He changed Tiwat

However, for Mona, a girl from Fontainebleau, the Jueyun Pepper was simply a devilish plant.

When Mona took one bite of that "Fragrant and Tender Spicy Chicken," tears streamed down her face—not tears of happiness, but tears of spiciness. What Liyue considers "mild" is pure hell for someone accustomed to Fontaine cuisine… How can Liyue people eat such spicy food?

Seeing Mona's strange expression, the beverage stall owner quickly explained, "Please don't worry, sir. This drink is Miss Barbara's secret recipe. The amount of Cloud Pepper is very small; the sweetness of Sweet Blossom is much stronger. You see, Miss Barbara is the most famous singer in Mondstadt, and singers know best how to take care of their voices! How could a drink that Miss Barbara loves be spicy?"

Han Fulai twitched the corner of his mouth – Barbara was known as the "Spicy Queen of Mondstadt," the kind of person who couldn't live without spicy food... The spiciness she liked was something that most people might not be able to handle.

The stall owner's claim about the secret recipe for spicy drinks was indeed true. As far as he knew, Barbara did indeed make her own spicy drinks, and the small water bottle she always carried contained this kind of spicy beverage.

As the church's prayer pastor, Barbara's working hours are very long. She has to lead services, sing hymns, and provide free medical care for Mondstadt residents. Basically, she has no rest from morning to night. In her spare time, she also has to maintain idol activities. Her workload is almost as heavy as her sister's, who is the acting leader.

Therefore, in order to practice singing and dancing, Barbara had to reduce her rest time. She often got up at four or five o'clock to train, and then rushed to church to work at seven o'clock in the morning. She could be described as the Mondstadt version of "rising at the crowing of the rooster".

Because she got up so early, Barbara's initial practice yielded almost no results; sometimes she was so groggy she didn't even remember what she was singing. She consulted many people about ways to stay awake, such as morning runs, chewing mint, and even fighting a slime first thing in the morning…

However, those methods were either completely useless or too time-consuming, and by the time she was fully awake, there wasn't much time left to practice.

Later, the Deer Hunter Restaurant imported a batch of Jueyun Chili from Liyue as a seasoning for their spicy dried fish. Barbara discovered that chewing Jueyun Chili was incredibly refreshing... So she asked Sarah for a whole bunch of Jueyun Chili and would chew one every morning before starting her practice...

Of course, even if you can handle spicy food, eating raw Jade Pepper will still burn your throat. To protect the Mondstadt idol's throat, Sarah, the owner of the Deer Hunter Restaurant, suggested that Barbara make Jade Pepper into a milder drink and use Sweet Blossom to moderate the spiciness of Jade Pepper.

Then Barbara started drinking this spicy beverage every morning to stay awake, and after getting used to it, she grew to like the taste—and the "Barbara Fan Club" in Mondstadt began to promote the drink privately.

However, according to Han Fulai, this drink was probably not a flavor that Mona could accept, and even he himself was not sure if he could accept it.

Han Fulai shook his head, signaling Mona to leave.

Seeing that the two were about to leave, the stall owner quickly intensified his sales pitch: "Don't be in such a hurry to leave, gentlemen! We have a promotion: buy a drink and get a free private photo of Miss Barbara! This was taken with great effort by Mr. Albert, the president of our 'Barbara Fan Support Club'... well, with permission."

As the proprietress spoke, she actually pulled out two photos of Barbara singing and dancing from the cart. From the photographic angle...

Han Fulai roughly understood the source of the photos; yes, they were stolen.

"Judging from your attire, you two aren't from Mondstadt. You probably don't know how popular Miss Barbara is in Mondstadt—just these two photos alone could fetch a price of 100,000 Mora among knowledgeable fans! These are special photos of Miss Barbara practicing privately; ordinary people don't get to see them!"

"And now, as long as you two participate in our 'positive review discount' event and fill out our survey here, you can get a free photo of Miss Barbara!"

