Hearing the adventurers' account, everyone immediately decided to head to the scene and check things out…
After spending some time to reach the site, they were all shocked by the gruesome sight before them…
"Judging by the wounds on the victims, there are clear signs of Eerie power. Without a doubt, they were killed by Eerie force…"
Su Yuan looked over the scene thoughtfully and said:
"But there's no trace of Fischl here, which leaves us with two possibilities…"
"Either Albetwo knew Fischl's relationship with us wasn't ordinary, and deliberately took her away to use her as leverage against us…"
"Or, it was actually Fischl who was overtaken by Eerie force, and she's the one who killed these adventurers. In that case, we have no idea where she is now…"
"If it's the latter, then besides being wary of Albetwo, we also need to guard against Fischl…"
"I agree with Su Yuan's view." Aether nodded in agreement.
"Look over here!" At that moment, Klee suddenly cried out, "Aren't these branches and leaves leading toward the summit showing signs of being deliberately bent?"
"Just like in those fairytales about hidden treasure, where clues are left behind on purpose!"
Following Klee's words, everyone shifted their gaze—and indeed, it was so…
"But the adventurers who accompanied Fischl were all killed. Then who could have left these clues?" Eula muttered thoughtfully.
"Even if Fischl might have been overtaken by Eerie force, Oz isn't bound to her. It's like Xiangling and Guoba in Liyue…"
After some thought, Su Yuan said:
"These clues might have been left by Oz…"
"But if we're talking about Oz, he should've been especially alert to their surroundings, preparing and warning in advance, not letting Fischl fall into Eerie state in the first place…"
And Su Yuan still had another lingering doubt—speaking of Xiangling and Guoba, back in Liyue Guoba had been missing all along.
Could it be he too had met a fate similar to Xiangling's?
"Of course, this might just as well be a trap deliberately left by Albetwo or by the Eerie Fischl." Eula said cautiously.
"But trap or not, we can't just sit here and wait, can we?" Aether said.
"Since all the clues point to the summit, we have no choice but to head upward!"
——
At that moment, atop the snow mountain, "Fischl" glared at Albetwo, who was seated calmly by the campfire, and shouted angrily:
"Peasant! Upon beholding me—the sovereign of the Immernachtreich, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung—who gave you the courage to remain unmoved?"
However, in the face of "Fischl's" questioning, "Albetwo" did not say much.
Instead, he immediately drew his one-handed sword, eerie power radiating from his body, as a cold voice left his mouth:
"Everyone who sets foot upon the snowy summit must die…"
The next instant, "Albetwo" suddenly accelerated, thrusting his eerie-infused sword straight toward "Fischl" with terrifying speed!
"Lowly wretch!!! Who gave you the courage to raise your blade against me???"
"Fischl" shouted in fury, immediately drawing her bow.
An arrow wrapped in eerie energy formed at its string and shot toward "Albetwo"!
Instead of clashing head-on, "Albetwo" spun around and performed a backflip, trying to dodge the arrow…
But what he clearly did not anticipate was that, under "Fischl's" control, the eerie-infused arrow could freely change direction in mid-air.
The arrow made a sharp 180° turn and pierced straight through "Albetwo's" right calf!
Even so, despite the grievous wound, "Albetwo" remained expressionless, without the slightest intention of stopping!
This sight also caught "Fischl" off guard:
"You lowly wretch… Is it because you are not even human, that being shot through the leg means nothing to you?"
"Had I known, I would have pierced your head instead…"
Yet in the very next moment, "Albetwo's" sword stopped, mere centimeters from "Fischl's" heart, unable to advance an inch further—
It was the suppression of eerie power!
"Fischl" had used eerie energy to bind and restrain "Albetwo's" movements—simple, straightforward, yet overwhelmingly effective!
"A lowly wretch should know their place!!!"
"Fischl" raised her hand and struck "Albetwo" across the face with a brutal slap, sending him crashing to the ground.
She then pressed her foot upon his head, grinding and trampling it with merciless cruelty…
"Albetwo's" expression remained calm.
Though he longed to resist, his body was still bound, unable to move an inch…
And this scene was witnessed exactly by Su Yuan and the others as they finally reached the summit.
Sensing the eerie power radiating from both "Fischl" and "Albetwo," everyone realized—indeed, they had both been tainted and controlled by the eerie force…
But at the same time, they were puzzled.
Why were "Fischl" and "Albetwo" fighting each other?
"All who set foot upon the summit… must die…"
"Albetwo" continued to repeat the words mechanically.
But in his current state, he clearly no longer had the strength to slay them all.
Instead, he suddenly spoke:
"The situation has changed. Initiate the backup plan…"
The next moment, everyone present felt a terrifying energy building within "Albedo's" body—gathering, compressing, condensing…
"Fischl" too seemed to sense something amiss.
She quickly retreated, rushing back to Oz's side.
Grabbing his claw, she commanded in a tone that allowed no refusal:
"Oz, take me into the skies—get me away from here!"
Su Yuan and the others also felt the ominous foreboding and immediately began to retreat.
As time passed, "Albetwo's" body began to swell grotesquely, as though on the verge of exploding at any moment…
And at this instant, the eerie power on him suddenly dispersed.
He seemed to return to his senses, his voice filled with fury as he roared:
"Dottore… you… you bastard… you dared to deceive me!!!"
His outburst left everyone stunned.
What? Dottore? How was this connected to him?
Could it be that one of his segments was nearby?
"Traveler! Su Yuan! I won't hide it from you anymore!"
Pointing with trembling difficulty toward their group, "Albetwo" shouted:
"The Albedo by your side—he's not Albedo at all!!! He is merely one of my replicas!!! You've all been deceived by me!!!"
The very next instant, his body detonated violently, unleashing a blinding burst of light and searing heat that shook the entire snowy mountain!
Avalanches of snow and cascades of shattered rock tumbled from the peak, merging into a colossal landslide that thundered down upon Su Yuan and his companions!!!
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