Chapter 49. Fish Blasting
Klee and Hu Tao's reunion formed a scene that could almost be called harmonious.
Albedo stood to the side, sending a message in the Chat Group, asking whether anyone could come and stop the two of them.
Bosacius, within the Chat Group, expressed confusion as to why Albedo did not simply stop Klee himself, instead of asking others for assistance.
Albedo could only feel helpless in response.
"Please! Big Brother Albedo!!!!" Klee grabbed one of Albedo's hands, shaking it while puffing out her cheeks. "Just once!! Just once!!!"
"Big Sister Hu Tao and I are only going to blast some fish, and it's not even inside Liyue Harbor! Please!!!!"
Yes—she was acting cute. Klee was currently using the universal skill of children: acting cute and spoiled.
Although Albedo appeared composed on the surface, he was in fact more emotionally sensitive than most. Faced with Klee's expression, he found it difficult to refuse.
From a rational standpoint, Albedo was fully aware of the destructive capability of Klee's Jumpy Dumpty, particularly because this version had been modified.
Klee's Jumpy Dumpty had several variations. The most widely known was the version used by the Resistance, capable of knocking targets unconscious without causing lasting harm.
There were also specialized variants designed for dealing with enemies, as well as those intended for blasting mountains, blasting fish, and even versions modeled after her mother.
Among these, the most powerful was the one modeled after Alice, followed by the mountain-blasting type, and then the fish-blasting type.
The variant intended for enemies was not the strongest in terms of raw power, as Klee herself did not wish to harm others.
However, in terms of area of effect, the fish-blasting Jumpy Dumpty possessed an exceptionally wide range.
A wide range—capable of affecting a large number of fish at once.
This was precisely why Albedo felt uneasy. Although they were some distance away from Liyue Harbor, there was no guarantee that an accident would not occur.
If it had only been Klee, Albedo would have had confidence in persuading her.
But—
"Oh dear~ It's nothing."
At that moment, Hu Tao, carrying the Staff of Homa, dismissed the concern with a casual wave of her hand.
"Albedo, I really must speak to you about this. Klee only wants to toss a bomb and blast some fish. Don't be so rigid."
"The last incident in Liyue Harbor was an accident. This time we're outside the harbor, quite far away. There's no way something could go wrong again, right?"
As she spoke, Hu Tao placed her hands on her hips, clearly convinced that the distance from Liyue Harbor ensured there would be no issue. Even if something did happen, it would not occur within the harbor itself. At worst, the consequences would be limited.
"This…" Albedo found himself momentarily at a loss for words. He was not particularly skilled in such debates.
And Hu Tao's reasoning was not entirely without merit. By all logic, nothing should go wrong at this distance. Yet because of what he had seen in the Chat Group, Albedo could not shake the feeling that the combination of Hu Tao and Klee would inevitably lead to something catastrophic.
It was like the interaction of Electro and Pyro—ending in a violent explosion.
From Albedo's perspective, both Hu Tao and Klee wielded Pyro. If anything, their interaction would only intensify the flames further.
"What is there to worry about?" Hu Tao gestured toward the distant landmark of Guyun Stone Forest and continued, "Look, that's Guyun Stone Forest, created by the Lord of Geo."
"We're not that close to Liyue Harbor. There's still a considerable distance. If we blast fish here, could we possibly blast out a Demon? And Klee's bombs couldn't possibly have a range wide enough to affect Liyue Harbor, right?"
Although Hu Tao did not fully understand Albedo's concerns, she found Klee's enthusiasm endearing.
What harm was there in letting her enjoy herself a little?
To Hu Tao, this was no different from her own wish for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's business to flourish.
Many avoided it in life, yet in death, they inevitably relied upon it.
In the same way, she believed that a child as well-behaved as Klee should not be overly restrained.
Since Klee was polite and obedient, it was only fair that the adults indulge her slightly.
And besides, Klee called her "Big Sister Hu Tao." As the elder, she naturally felt responsible for securing a small benefit for her.
"Sigh."
Albedo pressed a hand to his forehead. He truly could not win an argument against Hu Tao.
He glanced once more at the Chat Group.
Aside from Guizhong already on her way, Futsu Mitama and the others were also heading over, clearly uneasy about leaving Klee and Hu Tao together.
According to Yae Miko, the pairing of Klee and Hu Tao was no less dangerous than allowing the current owner of Naganohara Fireworks—Yoimiya—to freely set off fireworks within Inazuma City.
Fireworks were prohibited within Inazuma City largely because most of its buildings were constructed from wood.
There had once been no such restriction.
And after that incidents in Tenshukaku which disguised as Firework hazard, there was no "after."
On that night, flames had spread uncontrollably. Although the Shogunate Army responded swiftly and no lives were lost, many structures were destroyed.
Following that incident, the Fire Prevention Squad had been established under the Shogun's decree, responsible for fire safety and suppression.
Small fireworks were permitted within the city, but larger ones had to be set off beyond its boundaries.
For that reason, Yae Miko had even joked about inviting Yoimiya to join Klee, as if that would somehow improve the situation.
The contrast was almost comical—one specialized in fireworks, the other in explosives. Put them together, and of course they would never run out of things to talk about.
Faced with that observation, Albedo could only respond in the Chat Group with a stiff emoji—"My Kokomi is definitely not a snake!"—and then fall silent.
There was simply nothing meaningful he could add.
Managing Hu Tao and Klee alone was already pushing his limits; if yet another similarly inclined individual appeared, he would have no choice but to bring in Zhongli himself. Surely, Rex Lapis would not just stand by and watch Liyue Harbor be reduced to rubble by three overly enthusiastic Pyro users.
"Alright, alright."
In the end, Albedo saw that reinforcements were already on their way. He sent out a coordinate without much ceremony and shifted strategy.
