Lu Bu, the Thunder General, is my adoptive father in Genshin Impact.

brush--

The halo surrounding the giant cylinder suddenly burst with light a hundred times brighter. After the intense light dissipated, the doctor had vanished without a trace, leaving only dozens of researchers lying on the ground struggling. It was as if an invisible hand was choking them, and their expressions looked extremely painful. Many others were tightly covering their heads.

Before long, these migrant worker technicians stood up again, and the timid ones suddenly rushed towards Xiao Yi like madmen.

In an instant, Yura found that her power had been restored. Perhaps Jean, who had taken a different path, had found the shielding device for the lightning element and destroyed it.

She stood in front of Xiao Yi and unleashed lightning to attack the technicians. Logically, the intense pain from the electric shock should have deterred these untrained guys, causing them to collapse to the ground and wail in agony. However, the opposite was true; they roared like wild beasts and continued to advance.

Even as Gan Yu released ice lotuses that froze everyone's feet to the ground, the group still desperately moved forward, as if they were willing to tear their legs off.

Yura was surprised; even seasoned soldiers didn't have this level of awareness.

Although the doctor was nowhere to be found, his voice suddenly echoed in the hall.

"This is the power of my mental interference device, and its maximum power is far more than that; it can control thousands of targets."

Thor's authority was fully activated, and Xiao Yi summoned his halberd, preparing to hurl it at the giant metal pillar.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t do that,” the doctor threatened. “If the mind-disrupting device is destroyed when it’s activated, the shockwave will spread throughout Mondstadt. How many people in this city do you think could withstand that?”

Xiao Yi was skeptical, but to be on the safe side, he stopped what he was doing.

The massive metal structure suddenly rose, breaking through the ground and overturning the statue of the wind god directly above it. It stood in the center of Mondstadt's main square, and the energy fluctuations seemed to gradually spread, enveloping the entire city and eroding the minds of its inhabitants.

Gan Yu said worriedly, "Mondstadt is in trouble..."

Yura angrily gripped the knife behind her: "I will never let this bastard harm civilians."

“Getting angry won’t help. This guy is using all of Mondstadt as hostages, so we can’t act rashly.” Xiao Yi reached out to stop the female knight, then reassured her, “However, I have a plan that might be able to crack this guy’s damn machine.”

Chapter 185 The Fall of Mondstadt

A massive mechanical device overturned the statue of the wind god, which stood in the main square of Mondstadt. The invisible energy distorted the air and gradually spread throughout the free city-state.

At first, many citizens gathered around to watch the spectacle, but some devout people began to condemn the nonsensical object for desecrating the statue of the wind god.

The giant statue collapsed and crashed heavily to the ground. Perhaps the onlookers were lucky, or perhaps the wind god was protecting them, but no one was injured.

The fallen Anemo statue crashed to the ground with a deafening roar that echoed throughout Mondstadt. As the dust settled, the Doctor's invention was revealed to everyone.

Its head is a polygon with sharp angles, from which the fluctuations of the mind are generated. The "body" part below the head is the cylinder that Xiao Yi saw before, which is more than ten meters long. The blasphemous halo surrounds the surface of the cylinder, amplifying the energy fluctuations it releases. At the bottom of the cylinder are several structures that resemble insect legs, inserted into the ground to support the entire instrument.

From a distance, it looks like a giant bacteriophage standing in the square of Mondstadt.

At first, the onlookers did not notice anything unusual. Some were surprised, some were confused, and some were angry. Some of the quick-thinking people were already preparing to go to the Knights of Favonius to explain the unusual situation to the Knights of Favonius. The missionaries and nuns continued to pray for the protection of the wind god.

However, after a few seconds, the onlookers' eyes began to glaze over. They didn't even realize that their consciousness was becoming blurred and that they were slowly entering a state of dementia.

In the end, the people in the square, like the researchers underground illuminated by the light, became delirious and like walking corpses, staggering as they gathered towards the mechanical bacteriophage.

The doctor's order, centered on the instrument, was transmitted to all the controlled residents: "Eliminate anyone who is not being controlled, at all costs!"

Forced to this point, the situation had far exceeded the doctor's expectations, so his impromptu plan became extremely crazy—to use Mondstadt as an experimental site to test the effects of this painstakingly crafted new invention, and finally escape Mondstadt, which had turned into a city of madness, amidst the chaos.

After all, he knew very well that the chances of winning in a direct confrontation with Narukami's adopted son were almost zero. And the moment he activated the device, his true nature as a mad scientist was fully revealed, and he completely forgot about irrelevant matters such as diplomacy.

Now, the doctor just wants to see his research results put to good use, and then leave Mondstadt with the collected experimental data.

As long as his brilliant mind remains, and as long as this precious data is still available, he can mass-produce mind-controlling devices for the Winter Kingdom.

At this moment, he has transformed the Mondstadt citizens in the square into super soldiers who are unafraid of death and can unleash the full potential of humanity.

