He changed Tiwat

“Liyue and Winter have always been locked in a power struggle, and there have been several conflicts before... I’ve always wondered why Clement, who has a background with the Fatui, was able to obtain an archaeological exploration permit from the General Affairs Department under such circumstances? And why was Clement on the ‘Pearl-Inlaid Boat’? Now it seems that it’s because the owner of the ‘Pearl-Inlaid Boat’ is standing behind him.”

“Yes. This descendant of the mortal king is one of the current Seven Stars of Liyue, Tianji Star, Rouran.” Zhongli confirmed Han Fulai’s idea.

Chapter 88 Zhongli's Trolley Problem

So it turns out that Tianji Star was indeed colluding with the Fools! Han Fulai's pupils contracted.

His trip to the "Pearl-Inlaid Boat" was originally just a probe, but he didn't expect to get very accurate information directly from Zhongli.

It was precisely because a high-ranking figure like Rouran opened doors for Clement that he was able to obtain the archaeological exploration permit from the General Affairs Department under these circumstances. The "Pearl-Inlaid Boat," with its strict rules, was precisely the kind of place suitable for keeping secrets. Clement, a spy from the Winter Kingdom, was able to board the "Pearl-Inlaid Boat," which operated on an invitation-only basis, also because of the patronage of the "Pearl-Inlaid Boat's" owner.

The scheme to circulate luminescent marrow and even the counterfeit circulation of Mora may have been orchestrated on the "Pearl-Inlaid Boat." It's likely that Clement was not the only member of the Fools' Clan aboard the "Pearl-Inlaid Boat."

Moreover, just as Han Fulai had feared, the emergence of a 7-star level mole means that various secrets of Liyue at this stage have likely been leaked to the Fatui. The secrets of the Golden House, the reserves of the Liyue National Bank, the reform plans of the Thousand Rock Army... the leakage of these classified information could pose significant security risks to Liyue.

In addition, according to Zhongli, Rouran has another hidden identity—the actual controller of Yinyuan Hall and the leader of the Salt God believers!

Rouran and his two close associates, the Seven Stars, already formed a substantial interest group. The industries these three stars were involved in—from military industry to agriculture and forestry, plus the salt industry under the jurisdiction of Yinyuan Hall—were all crucial to Liyue's national economy and people's livelihood. Any impact on any of these areas would cripple Liyue.

Furthermore, the luxury goods and entertainment industries under the Rouran's control are crucial links in the intricate network of relationships within Liyue's upper echelons. The "Pearl Pavilion" is a hub for dignitaries, wealthy merchants, and other prominent figures from various countries traveling to and from Liyue. The Fatui's collusion with the Rouran and their influence on the "Pearl Pavilion" could potentially extend to other nations, further complicating the situation.

This is a special time when the Emperor has retired and Liyue has lost its deity. If the Salt God's followers use Silver Plains as a base to promote Wanyan's beliefs, coupled with the righteous incitement of revenge against Morax, it is quite possible that a rebellion could be triggered.

If the Winter Kingdom's cooperation with the Rouran was precisely based on this strategy, and they were working with an internal traitor within the Seven Stars to launch their attack while the Liyue Thousand Rock Army's reforms were still incomplete, then Liyue would be facing both powerful external enemies and internal rebellion, making them utterly unable to cope!

The counterfeit Mora circulating in Liyue Harbor is just like a tactic that has appeared many times in the history of Chinese warfare. It is truly the prelude to the war that Winter is using to disrupt Liyue's economy!

The current situation is extremely urgent.

but……

Han Fulai looked at Zhongli.

Zhongli's expression remained calm. He seemed to be merely stating a casual remark about something so significant, without a trace of emotion.

Zhongli knew that Tianji Star was colluding with the Fools, yet he was still drinking and watching operas on Tianji Star's ship, and even had time to go to Guyun Pavilion and "Salt in the Earth" to do some "archaeology"? Shouldn't he have used a celestial movement to wipe out those traitors? Or did he really think that the retired old man shouldn't be involved in affairs anymore, and that telling him this news was enough?

Or... Zhongli has already made up his mind to fight for Liyue in the war, even if it means abandoning his plan to fake his death?

Han Fulai's mind raced, having considered all the possibilities, but his face remained as calm as Zhongli's.

Whatever the reason, Zhongli wasn't in a hurry, nor did he need to.

