One of the four Abyss Mages had escaped, and the Knights were practically overwhelming the remaining three. However, Shen Qin noticed with horror that the glow on the Chaos Core's patterns was fading—anyone could tell its energy was depleting!
At the moment, many monsters were still attacking the shield, draining the Chaos Core's energy. Though the Abyss Mages no longer had the capacity to control them, the monsters, influenced by the Abyssal energy, had become extremely aggressive, desperate to break through the shield and tear the humans inside to pieces.
"Hey! The shield won't hold much longer! We're running out of energy!" he shouted toward the knights.
But the battlefield had already shifted slightly farther away, and the deafening sounds of combat drowned out his voice. No one noticed the situation here.
"Dammit!" Shen Qin didn't know whether to blame them or thank them for their trust in him.
He gathered the wounded close to him, preparing to reconnect the parallel energy system the moment the Chaos Core ran out of power, using the five-meter shield to protect as many injured as possible.
Watching the Chaos Core dim further, he silently counted down in his mind:
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two…
Geo-imbued flowers of creation bloomed from the ground, binding the remaining monsters. The knights rushed forward and finished them off one by one.
Whew— Shen Qin finally exhaled in relief, slumping to the ground as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Did something happen here?" Albedo approached, pulling him back to his feet.
"The Chaos Core ran out of energy. Luckily, you all came back just in time." Shen Qin handed him the dimmed Chaos Core.
"My apologies. That was my oversight. I didn't realize the Chaos Core couldn't sustain the shield's high energy consumption for long."
"Is the Chaos Core's energy really that limited?" Shen Qin frowned slightly. If its total energy capacity was this low, no matter how high its instantaneous output was, it wouldn't be suitable for the defense bracelet.
Albedo explained, "Actually, what I value most is its other function—it automatically absorbs elemental energy from its surroundings to replenish itself! That's the real reason it's called 'never-extinguishing.' The defense bracelet doesn't consume much energy when idle—it only requires a large supply when blocking attacks. That aligns perfectly with the Chaos Core's properties!"
Shen Qin's eyes lit up. Indeed, if it could self-replenish, it would solve both the bracelet's need for high instantaneous output and long-lasting energy supply.
He even thought of another idea—combining the electro crystal with the Chaos Core, letting the electro crystal's massive energy "recharge" the Chaos Core!
"What are you two discussing?" Jean approached to discuss their next steps. "The immediate threat from the Abyss Order has been dealt with. We'll continue our investigation, but we'll need you to act as temporary escorts."
Shen Qin glanced at the wounded on the ground. "What about them? If they don't receive timely treatment—"
Albedo gave him a strange look. "Don't you know? Master Jean's 'Dandelion Breeze' has healing properties."
"That's right. The wounded are stabilized, but further treatment will require returning to Mondstadt. However, due to the investigation, they'll have to endure for now." Jean sounded apologetic.
"Master Jean, we're fine. These are just minor injuries. Please focus on the mission. We'll just rest here."
"Yeah, Master Jean..."
"You all..." Jean looked at them, then nodded firmly. "Understood. We'll complete the mission as quickly as possible!"
Sucrose and Albedo went to assist the scholars with the investigation, while Shen Qin and the still-mobile knights moved the wounded to a cleaner patch of grass. After all, the battlefield was littered with monster remains and blood—hardly a pleasant environment.
Then he and Klee sat together on a tall rock, gazing at the massive Anemo barrier in the distance.
It was like an upside-down bowl, encasing the ruins of Old Mondstadt. The raging winds inside shredded anything that came into contact with it.
Klee suddenly shifted closer, leaning against Shen Qin's chest.
Huh? Shen Qin looked down at her in surprise. Though the little girl was close to him, her boisterous personality meant she'd never actively sought comfort like this before.
"Brother Shen..."
"What's wrong?"
"Klee misses Mama..." Her voice was small and sad. "It's been so, so long since Klee saw Mama. Even though all the knights are nice to me, I still miss her. I'm scared I'll forget what she looks like if I don't see her soon."
"..." Shen Qin fell silent for a long moment before gently patting her head. Softly, he said, "Then when the time comes, I'll go find your mother with you, okay?"
"Mm..."
Albedo glanced back at the two on the rock and smiled faintly. If something ever happens to me… at least she'll have someone to rely on.
The investigation proceeded smoothly, taking only half an hour. While the scholars organized their findings, Jean approached Albedo. "All the evidence points to the ruins of Old Mondstadt. Not only is the Anemo Archon's power involved, but the Abyss Order's mastermind and hidden schemes are also centered there."
Albedo looked up at the massive barrier. "But that thing is a huge obstacle."
"That's why we need your help—find a way to breach the barrier so the investigation team can proceed further."
"I'll do my best. Honestly, I'm also curious—what force could have reactivated this barrier after thousands of years?"
"We'll discuss this in detail after returning to Mondstadt and gathering the captains. By the way, what do you think of Shen Qin's new defense bracelet? Would it be suitable for the Knights' use?" Jean glanced toward Shen Qin in the distance.
Albedo nodded. "It is, but production might be an issue. If we use Chaos Cores as the energy source, it's destined to be limited to a select few. Though Ruin Guards aren't rare in Mondstadt, dedicating significant resources to gather Chaos Cores isn't cost-effective compared to the benefits of equipping the bracelet. However, if Shen Qin can replicate the Chaos Core, then production won't be a problem."
Then he shifted gears. "But if we think about it differently, its significance to Mondstadt might far exceed our expectations."
"How so?"
"If we had sufficient energy and expanded the shield's range to protect the entirety of Mondstadt City..."
Jean's eyes widened. "Is that really possible?"
"Yes, but don't forget the hardest part—the energy requirement. The Chaos Core's instantaneous output is already immense, yet it's only enough for personal defense. What energy source in Teyvat could provide enough to shield an entire city?"
He added, "At least, current alchemy can't achieve it."
"I see." Jean was disappointed but shook her head. "Never mind. Discuss the bracelet further with Shen Qin. As for a shield covering all of Mondstadt... let's not indulge in unrealistic fantasies. The scholars have finished organizing the materials. Let's hurry back to Mondstadt."