"The words I'm about to say are disrespectful to the Geo Archon and will likely draw a lot of scorn, so… a quiet place would be better," Wan Yan said, leading Zhongli and the others to a nearby pavilion. She then apologized, "I saw Mr. Zhongli speaking with uncommon eloquence and a clear mind earlier. Crucially, you don't blindly believe boasts or interpretations and are very objective. Therefore, I'd like to ask you a question, perhaps one that might yield a different answer than ordinary scholars… Do you believe all the Archons killed by the Geo Archon were evil?"
Wan Yan admired Zhongli's honesty but harbored doubts about Morax.
"Setting aside good and evil for now, the Rex Lapis respects 'contracts.' Therefore, any Archon who met their end by his hand must have broken some 'contract'," Zhongli replied rationally, unfazed by her skepticism. He also felt he was guiltless, having never unjustly slain an innocent Archon since the Archon War.
"That's right, Lord Barbatos wouldn't kill innocent people, would he?" Paimon thought Zhongli, aside from his penchant for free meals and running tabs, wasn't a terrible person.
"But, when I was doing archaeology, I learned some legends about the 'Salt Archon'—Havria… She was a benevolent Archon, yet she was still assassinated by Morax… by Morax, using dishonorable means…" Wan Yan stated assertively, though she dared only speak of it after the Geo Archon's passing.
"Huh? No way?!" Paimon looked at Zhongli incredulously. "Zhongli, I didn't know you were like that? Did you kill her just because she didn't give you free meals?"
"This… is indeed a long story, but the truth of the matter might not be what you imagine," Zhongli thought, *I didn't, I haven't, don't spread rumors!*
"It's alright, please tell me all the history you know! This matter… this matter, I've been investigating for a long time!" Wan Yan knew Mr. Zhongli was a very learned person and believed he would know the history closer to the truth.
"Oh, here! Mr. Zhongli, oh my, I've been looking for you everywhere, I didn't expect you to be here." Just as Zhongli was considering where to begin, a Fatui operative approached, seemingly looking for him.
"Fatui! Drop your weapon, crouch with your hands on your head, and keep your distance! Otherwise… otherwise, I'll report you to the Millelith!" Paimon darted behind Lumine, watching the operative warily.
"Firstly, I'm not holding any weapons! Secondly, I'm not here to cause trouble. I know our Fatui might have had some unpleasant interactions with you recently, but that's all in the past. I'm an archaeologist from Snezhnaya, my name is Clement, and I'm here to seek cooperation…" Clement raised his hands, looking helpless, having anticipated this.
"Hmph, you said the same thing last time!" Paimon believed not half a word… no, not even half a punctuation mark from the Fatui could be trusted!
"I truly am here for cooperation. I've already reported to the Liyue Qixing's Ministry of Civil Affairs. If you wish to see it, I have official permits here. I will be conducting archaeological surveys in Liyue for a period, and all survey results will be shared with the authorities…" To enhance his credibility, Clement produced the permit.
To Zhongli, however, what good were permits? His previous cooperation with the Fatui was merely a temporary measure. Now that he had retired peacefully and was enjoying a leisurely life, wouldn't it be more comfortable to drink tea and listen to music? He could find someone else for archaeological cooperation.
"I heard that the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor has an expert consultant named Zhongli, who is knowledgeable about ancient and modern matters. I paid a hefty sum to the Funeral Parlor to hire him as my consultant…" Clement said, then produced a document bearing Hu Tao's handprint. This process, he noted, was completely legal and compliant.
"Hefty sum? How hefty?" Zhongli inquired with curiosity.
"Perhaps two million Mora hefty," Clement pointed to the amount on the contract.
"Ah, if it's work, then I have no choice. As an employee of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, I must respect this role," Zhongli nodded in agreement, already contemplating how to split the payment with the Director after the job was done. It was reasonable to claim ninety percent of the reward for his full involvement, wasn't it?
"Indeed, you are a reasonable person! Then let us depart now!" Clement's already small eyes beamed with a smile. The suggestion from 'Childe' had been effective.
"Wait, if it's archaeology, can I come too? I'm also an archaeologist and can provide a lot of help," Wan Yan immediately requested. Zhongli hadn't answered her question yet, and she wouldn't leave until she had.
"Very well. Then, perhaps we can discuss that topic on the way. Oh, by the way, are you interested in archaeology? Would you like to come and see?" Zhongli suddenly looked at Feng Yi and the others. The ancient ruins the Fatui intended to survey were related to the Salt Archon, and Feng Yi and Lumine, as travelers, would benefit from participating in such an endeavor to broaden their horizons and gain experience.
"Hold on, this is an archaeological team, not a sightseeing tour! Too many people!" Before Feng Yi and the others could respond, Clement became agitated.
"To be frank, my two companions are exceptionally skilled and adept at treasure hunting. Bringing them along would also be beneficial to the archaeological work," Zhongli strongly endorsed Feng Yi and Lumine.
"That does have some appeal. Alright, alright, let's go take a look. Recently, when the 'Oceanid' was suppressed by the Jade Chamber, perhaps some things were washed ashore, ancient artifacts or ruins. If there were even a few fragments of Archon remains, that would be even better… In short, it might be a great haul." Clement considered that venturing deep into the ruins might involve encountering monsters, and having these two as backup would certainly make it safer, so he agreed.
Just as everyone was preparing to depart, a middle-aged man wearing glasses jogged over, introducing himself as a scholar from Sumeru who also wished to join the team.
"Oh? What kind of help can you provide us?" Clement wondered if he wasn't going on a sightseeing trip, why did everyone want to tag along?
"In Sumeru, I majored in ancient Archon languages and have some experience in artifact appraisal. I should be able to help…" the Sumeru scholar said with a smile.
Clement fell silent. He suddenly felt like he was the least useful person on the team. Feng Yi's eyelids twitched. This Sumeru scholar felt vaguely familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before. Perhaps it was during his encounter in Enkanomiya… Enjou?