"Just... touched it?"
Albedo's voice paused for an instant.
A trace of extreme confusion flashed in his amber pupils.
He even blinked subconsciously, as if he had misheard.
He originally thought that the sudden increase in the power of Klee's bombs might be due to Kael using some special alchemy, elemental resonance...
Or even some deep-level energy fusion technology.
But the result...
Just a touch?!
"Klee, are you serious?"
Albedo composed himself, trying to confirm again. "He didn't use any tools, nor did he perform any alchemical processing?"
Klee looked at Albedo's shocked appearance and shook her head innocently. "Mm-hmm!"
"Big Brother Kael really just touched it!"
"And then the bomb became powerful! Klee thinks it's amazing too!"
Albedo: "..."
Albedo instantly fell into a brief contemplation.
His brows furrowed slightly, his fingertips habitually rubbing his chin.
This completely defied common sense.
Even alchemy couldn't achieve this level.
Even he couldn't dramatically improve an item's performance just by touching it.
This meant Kael possessed some extremely special ability.
And this ability... was not something traditional alchemy or elemental manipulation could explain.
Some unanalyzed power?
Or...
A higher level of energy conversion?
Countless possibilities flashed through Albedo's mind.
While thinking, he subconsciously recalled the Cryo Whopperflower corpse—
The unusual Destruction Energy remaining on that corpse was identical to the aura left at the scene where the Fatui elites died in Mondstadt City.
There was no such energy source in Mondstadt's known system.
Did the Abyss Order discover some unknown power?
But if it was an experiment, shouldn't they go somewhere else?
Why here in Mondstadt?
And here of all places, they acted so casually, even enhancing bombs for Klee to play with.
What is their goal?
And if Kael really achieved this by "just touching," then his ability was far more mysterious and unfathomable than imagined.
Albedo's expression was graver than ever.
"This guy... who exactly is he?"
"Big Brother Albedo?"
Watching Albedo fall into deep thought, Klee tilted her head, her small face full of curiosity.
Albedo was pulled back to reality by Klee's voice.
It seems... contacting him directly right now isn't suitable?
Albedo fell into thought.
First, he needed to see if he could analyze that energy on the Whopperflower corpse.
If he could analyze it, then fine.
If he couldn't, he definitely had to meet Kael.
The other party showed no signs of hiding it, proving that he didn't care if others knew about the aura left by the bombs.
If it were the Abyss Order, there was no reason to do this.
At the very least, they should clear the residual aura at the scene.
Or is the power Kael masters unrelated to the Abyss Order?
But if it was unrelated to the Abyss Order, how could the Fatui elites die inexplicably inside Mondstadt City?
And while possessing Delusions.
Even he didn't think Kael could eliminate those Fatui elites with Delusions.
But if Kael really did it...
Then Kael's potential danger level would increase drastically.
Albedo's gaze was deep as he pondered.
Then, Albedo snapped back.
He didn't ask Klee any more questions. Instead, he rubbed her head and smiled faintly. "You continue being busy. When I'm free, I'll help you make some new bombs."
"Really?!"
Hearing this, Klee's eyes lit up instantly. She grabbed Albedo's arm excitedly. "Then Klee wants bigger bombs! More powerful bombs!"
"En."
Albedo responded lightly.
He didn't give a definite answer.
There was just a hint of profound meaning in his expression.
He stood up, adjusted his clothes, and turned to walk toward the door.
It seems... it's time to have a good talk with Jean.
Jean's office wasn't far from Klee's room.
Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
Acting Grand Master Jean's Office.
Moonlight spilled into the office through the high windows.
Candlelight flickered, reflecting on heavy documents and maps.
The air was filled with the faint scent of ink and the sound of turning pages.
Night had fallen, and the streets of Mondstadt gradually quieted down.
Only the stationed Knights continued patrolling, maintaining order in the city.
At this moment, Jean was buried in official business.
Documents piled up like a mountain on her desk, but she maintained her usual rigor and efficiency.
Taking a sip of coffee, just as she was about to continue working, Jean suddenly heard a knock on the door.
She raised an eyebrow instantly. "Come in."
As Jean spoke, the door was pushed open.
When Jean saw the visitor, she was slightly stunned.
"Albedo?"
Jean was slightly surprised, a hint of doubt in her tone. "Is there something needed for rebuilding the alchemy workshop? I thought you were busy. Why come so late?"
