Genshin Impact: My villain system is a little different.

"This is really... how should I put it?"

After touring the outlying island, Jiang Ning found the situation was beyond dire.

It could even be described as on the brink of national collapse.

On the streets, people in Inazuma military uniforms casually oppressed civilians, even bullying the widows and orphans of soldiers who died in battle.

For merchants, those from the Kanjou or Kamisato Commission families conducted normal business... though with insanely inflated prices.

Other merchants faced either unreasonable taxes or fines.

In short, it was rotten to the core.

"How has Inazuma not fallen yet?"

Havria spoke from within Jiang Ning, not appearing physically.

She found it hard to believe. Was the Raiden Shogun not managing things?

Jiang Ning said: "Sigh, in this state, I feel it's only the Raiden Shogun holding things together... But can't she see her people being so oppressed? Or does she simply not care about her subjects?"

Havria disagreed: "That's impossible. Archons love people by nature. Inazuma's Baal, as a victor of the Archon War, should love people."

"Huh? Isn't Inazuma's Raiden Shogun called Beelzebul?"

Jiang Ning blinked, confused. That's what his Zhongli had said.

"Is she called Beelzebul?" Havria scratched her head. "The Salt of this land is too far from Inazuma, maybe I remembered wrong."

Jiang Ning nodded. The names only differed by two characters, so it didn't matter.

"But speaking of which, hasn't the Raiden Shogun sensed your arrival?" Havria said.

"Master taught me to conceal my aura. Unless I use divine power or meet her face-to-face, she won't detect me," Jiang Ning said.

[Host, let's go to Tenshukaku and take a look. Sneak into Tenshukaku at night and see what the legendary female archon Raiden Shogun looks like.] The System urged.

"No way, I don't want to cause trouble."

Jiang Ning pursed his lips. He just wanted to develop secretly, fleece Inazuma of its resources, get enough archon remnants to help revive Guizhong, and maybe save some to bring back some adepti and yaksha.

Simply put, sneak in quietly, do the job, and leave without a trace.

After coldly observing another scene of soldiers bullying a fallen comrade's family, Jiang Ning prepared to get a travel permit.

"I thought you'd help that family," Havria said.

"How? In what capacity? Besides, this clearly happens often. Didn't you see how numb the Inazumans around were? If we actively help, we'll just invite trouble."

Jiang Ning wasn't some great philanthropist. If this were Liyue and Liyue citizens were being bullied, he'd have already used Planet Befall.

But this was Inazuma's territory, both sides were Inazumans.

If their own god didn't care, he could only say he respected others' fates.

"Jiang Ning, someone's been following us," Havria said.

"I've known for a while. Ignore them, let's get a travel permit and leave the outlying island first."

Jiang Ning remained calm. If Inazuma didn't play dirty, he was willing to follow the rules. Better to avoid unnecessary trouble...

"This place issuing travel permits is really..."

Compared to the straw and wooden huts of commoners outside, this place issuing permits could even be called luxurious.

Jiang Ning sighed. Such corruption, really.

"Hello, I'm here for a travel permit," Jiang Ning said to a staff member inside.

Seeing Jiang Ning, the staff member's eyes flashed with admiration, then pity. What a shame, offending the wrong people, offending the Kanjou Commission...

"Hello, I'm from the Kanjou Commission responsible for issuing travel permits. My name is Yuriha. Please fill out this form..."

Jiang Ning took it and looked. It was just basic information like name, place of origin, purpose in Inazuma, intended destinations, and such.

After casually filling it out, Yuriha took it back, looked it over, and said:

"I need to collect some processing fees."

Jiang Ning nodded, ready to take out Mora. Travel permits required fees in any country, as a kind of customs fee, but not much, at most 100-200 Mora.

"The total is 100,000 Mora."

"Hm?"

Jiang Ning was bewildered.

How much?

"100,000 Mora." Yuriha smiled.

Jiang Ning's expression darkened slightly: "Are you sure it's 100,000 Mora?"

