Acting Grand Master Jean took a deep breath, a flicker of thought in her eyes: "I understand. Let's go to the scene first to assess the situation."
The two said no more, quickening their pace and heading straight to the incident location.
Before long, they arrived at the street in the East City.
Under the cover of night, the Knights of Favonius had already cordoned off the scene as per Kaeya's orders, ensuring no unauthorized personnel approached.
"Acting Grand Master Jean."
Seeing Acting Grand Master Jean arrive, the Knights of Favonius immediately stood at attention and saluted.
Acting Grand Master Jean nodded slightly, looking around.
Her gaze then fell on the several corpses on the ground.
Even with her extensive experience, her expression couldn't help but darken slightly upon seeing the state of the scene.
"Fatui elites..."
Acting Grand Master Jean slowly knelt down, carefully examining the bodies on the ground.
Their manner of death was exactly as Kaeya had described.
A single sword to the throat, severed limbs and torsos; the battle was incredibly swift and fierce, giving the Fatui almost no chance to breathe.
The Black Flame lingering in the air further confirmed that an Evil Eye had been used.
Acting Grand Master Jean's expression grew increasingly solemn.
Her fingertips lightly touched the scorch marks on the ground, feeling the residual heat, and she murmured: "...This energy fluctuation is indeed more violent than the Evil Eye's Black Flame."
Kaeya stood beside her, arms crossed, his gaze deep: "I noticed that too. It's not just the Black Flame; there's also a stronger aura lingering at the scene, a power more violent and destructive than Pyro. Can you identify it?"
Acting Grand Master Jean closed her eyes slightly, carefully sensing the residual energy in the air.
However, as she tried to analyze this aura, her heart inexplicably trembled.
This aura was not like ordinary elemental power... it was more like some kind of destructive energy.
Acting Grand Master Jean opened her eyes, her tone steady but with an unconcealed hint of doubt: "This power... is not Pyro, but some higher-level destructive force, even more violent than the Evil Eye."
She turned to Kaeya, her gaze filled with inquiry and unease: "Who exactly could have done all this within Mondstadt?"
"My guess is the Fatui."
Kaeya frowned deeply: "Only the Fatui would conduct such research. After all, you're not unaware of the Evil Eyes they've developed."
"It certainly seems like the work of the Fatui."
Hearing this, Acting Grand Master Jean recalled the disaster caused by the Evil Eye in Mondstadt in the past, her brows furrowed in thought: "But the presence of dead Fatui elites here creates a conflict."
"Have you forgotten about another faction?"
Kaeya spoke, narrowing his eyes.
But before he could finish, Acting Grand Master Jean's pupils suddenly constricted: "The Abyss Order."
"Precisely."
Kaeya nodded, saying softly: "The only ones who can come and go as they please are the Abyss Order."
"Especially the Abyss Mages; they can open spatial portals and appear silently within Mondstadt."
"According to Amber's information, there have also been traces of Abyss Order activity outside Mondstadt recently."
"But the Abyss Order almost always deploys and operates with Abyss Mages."
Acting Grand Master Jean mused: "But such a swift, sharp attack... could it be an Abyss Herald? But why would such a being infiltrate Mondstadt to eliminate a few Fatui elites? What would be their objective? What's the significance?"
"That's unclear."
Kaeya shook his head: "That's what's bothering me too."
"Wait."
Suddenly, Acting Grand Master Jean's brow furrowed sharply.
As if she had thought of something, a contemplative light flashed in her eyes.
She looked up slightly, gazing at the distant night sky, rapidly sifting through all the intelligence she had received today in her mind.
Until a certain vague piece of information gradually surfaced.
Eula's message.
News of an explosion at Starfell Lake!
"Kaeya."
Acting Grand Master Jean's gaze turned gravely to the Cavalry Captain beside her: "This evening, I received a message from Eula."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Kaeya raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued: "A message important enough to concern Acting Grand Master Jean, could it be related to this incident?"
Acting Grand Master Jean ignored his teasing and said in a deep voice: "Eula detected a violent explosion near Starfell Lake, and... she discovered an unusual energy residue."
Kaeya's eyes darkened slightly, his lazy smile fading a little.
He narrowed his eyes, his voice low: "Unusual energy? Like the one here now?"
Acting Grand Master Jean nodded: "It should be. She described that power as more violent than Pyro, and more destructive than the Evil Eye's Black Flame."
Upon hearing this, Kaeya frowned deeply, rapidly weighing the possibilities in his mind.
The explosion at Starfell Lake, the annihilation of Fatui elites in Mondstadt late at night, the Black Flame of the Evil Eye, the residual violent energy within Mondstadt... these events, linked together, almost allowed him to definitively pinpoint an answer.
"The Abyss Order."
A smile played on Kaeya's lips, but there was no joy in it; instead, it carried a dangerous sharpness.
"Only the Abyss Order could move so mysteriously and appear near Mondstadt without warning in such a short time."
Upon hearing this answer, Acting Grand Master Jean's heart sank, and her expression became even more severe.
The Abyss Order.
A faction frequently active in Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, and even across the entire continent of Teyvat.
A group composed of non-human monsters, hostile to surface civilizations, active throughout the world.
Their very existence was a danger.
And now, they seemed to be becoming active in Mondstadt again?
"If it's the Abyss Order, then it's not just a simple attack."
Acting Grand Master Jean said in a low voice, a sharp glint in her eyes: "Because they wouldn't appear in Mondstadt without reason, and certainly wouldn't act for the sake of a few mere Fatui elites..."
"They must have a deeper objective."
"The Abyss Order certainly doesn't act without purpose."
Kaeya pondered for a moment, then suddenly chuckled lightly, with a touch of mockery: "So, Acting Grand Master Jean, what do you plan to do next? We can't just sit back and do nothing, can we?"
Acting Grand Master Jean's gaze flickered slightly, then she decisively ordered: "Kaeya, for now, you and your team will focus on patrolling the areas around Mondstadt, especially near Starfell Lake."
"Since Eula detected unusual energy, we must thoroughly confirm the Abyss Order's traces."
"Tomorrow, go to Starfell Lake. You can ask Eula about it; she's bound to be in the vicinity these past two days. You can investigate the scene."
"See if the residual aura there is still the same as the one here."
"No problem."
Kaeya shrugged, the smile on his lips fading slightly: "However, I must warn you, the Abyss Order's actions are always cunning and unpredictable. Since they dared to show themselves, they will definitely not leave behind any easy clues."
"That's why I need you to do this."
Acting Grand Master Jean's gaze was calm and firm: "Your intelligence gathering abilities are better suited than anyone else's for tracking their movements."
Kaeya smiled softly, not denying it: "That is indeed an honor."
Then, he surveyed the battlefield, his gaze falling on the still-busy Knights of Favonius around them.