Chapter 115: The Doctor Arrives on the Battlefield

The Hearthstone House

After a period of recuperation, Alechino’s condition gradually improved. Once her mind returned to normal, she couldn’t help but quietly wonder if she had perhaps overimagined things before. After all, her state at the time was far from good, and misjudgments were inevitable.

Yet, even if there was some exaggeration on her part, Lu Mingfei’s significance remained remarkably high. This fellow could directly pull her into a dreamscape to strike her down and transfer the injuries from the dream into reality—a feat in itself beyond belief.

To suppress me to such an extent, Lu Mingfei’s power must surely be on a Seven-God level.

More importantly,

That individual possesses absolute mastery over elemental forces—all attributes—combined with absolute control over mental attributes. Should he manifest his true form in Teyvat, he would inevitably become a Descender, comparable to the Fifth Descender of Nibelungen.

Although Funningna’s blockade was timely, the children of Hearthstone House were no ordinary beings. Some managed to break through and deliver the information to Winter Country, reaching the hands of the Winter Empress.

Since the message came from the Fourth Seat Executor of the Fatui herself, the Empress responded swiftly, dispatching the Doctor—who had just returned from Sumeru with two God’s Hearts—again without delay.

Whether Nibelungen was genuine or not, the fact that the other party could easily suppress the Fourth Seat Executor indicated he was no mere pawn. Therefore, only an Executor ranked above her should be sent, preferably one familiar with Nibelungen, capable of discerning his true identity.

Naturally, the owner of that gaze was Lu Mingze. He was fully capable of hiding his gaze but chose not to, finding no amusement in stealth. Instead, he brazenly fixed his eyes on this person, curious to see how he would act.

Bad news: He is a Dragon King from another world, with the potential to directly break through Teyvat’s false heavens and descend. Nibelungen is already dead; if this is the real Nibelungen, at most he would be a spiritual remnant. If not, the danger could be even greater.

“Hmm, very well.”

“Behave yourself in my domain.”

Unlike the servant who appeared cold and ruthless but harbored a gentle heart, the Doctor was a thorough villain—a great evil. He even used children from Hearthstone House as experimental subjects for Rt trials. His madness and crimes were beyond redemption.

“What a hassle.”

“How dangerous.”

Hence, the servant’s constant goal was to find the true Hydro God and obtain the God’s Heart from them.

Nibelungen, you say?

From a scholar’s perspective, Dottore did not believe that Nibelungen’s spiritual form still existed in this world. Yet the perilous gaze they sensed seemed indeed similar to Nibelungen’s. He could tangibly feel a dangerous stare emanating from a high-level being.

“Hmm.”

With those words, the pale blue figure faded, and the gaze that watched the two Fatui Executives vanished as well. Both breathed a sigh of relief.

The form Lu Mingze revealed left the Doctor’s head buzzing. He could not understand why this person would appear as a phantom of the Hydro God Focalors, and this figure seemed merely a spiritual form.

Focalors nodded obediently in response.

Yet, in truth, Alechino opposite Dottore had not spoken. The keen Doctor immediately sensed the problem and felt his heartbeat quicken. He gazed intently at the servant and whispered, “You just…”

It was nearly impossible for Nibelungen to have two spiritual existences at once. If so, the origin of this other entity was indeed intriguing.

Cold sweat trickled down the Doctor’s forehead. Numerous possibilities arose in his mind, all fraught with grave danger, each underscoring the terrifying nature of the gaze’s owner—someone perhaps above the Seven Gods, or a formidable being from another world.

Alechino also broke into a cold sweat.

But soon, their faces darkened once more.

From the moment she received the Doctor, her complexion had been poor, for she too felt that gaze originating from Lu Mingze. Since Lu Mingze made no effort to conceal it, Alechino knew one thing very clearly:

That was not Lu Mingfei’s gaze!

Having been through many trials with the dream devourer, Alechino was well acquainted with Lu Mingfei’s gaze. Though Lu Mingze’s gaze bore some resemblance in composition and appearance, the details were markedly different.

