After receiving Zhongli's curt dismissal, Venti slouched back into his seat with an aggrieved pout.
He mumbled under his breath, fidgeting in his chair.
"Honestly, why must everyone take things so seriously? I was merely discussing hunting a world boss within this realm."
"That boss is not truly you. If anything, I was offering to take out an adversary you could not bear to strike yourself."
"I was doing you a massive favor, you know."
"Doesn't it feel awkward knowing a creature bearing your exact divine title walks this world?"
"I planned the whole thing out of the goodness of my heart, old man. You truly fail to appreciate good intentions."
Listening to the bard's endless, petty grievances, Zhongli's expression turned even darker. Cutting through the chatter, he replied in a cool, level tone.
"I have no need for your unsolicited concern. You may reserve that exact combat doctrine for Barbatos."
At those words, Diluc leaned forward slightly, his crimson eyes gleaming with sharp interest.
"A sound proposal. Boss Barbatos will likely lack Venti's erratic habits, making it a formidable encounter in practice."
"For maximum safety, applying that exact saturation strategy against Boss Barbatos seems entirely appropriate."
"Thank you for providing the blueprint, Venti. I assumed your offer to handle Barbatos was a jest, but it seems you possess a genuine spirit of selfless dedication. I underestimated you."
"Since you have spoken at length, you surely will not mind detailing Barbatos's attack patterns to instruct our strike teams, correct?"
The tables turned in an instant. The faint smirk on Venti's face froze solid, Diluc's dry counter completely derailing his train of thought.
Staring at Diluc with wide, betrayed eyes, Venti cursed inwardly.
Why was this man always targeting him?
It was only a few bottles of vintage wine borrowed from the winery cellar a few days ago!
Diluc rarely drank the wine anyway; letting it gather dust was a terrible waste.
Meticulous and stubborn, just like Zhongli!
Executing that heavy artillery barrage against Boss Morax was something Venti would gladly lead from the front.
Using it against Boss Barbatos, however, was another matter entirely.
He had no objection to putting down the Barbatos construct, knowing it was merely a voxel monster in the end.
Moreover, the promise of the Bottomless Flask remained.
Yet being subjected to a concentrated barrage of modern rockets, automatic fire, and wither curses was hardly an appealing prospect.
He had devised that strategy to extract entertainment from Zhongli, not to inflict humiliation upon his own avatar!
Venti parted his lips to defuse the situation, but Diluc cut him off before he could speak.
"These world bosses undoubtedly operate like the high-tier monsters of the Twilight Forest, respawning on consistent cycles."
"In return for your guidance, every Bottomless Flask obtained from clearing Barbatos shall be granted exclusively to you."
Silence settled over Venti.
A few seconds later, a radiant, ecstatic grin broke across his face, shining like a winning lottery ticket.
He pounded his chest firmly with a loud thud, adopting an air of magnificent generosity.
"Look at how you speak, Master Diluc! Do you take me for someone who obsesses over a few wine flasks?"
"My sole concern is ensuring the expedition against Barbatos proceeds smoothly without unnecessary casualties!"
"Selfless dedication! As a sovereign deity, I understand the virtues of altruism better than anyone!"
"Leave the compilation of Barbatos's attack patterns to me! I shall not disappoint you!"
Watching his instantaneous transformation and his proud, shameless beam, the room sat in stunned silence.
In that single heartbeat, everyone gained a profound, updated understanding of Venti's boundaries.
Or rather, the complete absence of any boundary whatsoever.
For the promise of a few endless wine flasks, he had happily sold his own divine dignity without a second thought.
He was truly the most shameless bard in the mortal realm.
Ryen suppressed an inward chuckle. Thanks to Venti's antics, the leaders had gradually accepted the existence of these personalized world bosses.
Deciding to conclude the discussion before further arguments erupted, Ryen clapped his hands firmly to finalize the matter.
"The policy is settled. Forcing foreign divisions to hunt another nation's divine avatar would only sow resentment."
"To maintain harmony within our alliance, each court will oversee the hunting of its own regional bosses."
"This will prevent unnecessary friction."
"You may organize the specific tactical deployments amongst yourselves."
"In the short term, however, we will not initiate boss farming. Familiar as the Genshin Impact module is to you all, and simple as its extraction may be, we must acclimate to its mechanics first without rushing."
"Reconstruction efforts following the cataclysm require your immediate attention."
"Furthermore, our domestic populaces across the Five Nations are aware that a major campaign was fought, and our citizens are anxious for news."
"Take time tomorrow to issue official communiques and steady the hearts of your people."
Zhongli and the others considered speaking further, but noticing Ryen sip his tea with a clear intent to close the topic, they let the matter rest.
Ryen's reasoning was sound. Handling their own divine constructs was far more dignified, as allowing another nation to strike down their sovereign would feel uncomfortably close to an insult.
Though adjusting to the concept of world bosses would take time, more pressing tasks awaited them.
The post-war restoration of Redstone Tech City demanded immediate planning today.
Beginning tomorrow, municipal repairs would commence, personnel would be dispersed, and scouting teams would resume gathering resources, exploring the New Continent, and developing the Wizardry mod.
The logistical workload was immense.
