"What strange Hilichurls… could it be that they've mutated?"
Under Amber's guidance, Paimon and Lumine arrived at the Knights of Favonius Headquarters and met with Jean.
Seeing the two of them in person, Jean and Lisa became even more certain that the light-screen's revelations were accurate—
Meaning that the Abyss Order truly would launch another attack on Mondstadt in the near future.
And that the Hilichurls… had been enhanced.
"I'm truly sorry, Traveler," Jean said, her expression filled with shame.
In the revealed future, Lumine and Paimon had helped Mondstadt—proving their goodwill toward the city.
Yet as Acting Grand Master, Jean had no way to help Lumine search for her sibling, and had even let her witness her own moment of helplessness.
It was completely unbefitting of the Knights' code of hospitality.
"It's alright, Acting Grand Master Jean. I understand."
Lumine replied calmly.
"If the revealed future is real, Mondstadt will be attacked by the Abyss Order within the next few days."
"In a situation like this, the bigger picture comes first."
"I can continue searching for clues about my brother through the future projections and the chat."
"And if there's anything I can help with, I'm willing to assist."
Since the future showed her helping Mondstadt repel the Abyss—
There was no reason for Lumine to turn around and leave now.
Even if the Hilichurls had been strengthened by the Abyss Order, it was unlikely they could truly take Mondstadt.
Running away at the first sign of trouble would be disgraceful.
"Really? Then thank you so much!"
Jean grabbed Lumine's hands emotionally.
With the future so uncertain, every additional ally mattered.
And according to the light-screen, Lumine had already helped resolve the ley line disturbance at the Four Winds Temple and repel the first wave of attacks—
Her combat ability was clearly reliable.
"Do you think there's another possibility?"
Lisa said with a smile.
"For example, what if the Abyss Order realized their plans were exposed, and decided not to attack Mondstadt at all?"
"Lisa," Jean shot her a look.
Her close friend was different from her.
Jean had reached her current position through relentless effort—
Lisa, on the other hand, had been a genius since childhood, unmatched in talent… just far lazier.
As Acting Grand Master, Jean could not base Mondstadt's safety on possibilities—
Especially not a war aimed at the city itself.
She had to extract every piece of intelligence from the light-screen to protect Mondstadt.
[Night fell.]
[Under Jean's command, the Knights of Favonius set up barricades at the chokepoints outside Mondstadt.]
[Every knight stared ahead with tense expressions.]
[From time to time, quiet complaints could be heard.]
["Tch… how annoying. I thought I'd finally get to drink tonight."]
["Who would've thought the Hilichurls would attack again so late?"]
["Isn't the Traveler helping us this time?"]
["She's an outsider. She already helped once. It's late—Jean probably didn't want to trouble her."]
["Sigh… one more person would help. If we finish this early, everyone can—"]
[Before the knight could finish speaking—]
[A black shadow flashed past his vision.]
[The next instant, his eyes widened in terror as he looked at the knight who had been speaking to him.]
[An arrow had pierced straight through the man's head.]
["Ah!"]
[The scream immediately drew everyone's attention.]
[Standing at the front, Jean turned sharply and shouted, "What happened?!"]
["A-Acting Grand Master…"]
[The knight cried out in horror, about to explain—]
[Whoosh!]
[Another arrow flew, striking him between the brows.]
["Enemy attack!"]
[The formation instantly descended into chaos.]
["Calm down! Hold formation!" Jean stepped forward at once, stabilizing morale.]
[A disturbance from a nearby slope caught her attention.]
[Looking up, she saw a Hilichurl archer—exactly as Amber had described—leaning out from behind a tree.]
["This…" Jean froze.]
[A Hilichurl archer… lying in ambush?]
[This completely shattered her understanding of Hilichurls.]
[The archer's body was white at its core, its arms pink, its physique far stronger than normal.]
[But what shocked Jean most—]
[Was that it seemed to possess intelligence.]
["A-Acting Grand Master!"]
[Another shout snapped Jean back to reality.]
["What is it?!"]
["Look!"]
[Jean followed the knight's pointing finger.]
[Not far ahead, a Hilichurl Brute over two meters tall had assumed a runner's starting stance.]
["It's charging power," Jean realized instantly.]
[It intended to smash through the barricades by brute force.]
["Archers—fire! Kill them!" Jean shouted.]
[But something unbelievable happened.]
[The arrows struck the Hilichurl Brute… and did nothing.]
[Instead, its violent charge shattered every barricade the Knights had set up.]
[Jean's formation was blown apart instantly.]
Lisa froze.
Jean froze.
Amber's eyes went blank.
Every Knight of Favonius stared at the light-screen in disbelief.
Two knights had been killed by a Hilichurl archer's ambush.
Their formation had been destroyed by a single Hilichurl Brute.
This was—
The greatest humiliation in the history of the Knights of Favonius.
[Furina]: "S-So the Abyss Order is this terrifying…? They can make Hilichurls this strong?"
[Navia]: "Lady Furina?"
[Furina]: "Ah! I mean—well, the Abyss Order is impressive, being able to enhance low-intelligence monsters like this."
[Jean]: "This is impossible… How could the Knights of Favonius—"
The Abyss Order.
Aether's expression turned pale.
From the moment he heard Amber describe the Hilichurls' appearance, he had sensed something was wrong.
The Abyss Order could organize Hilichurls—
But it did not possess the ability to drastically enhance their strength or alter their appearance.
The truth was obvious.
The one attacking Mondstadt this time—
Was the mysterious Fifth Descender.
"Pyro Lector!" Aether said urgently.
"Clarify it in the chat—this is not the Abyss Order's doing."
"Yes, Your Highness."
[Abyss Lector Pyro]: "Hmph. Don't pin everything on the Abyss Order."
[Paimon]: "Huh? Someone from the Abyss Order?"
[Furina]: "Hehe… looks like we've flushed one out. If this isn't your doing, whose could it be?"
[Furina]: "Still, no one ever admits their crimes—but no one escapes my judgment."
[Hu Tao]: "Wow, this Furina sounds important. Want to book Wangsheng's services in advance?"
[Furina]: "You have good taste. I am the Hydro Archon of Fontaine—
Furina de Fontaine, Queen of Waters, Lands, Peoples, and Laws."
[Hu Tao]: "Eh?! T-the legendary Hydro Archon?!"
[Abyss Lector Pyro]: "We admit the first Hilichurl assault was our plan."
[Abyss Lector Pyro]: "But there was no second assault—and we do NOT have the ability to alter Hilichurls like this."
[Neuvillette]: "If the Abyss Order is not lying, then the one behind this…"
[Zhongli]: "Could it be the Fifth Descender mentioned before the future was revealed?"
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