"Y-You... This..."
Katheryne finally recovered from her shock.
She gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking at the scene before her, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Kael... How did you do this?"
"How did I do it?"
Kael chuckled. "Just got lucky."
Katheryne: "..."
Other Adventurers: "..."
"Just got lucky?"
"You call this lucky?"
"We run all over the outskirts of Mondstadt every day and come back with less than a fifth of this, and you just casually bring back two sacks... Is this reasonable?!"
While everyone wore expressions of disbelief, Fischl, standing aside, lifted her chin slightly. Crossing her arms, she assumed a naturally noble posture and spoke arrogantly.
"We have undergone the baptism of fate and carry the gifts of the Abyss. All victories are due to the forest's favor."
Oz translated thoughtfully from the side: "My Lady means: It is only natural that we gained this much in the Whispering Woods."
Everyone: "..."
"The point is, how on earth did you find so many resources?!"
The adventurers present were on the verge of a breakdown.
This kind of harvest made those who made a living collecting resources feel like digging a hole to hide in.
"Could it be Oz?"
"That shouldn't be it. Even when Fisch... cough, Her Highness the Prinzessin acted before, she never had this kind of harvest, right?"
"Yeah, Her Highness never brought back such exaggerated resources before."
"And while Vision holders might find it easier to locate things compatible with their element, finding four sacks full is just too ridiculous."
"I'm going to the Whispering Woods tomorrow to try my luck!"
"No way! With this many specialties, the outskirts of the Whispering Woods must have been stripped clean by now!"
"Then we have to go deeper, but the inner area seems dangerous..."
At this moment, Katheryne finally composed herself. She cleared her throat lightly, her gaze still looking at Kael with a hint of disbelief.
Then she took a deep breath and began to organize the resource data.
"Alright, please wait a moment. I will calculate the total value of these resources for you as soon as possible."
As she spoke, she began to carefully count the mountain of supplies on the table.
Kael didn't care much about the gazes of the people around him.
He knew very well that this was just the beginning.
With the Bio-wave Probe, the specialties he could find were far more than just these!
He had no intention of hiding his ability. There was nothing to hide.
It was just resources.
Converting them into Mora and then quickly turning that into what he needed was the most important thing.
And next, he would continue to bring resources back to the Adventurers' Guild.
It wasn't like someone would rob him just because his harvest was too big, right?
The adventurers of the Mondstadt Guild really wouldn't do such a thing.
The only ones who would do that were the old aristocrats and the Fatui.
But for them, these resources weren't worth robbing.
While Kael was thinking this.
On the other side.
Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
Confinement Room.
Inside the confinement room, the light was soft and quiet.
Although the room was small, it was tidy and clean. It didn't feel like a prison at all, but more like a temporary isolation room.
Klee was sitting obediently on the small wooden bed, hugging a pillow embroidered with a Dodoco, swinging her little legs, and humming an unknown tune.
Her backpack had been temporarily confiscated, but she herself wasn't panicked at all. In fact, she looked quite energetic.
Click.
Just then, the door was pushed open.
Outside the door, a familiar tall figure appeared in Klee's line of sight.
Golden hair, deep teal-green pupils, a white alchemist's coat trimmed with gold...
It was Big Brother Albedo!
"Wah! Big Brother Albedo!"
Klee's eyes lit up instantly. Her small face was filled with surprise. She jumped directly off the bed and rushed excitedly toward the door.
Her short legs ran fast, afraid Albedo would slip away.
As she pounced, she asked excitedly, "Big Brother Albedo, are you here to let Klee out?"
"Klee really knows she was wrong!"
"I won't bomb Cider Lake next time!"
Klee's voice was crisp, carrying a hint of fawning expectation.
Her two small hands clenched into fists, held tightly against her chest, afraid Albedo would say no.
However, Albedo didn't answer immediately.
He looked at Klee in front of him, rubbed his brow, and revealed a helpless expression.
This child seems to have missed the point.
Just as Albedo hadn't decided how to explain to Klee, Jean spoke up from the side.
"Klee, I have some questions to ask you. If you cooperate properly, we will let you out immediately."
"Really?!"
Klee's eyes brightened instantly!
She nodded vigorously, her golden hair swaying. Her small face was full of seriousness and expectation. "Klee will definitely cooperate! Whatever Master Jean wants to ask, ask quickly!"
