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

In an instant, Xiao Yi understood. He reached into his pocket, but instead of taking the coins the Emperor had given him as usual, he took out a test tube containing half a bottle of viscous yellow liquid.

The troupe leader looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Excuse me." Xiao Yi suddenly dipped his finger in the liquid and flicked it onto the other person's face. "I think this will help you understand faster than explaining with words..."

Qin couldn't hear what Xiao Yi said next; her consciousness began to fade away.

The icy seawater splashed on her face, and Qin opened her eyes again. She staggered to her feet, and Xiao Yi's confident expression came into view.

He pointed to the liquid in the test tube and said, "That's it, Master Jean, the key to saving Mondstadt lies in this tube of pollen!"

Chapter 187 The Fake Yura Draws Attacks

"Where did you get such a magical liquid?" the leader of the ensemble asked in surprise.

“Of course it came from your people,” Xiao Yi answered truthfully. “This is the latest achievement of the alchemy researcher, Miss Sugar. I have to admit that Mondstadt is full of talented people, and they are also very pleasant to talk to.”

He put the cap back on the test tube, shook it to prevent it from solidifying due to contact with air, and then put the test tube back in his pocket.

“I see, no wonder I haven’t seen Sugar much lately,” Yura47 remarked. She then added, “By widely spreading this pollen, we can force all of Mondstadt’s inhabitants into a deep sleep, allowing you to proceed smoothly. But…”

“But just one test tube isn’t nearly enough to knock out everyone in Mondstadt,” Mayura immediately chimed in. “Based on the effect of just making Jean lose her mind, even if you spill all your test tubes, you’ll only knock out less than fifty people at most.”

Because Qin trained hard and worked at a high intensity like Gan Yu, her physique and willpower became extraordinary over time. Therefore, Yura deliberately exaggerated the numbers. Even so, it was still far from enough, as they were facing the entire city's citizens.

Xiao Yi complained, "Excuse me, Miss Yura, could you please stop talking so fast? It's really confusing to outsiders..."

After the joke, he became serious and said, "There's no need to worry about that. When she said goodbye to Miss Sugar, she said she would continue to improve the invention. But the development of this kind of biotechnology must have gone through countless failures before it could progress. I guess there are even more failed products stored in the laboratory now."

"So all we need to do is enter the lab, take the failed samples, and extract the pollen to obtain enough to put the entire city to sleep," Gan Yu explained in detail. "But currently, only Xiao Yi, me, and Miss Yura Lawrence are able to go to the ground."

Yura, number 47, suddenly raised her hand: "Please don't ignore me. The frequency of the Doctor's device only targets ordinary humans. I, whose true form is a liar flower, can also help!"

Xiao Yi nodded. At this point, having more helpers was a good thing, but speaking of helpers...

He first had the leader of the harem discuss the action plan with everyone, then walked to a corner, stood in front of the young bard who was leisurely humming a song, and asked in a low voice, "Mondstadt is in such a state, are you really not planning to do anything worthwhile?"

Wendy made a face while tapping his head and sticking out his tongue, and said with a grin, "So far, there's no smell of blood in the wind, which means the survivors up there did a good job. I believe the Mondstadt people can definitely handle this on their own."

“If you want to keep slacking off, just say so…” Xiao Yi said helplessly. “There’s only one thing: I might get a few hundred bottles of honey, and you can blow them all over Mondstadt.”

“Hmm, that’s a perfect match for my expertise. The world’s finest bard is happy to oblige,” Wendy said cheerfully. “However, this method of saving the world through peculiar means is certainly worthy of being written into poetry!”

Having resolved the issue of how to release the bottle, Xiao Yi returned to Qin and, without hesitation, suggested, "In a sense, this whole affair was caused by me. If it weren't for my impulsive and decisive approach, perhaps there would have been a more appropriate way to resolve the issue with the Doctor..."

The leader of the guild gently shook his head in denial, believing that these were not Xiao Yi's problems. If it weren't for Xiao Yi and his strange stand-in joke, the entire Mondstadt would probably still be in the dark, and by the time the Doctor makes his move, it will be too late for the Knights to stop him.

“You did nothing wrong, so there’s no need…” Qin said.

Xiao Yi interjected, "So I think that all the survivors should stay in this underground base. As for those who go to the Sugar Lab, only I, Gan Yu, and the two Yura are needed. Consider it as making up for the mistakes I made due to my recklessness."

Qin and the Knights immediately understood that Xiao Yi was taking the blame upon himself in order to subtly warn the Knights to stay put and not interfere, since human power was far too weak in the face of the Doctor's precision control device.

After a long silence, the leader agreed, "Alright, we won't go to the surface for now, unless we find that something is wrong and the four of you are having trouble. In that case, we will go to the surface to help at all costs."

"But how can you help?" Xiao Yi countered. "There is currently no stable way to block mind control."

