He changed Tiwat

If this problem can be solved, it could directly bring about a revolution in Teyvat architectural history—not only will Liyue have sturdy concrete dams, but even Fontaine, the hometown of the two scientists, which is prone to flooding, will also benefit.

Han Fulai already had a ready-made chemical composition table of concrete in his mind, and with the help of the two scientists, all he needed to do was to find a formula suitable for Liyue's conditions. When it comes to conducting experiments, these two are professionals.

Of course, it wouldn't be impossible to entrust the formula to the immortals of the Liyue Academy of Arts, but after consideration, Han Fulai decided to entrust the matter to the two Fengdan experts.

On the one hand, he intended to recruit these two experts, and on the other hand, he was also seeking opportunities for cooperation with the Fontainebleau Academy of Sciences.

Fontaine possesses various advanced mechanical industrial technologies, and Liyue's path to industrialization is inseparable from the technology of this pioneering nation. The prospects for cooperation between the two countries are quite broad.

For example, Fontainebleau already has a fairly advanced steelmaking technology, and the people of Fontainebleau are very proud of the towers, bridges, and ships they have built with steel.

If the steel bars from Fontaine could be combined with the concrete from Liyue, a true weapon of modern civilization, "reinforced concrete," could be obtained—Teyvat might soon have a modern version of reinforced concrete buildings.

Patrick is, after all, a researcher at the Fontaine Academy of Sciences. Asking him to persuade the academy's higher-ups to send people to Liyue for inspection and exchange under the guise of technical exchange would make it easier to discuss cooperation—what if he could negotiate 156 engineering assistance projects for Liyue?

Galcia and Patrick were both very enthusiastic about this kind of work, which would not only benefit the country and its people but also leave them with a place in history. They were working overtime voluntarily, and their current work schedule was on par with Gan Yu's ascetic lifestyle... to the point that Han Fulai had to tell Lu Tong to keep an eye on them while they ate and slept, lest they die from overwork...

As he was discussing with two experts which of the various clays from Liyue was best suited for making cement, Lu Tong entered the tent to report: "Mr. Han, someone is looking for you outside the camp."

“Tell them I’m really busy right now and I can’t give interviews…” Han Fulai shook his head in annoyance. Fame brings this kind of trouble.

Since the victory against the floods in Guiliyuan, several groups of reporters have been asking to see him every day. His mobilization speech before the floods was widely circulated in Liyue Harbor, and the story of him inviting a hermit to dispel the rain clouds has also spread. The name "Han Shenjun" has also spread with the return of the Thousand Rock Army to Liyue Harbor after the floods.

The article "This Government Did Not Divert Floods," written by Shiyun, sold out immediately upon publication. The third-rate gossip magazine she worked for, *Liyue Weekend*, saw its monthly sales rival the combined sales of all the major newspapers in Liyue, leaving the owner of Boyi raking in the cash. Shiyun thus became a renowned writer and even received an invitation from *Steambird News*, the world's largest newspaper.

This has led to all the major newspapers in Liyue issuing strict orders to their reporters: they are not allowed to return home without obtaining an exclusive interview with Deputy Minister Han. Jing Cheng and his team are now patrolling outside the camp in three shifts to prevent reporters from breaking in, and a group of reporters have already set up tents at the camp gate to wait for him to come out...

Seeing his impatience, Lu Tong hesitated slightly, "This person doesn't seem to be a reporter..."

"How do you know he's not a reporter? Reporters don't have 'reporter' written on their faces." Han Fulai shook his head again.

Several reporters had previously claimed to be his classmates who had borrowed his homework, his childhood friends who had grown up together, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, etc., and successfully fooled Qian Yanjun, who was guarding the gate, and sneaked in. As soon as they saw him, they pulled out a camera from their crotch and started taking pictures of him.

Lu Tong hesitated, "But the reporter wouldn't pretend to be someone from 'Wang Sheng Tang,' would he?... He said he was a guest elder of Wang Sheng Tang named Zhong Li, and earnestly requested that you take the time to meet him..."

Before he could finish speaking, Han Fulai jumped up from his chair, running at a speed that was unprecedented in Lu Tong's life.

Han Fulai ran around gritting his teeth—it's time for Ningguang to enact a "Press Law" for Liyue! These reporters are a disgrace! Zhongli, the mighty Geo King, was made to stand outside the door as punishment by me!

He and Zhongli had not seen each other for more than two months since the "Salt in the Earth" incident.

Zhongli once told him a profound "fictional story" in the ruins, and Zhongli's last words at that time were—

"Let's leave the sequel to that fictional story for when we meet again. That is, if... you can win."

He won, so Zhongli came to see him.

Han Fulai welcomed Zhong Li into his temporary office in the camp, feeling rather strange.