“I didn’t say that.”

Reality was truly strange!

The Doctor inquired.

According to Focalors’ description of appearance, this person should be the Second Seat Doctor.

Alechino’s voice sounded.

After traveling extensively, the Doctor was nearly certain: as long as “Nibelungen” wished to watch him, his gaze would never waver, no matter how far he tried to evade.

Now, the “true Hydro God” had appeared, and the servant’s anxious heart finally settled. She could never have dreamed that this “true Hydro God” possessed a status and power comparable to Celestia itself.

But he was the father of Hearthstone House, not the once cold and heartless mother.

He concealed his face behind a beak-shaped mask, wearing crossed collars around his neck, black spiked leather belts wrapped layer upon layer over a white coat, with strange blue vials hanging from his waist and right ear—unknown in purpose.

But where was the Doctor?

At night, Lu Mingfei and Funningna nestled warmly in the dream world, sharing their feelings and basking in the peace and warmth born of love.

Therefore, the Doctor was the best candidate.

Forget it.

She sat inside a bar, intently watching Tom and Jerry on the screen, occasionally chuckling genuinely at the plot.

Could it be that—

He was truly Nibelungen’s spiritual remnant?

“Are you Nibelungen?”

Alechino remained silent.

Although sharing the same faction and goals as the Doctor, Alechino disliked him profoundly. She would not hesitate to kill him. For the Doctor had once proposed using the defective children of Hearthstone House as test subjects, sharing his experimental results with her.

She glanced at the Doctor opposite her, narrowing her eyes as she contemplated her next move.

It might as well be the spiritual remnant of Nibelungen left in this world!

Though troublesome, the servant was not overly distressed. She only needed to speak with the Doctor face-to-face to clarify matters and make him realize Lu Mingfei’s extraordinary nature.

Meanwhile, the Doctor, experiencing for the first time the disabling of all elemental abilities plus mental oppression, was practically turning green. This ability to nullify elements was more terrifying than a fully realized Dragon King, and it suppressed all elemental attributes.

Alechino answered with a grave expression.

Lu Mingze’s primary target was the servant frequently mentioned by Focalors and Funningna. He had even devised how to use a bench to engage the servant in friendly conversation, but soon noticed something was amiss.

Hydro God Focalors was terrifying beyond measure.

A ghost!

Was this truly a Hydro God or a Dragon King? What was the connection between this entity and Focalors? Why did he appear as the Hydro God? Questions flooded the minds of both the servant and the Doctor.

Normally, she was greedy with food; if Lu Mingze refused her, she would pester him endlessly. But that was because she was unaware of the true nature of the food and bore no psychological burden. Now, things were different; she had discerned the essence of those foods and would no longer act capriciously.

He had wandered long within Fontaine, but the gaze from Lu Mingze never ceased. The sensation of being watched deeply unsettled the Doctor, especially since the watcher seemed to be the King of Dragon Kings, Nibelungen, a being with power comparable to Celestia at its prime.

Though they lacked answers, one thing was certain: Fontaine was a land full of hidden dragons. At least three Dragon Kings were known, two of whom rivaled or even surpassed Nibelungen himself!

“Focalors,” he declared proudly.

The servant sat on the sofa, sighing softly.

Moreover, that gaze seemed imbued with powers beyond the world. Only the Third Descender, Nibelungen, bore such dual characteristics.

Thus, the Doctor, bearing “Nibelungen’s” gaze, arrived at Hearthstone House. Though this diverged from the original plan, it was unavoidable. Surely the servant, who had contacted “Nibelungen,” understood the danger. This was likely why she perceived the threat so keenly.

“Not the one you said? Are you sure?”

The servant’s face shifted dramatically. The last time she felt the suppression of elemental powers was in the dream, where Lu Mingfei instantly killed her. This time, the foe was even more terrifying, capable of disabling elements in reality. If he truly made a move...

Maybe I’ll die.