The proprietress then took out a quill pen and a questionnaire. The questionnaire seemed quite ordinary, asking for the person leaving the message to fill in their personal information, their thoughts and suggestions on the drinks, and other miscellaneous questions such as whether they would come back again, their impressions of Mondstadt, and any other observations.

"A photo worth 100,000 Mora..." Mona swallowed hard, then hesitated, "How much do you sell this drink for?"

The proprietress smiled and opened her palm: "Big promotion! Only 5,000 for a cup of Mora!"

Just considering the price of a drink, it's already quite expensive, but with a free private photo of Mondstadt idol Barbara as a bonus, it seems like a great deal. Although Mona knows the vendor's price for the photos is definitely exaggerated, who knows, maybe some die-hard fan would actually be willing to pay a high price for them?

In Fontaine, the water goddess Funina is also an idol-like figure, and photos of her posing in the courtroom are quite popular among the people of Fontaine—especially those of Funina making a fool of herself...

Well, when you come to Mondstadt, you should do as the locals do, it's just filling out a questionnaire and adding 5,000 Mora... Mona started to convince herself to try this spicy drink.

Han Fulai stopped Mona's hand from reaching for her wallet.

"Miss Mona, please wait a moment."

"Eh? I'll buy this myself, so you don't need to treat me." Mona shook her head a little embarrassedly.

"No, no... If I have a good talk with the landlady, she'll give us drinks and photos for free, Miss Mona, do you believe me?" Han Fulai said with a smile.

Chapter 58 Trying to act like a fan by speaking so softly?

"You mean the stall owner will give it away for free...?" Mona blinked, suddenly realizing something.

Although Mona's astrological skills have reached the point where she can see the trajectory of people's fate with the naked eye, she doesn't usually use this ability. After all, she doesn't have Ying and Paimon, her two disciples who need her to show off her "amazing astrological skills," nor does she have Fischl to steal her thunder. So, she certainly won't go around looking into people's fates.

But now, her eyes, which seemed to see through fate, were fixed on the beverage stall owner, whose expression looked somewhat uneasy.

The stall owner, looking somewhat uncomfortable, said, "Sir, please don't joke around. I can't afford to lose money giving things away for free..."

Ignoring the stall owner's protest, Han Fulai asked, "Madam, I'd like to know why you set up your stall in front of the Knights' Order instead of in the Wind God Square? You know, Miss Barbara is a pastor of the Church of the West Wind, and her supporters mostly gather there. Besides, the Wind God Square has the most tourists, so business would be better, wouldn't it?"

"Oh dear, sir, you don't know this, but stall fees are more expensive in places with high foot traffic, and the competition is also fiercer..." the stall owner explained.

Han Fulai smiled and said, "I thought the proprietress was afraid the nuns in the church would find out. After all, Miss Barbara wouldn't 'passionately endorse' a spicy drink, would she? It's probably not a good idea for you to use Miss Barbara's name to make false claims and deceive customers, would it?"

"W-what are you saying... It's advertising! Of course, it has to be exaggerated a bit... It's a business matter, how can it be considered fraud?" the proprietress tried to explain.

Han Fulai didn't pursue the matter further and changed the subject: "Also, you said you got this photobook from Albert, the president of the fan club, and that the drink recipe was personally passed down by Miss Barbara, so you must be a member of the fan club, right?"

The informal, grassroots organization in Mondstadt, the "Barbara Fan Club," was founded by Albert, the very person they were referring to.

Mr. Albert was a huge fan of Barbara, so much so that... to use the most friendly adjective, he was "just one step away from being a stalker."

While Barbara is very grateful for the support from everyone in the fan club, the troubles it has caused are actually more numerous... After all, nobody likes having a group of people following them wherever they go...

The stall owner nodded somewhat awkwardly: "Yes, yes, I'm also a fan of the support group..."

Han Fulai smiled broadly: "Actually, even in Liyue, we have fans of Miss Barbara. I've heard people say they're going to come to Mondstadt specifically to support Miss Barbara, and I've also heard about the fan club. But I've heard that Mr. Albert is so obsessed with Miss Barbara that he would never easily transfer any items related to her... And how could the fans of the fan club bear to sell photos of Miss Barbara?"

