Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

"Is it settled?"

The rooftop terrace of the Northern Bank was deliberately left with only a few dim wall lamps, their light sparingly applied to the cold, wintery-style decor, elongating Pantarone's silhouette and almost blending it into the myriad lights of Liyue Harbor below.

He did not turn around; his voice was like jade immersed in a cold spring, calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable weight.

Standing behind Pantalone was not the butler Russell, but a debt collector from the Fools who was breathing slightly rapidly.

The other person had clearly just returned from a mission, still wearing an ordinary Liyue robe that looked like it had been through a fire, and his face was covered by the iconic mask, concealing his true appearance.

This debt collector was none other than the informant who had previously used the identity of the king's brother at Wanmintang, taking the opportunity of picking up food to pass coded messages to travelers.

"My lord, everything has been completed as planned."

The debt collector bowed deeply, his posture humble, his voice deliberately kept very low, carrying the tension of someone who had just completed their task.

"The traveler has indeed received the signal and reacted correctly."

After a brief pause, a hint of confusion seemed to flash in the eyes behind the debt collector's mask.

Perhaps it was Pantalone's unusual instructions, or perhaps it was the oppressive atmosphere around him that made him uneasy, but the debt collector finally couldn't hold back and overstepped his bounds, daring to ask the question that had been lingering in his mind:

"It's just that I'm too dull to understand..."

The debt collector's voice trembled slightly, "Why would you deliberately leak such crucial information about the roundup to that traveler? She is clearly the greatest enemy of the Fools."

Pantalone remained with his back to the debt collector, his body motionless, not even pausing the slightest movement of the fingers holding the cup.

The banker showed no anger at the inappropriate question, but was also reluctant to offer any explanation.

The deathly silence, like tangible frost, quickly spread and solidified on the terrace, almost freezing the debt collectors in place.

The debt collector's heart sank suddenly, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his inner shirt. Only then did he realize that he had committed a grave taboo.

He hurriedly bowed even lower, his voice filled with fear: "I misspoke! Please forgive me, sir!"

Pantalone seemed not to hear his apology; his flat, emotionless voice rang out again, like an icicle piercing the silence, but it had already jumped to another completely unrelated topic:

"How's it going with the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce?"

This abrupt turn of events is more oppressive than any rebuke.

The debt collector froze, hastily regaining his composure and forcing himself to recover from his earlier shock. He quickly presented a confidential letter, but dared not approach it further, and respectfully bowed his head to reply:

"It's all taken care of. After deducting the 10 million Mora commission and the 3.3 million Mora cut from the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce, the remaining 52.7 million Mora has been deposited into the Northern Bank's account."

The debt collector slightly raised his head, seemingly wanting to observe Pantalone's reaction, while the big banker merely shook his head slightly, as if expressing regret for the Flying Cloud Chamber of Commerce.

"You certainly have a big appetite."

"How have we fared since then?"

Pantalone glanced sideways at the floating image of the lamp of departure.

Who would have thought that the ancient artifact from the Guili era beside him was actually a forgery, and the Guili Floating Shadow that the whole city was vying for was just bait thrown out by Pantalone.

He perfectly utilized the prestige and wealth of various chambers of commerce to raise the value of the Sky Lantern, causing the price of Guili Fuying to soar to such an extent that everyone began to frantically pursue it for profit.

From the initial rumors related to the Lantern of the Night to the subsequent auction and Lantern of the Night trading vouchers, it was all a scheme orchestrated by Pantarone. The ruthless banker hoped to gain the greatest profit at the lowest cost. After more than half a month of painstaking planning in Liyue, it was time to reap the wealth of this country.

"My lord, in the past two weeks, we have opened up the sale of twelve rounds of Sky Lantern trading vouchers, pre-selling all the profits from Sky Lantern products for the next twenty years. The current profits are around 467 billion Mora, and we can close the net at any time..."

The Fools who were able to work under Pantalone were no ordinary people; they knew every detail of the accounts and could provide accurate answers when Pantalone inquired.

However, after announcing the amount of 400 billion Mora, the debt collector's voice couldn't help but tremble slightly.

This is such a huge fortune. Even the most indifferent person would probably find it hard to remain calm upon hearing such a figure.
But Pantalone merely gave a soft hum, seemingly unconcerned about the size of the number. He raised his hand, the diamond-shaped ring on his finger reflecting a cold, dark light.
"Then let them depart, and proceed according to the original plan."

Pantalone's lips curved into a faint smile. Over the years, he had perfected a smile template. By simply raising the corners of his mouth three inches, projecting helplessness and gentleness, and softening his tone of voice, he could successfully disguise himself as a helpless and pitiful wretch. This hypocrisy had become so ingrained that he had forgotten how to play his true self.

