, here we go again—Keqing, the twisted Rex Lapis fanatic. She wants human governance but can't bear to part with the Archon.
"You don't need to be too concerned. To Rex Lapis, you're a rare and valuable talent. If you feel his sacrifice is too great, then start thinking now about how you can live up to his trust. Focus on realizing your vision for human governance and do it well!"
After saying this, Li Yue turned to Zhongli once more.
"You understand what I mean, right, Zhongli?"
Zhongli, feeling resigned, nodded again. He couldn't shake the feeling that Li Yue was subtly hinting at something.
"From a rational standpoint, it's indeed more important to focus on doing one's own work well."
"I understand now." Keqing stood up.
"Though I still don't believe Rex Lapis would do something like that, as you said, Li Yue, I should focus on doing my own work better. I haven't been performing at my best, and I need to work harder!"
"Mr. Zhongli, Li Yue, I'll take my leave now. I have work to do tonight!"
With that, Keqing turned and left swiftly.
As he watched her leave, Li Yue picked up his tea and took a sip. "That's Keqing for you—quick to act."
"Yuheng's dedication and responsibility are truly Liyue's good fortune," Zhongli commented. He was very pleased with Keqing's work ethic and sense of duty.
"Exactly! I barely said anything, and she got all fired up. She's so straightforward and easy to motivate."
Huh?
Zhongli, who had been about to nod in agreement, suddenly froze.
"Young friend, you—?"
Li Yue spread his hands. "Come on, Zhongli, you know how serious Yuheng is. I'm just a storyteller, but she thinks I'm some kind of scholar. She keeps pestering me with questions about dealing with the adepti! I don't know a thing about that!"
"So, I just gave her something to focus on so she'd stop bothering me. Now she's all fired up and busy with her work."
"So, the part about Rex Lapis faking his death?"
"Of course I made that up! It's just a story, and even if I got it wrong, it doesn't matter. Like I said, I guess Rex Lapis might do something like that. If he does, then I guessed right! If not, well, 'How could we ever fathom the Archon's thoughts?' Either way, I can't be wrong!"
Li Yue's carefree attitude left Zhongli speechless.
"Aren't you afraid Rex Lapis will find out you've been talking about him like this?"
"And what if he does? What's he going to do, come find me personally?"
"And if he does come to you?"
Zhongli looked at Li Yue curiously. Could it be that this young man had some hidden power?
Li Yue grinned slyly. "If he shows up, I'll get down on my knees and beg for mercy!"
Zhongli: ....
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