Genshin Impact: I Am a Slime

Golden light flowed backward like sand, and countless dazzling particles gathered and solidified on the deck of the Yermak.

The moment Zhongli appeared, before the fluttering of his robes had even subsided, the Fool's soldiers, who had been on guard for a long time, instantly surrounded him like hunting dogs that had smelled blood.

The cold weapons and gun barrels gleamed with a chilling light, all pointing at the composed figure in the center, and the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder ready to explode.

But Zhongli, surrounded by a large group of people, remained calm and composed, like an ancient pool.

He didn't even spare a glance for the Fools soldiers so close at hand; his deep gaze pierced through the crowd like a sharp arrow, landing directly on the two men standing by the railing on the high deck of the ship.

Pantalone and Famas.

Faced with this near-miraculous event, Pantalone showed no surprise whatsoever.

The owner of the Northern Bank had a half-smile playing on his lips, his eyes as calm as if he were watching a predictable drama unfold.

However, Famas, who was standing next to him, reacted quite differently.

He merely tilted his head slightly, his neck arched at an angle imbued with primal wildness and divine indifference, his crimson, lava-like eyes sweeping over Zhongli's entire body with interest, as if assessing an ancient remnant that had been lost and then recovered.

A hint of amusement mingled in his eyes, along with a natural sensitivity to beings of equal rank hidden deep within his bloodline, silently sending out a greeting that transcended the boundaries between demons and gods.

Zhongli stood calmly in place, his body as stable as a rock.

He calmly met the scorching gaze from the demon god, while not ignoring Pantalone's profound eyes.

In the heart of the ship, surrounded by formidable enemies, Zhongli's composure remained as steadfast as a mountain, as if the deck beneath his feet was not that of an enemy ship, but rather the Liyue land he had protected for millennia.

The moment Zhongli's figure materialized on the deck, Pantalone's gaze was drawn to him like a magnet, never wavering for a moment.

The big banker raised his hand, a simple, almost casual gesture, and the Fools soldiers, who had been on high alert and gripping their guns tightly, immediately retreated silently like a tide, re-lining up at the edge of the deck, clearing a tense and imposing space.

Pantalone strode forward, the sound of his leather shoes on the deck particularly clear in the stillness of the night, accompanied only by the faint sound of the waves.

He walked straight up to Zhongli, and the two were so close that they could feel each other's breath.

The owner of the Northern Bank maintained a businessman's composure, as if he were simply welcoming an important business partner.

But deep within his eyes swirled a completely different, almost scorching light that seemed to pierce through the surface.

It is the fanatical obsession of a believer seeing a divine idol, the greedy possessiveness of a collector finally seeing a rare treasure, and the ultimate excitement of a chess player finally waiting for the strongest opponent to make a move.

He forcibly suppressed this fervor beneath his polite exterior, yet it leaked out from every subtle focus of his gaze, like volcanic lava about to erupt.

Compared to this scorching gaze that almost materialized, Zhongli's reaction was like a frozen lake.

The guest gentleman's handsome face remained completely calm, his expression as serene as a still pond in early winter.

He nodded slightly, his demeanor composed, as if the person before him was not a fanatical and powerful executive officer, but merely an ordinary person he was meeting for the first time.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Pantalone. My name is Zhongli. I am a free spirit who has been entrusted by Tianquan Star to deal with the troubles here."

Zhong Li paused, his amber eyes meeting the other's burning, strangely intense gaze. His tone was so calm it was almost a statement of fact. "Things have come to this point; continuing the fight will only increase casualties."

"I have come here to ask you and your men to lay down your weapons and stop this unnecessary conflict."

As Zhongli finished speaking, a slight crack finally appeared on Pantalone's businessman-like calm mask.

His pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, but his gaze remained fixed on Zhongli's amber eyes, which held the immeasurable power of time and the majesty of rock.

In those bright yet cold eyes, Pantalone clearly saw her own distorted reflection.

The god who had never seen or looked at him before now had eyes that were full of him.

Gazing at the reflection, Pantalone's lips first tightened stiffly, then, as if freed from some kind of restraint, suddenly parted upwards in an almost distorted arc.

He let out a very short, neurotic laugh, his head and neck tilted at an odd angle, as if his neck could not bear the weight of some kind of ecstasy.

"So that's how it is... Mr. Zhongli, are you truly fulfilling your duty as a person entrusted with this task?"

"Or are you yourself eager to bring this grand event to a close?"

Pantalone asked in a deliberately light and understated tone, yet each word carried the sharp probing edge of an icicle.

A cold wind whipped up dampness on the deck, and time seemed to stand still.

Zhongli remained silent, but that silence was not one of hesitation; it was more as if he were measuring the distance to an abyss, or listening to the echoes from the distant past carried on the wind. This silence lasted for a long time before it was finally broken.

"Miss Ningguang begs me to end this futile struggle, but it is also my wish to avoid futile casualties."

Zhong Li spoke, his voice still steady, but with an indescribable weight, like an underground river surging beneath a rock.

His gaze, like the calm moonlight, slowly swept over the Fools soldiers around him, who gripped their weapons tightly and wore masks.

That gaze seemed to pierce through the cold metal and leather, directly touching the weariness, fear, and faint longing for home that belonged to each and every ordinary person.

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Pantalone finally laughed out loud, but it wasn't a joyful laugh; it was more like a suppressed outburst seeping from between his clenched teeth, carrying a morbid excitement.

A moment later, Pantalone stopped laughing, his face still flushed with excitement, but his eyes were even more intense and piercing, like a greedy prospector who had discovered a rare mineral vein.

"Have you finally seen it, Mr. Zhongli? Have you seen the masterpiece created by my hands?"

The banker slightly raised his ring-covered finger, as if displaying an invisible work of art.

"Look at this game of chess, look at the turmoil that has been stirred up. Even the high and mighty Tianquan Ningguang, whose strategies and power she is so proud of, is now helpless like a trapped beast."
"Tell me, has she run out of options and had to ask you to intervene personally?"

Pantalone's final question was filled with sarcasm towards Ningguang and an urgent desire to prove that his talents were recognized by the gods. (End of Chapter)