Genshin Impact: The Sharpshooter of Teyvat

Chapter 1220 The Collapse of the Beidou Worldview

Ningguang then recounted how, over the past few years, she had used Shao Yun's reputation to intimidate the various factions in Liyue after the Tuche Rebellion, seize control of the government, and gradually rise to where she was today.

Ningguang lowered her voice at this point, and said self-deprecatingly:

"To put it bluntly, the reason I was able to seize power in Liyue after the Tuche Rebellion and reach my current position wasn't because of my own abilities, but because of Mr. Shao Yun's reputation."

“I’m like a parasite, I can only survive by relying on his influence.”

After hearing Ningguang's account of how she relied on Shao Yun's reputation to stabilize the human-ruled Liyue, and how she ultimately relied on and even seduced Shao Yun, Beidou subconsciously thought she was talking nonsense.

"No, impossible! Ningguang, what are you talking about? Aren't you and Shao Yun just collaborators? How did you become dependent on each other? This can't be true!"

Seeing Beidou's shocked expression, Ningguang didn't offer any explanation, but simply gave Yelan a wink.

Ye Lan initially wanted to help Ning Guang cover up the truth, given how unbearable her past was, but under Ning Guang's resolute yet pleading gaze, she ultimately sighed helplessly and softly testified:

"It's true... Lady Ningguang's ability to stabilize the Liyue business community is indeed thanks to Mr. Shao Yun's reputation."

"How can you say that too..."

Seeing Ye Lan testify, Bei Dou's worldview began to crumble slightly.

Ningguang, the dignified star of Tianquan, rose from a simple country girl selling fish barefoot in Yaoguang Beach to carve out a bloody path through the treacherous Liyue commerce, eventually becoming the all-powerful queen of Liyue.

How could she possibly be a groveling puppy in private?! Is this some kind of R-rated light novel?

"Impossible, Ningguang, how could you entrust your life and fortune to someone else? How could you possibly rely on someone else?"

At this point, Beidou shook her head vigorously. She would rather believe that Ningguang was talking nonsense in a moment of confusion than accept that Ningguang was actually like this.

Then, she began to recount Ningguang's glorious past.

"If you really are as you say, only knowing how to leverage and cling to others, then how many wealthy young men from Liyue proposed to you when you first started doing business?"

"Which of them could give you a stable life and let you be a carefree rich wife? Why do you choose not to go for them and instead plunge headlong into the more complicated arena of power?"

"Furthermore, at the height of your power, you controlled a large portion of Liyue Harbor's trade. Even the other members of the Seven Stars had to give you some leeway, and the immortals tacitly acknowledged your control over the business world."

"You were already at a high position back then, so why did you choose to 'fall' and maintain your status through such shady means?"

Upon hearing Beidou use the word "degeneration," Ningguang opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to refute it.

She didn't think her choice was decadent; she simply chose a faster path for survival and her goals.

But then I thought about it again. The girl who sold fish with her own hands in Yaoguang Beach and was determined to make a name for herself through her own strength eventually abandoned her original path and pinned her hopes on the fame of others. Isn't that a kind of "degeneration"?

Her shoulders slumped slightly, and she said bitterly, "Because of maximizing profits! To be a rich wife? How could I possibly choose a life where I hand my fate over to those kinds of people?"

“Once my body has been used, it becomes worthless… and I’ll have to lose everything I’ve worked so hard to earn. It’s not worth it at all.”

She paused, recalling those moments when she felt powerless.

"The higher I went, the more I realized how insignificant I was. Countless Mora were just useless stones in the face of the gods' challenges."

"With a single word from a deity, my painstakingly built business empire could be reduced to dust."

"Why do you think Mr. Shao Yun has a voice in Liyue, and can even indirectly determine the course of some things?"

"It's not because he's rich, it's because he's strong enough to make even the immortals wary. Only this kind of power and influence can truly restrain those uncontrollable forces."

Ningguang took a deep breath and spoke her truest thoughts.

“I’m increasingly realizing that business tactics alone are not enough; I need enough ‘force’ or ‘backing’ to maintain everything I’ve gained.”

Beidou was completely bewildered. She didn't understand anything about checks and balances or the difficulties caused by the immortals. All she had in mind was the most straightforward question.

"This... I don't understand these grand principles. I just want to know, there are quite a few capable people in Liyue, so why did you choose to rely on Mr. Shao Yun?"

Ningguang looked at Beidou's bewildered eyes, and a sad smile slowly crept onto her lips, making people's hearts tighten.

Then, she revealed the answer hidden deep within her heart.

"Because none of those people are as good as Shao Yun. The benefits that Mr. Shao Yun can bring are simply too great. So great that I'm willing to gamble everything."

“At first, I also tried to build an equal partnership. I used Mora to buy his ‘right to use his reputation’, and he helped me deter the forces of Liyue. We each got what we needed, and a seemingly stable alliance was formed.”

"Back then, his name was like my trump card. As long as I mentioned the name 'Shao Yun,' even the most formidable opponents would back down a bit."

Her voice gradually lowered, and a shadow fell over her eyes as she recalled the days when she gradually became "dependent".