This is the Rock King, who has lived for over six thousand years. Whether in terms of martial prowess or wisdom, he is at the pinnacle of the Teyvat continent. If he can think of something, there's no reason why Zhongli wouldn't be able to.

If the leader isn't in a hurry, why should his secretary be? Let's wait for the leader's next instructions.

As if waiting for him to process the news, Zhongli spoke after a while: "The story of Herria has been told. Many years ago, Herria's story was also a warning to me. So I believe this story will also inspire you."

Han Fulai nodded silently.

"Now, answer my question."

Zhong Li's expression turned serious again. Han Fulai also looked solemn.

"My first question: If Tianji Star were to threaten Liyue, and you had the opportunity to kill it, would you take the chance?"

"Yes," Han Fulai replied immediately. He had already considered this answer beforehand.

Admittedly, the evidence that Tianji Star colluded with the Fools and harmed Liyue is not yet conclusive, but as long as conclusive evidence is obtained, or if Zhongli hands over the evidence to him, he will legally and compliantly send Tianji Star to the Dali Hall for trial.

However, if the situation is urgent and killing a Tianji Star can prevent a bloody war, then Han Fulai would not mind killing the Tianji Star himself.

When he discussed with Gan Yu about "borrowing Maocai Gong's head," it was tantamount to murder. The only difference was whether he did it himself.

Zhongli had given him hints repeatedly in Heureia's story, and he had asked himself similar questions several times.

Han Fulai has already made up his mind in this regard.

Zhongli nodded and continued, "My second question is, if the remnants of the Salt God in Yinyuan Hall were to rebel now, would you order their immediate suppression?"

Han Fulai paused for a moment before giving his answer: "Yes."

If the Salt God's descendants in Silver Plains were to rebel, it could escalate into a massive civil war or even a full-blown civil war, depending on the circumstances. The Liyue Asgardians would obviously not intervene, and Zhongli, having already signed a pact, would be unable to take action against them.

Therefore, only the Thousand Rock Army can suppress the rebellion. And the process of suppression will inevitably result in bloodshed and sacrifice.

In this situation, the faster and more ruthless the action, the lower the final damage will be.

In fact, this problem is similar to the "trolley problem" that Han Fulai had encountered in China before.

An out-of-control trolley is hurtling towards you, about to run over five innocent people tied to the tracks. You have a wrench in front of you. Pulling the wrench will change the trolley's track, killing one innocent person tied to another track, but saving the five people. Will you choose to pull the wrench?

Although there are countless witty answers, if asked to answer seriously, Han Fulai's choice would definitely be—to pull the wrench.

Five to one, kill one, save five. Mathematics is that simple.

Humans can lie, but mathematics cannot.

Even if it means bearing the moral condemnation of killing someone with one's own hands, it doesn't matter. Standing in the position of "successor of the emperor," one must be able to make decisions at crucial moments.

His contract with Gan Yu was clear: "To seek the greatest well-being for the majority of life in Liyue."

If the survival of the majority requires the sacrifice of a minority of lives, then he should do so.

Heureia, the "Salt Demon," made this choice, as did the "King of Mortals"—and Morax made the same choice back then.

"Then, the third question," Zhongli said in a deep voice, "if the target of the first question were replaced with Ningguang, would you still make the move?"

Han Fulai closed his eyes. He knew that Zhongli had wanted to ask him this question from the very beginning.

"meeting."

Chapter Eighty-Nine: I bestow upon you divine blood, and inform you of three things.

"Okay. Follow me."

Zhongli walked out of the temple with his hands behind his back.

Han Fulai glanced silently at the statue of "King of Mortals" and followed Zhong Li away.

Zhongli led him to the previous room, the one where two broken swords were enshrined.

The two broken blades on the knife rack remain silent; they have been waiting there for thousands of years, and it seems they will wait forever.

Until Zhongli picked up the two broken swords.

“This is what I wanted to give you after I broke the seal on this ruin,” Zhongli said.

Han Fulai looked at Zhongli with a puzzled expression: "Is there anything special about these two broken swords?"

"The sword is nothing special... but this broken sword is stained with Heureia's blood."

Zhongli ran his fingers over the salt stains on the broken sword, and the salt stains suddenly shone with a bright white light.