After all, Albedo's workshop had just experienced an explosion.
It was time for reconstruction. With Albedo's personality, he should be extremely busy.
However, standing at the door, Albedo looked calm.
His golden pupils were deep as stars, flowing with the light of thought.
He walked slowly into the office, closing the door behind him, and spoke calmly. "There is indeed something very important."
Hearing this, Jean put away her casual attitude.
Her expression became serious as she waited quietly for Albedo to continue.
Albedo didn't speak immediately. Instead, he walked slowly to the desk, glanced down at the documents, his eyes flickering slightly.
Then he spoke in a steady tone. "Today, the Adventurers' Guild sent over a complete Cryo Whopperflower corpse."
Jean's movements paused. The hand holding the quill trembled slightly.
She looked up, frowning, a look of astonishment in her eyes. "A complete Whopperflower corpse?"
Whopperflowers, these mimicry plant monsters, were extremely difficult to capture and kill.
Ordinary adventurers usually paid a heavy price to escape when encountering one.
Even if Vision holders won, they could usually only obtain scattered monster materials. It was impossible to bring back a complete corpse.
And now, Albedo was telling her that the Adventurers' Guild received a complete corpse?!
"Who hunted it?"
Jean couldn't help asking.
Albedo paused, speaking meaningfully: "Klee."
"..."
The room instantly fell into a very subtle silence.
Jean's expression became even more astonished.
Klee?
How is that possible?
That Klee who thinks about bombing fish all day?
Although Klee's bombs were indeed powerful...
To say she could blow up an entire Whopperflower and leave the corpse intact...
This kind of thing was simply unbelievable.
Even if Klee possessed a Pyro Vision.
"...Are you sure?"
Jean asked tentatively, a trace of disbelief in her tone.
Albedo didn't answer. Instead, he slowly raised his hand, unfolded a piece of parchment, placed it on the desk, and pushed it in front of Jean.
It was a rough autopsy report of the Whopperflower.
It detailed the state of the corpse, damage conditions, elemental residue reactions, and other data.
"Jean, look at this first."
Albedo's tone was calm, but his eyes were deep, as if hiding countless thoughts.
Jean took the parchment suspiciously, her gaze falling on the analysis report.
As her eyes swept over the text, her frown deepened.
Finally, when she stopped at the last column of analysis data, she froze abruptly.
On the elemental analysis report of the Whopperflower corpse, it was clearly recorded:
[Residual Energy Type: Pyro Elemental Energy 35%, Unknown Destruction Energy 65%.]
Seeing this, Jean frowned.
She looked up quickly at Albedo. "Unknown Destruction Energy? What kind of elemental power is this? Klee's bombs are mixed with this unknown power?"
Albedo nodded and said slowly, "This is the key point I want to discuss with you."
"In the process of dissecting this corpse, I found a very familiar energy residue. Do you remember the cause of my alchemy workshop explosion?"
"Of course I remember."
Jean looked serious. "Because of Klee's bomb. The power of that explosion was abnormally terrifying, far exceeding Klee's ordinary bombs. You explained at the time that the bomb underwent some uncontrollable change, adding some kind of destructive power. Could it be?"
Saying this, Jean thought of something, her face changing.
Albedo's voice lowered slightly. "Yes. And now, I can confirm one thing—the destruction aura on the Whopperflower corpse is exactly the same as the explosive energy that destroyed my workshop."
Jean's pupils contracted sharply. "Exactly the same?"
The aura left by Albedo's workshop explosion was identical to the aura left at the scene where the Fatui elites died in Mondstadt City.
Even the explosion traces at Starfall Lake were suspected to be the same power.
Now Albedo was saying this power appeared again?
And on a Whopperflower corpse?
And the corpse was brought back by Klee?
For a moment, Jean's mind was a bit chaotic.
Albedo looked sideways, his tone steady. "This energy is not naturally formed, nor is it Pyro or ordinary monster ability. It is... some kind of unknown, highly destructive power. It has now appeared in Mondstadt City, on Klee's bombs, on the Whopperflower corpse, and even at Starfall Lake."
Hearing this, Jean took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
Her mind quickly pondered the current situation.
First appearance: Starfall Lake.
Second: The Fatui Death Scene in Mondstadt.
