Genshin Impact: Joining the Genius Society

Chapter 328: Bronya Arrives to Make an Arrest

"That gentleman... his identity doesn’t seem ordinary at all."After Zhongli was dragged back to Yujing Terrace by Hu Tao, Tingyun turned to Ningguang and asked about him.

"That is Liyue’s god... but please keep it confidential. He has chosen to live as an ordinary person now."

Since Tingyun wasn’t from Liyue—nor even from this world—and had been brought here by Su Ran,

There was no harm in telling her.

"That truly is... a remarkable deity. But for such a figure to become one of the Qixing... is it for oversight purposes?"

Tingyun was genuinely shocked.

If she understood correctly, the gods here should be equivalent to the Reignbow Arbiter of the Xianzhou.

For someone of that stature to serve as one of the Qixing—

Wasn’t that inappropriate?

It would be like making the Reignbow Arbiter serve as a Xianzhou general.

The Xianzhou people would find that absurd.

"No... more likely, it’s because of his exceptional abilities, combined with the fact that no one knows his true identity. That’s why he was... unfortunately selected."

Ningguang felt a great deal of sympathy for Zhongli’s situation.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t been present at the time and couldn’t speak up for Rex Lapis—

Which led to this bizarre turn of events where the Geo Archon became her colleague.

Just thinking about it was enough to give her a headache.

More importantly—

He had just retired...

And now this?

Could Su Ran be behind this?

She strongly suspected it.

Otherwise, why would Keqing suddenly choose Zhongli—someone who appeared idle all day?

By all logic, Keqing disliked that "old-fashioned" style reminiscent of Rex Lapis.

So how could she have picked Zhongli?

"Still, since he accepted the role, he must have his own reasons."

Ningguang adjusted quickly and accepted the situation.

"Let’s leave it at that. We should continue touring Liyue Harbor."

What’s done is done.

If they tried to free him now, it might raise suspicions—

And risk exposing his identity.

That would completely ruin any chance of peace for him.

"Boss... please, have mercy. I’ve really got nothing left."

On a snowy field,

A blue-haired man was stripped and hung from a tree.

He looked utterly miserable, staring at the man below who was calmly cooking over a fire.

He hadn’t expected that instead of the Astral Express—

A disaster would arrive.

An Emanator.

How could a mere Masked Fool like him possibly resist that?

Even Sparkle was someone he avoided.

"Honestly, you’re part of the Tavern, and this is all you’ve got? Barely any scraps—how embarrassing."

Counting the fewer than fifty Belobog shields in his hand,

Su Ran looked thoroughly unimpressed with Sampo’s poverty.

Even if he wasn’t an Emanator,

His strength in Belobog would place him near the top.

Possibly even stronger than the Fragmentum’s mother entity.

He was from the Tavern, after all.

"Heh... exactly because I’m from the Tavern, I wouldn’t have much money. You know how Masked Fools are—we chase fun, not wealth."

Among the Tavern members,

There were rich ones—

But none who truly cared about money.

After all, anyone who joined that place did so for amusement.

What was money compared to fun?

The rope binding Sampo suddenly snapped, and he fell face-first into the snow.

"Whatever. This little bit of cash barely fills my teeth. If it weren’t for the Stellaron, I wouldn’t even bother coming to this frozen wasteland."

"Stellaron?"

Sampo got up and looked at him curiously.

"Wasn’t there one at Herta Space Station? Why target this one?"

Unlike the locals trapped on this frozen world,

Sampo had ways to leave.

But despite being a trickster,

He still had a conscience.

While seeking fun, he also intended to save this planet.

Unfortunately—

The Astral Express never came.

Instead, a terrifying big shot showed up.

"The one at the station turned into a Stellaron host. Don’t tell me you didn’t know. The Tavern’s information network isn’t that bad, is it?"

"Heh... well, didn’t expect someone like you to show up."

Sampo gave an awkward smile.

"No need to beat around the bush. I can tell you directly—the Astral Express isn’t coming."

"..."

So the Express wasn’t coming—

And this monster showed up instead?

That wasn’t fun at all.

Sampo felt deeply disappointed.

From afar, rustling sounds approached.

Soon, several armored soldiers arrived.

Along with them—

Someone Su Ran found quite familiar.

"Surrender, Sampo! And his accomplice!"

A silver-haired girl raised her long spear, staring sternly at the two.

Clearly, Sampo had committed some crime and was being hunted.

He’d originally planned to drag the Astral Express into this mess—

But they never showed up.

"I surrender... but you’d better open your eyes. This gentleman isn’t someone you can just arrest."

Sampo raised his hands obediently.

If not for the Emanator beside him,

He would’ve run long ago.

But now—

He didn’t dare.

An Emanator of Erudition.

Put nicely, they were geniuses.

Put bluntly—

When they went mad, even Masked Fools couldn’t compare.

"Tell your mother to take me to the Stellaron. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to destroy all of you."

As the stronger party,

Su Ran had no interest in explaining himself.

Nor playing games.

He had the power—

And the confidence.

Hearing this threat, Bronya Rand prepared to fight.

But suddenly—

The sky darkened.

The soldiers and Bronya all looked up.

Something was writhing above.

"My god... the swarm..."

Sampo’s eyes widened in terror.

What filled the sky—

Was not anything ordinary.

It was a dense, writhing mass of insects.

A swarm.

Something far more terrifying than the Antimatter Legion.

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