Because this old man, who never even carries a wallet when he goes out, didn't come empty-handed this time.

On the table sits a long, rectangular jade box that looks quite valuable; it would probably fetch an astronomical price in a celebrity's studio. This is the gift Zhongli brought today.

Han Fulai almost wanted to retort, "You came, so what did you bring?"

Moreover, given Zhongli's style, he never takes gifts for free.

The mess in Guiliyuan isn't even finished yet... Is there some more trouble going to happen to me?

Han Fulai felt utterly overwhelmed.

Seeing the strange look on his face, Zhongli smiled and said, "Don't misunderstand, this isn't for you."

He opened the jade box.

Inside the box is a ceremonial sword, exquisitely crafted from pure jade.

"This is... Rocky Green!" Han Fulai recognized the sword.

One of the five "Guardian Weapons" handcrafted by the Rock King, it is a highly versatile artifact that is beloved by players even in the game, and can be considered the most valuable weapon.

There are also stories about this divine weapon circulating in Liyue. Among the many artifacts forged by the Geo Archon, the name Rock Crystal is the most widely known.

When Liyue was first established, the Emperor once walked the land wielding a sword carved from jade, and the ancient people of Liyue left behind many records about this precious sword.

In northwestern Liyue, there is a farm known for its tea production called Chiao Ying Estate, and further northwest of Chiao Ying Estate is a valley called Sinking Jade Valley that borders Fontaine.

Patrick and Galcha came to Liyue from Fontainebleau, starting from Fontainebleau Harbor, passing through Jade Valley and Ching Ying Manor, and finally entering Liyue via Stone Gate through Lightbringer.

And this green rock is related to the Jade Valley.

The name "Chenyu Valley" contains the literal meaning of "Chenyu" (沉玉). Many jade pendants are found in the section of the Bishui River that flows through Chenyu Valley. It is said that these were ritual objects carved by the ancestors of Chenyu Valley, and they would be thrown into the water as offerings to the gods on auspicious occasions.

According to the elders of Qiaoying Village, the ancestors of Chenyu Valley migrated from a southern sinkhole. They brought with them a magnificent jade altar, leaving behind ancient ruins that no one can decipher...

When the fierce war between the demon gods arrived, the ancestors of Shenyu Valley had declined into countless tribes. Their descendants once worshipped a forgotten demon god, but were eventually forgotten by history.

It is said that this jade-green rock was carved by the Emperor as a precious gift to the God of Chenyu Valley.

The jade, named "Jie Lü," was carved and shaped for the purpose of peace and luxury.

However, in the war between demons and gods, wine vessels were overflowing with blood, warmth was torn apart by cold desires, and gifts that could not be given became sharp blades used to cut down old friends.

Despite the relentless wear and tear of time, the blood-stained emerald blade remains as gleaming as ever, even to this day.

Zhongli picked up the emerald green hilt of the sword and gently swung it, a sigh seemingly escaping through the wind.

"So you recognize it. This sword was made from the precious jade 'Jie Lü' that I took from Chenyu Valley. It originally came from the sky and was cleansed by the ever-flowing blue water, so it possesses the soul and tenderness of the blue water and can wash away all impurities. Therefore, it has another name, called 'The Immaculate Heart that Protects the Nation'."

"Its previous owner was Xiao's cousin, the Fire Rat General Yingda. After Yingda left, he left only this sword... So I put it away and waited for it to find a suitable owner."

"I heard that Yuhengxing's beloved sword 'Dragon's Roar in the Box' has been broken, so I brought this sword as a gift. People say, 'The lofty are easily broken, and the pure are easily stained,' and those who are highbrow are always few in number... But I wish Yuhengxing to be like this sword, lofty and pure, with extraordinary thoughts and unique actions—please ask my young friend Han to pass it on to me."

Han Fulai nodded and solemnly put away the Rock-Green Sword.

He knew that this sword was not only a divine weapon, but also a ceremonial object.

The Emperor bestowed the "Shangfang Sword" upon Yuheng Star—this signifies Zhongli's recognition of Keqing, and from then on, Yuheng Star's grand blueprint had the legal support of the Rock King Emperor.

If the Rock King Emperor hadn't already "died" and it wasn't appropriate to reveal his identity, Zhongli would probably have publicly bestowed this divine weapon upon Keqing in the Emperor's name.

"Please rest assured, Mr. Zhongli. To borrow a line from Mr. Yun's song: 'A high-quality song may still be appreciated, for there will always be kindred spirits and beautiful lyrics.' As long as we are doing work that benefits the people of Liyue, more and more people will come to understand us."

Zhongli nodded and smiled: "That's excellent."

He paused briefly, then said, "Last time I told you that I would tell you the sequel to that story when we met this time, and now you are qualified to hear it."

