Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

Under the guidance of certain forces, the winds of change in Liyue Harbor suddenly shifted.

The public's anger, like a strong mountain wind, instantly turned its attention to the majestic General Affairs Department building.

Abandoning their other goals, the crowd, swept up by an invisible rage, converged on Liyue's administrative center from all directions.

Cries, curses, and sharp questions piled up, crashing against the heavy stone walls and tightly closed vermilion gates of the General Affairs Department.

Faces contorted with despair flashed among the throng of people, hands waving crumpled lantern tickets that once represented hope high in the air, veins bulging as fingers gripped empty purses so tightly their knuckles almost pierced the rough fabric.

Every face bore the scars of deep betrayal.

"The contract! What happened to Liyue's spirit of contract?!"
A hoarse male voice broke through the noise.

"What is the General Affairs Department doing?!"

A sharp female voice immediately echoed from the side.

An elderly man with white hair and beard beat his chest and stamped his feet, his voice filled with tearful accusation: "Emperor! How long has it been since the Emperor left! And such a devastating thing has happened in Liyue! You... how can you face Lord Yan?"

The roars rose and fell, merging into a deafening wave of sound, their sharpest attacks aimed at the Seven Stars and the General Affairs Department for their dereliction of duty.

With the Emperor recently deceased, the Seven Stars are now in charge, yet such a swindler manages to succeed in Hong Kong.

The impact of the crowd increased sharply, and the defensive line formed by the Thousand Rock Army soldiers was instantly squeezed and deformed.

The iron shields clanged under the immense force, the soldiers clenched their teeth, veins bulged on their foreheads and necks, and large beads of sweat rolled down their tense jaws, soaking through their inner cotton armor.

The pungent stench of sweat mixed with swirling dust filled the air, and a sense of impending doom gripped everyone's throats.

The crowd completely engulfed the small square in front of the General Affairs Department's gate. The dark mass of people resembled a boiling sea of ​​ink, with countless pairs of eyes burning with anger, fixedly fixed on the vermilion gate that symbolized the highest administrative authority of Liyue.

"Liyue Seven Stars, give us an explanation!"

The converging roar transformed into a single demand, reaching the peak of anger, almost enough to tear open the heavy door.

Just as the rage of the crowd was about to break through the last shred of reason, the two heavy, vermilion doors of the General Affairs Department slowly opened inward with a creaking sound that made one's heart tighten.

The scene revealed inside the General Affairs Department was like the most frigid icefall pouring down on you.

The deafening roar was abruptly cut off, and the square instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Instead of the expected flood of reinforcements, three colossal structures, cast entirely from high-quality steel, stood imposingly in the shadows of the doorway.

The three massive basalt cannons, their rough, cold barrels gleaming with the chilling light of rock and metal, had their dark muzzles aimed straight at the densely packed crowd in the square.

The noise of the crowd completely disappeared.

The collective anger that had been like boiling lava just a moment ago was suddenly choked down by the three cold steel structures before them.

Countless faces flushed with anger instantly lost all color, turning into a deathly pale ashes, their pupils contracting sharply in extreme horror.

The air was frozen solid, leaving only heavy, suppressed breathing and the clear, heart-stopping patter of sweat hitting the cold stone slabs.

The three cannons pointed at the crowd seemed like a silent deterrent, instantly draining all the restlessness and frenzy in the square.

In the suffocating silence, two figures calmly walked out from the General Affairs Department. It was Ningguang, the star of Tianquan, and Fengyan, the instructor of the Qianyan Army.

Ningguang was dressed in a magnificent golden cheongsam, and her hair ornaments shimmered with an undeniable cold light even under the dark clouds.

Her face remained expressionless, only her deep eyes, scanning the crowd, held a penetrating insight that saw through all pretense.

Feng Yan was clad in heavy black armor, and each step he took was accompanied by the dull creaking sound of metal plates scraping against each other.

Ningguang didn't even glance at the crowd that had gone from boiling to freezing. She simply turned her head very slightly and gestured with her chin toward Fengyan beside her.

Feng Yan nodded in understanding. The instructor, known for his composure, lowered his waist and exerted force, the heavy soles of his military boots slamming heavily onto the bluestone slabs with a clear and penetrating thud, instantly fixing all the stunned and terrified gazes on him in the square.

He raised his arm and unfolded a proclamation bearing the copper seal of the General Affairs Department and the seven-star gold lacquer seal.

The black characters on the yellow paper stood out prominently in the dim light of the day.

Feng Yan's chest heaved as he took a deep breath, each syllable carrying a metallic quality, forcefully cleaving through the frozen air:
"By order of His Excellency the Heavenly Star of Light and the General Affairs Department, the compensation mechanism for the 'Lantern Ticket' fraud case is hereby announced!"

His gaze swept over the still-shaken faces in the square:
"All holders of valid lantern vouchers shall immediately register at the South Office of the General Affairs Department. After verification, the General Affairs Department will redeem 60% of the face value of the voucher in three installments. The recipient may choose either Mora or equivalent scarce goods. The initial payment will be 30%, and the vouchers will be issued within this month."

"The Qianyan Army will immediately launch a full-scale manhunt for the fraudsters involved. Any embezzled funds will be used to compensate you for your losses!"

"This order shall take effect immediately!"

Feng Yan's declaration was like the beating of war drums; each clause was like a heavy stone hammer, slamming into the deathly silent square and into the hearts of the people, which were being torn apart by despair and anger.

The regulations in Feng Yan's possession were only the general outline; they would need to understand the specific details and treaties regarding compensation on their own.

Even so, the initial subsidy of 30%, the total subsidy of 60%, and the implementation in three phases are attractive and persuasive enough.

After all, the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce's money exchange, which was hailed as a window of salvation, only bought Xiaodeng coupons at half price.

The entire square was silent, except for the yellow paper notice held aloft, which fluttered wildly in the sudden cold wind, making a piercing sound.

Countless gazes shifted back and forth between Ningguang's face and the three black rock cannons that still pointed menacingly at the crowd, gleaming with a deathly cold light.

The rage that had just been enough to incinerate everything was suppressed by the ruthless force and the unexpected promise of compensation, forcibly pushed back into the depths of his heart.

In fact, Ningguang's purpose in introducing these three basalt cannons was merely to deter others.

After all, she couldn't actually order the Thousand Rock Army to fire on the crowd.

These Prism Cannons were manufactured using taxes levied on the people of Liyue, and now they are being turned against the people of Liyue to suppress them.

This approach would make all the rulers of the seven kingdoms laugh their heads off.

After seeing the notice, only a few subtle disturbances spread silently across the square.

The hands that gripped the invalid coupons trembled slightly, the limbs that had been pushing and shoving each other remained frozen in place, and low, choked gasps rose and fell.

"I...I need to go to the South Hall to register first!"

Someone shouted first, and the bewildered crowd suddenly realized what was happening. They lowered their heads, avoiding Ningguang and Fengyan standing at the main gate, as well as the three Xuan Yan heavy cannons, and surged into the General Affairs Department through the side gate. (End of Chapter)