Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

"Traveler, do you still remember the Jade Capital Terrace auction this morning?"

Zhongli's voice slowly echoed in the tranquil Rebirth Hall. His fingers lightly traced the edge of the table, and the faint dampness blowing from the sea blurred his golden eyes.

"Of course! That guy Pantalone spent seventy million on a lamp. I don't know whether to praise him for being rich or say he has no business sense!"

Before the traveler could even speak, Paimon eagerly leaped into the air, gesturing excitedly with his little hands.

This little guy always gets especially excited when it comes to Mora and food.

"Liyue Harbor is so lively, could it be related to today's auction?"

Paimon stroked his rounded chin, his eyes darting around, and suddenly, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, he connected the two things together.

Zhong Li nodded happily and tapped the table lightly with her fingertip.

"Indeed, if you recall the auctioneer's introduction, you should know that the priceless lantern was actually the result of an accidental discovery by an unknown adventurer."

Zhong Li spoke calmly, but a barely perceptible hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.

Even though he didn't attend the auction in person, he could guess that the so-called unknown adventurer and accidental discovery were probably just a carefully designed cover.

After all, given the extent of development of the Guiliyuan Ruins, coupled with the thieving gang's hyena-like plundering behavior, even if there were any undiscovered ancient artifacts, they would probably be looted. How could there be any antique lanterns left?
Not to mention the divine power left behind by Gui Zhong within the lantern.

"Oh right... wait a minute!"

Paimon nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly his eyes widened, and he lunged at Zhongli, his voice trembling with excitement:
"Doesn't that mean the adventurer who discovered the Sky Lantern just... just got a huge sum of 70 million Mora for no reason!?"

Paimon was shocked and leaned forward, flying to Zhongli and circling around him, unable to hide the envy in his voice.

The traveler sighed in exasperation, while D'Artagnan, who had been silent all along, suddenly chuckled softly:
"Auction houses... probably all charge a handling fee, right?"

The orange-haired youth scratched the back of his head, his dark blue eyes filled with innocence, looking just like a fox that had sheathed its claws.

Zhongli nodded in response and reached out to press down on Paimon, who was constantly circling in front of him.

"The rental fee for Yujingtai is considerable, and with the previous preparations and promotions, the financial resources spent by Feiyun Chamber of Commerce can be described as astronomical."

"Generally speaking, for such high-value items, the organizer will take 30% of the transaction price as commission."

Zhongli crossed his arms, tapping his fingertips lightly on his elbows, and uttered a string of professional terms in a smooth and flowing manner, leaving the traveler and Paimon stunned.

Seeing the confused looks on the girl's and the little mascot's faces, Zhong Li sighed slightly and changed to a more easily understood explanation.

"In other words, after the Flying Cloud Merchant Guild deducts a handling fee of 20 million Mora, plus the taxes paid to the General Affairs Department, the adventurer should actually receive around 40 million Mora."

"Forty...forty million!"

Zhongli gave a long analysis, but Paimon only absorbed the words "forty million." The little mascot, hearing this, stopped bothering Zhongli and, as if realizing a possibility, hurriedly flew to the traveler's side, whispering in the girl's ear:
"Traveler, you are also a member of the Adventurers' Guild."

"What do you say, we should go find that colleague who suddenly became rich and ask him to share some of our Mora?"

Looking at Paimon's pupils, which were almost shaped like Mora, the traveler silently gave her a "wake up" look. Before the girl could respond, the little guide had already started counting on his fingers how many servings of honey-glazed carrot and pork could be bought with 40 million Mora.

The traveler gently shook his head, turning his gaze back to Zhongli, his amber eyes gleaming with inquiry.

The adventurer who made 40 million Mora by discovering the [Fleeting Shadow] was certainly the envy of many, but in Liyue Harbor, a place teeming with merchants and tycoons, such a windfall shouldn't have caused much of a stir.

The traveler's obvious confusion did not escape Zhongli's eyes. He paused briefly, as if gathering his thoughts, before continuing his story:

"It's just a matter of timing. Right now, it's the eve of the Lantern Festival, and there's a surge of enthusiasm for making and releasing lanterns. This auction is taking advantage of the situation, which is like adding fuel to the fire in this boiling pot."

“More importantly,” Zhongli’s tone shifted, becoming more thoughtful, “that adventurer, having suddenly become wealthy, unveiled his business plan. He announced he would use some of his Mora to purchase land in Liyue Harbor, set up a workshop, and meticulously craft what he called his ‘new Sky Lanterns’.”

"At the same time, he also spent a huge sum of money to lease a large area of ​​land on Guili Plain, claiming that he would continue to excavate cultural relics."

"This adventurer confidently asserted that the Floating Shadow Returns to the Departure was an ancient ruin that had been abandoned for a thousand years, and that only he knew the exact location of the ruin."

At this point, Zhongli shook his head slightly and spread his hands to meet the traveler's gaze.

"As for where exactly that legendary ruin is located in Guiliyuan, I'm afraid I don't know either."

As Zhongli recounted his story, a faint smile, tinged with sarcasm and absurdity, appeared on Famas's lips before quickly disappearing.

The uproar that followed the auction was indeed the work of that old fox, Pantalone.

Famas understood immediately. He was all too familiar with the Fools' Executor [The Rich]'s ability to manipulate people and capital. That so-called adventurer who "became rich with forty million Mora" was clearly just a puppet on the stage.

The ruins, known only to the adventurer himself, are an elaborately woven, luring lure.

If such a relic truly existed, Zhongli would probably have traveled day and night, personally traversing every inch of Guili Plain, digging three feet into the ground to find its trace.

How could Mora possibly compare to the mere notes and belongings of those old friends that might exist?
“Not only that,” Zhongli’s voice drew the traveler and Famas’ attention back, “that astute adventurer also partnered with the wealthy Flying Cloud Bank to launch a product called the ‘Sky Lantern Trading Certificate.’”

"Anyone who purchases this voucher can exchange it for a new-style lantern during the Lantern Festival, or..."

Zhongli paused meaningfully.

"Alternatively, you can choose to exchange this voucher for Mora at various banks in Liyue after a specific date, based on the market price at that time."

Zhongli's gaze seemed to pass over the bustling crowds in the city and fall upon the myriad lights and surging people reflected in the shimmering waters of Liyue Harbor.

At that moment, the air in the harbor seemed to tremble with fervor. (End of Chapter)