Han Fulai's expression hardened; he knew the main event was about to begin, and he sat up straight.

But Zhongli revealed a sly smile: "However, a wonderful story needs a suitable storyteller, and there is someone more suitable than me to tell you this story."

Is there anyone more suited to tell stories than you, the oldest demon god of the Teyvat continent? Han Fulai was somewhat stunned, wondering why Zhongli had suddenly become mysterious.

Zhongli looked up and murmured leisurely: "The wind brings the seeds of stories, and time makes them sprout. The wind brings new stories, and time makes them myths."

"The best person to tell this story is a Mondstadt bard named Wendy. He loves to drink and frequents a tavern in Mondstadt called 'Angel's Gift.' If you buy him a drink, he'll be happy to tell you the story."

“…The God of Wind.” Han Fulai understood.

The original seven rulers of the Mortal World have been replaced, with only these two remaining. Zhongli and Wendy probably already have a tacit understanding.

Well, speaking of which, both of them are riddle people who never speak human language... Wendy is indeed very suitable for storytelling.

As Han Fulai was pondering this, he heard Zhongli say, "June is the time for Mondstadt's traditional 'Badminton Festival.' It is said that when Mondstadt was just a small village before it was built, the wind god Barbatos threw feathers of birds symbolizing freedom onto the land. The place where the feathers were thrown became the later city of Mondstadt."

"Since then, the people of Mondstadt have commemorated the blessing bestowed by the wind god at this time of year, which has gradually evolved into the grand festival of 'Badminton Festival'. In mid-June, Mondstadt will host 15 days of feasts and wine, poetry and music, flowers and festivals - the whole town will be immersed in a free and fun atmosphere."

"You've worked hard these past few days. How about taking a vacation, experiencing the festive atmosphere of a foreign country, and going to Mondstadt for a trip?"

Does Zhongli mean... he wants me to go to Mondstadt on a business trip under the guise of tourism? So, this so-called vacation actually means going to Mondstadt in a private capacity, not in an "official capacity"?

Oh, thinking about it that way, Venti was also hiding his identity and posing as a bard. As a highly sought-after figure in Liyue, it's easy for him to travel all the way to Mondstadt to find an unknown bard, which could easily arouse suspicion from those with ulterior motives.

Hmm, it'll be June in a couple of days, time is pretty tight... Hmm, I wonder if Ah He will be able to come along?

As he was making his plans, Zhongli added, "By the way, I suggest you go alone."

"Huh...why?" Han Fulai was taken aback.

Zhong Li smiled and said, "That way, no one will try to take the shuttlecock from you."

It wasn't until a month later that Han Fulai understood the meaning behind Zhongli's smile—on the last night of the festival, the princess would throw a shuttlecock, symbolizing Barbatos's blessing, into the crowd, and whoever caught it would receive a generous prize.

Zhongli is the "ancestor of all immortals," the kind who can tell fortunes.

Chapter 426 is about Condensed Light [6k]

Han Fulai naturally had to take the order to go on a business trip, given personally given by the Rock King, and immediately began preparations to go to Mondstadt to find the Wind God.

According to Zhongli, besides going to the Wind God to "listen to stories," it seems that he also hopes that Zhongli will attend the Mondstadt "Badminton Festival" in late June.

Like Zhongli, Venti is usually elusive, and there's a saying among players: "You can see Barbatos anywhere except Mondstadt."

To prevent the drunkard from running away and becoming unreachable, Han Fulai needed to allow enough time in advance, so he planned to set off in early June.

There are three routes from Liyue to Mondstadt.

One option is to sail from Liyue Harbor to Jingfu Harbor, the northernmost point of Mondstadt, and then cross the Windrise Mountains from Jingfu Harbor to Mondstadt.

The second route is to climb from Mingyun Town to Longji Snow Mountain, cross mountains and valleys to Fengxiao Mountain Slope, and then cross Dadaupa Valley to reach Mondstadt.

The third option is to take the merchant route, starting from the Stone Gate north of Wangshu Inn, heading out of Liyue to the Azurewind Highlands, then passing through Dawn Winery and Springvale to Mondstadt.

If the wind is favorable at sea, the journey should be the shortest, but sea travel is inherently risky, with issues like storms, pirates, and monsters. In comparison, land travel is more controllable and safer.

Han Fulai naturally wouldn't consider climbing Dragonspine Mountain. He wasn't an adventurer, and there was no need to create difficulties for himself and then face them head-on—he vividly remembered that before his transmigration, as a clueless newbie in the game, he had crossed the snow-capped mountains to Liyue in the same way…

The safest route, Shimen, has become quite difficult to traverse due to the flooding of the Bishui River. The path from Guiliyuan to Shimen is still submerged, and many merchants have been stranded at Wangshu Inn for a long time, waiting for the water level to recede.