Between managing the city's defenses and distributing the grand rewards, the meeting had stretched deep into the evening.
Seeing that broad operational plans were settled, Ryen prepared to depart.
With the forty-nine-day cataclysm finally brought to an end, his priority was returning home to rest and spend quality time with the children and his partners.
Exchanging brief farewells with the assembly, Ryen anchored and expanded the main Ley Line portal outside the City Lord Manor, linking its coordinates directly to the forward outpost established one kilometer from his courtyard at the base of Mt. Tianheng.
Taking Ningguang, Ganyu, and the women with him, he stepped across the threshold and returned to the quiet mountain estate.
Though it had not been long since they had stood in the peaceful courtyard, previous visits had been overshadowed by the looming threat of the cataclysm.
During the final seven days of relentless combat, Ryen had found virtually no leisure to return for rest.
With the immense pressure finally lifted, a profound sense of tranquility washed over him, bringing back the easy, unhurried mindset of earlier days.
Remembering the look of existential shock on Zhongli's face upon discovering he was a world boss, Ryen's lips curled into a broad, helpless grin.
First, however, came the joy of reuniting with the little ones.
Ningguang had instructed Baiwen and the secretaries to prepare a warm evening feast in advance.
Stepping into the courtyard, they found Baiwen waiting patiently near the stone path.
Catching sight of their return, a bright smile of relief lit up her face.
"Lord Ryen, Lady Ningguang, you have returned!"
Ningguang offered a graceful nod, her voice soft. "Thank you for your hard work, Baiwen."
"It is nothing compared to the hardships our leadership endured in that other world. I merely managed our domestic affairs."
Baiwen paused, looking toward Ningguang with quiet curiosity.
"Lady Ningguang, has the cataclysm been fully resolved?"
Ningguang smiled, nodding gently. "It is finished. The siege has ended, and our city stands secure. Instruct the Ministry of Civil Affairs to issue a public bulletin immediately."
"Announce that our coalition has secured total victory, and the fortress has been successfully defended."
"However, our garrison must remain stationed across the threshold to oversee urban repairs and operational duties, delaying their return. Recruitment for new military divisions should proceed as planned."
Baiwen nodded, retrieving her ledger to record the directives. After penning a few lines, her hand hesitated.
Pressing her lips together, she asked in a lowered tone, "Lady Ningguang... regarding military casualties... were there losses?"
Ningguang's brow furrowed, letting out a slow, somber breath.
"There were. Excluding casualties mitigated by Totems of Undying and Totems of Rebirth, the total number of soldiers permanently fallen stands at five hundred and thirty-two."
"Five hundred and thirty-two?!"
Baiwen's eyes widened in shock.
That toll remained even after exhausting their stockpiles of Totems of Undying and Totems of Rebirth.
As Ningguang's personal secretary, she was well aware of the alliance's reserves.
Those stores had been completely depleted, and five hundred and thirty-two warriors had still fallen, underscoring the sheer brutality of the forty-nine-day ordeal.
"The army remains stationed across the gate partly for the sake of these fallen men," Ningguang explained quietly.
"Gathering sufficient points to manifest fresh Totems of Rebirth will require at least a month of steady accumulation."
"Every single fallen soldier will be resurrected in time. You need not harbor worry on that front."
Baiwen nodded slowly, pausing in contemplation before asking softly, "Lady Ningguang, should the casualty numbers be included in the public notice?"
The question gave Ningguang pause.
In truth, revealing such heavy figures was painful, especially when every fallen soldier would eventually be restored to life, rendering permanent mortality rates largely moot.
Yet claiming that an army had fought continuously for forty-nine days against millions of monsters without a single death would insult the public's intelligence.
Announcing such heavy losses, however, risked stirring deep anxiety among the populace.
Ningguang instinctively turned her gaze toward Ryen.
Ryen remained silent for a few moments before speaking in a calm, steady cadence.
"Publish the figures. Truth cannot be concealed indefinitely, and with new modules deploying alongside our impending civilian resettlement plans, our people will learn the reality sooner or later."
"An official bulletin provides transparency and closure. Hiding the numbers only invites rumors and unrest when the truth surfaces on its own."
"Furthermore, even for soldiers restored via Totems of Rebirth, they laid down their mortal lives in defense of our future."
"Consider Dashi and the vanguard strike teams: though restored, they gave their lives repeatedly on the battlements."
"They fought as heroes, and we must not diminish their sacrifice over bureaucratic hesitation."
"Those who laid down their lives to secure this victory deserve the honor of heroes."
Ningguang let out a soft sigh, nodding with quiet resolve.
"Your words are wise. Factoring in every soldier who triggered a totem of resurrection, our total casualties approach nearly two thousand."
"Liyue's forces alone account for over a thousand of those incidents."
"Losses of such magnitude have not been recorded in decades, perhaps even a century."
"We must ensure our people process the news without panic."
Baiwen gave a firm nod. "I will direct the Ministry of Civil Affairs to monitor public sentiment closely. Given the resilience of our citizens, order will prevail."
Ningguang retrieved a scroll from her robes, handing it to her secretary.
"This manifest records every soldier who utilized a totem of resurrection and laid down their life."
"Use this register when drafting the official communique."