Su Yuan and Yelan arrived at Bubu Pharmacy together, and to their surprise, aside from Baizhu and Qiqi, Zhongli was also there...
"Hu Tao, I know you're really eager to scare Zhongli and play a prank on him..."
Su Yuan spoke to Hu Tao in his mind:
"But our top priority right now is to figure out the cause of Yelan's eerie transformation..."
"Mhm, you're right, Su Yuan. I understand," Hu Tao replied.
"Baizhu, could I trouble you to prepare some medicines that can paralyze a person's limbs or put them into a coma?" Su Yuan asked Baizhu.
"Hm? Su Yuan, what are you planning to do?" Baizhu looked at him, puzzled.
"I want to test the conditions under which Miss Yelan undergoes eerie transformation,"
Su Yuan explained:
"I have a bit of a lead now, but just to be safe, we need to suppress Yelan in advance..."
"We already confirmed back in Fontaine that these potent drugs can significantly affect those under the control of eerie force…"
"As long as we use the medication to prepare in advance and suppress Yelan early, even if she does fall into an eerie state, it won't result in major casualties."
"If it really comes to that, it would mean we've identified the trigger for her eerie transformation—then we can begin targeting it for a solution!"
"I understand, Su Yuan." Baizhu nodded, then took Qiqi with him to the pharmacy to prepare the medicine…
Before long, Baizhu and Qiqi returned with a large bundle of medicinal ingredients and immediately began concocting the remedy on the spot…
Soon after, Baizhu produced a kind of medicinal ointment and an oral pill.
"This ointment is for external use only, but it's extremely potent…"
Holding the ointment, Baizhu explained:
"If applied to the limbs, it can easily numb them—as if your bones have turned to jelly, making it impossible to exert any strength…"
Baizhu then picked up the pill and said:
"This pill is to be taken orally. Once ingested and digested by stomach acid, its powerful effects will kick in and put the person into a deep sleep…"
As he spoke, Baizhu also took out a black pill, his expression turning serious as he continued:
"Medicinal ingredients interact in various ways—some combinations, under specific circumstances, can become extremely toxic…"
"This one is something I've prepared as a final safeguard. If things truly come to the worst, don't hesitate to use it."
Su Yuan nodded and took the various medicines Baizhu had prepared…
Then, with Qiqi's help, he applied the numbing ointment thoroughly over Yelan's limbs…
Yelan immediately felt her arms and legs go weak.
Unable to stand, she collapsed into the chair…
"Su Yuan, for added security, go get some rope and tie me to the chair," she said.
Yelan spoke up, then opened her mouth:
"Also, go ahead and wrap the sleeping pill and the lethal pill in candy wrappers and place them in my mouth ahead of time…"
"If something really does happen, you won't have the time or convenience to feed them to me…"
"But Yelan, wouldn't that be too dangerous?"
Su Yuan asked with some concern:
"The sleeping pill is one thing, but do you really want to put the lethal one in your mouth too?"
"…Alright then, since you put it that way, let's not put the lethal one in."
Yelan said with a small smile.
She opened her mouth, and Su Yuan took the candy wrapper from Baizhu, then placed the sleeping pill inside her mouth.
"Su Yuan, if anything goes wrong later, just strike my jaw with your hand — the sleeping pill will go down on its own."
Once everything was ready, Su Yuan spoke:
"If the condition for your eerie corruption is related to information…"
"Then could it be that your trigger is learning false intel?"
"That can probably be ruled out,"
Yelan replied:
"I handle so much intelligence every day — naturally, not all of it is real."
"If just reading false intel could trigger my eerie state, I would've already fallen long ago."
"By the same logic, it couldn't be as simple as just knowing the truth either."
Su Yuan nodded, agreeing that what Yelan said made sense, and continued:
"Still, it's strange. I can't shake this feeling — that the condition for your eerie state has something to do with the information you hold…"
"For instance, among the intel you've gathered, maybe some of it is clearly false, but you've taken it as fact…"
"Or maybe you've dismissed real intel, thinking it was fake…"
"So, Yelan, let me ask you a question…"
Su Yuan took a deep breath, looking at Yelan with great tension, and asked:
"Tell me… what do you think Mr. Zhongli's true identity really is?"
"Hm? Su Yuan, you're asking me that?"
Yelan frowned slightly, a more serious expression appearing on her face, and said:
"To reveal someone's identity right in front of them… isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
"It's fine, Yelan. Don't worry," Su Yuan said.
"Everyone present here already knows Mr. Zhongli's true identity — I just want to hear your answer."
Yelan looked in Zhongli's direction.
Zhongli, noticing her gaze, gave a small nod.
"…Alright, since the person himself agrees, then I suppose there's no need for me to keep it secret."
"To be honest, after I joined the Ministry of Civil Affairs, I personally conducted a covert investigation on Mr. Zhongli…"
"But I couldn't find anything — not even who his parents were, nor any records of his past…"
"He only came to live in Liyue Harbor after being invited to serve as a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor — before that, he lived in a remote countryside far from the city."
"But even if he had been living in Liyue's more secluded regions, there should still be at least some traceable information…"
"Besides, the knowledge and composure Mr. Zhongli displays… they're far beyond what someone of his supposed age should possess."
"So the answer is obvious — Mr. Zhongli must be like Cloud Retainer or Moon Carver, one of the Adepti who have long hidden away in Liyue's mountains, taking on human form to live among mortals in Liyue Harbor."
"It's just that… I don't know which Adeptus he really is."
"…Yelan, your information is wrong."
Su Yuan stared nervously at Yelan, ready at any moment to strike her jaw and make her swallow the sleeping pill.
"Zhongli is not just an ordinary Adeptus — he is the ancestor of all the Adepti in Liyue, the Geo Archon, Morax!"
"I see… That's certainly an unexpected piece of information."
After hearing what Su Yuan said, Yelan slowly spoke:
"That's quite different from what I know…"
---------------
Exclusive access : 400+ch on paetron
Join now : patreon*com/DeCakraWnloverz