"I remember he said he'd arrange it tonight, and then he disappeared. Could something have gone wrong during the kidnapping?"
"It shouldn't be. Kurdt had a Delusion. Even ordinary Vision holders would struggle against him, let alone an ordinary person without a Vision."
"Regardless, we have to find him and ask around later. The Debt Collector's business cannot be delayed."
"It's a pity. When the target came back, he was accompanied by two Vision holders, one of whom is a Knight of Favonius. Let's wait until they leave before we approach him."
The three Fatui elites exchanged brief words and made a rough decision.
Meanwhile.
On the other side.
In a secluded corner of Mondstadt.
The newly rebuilt alchemy workshop stood quietly.
Under the night sky, this freshly constructed building still emitted a faint scent of alchemy.
Warm light shone through the windows. Occasionally, the sound of bubbling flasks could be heard, accompanied by faint elemental energy fluctuations, indicating that the place was still operational.
Inside, Albedo was engrossed in an ancient book, seemingly researching something.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside.
Followed by the standard knock of a Knight of Favonius.
Knock, knock!
Albedo raised his eyebrows slightly, looking away from the page. "Come in."
The door was pushed open, and a young knight in uniform walked in quickly.
His face carried unconcealable excitement and shock, as if he had important news to report.
After standing still and saluting, the knight reported in a steady tone:
"Mr. Albedo, Ms. Katheryne from the Adventurers' Guild specially invites you to the Guild for an evaluation."
"Today, someone brought back a complete... Cryo Whopperflower corpse."
A complete Whopperflower corpse?!
"...Hmm?"
Albedo's calm expression changed abruptly.
His pupils contracted sharply!
His finger stopped on the page, and his eyes revealed unconcealable astonishment.
He looked up, his sharp gaze locking onto the knight.
"You just said—a complete Whopperflower corpse?"
"Yes!"
The knight nodded firmly, shock in his eyes. "According to Ms. Katheryne's description, the corpse is relatively well-preserved. Even the Cryo elemental traces on its surface haven't dissipated yet!"
"..."
Albedo fell silent for a moment, a strange light flashing in his deep teal eyes.
Whopperflowers were monsters extremely difficult to capture and preserve intact!
As mimicry plant monsters, their biology was unique.
Once severely injured, the elements in their bodies would rapidly destabilize, leading to self-disintegration.
Not to mention...
Cryo Whopperflowers, as high-tier monsters, were even rarer.
Almost no adventurer could successfully hunt one and bring its corpse back intact!
This wasn't just a material; it was a rare alchemy research sample!
Even Vision holders might not necessarily win against such a special Whopperflower.
"Interesting..."
Albedo murmured.
He stood up decisively, his robes flowing. He didn't hesitate at all.
He had to see this corpse personally!
"Prepare yourself. I'm going to the Adventurers' Guild now."
The knight paused, then nodded immediately. "Yes!"
Albedo quickly adjusted his clothes, ensuring he had his gloves and notebook.
Then he strode out of the workshop, heading straight for the Adventurers' Guild!
At this moment, inside the Mondstadt Adventurers' Guild.
The hall was still filled with bustling discussion.
Many adventurers were still gathered around the counter, looking at the complete Whopperflower corpse, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
They still couldn't understand how such a priceless corpse was brought back.
Even if a Pyro Vision holder and an Electro Vision holder teamed up, it shouldn't have been possible to preserve it this well.
"Make way! Mr. Albedo is here!"
Hearing this, all adventurers in the hall turned their heads in unison. Then they saw—
A young man in a Knights of Favonius uniform, golden hair falling like flowing clouds, wearing a white-gold coat that exuded a faint alchemy aura, walking steadily into the Guild.
It was Mondstadt's Alchemy Genius, Albedo!
"Mr. Albedo actually came?!"
"My god... Isn't he always busy? He came in person this time?"
"It seems the value of this corpse is far higher than we imagined..."
Everyone held their breath, looking at the alchemist with burning eyes.
Albedo ignored the surrounding discussions.
His gaze instantly locked onto the Whopperflower corpse on the counter. His eyes narrowed slightly as he walked over slowly.
The Cryo aura in the air hadn't completely dissipated.
This proved—the preservation time of this corpse was extremely short!
Meaning, this Whopperflower was hunted just today!
Albedo's eyes flickered. He looked at Katheryne beside him and spoke calmly. "Let me see."
Katheryne smiled and handed him the prepared ledger. "Of course."
Albedo took out his gloves, slowly approaching the corpse on the counter, and began to observe carefully—
The adventurers in the hall held their breath, waiting for the Alchemy Genius's final evaluation.
How much is this corpse worth?
Everyone's eyes were focused on Albedo!
"I also prepared a back room for you," Katheryne said thoughtfully. "If there is elemental dispersion, I think it would be better to research it in the back."
If Albedo researched it here and the elements fluctuated, it would affect the ordinary adventurers.
"En."
Hearing Katheryne's words, Albedo paused, then nodded.
He took the corpse directly to the room Katheryne prepared.
Inside the appraisal room.
Albedo stood by the long table, his palm gently resting on the corpse, his eyes intently examining the remains of this precious monster.
Its surface was scorched black, clearly having suffered an extremely violent Pyro explosion.
Even the frost layer originally covering it was now just mottled fragments.
Amidst the shattered ice crystals, a trace of residual Cryo power could still be faintly felt.
This undoubtedly showed...
