In the northeastern part of the Mondstadt continent, among the mountains surrounding Stormbearer Mountains.
Barbatos lay sprawled on the ground.
Based on the timeline, the future in the screen was precisely the one after his awakening.
He was always curious. Mondstadt was facing such a devastating disaster, yet he had no clue.
Barbatos was initially in utter turmoil.
As the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt, he indeed had many flaws, but he genuinely loved every citizen of Mondstadt.
He couldn’t simply ignore Mondstadt during its hardship.
Su Xuan had already reached Mondstadt's doorstep. If he, the current ruler of Mondstadt, didn't show up, the other Archons would surely poke fun at his spine.
“Barbatos.” Tvalin suddenly called out with a peculiar tone, then rolled his eyes at Barbatos.
“Are all you Archons so secretive?”
“Even if you want to help Mondstadt, you have to make them think I’m the one using the power of the Windblume to strengthen them.”
Tvalin was speechless.
Without the final confirmation from the Lady of the Knights, Eula, that Barbatos was there, no one in the real world would know everything was orchestrated by Barbatos.
“The people in the screen don't know it's you, if this keeps going, you really will disappear into the vast river of time.”
“Eh!” Barbatos suddenly winked and chuckled. “But, don’t people in the real world know the truth?”
Tvalin was stunned: Oh? You make a good point.
The dragon and the man fell silent again.
Indeed, the real world was more important than the future in the screen. The real world's change was the top priority.
“What now?” Tvalin asked.
Barbatos remained silent for a long time before finally making a decision. “I need to find the Fifth Descender. I want to have a good talk with him.”
“Hopefully, I can convince him to achieve his goals through other means.”
【The sudden arrival of Tvalin and Alice, coupled with the elemental power brought by the Millennium Windblume.】
【The situation on the battlefield changed dramatically.】
【Alice’s power wasn’t merely talk. With the blessing of the Millennium Windblume, she was truly terrifying.】
【The mutated Hilichurl rioters who had sent Amber's knight squad flying, and who had withstood Diluc's attack unscathed.】
【Even if three or five of them appeared together, they couldn’t withstand Alice's relentless barrage.】
【Those ordinary mutated Hilichurls and Hilichurl archers were simply blown away by Alice's bombs.】
【“These Hilichurls are really strange,”】
【“If there’s even the slightest damage, they’ll shatter and vanish, leaving no trace?”】
【Alice couldn’t help but be curious.】
【These mutated Hilichurls weren’t particularly terrifying in her eyes.】
【But compared to ordinary Hilichurls, these mutated ones were far superior in terms of strength, speed, and defense.】
【“I think they are much better suited for work than ordinary Hilichurls. Let's confine them and make them work nonstop for 24 hours,”】
【“The power they produce would definitely be enough to drive all the production workshops in Mondstadt.”】
【“No, it's not just Mondstadt’s workshops.”】
【“It’s a shame we can’t process them into food for other Hilichurls to eat, but wouldn’t they age either?”】
【Jean had just repelled a mutated Hilichurl. Hearing Alice’s terrifying words, her body couldn’t help but tremble.】
【She hurriedly explained: “Miss Alice, don't take it lightly.”】
【“The intel Amber brought back earlier indicated that these mutated Hilichurls aren’t ordinary monsters. They are all summoned by a person named Su Xuan.”】
【“They don't have their own will, and they act collectively under Su Xuan’s control.”】
【“I suspect Su Xuan is hiding somewhere nearby.”】
【“We should find him soon and end this calamity.”】
【Summoned by someone directly?】
【Alice's expression shifted slightly.】
【Barbatos seemed to have mentioned a strange fellow appearing in Mondstadt, someone who might be unfavorable to Mondstadt.】
【Upon hearing that someone was unfavorable to Mondstadt, Alice, whose heart was filled with worry for Klee, immediately rode Tvalin back to Mondstadt.】
【“I knew he was strange, but I didn’t expect him to be so strange. He can actually summon these weird Hilichurls,”】
【“And he can control Hilichurls collectively with his own consciousness.”】
【“Is this Su Xuan a Hilichurl mother?”】
【Alice's mind couldn’t help but flash images of ants working collectively with their individual duties. Su Xuan was the queen.】
【On the battlefield, Alice seemed carefree.】
【Amber was not as relaxed.】
【She rushed in front of Alice, speaking anxiously: “Miss Alice, you must catch that despicable Su Xuan.”】
【“It’s because of him, Eula... Eula hasn’t come back yet...”】
【“And...”】
【Amber relayed to Alice her conversation with Su Xuan earlier.】
【This included Su Xuan inviting Amber to take the Stigma potion.】
【“Stigma potion?”】
【“The Lady of the Knights?”】
【Alice’s eyes narrowed.】
【Could it be that this Su Xuan is an alchemist like that crazy woman?】
【Alice immediately associated Su Xuan with Rhinedottir.】
【She considered herself someone who had traveled through many worlds and had seen a lot.】
【She had never heard of the Stigma potion in any world, nor had she heard of the so-called Lady of the Knights.】
【Alice, with her toes, could guess that Su Xuan must have created some sort of potion through alchemy that could bind with human bodies.】
【Eula might have become his experiment.】
【Seeing Amber about to burst into tears from anxiety, Alice didn't reveal her guess. She simply patted Amber's head and comforted her: “Don't worry, I will definitely capture that despicable Su Xuan and use the most brutal means to find out where Eula is.”】
Amber remained concerned for Eula's safety, unaware that the current offensive operation was commanded by Eula.
Seeing Amber's eyes turning red from anxiety, Eula’s heart ached.
She silently prayed that her future self would never appear in front of Amber.
“If my future self appears in front of Amber, Amber will be heartbroken.”
Fontaine, the Palace of the Fountaine.
Furina's eyes were about to pop out.
She naturally didn’t approve of Su Xuan’s attack on Mondstadt.
As a part of Teyvat, she even thought Su Xuan’s actions were invasive.
However, treating the future as a well-directed drama, this director was truly a genius.
“To save a friend from falling into darkness.”
“When they meet again, they are already on opposing sides.”
“If Amber knew this war was commanded by Eula, how would she feel?”
“What kind of expression would Eula show when Amber misunderstands her?”
Furina's mind automatically started imagining the scene of the Lady of the Knights, Eula, meeting Amber.
Suddenly, her eyes trembled and she awoke.
“Su Xuan’s next step wouldn’t be to send the Lady of the Knights, Eula, to deal them a fatal blow, would it?”
“If that's the case, how heartbroken Amber and the others would be.”