After Kliment took the inexhaustible Salt Chalice, the group pressed forward, navigating through several more mechanisms. Before long, they arrived at another grand hall with a sacred offering displayed in the center.
In the middle of the hall stood an object resembling a ruler.
Upon seeing it, Wanyan studied the artifact carefully before declaring, “If I’m not mistaken, this should be a kind of measuring tool!”
“Indeed,” Zhongli responded, hands clasped behind his back. He elaborated, “However, this measuring tool also embodies the authority of the God of Salt. When planted into the ground, the surrounding soil will be inundated with salt as though a tide were rising.”
“The deeper it penetrates, the more salt accumulates. This is what’s referred to as the bounty of salt.”
Kliment and Wanyan, one drawn to treasure, the other to relics, paid no heed to how Zhongli could know such details.
“That makes this thing even more incredible than the Salt Chalice!” Kliment exclaimed. Yet Zhongli turned to Wanyan and stated, “According to the contract, this Salt Ruler belongs to Miss Wanyan.”
Kliment was not pleased. “No way! I don’t agree! I paid for this expedition! I organized it! Why should I take the loss?!”
“And this girl is useless! Why should she get it?” His anger was palpable.
His outburst drew helpless, slightly pitying looks from Jia Changjiang, Lumine, and Paimon.
They had seen foolishness before, but this? Challenging the God of Contracts himself, in his own land, no less, by breaking a contract? This was a new level of stupidity.
Zhongli’s gaze hardened as he looked at Kliment, his voice tinged with displeasure. “So, you intend to breach the contract?”
“So what if I do? I’ve memorized the layout of this ruin! I don’t need you anymore!” Kliment sneered, tearing off his mask of civility. “And let’s not forget—I’m the one who hired you! Why should I follow your rules?!”
“Because you signed a contract,” Zhongli replied coldly. “As the Geo Archon once decreed: Those who break their word shall suffer the wrath of the rock.”
“That’s just your god! I’m from Snezhnaya!” Kliment tried to argue further.
Zhongli clearly wasn’t interested in listening.
Kliment didn’t even get the chance to finish his retort before he attacked, but his strike was easily absorbed by the golden shield surrounding Zhongli.
Not only that, but Zhongli had already summoned his signature polearm. “You should experience it for yourself… the wrath of the rock is far from merciful.”
Lumine watched with keen interest. This was the first time she had ever seen Zhongli take the initiative in battle. Normally, his temperament was calm and composed, never showing anger.
But this time, the fool had crossed a line—violating a contract had provoked Zhongli’s wrath.
For a god to personally punish someone for breaching a contract… was this fool lucky or simply doomed?
The ensuing battle was utterly one-sided. Kliment barely lasted a few exchanges before Zhongli disarmed him with a deft maneuver, his polearm piercing the wall behind Kliment, grazing his ear.
Stripped of his weapon and his will to fight, Kliment was entirely at Zhongli’s mercy.
What followed was the execution of the wrath of the rock, a spectacle none of them had witnessed before.
When it was over, Zhongli confiscated Kliment’s spoils.
“You are no longer qualified to continue. Leave,” Zhongli commanded, his voice resolute.
Defeated and humiliated, Kliment fled the ruins in disgrace.
“Paimon, make sure you never end up like that!” Lumine teased, pointing at the retreating figure.
“That’s my line! You’re the one who should be careful!” Paimon retorted indignantly.
Zhongli calmly withdrew his polearm, turning back to the group. “Kliment’s downfall was due to greed. It was greed that drove him to break the contract. But beyond greed, many temptations could lead one to betray their word.”
He glanced meaningfully at Wanyan. “And now… perhaps it’s time we addressed something else.”
Lumine’s eyes lit up. “Zhongli, are you finally going to expose her? Want me to do it for you?”
Jia Changjiang chuckled, amused. “I wouldn’t mind taking over either.”
“Now that the greedy fool is gone, it’s time for those who didn’t come here for archaeology to come clean,” he said pointedly.
Wanyan took a step back. “What… what are you talking about?”
“You’ve made plenty of mistakes in your charade as an archaeologist,” Zhongli began. “The folktales about the God of Salt you mentioned aboard the Pearl Galley are far more widely known in the Yinyuan Hall.”
“Compared to anything else, the God of Salt herself seems to be your real focus, doesn’t she?”
“We’ve already figured it out!” Lumine announced triumphantly, hands on her hips.
“Yeah, it’s obvious!” Paimon added, crossing her arms midair.
“Enough!” Wanyan hesitated briefly before admitting, “You are indeed knowledgeable, sir. It seems I was right to seek you out.”
“Yes, I’m from the Yinyuan Hall, one of the Qixing’s Eight Trades. My ancestors were among those who were sheltered by the God of Salt during the Archon War,” Wanyan confessed, her expression twisting with anger. “During the war, Morax assassinated our god! He envied her power, leaving us displaced and abandoned!”
Her voice trembled. “We… we hate him! But Liyue is Morax’s land. The history here is his to rewrite however he pleases!”
“That’s why I want proof! Proof that Morax is guilty! That his hands are stained with blood! That he, too, is cruel and ruthless!”
Her words left Lumine tilting her head in confusion.
“It was the Archon War, wasn’t it? Isn’t it normal for someone to have blood on their hands during that time?” Lumine replied bluntly. “And besides…”
She frowned, addressing Wanyan directly. “Honestly, aren’t you being a bit ungrateful?”
“Ungrateful?” Wanyan froze.
Lumine pressed on. “Whether or not the Geo Archon killed the God of Salt, if it’s as you say, he still took in your ancestors. Why would he do that if he were as guilty as you claim?”
Wanyan clung to her belief. “That was just Morax’s guilt! If it weren’t for him, then—”
“Enough,” Jia Changjiang interrupted, stepping between them.
He turned to Wanyan, his tone firm. “As I said before, your argument is riddled with subjective assumptions.”
“The truth of what happened might be far different from what you believe.”
—
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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