Although no one was entirely sure what kind of strange thoughts Lumine was indulging in, Candace still offered a polite, if slightly awkward, smile.
By contrast, Cyno and Dehya felt a chill run down their spines when they met Lumine's gaze.
"In any case…"
Dehya withdrew her eyes and unconsciously shivered.
"Let's focus on the serious matters. What's your plan?"
Alhaitham spoke calmly:
"Before we begin, we must first determine the location of Azar's god-creation base."
"Based on what the Abyss Herald said earlier, the God Creation Project has already succeeded in producing a divine vessel."
"That means if we want to stop them, the first thing we must deal with is this false god."
"So the question is, where is it hiding?"
The room fell into silence. Yet Alhaitham wore an expression of quiet confidence.
Cyno frowned slightly and said in a low voice,
"Since you've already figured it out, there's no need to keep us guessing."
Alhaitham shrugged.
"A place capable of hiding a god would be the highest-level secret. But Sumeru City is not without such a location."
"If it can hide one god, it can hide a second, especially when the original owner has already left."
Lumine's eyes lit up, and she spoke decisively:
"The Sanctuary of Surasthana?!"
Alhaitham nodded.
After thinking it over, everyone realized he was right.
The underground research facility beneath the Akademiya had already been destroyed by Ryen. Rebuilding it in such a short time was impossible.
Since they were in a hurry to use the Akasha to analyze divine knowledge during the Sabzeruz Festival, there was clearly no time to construct a new base.
Using an existing location was the most logical choice.
And what place could be more suitable than one that had already imprisoned a god?
The most dangerous place was often the safest.
Besides, Nahida had already been taken away.
With the Sanctuary vacant, Azar and his faction could do whatever they pleased with it.
Paimon couldn't help sounding a bit smug:
"They actually dare mess around in the Sanctuary? If Ryen finds out, they're going to be tortured to death."
Alhaitham ignored Paimon and continued,
"For now, we can be reasonably certain the false god is in the Sanctuary. Next, we need to obtain its layout."
"The Sanctuary is vast. If we enter blindly, we'll waste time and risk being stalled."
Before he even finished speaking, Lumine raised her hand.
"That part's easy! I know the Sanctuary's internal layout!"
"…Huh?"
Everyone looked at her in confusion.
Lumine waved dismissively.
"You don't know how much Ryen dotes on Nahida. He built a one-to-one replica of the Sanctuary in Liyue for her."
"Nahida personally refined every detail. After being imprisoned there for five hundred years, she memorized every inch of the place."
"She even knows how many bricks were used."
"I go there all the time. I remember the Sanctuary perfectly."
Alhaitham nodded in realization, inwardly marveling at Ryen's indulgence toward Nahida.
After a moment of thought, he said,
"In that case, things become much simpler. We'll deal with the false god when the time comes."
"For now, we need to assess Azar's remaining forces."
"At present, the most troublesome element is the Fatui. Their agents are spread throughout Sumeru, in massive numbers."
"And according to the Abyss Herald, another Harbinger, Scaramouche, is also here. We don't yet know what role he's playing."
"That means we could be facing two Harbingers, plus Fatui forces operating openly or covertly…"
Everyone frowned.
The Fatui were indeed the most difficult problem.
They were numerous, highly trained, and far beyond what ordinary forces could handle.
At that scale, it wasn't a skirmish anymore, it was war.
Unless one possessed Archon-level strength, individual power meant very little.
And even though Lumine herself was comparable to a god, Il Dottore and Scaramouche were hardly weaklings.
After a brief silence, before anyone else could speak, Lumine smiled and said,
"That problem can actually be solved too."
Everyone turned toward her.
Grinning, Lumine continued,
"Dottore has a blood feud with Mondstadt."
"Before I left, Diluc and the others said that if we ever ran into Dottore, all we'd need to do is call them, they'd bring an army to deal with him."
"Mondstadt and Liyue were the first to form an alliance. Right now, three thousand troops are stationed in Liyue Harbor for training."
"With a single message, Jean can lead forces here immediately. No number of Fatui would be a problem."
As if realizing she'd missed something, Lumine added,
"Although the Knights' main force is on expedition, the personnel stationed in Liyue are even stronger after recent training."
"In one-on-one combat, they're on par with Vision bearers."
"They can handle any number of modified soldiers."
"As for Dottore, a Seven-Archon-level threat, there's no need to worry."
"If he tries to flee, fine. If he dares to fight, the Anemo Archon will personally come to kill him."
"Mondstadt seeking revenge on Dottore is perfectly justified. You won't have to worry about lacking legitimacy."
Everyone nodded in understanding.
Alhaitham looked genuinely relieved.
