"Hello, Shen Qin. I've heard quite a bit about you. It's good to finally meet. You may call me Aether." He stopped just a meter from Shen Qin.
Shen Qin stepped back, glancing at the three unconscious girls. "What did you do to them?"
"Just stopped them from interrupting our talk. Don't worry, I set them down gently." Aether lifted a finger, causing Shen Qin to levitate 10 centimeters, then gently lower again. "Like this."
"What do you want to talk about?" Shen Qin relaxed a little. He didn't know why Aether had sided with the Abyss, but since he'd probably turn out to be a tragic antihero later, he wasn't too worried.
"I've always been curious, how did you create so many fascinating alchemical devices?" He looked at the Sun's Annihilator. "Especially that one, it rivals the power of an Archon. Truly remarkable."
Shen Qin didn't reply.
Aether went on, "You carry a scent not of Teyvat. Are you a descender? But reports I've received say you claim to be from Liyue... Curious. What are you hiding?"
"In any case, your presence has brought many positive changes to Teyvat. Despite disrupting our plans, I won't harm you… for now."
He sensed someone approaching, turned toward the tower, and summoned an abyssal portal.
"I look forward to our next meeting. Oh, and I'm sure you've noticed, Lumine and I are twins. She's my sister. Please take care of her, but don't tell her I was here."
The portal vanished just as Jean and the others arrived.
"Shen! What happened? Are you alright?"
They rushed to check on Sucrose and the others.
Lumine had felt an odd energy here and brought them over.
The three girls slowly regained consciousness after Aether left.
Shen Qin glanced at Lumine and, with a silent apology, said, "An Abyss Order member appeared and tried to attack me. Just as you arrived, they left. I'm fine, please check on them instead."
Lisa confirmed there was no harm, and the girls themselves felt fine.
A massive shadow loomed overhead. Dvalin hovered but didn't land, still wary of the Sun's Annihilator.
Venti flew up to coax him down. Dvalin landed far from the weapon, still cautious.
He stared at it. "So that's the weapon that injured me? There's a familiar power inside..."
"That's because it's powered by a Gnosis," Shen Qin said, removing the Gnosis from the core and showing everyone.
"What?! Barbatos, did you give up your Gnosis?" Dvalin turned to Venti.
Venti laughed, "Haha, freedom is my Gnosis. I'd never let a tiny trinket bind me. You can call me Venti—I rather like it."
Dvalin was surprised, but not really. He'd known Barbatos would eventually cast it aside. The wind cannot be bound.
"Oh, and let me introduce the young man who made that weapon: Shen Qin. He's the one who insisted on beating you up before healing you," Venti added with a grin.
Shen Qin panicked. "Hey! You said he could regenerate as long as he had a breath left! I was gonna use half power!"
Dvalin's gaze darkened again as it turned back to Venti.
Venti: "Ehehe..."
Dvalin roared, "Do something useful for once, Barbatos!"
The dragon crisis was finally over, and the system updated Shen Qin's tasks.
『 Task [COMPLETED] 』
『 Develop a heavy alchemical product to eliminate Mondstadt's Dragon Crisis 』
『 Creation ─ Sun's Annihilator | Skyshield System』
『 Status ─ Disaster's mitigated 』
『 Reward ─ 1 Random Blueprint Draw [DELIVERED]』
『 NEW MISSION UNLOCKED 』
『 Description ─ Build your own alchemical 』
『 Accessible Knowledgge/Blueprint ─ Earth's 21st Century: Archive Of Late Industrial Tech Development 』
『 Reward ─ 2 Random Blueprint Draws 』
『 Next phase unlocks after base construction. 』
'Wait, we're still in the early 21st century on Earth, how'd the system bring tech from the century's end?'
'Then again, since transmigration exists, time travel doesn't seem impossible. Maybe the system exists across timelines…'
As Shen Qin stood lost in thought, Albedo and Sucrose motioned the others to leave him be, they knew he was probably struck with inspiration again.
Only Venti looked at him, then glanced in a particular direction, deep in thought.
Shen Qin soon snapped back. "Sorry! I just got a sudden alchemical idea."
Diluc: "Oh? Hopefully one that earns us more Mora."
Shen Qin scratched his head. Most of his inventions lately weren't market-ready, only the hoverboard, prosthetics, and healing spray were commercial.
But the simplified smartband and mechanical pet could be great product lines.
Now that the crisis was over, it was time to, not cash out, but improve the quality of life!
With the Abyss Order withdrawn and Dvalin saved, Jean ordered a cease to all clean-up ops and a return to Mondstadt for a celebration.
"Dvalin, will you come back with us? The people will be overjoyed to know you've fully recovered," Venti smiled.
"But I attacked Mondstadt... many were hurt during my first rampage..." Dvalin's eyes filled with pain. Though he had been controlled by the Abyss, the memories remained, and he couldn't forgive himself.
He took to the skies and roared: "Farewell, friends. If you ever need me, call my name on the wind. If I hear it, I will come!"