"Fishing with bombs here is still too risky. Let's move farther away from Liyue Harbor. I've heard the waters near Guyun Stone Forest have plenty of fish. We'll go there instead."
That was the most rational compromise he could reach—contain the potential damage. If something did go wrong, at least it wouldn't directly impact Liyue Harbor. As the Kreideprinz, his combat capability might not be overwhelming, but it was more than sufficient for damage control.
"Yay!!!! Big Sister Hu is a saint!!!!"
The moment Albedo relented, Klee exploded with joy. She immediately hugged Hu Tao, pressing her cheek happily against her.
Hu Tao's expression turned subtly conflicted. She quite liked being called "Big Sister Hu Tao," but "saint" was another matter entirely—that kind of title carried a weight she had no intention of bearing.
Still, seeing Klee so delighted, she didn't dwell on it. Instead, she took Klee's hand and grinned.
"Come on, Big Sister Hu Tao will take you there. It's quiet near Guyun Stone Forest, and far enough from Liyue Harbor."
Klee nodded vigorously, then turned back with utmost seriousness.
"Brother Albedo! Klee will be careful!!!"
She understood, at least to some extent, that Albedo's concern wasn't about stopping her fun—it was about preventing accidents. So she made her promise sincerely.
Albedo could only sigh internally and add one final condition: no "imitation of mommy's bombs." If that variant were used, even Guyun Stone Forest wouldn't remain unaffected—it would absolutely draw the attention of the Liyue Qixing and the Millelith.
Given the current instability following the reopening of The Chasm, minimizing disturbances was simply good policy.
And so, under a sky still tinged with early light, the trio—Klee and Hu Tao full of excitement, Albedo visibly resigned—headed toward the waters near Guyun Stone Forest.
In the Chat Group, updates came quickly.
Speculation about the location escalated into something far more interesting: the mention of Osial, the God of the Vortex, sealed beneath those very waters. Veterans like Bosacius and Azhdaha confirmed it without hesitation. The Geo Archon's spears still pinned that ancient being below.
Paimon's concern, while exaggerated, wasn't entirely baseless. After all, Klee's explosive output was…unconventional.
But more grounded voices dismissed the idea. Seals placed by an Archon were not something that could be casually undone—even by Klee.
Still, a new variable entered the discussion: the unrest in the surrounding seas.
Reports from Beidou and investigations by Keqing suggested increased activity—sea creatures, possibly remnants or followers from the Archon War era.
That was where Futsu Mitama's attention sharpened.
A follower. Hostile. Active near Guyun.
The description aligned almost too well with a specific figure—Beisht, the last attendant of Osial.
The memory surfaced immediately. In another timeline, she had lashed out at Liyue following Osial's suppression, directing her fury—somewhat irrationally—toward the Jade Chamber itself. A detail that had never quite sat right logically, but the outcome had been clear enough.
Now, with similar signs emerging—this might not be coincidence.
He didn't voice that thought. Instead, he simply observed, letting the pieces align.
—
Meanwhile, the group itself fractured along practical lines. Yelan chose to return to Liyue Harbor—her responsibilities demanded it. Others hesitated, but curiosity, fatigue, and instinct all pulled in different directions.
Then came the update.
Seven to eight minutes later, Albedo uploaded a video.
The moment it played, everything became unmistakably clear.
Klee stood at the shoreline, gleefully tossing several red-and-black Jumpy Dumpties into the sea. The water churned, bubbles rising in unnatural volume.
Half a minute later—
A thunderous detonation tore through the surface.
The shockwave blasted outward, violently launching countless fish into the air. For a brief, absurd moment, they "flew"—only to crash back down lifelessly.
The sea surface was soon dotted with floating bodies, turned belly-up, completely neutralized by the explosion.
Albedo's earlier concern had not been misplaced.
That wasn't "fishing."
That was controlled annihilation.
A portion of the fish survived—but only just. In the aftermath of that detonation, they scattered in complete disarray, their movements erratic, as if driven purely by instinctive terror.
Within the recording, Albedo remained composed. He observed the floating fish for a brief moment before quietly invoking the authority of the Geo Archon, drawing them together with precise control. Whether for alchemical processing or something far more mundane like a meal, his actions were efficient and entirely unsurprised—almost as if this outcome had already been accounted for.
In stark contrast, Hu Tao showed visible dissatisfaction.
"The power is too low," she remarked, tone casual yet decisive. "I can improve it."
That single statement triggered immediate intervention from Albedo.
"No, thank you."
There was no hesitation. No room for negotiation.
The video cut off at that exact moment, leaving the result ambiguous—but given Albedo's reaction speed, it was evident he had no intention of allowing further "optimization."
Watching all this, Futsu Mitama's expression shifted ever so slightly.
That was not fishing.
That was ordnance deployment.
Klee's so-called fish-blasting Jumpy Dumpty behaved less like a tool and more like a controlled underwater explosive—functionally closer to a torpedo than anything resembling conventional fishing. The effective radius alone made that distinction impossible to ignore.
And then—his gaze lifted.
Toward Guyun Stone Forest.
The atmosphere had changed.
Dark clouds gathered unnaturally above the stone pillars, layering over one another in dense formations. The light dimmed, and the sea beneath reflected that shift—its surface no longer calm, but tense, as if something beneath it had begun to stir.
This was no ordinary weather pattern.
Given the prior intelligence—reports of increasing sea beast activity, residual hostility from the Archon War era, and the confirmed presence of sealed entities like Osial—the implication was immediate.
External disturbance had met internal instability.
And Klee's explosion…may have been the trigger.
Futsu Mitama did not speak.
But the "storm" forming over Guyun was no longer metaphorical.
Something was responding.
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