……

Beneath the plaza, in a research base with a giant cavern in its dome, Xiao Yi, Gan Yu, and Youla painstakingly managed to subdue all the researchers without killing them.

"They can't be struck by lightning, they can break free of ice when frozen, they're not afraid of getting hurt, and they attack us recklessly..." Xiao Yi summarized the characteristics of these guys. "It seems that mind control has also enhanced their physical abilities. Troublesome."

However, aside from the unfortunate researchers, he and two women who were present at the time were all exposed to the light of the mind control device. As Thor's adopted son, he was naturally fine, but he didn't know how Yura and Gan Yu were doing.

Xiao Yi inquired about the condition of his two companions.

Yura replied, "I'm fine. The moment the light shone on me, the shielding device on the other side of this base seemed to have been destroyed. I instinctively released lightning element to protect myself, which should have isolated the energy that manipulates the mind."

"Ugh—my head feels a little uncomfortable, and I have some ringing in my ears..." Gan Yu touched her head. "But it's okay, I can still continue..."

It seems that Gan Yu's immortal physique withstood the mental device, but it brought side effects, making the Qilin girl's head buzz.

Based on Yura's statement, Xiao Yi roughly understood that the principle behind the instrument invented by the doctor to manipulate human minds seemed to be related to electromagnetic waves, which is why Yura was able to use a lightning element shield to block the interference effect of the instrument.

He looked up and saw the machine right above them in the square, only a few dozen meters away. It was so powerful that even Yura's electromagnetic cannon could destroy it, let alone the energy he released.

But we can't do that now.

“We can’t destroy this machine right now. According to the doctor, if the instrument is destroyed, it will release a shockwave that will affect the mental health of the citizens of Mondstadt.” Xiao Yi briefly summarized the situation. “Let’s meet up with Commander Jean first and then discuss a solution. This instrument doesn’t seem to affect the underground, so the commander and the others should be fine.”

……

Today, Mondstadt, once a symbol of freedom, has lost its former romance and transformed into a terrifying city that is almost like hell on earth.

Large numbers of controlled citizens staggered through the streets and alleys like zombies. The power unleashed by their self-sacrificing attacks was so great that even professionally trained knights could not stop them. Their orders were to eliminate all those who were not under control.

Nevertheless, these controlled citizens were unable to harm anyone, because anyone exposed to the light emitted by the doctor's instruments would soon become one of them.

A large number of citizens have been taken into custody. Currently, in the vast city of Mondstadt, only two locations serve as last refuges, protecting citizens who have not yet been affected.

First, the solemn and imposing cathedral.

Due to the attacks by numerous Spellflowers and the bombardment by Yura, Mondstadt Cathedral was now covered in war-damaged skin. However, many devout citizens still came here to take refuge. They went to the secret room where the Sky Harp was kept to escape the attacks of the madmen.

Logically speaking, Mondstadt Cathedral is very close to the plaza. As for why they were not affected by the energy released by the machine, it is probably because the treasure that the wind god once played, the Sky Harp, is silently protecting the people of Mondstadt.

The cavalry captain, Kaya, who was guarding the entrance to the secret chamber, was frowning and poised to strike, wary of the controlled person breaking in. His usual carefree demeanor had vanished.

He asked Kujo Sara behind him, "Your Excellency, if I may be so bold—Mondstadt is facing such a tremendous crisis, don't you intend to step up your skills?"

Kujo Sara was also helpless. Without Xiao Yi's order, she could not reveal the truth. However, according to normal logic, if she were Narukamiko, she should do something.

She crossed her arms with feigned confidence and said, "Don't worry, this farce will fall apart in half an hour, just half an hour."

She pinned all her hopes on Xiao Yi, who was heading underground, and waited for Lord Ming Shenzi to cover up her lies.

Faced with Saro's wild and unfounded claims, Kaiya was skeptical.

Besides the Mondstadt Cathedral, which symbolizes the wind god, another refuge is one of the most beloved taverns in Mondstadt, the Gift of the Angels.

Chapter 186 The Savior Pollen

In the tavern's Angel's Gift, stood many adventurers who had originally come to drink. Now completely sober, they discussed how to break through the manipulator's encirclement, reach the center of Mondstadt's square, and destroy the strange device.

Besides the group of adventurers and patrons, there were also survivors who had been rescued into the tavern by Lord Diluc, who also served as the bartender, at the beginning of the disaster. They huddled in a corner, trembling with fear, afraid that they would end up like those guys outside.

Some people tried to rush out of the tavern because their relatives and friends were still outside, but they were quickly pulled back by the survivors who still had some sense of reason.

As for why the tavern can block the doctor's mind control, it's because Diluc previously spent a high price to buy a can of the residual elemental aura of the Anemo Archon, which he placed on the tavern cabinet as a decoration. At the time, many people thought that Diluc had bought something that wasn't worth it, and they couldn't even tell if it was genuine.

