As Lumine watched the Maison Gardiennage officer pull out handcuffs to restrain them, panic surged through her.
Even though Enjou has already explained everything, why won't these officers believe us?!
There's no other choice. We'll have to subdue them first and then try to reason with them.
Lumine was accustomed to situations where people immediately resorted to violence. In the past, showing her strength had always cleared the hostile glint from their eyes, transforming them into reasonable, level-headed individuals.
She expected this time to be no different. She nodded to Enjou, and the Dull Blade materialized in her hand. With a single strike, she sheared off all the gun barrels pointed at them.
Enjou, meanwhile, unleashed a surge of overwhelming energy, blasting the Maison Gardiennage officers backward. His form twisted and shifted, reverting to his true appearance as an Abyss Herald.
"Abyss Monster!"
"So it was you, No. 2! How dare you consort with Abyss Monsters and still try to deny it?!"
The Maison Gardiennage officers had anticipated resistance. Knowing this operation wouldn't be easy, they retreated smoothly as soon as the situation escalated, avoiding a humiliating rout.
At their command, several Gardemeks gradually faded from view, entering stealth mode.
Lumine's heart skipped a beat. She immediately activated her Elemental Sight, but even with this enhanced vision, she couldn't detect the Gardemeks' presence.
Lumine had fought invisible enemies before—the Debt Collectors could turn invisible—but their Pyro Element signatures remained clearly visible in Elemental Sight. This was the first time she had encountered enemies that completely vanished without a trace, even with Elemental Sight activated.
No matter. Though she didn't know how Fontaine had achieved this level of concealment, she could still sense the Gardemeks' presence by tracking the wind currents, even if Elemental Sight failed.
Just a few Gardemeks, she thought. They're not creations from that strange realm. I can crush them with a flick of my wrist!
"Tremble!"
Lumine stomped her foot, sending a visible shockwave rippling outward. Yet, instead of the expected reverberation, she sensed the Gardemeks leaping into the air.
Such quick reflexes!
Lumine's pupils constricted sharply as she sensed their attack. She immediately retreated several steps, then turned to warn Enjou that these Gardemeks were more formidable than they appeared. But her words died in her throat when she saw Enjou sprawled on the ground, an energy blade pressed against his neck, his face a mask of bewildered terror. Beside him, Paimon stood with her hands raised high in surrender.
"I surrender! Don't hurt me!"
Lumine: ...
You guys surrendered so quickly!
Just then, Lumine sensed imminent danger and, deciding to end the fight immediately, initiated Avatar Fusion to unleash a dual-element attack.
A laser beam streaked toward her flank. Lumine casually swung her Dull Blade to intercept it, barely paying attention.
Her senses detected no Elemental Power within the attack, likely just a feint.
But the moment the Dull Blade met the laser, Lumine's expression twisted in shock. An overwhelming force surged through the blade, hurling her backward.
How could it be this strong?!
Lumine struggled to regain control of her body, but before she could, a Gardemek, defying its delayed start, surged forward and overtook her trajectory. With a brutal swing of its staff, it smashed down on her.
Lumine instantly raised the Dull Blade in a desperate block. The terrifying force slammed her violently into the ground, carving a massive crater in an instant. Her body was completely embedded at the crater's center.
The Gardemek's relentless assault left Lumine completely dazed. By the time she regained her senses, two massive blades were pressed against her neck, while four rows of dark cannon muzzles aimed at her, their crimson projectiles radiating an overwhelming, terrifying aura.
Defeated by a Gardemek?!
Ha ha ha, this must be a dream! It has to be! It's all part of someone's plan! I'm still dreaming!
Lumine frantically tried to struggle to her feet, but the Gardemek, programmed to eliminate threats, immediately emptied its cannon shells upon detecting her movement.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Traveler!"
Seeing the blinding flashes of fire in the distance, Paimon cried out in alarm, ready to rush to Lumine's aid. But a cannon barrel was instantly pressed against her face, freezing her in her tracks. She trembled violently, abandoning any dangerous thoughts.
After what seemed like an eternity, the flames gradually subsided, revealing Lumine lying face down, black smoke rising from her body. Her right index finger was extended forward, as if clinging to some lingering fragment of her consciousness.
Click!
The Gardemek secured Lumine with sealing handcuffs. Still wary, the Maison Gardiennage officers ordered the machine to bind her into a cocoon-like bundle with specially reinforced ropes before carrying her back to base.
After a quick check of Lumine, the Maison Gardiennage officers couldn't help but marvel.
"She's completely fine! Just stunned by the explosion. No wonder she's the legendary No. 2—she can really take a beating!"
"So what if she's famous? We still caught her."
"Ha ha ha! Who would have thought we'd capture No. 2 today? This is a major victory!"
"I bet when we report this to Monsieur Neuvillette, he'll praise us big time!"
...
Hearing the officers mention Neuvillette, Paimon immediately spoke up.
"Officers, we're friends of Monsieur Neuvillette! There must be some misunderstanding!"