"Actually, I've discovered that Bar... cough, this young bard's song has the effect of shielding against mind control." Jean said indirectly, glancing at Wendy whistling not far away. "If things don't go well for you, I'll ask Lord Wendy to accompany you and do everything in my power to pave the way for you."

Xiao Yi smiled and gave a Favonius salute to show his respect for Commander Jean's spirit.

……

Xiao Yi, Gan Yu, and the real and fake Youla returned the way they came to the hotel lobby.

The hotel was in complete disarray, likely caused by the people under control. However, the absence of fallen citizens and bloodstains indicated that when the doctor activated the machine, almost everyone was turned into controlled zombies at the same time.

The four looked at each other and walked towards the door.

Despite their extreme caution, Mondstadt was a relatively large city, and while its population wasn't exactly swarming, it certainly wasn't small either.

Using the wall as cover, they peered out and found the street full of staggering people, while there were only four of them. Xiao Yi felt a bit like he was playing a zombie game before he transmigrated.

But these people aren't zombies that can be mowed down and shot; they are living, breathing Mondstadt residents that can be saved and restored. They simply can't cut their way through.

Just as the four were exchanging glances and devising a detour plan, one of the controlled individuals who was relatively close outside the door caught a glimpse of Gan Yu's exposed Qilin horn outside the cover.

Just as the manipulated person noticed the abnormality and was about to shout to call for their companions, Yura 47 was the first to react. Without saying a word, she placed the stolen pine pine in front of the real Yura, returned it to its rightful owner, and then suddenly grabbed the pine pine behind the real Yura's back.

"Thank you for forgiving me out of kindness, and thank you for giving me a few more days. Here's the greatsword back to you." Number 47 smiled. "I've been thinking about this for a long time now, and I think I might already know what the meaning of my life is... The rest is up to you."

She suddenly snatched Wu Gong and threw it out the door. The heavy sword spun in mid-air and flew into the artificial fountain, the splashing water and loud noise were particularly noticeable. For a moment, most of the controlled people’s eyes were quickly focused on Wu Gong, the source of the sound, and a small number of them looked at the entrance of the luxury hotel where a giant sword had suddenly flown out.

"I'm here!" Number 47 rushed out the door and shouted.

She strode toward the fountain, intending to retrieve the object she had thrown to attract attention, and instantly all eyes on her were drawn to the controlled people on the street.

Chapter 188 Savior, Sugar!

Number 47, the liar, soared like a hawk low over the forest, weaving through the crowd trying to catch her. Finally, she arrived at the fountain, where the giant sword she had thrown was scattered, and pulled out the Wugong sword fixed in the center of the fountain.

The moment the golden giant sword left the fountain, the damaged spout burst open, and a large amount of clear water gushed out uncontrollably, turning the surrounding ground into a stone path after rain.

Meanwhile, the citizens of Mondstadt who witnessed this scene swarmed toward the fake Yola like ants discovering a piece of candy.

"Icy Waves and Raging Waves!"

Number 47 swung her greatsword unhurriedly, and a large amount of frost covered the surroundings like a blizzard. She did not intend to freeze the Mondstadt citizens who were under mind control, because freezing the whole body would inevitably cause unnecessary damage, and freezing only the limbs would make it easy for them to break free.

After all, these guys have transformed into mindless beasts, obeying only the doctor's orders, rushing towards the enemy without thinking, tireless, or fearful.

The frost has melted away, leaving the ground wet from the fountain as smooth as a winter lake, making it perfectly slippery for skating.

As the citizens launched an attack on the fake Yura, trying to tackle her, they slipped and fell on the smooth ice, struggling to stay afloat. The fallen citizens blocked the path of those behind them, and those who tried to step over the fallen ones stepped on the even wetter ground and tumbled down in unison...

Despite being mind-controlled, the citizens of Mondstadt possess an inhuman will to break free from the ice, but they cannot defy the constraints of gravity, nor can they generate friction out of thin air. If they slip and fall, they can only struggle like stranded fish.

Yura47 seized the opportunity to find a gap in the encirclement. She jumped down from the fountain, laid Wugong flat on the ground, then stepped on the sword with one foot and pushed off with the other foot against the edge of the fountain pool, using the sword as a makeshift ski to quickly leave the encirclement on the ice.

The Mondstadt citizens who hadn't yet slipped quickly caught up, and soon the entrance to the upscale hotel was deserted, allowing Xiao Yi and his group to slip out.

"I will remember her," Gan Yu commented.

"Don't say that, she's not finished yet..." Xiao Yi said, "That's how it is right now. If we're any slower, we might only see a patch of nectar to fool people."

"How dare you show off like that!" Yura said sullenly. "I'll remember this grudge!"

……

At least several hundred people chased after the fake Yura. Xiao Yi and his group successfully bypassed the other citizens and arrived at the door of the Sugar Laboratory in a secluded alley.