Third: Albedo's Collapsed Workshop.
Fourth: The Whopperflower Corpse.
And the corpse was brought back by Klee, proving it was Klee's harvest.
What did this mean?
It meant this unknown power was fundamentally man-made!
Jean's breathing quickened slightly.
Her mind quickly recalled the events of the past few days. Continuous monster anomalies, the strange death of Fatui elites, the explosion accident in Mondstadt...
All clues seemed to point to Klee and Klee's bombs???
Jean was astonished.
The culprit is Klee?
"When did Klee master this kind of power?"
Jean was incredibly shocked.
Albedo: "???"
Albedo: "..."
Hearing Jean's words, Albedo fell silent abruptly.
Then he rubbed his brow. "My fault for not speaking clearly. Klee did not master this power. It is suspected to be mastered by an adventurer."
"He and Klee have been playing together these past few days. He modified Klee's bombs, resulting in such power."
"Who?!"
Hearing this, Jean's pupils contracted sharply, her eyes instantly becoming sharp.
"Kael Arclight."
"Kael?"
Jean frowned slightly, repeating the name, a look of confusion and doubt in her eyes.
She was not unfamiliar with this name.
In fact, at some point, she had thought about recruiting this person into the Knights of Favonius.
In Mondstadt, there were not many adventurers famous for swordsmanship.
They could even be said to be rare as phoenix feathers.
At the time, a knight told her that Kael had joined the Adventurers' Guild and seemed uninterested in the Knights' invitation.
Therefore, Jean didn't continue to pay attention.
Until now, this name has broken into her world again.
Jean looked up, staring sharply at Albedo, her tone slightly strange. "Albedo, are you mistaken? As far as I know, that Kael of the Adventurers' Guild... he is just an ordinary adventurer, and he doesn't even have a Vision."
In Teyvat, a Vision was the symbol of power.
How could an ordinary person without a Vision possess the power to make Klee's bombs stronger?
However, Albedo shook his head calmly.
His tone remained indifferent, but it revealed a profound sense of inquiry:
"That is the strangest part."
Albedo paused and told Jean everything he had just learned from Klee.
Klee's bomb power increased not because of herself, but because of Kael.
Kael simply touched the bomb, and its power increased to a level that even Klee found terrifying.
More critically, this explosion aura is completely consistent with the aura at Starfall Lake, inside Mondstadt, and at Albedo's exploded workshop.
This was a complete chain of clues.
If Kael and Klee were together, and Klee bombed fish at Starfall Lake...
Even returning to Mondstadt and bombing fish at Cider Lake... everything made sense.
After listening to this, Jean fell into deep thought.
Her brows locked tight.
Her gaze involuntarily fell on the autopsy report on the table, her fingertips tapping lightly.
Kael of the Adventurers' Guild...
In her impression.
Kael had always been a very low-key young man.
Although he was known as Mondstadt's Genius Swordsman due to his talent, he himself was not high-profile and had not joined any faction.
An ordinary adventurer?
Jean recalled the roster of swordsmen in Mondstadt over the years.
Recalling the training records of the Knights of Favonius, she frowned slightly.
Mondstadt's swordsmanship inheritance mostly came from noble families.
Like the Gunnhildr Clan, the Lawrence Clan... they held the core inheritance of swordsmanship.
Among the common people, there were few with outstanding swordsmanship.
Kael was one of the very few exceptions.
That was why she had an impression of an adventurer.
"If he is really just an ordinary adventurer... then why can he master this power?"
"Why has it never appeared before?"
Jean's eyes gradually became sharp.
If it was just an ordinary person with superb swordsmanship talent, that was understandable.
But if an ordinary person mastered a power that did not belong to a Vision...
Then the problem was far more than just "talented."
Especially since it had never appeared before.
Thinking of this, a trace of vigilance flashed in Jean's heart, along with a strange sense of crisis.
She closed her eyes, pondered for a moment.
Then opened them and pressed the alchemy device on the table.
Soon, a Knight of Favonius walked in quickly.
Seeing Albedo there too, he paused.
Jean ordered directly, "Go to the Adventurers' Guild immediately. Pull up all data on the adventurer Kael Arclight."
"Also, ask around the Knights of Favonius. Collect complete information on Kael Arclight of the Adventurers' Guild. I want it complete."