"Besides, we were helping you earlier! If the Traveler hadn't intervened, some of you would have been injured."
"We're genuinely good people!"
"Give me a break! You think we needed your help with those little monsters?"
The officers glared at Paimon with disdain.
"We were just luring the monsters out to let the Gardemeks lying in ambush take them all down at once."
"Turns out we caught you big fish instead. This operation has paid off handsomely!"
Hearing this, Paimon and Enjou finally understood why they hadn't seen the Gardemeks at first.
"Enough explanations. Let's take No. 2 back first."
"What about these two?"
"Keep the one who can fly. Kill the Abyss Monster outright?"
Hearing this, Enjou tensed, his composure shattering.
"Please, officers, I'm a law-abiding citizen!"
"You damn Abyss Monster! How dare you call yourself law-abiding?!"
"It's true! I'm one of the kinder ones among us. I wouldn't even dare kill a chicken! Officers, please have mercy!"
Hearing Enjou's words, the Maison Gardiennage officers exchanged glances before huddling to discuss.
"Let's take him in with the others. We can't verify his claims, and if he's telling the truth, we'd be responsible for a serious mistake."
"Fine, let's do it. He's too weak to cause any trouble anyway. We'll bring him in and let Monsieur Neuvillette and the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale judge his crimes."
Enjou's eye twitched at these words. He'd never imagined being called a weakling before, but now he dared not show any resentment on his face, fearing his head might be severed in the next moment.
"Alright, take me in! Just take me!"
"Let's grab a drink tonight, boys, to celebrate!"
As the Maison Gardiennage officers tossed out these remarks, they hoisted Enjou off the ground like a helpless chick.
Enjou stared at the Gardemek that had effortlessly defeated him, his face still etched with disbelief.
I'm not weak, am I? Even within the Abyss Order, I'm considered a mid-tier mage—a respectable level of power, right? So why can't I even beat a common Gardemek?!
Does this mean a mere squad of Gardemeks could wipe out the entire Abyss Order?
How is this even possible?!
Enjou recalled boasting to Lumine and Paimon about Khaenri'ah's peerless technology, only to be immediately ground into the dust by a standard Gardemek from Fontaine. Enjou felt his face burn with humiliation.
Good thing I'm flushed right now, or I'd be exposed...
-
Meanwhile, at the Palais Mermonia...
Neuvillette summoned Furina and Focalors to his office to inform them of his impending absence.
Hearing Neuvillette's words, Furina and Focalors immediately tensed, a wave of sorrow washing over them. Simultaneously, they each seized one of Neuvillette's arms, gripping tightly.
"No, Neuvillette! Don't go!"
"What will we do without you? What will become of Fontaine?!"
"The work is never-ending! It's utterly impossible to finish it all!"
"Neuvillette, how can you bear to watch us collapse from overwork?!"
Furina finished speaking, and Focalors immediately chimed in:
"Neuvillette, you wouldn't abandon Fontaine, would you?"
"You can't! You're the Hydro Archon now!"
"We've returned the Great Authority of Water to you—you can't just back out now!"
Seeing the million-fold reluctance on Furina and Focalors' small faces, Neuvillette's expression softened slightly. He had anticipated their reaction, but his decision remained unchanged.
"Lady Furina, Lady Focalors, I have compelling reasons for this journey."
Neuvillette gently withdrew his arm as he continued to explain.
"Clorinde's investigation has gradually revealed the Cult of the Dragon's recent motives in Sumeru."
"It seems their target is Apep, the Dendro Dragon—an ancient being whose power rivals the very apex of Teyvat. Mishandling this situation could lead to catastrophic consequences."
"At the same time, Clorinde contacted the Dendro Archon of Sumeru. Lady Nahida subsequently discovered that Apep, the Dendro Dragon, might be in an abnormal state. To be safe, I decided to travel to Sumeru personally."
Upon hearing Neuvillette's explanation, Furina and Focalors both wore expressions of shock.
But then again, not just Furina and Focalors—even Neuvillette himself had been stunned for quite some time when he first received this intelligence. Such actions were simply too audacious!
What kind of being was Apep, the Dendro Dragon? Even he had to address her respectfully as "Madam," for her power far surpassed imagination.
If Apep were provoked by the Cult of the Dragon and unleashed her fury upon Sumeru, causing countless Sumerian casualties, he would be at a complete loss how to face the ill-fated Lesser Lord Kusanali.
"The Cult of the Dragon is just a bunch of mortals—how dare they? And where did they even get their intelligence from?"
Neuvillette shook his head.
"We can't rule out the possibility of a mastermind behind the scenes, though the Cult of the Dragon members who surrendered all claimed they had no clear leader.
"They insist that I am the Cult of the Dragon's sole leader, yet I have no control whatsoever over the organization."
"The Cult of the Dragon's current actions are all to assist Chief Justice Neuvillette, but I don't wish to accept their 'gift.'"
Neuvillette truly struggles to understand the Cult of the Dragon's members. Similarly, he finds it difficult to comprehend the fanatical devotees within Furina's fan club. These types of people remain an enigma to him.