Seeing her so obedient, Jean finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then her expression straightened, and she asked with a slightly solemn tone, "Klee, in the past few days, have you met... anyone from the Abyss Order?"
Klee blinked, her small face full of confusion.
"Abyss Order?"
Klee tilted her head, her small hand on her chin, thinking seriously.
Then she shook her head honestly. "Klee doesn't know."
Jean's brow furrowed slightly. Just as she wanted to ask something else, Albedo suddenly took a picture book from his coat, turned to a page, and spread it out in front of Klee.
On the page were several monsters wearing mage robes, surrounded by shields of different elemental powers.
They were Abyss Mages, masters of various elemental forces.
Albedo spoke, "Klee, it's these guys. Have you seen them?"
Klee looked down at the picture, her small eyebrows furrowing tightly. She stared at the image for a few seconds, her face written with seriousness.
Then, she shook her head vigorously. "Haven't seen them!"
Jean and Albedo looked at each other, both falling into deep thought.
Klee didn't seem to be lying.
Her expression was sincere, meaning she really hadn't seen any Abyss Mages.
Then...
Who tampered with her bombs?
Albedo narrowed his eyes slightly, his suspicions deepening.
As for asking Klee directly if she knew who modified the bombs, that question was unnecessary.
Because if Klee knew, she wouldn't have blown up Cider Lake by accident.
Klee definitely didn't know who modified her bombs.
"Then have you met any strange people in the last two days?"
Jean thought for a moment and asked, "For example, before you got the bombs, did anyone approach you? Were your bombs always with you? I remember when I let you out yesterday, your backpack seemed empty?"
As she spoke, Jean pondered. She recalled letting Klee out yesterday.
Klee's backpack was definitely empty then.
"Nope."
Hearing Jean's words, Klee continued to shake her head. "As for the bombs, Klee only had a few in the backpack before going out. The rest were dug up from the Whispering Woods where Klee buried them earlier."
As she spoke, Klee thought of Kael.
Big Brother Kael definitely isn't a strange person, and he didn't approach her.
She was the one pestering Big Brother Kael.
It was different from what Master Jean asked.
"Is that so..."
Hearing Klee's words, Jean frowned tightly.
The reason for the frown was that she hadn't gotten any information from Klee.
Thinking of the Abyss Order's hidden conspiracy, Jean's frown deepened.
"What's wrong, Master Jean?"
Seeing the silent Jean and Albedo, Klee scratched her head in confusion.
She didn't understand why Master Jean was suddenly acting like this.
Jean didn't speak further. She just quietly looked at the bewildered Klee in front of her.
A trace of imperceptible softness flashed in her steady gaze.
She understood that Klee wasn't lying.
Klee really knew nothing about the Abyss Order.
But precisely because of this, neither she nor Albedo wanted to ask any more.
Klee was still a child.
A carefree little girl who only thought about bombing fish and exploring all day.
There was no need to drag her into these dark, complex conspiracies and conflicts.
"...It's nothing."
Jean shook her head gently, her gaze softening, and then revealed a gentle smile.
She nodded slightly and said warmly, "Congratulations, Klee."
"From now on, you don't have to stay in the confinement room."
"You are free."
"!!!"
Klee's eyes widened abruptly!
"Really?!"
Klee's voice trembled slightly, as if she had suddenly heard the most beautiful music in the world. She jumped up from the spot, her golden hair tracing a beautiful arc in the air.
"Wah! That's awesome!"
Cheering, Klee instantly turned into a whirlwind, running excitedly around the small room, her face full of unconcealable joy.
"Klee finally doesn't have to be locked up for seven days!"
"Ooh wah, Klee will definitely listen from now on!"
"Klee will be obedient and won't bomb Cider Lake anymore!"
Klee was as excited as a little rabbit, bouncing up to Jean and Albedo, blinking her big eyes and looking at them expectantly, afraid she had heard wrong.
Jean and Albedo looked at each other, then couldn't help but laugh, shaking their heads helplessly.
She really is just a child.
Seeing Klee's pure happiness, Jean also felt relieved.
Albedo gently rubbed his forehead, his tone calm. "...Now that you're out, you must be careful in the future."
"Mmh-hmm!"
Klee nodded vigorously, smiling as if she had just received the most precious gift in the world.
"Then I'm going!!"
Klee waved her small hand excitedly. In the next second, she rushed out of the confinement room like a gust of wind, running toward the free world outside!
