Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

Inside the stone hall, the aroma of alcohol grew stronger.

Yusupov tilted his head back and drank the last drop of wine in his glass, his Adam's apple bobbing as he let out a satisfied sigh.

"Hmm...this is truly a rare and excellent wine!"

He slammed the empty glass down on the rough stone table, sending up a few specks of dust. His blue eyes, reddened by alcohol, narrowed as he looked at the cracks in the cave ceiling through which water was seeping, as if he could see the bustling city of Liyue Harbor through the rock.

"The diplomatic deadlock is making no progress, and in this murky water of Qingxupu, there are always hyenas who are oblivious to the danger and want to get a share of the pie... It's really a headache."

Yusupov withdrew his gaze and landed on Zhiyi's lowered face, a smile playing on his lips, a smile that was a mixture of drunkenness and relief.

"Fortunately... now that this matter is over, I can finally hand over this hot potato... Zhiyi, thanks to you."

He leaned forward, his breath, heavy with the smell of alcohol, almost hitting Zhiyi's face, his eyes filled with a mocking gaze, as if scrutinizing prey.

"The first time I saw you, I knew... you would definitely be one of us."

Do you remember what I... told you back then?

Yusupov extended his index finger and lightly tapped Zhiyi's forehead.

Zhiyi's grip on the wine pot tightened almost imperceptibly. He raised his face, his expression still bearing that docile facade, his voice so steady it betrayed no emotion:
"Of course I remember. You said that someone like me, a peasant who crawled out of a poor and remote place, is so poor that even my bones are full of shame. No matter how much I scheme and beg, there is absolutely no way that a high position like Tian Shu Star could fall into my lap."

Zhiyi paused, as if he wanted to relive that unforgettable humiliation, and the corners of his mouth even curved into an almost self-mocking arc.

“You taught me that the only way to survive is to stand beside the corpse of the current Tian Shu Star at the darkest moment when he falls into the abyss, and become the only light that can be seen… I deeply agree with this.”

"Hahaha... Well said!"

Yusupov burst into a hoarse laugh, the echo making the stone walls hum.

He slammed his hand on the stone table, making the wine glasses bounce.

"That's exactly right! Follow the rules? What do you have to compare yourself to others with?"

"Look at your opponents. Qianwei has mountains of gold and silver behind him that could crush you. Mingbo's talent is known even to the gatekeeper of the General Affairs Department. And you, you're just a wild boy who doesn't even have parents!"

Yusupov abruptly stopped laughing, his gaze suddenly shifting, and he pierced through Zhiyi.

The cave fell silent for a moment, the cold rock walls seeming to absorb the malicious words.

Yusupov watched the subtle twitching of Zhiyi's facial muscles, then slowly poured himself another glass of wine, his tone returning to that condescending arrogance:
"So... I chose you."

“We have an old saying in winter: if you throw a bone with a bit of meat on it to those stray dogs that are starving and about to die, they will bite people and guard the door for a lifetime.”

Yusupov swirled his glass, the wine rippling in the dim light. He took a sip, his murky gaze sweeping over Zhiyi as if admiring a perfectly docile tool he had crafted himself.

"Your greatest strength is knowing when to wag your tail and when to bare your teeth."

"Don't worry, as long as you continue to be this sensible, Mora will have as much as she wants. As for those clueless fools..."

He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

“Touch me however you want, don’t hold back. You’re our dog now.”

"Isn't there an old saying in Liyue? You have to consider the owner before you beat a dog."

Zhiyi lowered his head, the shadow cast by his bangs completely obscuring his eyes.

His voice remained completely flat, as if the harsh words "wild dog" were merely a breeze brushing past his ear.

"Yes, thank you for your kindness."

Zhiyi picked up the few remaining celadon wine pots to pour wine. The pots were cold, reflecting his expressionless face.

"Hahaha..." "Come on, fill it up again, fill it up again!"

Yusupov's laughter echoed in the stone hall, filled with drunken arrogance. He waved his hand, his gesture exaggerated like that of a drunkard.

Behind the straw pile in the stone hall, Ye Lan's gaze pierced through the gaps in the straw stems, taking in everything around the stone table.

Her lips moved slightly, her voice so low that only the nearby traveler and Paimon could hear it:
"Old Gao's feeling is right; Zhiyi is an insecure person at heart."

Ye Lan looked at Zhi Yi's profile, which was so calm it was almost numb.

“He feared that the longer the time dragged on, the more insurmountable the gap between him and Qianwei and Mingbo would become.”

“The Fools saw this and, with a little persuasion, he couldn’t wait to…make his move ahead of schedule.”

Ye Lan tilted her head slightly, sighed softly, and glanced at the phonograph in the traveler's hand.

"Do we have enough film?"

The traveler nodded silently, his fingers steadily supporting the cold metal body of the camera, the lens always locked on the target.

"Keep it safe, because the real climax of tonight's show is probably about to begin."

Whether or not we can catch a big fish depends on how Zhiyi... performs next.

Yelan's voice carried a hint of tension that was barely perceptible, while inside the stone hall, Yusupov, who had drunk too much, was already showing signs of intoxication and seemed to have become even more irritable.

"Where's the wine? Quick, fill it up again!"

"I'm happy today! I drank a bit too much. Zhiyi, later... will you take me home?"

Yusupov tapped the empty glass impatiently, his tongue already stiffening.

"Yes, my lord."

Knowing that things were easy, he responded in a steady voice. He tilted the wine pot, aimed the spout at the rim of the cup, and poured the clear wine in a thin line into the cup precisely until it was almost full.

"There's not much left, please enjoy your meal. If you like it, I'll find some more for you next time."

Yusupov eagerly grabbed his glass, tilted his head back, and gulped down the wine, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

"Glug... Pfft! Good... good wine! It's really good..."

He sighed contentedly, but before he finished speaking, the flush of drunkenness on his face gradually faded, replaced by a stiff, bluish-gray hue.

"Well?"

Yusupov let out a strange, muffled sound, as if something was blocking his throat. The wine glass slipped from his suddenly powerless fingers and crashed onto the stone table, splashing wine everywhere.

He suddenly clutched his throat, his eyes bulging as he stared intently at Zhiyi, who was still standing ramrod straight opposite him. His body began to convulse uncontrollably, and he slowly slid off the stone bench, falling heavily onto the cold ground.

"Cough...cough cough...cough...!"

Yusupov was curled up, each cough a tearing pain, with dark, foamy liquid spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Yusupov's past training as a member of the Fools' Gang immediately made him realize what had happened.

With his last ounce of strength, he struggled to lift his head, his once arrogant blue eyes now filled with shock and bewilderment. His gaze was fixed on Zhiyi's expressionless face, his voice hoarse as if sandpaper were being rubbed together:

"Wine, no, no..."

"Zhi...Zhiyi...you...you poisoned the wine?! When...when?" (End of Chapter)