After sensing “Nibelungen’s” gaze, the Doctor did not panic. To him, the current “Nibelungen” was merely a spiritual form with limited power; otherwise, he would have acted against Funningna by now.

Who was this person?

Whatever their identity, their status was no less than Nibelungen’s, perhaps even surpassing the original.

Good news: He is not Nibelungen.

The Doctor murmured to himself.

He had considered countless possibilities but never expected this person to bluntly say such a thing. He didn’t understand why this was taken as an insult. Did he see Nibelungen as weak? Or was he just boasting?

Meanwhile, Alechino, long aware that Lu Mingfei was a Dragon King from another world, accepted the truth faster. She immediately sensed this being might also be a Dragon King from another world—a counterpart to Lu Mingfei.

One hour later.

“He’s still watching me.”

The Doctor’s expression shifted. If the one watching wasn’t the suspected Nibelungen reported by Alechino, then there was yet another possible Nibelungen.

The news received by Winter Country was outdated. Now it was confirmed that Lu Mingfei was not Nibelungen, but a Dragon King from another world, with a status possibly equal to or exceeding Nibelungen.

The Doctor paced within Fontaine, his brows furrowed beneath the beak mask. Since entering Fontaine, he had felt an intensely dangerous gaze fixed upon him, as if the owner could kill him at any moment.

The beak mask reminded the little demon of medieval plague doctors—symbols of death to the common folk, demons who brought the Black Death.

When the two Fatui Executives met, the Doctor’s first words were: “I am being watched by that guy you mentioned. Right now, he’s watching me.”

Silence fell.

Lu Mingze was watching them now. How could Alechino and Dottore exchange more information? A single wrong word could provoke the gaze’s hostility—something they could ill afford.

The servant responded swiftly.

“Huh, something’s off. Why is there someone in Fontaine stronger than the servant?”

Lu Mingze was very curious about this person’s identity. He knew Viletta and was familiar with the powers of the ancient dragons, but this individual was clearly not Viletta—a special human possessing immense power.

In midair, the pale blue figure felt eerily familiar to the Doctor. Narrowing his eyes, he instinctively raised a hand in front of him and murmured, “Hydro God? Focalors?”

“That feeling again.”

Judging by his route, this fellow was most likely allied with the servant. According to Focalors’ information and Lu Mingze’s judgment, he guessed this person was a Fatui Executor, even stronger than the servant.

The pale blue apparition coalesced in midair. Within it, the servant and Doctor could faintly discern Focalors’ form. She floated above them, arms crossed, looking down arrogantly. The domain of elemental prohibition spread naturally, accompanied by overwhelming mental pressure.

Their mission was to obtain the Hydro God’s Heart in Fontaine. The false god Funningna lacked divine power but was protected by Lu Mingfei, so the servant dared not harm her. Funningna was a friendly deity safeguarding Fontaine, allied with them.

Should they continue to circle around?

In the dream-devourer’s bar, Lu Mingze watched Focalors grin foolishly, a helpless smile creeping onto his face as he explained, “I’m not in good shape today. You’ll just have to go hungry.”

“Hmph, this matter may be even more dangerous than I imagined,” the Doctor said grimly.

Lu Mingze’s slightly impatient voice thundered in his ears and heart.

This being was not Lu Mingfei. His power was even more terrifying. He could speak directly in reality, not just drag someone into the dream-devourer’s realm to inflict harm there.

After the Doctor’s arrival, the children of Hearthstone House quickly reacted, settling him in and relaying his arrival to the resting servant.

Lu Mingze silently watched this foolish child, a playful smile gradually forming at the corner of his mouth. Now that Focalors and Funningna were under control, he could do something interesting with a spiritual avatar in Teyvat.

“Are you insulting me?”

“That guy is not the one I mentioned.”

“Phew.”

The servant sighed deeply, thinking to herself: perhaps siding with Funningna and resisting Celestia has a far higher chance of success than following the Winter Empress.

(End of chapter)