So it seems that he can only choose to take the sea route by boat among these three routes—but Han Fulai actually has a fourth route... he has "Yaksha Logistics".

Although it wouldn't be convenient for Xiao to take him directly to Mondstadt across the border, it would be easy to send him through a stone gate to the Azurewind Highlands.

The reinforcement of the original dike and the transformation of the saline-alkali land were not tasks that could be accomplished overnight. As long as he finalized the plan, the two experts from Fontainebleau could simply follow it. Whether he was there to oversee things or not made little difference.

Keqing, the Jade Balance Star, is best suited to be a "supervisor"—these two experts will probably soon be able to answer "what is it like to work alongside the Liyue Archon?"

Looking at these two experts who were still working hard and voluntarily working overtime to study concrete, Han Fulai silently mourned for them in his heart.

Over the next two days, he gave the Rocky Green to Ke Qing, conveyed the Emperor's blessings to her, arranged affairs on Guili Plain, and asked Ke Qing for a vacation.

When Keqing heard that he was going to Mondstadt for at least a month, she slammed her hand on the table: "No way! It doesn't take that long to talk to someone! At most, it'll be half a month!"

Although Ke Qing's reason was that it was for work and he wasn't allowed to slack off for too long, Han Fulai knew perfectly well what Ke Qing was thinking.

Their relationship is currently in a state of ambiguity, "real but unspoken." They've kissed, hugged, and even confessed their feelings; all that's left is to reveal the truth. Ke Qing simply doesn't want him to be away from her for too long—for Ke Qing, Han Fulai is only her true "exclusive" secretary during fieldwork like at Guiliyuan.

His sudden leave of absence was like, for Ke Qing, the same as when her boyfriend's boss called her back to work overtime during a date, and she ended up working overtime for more than a month... Even Ke Qing would object to this kind of overtime!

Unfortunately, Ke Qing couldn't let go of her superior's airs—even the mighty Yuheng Star has its pride, you know. Asking her to say again in front of Han Fulai, "You know what? We actually kissed," was something she couldn't bring herself to say, even if she tore her mouth apart.

Given Ke Qing's personality, these little thoughts could easily fill hundreds of thousands of words if written down... However, Han Fulai is not the male protagonist in those light novels featuring Inazuma. Since he understands Ke Qing's feelings and has decided to reciprocate them, he will not remain ambiguous.

His boss's reason for not allowing him to take leave and slack off was perfectly legitimate, and as a subordinate, he really couldn't refute it with words.

So he kissed his boss on the lips.

This is the best way to respond to Keqing.

The tent on Yuheng Star was instantly filled with enchanting beauty, just like Keqing's "dream" that day.

Ke Qing's pupils trembled.

Keqing Cat Punches wildly.

Ke Qing slumped into a ball.

Keqing actively demanded...

Just as the two were losing control of their emotions, Jing Cheng, who had just returned from patrol, entered the tent to ask Ke Qing for her routine instructions on the work arrangements for the next day—although he immediately backed out as soon as he entered, he still had a lot of bad luck the next day.

Before Han Fulai returned from Mondstadt, Squad Leader Jingcheng served as the camp gatekeeper for a month, a shift with no one to relieve him.

After returning to Liyue Harbor, Han Fulai first went to Moonsea Pavilion to report to Gan Yu.

Gan Yu seemed to have anticipated his business trip. Previously, when they were discussing the "Teyvat Community of Shared Destiny," Gan Yu had said he would soon have the opportunity to realize this plan, and he indeed came true.

As a commercial nation, Liyue even has a government run by merchants. It's not uncommon for the Seven Stars to travel abroad for exchanges and visits, and they usually manage to close some big deals. Although Han Fulai is not a Seven Star, his actual power is greater than that of the Seven Stars. His current foreign affairs visits are essentially in line with the Seven Stars' position, and Mondstadt should theoretically treat him as a state guest.

However, the Emperor wanted him to go to Mondstadt to meet the Wind God in a private capacity, so it seems he won't have the chance to attend the Knights of Favonius' state banquet this time.

Although Zhongli's intention in making this arrangement is still unclear, based on their understanding of Zhongli, "the Emperor's move must have a profound meaning."

So Gan Yu readily accepted the follow-up work of the "Liyue Radiance" project. While Han Fulai was away, Gan Yu took over the mining and fertilizer production in the Laminar Giant Abyss. After all, she was originally a disciple of Liu Yun Zhenjun, so she could communicate very smoothly with the immortals in the "Liyue Immortal Academy".

Well, of course it's just work communication. If True Lord Liuyun is lonely and wants to chat with her about his childhood stories, Gan Yu will definitely refuse.

After entrusting Gan Yu to deliver a message to Shen He, who was now in Ozang Mountain, Han Fulai went to find Xingqiu.