“My influence, power, and voice have indeed been further enhanced because of his name, but I have also unknowingly given up my independence and autonomy.”

“I started to get used to using his reputation to solve problems, to hiding under his ‘protective umbrella,’ and slowly became a dependent who tied his own hands and feet…like a dodder vine…”

"Later on, I became more and more inseparable from this 'shackle' that gave me power and supreme deterrence."

At this point, Ningguang shook her head self-deprecatingly: "But I know in my heart that our alliance has always been just a facade."

“Mr. Shao Yun has never taken me seriously. He only turns a blind eye to me because of Mora, letting me do whatever I want.”

“He doesn’t belong to Liyue, much less to me. The ‘protective umbrella’ I hold could be taken away by him at any time.”

“I was so afraid of losing all of this that I thought of an even more extreme way – to tie him down with my body.”

"At that time, I even prepared the secret pills for getting pregnant, thinking that as long as I had a child, I could tie him and me together tightly and have this 'support' forever."

Ningguang paused for a moment, then said with a smile, "And what was the result? I schemed and plotted, but I forgot that Mr. Shao Yun is not someone who can be easily controlled."

"As a result, Mr. Shao Yun used a feigned retreat to lure me in, and almost killed me directly."

"Only at that moment did I realize that all my scheming and desires were just a shattered dream."

"Like a swimmer in the sea who, in order to swim faster, throws away everything they have."

"Finally, when I got ashore, I realized that I had given up everything, and I had nothing left."

Seeing that Ningguang had recounted their past, Shao Yun interjected:

Why are you bringing this up? It's all in the past, what's the point?

Ningguang seemed not to hear him, staring blankly at him, and said with a sense of relief:

"You created a glory that didn't belong to me, making me mistakenly believe that I really had the ability to stand at that height."

"Perhaps, from the very first time I decided to borrow your name, I was already on the wrong foot, and one wrong step led to another."

Beidou stood there blankly, staring at the unfamiliar Ningguang in front of him, feeling uncomfortable all over.

This was not at all the spirited, calm, and decisive Tianquanxing she remembered, nor the ruthless and never easily showing weakness Ningguang in the business world.

"Ye Lan, tell me, this can't be true, right? Ning Guang is just confused for a moment, talking nonsense, isn't she?"

Beidou turned to Yelan for help, hoping she could tell her it was all fake. She desperately wanted Yelan to refute her, to tell her it was all a lie.

But Yelan just watched her silently, and finally gave her a wake-up call.

"It's true, Captain Beidou, Ningguang did indeed try to seduce Mr. Shao Yun..."

"You should still remember that Mao Cai Gong's six-month-long commercial offensive was launched when Ning Guang and Shao Yun were at odds."

"Although Mao Cai Gong was killed by Shao Yun, Ning Guang can only rely on Shao Yun's reputation, because the business community of Liyue Harbor is afraid of Shao Yun's intimidation."

Yelan paused for a moment, then objectively analyzed, "If they really knew that Lady Ningguang had long lost Mr. Shaoyun's support, countless forces would immediately emerge in Liyue Harbor to oppose her."

"Without the fear hanging over her head, even if Lady Ningguang is very capable, she cannot withstand the siege of various forces and will eventually perish."

……

After listening to Ye Lan's clear and logical confession, Bei Dou's last shred of hope was completely shattered.

She shook her head in despair, her voice trembling with tears and filled with despair.

"Impossible... This is absolutely impossible! Ningguang, look at me! This is all fake, right? You're kidding me! Tell me!"

She rushed to the bedside, grabbing Ningguang's arms tightly with both hands, hoping to hear Ningguang's explanation that it was just a "joke".

Ningguang simply looked at her calmly, without saying a word, and slowly stuck out the tip of her tongue to gently lick her slightly dry lips.

Then, she pulled her arm out of Beidou's grasp, placed the back of her hand against her chin, and curled her fingers slightly to make a hairy "claw".

"Wang..."

With the most straightforward actions and voice, she laid bare her "ugly" state of being willing to abandon her dignity and depend on others in pursuit of power before Beidou.

Looking at Ningguang mimicking a puppy's posture, Beidou felt dizzy.

The once powerful Tianquan Star, who commanded respect even from the Celestials, now demonstrated his ugly pursuit of power in the most humble manner.

Her worldview completely collapsed, and the scenes of her past interactions with Ningguang kept replaying in her mind.

The confident demeanor at the negotiating table, the calm command during a crisis, the playful banter about life in private...

These vivid memories, superimposed on the scene before her, created a stark contrast that threatened to tear her reason apart.

She simply couldn't believe that the proud and resilient Ningguang would end up like this.

But Yelan's testimony, and the scene she was witnessing, were right before her eyes, leaving her no room for doubt.

Unable to bear the heartbreaking scene any longer, she staggered out the door.

She walked quickly down the corridor, wanting nothing more than to escape this oppressive space and find a quiet place to calm down.

Beidou finally arrived at Shao Yun's study.

After pushing open the door, she locked it behind her back, then slid slowly to the ground with her back against the door.

She hugged her knees with both hands and buried her face deeply in her arms.

She needs time, she needs time to quietly process this world-shattering truth...

……