“So, this enormous ballista operates automatically?” Paimon asked, her curiosity piqued.
“It can,” Zhongli replied, shaking his head. “But not right now. Something isn’t right.”
“Not right? What do you mean?” Paimon’s voice rose in alarm.
Zhongli’s gaze lingered on the ballista. “After weathering millennia of wind and frost, even an Adepti mechanism like the Guizhong Ballista cannot remain unscathed.”
“Then what are we supposed to do?!” Paimon flailed her arms. “Zhongli, use your boundless knowledge of the high society of Liyue to figure something out!”
Zhongli turned to her, raising an eyebrow. “You make me sound like a foppish dandy who does nothing but listen to operas and tend to birds.”
He closed his eyes in thought. “Let me think…”
While Zhongli deliberated, Jia Changjiang stepped closer to the ballista, inspecting its intricate mechanisms with a hand on his chin. His fingers grazed the surface of the machine as he mused.
Given that this was a weapon, he thought, Shouldn’t I be able to glean some information from it?
The moment his hand made contact, Jia Changjiang sensed an irregularity. The ballista hadn’t deteriorated naturally—it had been deliberately sabotaged. And recently, too.
Zhongli spoke again, breaking the silence. “When the Guizhong Ballista was constructed, spare components were prepared to account for potential damage. These materials should still be hidden somewhere within the ruins nearby. With those and an understanding of its principles, repairing it wouldn’t be too difficult.”
“So, you know how to repair it?” Paimon asked eagerly.
“I have a general understanding,” Zhongli replied with a nod. “I can attempt it.”
“Leave it to me!” Lumine declared, rushing off with Paimon to search for the materials.
Jia Changjiang, however, remained near the ballista, his attention fixed on its monumental design.
“I didn’t expect you to take an interest in mechanism arts,” Zhongli remarked as he joined Jia Changjiang. “This mechanism, though ancient, is a creation of the Adepti. It is not something mortals can easily comprehend.”
“As long as it’s a weapon, I’m intrigued,” Jia Changjiang said with a shrug. “I’m a weapons master, after all. And to me, mechanisms like this aren’t divided into ‘mortal’ or ‘divine.’ If humans can use it, then it’s worth understanding.”
He glanced at the ballista with admiration. “An automatic ballista that’s been operational for millennia, capable of defending against massive threats… Truly remarkable. I imagine learning to create such mechanisms would be nearly impossible for ordinary people.”
“But collaboration might change that,” he added thoughtfully.
“Collaboration?” Zhongli echoed, his interest piqued.
“Yes, cooperation between humans and those with greater knowledge or power,” Jia Changjiang explained, his voice tinged with excitement. “This ballista—its longevity, its functionality—it embodies a kind of wisdom that’s just as potent as brute strength.”
Jia Changjiang turned to Zhongli, his eyes gleaming. “Humans might lack the raw power of gods or the longevity of some ancient races, but our ability to learn, adapt, and accumulate knowledge over generations is unparalleled. That’s the true strength of humanity—wisdom, experience, history, and civilization.”
He clenched his fists. “Isn’t it exciting to think about what’s possible when that wisdom grows and evolves over time? What do you think, Zhongli? With your thousands of years of perspective, surely you’ve seen this play out firsthand.”
Zhongli remained silent for a long moment, his gaze distant. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft. “Guizhong…”
The name hung in the air, heavy with meaning.
“Indeed, Liyue has grown and flourished over the centuries,” he continued. “Its people have built upon the foundation of the past, shaping their future with every step forward. That is why I made our contract—to witness this growth.”
He met Jia Changjiang’s gaze. “I wish to see for myself how it all unfolds.”
Jia Changjiang grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll uphold my side of our contract. But speaking of contracts… Where’s Lumine? She’s been gone a while.”
Before Zhongli could reply, Lumine’s voice echoed from below.
“Jax! Zhongli! I found the materials!”
They turned to see Lumine clambering up the ruins, her arms laden with components. Behind her, Paimon struggled to carry a smaller bundle, huffing and puffing.
“So… heavy! But this should be enough to fix the ballista, right?” Paimon asked, dropping her load with a thud.
“You two weren’t gossiping about me while I was gone, were you?” Lumine narrowed her eyes at them suspiciously.
“With these materials, repairs should be possible,” Zhongli said, ignoring her accusation. He took the parts and approached the ballista.
Jia Changjiang followed him, eager to help. “Let me assist. I’ve been studying this thing and might be able to contribute.”
“How sneaky! We want to help too!” Lumine declared, dragging Paimon along.
However, as the repairs progressed, Lumine and Paimon’s eyes began to spin with confusion, unable to follow the intricacies of the process.
Finally, Zhongli straightened, brushing off his hands. “It’s done. The Guizhong Ballista is operational once more.”
“That’s it?!” Lumine snapped out of her daze, regaining her energy. “So we can hunt the Coconut Goat now, right?”
“In theory, yes,” Zhongli replied. “But we still have no idea where to find it. The ballista has an integrated long-range viewing mechanism. Traveler, you should use it to scout for clues.”
“On it!” Lumine climbed onto the ballista, eagerly scanning the horizon.
Moments later, she froze, her eyes narrowing.
“Hey! There’s a group of Treasure Hoarders down there!” she exclaimed.
The Treasure Hoarders noticed them as well, their leader shouting in anger.
“What?! You fixed that massive ballista?!”
The group began advancing toward them, weapons drawn. “We risked our lives to sabotage that thing the last time we came here! It nearly skewered us like kebabs!”
“You’ll regret fixing it! Looks like we’ll have to break it—and you—again!”
Zhongli’s expression darkened, his brow furrowing. “To desecrate the wisdom of the Adepti for selfish gain… You deserve punishment.”
He was about to intervene when a massive, glowing bolt from the ballista slammed into the ground, cutting off the Treasure Hoarders’ advance.
Zhongli turned, surprised, to see Lumine grinning triumphantly from the ballista’s controls.
“Hmph! You troublemakers deserve a taste of your own medicine!” she declared, aiming the ballista at the now-terrified Treasure Hoarders.
—
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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