Hu Tao's dramatic exit left Wangshu Inn unusually quiet—at least, quiet by Klee's standards.
Moments earlier she had sprung up like a startled shrimp, waving her arms.
"Brother Takumi! Sister Hu Tao ran so fast she almost left a dust trail! Does she hate Klee?"
Takumi pat Klee's head gently. "No. Hu Tao just remembered she has work. Funeral parlor business tends to be… nocturnal."
Klee blinked twice. "Oh! So she didn't run away because I blew up fish?"
"Not at all," Takumi lied skillfully.
Keqing, eating almond tofu nearby, choked. Klee beamed.
Hu Tao, currently half a li away sprinting across the bridge, would absolutely disagree with this narrative—but she wasn't here. Which made Takumi's explanation true enough.
Klee brightened instantly, humming while she packed her mini rockets.
Takumi sighed. "Next time, I'll invite Qiqi too. And the others… the whole group would be fun."
Keqing gave him a side-eye. "Please don't gather all five children of mass destruction in one place."
Takumi pretended not to hear.
Night at Wangshu Inn — the Calm Before the Experts Arrive
Wangshu Inn was bustling. Cookfires blazed, fish sizzled, and tired workers piled into long wooden tables after another day of hauling beams and pouring cement.
The new city grew at astonishing speed.
The pier's deep-water trench was nearly complete. The first outlines of multi-story commercial buildings were visible. And for seven days straight, Klee had been the construction site's unofficial mascot, beloved by every worker except the fishermen.
Takumi sipped his tea.
Keqing reviewed documents.
Klee happily devoured grilled fish twice her size.
Then the Qianyan Army messenger rushed in.
"Mr. Takumi! The alchemists sent by Lady Ningguang have arrived!"
Takumi immediately stood. Keqing tucked away her papers. Klee wiped fish crumbs off her face using her hat, which did not help.
Within minutes, a troop of alchemists arrived—robes, tool pouches, spectacle lenses, the whole scholarly entourage. They looked around in awe.
One whispered,
"Is this where the new city will rise…?"
Another replied,
"Even Sumeru's scholars mentioned this project…"
Takumi clapped his hands.
"Rooms are prepared for all of you. Rest tonight. Tomorrow we begin."
The alchemists bowed respectfully.
They noticed something else too: the enormous number of slimes being transported by the Qianyan Army. Hydro Slimes in reinforced cages. Pyro Slimes safely stored like living furnaces. Electro Slimes handled with insulated gloves.
One muttered nervously,
"…Mr. Takumi really is using slimes for industry."
"Shh," another whispered. "Lady Ningguang approved this!"
That shut everyone up.
The Next Morning — The Gathering of Minds
Takumi stood beside a large blackboard filled with diagrams—axles, wheels, combustion-like chambers, gear assemblies, and a central alchemy furnace labeled:
CORE: ELEMENTAL HYBRID DRIVE.
The alchemists gathered around, notebooks ready.
Takumi began:
"Everyone here has worked with Chaos Devices. You know how ruin machines move. And you all understand the principles behind elemental combustion and energy conversion."
Nods across the room.
"What we are building," Takumi continued, tapping the blackboard,
"is Teyvat's first alchemy-powered vehicle."
Murmurs.
An older alchemist raised his hand timidly.
"Mr. Takumi… we have studied Chaos Devices for decades. We still cannot replicate them. If you want us to copy ancient mechanisms, it is… impossible."
Takumi opened his mouth to reassure them—
—but fate arrived early.
"Mr. Takumi, a man named Albedo is here to see you!"
Takumi's eyes lit up.
Perfect timing.
"Let him in immediately. We can start the real discussion now."
The alchemists exchanged looks.
The Albedo?
The Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius? The genius known as Kreideprinz?
Excitement rippled through the room.
Then—
Albedo entered quietly, silver hair soft in the morning light.
He held Sucrose's letter.
His gaze swept the diagrams on the board.
Takumi smiled widely.
"Mr. Albedo! You arrived much faster than expected. Please, come in. We were about to discuss your favorite topic—alchemy."
Albedo blinked, visibly puzzled.
Then Klee burst into the room like a flaming meteor.
"BROTHER ALBEDO!!"
Sucrose rushed behind her, breathless.
"Albedo! Are you hurt? Did you run here? You weren't supposed to arrive until—tomorrow—why are you early—?"
Albedo nodded, totally calm.
"I walked faster."
Sucrose collapsed internally.
Takumi's Blueprint Pitch — The Alchemy Vehicle Revolution
Takumi pointed at the blackboard while Albedo listened, eyes glittering with interest.
"This," Takumi said, "is a hybrid furnace. An artificial energy core using alchemy. It channels elemental power safely into rotational force to drive wheels."
An alchemist mumbled,
"This looks insane."
Takumi continued unfazed.
"The Chaos Device works because it uses self-sustaining energy loops. But we don't need to copy them—we only need to understand what part of them powers movement."
Albedo gently raised his hand.
"You're proposing a simplified conversion method. Extraction of the 'motion principle' without replicating the sentience of ruin constructs."
Takumi nodded.
