"So that's how it is!"
Inside the office, after listening to Keqing pour out her frustrations,
even Bai Ge felt a bit at a loss.
To be honest—
An eternally wise and benevolent sovereign was the dream of countless people in Bai Ge's previous life.
Liyue, after all, was essentially a fantasy version of his homeland.
Yet what he hadn't expected was this—
Here, such a wise and just ruler had instead become something the people of Liyue wished to move beyond.
It was hard for Bai Ge to fully relate.
But when he recalled the storyline of Genshin Impact,
things began to make sense.
"I think, Keqing, you've mixed up one key concept,"
Bai Ge said after his thoughts.
"First of all, you can't oppose the Geo Archon just for the sake of opposing him.
The Geo Archon is not your enemy."
"Second, you need to firmly believe that you are right."
"Humans must have the ability to govern themselves—there's nothing wrong with that."
"But if you want humans to truly be in charge,
it shouldn't be done by trying to drive the Geo Archon away."
"And besides," Bai Ge added bluntly,
"you can't drive him away anyway. That's impossible."
"Then what should I do?" Keqing asked.
"You should take the initiative and prove your own capability," Bai Ge replied.
"Show the Geo Archon that you can shoulder more responsibility."
"You need to believe that if the Geo Archon truly is a wise ruler,
then he won't be your obstacle—he'll be your support."
"The ideal situation is this:
the Geo Archon still exists,
but humans already possess the strength to govern independently."
"At that point, the Archon simply watches, without interfering."
"Step by step, people grow on their own."
"And then one day—
when the Geo Archon finally leaves,
the people of Liyue will still be able to walk forward by themselves."
This, in truth, was exactly the path Keqing took in the original story.
After the "assassination" of Rex Lapis—
The Qixing swiftly filled the power vacuum left behind
and stabilized Liyue almost immediately.
If this were judged by real-world standards—
If a ruler and god on Morax's level were suddenly assassinated,
war preparations would begin instantly.
No matter the nation—even those with centuries of blood feud against Liyue—
no one would dare remain silent.
The roar of war would echo through every corner of the land.
Yet under such circumstances,
the Liyue Qixing still managed to stabilize society and suppress chaos.
That alone showed how capable they truly were.
Only now, however, had the Qixing yet grown into their future selves.
Listening to Bai Ge, Keqing fell into deep thought.
"So if humans are to replace the role of the Geo Archon," she murmured,
"the first step is proving that we have the ability to do so…"
"And if the Geo Archon is truly wise,
then he would help me—not block me."
She mulled over Bai Ge's words carefully.
Before long, realization dawned on her face.
"I understand now!"
"I finally understand what the Geo Archon meant!"
She looked at Bai Ge with excitement.
"The idea that the Geo Archon would help me instead of opposing me—
this is the first time I've ever thought of it this way!"
"Bai Ge… it really is you."
"You have no idea how much this realization means to me!"
Keqing was practically glowing.
At that moment,
she returned to her original self—
The tireless, energetic Keqing who never stopped moving forward.
"So when I kept saying that the age of human governance would arrive,"
she continued excitedly,
"and the Geo Archon never stated his position—
that silence itself was actually support!"
With this understanding,
overwhelming joy filled her heart.
Rex Lapis had ruled Liyue for thousands of years.
Opposing him was not something an ordinary person could bear.
All this time, Keqing had been advancing
under immense pressure and guilt.
Now—
The mountain weighing on her shoulders had been lifted by Bai Ge,
and she felt lighter than ever.
"I'm glad you figured it out," Bai Ge said, smiling faintly.
A youthful, vibrant girl was already pleasing to look at.
But very quickly—
Bai Ge stopped smiling.
The 996 workaholic boss he had just revitalized
was already closing in on him again.
"Then please tell me more!"
"After your proposal is implemented,
how do you think the Yuheng Office should be reformed next?"
Clearly—
Now that she believed the Geo Archon supported her,
Keqing was certain she was on the right path.
And that certainty gave her endless motivation.
Faced with Keqing's burning gaze,
Bai Ge suddenly felt like he'd lifted a rock only to smash his own foot.
There went today's slacking-off time.
"…Fine, fine. I'll tell you," he sighed, shaking his head.
After all, he'd already worked at high intensity with Ganyu.
It wouldn't be fair to play favorites.
"But let me say this first—this is only my personal opinion."
"And also," he added seriously,
"I leave at five. Don't cling to me."
Today was his weekly sign-in.
Missing it was not an option.
"Okay, okay! Absolutely no problem!"
Keqing agreed far too readily.
"…Alright then."
With lingering suspicion,
Bai Ge began explaining the concept of performance-based evaluation systems.
What he didn't yet know—
He had placed far too much trust in Keqing.
And so—
To be continued…
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