Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

Heureia's departure was like the morning mist merging into the hustle and bustle of Liyue Harbor, without causing a single ripple.

The moment the bubble of the Sky Lantern Trading Vouchers burst completely, the anger of Liyue's higher-ups erupted like a dormant volcano.

The Seven Stars and Eight Gates responded immediately, and an unprecedentedly tense atmosphere enveloped Moon Sea Pavilion. Several arrest warrants were issued like arrows released from a bow, shooting with overwhelming force towards the adventurer who had "absconded with the money."

Immediately afterwards, the entire Liyue trade network seemed to be placed under a magnifying glass. Every similar transaction certificate was repeatedly checked. The lights in the General Affairs Department were on all night, and countless files were spread out. Ningguang personally supervised the process, pushing forward the drafting and formulation of new regulations in full swing.

For this port city, whose foundation is based on contracts and trade, such a large-scale scam is unprecedented.

On the surface, in this power struggle with the undercurrents of winter, Seven Stars does seem to be temporarily at a disadvantage.

But Ningguang was as clear-headed as a mirror, and all those involved in the incident knew who the mastermind behind this shocking scam was. However, after the dust settled and the truth came to light, the Northern Bank inexplicably dispatched a high-profile team of lawyers.

They strode confidently into the Liyue General Affairs Office and the Planning Office, presenting a meticulously worded and detailed complaint, portraying themselves as impeccable victims, as if the financial storm that swept through Liyue had nothing to do with them.

Upon receiving the complaint from the General Affairs Department, Ningguang sat calmly behind her desk, her gaze as still as water, her face devoid of any emotion.

She did not mobilize the power of the Seven Stars to launch any counterattack against the Northern Bank; everything was as if it had never happened, and the surface calm returned.

No one could fathom Ningguang's thoughts at that moment. She simply lowered her gaze to the scattered files on her desk, her knuckles tapping silently on the smooth surface, as if she were deducing the next step that no one else could comprehend.

The gold-inlaid jade pipe once again emitted wisps of blue smoke, swirling around her deep, tranquil thoughts.

The lanterns of the Lantern Festival illuminated Liyue Harbor as scheduled, and the festive festivities gradually eclipsed the embers of the financial crisis.

After the General Affairs Department registered the losses, ordinary people plunged back into the warmth of the holiday.

The promise of compensation from Lady Ningguang weighed heavily on their minds. Although it wasn't the full amount, it was enough to recover six-tenths of the losses during the holiday. Most people sighed and temporarily suppressed their worries.

Life must go on, and holidays should be celebrated even more.

But the Liyue merchants who suffered heavy losses on the Lantern Trading Vouchers felt as if a heavy weight was pressing on their hearts.

They were initially full of ambition, aiming for huge profits, but in the end, they not only failed to see a single penny of the expected golden Mora, but also lost a large portion of their capital.

The amount of Mora that Ningguang compensated was 60% of the "face value" of those lantern tickets, while they had originally bought them with real money at the "market price" that was hot and far exceeded the face value!

The moneylender in Liyue, who still held the Lantern Festival vouchers, fiddled with the abacus beads, listening to the clanging of the Mora. His frustration and heartache seemed all the more out of place amidst the festive decorations.

Just when Liyue Bank was shrouded in gloom, Flying Cloud Merchant Guild unexpectedly became the biggest winner.

When the bank run swept through Liyue Harbor, Xingqiu, the second young master of the Chamber of Commerce, defied public opinion and insisted on ordering Flying Cloud Bank to buy up the Lantern Vouchers that were about to become worthless at half price.

This seemingly foolish act of suicide has now become a stroke of genius.

With Ningguang's compensation policy in place, Feiyun Chamber of Commerce was able to not only fill the gap in the acquisition by leveraging the large number of bonds it had acquired at low prices, but also make a considerable profit on its books, much to the delight of the Chamber's money shop managers.

Even the family head who had initially stopped Xingqiu from acquiring the Xiaodeng Coupons, Xingqiu's father, remained unusually silent for a long time upon seeing the account books handed to him. He then clicked his tongue impatiently and muttered something like, "Business can't rely entirely on good luck." In contrast, the other money houses in Liyue that had participated in the speculation were now completely deflated.

Not only did they buy up shares at high prices and lose everything, but they also lived in constant fear that the Seven Stars would settle scores later.

After all, the organization that initially issued these Lantern Festival tickets was the "Liyue United Bank," spearheaded by the Flying Cloud Merchant Guild and in which they themselves were deeply involved.

But Ningguang's mind was no longer on settling old scores.

Since Tianquanxing did not attack the Northern Bank, it naturally had no intention of relentlessly pursuing these local money houses that were living in constant fear.

The more than 200 billion Mora seized in this shocking scam is being poured into the reconstruction projects of Liyue's Scarlet Cloud Slope and North Wharf by Ningguang with all her heart and soul.

The work-for-relief program was quickly promulgated. The sound of tamping filled the air on the construction site, and stones were piled up like mountains. Ningguang's figure moved between supervising the blueprints and the busy site from time to time. Her heels stomped on the newly paved stone slabs of the dock, with an unquestionable focus.

This money, which came from the people, eventually returned to their wallets in another form.

The first Lantern Festival after the Seven Stars took full control of the government quietly came to an end amidst the complex emotions of the people of Liyue.

The lanterns still rise into the sky carrying wishes, and fireworks still explode brilliantly in the night sky. However, Liyue Harbor, which has been ravaged by war and financial storms, still reveals an indescribable desolation beneath its prosperous appearance.

The shop assistants lazily wiped the somewhat deserted counters, and the cargo ships in the port seemed less crowded than usual.

Only the traveler and Paimon, carrying a staggering nine million Mora, stood out as bright spots in this delicate atmosphere.

They strolled through the bustling market, their morabilia jingling, enthusiastically browsing through all sorts of novelties and delicacies. Paimon, carrying a mountain of shopping bags, grinned from ear to ear, completely unaware that a thin fog of melancholy was quietly spreading.

Famas, who had left the North Star's Death Star long ago, simply stood atop Mount Tianheng, gazing towards Liyue Harbor.

Under the night sky of the Lantern Festival, thousands of lanterns slowly rise into the sky, forming a flowing sea of ​​light. As the last glow of the lanterns merges into the horizon, the young man turns around and strolls towards Qingce Manor, the northernmost point of Liyue.

Qingce Village is nestled among the mountains bordering Liyue and Mondstadt.

For mortals, this journey is quite long, but for a demon god whose strength has been largely restored, if he really wanted to arrive at full speed, it would only take an instant.

But Famas was in no hurry. He chose a pace that was almost like strolling, slowly making his way along the winding mountain path.

As he walked, he saw terraced fields, ancient stone bridges, and villages with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys. The young man would sometimes stop, his gaze sweeping over the newly sprouted buds by the roadside, and sometimes listening to the babbling of the mountain stream, as if he were a true traveler, savoring the spirit of Liyue that had been accumulated over thousands of years.

After wandering around for two days, Famas finally stepped into Qingce Village, gently embraced by verdant mountains, in the afternoon.

The afternoon sun lazily streamed down, casting a warm glow over the tranquil mountain village. The light caressed the rustic wooden eaves and danced on the slowly turning waterwheel.

Water droplets kicked up by the stairs splashed and dispersed under the clear light, each droplet translucent like countless tiny pearls scattered among the moist air and shimmering water. (End of Chapter)