Jean watched Klee's cheerful retreating figure, paused for a moment, then sighed softly...
"...Sigh. Truly a headache-inducing child."
"But at least she remains innocent."
Albedo curled the corner of his mouth slightly, looking at the distant sky with deep eyes, hiding a trace of thought.
Jean and Albedo stood there, watching Klee disappear, revealing rare relaxed expressions.
But this relaxation lasted only for a moment.
"Sigh."
Jean finally couldn't help but sigh again, her brows furrowing slightly, her tone carrying a trace of unconcealable fatigue.
"...The clue is broken again."
Albedo nodded slightly, his tone calm. "Klee indeed couldn't possibly know about the Abyss Order. From the beginning, we shouldn't have held too much hope for information from her."
"But... what exactly is the Abyss Order's goal?"
Jean was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "They lurk in the dark, yet they created so much turmoil at the same time..."
"First, the silent massacre of the Fatui elites in Mondstadt City, followed immediately by the explosions at Cider Lake and Starfall Lake..."
Jean rubbed her temples, exhaustion in her eyes. "Things are getting more and more complicated."
Albedo nodded gently, his eyes flickering slightly as if pondering something.
The Abyss Order wouldn't act without reason.
They must be planning something.
However, neither he nor Jean had any concrete clues.
"We can only wait for the next opportunity..."
Just as Jean was thinking.
Suddenly, a sharp eagle cry rang out in the sky!
Screee—!
Jean and Albedo looked up almost simultaneously.
A Falcon of the West with snow-white feathers and golden patterns on its wings dived down from high altitude.
It circled twice in the air, then landed steadily on Jean's arm.
Jean paused. Seeing the letter on the falcon's leg, her expression instantly became solemn.
The Falcon of the West was an important means for the Knights of Favonius to transmit urgent intelligence.
She hurriedly reached out to open the envelope, unfolded the parchment, and quickly scanned the contents.
But as she read, her frown deepened, and the look in her eyes gradually became grave.
"A message from Kaeya?"
Seeing her expression change, Albedo's eyes flickered slightly, and he spoke slowly.
Using the Falcon meant the distance wasn't short.
He also knew about last night's events and that Kaeya had left the city today to find Eula at Starfall Lake.
Jean didn't speak but handed the letter directly to him.
Albedo took it, his gaze sweeping rapidly over the writing on the paper, and a trace of surprise and gravity also flashed in his eyes.
Kaeya's message was simple, but impactful.
[Abnormal destruction event occurred at the northern Hilichurl camp in Whispering Woods. Battlefield debris indicates—]
Combat concluded in an extremely short time; Hilichurls had almost no ability to retaliate.
Massive traces of intense Cryo elements remain, but not ordinary Cryo ability—rather, some form of extreme freezing power.
Destructive aura detected in the air; nature highly consistent with the Starfall Lake and Cider Lake incidents last night.
Speculated to be related to the Abyss Order. The organization may be conducting dangerous experiments suspected to involve Cryo, Pyro, and an unknown destructive energy.
Considering the Abyss Order's frequent activity around Mondstadt recently, it is recommended to raise the alert level, strengthen patrols, and immediately conduct a deeper investigation.
—Kaeya, Eula
Albedo put down the letter, frowning slightly, a thoughtful look on his face.
Jean took a deep breath, a flash of vigilance in her eyes.
"According to their investigation, this time, another new aura has appeared. And it is an extreme freezing power."
Jean turned to look at Albedo, her voice low. "Albedo, in your alchemy research, is there anything similar to that violent destructive energy?"
Albedo thought for a moment, then shook his head slowly. "No... This energy completely exceeds the scope of conventional elemental power."
"Its very existence signifies an anomaly."
"Moreover, now a power different from standard Cryo has appeared as well."
"The Abyss Order is very likely researching something dangerous."
Hearing this, Jean's eyes darkened, and she felt a vague unease in her heart.
Abyss Order, Delusions, Destruction Aura, and now Abnormal Cryo Energy...
All these clues were gathering bit by bit, weaving into a huge web.
And they still couldn't see the full picture.
Jean gently crumpled the letter, her gaze deep. "It seems we must figure out what is hidden behind this as soon as possible."
"For now, we can only rely on Eula and Kaeya."
Albedo rubbed his brow. "Fortunately, Mondstadt City is still relatively calm. I'll rebuild the alchemy workshop over the next two days. You should also be careful."