The battle to hunt this Whopperflower was extremely intense, involving high-intensity Pyro attacks.
"...Hmm?"
Albedo's fingers slowly traced the charred shell, his brows furrowing slightly.
He sensed something unusual.
The surface of this Whopperflower didn't just have simple Pyro scorch marks!
In its texture, a very special energy fluctuation remained.
Albedo's pupils contracted slightly.
He tapped his finger, taking out a small alchemy bottle from his coat.
He gently scraped a bit of black charred powder from the surface and put it into the bottle.
As the powder fell in, the reagent inside instantly rippled with a faint purple-black color!
This wasn't pure Pyro energy. It was more like...
Some kind of special Destructive Power!
"..."
BOOM!
A scene suddenly flashed in Albedo's mind.
Yesterday, the moment his alchemy workshop exploded!
That sudden aura of Destruction!
Albedo's fingers paused, his eyes instantly becoming incomparably solemn.
"...Why is it on this?"
He clearly remembered that yesterday, he accidentally triggered the destruction aura by dismantling Klee's bomb, causing the workshop to collapse.
But today, he detected the same energy fluctuation on a Whopperflower corpse!
And what was more terrifying...
It was much richer than yesterday's!
This meant that power had been released again!
Who?
Who caused this destructive power to erupt again?
Albedo looked up sharply, his gaze piercing, looking directly at Katheryne waiting by the side. His tone was much more serious than usual. "This Whopperflower corpse... who brought it?"
Katheryne was stunned. She rarely saw Albedo look so serious.
But she replied calmly, "It was Mr. Kael Arclight of the Adventurers' Guild. He returned with your sister Klee and Fischl."
"If you want to know more, Mr. Albedo, I think you can ask Klee personally."
"After all, she brought it back."
"According to the information, this corpse was discovered and hunted by Mr. Kael, Fischl, and Miss Klee while gathering resources today."
Katheryne knew Albedo treated Klee as his own sister.
Katheryne was actually a bit confused too.
Since Klee helped solve the Whopperflower, there was no reason to come to the Adventurers' Guild.
She should have taken Kael directly to find Albedo.
Why was the initiative in Kael's hands?
"Klee?!"
Hearing this, Albedo looked astonished.
Klee again?
How could it be Klee!
Yesterday, after Klee got out of confinement, she didn't get her backpack back.
Her bombs were accidentally blown up by him in the workshop.
Klee said yesterday she was going to find Lisa to make bombs.
But today she went on an adventure, came back, and brought a complete Whopperflower corpse?
And that terrifying aura of destruction appeared on it again.
For a moment, Albedo frowned deeply.
This meant the bombs Klee made last night were modified again, or infused with that aura.
That was why there were such severe scorch marks and residual aura on this Whopperflower.
But the problem was... why did Klee's bombs have this aura one after another?
Kael?
A flash of surprise passed through Albedo's eyes.
He had heard this name frequently recently.
Especially yesterday, Klee said he was her new friend.
And a highly skilled swordsman adventurer.
But...
How did he trigger this power?
Or rather...
With Klee by his side, did he use some method to stimulate the unknown energy in Klee's bombs?
A series of questions intertwined in Albedo's mind.
As for Fischl, Albedo instantly ruled her out.
That little girl with an Electro Vision and a raven was an investigator. She couldn't hunt a Whopperflower like this.
So, the problem lay with that Kael?
"So, Mr. Albedo, the evaluation is?"
Beside him, Katheryne looked at the contemplative Albedo and asked softly, "When can you give a result?"
Hearing this, Albedo snapped back to reality.
He looked at Katheryne calmly. "I need to do detailed research on this corpse. I will give an evaluation as soon as possible."
"Of course, the price will be at least a million Mora, plus some alchemy potions."
"As for specifics, I need to do a detailed assessment."
"Okay."
Hearing this, Katheryne nodded gently.
Then she left.
Albedo turned his gaze back to the Whopperflower corpse in front of him.
He mobilized Geo energy slightly, setting up a protective barrier around the corpse.
Then he stared at it, falling into deep thought.
What exactly is this Destruction aura?
What is its source?
Currently, it was certain that this power appeared in Klee's bombs, but that time it was accidentally triggered.
And now, it appeared on this corpse again.
Plus the information Eula sent from Starfall Lake.
And the Fatui elites who died in Mondstadt...
Abyss Order...
Could it be that Klee's new friend has a relationship with the Abyss Order?
Albedo's expression grew graver.
Was that Kael a genius who secretly joined the Abyss Order long ago?
But according to his knowledge, the Abyss Order almost never used methods like the Fatui to buy people off.
And Kael was just an adventurer without a Vision.
Logically speaking, it was impossible to master this special energy release method.
Unless...
He also hides some unknown power?
Albedo narrowed his eyes slightly, the corner of his mouth lifting in a thoughtful arc.
"It seems... this Kael is worth meeting in person."
His gaze fell on the corpse, flickering.
Every inch of this corpse might hide amazing secrets.
Now he had a ready-made material, unlike the uncontrollable bombs.
So he had to research it thoroughly.
What is this power?
How is it formed?
If it can be analyzed, can it be utilized?
A series of thoughts churned in Albedo's mind.
He slowly reached out and began to formally dissect and research the corpse.
At the same time, he made a decision in his heart.
After finishing this, I need to find Klee and ask her in detail.
As for that Kael... I need to meet him too.