"Yes, it's the same for everyone." Yuriha's expression didn't change.

After all, this person had offended the Kanjou Commissioner. Surely it would be fine to skim a bit more?

"Oh my, Miss Yuriha, this is an honored guest of our young lady. Could you be a bit more accommodating? I'll treat you to a meal later, how about that?"

A cheerful voice rang out. Jiang Ning turned to see a tall young man behind him.

Blonde hair and blue eyes like a Mondstadter, but with the soft features of an Inazuman, wearing red clothes that looked like a mix between samurai and housekeeper.

And the crest on his clothes was... the Kamisato family crest?

Jiang Ning's eyes flickered slightly. The "young lady" he mentioned should be Kamisato Ayaka, right? So this must be a Kamisato clan retainer?

And looking at him...

Jiang Ning was now certain that basically, anyone good-looking with a Vision and distinctive outfit was meant to be a playable character.

Surely miHoYo wouldn't do something like making a good-looking Vision holder, then suddenly killing them off without making them playable?

Don't they know how to make money?

In any case, the person before him might well be Inazuma's tutorial character, like Amber in Mondstadt.

"No can do. 100,000 Mora, not one Mora less," Yuriha continued smiling.

The Kamisato retainer's smile froze for a moment, then he continued:

"Come on, don't be so rigid. This is our young lady's honored guest. Do us a favor, give us some face."

If the Kanjou Commission hadn't specifically instructed her, Yuriha might have done them a favor. But this was the Commissioner's direct order, so...

Even if it were the current Yashiro Commissioner Kamisato Ayato sending someone, it wouldn't work, let alone Kamisato Ayaka.

"I can't. This is my lord's special instruction."

With mutual backing, Yuriha dared to be so firm.

The retainer seemed troubled. He hadn't expected this to be a direct order from the Kanjou Commissioner. Were they really not afraid of death? Daring to treat Liyue's delegation like this.

Jiang Ning sneered lightly. Fine, if that's how you want to play it, let's see who can play harder.

You have the Raiden Shogun backing you, but I have Rex Lapis behind me.

Jiang Ning turned and left without a backward glance.

Yuriha didn't stop him. Her task was just to make things difficult.

If they were willing to pay, she'd make a killing. If not, they couldn't leave the outlying island. On the island, it was Hiiragi territory, easy to deal with.

As for forcibly breaking through or smuggling... people were following them. If they dared try, they'd be immediately arrested, and more could be squeezed out of Liyue during negotiations.

The retainer blinked and followed Jiang Ning out.

Jiang Ning walked the streets again. There were no Liyue shops around, only local Inazuman ones.

"International Trade Association?"

Jiang Ning came to a quiet place with these words written above.

Though it said "association", it looked very deserted, even silent.

How could any trade association be like this?

"Friend from Liyue, please wait..."

Jiang Ning turned: "Your young lady, Kamisato Ayaka, sent you?"

"Uh, yes. I'm the Kamisato clan's housekeeper, Thoma. The young lady asked me to be your guide."

Thoma introduced himself warmly.

"Mondstadter?"

Jiang Ning's expression didn't change. This wasn't about being a guide, but about not wanting him to conflict with the other two commissions.

"Half, I guess." Thoma seemed very talkative. "Also half Inazuman. Is this your first time in Inazuma, young man? My young lady said to take good care of you."

Jiang Ning said: "Can you resolve this travel permit issue?"

Thoma scratched his head: "I can, but it'll take some time. Don't worry, it won't delay your business."

Jiang Ning nodded: "But I don't want to wait... Why is this International Trade Association so quiet?"

"This is a self-organized association of foreign merchants, but business hasn't been good these years, so it's this quiet."

"Are Liyue merchants inside?" Jiang Ning asked.

Thoma said: "They are. I guess after talking with the young lady and Lady Guuji, they'll arrange for these merchants to meet your Liyue delegation."

The implication was not to meet now... If I do whatever you say, wouldn't that make me lose face?