"Exactly. You're the expert in life-alchemy. I need your help designing a stable, controllable energy block."
Albedo stepped to the board.
He began sketching beside Takumi's blueprint.
In seconds the drawing evolved—alchemy circles, reaction symbol matrices, resonance chambers.
The alchemists gasped.
"Sympathetic elemental conduction…!"
"A dual-layer rune lattice…!"
One alchemist nearly fainted from excitement.
Albedo finally stepped back.
"It is theoretically feasible," he said calmly.
"However, we require a stable element conductor. Perhaps a refined electro crystal or a processed elemental shard."
Takumi grinned.
"We can manufacture those."
Albedo's eyes sharpened.
"Then I accept your request."
Sucrose froze.
"K-Kreideprinz?! You're staying??"
Takumi chuckled.
"Welcome to the Guili Plains Development Team."
Klee raised her hand like a student.
"Brother Takumi! Brother Albedo! Can Klee help?? I can make bombs go whoosh! and boom! and if the car needs rockets, Klee can—!"
Sucrose and Keqing screamed in unison:
"NO."
System Blueprint Update (Secret — Only Takumi Can See)
The moment Albedo touched the blackboard, Takumi felt the familiar mental ping from his system.
[SYSTEM] — NEW MODULE: ALCHEMIC VEHICLE FRAME v1
• Core Type: Hybrid Slime-Furnace / Elemental Resonance
• Power Output: Adjustable
• Max RPM: Depends on containment stability
• Recommended Materials: Starsteel Alloy, Processed Electro Crystal, Light-Conductive Rune Ink
• Safety Module: Bomb-Proof Housing for Klee-Proof Protection
Takumi smirked.
Yes, that last line was absolutely necessary.
Takumi's Industrialization Vision — Explained to Liyue's Finest Minds
Takumi addressed the room again.
"Transportation is only the first step. Once we succeed, we'll expand into a full industry chain."
Keqing, having arrived mid-discussion, nodded sharply.
"We'll need proper infrastructure. Wide roads, repair shops, energy stations."
Takumi pointed to a second board:
LIYUE FUTURE INDUSTRY PLAN
Electronics Industry
powered by Thunder Slime generators
alchemic resistors, conductive lines, crystal-based circuits
Agricultural Industry
Sucrose's genetically improved crops
slime-assisted fertilizer production
cryo-cooled grain storage
Food Industry
hydro-purified water processing
slime-powered factories
long-distance distribution via future alchemic trucks
Entertainment Industry
theaters
holo-projection using light-refraction crystals
music halls
Keqing stared.
Keqing could not believe how far this man intended to push everything.
"This is… enormous," she whispered.
"And you intend to build it all?"
Takumi replied calmly,
"One step at a time. Liyue has the resources. I have the system—"
He stopped himself sharply.
"—I have the knowledge. And you have the authority."
Keqing swallowed.
"This… may change the world."
Albedo nodded thoughtfully.
"It will. The introduction of such widespread alchemical machinery will advance civilization by several centuries."
The alchemists froze in awe.
Klee clapped because she didn't fully understand, but she liked the word "centuries."
Sucrose fainted but recovered quickly.
Keqing's Concerns — And Takumi's Response
When the alchemists dispersed to set up benches and tools, Keqing pulled Takumi aside.
"Do you realize the scale of this?" she whispered urgently. "Ningguang may believe in you, but if this fails—"
Takumi took a slow breath.
"I don't plan to fail."
Keqing lowered her voice further.
"And if this threatens adeptal authority? Or Celestia notices a change in Liyue's… nature?"
Takumi met her gaze steadily.
"That," he said, "is why Zhongli is watching. And why we must build carefully. This city is for the people."
Keqing nodded, determination burning.
"Then," she said, "let's make it real."
Klee's Chaos — The Reunion Scene
Before Takumi could respond, Klee launched into Albedo like a missile.
"BROTHER ALBEDO!! You won't believe it! Takumi taught me to make ROCKET BOMBS and LAUNCHERS and BIGGER ROCKET BOMBS and—"
Sucrose grabbed her like a mother hen grabbing a baby chick.
"Klee!! Please don't talk about explosives in front of strangers—!"
The alchemists' heads rotated toward Takumi.
Takumi coughed.
"Controlled explosives. Used safely. Very safe. Extremely safe."
Keqing rubbed her temples with the despair of a woman who had long realized that Takumi and "safe" do not belong in the same sentence.
Takumi Hands the Stage to Albedo
Takumi gestured at the fresh racks of materials.
"Albedo, the research area is yours. The team will follow your instructions on energy stability, core construction, and motion-conduction arrays."
Albedo nodded calmly.
"This will take time. But I believe the results will be worth it."
Sucrose, taking notes like her life depended on it, squeaked,
"I'll assist!"
Klee raised her hand again.
"I'll help too! I can test things that explode!"
Everyone except Takumi shouted:
"NO!"
Takumi simply smiled.
He was already imagining prototype engines, slime-battery stations, air-purification drones, and future scanning tools.
Liyue's industrial era was beginning.
And this time, it wasn't the adepti or Celestia leading civilization—
it was the people.