He still remembered how Albert, the head of the fan club, described Barbara in the game's storyline—

"Lady Barbara is the most beautiful light in my life, so lovely, so touching, so holy..."

"Why am I at the church entrance? Because this is the closest place to Barbara without disturbing her work at the church! Can you feel the sweet fragrance in the air?"

"Windtama must have been moved by Lady Barbara's charm and finally reverted to its true nature! Lady Barbara's smile is like the dawn breaking through the darkness, the brightest star in the vast night sky. Even Windtama cannot resist her beauty!"

In the game, the Guild Master Albert is so fanatical that the nuns of the church consider him a suspicious person, and there's even a special quest to expel him called "Mr. Albert, Stop Charging!"

Such a fervent fan would certainly not easily share their idol's merchandise with others—especially since the source of this photo is clearly questionable. Even if Albert did take such a photo, he would probably just keep it to himself, right? In short, there's absolutely no way he would put it out there and sell it with drinks like this.

The stall owner's forehead began to sweat: "This...this is to promote Miss Barbara's charm!"

"Hmm..." Han Fulai nodded again, "Then... you must also know the support group's slogan, right?"

"Of course, of course." The stall owner's forehead was covered in even more sweat.

“A true fan wouldn’t mind telling me about Miss Barbara’s charm, right? Could you tell me what the fan club’s slogan is?” Han Fulai asked with a smile.

“…Barbara…Go for it…” The stall owner’s voice was barely audible.

"Speak louder, I can't hear you." Han Fulai's lips curled up wide.

“…Barbara, go for it!” the stall owner raised his voice.

"Can't hear me? Try again." Han Fulai's smile widened.

"You clearly heard it... You did it on purpose!" the stall owner shouted angrily.

Han Fulai retorted without hesitation: "If the customer says they can't hear you, then they can't hear you! Trying to act like a fan by speaking so softly?"

The stall owner clenched his fist, then suddenly leaned close to his ear and yelled:

"Barbara Go Go Go!"

The knights guarding the gate of the Order heard the shout and looked over.

Han Fulai clapped his hands with satisfaction, "Very good, very spirited."

"Actually... Mr. Kaia, if you have anything to say, you can just invite me to 'Angel's Gift' to chat, or you can wait for me at the Knights. I don't like these petty tricks. There's no need to pretend to be a vendor to approach me and then use something like a 'questionnaire' to subtly infer my intentions. Don't you think so, Miss Violet, the intelligence trader?"

Ignoring the vendor's almost murderous glare, Han Fulai casually picked up two drinks from the beverage stall, handed one to Mona, and then put the two photos away.

"As for these, I'll consider it Miss Violet's treat. Anyway, Mr. Kaia will reimburse you, right? Please tell him for me that I'm just here to attend the Mondstadt 'Badminton Festival,' and to treat me as an ordinary tourist. If he really doesn't trust me, he can send an official letter to the Moonsea Pavilion office to inquire. My annual leave is recorded. That's all."

Vera's face fell; she still couldn't understand how her identity had been exposed.

“It’s just my personal curiosity…Deputy Minister Han, have you seen me before?” Vera asked.

Even if she wasn't very good at pretending to be Miss Barbara's fan (after all, that slogan was really too embarrassing), setting up her stall near the Knights exposed that she had investigated Han Fulai and his group's movements, which showed that she had a clear purpose... But surely the other party wouldn't be able to see through her at a glance, such as her name and the fact that she was commissioned by Kaiya?

This is practically mind-reading; such a person is terrifying.

Han Fulai revealed his signature "I'm stronger now" smile.

To be honest, there's nothing magical about it. He already knew Violet, the NPC who gives daily quests to travelers, in the game, and he recognized her during their chat just now.

Considering that he was also investigated by Yelan when he first entered Liyue, it's not hard to imagine that he would encounter an investigation in Mondstadt, and Violet is just right for this role.

It's that simple.

But he couldn't say that.