"There was a reason why those believers in the salt god were afraid of this sword back then. The blood on the sword was also the residue of the demon god."

Remnants of a demon god?

Zhongli said he would give him this sword, meaning he would bestow upon him the remnants of a demon god?

But what use would it be for him to obtain the remnants of the demon god on the sword?

Zhongli smiled and said, "Before I give you this, I have something else to say. You just answered three questions for me, so now I'll tell you three things. One is something I can tell you, one is something I shouldn't tell you, and one is something I absolutely cannot tell you."

"...Don't tell me things you can't tell me! Why are you making such a big deal out of it and keeping me in suspense!" Han Fulai thought to himself helplessly, but his face remained respectful.

"Mr. Zhongli, please speak."

"The first thing, and the thing I can tell you, is that the Demon God is not human."

"I know you habitually treat me and all immortals as humans; you just see us as slightly more powerful beings. This is convenient in everyday interactions, but you must remember: I am a demon god, and you are human. The humanoid creature before you named Zhongli is one of my avatars. I can have many names and many avatars, including non-humanoid ones, understand?"

“…I understand.” Han Fulai nodded somewhat hesitantly.

Although he knew Zhongli was telling the truth, it still felt strange that Zhongli himself emphasized that he wasn't human. Besides, he already knew this all along; there was no need for Zhongli to emphasize it to him, was there?

As if seeing through Han Fulai's doubts, Zhongli gently shook his head and said, "You don't really understand. The reason I told you this is that I hope you know that I am different from you. As a demon god, my rules of conduct are different from those of humans. You may never be able to imitate my 'Immovable Mystic Stone Appearance'. I asked you those three questions to see your beliefs, but not to force you to be heartless."

Han Fulai opened his eyes wide.

Zhongli smiled gently. “You are human, how can you be so heartless? Even I would suffer ‘wear and tear’ if I killed an old friend… Since I have entrusted this matter to you, you may act in your own way.”

"As the 'successor of the Emperor,' you only have two things to consider. First, whether this should be done. Second, whether this can be done. I don't want you to become the next Heuria, but I also don't want you to become the next me, understand?"

This is Zhongli telling him that from now on, he should trust his own judgment.

Han Fulai looked directly into Zhongli's golden eyes and solemnly promised, "I will not fail the Emperor's trust."

Zhongli nodded. "Then, the second thing is something I shouldn't tell you. For you, this should be a 'surprise'—you possess some kind of power."

"I possess...power? The power of the Demon God!?"

Han Fulai gaped wide open, completely losing his composure; he felt as if his jaw was about to drop.

Whether he was more surprised or delighted at that moment is self-evident.

“Yes, it’s the power of the Demon God.” Zhongli affirmed earnestly.

"Power is the authority that every demon god is born with, and it is also the manifestation of a certain law. For me, my essence at the time of my birth is that of a 'god of contracts'. In order to fulfill the contracts, I can either help you or kill you, it all depends on the rules of the contracts."

"As you know, people have many names for me—the God of Rocks, the God of Wealth, the God of Commerce, the God of Contracts, the God of History, the God of Precious Metals... and the God of Hearthfire. These all symbolize my power. The power of a god is not singular. It's just that the changes and transfers of power are affected by external factors, and many divine titles are actually later additions."

"Power can actually be inherited and bestowed. Just like the transfer of immortal power, if the demon god who possesses the power is willing to accept the price of losing the power, he can transfer the power to others. Most of the powers I possess outside of the contract were bestowed by old friends."

Zhongli narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze shining brightly.

"But...but I'm not a demon god! I'm human...right?" Han Fulai was even a little unsure himself by the end—he remembered the time he communicated with the earth's veins when he fought the remnants of the sea god at the bottom of the sea, and it seemed that humans couldn't do what he did...not only humans, but even immortals probably couldn't do it.

“You are human.” Zhongli gave him a direct conclusion.

"Then... then why do I have powers? And what are my powers?" Han Fulai quickly asked.

He felt like a penniless office worker who had spent half his life struggling to make ends meet, only to suddenly hear that a distant relative with billions in assets had died, leaving all his wealth to him in a bank account before passing away. And now, all he was missing from becoming a billionaire was the bank card PIN.

“I don’t know. You’re not from Teyvat. I think it might be related to your origins,” Zhongli gave a rather vague answer.