Jiang Ning nodded: "I see."

Then he went to knock on the door.

Thoma was troubled. Wait, it felt like the person the young lady asked him to watch was someone who did whatever he wanted... Couldn't he understand his hints?

"Who is it? Coming..."

With a weak response, the International Trade Association's door opened.

A merchant in foreign clothes came out, wearing a hat, looking somewhat haggard.

"You are..."

Seeing Jiang Ning, the merchant was startled.

Jiang Ning asked: "Hello, are the Liyue merchants here?"

"Who are you?"

He looked somewhat wary.

Jiang Ning said: "I've come with the Liyue Qixing's token. My name is Jiang Ning."

Saying this, he took out the token Ningguang had given him.

"Liyue Qixing? Please wait, no, please come in."

The merchant's expression suddenly changed, hurriedly saying.

Though he didn't know if it was real, since he dared to show it, it should be genuine.

Jiang Ning entered the association. Thoma stood outside for a while, then quietly left.

Someone sent by the Liyue Qixing... That shouldn't be just a simple traveler. This matter must be reported to the clan head and young lady.

Inside the International Trade Association, Jiang Ning sat in the reception room for a short while before hearing hurried, chaotic footsteps outside.

Several merchants in Liyue attire entered the reception room.

"Hello, are you the envoy sent by the Qixing?"

One of them asked somewhat cautiously.

Jiang Ning said: "I am. Here's the token."

Saying this, he took out Ningguang's token and Keqing's proof.

"This is indeed the Tianquan's token, and this is the Yuheng's... Has Liyue finally sent someone?"

One merchant's eyes filled with tears, as if having suffered great injustice.

Jiang Ning said: "Now, I need to see your identity proofs. Also, who was that person I saw at the door?"

The merchants quickly produced their proofs from the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the documents for this Inazuma trip filed with Liyue.

After mutually confirming identities, the atmosphere relaxed considerably.

"That person just now was our International Trade Association's representative, Mr. Kurisu, also the initiator of our association. May I ask why the special envoy has come to Inazuma..."

The lead Liyue merchant asked.

"Well, I came with the delegation, but came ahead to check on you. Keqing has also come directly to Inazuma. You should see her in a few days."

The merchants exchanged glances, somewhat shocked. This young man looked extraordinary, and he directly called Lady Yuheng by name... His status must be impressive too.

Jiang Ning continued: "Don't worry, I'm here to ensure the Liyue delegation's safety and back you up. Whatever the Kanjou Commission has taken from us, I'll make them pay back double."

The merchants' noses tingled hearing this, and their backs straightened a bit. After suffering so much in a foreign land, they once again felt Liyue's strength and protectiveness.

"May I ask about your relationship with Lady Yuheng..."

The lead merchant, still quite calm, asked.

No wonder they asked this. Though the Yuheng had come, they couldn't see her yet. They didn't know the person before them, so it was best to clarify.

Jiang Ning thought seriously: "Strictly speaking, I'm Keqing's superior."

The Liyue merchant laughed dryly: "You must be joking, special envoy..."

A superior to the Qixing... Not even Ganyu, who was nominally a secretary but actually supervised the Qixing, counted as such.

Even the adepti living in seclusion in Liyue Harbor or the countryside didn't count.

For thousands of years, the Qixing had only one superior - Rex Lapis, Morax.

Jiang Ning didn't waste words. He raised his hand, revealing a barrier that enveloped the room. After confirming not a trace of aura would leak out, he closed his eyes, then reopened them.

In an instant, Jiang Ning's red eyes changed to divine vertical pupils. The weight of geo and the authority of the God of Contracts were fully displayed.

The merchants' faces changed dramatically. This, this feeling...

It was exactly the same as Rex Lapis's aura at the Rite of Descension! Legend said Rex Lapis had a thousand faces and wandered among mortals.

Then wasn't this young man before them...

They all fell to their knees with a thud:

"We pay our respects to Rex Lapis..."

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