"Don't worry, as long as you do your job well, the Northern Bank has never lacked Mora."

"Even if we want to revive the ancient Chinese school that you mentioned, it is not difficult."

Pantalone began to offer a pie-in-the-sky promise to the debt collector behind him, who gritted his teeth and finally lowered his head, saying, "Thank you, sir."

Their conversation also revealed the true identity of the debt collector, Brother Wang.

Brother Wang was originally from Liyue. His real name was Wang Zhen. He was an apprentice of the Guhua School of Liyue and was a disciple of the current "Snowblade" Wen Sanye.

The Guhua Sect, formerly known as the Guhua Clan, is a martial arts sect in Liyue that has long been in decline. But who could have imagined that this small sect, which is ridiculed for having lost its lineage and is on the verge of collapse, was once the most famous sect in Liyue?

At its peak, the Guhua School was renowned in Liyue for its unparalleled spear and sword skills, and the name Guhua once struck fear into the hearts of bandits and robbers.

However, with the end of the Kanria War, Liyue Harbor became more and more stable, and people had less and less need for martial arts.

Moreover, the three unique skills of Guhua were obscure and difficult to understand, and no one inherited them, so the Guhua School gradually degenerated into an ordinary martial arts school.

To make matters worse, the leader of the Ancient Hua Sect choked on a date pit during an accident. He struggled for most of the night, and his illustrious reputation vanished in an instant. He became the first person in Teyvat history to die from a date pit.

This became the final straw that broke the camel's back for the Guhua faction.

People always need to eat, and the disciples of the Guhua School had no choice but to find another way out.

Quick-Knife Chen, after more than ten years of secluded practice of the Guhua Sword Technique, finally used it on grilling tigerfish. Meanwhile, Zhiruo, the senior disciple of the Guhua School, now works at the Three Bowls-No-Go-Round job, enduring daily abuse from her unscrupulous boss.

Sun Yu, the only disciple who was wholeheartedly dedicated to revitalizing the Guhua Sect, was also entangled with his junior sister, who admired him, and could not escape.

In this light, reviving the ancient Chinese school seems an impossible task.

However, just as the Guhua Sect was about to decline, Xingqiu, the second young master of the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce, suddenly appeared.

Xingqiu, who was learned and had a good memory and could read ancient books, comprehended the martial arts principles of passing on the past and present in just four years. He then spent ten days to half a month learning all one hundred strange martial arts books of the ancient Hua Sect.

Xingqiu's appearance can be described as turning the tide and saving the collapsing edifice, becoming the only asset that the Guhua faction can boast.

As for the verses he wrote, although the characters were rather illegible, they could definitely be considered martial arts manuals.

Originally, the disciples of the Guhua Sect believed that with the addition of this second young master of the Chamber of Commerce, the Guhua Sect would not only return to its heyday, but at least it would not continue to decline. If Xingqiu could also take some money from the Chamber of Commerce to renovate the Guhua Sect's headquarters, Wangshan Hall.

Then these wandering members of the Ancient Hua Sect will have a place to belong, and perhaps they can return to the sect and focus on the inheritance of martial arts, instead of the mundane life of the secular world.

Unfortunately, Xingqiu was too young, and the financial power of the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce was still firmly in the hands of his father and elder brother. As for the increasingly declining Guhua Sect, Xingqiu was powerless to help.

Therefore, the disciples of the Guhua School had no choice but to find their own way to revitalize the school.

Joining the Northern Bank was Wang Zhen's idea.

Wang Zhen had considered seeking a position under Ningguang, but the selection process for subordinates under the Liyue Seven Stars was exceptionally rigorous, requiring not only a clean background but also a relatively slow promotion rate.

By the time Wang Zhen becomes an official capable of controlling the finances of a region, the Guhua faction will probably have long since disappeared.

He must find a way to accumulate wealth quickly.

Meanwhile, Northern Bank is openly recruiting debt settlement personnel with generous compensation regardless of nationality or background. As long as you can process debts quickly, your promotion will be rapid.

Wang Zhen then applied for a job at the Northern Bank and successfully became a debt settlement officer.

After all, in the entire Liyue Harbor, besides Ningguang, who is richer than Pantarone?
As for the impact of the Northern Bank's scheme on Liyue, Wang Zhen neither cared nor concerned.

Their founder, Gu Hua, once fought against criminals, helped the weak and poor, and protected peace in Liyue. But now that the Gu Hua sect has declined to this state, the people of Liyue have never given the Gu Hua sect any help.

In Wang Zhen's eyes, the Liyue Seven Stars being framed by the Northern Bank was their just deserts. (End of Chapter)