"With that, the most difficult obstacle has been resolved. Inviting Miss Lumine this time was truly the right decision."
Although Lumine's background was so powerful that any mishap could spell disaster for Sumeru…
It was precisely that background which made solving Sumeru's crisis far simpler, as long as Lumine was involved.
In terms of sheer combat strength, Lumine could likely deal with the false god herself.
In terms of backing and influence, she could summon an army far stronger than Dottore and the Fatui at a moment's notice.
With that in mind, the remaining problem was no longer divine or foreign, it was Azar and his faction within Sumeru.
After giving it some thought, Alhaitham spoke:
"Since the most difficult obstacle has been resolved, the rest should be handled by us."
No one objected.
If Mondstadt were to intervene, it would be strictly for revenge against the Fatui. That stance could not change, otherwise, it would constitute interference in another nation's internal affairs.
Moreover, Alhaitham and the others had no intention of letting foreign armies suppress Sumeru's own forces.
Ultimately, this was Sumeru's problem, and it had to be resolved by Sumeru itself.
Lumine had already provided more than enough assistance.
"Azar commands a large number of the Corps of Thirty, along with the support of other sages," Alhaitham continued.
"They effectively control Sumeru City's defenses."
"A rough estimate puts their elite forces at no fewer than fifteen hundred."
"We cannot eliminate them all at once. The Corps of Thirty are still an important armed force of Sumeru."
He lightly tapped the table and said evenly:
"So we scatter them, divide and neutralize them piece by piece."
"Then we move our own people in, take control of Sumeru City."
"Finally, we deal with Azar and his faction as quickly as possible, restore order, and publicly expose their crimes."
"And if at all possible, we must avoid open warfare inside the city. It would endanger civilians, and postwar recovery would be a nightmare."
Hearing this, Dehya nodded thoughtfully.
"I can help with manpower. I know quite a few people among the Eremites in the desert."
"They're trustworthy. If you're willing to trust me, I can bring them in."
Alhaitham looked at her and replied calmly,
"At this point, we're all in the same boat. There's no question of trust."
"If you're confident in them, bring them, but what we're doing is critical. You'll have to take responsibility."
Dehya clicked her tongue.
"I don't need you to tell me that. But there's a major problem."
"The Eremites have numbers, sure, but if we mobilize them on a large scale, they'll be stopped before they even reach Sumeru City."
"That means we can't send in large forces."
"Without enough people, we can't deal with the Corps of Thirty. You'll need a way to split them up first."
"I won't throw my brothers' lives away."
Alhaitham nodded slightly.
"I'll handle that. Once I come up with a viable approach, I'll discuss it with you first."
"As for how we reorganize the Akademiya and the city after Azar is dealt with, that can be addressed later."
He then turned to Lumine.
"Before we act, please go to Gandharva Ville and contact Tighnari."
"He's monitoring the Fatui. If anything happens, you should be able to respond."
Lumine, looking bored, nodded casually and said nothing more.
The group continued refining details until around midday, when Candace went to arrange lunch, bringing the meeting to a close.
Perhaps because of the newly secured water source, all of Aaru Village seemed revitalized. Even the pre-meal snacks were noticeably more plentiful.
When Candace returned, she smiled warmly at everyone.
"Thanks to the treasure Lumine brought us, Aaru Village no longer needs to worry about water."
"As a result, everyone's spirits have lifted. At lunch today, you'll all be enjoying a feast, thanks to Lumine."
Dehya laughed.
"I never thought I'd hear the word feast in Aaru Village of all places. Looks like everyone really is happy."
Cyno looked at Candace in confusion.
He was born in the desert, he knew better than anyone how harsh the environment was.
Aaru Village was better off than most, but that was only in comparison.
What on earth had Lumine brought that caused such excitement?
Judging by the lunch alone, it must have consumed a significant portion of the village's reserves.
Fortunately, even though Dehya and Candace didn't explain, and Tighnari wasn't present, there was still someone from Cyno's "academic household" here.
Alhaitham leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"Lumine brought Aaru Village a water source that will never run dry, and will never be polluted."
"…?!"
Cyno was stunned. He stared at Lumine in disbelief.
"How is that even possible? Even the Hydro Archon, Focalors, "
"It's a fact," Alhaitham interrupted, placing a hand on Cyno's shoulder to steady him.
After a brief silence, Alhaitham turned his gaze toward Lumine once more and said quietly,
"Miss Lumine… there is something I must ask."
Lumine, who had been chatting with Candace, glanced back casually.
"You mean the water just now?"
Alhaitham nodded without hesitation, his voice grave.
"As a scholar, this is something I cannot explain using any of the knowledge I possess."