Chapter 15: Upload Knowledge, Work Hard for Me!
"So, please keep this matter a secret for now," Zhongli instructed calmly, folding his hands behind his back. "And remember—I'm just an ordinary consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor now."
Ganyu nodded rapidly, the tips of her horns trembling. "Understood, Lord Morax! I won't tell a soul!"
After a quick bow, she hurried off. Despite her gentle nature, Ganyu's efficiency was unmatched. If Rex Lapis had truly decided to act again, she would ensure no detail in Liyue escaped her notice.
Still, she would have to proceed carefully. These investigations couldn't go through official channels—not yet.
Once she was gone, Zhongli turned toward Kael. "I'll be taking my leave as well. The Abyssal corruption in the Chasm is spreading faster than before. I may have to remain there for a while."
He paused, his gaze steady. "If anything urgent arises, message me in the group."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "That bad, huh? I thought you kept a close eye on it before."
Zhongli's golden eyes narrowed slightly. "Until recently, it was stable. Now, the spread has accelerated—likely due to the collapse of the previous Heavenly Principles."
He looked directly at Kael. "And this will help you as well. The faster you grow, the more stable Teyvat will become. Once you've refined your power, visit Sumeru or Mondstadt. One of them… should be waking soon."
Kael's smile faded. So that's what he means.
Was he referring to Venti—or the Traveler?
According to his own knowledge, the Traveler's arrival had always seemed planned. Someone—or something—was nudging fate along.
"They haven't awakened yet, huh?" Kael muttered. "Then I'll start with Sumeru. The Dendro Archon's Gnosis should be easy enough to acquire. I can solve the Eleazar and Withering problems on the way.
"The Akademiya's sages? They're just arrogant scholars. But the Doctor…"
He frowned, eyes darkening. "He's different. He's dangerous."
Zhongli's expression turned grave. "Yes. The one they call Dottore. He once studied the Ruin Guards in Liyue. I ignored him back then—he hadn't yet crossed any lines.
"But his experiments with human consciousness… they're worse than anything the Abyss has done. Still, not all of his segments are powerful. If you're careful, you may find an opening to act."
Kael gave a slow nod. "So, I'll take the Gnosis and handle the Doctor's mess if I can. That'll be my warm-up."
"Just don't drop any more meteors," Zhongli muttered dryly.
Kael smirked. "Oh, come on. It's effective!"
"It's catastrophic," Zhongli countered flatly. "If you use that technique again, Sumeru's forests will never recover. Little Kusanali might cry."
"…Fair." Kael rubbed the back of his neck. "Let's pretend I didn't bring it up."
With a faint smile, Zhongli transformed into golden light and vanished.
The room fell silent.
Kael leaned back, exhaling deeply. "A new world, a mansion, divine power, Mora in the bank…" He glanced at the empty seat beside him. "…and not a single girlfriend. Great. I'm officially the most overqualified bachelor in Teyvat."
He stood, stretching. "Alright then. No time for depression. Time to grind."
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Uploading Knowledge! Let the Leeks Work Hard for Me!
Kael cracked his knuckles and opened the system interface.
"Let's make Liyue work for me."
> Business Management — Upload!
International Trade and Economics — Upload!
Political Science: Foundations of Governance — Upload!
Accounting and Financial Systems — Upload!
Industrial Revolution Mechanics — Upload!
Modern Infrastructure and Cement Engineering — Upload!
Streams of information flowed into the group archive like golden rivers.
Far above, in the Jade Chamber, Ningguang's eyes widened as pages of knowledge materialized within her mind.
Her fan froze mid-motion. "…Business… management?"
Then her composure broke. "Keqing, this is revolutionary!"
She leaned forward, voice trembling with excitement. "These concepts—taxation models, trade logistics, interest systems! I could restructure Liyue's entire economy with this!"
Keqing blinked, half impressed, half overwhelmed. "That's… a lot of reading."
"And it's all valuable!" Ningguang said, her eyes gleaming like a predator spotting treasure. "This knowledge could make Liyue stronger than ever. But…"
She paused, checking the details. "Some of it requires points to access."
Her enthusiasm dimmed instantly. "I can't afford these right now."
Keqing sighed, rubbing her temples. "Of course. Leave it to you to find a way to turn studying into debt."
"I need points, Keqing," Ningguang said seriously. "Lots of them."
Keqing's mouth twitched. "You? Fight monsters for points? Please. If you tripped on your dress, you'd file for insurance."
Ningguang huffed. "I can adapt."
"You can adapt," Keqing repeated flatly. "By staying in the Jade Chamber. If you need anything, I'll handle it. Points can be transferred. I'll just send you what you need."
Ningguang paused, considering. "…You'll do that?"
Keqing smiled faintly. "Liyue's development depends on it. Someone has to keep you alive long enough to reform the economy."
The Tianquan sighed. "Back when I was just a street vendor, life was much simpler. Now I'm negotiating global trade policy with gods."
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The Rumor That Shook Liyue
Within hours, the entire city was buzzing.
> Breaking News: A mysterious traveler from another land has become Tianquan Ningguang's personal consultant!
Rumor: He lives next door to Yuheng Keqing!
Source: "My cousin's friend's uncle works at the Ministry of Civil Affairs!"
The harbor erupted with speculation.
Who was this man?
A noble? A diplomat? An adeptus in disguise?
And why did Ningguang—who trusted no one—bring him into her inner circle?
As for Keqing, the rumor left everyone confused.
Not that anyone dared to tease her.
Her terrifying work ethic had driven away every potential suitor for years. The idea that someone lived next door to her was enough to terrify half of Liyue's bachelors.
Meanwhile, Ningguang had her own fan club. If someone close to her was male, mysterious, and "handsome," it was practically headline news.
---
Meanwhile, in Snezhnaya…
A certain Harbinger leaned back in his chair, flipping through a freshly printed dossier.
"Kael, the foreign consultant…" Tartaglia murmured aloud, a grin spreading across his face. "Acquainted with Ningguang and Keqing, a close associate of Zhongli, and capable of purifying Abyssal corruption."
He set the paper down, his blue eyes glinting with excitement.
"Another outsider from beyond Teyvat, huh?"
He stood, flexing his gloves. "It's been too long since I've had a real fight."
His grin widened, feral and eager. "Let's see what kind of power you've got, 'consultant.'"
A faint laugh escaped him as he turned toward the window, snow drifting outside.
> "It's time to visit Liyue again."
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✨ End of Chapter 15