Genshin Impact: I Am a Slime

Before the wake of the Yermark was completely swallowed by the waves, the deathly silence on the deck of the Death Star was broken by Ningguang's steady voice.

Despite witnessing a mind-blowing reversal of time, countless questions churned in her mind, but Ningguang's face remained completely expressionless.

Seeing that Beidou's thick eyebrows were furrowed and his fists were clenched, about to step forward to question the two people on the ship, especially the guest elder of the Hall of Rebirth whose clothes were fluttering and who seemed to have nothing to do with the earth-shattering reversal just now, Ningguang quietly raised her hand and blocked Beidou's way.

"Beidou, please be patient."

Ningguang's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable commanding tone as she cast a disapproving glance at the other person.

Tianquanxing then turned to Zhongli and Famas, a businessman's composure and a polite smile on his face, as if the miracle he had just witnessed was just a mirage.

"Mr. Zhongli deserves the greatest credit for the fact that Liyue Harbor was spared from war and the Yermak was finally able to retreat."

"You personally braved danger as a messenger, and your mediation efforts have been greatly appreciated by the people of Liyue."

Ningguang's gaze then fell on the red-haired, red-eyed boy beside her, who looked like he was watching a show, and her tone was equally polite.

"Welcome aboard the Death Star, Your Excellency Famas. Your abilities are unfathomable, and tonight's events have truly broadened our horizons."

Beidou was stopped by Ningguang, and she swallowed the question that was about to come out. She followed Ningguang's gaze to Famas and then realized that the boy was the mysterious figure that the traveler had mentioned being left behind.

The sea dragon king gave Ningguang a deep look, his eyes filled with confusion, frustration, and a hint of suppressed anger. Finally, he exhaled heavily and turned his attention back to reality.

"Alright, Ningguang, this is the last time."

Beidou gave a low hum, no longer dwelling on it, and instead issued orders to the crew members on deck who were still reeling from the shock.

"What are you all standing there for? Don't let that old fox Pantalone's treasure go to waste! Put down all the movable boats, use all the hooks and nets, and retrieve everything of value and usability from the boats! Hurry up!"

Awakened by the familiar roar, the crew immediately sprang into action, launching their small boats, preparing their tools, and beginning a tense but orderly salvage operation of the antiques, silks, ores, and cargo boxes that had been dumped into the sea by the Fools' soldiers but had not yet completely sunk into the dark depths. The sea surface was instantly a scene of bustling activity.

Faced with Ningguang's high praise, Zhongli simply nodded slightly, his amber eyes calm as still water, his tone as serene as ever.

"Miss Ningguang, you flatter me. It's just my duty, nothing to brag about."

"It is fortunate that the two sides were able to stop fighting and avoid a catastrophe."

Ningguang's eyes flickered slightly; she naturally wouldn't let this opportunity to probe slip by.

She stepped forward, her smile still friendly, but her words seemed to casually probe the core of the matter.

“Mr. Zhongli, you are too modest. But after the earth-shattering scene on the Yermak just now, Pantalone so decisively withdrew its troops and ceased hostilities, even at the cost of losing all the treasures on board to the waves... I wonder what reason you gave to persuade him?”

"I am really curious about the details, and I hope you will kindly enlighten me."

Ningguang's gaze swept over Zhongli's gathered sleeves, as if trying to penetrate the fabric and glimpse the sapphire luster that might exist inside.

However, Zhongli simply shook his head slightly, his tone gentle yet as firm as a rock:

"It's nothing more than the spirit of contract, the idea that a promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Mr. Pantalone understands this principle well. Since he has made a promise, he should keep it."

"I merely gave Mr. Pantalone some worthless things; presumably, it was that persuasion that made him change his mind and return to the right path."

Grandpa Zhong's words were impeccable, subtly deflecting Ningguang's probing questions, as if the feat of reversing time was nothing more than an ordinary business negotiation.

Famas leaned against the ship's railing, watching with great interest the subtly witty exchange between Ningguang and Zhongli, without interrupting.

A night breeze swept by, leaving only the gentle lapping of the waves and the shouts of the crew echoing on the deck.

Upon seeing Famas appear, the Traveler and Paimon rushed over and quickly pulled the boy aside.

"Damn the guaranteed drop... no, FAMAS!"

"What exactly happened just now? Why did you and Zhongli let Pantalone escape? And that time reversal... was it real?"

Little Paimon launched into a barrage of questions, his eyes wide with disbelief. Famas, hearing this, proudly raised his chin and raised an eyebrow.

"How's it going? Are you scared?"

"When I was young, I was good at other things, even better than this."

The boy deliberately crossed his arms, clearly quite satisfied with his masterpiece, but he also avoided talking about why he let Pantalone go.

The traveler and Paimon were truly awestruck, and Paimon couldn't help but stomp his little feet excitedly in the air.

"Yeah! All those things just now, whoosh, they all went back to normal. So, you can control time?"

The moment Paimon uttered the words about controlling time, the pure smugness on Famas's face suddenly froze.

His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and his gaze briefly drifted into the distance, as if struck by a sudden thought or memory, revealing a hint of barely perceptible confusion.

But this strangeness was fleeting, so fast that it almost seemed like an illusion.

FAMAS immediately shifted his gaze nonchalantly to the Beidou crew members who were busily salvaging the sunken ship's valuables in the distance, cleverly changing the subject.

"Well, well... let's not talk about that now."

"Look, the matter has been resolved satisfactorily. After this trip, what are your thoughts, you two heroes?"

The traveler and Paimon's attention was indeed diverted, and they became engrossed in memories of the journey.

The traveler sighed softly, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"Although the matter was resolved, it feels like we weren't really that helpful at the last minute?"

Paimon, hands on his hips, nodded in agreement, deeply resonating with the sentiment.

"Exactly! It feels like I've become a spectator at a crucial moment!"

Seeing the slightly regretful expressions on their faces, Famas's eyes flashed with a mischievous glint. He drawled out his words, "Well, the matter is resolved, but you two seem to have forgotten something very important, don't you think?"

"important things?"

The traveler and Paimon spoke in unison, looking at Famas with blank expressions.

The boy's smile widened instantly, his tone filled with schadenfreude:

"You two are so busy reminding this and that, but don't forget that the sure-fire money-making Lantern Voucher you bought from the exchange hasn't been exchanged for Mora yet."

"Now that the big spender has run away, this lantern voucher is probably going to become a worthless piece of paper."

Famas's gloating words struck Paimon like a thunderbolt, leaving him frozen in mid-air.

Her big eyes blinked blankly for a moment, as if she were dealing with a complex formula that she couldn't understand.

Mora? Skylight tickets? Pantalone ran away?
The next second, her chaotic thoughts suddenly cleared, and a terrible fact crashed into her little head.

"what!!!"

A short, terrified scream escaped Paimon's throat. Her small body trembled violently as if struck by an invisible electric current. She instantly turned to the traveler, her hands gripping the girl's arms tightly. Her voice rose sharply with panic, tinged with a sob.

"Travelers! Our Mora! Our hard-earned money!"

The huge blow made Paimon sway dejectedly for a moment, and finally, like a deflated wind slime, it limply fell onto the traveler's shoulder.

"It's all over...it's all over. All the Mora we worked so hard to save...it's all gone down the drain..." (End of Chapter)