Because this alchemist's research topic is difficult for normal people to accept, she recently moved her laboratory here to avoid accidentally scaring others. If it weren't for the map that Commander Qin gave Xiao Yi last time, he really wouldn't have been able to find this remote place.

However, it seems that the remote location has its advantages. At least there were no wandering demented citizens in this alley, and they arrived at the entrance of Sugar without any problems.

Just as Xiao Yi arrived at the door, Gan Yu covered her head with her hand, her face solemn and pained.

"Are you alright?" Yura asked with concern.

Gan Yu shook her head, indicating that she was fine.

As for Yura, since she left the underground, faint arcs of electricity occasionally flashed around her, shielding her from the constant mental interference. Compared to Gan Yu, who used her physical strength to withstand mental damage, Yura's condition was significantly better.

Knock, knock, knock, Xiao Yi gently knocked on the door.

“Miss Sugar, open the door! It’s time to save the world!” he whispered.

"Is there a possibility..." Gan Yu hesitated, unable to finish her sentence.

“Sugar has been poisoned by the doctor’s invention,” Yura added.

Xiao Yi had considered this factor, but judging from the situation on the street, even those citizens under control were obeying the doctor's orders to leave their homes to search for survivors, so many building doors were open.

However, the laboratory door was tightly closed.

There are only two possibilities.

Either the young alchemist used some secret method to break free from mind control and stayed indoors to guard against attacks from outside, or Sugar was very careful about her laboratory and remembered to close the door even when she was being controlled.

The second possibility was too far-fetched. Xiao Yi still believed in the conjecture that Sugar had broken free of control, but his repeated knocking on the door failed to elicit a response.

Since the laboratory mainly contains dangerous materials, the doors used are naturally sturdy and solid iron doors. If Xiao Yi were to use wind or lightning to break through these doors, it would create a loud noise and attract a large number of mentally unstable citizens.

He gave Gan Yu a look, and the tacitly understanding Qilin girl quickly reacted. She released ice mist to freeze the iron door, and Xiao Yi then covered the iron door with a slight lightning. The superconducting reaction reduced the door's toughness, and finally, Yura used Songlai as a sledgehammer, breaking the iron door with a single blow while minimizing the sound.

"Miss Sugar, come to the rescue!" Xiao Yi burst into the laboratory, then covered his mouth and nose, "Ugh—this is terrible!"

The entire laboratory seemed to be covered by a yellow filter, all of which was pollen floating in the air. Sugar's usual treasured items were all piled up in the corner, and the place where the collection was originally placed was filled with flower pots, which were full of all kinds of yellow flowers.

They come in various shapes, but without a doubt, they all release a rich amount of pollen, which leads to the conclusion that they are variants of the Zigela. The only difference is their appearance, but the effect is still incredibly strong, making Xiao Yi feel like sneezing.

It seems that Sugar's idea to develop a milder version of Cigella has failed.

He continued walking and found the green-haired, dog-eared girl lying sprawled on the ground, a satisfied smile on her drooling lips.

Xiao Yi leaned down and poked her face.

"Bones..." Sugar murmured strangely in her sleep, but showed no signs of waking up.

As it turns out, Zigela's pollen can indeed break the doctor's mind control; judging from Sugar's ecstatic expression, Xiao Yi's plan is feasible.

Gan Yu stood at the door for a few seconds to adjust to the pollen, and after confirming that there was no problem, she came in. Yu La didn't dare to tough it out like Xiao Yi did, so she imitated an air purifier and created a high-frequency small electric arc in her nasal cavity to clear away all the pollen that she had inhaled.

Xiao Yi turned his head and saw that Yura's nostrils were emitting purple light. He forced himself not to laugh out loud, lest the female knight hold a grudge again.

“Although I feel a little bad for Sugar, Mondstadt’s safety is the priority, and this is an emergency.” Xiao Yi looked at the experimental subjects around him. “Let’s find a cloth bag, pack all the Cigella together, take them back to the basement, crush them, and then let Wendy blow them away.”

As Xiao Yi tidied the flowerpots, he thought to himself: Although the chances are slim, if Sugar wants to resolve the issue through legal channels later, it's good that we have Yan Fei here...

Gan Yu, who was heading to the corner to get a sack, suddenly staggered and fell headfirst. Xiao Yi and You La, who were tidying up the flowerpots, were startled and ran towards the Qilin girl.

Chapter 189 Breaking Through the Encirclement

Gan Yu, as if utterly exhausted, leaned on the table beside her. Xiao Yi and You La immediately put down their work and ran to help their companion, who had suddenly become unsteady for some unknown reason.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Yi asked.

"Is it caused by these flowers?" Yura asked.

Gan Yu forced a smile to show that she was alright. She tried her best to stand up straight and prove to the two of them that she could still move.

“It has nothing to do with the flowers. I should be able to tolerate this pollen.” Gan Yu gently shook her head to keep herself alert. “It’s probably the effect of that mental device, but I can hold on until it penetrates…”