"In short, you seem to be able to resonate with the earth's veins very easily, which is often the authority and power that only demon gods possess. Perhaps this is what Gu Hua referred to as 'entering the Dao through literature'. Reaching this level means being able to draw upon the power of the earth's veins. You'll have to explore the specifics yourself."

"'Entering the Dao through literature, the world understands the source'..." Han Fulai recalled what Zhongli had told him before, "Thank you for informing me, Mr. Zhongli."

“Then there’s… the third thing.” Zhongli lowered his voice, as if afraid someone would hear him.

"Because it's something I can't tell you, I won't say it."

“But Mr. Zhongli can tell other stories, right?” Han Fulai recalled their conversation at the Yanshang Tea House.

“Yes, but even if you understand something, you can’t say it.” Zhongli’s voice was serious. “Even if it’s true, you can’t say it. Unless… you possess power stronger than mine.”

Chapter Ninety: The Thinking Areas of the Seven Rulers in the Mortal World [4k]

“I have a friend who has lived a very, very long time and knows many stories that have been forgotten and discarded. What I am about to tell you is a story he told me, a completely fictional story.”

Zhongli began his narration.

Han Fulai obediently kept his mouth shut and listened attentively, without asking, "Is the friend you're talking about yourself?"

"In a fictional world, the earth was a state of chaos, from which seven ancient kings were born. They were once the pinnacle of the world. They were powerful monarchs, and their subjects were dragons who believed in the survival of the fittest. They decreed that power was divided into seven types, time into seven days, and all things were ordered according to the number seven."

Han Fulai recalled that Bai Shu had talked to him about the origin of Ba Che, and had mentioned a hypothesis that Ba Che evolved from a dragon lizard.

Based on the fragmented background information he had previously gleaned from the game, Zhongli was likely referring to the Seven Great Dragon Kings. The Seven Great Dragon Kings are the native gods of Teyvat, whose power established the rules governing the seven elemental forces on the continent. Their subjects are dragon lizards and various magical beasts evolved from them.

"In this fictional world, no humans existed until one day, a great prime minister came into this world. The prime minister and her four advisors joined forces to defeat the seven powerful kings. The seven kings bowed to the prime minister and retreated into the earth and the sea with their subjects. The prime minister then began to establish a reliable government to protect her people who were about to arrive."

Why don't you say Pangu created the world and Nuwa created clay figures... Han Fulai silently complained in his heart.

Of course, he understood what Zhongli was talking about; he was referring to the arrival of "Heavenly Principles," the beginning of human history in Teyvat.

"The Prime Minister calmed the chaos of the earth, making the flow of elements gentle, so that it would be suitable for the survival of her people. She began to build an eternal paradise for her people, she sowed a seed, and waited for the seed to grow into a towering tree. The roots of the tree penetrated into every inch of the earth, representing the Prime Minister's will to protect this eternal paradise."

"When the giant tree grew to maturity, the Prime Minister's people came to this paradise. The giant tree became the Prime Minister's eyes and ears, watching over the growth of his people. Everything about the people would be gently embraced by the giant tree: resources, knowledge, memories, souls... The giant tree could contain everything. There was no danger, no disaster in that world, everything was beautiful."

This world seems to be extremely rich in material things, and people living in it are free from illness and disaster, truly a paradise... but something is a little strange.

After all, how can memories and souls be contained in trees?

Han Fulai stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment, then suddenly remembered the omnipresent ley lines on the continent of Teyvat. If the ley lines were likened to the roots of the World Tree… then the so-called "watching" referred to the Heavenly Principle monitoring everything in Teyvat through the ley lines?

No wonder Zhongli said there are some things that cannot be said, because saying them will leave a record in the earth's veins? And Tianli can see these records through the earth's veins?

According to what Zhongli said at the Yanshang Tea House before, Tianli is now in a deep sleep for some reason, so Zhongli can tell him some stories in a roundabout way.

Because their conversations would leave a record in the ley lines, Zhongli's way of avoiding this was similar to renaming a "folder that can't be seen by parents" to "study materials" in order to prevent Tianli from seeing these conversations after he awakened.

However, even after transmigrating to another world, browsing history on the Earth Vein Network is still censored... Before transmigrating, writing anything would be checked by the censors, and after transmigrating, chatting is checked by the Heavenly Law. It's quite sad to think about...

Han Fulai sighed softly.