Now, the bottle of Wind God's Aura on the counter is slowly emitting an extremely striking pale green light. Perhaps it is this energy that protects the tavern and makes it a second refuge.

At this moment, the red-haired young man, Diluc, the tavern owner, stood in front of the door, pondering how to save Mondstadt from his predicament.

To save Mondstadt, the machine must be destroyed. Destroying the machine requires reaching the Mondstadt square where it is located without harming the controlled individuals, while enduring immense mental pressure in the process.

It wasn't difficult to bypass the control, but for Master Lu, the problem was the energy emitted by the machine. With almost no room for error, he couldn't gamble with his willpower to see if he could stay conscious until he reached the instrument.

Moreover, the possibility that the instrument is equipped with an automatic defense device is not zero.

It's not that there's no solution; he could take the glass jar containing the wind god's elemental power and rush towards the machine under the protection of this energy. But if he did that, what would become of the survivors in the tavern?

Diluc racked his brains but still couldn't find the optimal solution.

……

Xiao Yi, Gan Yu, and You La wandered around the underground passage and finally found Qin, the leader of the group, who had noticed the problem but did not know the specifics.

Perhaps because Wendy was beside them, or perhaps because the mental-affecting device couldn't penetrate the thick underground rock, Jean and the others were in relatively normal condition.

Xiao Yi explained the situation to Qin.

Qin was shocked by the seriousness of the matter, but she quickly regained her composure and asked Xiao Yi if he had any ideas on how to solve the doctor's invention.

Xiao Yi hesitated for a moment, then said, "There is a solution, but it is extremely difficult to implement."

"By sword's command, no matter what, the Knights of Favonius will do everything in their power to help!" Jean raised her Favonius sword and said solemnly, "So please do not be stingy with your plans, Lord Takemin Shinto no Mikoto's adopted son!"

The other party's sudden address made Xiao Yi pause for a few seconds, then he smiled and said, "As expected of the clever Commander Qin, you have already guessed my identity."

Fake Yura blinked blankly, while real Yura put her hands on her hips and complained, "Your style and attitude are so obvious, it's like you have 'I am Narukami' written all over your face. Anyone can guess it!"

The knights behind the leader of the harem lowered their voices and whispered amongst themselves.

"So he was actually Narutoko!"

"I had never thought of this before!"

"Shocking!"

Now that things had come to this, every minute and second was extremely important, so Xiao Yi stopped keeping them in suspense and began to tell Qin about his plan:

"First, we definitely need to destroy that machine. My energy output is certainly sufficient. The problem lies in how to destroy it while protecting the controlled people from secondary harm. I have an idea regarding this..."

Xiao Yi believed that the essence of mind control was similar to the energy affecting people within the range of electromagnetic waves. Therefore, as long as there was a powerful lightning element nearby to interfere, the electromagnetic waves could be shielded. From this, it can be deduced that the moment Xiao Yi destroyed the machine, he released a powerful and highly accurate lightning element, which would ensure that the controlled person would not suffer a backlash.

“It sounds simple, but I need a few minutes to prepare in order to ensure that I can intercept the impact released by the machine without any error. During that time, I cannot move.” Xiao Yi turned to look at Gan Yu next to him. “So the task of destroying the machine will be handed over to someone with strong output capabilities and immunity to mind control, namely my wife Gan Yu.”

He then raised his index finger and said, “But there is still a problem. My preparatory action is equivalent to standing still and charging up, like a target that cannot move. The controlled people will definitely come to stop me. At that time, you must block them and not let anyone touch me.”

"Is it because it will be interrupted?" Qin asked.

"No, they couldn't interrupt my spellcasting, but at that time I was adjusting the energy in my body, and a large amount of lightning element was accumulating around my body, almost like a high-voltage electric grid... cough cough, in short, mortals would die if they touched it, and I couldn't avoid it." Xiao Yi said helplessly.

Ultimately, what the Knights need to do is not to protect Xiao Yi, but to protect those who are being controlled and prevent them from coming into contact with Xiao Yi.

"In other words, the Knights' mission is to stop almost all the controlled people in Mondstadt and prevent anyone from touching you." Jean muttered to herself, analyzing Xiao Yi's plan, and said with a troubled expression, "It will be very difficult to carry out in practice, and we also cannot harm the controlled citizens."

This hellish operation is indeed quite difficult for Commander Qin. At most, she can mobilize less than a hundred people. No matter which plan she uses, she will definitely miss the controlled ones. Although they cannot affect Xiao Yi, they will die if they touch Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yi stroked his chin, pondering how to restrain the controlled individuals, at least to alleviate the pressure on Commander Qin. He wondered if these mind-controlled citizens would fall asleep by nightfall, but upon closer inspection, it seemed almost impossible.

Judging from the behavior of the controlled researchers, they ignored even the pain, so how could they possibly feel tired? They would only exhaust themselves to the limit and eventually collapse.

The only way to get them to sleep is probably to physically tap their heads...

Wait, besides physical methods, there are also chemical methods!