So Han Fulai coughed lightly and said, "I started out by catching spies from the Fools' Clique. I've been through countless battles and seen a lot."

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Obstructing the Synthesis of the True Lord

Violet wasn't lying about one thing—the spicy drink really did invigorate you, and it tasted surprisingly good.

After all, this wasn't the real "Barbara's Secret Recipe" spicy drink. She was only disguised as a vendor to gather information; of course, she wouldn't actually let them drink any "chili water."

This spicy drink, despite having a slight spiciness, has absolutely nothing to do with Jueyun Pepper.

The spicy seasoning that Violet used was actually "cinnamon oil," a common ingredient in Mondstadt, which is an aromatic oil extracted from cinnamon, a common kitchen seasoning. In Mondstadt's drinking culture, cinnamon oil is a very common liqueur ingredient, and Mondstadt people often add a few drops to their dessert wines, as popular as honey and lemon.

Although the spicy drink initially has a pungent spiciness from the cinnamon oil that hits your nose, it is quickly masked by the sweetness of the sweet flower syrup. Even someone like Mona, who can't handle spicy food, doesn't experience any discomfort while drinking it.

—While it's clear that Violet's use of Barbara's name is false advertising, her drink tastes much better than Barbara's authentic spicy drink... It seems that fan fiction surpassing the original work exists in every world.

Regarding the two clues Wendy provided, Han Fulai and Mona agreed that the clue about Abedo took priority over that of the matriarch of the Lawrence family, Vanilla Lawrence—a living person was obviously much easier to investigate than a dead person from 2,600 years ago.

They had also inquired about Abedo from Catherine and Yingmei last night, and the general consensus they received was that "Abedo is polite, elegant, sincere and kind," exactly the kind of scholarly demeanor that people imagine.

I heard that when Abedo is in a good mood, he even goes out to sketch in the streets, drawing portraits for the residents of Mondstadt and giving them away for free. His drawing skills are in no way inferior to any art master. Paimon had heard from the Regency that Abedo once drew a sketch of Miss Barbara and gave it to the Regency as a gift. The Regency still treasures the painting in her room to this day.

Although Abedo also has a side that allows him to retreat from crowds and focus on his research, he is generally not reluctant to extend a helping hand to ordinary people whenever he is in Mondstadt.

The Knights' alchemy laboratory is located directly above the library, in the east room on the second floor of the Knights' headquarters. Although the alchemy laboratory contains many dangerous items and is not open to the general public like the library, Abedo is usually always happy to help ordinary people who come to visit. Whether it's a discussion about alchemy or a request for Abedo's help in repairing or making tools, Abedo will kindly offer assistance to the public as long as time permits.

—It's basically the same as the Abedo that Han Fulai learned about in the game.

This also means that Aberdo is easier to talk to, and it's relatively easier to get clues from him.

Of course, more importantly, Han Fulai doesn't want to have anything to do with the Lawrence family now.

As the former rulers of Mondstadt who had fallen from power, the Lawrence family had always been plotting a comeback, a scheme that was an open secret in Mondstadt. In particular, as a player, he knew that the Lawrence family was currently involved with the Fatui, a "foreign force."

Then he just happened to run into Kaia sending people to investigate him... If he showed any unusual interest in the Lawrence family again, Kaia might start wondering, "What are your motives? Who's behind you? Who's directing you? What are you trying to subvert or destroy by doing this?"

He didn't want to be labeled a "foreign force" for no reason, because of some suspicious circumstances.

So after discussing it with Mona, the two decided to split up and look for clues. Mona went to the library to investigate the matriarch of the Lawrence family. She could read ancient texts and knew "water divination." Given enough information, she might be able to learn about the history of two thousand years ago through divination. Meanwhile, Han Fulai went straight to the alchemy workshop on the second floor of the Knights' Order to find Abedo.

Although the second floor of the Knights Order is never open to players in the game, its layout is not much different from the first floor, basically consisting of two functional areas: the "Interrogation Hall" and the "Alchemy Workshop." The Interrogation Hall is on the west side, and the Alchemy Workshop is on the east side, each occupying half a floor.