They seek no reward in return, yet they willingly sacrifice everything—even their lives—for him or Furina.
Indeed, the diversity of human nature remains utterly incomprehensible to him, at least for the time being.
Neuvillette shook his head, then addressed Furina and Focalors again:
"In addition to this, I plan to seize the opportunity of my trip to Sumeru to establish friendly cooperative relations with the Dendro Archon. Together, we will develop the groundbreaking 'Akasha mobile phone' and jointly confront the future calamities threatening the continent of Teyvat."
"Currently, Monsieur Rene has essentially cracked the core programming of the mobile phone prototype, but the chip-related technology remains unsolved. To ensure portability, we would need to strip away many functions, retaining only the most essential core features."
As he said this, Neuvillette couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment.
A far superior mobile phone had been developed months ago, yet only now were they barely able to produce a crippled version.
Whenever Neuvillette thought about this, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret and sorrow for those brilliant scientific minds. If he hadn't been so overconfident, this situation might never have occurred. The mere thought of it made him want to slap himself awake.
"Without collaborating with Sumeru, the mobile phone's communication range would be severely limited. However, by incorporating Akasha technology, the phones could connect the entire Teyvat continent in near real-time."
At this point, Neuvillette glanced at the two women before continuing, "By then, you'll be able to work from home."
Furina and Focalors exchanged bewildered looks.
Is he even speaking human language?!
He's trying to eradicate the last bastion of peace within our souls!
But then, Furina and Focalors quickly reconsidered, recognizing the crucial implication.
In other words, Neuvillette could also work remotely! This meant they wouldn't be forced to handle things alone again. Even if he were in the Fortress of Meropide, he could still fulfill his duties.
And wait, there's more! We could even remotely request backup through the mobile phone...
Realizing this, Furina and Focalors' eyes lit up. They not only stopped trying to dissuade Neuvillette from leaving, but even urged him to hurry and discuss cooperation with Nahida.
"Go with confidence, Neuvillette!"
"You couldn't have left Fontaine in better hands than ours!"
Seeing their sudden and dramatic shift in attitude, Neuvillette didn't need to guess what was on their minds. He shook his head in resignation and left Palais Mermonia.
"Neuvillette, you must develop the Akasha mobile phone as soon as possible!"
Furina and Focalors clung to the doorframe, watching Neuvillette's figure grow smaller with each step.
-
Meanwhile, Hu Tao and Chen Feng returned to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, satisfied with having gained over thirty new clients. Little did they know that their actions had already set Liyue Harbor abuzz with gossip.
Seeing Baiwen hurrying toward her, Ningguang immediately pressed a hand to her forehead.
"Wangsheng Funeral Parlor again?"
"...Yes, Lady Ningguang."
Sensing Baiwen's "You're getting too good at anticipating these things" look, Ningguang's headache intensified.
If I'm not mistaken, this is the second time today?
Good grief! I thought one incident a day from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was enough chaos. Now they're cranking up the intensity?
"Tell me the specifics of the situation," Ningguang said.
"Certainly, Madam Ningguang. Yuehai Pavilion received a report from the public stating that today, while some residents were away from home, Director Hu Tao slipped leaflets under their doors..."
These two really have a knack for mischief!
Ningguang couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration. Earlier today, she'd learned that shops along the street had closed as soon as Hu Tao showed any sign of approaching. She'd naively assumed this would put a stop to their antics for a while, but clearly, she had underestimated them.
Secretly slipping leaflets into the homes of the dying? Are these leaflets or Yama's Notices?
At this rate, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is practically turning into an assassin's guild!
Honestly, if people didn't know the truth, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor could have become the most legendary assassin organization in history.
"Madam Ningguang, Yuehai Pavilion is currently besieged by victims... by the affected parties, their families, and onlookers who heard the news. They're demanding the Liyue Qixing rein in Director Hu Tao and stop her reckless behavior."
Ningguang sighed in exasperation. If only it were that simple! If I could control her, I would have done so long ago. But there's no easy solution.
Still, this time, intervention might be warranted. Hu Tao had clearly crossed a line.
Handing them out on the street is one thing, but tossing them directly into people's homes? What's that all about?
Ningguang pondered for a moment before speaking.
"How far along is the revision of Liyue's Law?"
"I've already inquired, and the revisions to Liyue's Law are now complete," Baiwen replied.
"In addition to correcting previously identified errors and clarifying ambiguous responsibilities, we've also implemented more detailed regulations on promotional activities, as instructed by Madam Ningguang."
Hearing Baiwen's report, Ningguang nodded.
"Release the revised Law at an opportune moment. Then, notify the Yuheng to visit Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
"Yes, Madam Ningguang!"
Watching Baiwen depart, Ningguang sipped her tea and pondered, her eyes gleaming with a peculiar light.
Consultant Chen Feng certainly harbors many secrets. It seems I'll need to find an opportunity to meet him personally.