"Purification? So this is what it's really supposed to look like? Was it just corrupted by some kind of evil force before?" Paimon stared curiously at the crystal.
Shen Qin and Albedo exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Poisoned blood!"
Seeing they had come to the same conclusion, a smile appeared on Albedo's face. "Exactly. It seems that what corrupted it was the curse from the poisoned blood of Durin, the evil dragon. That's why it caused pain when approached."
"Poisoned blood? A curse? What are you two talking about?" Paimon looked puzzled.
Seeing that Lumine was also curious, Shen Qin began telling them the story of Dvalin and the Catastrophe.
"So that poor big guy has been enduring such pain all this time... and then five hundred years later, he was tricked by a bunch of bad guys and ended up attacking Mondstadt!" Paimon's mind might wander sometimes, but she was quick to piece things together.
"You're looking for a way to lift the curse from the Stormterror Dragon and return it to normal, right? If my power can help, I'm willing to assist," Lumine said sincerely.
She could empathize. After all those long years, everything and everyone had changed—except herself. That kind of loneliness was immense.
"We'd love to help too!" Paimon chimed in. "That big guy's been through so much—we don't want a sad ending!"
"That would be amazing," Shen Qin said gratefully. "But Lumine, I'd like to confirm something—can you use the teleport waypoints?"
Lumine nodded. "Sure! They let people teleport to any previously activated waypoint. Super convenient. Also, just call me Lumine or Traveler."
Albedo blinked in surprise. "Teleport waypoints… Could it be those strange devices scattered across Teyvat?"
"Exactly. I read about them in an ancient book. They were originally designed to teleport people over long distances, but over time, people forgot how to use them. Now they're just decorations," Shen Qin said, keeping a straight face while spinning his lie.
"Wait—so you guys can't use them?" Lumine asked in surprise.
"Traveler, are you from one of those lost ancient civilizations? Is that how you know how to use it?" Albedo's eyes gleamed.
If she truly hailed from an ancient time, her knowledge would be invaluable. But Lumine shook her head. "I didn't know at first either. It was Paimon who told me I could use them."
All eyes turned to Paimon.
"Ehh? Why are you all staring at me?" she asked innocently.
Lumine put her hands on her hips. "Paimon, how did you know I could use the waypoints? Did you already know about them?"
"I—I don't know! The first time I saw one, this voice popped into my head and told me you could use it. That's happened a lot, actually—whenever you need something, useful knowledge just randomly appears in my mind," Paimon admitted nervously, revealing a secret she'd kept (for at least two months).
"Paimoooon…" Lumine pulled her cheeks outward.
"I really don't know anything!" Paimon teleported out of her grasp, puffing up in frustration.
Clearly, Paimon harbored many secrets—even if she didn't know them herself. Shen Qin didn't dwell on it. Instead, he turned to Lumine. "Lumine, can you activate a waypoint for us? We want to test a few things."
"Sure."
They headed to the teleport waypoint near Mondstadt's front gate. When Lumine and Paimon saw the devastated battlefield, their eyes widened in shock. The scorched earth and massive craters spoke volumes about how intense the battle had been.
Of course, the real culprits behind the destruction weren't monsters—it was the Vision bearers and Shen Qin's Type I Dragoon.
Turns out the biggest threat to Mondstadt… was us.
"Alright, I'm ready," Lumine said, standing by the waypoint.
Albedo closed his eyes and placed his geo-infused hand against the waypoint, while Shen Qin activated his smart wristband to scan. He gave Lumine a nod.
Lumine closed her eyes and placed her hand on the device. A force similar to ley line energy flowed from her palm into the waypoint. Before everyone's stunned eyes, the waypoint's structure rose, and its red glow turned blue.
In Lumine's mind, all the waypoints she had activated formed a star map. With just a thought, she could teleport to any of them instantly.
Albedo opened his eyes, joy evident. "Got it! I traced the Traveler's unique energy flow and roughly recorded its route. With some time, I might be able to reconstruct the waypoint's internal structure!"
Shen Qin added, "The scan results of its materials are in too—identical to those used in the Statues of The Seven. Both utilize ley line energy. Their structures might be similar!"
The others stood quietly as the two of them discussed concepts no one else understood. Even Sucrose struggled to keep up.
"Let's record all this for now. Once we've finished investigating the last two Statues, we'll return to the lab and study them properly," Albedo said, saving the data in the wristband's memo.
"It's getting late. Let's finish up quickly—if we move fast, we can still make it to Springvale for grilled steak," Shen Qin smiled gratefully at Lumine. "Thanks for your help, Lumine. This is Mondstadt City. I'll have Sucrose take you inside—she's taking Klee back to the Knights anyway."
Klee, who had been sulking the entire time, perked up instantly at the mention of grilled steak. But when she heard she was being sent back to the Knights, she immediately clung to Shen Qin's arm. "Klee doesn't wanna go back! Klee wants steak!"
"Ahh…" Sucrose sighed. "Shen Qin, once your research starts, she won't get many chances to go out. Let her enjoy herself this time—take her to Springvale."
Klee's eyes lit up again. She dashed into Sucrose's arms and chirped sweetly, "Sucrose big sis is the best!"
Sucrose stroked her head gently. "After all, you need a full belly to have the strength… to serve confinement."
Klee's smile froze.
"Poor little Klee," Paimon murmured sympathetically, then pointed at the wrecked city gate. "Look at that! The gate's in ruins. The city inside probably isn't doing much better—maybe the restaurants aren't even open!"
She rubbed her hands together eagerly. "Why don't we follow the locals to Springvale for grilled steak? They must know what's best!"
Lumine put her hands on her hips, exasperated. "You just want grilled steak, don't you?!"