Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

After a brief emotional outburst, the air inside the safe house quickly cooled down.

Zhiyi slowly loosened his clenched fist, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the force he had exerted earlier.

He took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently several times before gradually calming down. The twisted anger on his face vanished as quickly as the tide receded, replaced by his usual calm.

Zhiyi has always been an extremely restrained person; his loss of control just now was more like a carefully calculated outburst.

"It seems we'll have to increase the daily medication dosage."

Zhiyi spoke, his voice low and steady, without the slightest hint of emotion, as if he were stating an objective fact rather than plotting a murder against his mentor.

Uncle Tian's deep-seated suspicion pierced Zhiyi's last shred of hope like a cold needle.

Acceleration has become the only option at present.

The effects of the previous slow-acting poison were controllable, but Keqing and the Traveler's investigation was not going to be so slow, and the time left for Zhiyi was clearly running out.

Fortunately, the game on the Fools' side had also come to an end, and Yusupov's "adjutant" Theofan's heart had already tipped in his favor.

Zhiyi was certain that with just a little more pressure, he could completely pull the other party into his camp.

Once Uncle Tian passes away, he can immediately and precisely direct all the blame to the clues he himself planted for the Fools.

The Fatui's ambition to infiltrate Liyue was an excellent motive, and also a perfect scapegoat.

At that time, the biggest obstacle to Zhiyi's ascent to the top of Tian Shu Star and all potential sources of accusations will vanish.

As a disciple personally taught by Tian Shu, and bearing the grief and indignation of his master being poisoned by the Fools' conspiracy, who could be more qualified than him to sit on the vacant position of Tian Shu Star?
The only remaining obstacle is the relentless pursuit of Yuheng Star Keqing and her companions. Once they are dealt with, the final roadblock on the path to the pinnacle of power will be completely cleared.

The location of the Tian Shu star was already clearly visible in his blueprint.

Zhiyi's mind raced like lightning, and a more radical and urgent plan instantly took shape in his mind.

Zhiyi raised his eyes and looked once again at Famas, who stood quietly to the side like a rock.

This time, he no longer concealed it; his eyes churned with doubt and inquiry. After a brief silence, Zhiyi finally posed the question that had been lingering in his mind for so long:
"Your Excellency Famas, the situation is urgent, please forgive my bluntness."

He paused slightly, his gaze fixed on Famas's unfathomable crimson eyes. His voice was not loud, but each word was clear and carried an undeniable force.

Who exactly are you?

"And why did you become one of the examiners selected by Tian Shu Star, along with Ke Qing from Yu Heng Star?"

In Zhiyi's mind, Famas is no longer the demonic figure from the legends of Liyue.

The power the opponent displayed, the posture of standing shoulder to shoulder with Yuheng Star Keqing, and that majesty all forced Zhiyi to reassess the opponent's worth.

He subtly elevated Famas's position to a level equal to or even more transcendent than that of the Liyue Seven Stars.

As is well known, among the seven stars of Liyue, apart from Ningguang of Tianquan, Keqing of Yuheng, and Tianshu of Tianshu, the whereabouts of the other four are all unknown.

If this Lord Famas is one of the Seven Stars who has concealed his identity... then the many inexplicable contradictions about him seem to have found a reasonable answer.

As for Uncle Tian's tension and subtle wariness at Qingce Village, it was perhaps because the other party's unannounced entry made Tian Shu think that something had gone wrong with the mission.

Otherwise, Zhiyi really doesn't know how to explain FAMAS's transcendent status.

"Didn't I tell you already?" Famas's voice rang out, carrying a deliberate ease, his crimson eyes falling meaningfully on Zhiyi's tense face.

The boy casually raised his chin in Zhiyi's direction, the gesture carrying a lazy confidence.

Zhiyi's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly for a moment, then returned to their icy calm.

Now his time is like sand slipping through his fingers; he cannot afford to waste it on these pointless trials.

"If you are referring to a mocking title like 'Ten-time True Lord,' then please forgive my bluntness, but it does not convey any sincerity to me whatsoever."

Zhiyi's voice was not loud, but it was direct and made it clear that he would no longer beat around the bush.

The deliberate ease on Famas's face quickly dissipated under Zhiyi's undisguised bluntness.

The playfulness deep in his eyes was replaced by a deep solemnity.

"I already told you my real name."

Famas spoke, his tone still steady, but less frivolous than before, and more solemn as he recited an ancient oath.

He tilted his head slightly, the earring on his earlobe stretching into a sharp arc in the shadows, his gaze fixed on Zhiyi with an almost strange inquiry.

“My name is Halpass. You must have already gone to great lengths to find out about me in private, right?”

Famas paused, his confusion genuine and heartfelt, as if he were trying to solve a puzzle:
"Didn't you find even the slightest clue?"

He didn't believe that Zhiyi, with his deep scheming and the connections he had built in Liyue, would not search high and low after obtaining the key name Halpas.

Liyue is the nation among the seven kingdoms of Teyvat whose heritage has never been interrupted. This city of contracts, known for its long history and vast literature, has seen the river of time flow for thousands of years, with volumes as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Is it really possible that not a single volume, page, or even a fragment has been inscribed with the name of Happas, which carries countless memories of the past?
The air inside the safe house seemed to stagnate even more, with only the invisible gazes between the two conveying a silent exchange.

"You guessed correctly."

Zhiyi answered without the slightest hesitation, his gaze fixed on Famas's face, not missing any subtle changes in the other's expression.

"For your sake, and for my own plans, I have indeed devoted considerable resources to poring over the collections of all the renowned bookstores in Liyue Harbor, as well as those rare and secret documents and ancient stone tablets hidden in the city and in the deep mansions... I have not overlooked anything that is related to history."

Zhiyi speaks at a moderate pace, neither too fast nor too slow.

"Halpas or Famas, these two names are not mentioned in most of the records circulating in Liyue. They are as if they never existed."

Zhiyi's gaze captured every subtle shift in Famas's expression as he slowly uttered his conclusion.

"I see……"

The moment Famas heard that his name was not recorded in any way, his expression suddenly dimmed as if struck by an invisible giant hammer.

That wasn't anger, nor was it a questioning of Zhiyi's abilities. Famas naturally knew that Zhiyi was meticulous in his work.

Even stories from the ancient times are preserved in Liyue's records, but he alone is as if he never existed on the continent of Teyvat.

Famas once shone like the sun over a region, and his achievements are enough to leave a magnificent chapter in the epic, those vibrant and resilient people who breathed with him and fought alongside him, and the land and past for which he gave everything.

All of this fell silent after the failed battle against the false heavens, and was completely erased from the scroll of history by an irresistible force.

All that remained was a suffocating emptiness. His name, along with everything he represented, became an echo utterly forgotten by the world, lingering like a ghost in certain corners. (End of Chapter)