Han Fulai knocked on the door of the alchemy workshop, and someone quickly opened it—the person who opened the door was a young man with reddish-brown hair, dressed somewhat sloppily, and with a somewhat absent-minded look on his face, as if he was thinking about problems at any time.

This person is certainly not Aberdo.

"Obstructing the synthesis of the True Lord!" Han Fulai blurted out inadvertently.

The person who opened the door was a familiar face to the players; he was Abedo's experimental assistant, named Timaus.

In the game, Timaeus is usually located in the Fountain Square in Mondstadt, next to the alchemy table opposite the Deer Hunter's Restaurant. Because he stands so close to the alchemy table, players often accidentally tap on him to talk to him when using the alchemy table, so he is also known by players as the "Hindering Alchemy Master".

"What True Lord? What do you mean by synthesizing?" Timaus looked bewildered upon hearing Han Fulai's words.

Han Fulai coughed lightly to cover up his lapse in composure. He was surprised that Timaus hadn't been standing guard at the alchemy table but had instead come to the alchemy workshop. However, after remembering Timaus's identity, it wasn't so strange anymore.

In reality, Timaeus wouldn't just stand there idly. As Abedo's assistant, he has a lot of experimental work to do. For example, he's currently in the alchemy workshop helping Abedo collect experimental data.

"Hello, I have some questions about alchemy that I would like to consult with Mr. Abedo."

"Oh... looking for Professor Abedo again. I'm sorry, Professor Abedo isn't here." Timaus scratched his greasy hair. Judging from his reaction, Han Fulai wasn't the first person to come looking for Abedo today.

Han Fulai was slightly disappointed: "I see... Then may I ask where Mr. Abedo went?"

Timaus sized up Han Fulai, noticing his Liyue attire and scholarly appearance. He figured Han might be a foreign scholar visiting Professor Abedo for an exchange, so Timaus didn't hide Abedo's whereabouts: "Professor Abedo went to the laboratory in Dragonspine a few days ago. He just came back this morning to pick up some things from the workshop, but he's already left. If you're not in a hurry, you can come back later."

“Hmm… how long is ‘some time’?” Han Fulai asked.

"I can't say for sure. Professor Abedo is collecting 'star silver ore' in the snow mountain... It could take anywhere from ten days to a month..." Timaus looked a little embarrassed.

Although Abedo is very friendly, academically he's similar to the scholars in the Faculty of Arts, often spending ten days to two weeks in the lab. "Star Silver Mine" is a rare mineral that only grows in the Dragon Ridge Snow Mountain, and even with Abedo's exceptional skills, collecting a sufficient quantity would likely take a considerable amount of time.

Han Fulai was also somewhat embarrassed, "...I have urgent business with Mr. Abedo, and I'm afraid I can't wait that long."

He wasn't coming to Mondstadt to stay permanently, so he couldn't just sit in the city and wait for Abedo for a whole month.

Timaus scratched his head again: "Let me think... How about this, you can go to the adventurer camp in Dragonspine Snow Mountain to find Sugar. She's helping Professor Abedo there, and she knows his whereabouts best. By the way, you're not a local, so you probably don't know the route. Please come in and sit for a while, and I'll draw you a map."

Chapter Sixty: Academic Superstars and Academic Geniuses

Han Fulai followed Timaus into the mysterious alchemy workshop.

The alchemy workshop also has a designated rest area for researchers and visitors. Han Fulai is currently sitting on the visitor sofa, waiting for Timaus. The rest area and the laboratory are separated by a security door—the kind of thick iron door that can withstand the explosion of a "bouncing bomb."

As for why it was to protect against "bouncing bombs," well, when Timaus opened the door, Han Fulai caught a glimpse of the scene inside—several half-person-high, bright red "bouncing bombs" were placed on the shelves in the laboratory, clearly Klee's handiwork.

As Abedo's "sister," Klee is also a frequent visitor to the lab; the materials this little girl uses to make bombs are basically taken from the lab.