Ormos Port is filled with the smell of spices all year round. It is different from the silence of Xumi City. Although it is also covered with ancient spiritual trees, the double-wood dock is obviously more lively than Xumi City, which is controlled by the void. .
The Port of Olmos is always more moving at night than during the day. The dim lights shine on the roofs of knitting sheds that can be seen everywhere, glowing with sparkling light.
According to the owner of the fruit stall, these sheds are the result of the second-generation light transmission technology of the Academy. They can withstand strong light and the erosion of coastal water fog, which is very useful.
At the dock, traders talked about business in different languages, the carts for transporting goods creaked, the pots in the teahouses boiled, and the kitten hiding in a corner meowed quietly.
In the bustling hustle and bustle, there are still people playing leaf flutes, and the melody is like a local nursery rhyme, but the player is not very skilled, so the melody is intermittent.
In a tavern in the bustling area of Port Ormos, His Royal Highness the Prince quickly found Pantalone at the table in the corner, lowering his head and stroking the ring.
Kong once used the power of the Abyss to carefully investigate the executive code-named "The Rich Man". In line with what the Abyss said, Pantalone was born quite poor and had never become God's chosen one. All his current wealth and status, all achieved through his own hard work.
In this world where money is dominated by gods, the difficulty of building an economic network covering the entire continent by oneself is evident.
Pantalone is different from many wealthy businessmen and politicians Sora has seen. He has superhuman intelligence and strategy, and also has an extremely strong will that is not recognized by the gods.
Although the other party lowered his head and rubbed the ring, his eyes never left the wooden door of the tavern. The moment Sora entered the tavern, Pantalone squinted and stood up to greet him.
"I have long admired your name, Your Highness the Prince... I am the ninth executive of the Fools, the "rich" Pantalone, and I have come to meet you privately. I am not being polite enough, so please bear with me. "
There was a huge crowd in the tavern, but no one paid attention to the two strangers in the corner of the shop.
"You are Welcome."
The blond boy was more free and easy than Pantalone. After sitting down across the table, he picked up the menu and ordered some wine and dishes.
"It's hard to imagine that you and the "Harlequin" are from the same era. "
Pantalone looked at the prince of the abyss with a smile.
"You look so young and spotless."
Kong looked at Pantalone, who was sleek and secretive, and said straight to the point: "There is no need to talk about gossip. Since you know about me and still come to see me without telling your master, you must have something important."
"Of course... I heard about your deeds from Harlequin, and I have always wanted to find a chance to get to know you."
Pantalone didn't seem to expect that Sora's question would be so direct, and she didn't say a lot of the pleasantries she had prepared.
"We executive officers have our own plans when joining the Fools, and I am no exception."
"What you and the Abyss Cult are doing may be contrary to the Queen's ideals, but they coincide with my personal ideals. What's more, I am still a banker, and what bankers need most... is connections."
Sora already understood that Pantalone wanted to hook up with the abyss, and he had no intention of rejecting the other party's deliberate attempts to please him.
A few words can be exchanged for a large sum of money, and he has no reason to refuse such a deal.
"So, what can you bring me?"
"Clean money, Zhidong's scientific research results and intelligence, and his apparent identity."
Pantalone's answer was equally simple and straightforward, like a cunning fox.
"I will personally fund the activities of the Abyss Order in Xumi. After you leave Xumi, you can also contact me through the Northland Bank branches in various countries."
"What's the reason?" Kong picked up the filled wine glass and took a sip, "Big bankers are most particular about seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages. The risks of this transaction are not small. I have reason to believe that your income from investing in the Abyss Cult is much greater than yours." The risk of betraying Solstice.”
Pantalone was deep in thought and did not directly answer His Highness the Prince's question. He supported his chin with both hands and stared intently at the workers yelling harshly at the bar and the cart drivers devouring their food.
The dense vegetation outside the window reflected faint fluorescence, and Pantalone's dark gray eyes shone like looming horseshoes.
"In the era when I was born, Kanria had long been destroyed. According to common sense, I should not have any knowledge of this godless country."
Pantalone spoke, and her cold words made the temperature in the cafe drop a bit.
"But I sympathize with the plight of the Kharians, just as I detest the gods' arrogance."
"God has committed countless crimes against this world, but humans can only look up in silence. Everything I do is to overthrow Teyvat's unfair system and allow humans to gain the equality and respect they deserve."
Sora stared at Pantalone, unable to tell whether what the other person said was sincere or flattering.
The goal of the Abyss Order is to overthrow the rule of heaven, but the Abyss is also the enemy of all living things.
"Your Majesty the Queen...didn't that promise you?"
"I'm a banker, and a shrewd businessman never puts all his bread in the same basket."
Pantalone smiled and picked up the slice of bread brought by the waiter and put it on his plate.
"In addition to being loyal to Her Majesty the Queen, Northland Bank has also been secretly supporting resistance forces everywhere."
Sora used a knife to spread butter on the bread, scoffing and shaking his head.
"You cunning snake...why should I believe you?"
"I may deceive my business partners, but I have no reason to deceive you. Your Highness, you are the same type of person as me, and you are also pursuing the same cause."
After Pantalone finished speaking, he fell into a long silence. He twisted a piece of bread, patiently wiped away the gravy and jam on the plate, and put it into his mouth. He seemed to enjoy it very much, which was quite rude in the eyes of Liyue people. Actions.
Seeing Sora's surprised look, Pantalone spread her hands indifferently and smiled: "Your Highness, there is nothing surprising. I have also had poor days."
"Yeah?"
The blond boy looked out the door of the tavern.
This is the busiest time in the Port of Ormos. Scholars and disciplinary officials can be seen everywhere, as well as mercenaries having a drink after get off work. They gather together in twos and threes and usually do not choose to share a table.
But in addition to these consumer mercenaries, there are old women begging tremblingly and starving children crying loudly on the streets.
Xumi, which has lost its gods and is completely controlled by the sages of the Order Council, is now facing internal and external troubles. Although the port of Ormos is still under the jurisdiction of the Order Council in name, it is too far away from Xumi City and has many forces, so it is also the first to react. There are policy loopholes.
"Look, do those poor people look like you when you were young? They were displaced because of the secret plans of the fools, but now you have long been accustomed to turning a blind eye to them."
Kong turned back with cold eyes and stared at the smiling rich man, who just calmly swallowed the food in his mouth.
"For a great cause, there are always necessary sacrifices."
"When you were walking in the wild, did you take care of your Qiuqiu people?"
As soon as he said this, Sora fell silent.
On the surface, this man is just an ordinary banker, but his knowledge of secrets is shocking.
Pantalone did not continue the topic of his life experience, but changed the topic and raised a doubt that had been bothering him for a long time.
"Your Highness, do you know the god named Harpas?"
It's a pity that the Twins only came to Teyvat five hundred years ago. Even Kong, who has experienced the disaster of Kanria, cannot fully grasp the history that was lost thousands of years ago.
"There can be nothing in this world that can be more blasphemous to life than the existence of the devil itself. The long lifespan, the power of the world, the chaotic self-understanding... The gods who were born on the top of the clouds are not worthy of judging the mortals who set foot in the sky. Way."
"Even the God of War who cut off a corner of the Sky Island and completed the feat of [Replacing the Earthly Interpretation]."
Kong raised his head contemptuously, his amber childlike eyes seeming to penetrate the ceiling of the tavern.
"Don't trust any god, banker."
"What we want to do is to overthrow the throne, not to replace the throne."
