He changed Tiwat

Chapter 136 Is this Abedo a fake?

Han Fulai's suggestion came at just the right time.

As for whether he's tired or not... with his current physique, he shouldn't get tired so easily from traveling. He actually made this suggestion for Amber and Bennett.

Amber and Bennett both looked rather unwell.

There's no reason why an avalanche could only happen once a day.

Having encountered such a major accident, even the most optimistic person could sense the hidden dangers lurking in the valley and dared not linger, so they increased their speed considerably while traveling.

Amber and Bennett had been keeping a close eye on the surrounding cliffs in the valley, constantly on guard against avalanches. It was less like they were traveling and more like they were fleeing a disaster.

Now that they were finally out of the valley, at least they didn't have to worry about avalanches on flat ground, and everyone felt a little relieved.

Once she relaxed, she immediately remembered things she had overlooked while rushing on her way—to be precise, Amber's stomach started rumbling.

Considering there's still quite a distance to go to the adventurer's camp, replenishing our energy is essential. There are a few large rocks around this fork in the road, forming a natural bench, perfect for having lunch.

The group sat down on the rocks at the crossroads. Amber took out a piece of fisherman's toast from her pouch and swallowed it in a few bites, clearly starving.

"Phew, everything tastes good when you're hungry, hehe, now my head doesn't feel dizzy anymore."

When people are stressed, their energy is usually depleted quickly. Amber had clearly been on edge the whole way—who wouldn't be nervous walking with Bennett? Plus, her empty stomach had left her in a state of low blood sugar, making her vision blurry as she walked. But to avoid worrying Yura and the others, she forced herself to maintain a cheerful demeanor.

Bennett handed over the water bottle at just the right moment.

"Drinking water makes you feel better when you're dizzy! Also, lying flat helps too."

Amber took the water bottle. "Thank you, Bennett. You really know your stuff."

Bennett scratched his head and chuckled wryly, "Haha... just consider it a gift from life..."

Behind every "adventure he learned" lies a lesson learned in blood and tears...

Yura then took out her portable rations from her storage space and handed them to Amber and Bennett.

"'Moonlight Pie,' the standard rations for guerrilla squads, want to try some?"

Today, guerrilla squads often boast of having "the best rations of the Knights." Their packs often contain a moon-shaped pie, its baked crust golden and crisp, resembling a full moon, with perfectly balanced cured meat and butter filling, creating a rich and flavorful dish.

Amber happily accepted the "moon pie" handed to her by Yura, took a big bite, and the aroma of butter and milk, along with the rich flavor of meat, filled her nostrils.

It was substantial and sweet, delicious and filling, and it also brought back memories of festivals and harvests... Amber's face unconsciously lit up with a happy smile.

The sugar in this sweet meat pie is exactly what people with low blood sugar need.

Bennett stared at the "Moon Pie" in Yura's hand, swallowed hard, and pointed to his nose, somewhat flattered: "Me...can I eat this too? I've caused everyone so much trouble..."

Yura shoved the pie directly into his hand.

"Just eat what I tell you to eat. You felt dizzy before, right? You always try to be strong."

When they found Bennett earlier, he said he had no injuries but felt dizzy—after all, he landed headfirst, and even with the soft snow cushioning his fall, a mild concussion was inevitable.

"Th-thank you, Miss Yura is such a kind person!" Bennett said gratefully.

Yura gave a soft snort and turned to scold Amber: "And you too, how could a scout knight forget the marching rules? How can you fight with your strength if you don't eat your fill?"

Amber burst out laughing.

"Yura seems aloof, but she's more genuinely concerned about her friends than anyone else. Every time I see that expression on your face, I just think... Oh no! Don't glare at me!"

Under Yura's glare, Amber quickly changed the subject: "By the way, Bennett, did you know? This 'Moon Pie' is actually a modified version, the original is even more delicious!"

"Huh?" Bennett's eyes widened. This meat pie was already super delicious, but it wasn't even the best version?

Amber wiggled her bunny ears: "Let me tell you, the guerrilla squad's personal chef once told me that when she was developing this ration, she referenced the pastries their captain made, and then made improvements suitable for military rations—extending the baking time, increasing the crust's elasticity to make it easier to carry; replacing ingredients in the recipe that are difficult to preserve, making the rations last longer, and so on..."

"Ah, isn't their captain Miss Yura?" Bennett looked at Yura in surprise.

Amber puffed out her chest, looking as smug as if she were talking about her own business.

"I've eaten it! The guerrilla knights in the group always ask me in private how delicious their captain's original 'Moon Pie' is. I told them this at the time—I even want to marry Yura and have her make it for me every day... Waaaaah, don't hit me on the head."

Yura mercilessly delivered a powerful punch to Amber, then turned around with a sour face and handed Aberdo a "Moon Pie".

Abedo hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and refused, saying, "Thank you, but I'm not hungry."

“Oh…” Yura withdrew her hand.

Han Fulai blinked at Youla, who glanced at him and stuffed the "Moon Pie" into her mouth.

"Wow, all I did was curry favor with you before, is it really necessary to be so petty? You're distributing food to everyone except me, that's discrimination!" Han Fulai thought to himself as he pulled out his own rations.

As he watched the others eat, Abedo stood up.

"Everyone, take a break. I'll go check the road conditions ahead."

After saying that, he left on his own.

Watching Abedo's retreating figure, Amber couldn't help but wonder, "By the way, don't you guys think Abedo seems to be in a bad mood?"

Bennett slumped his shoulders in frustration. "It's all my fault... I caused him so much trouble, that's why nobody wants to go on adventures with me..."

“It’s not your problem,” Yura shook her head.

Han Fulai also said, "Well, you should all have noticed that Abedo has been acting a bit strange ever since he joined us, right?"

Yura glanced at him and said in a low voice, "I also feel something is strange. It seems like something has changed, but we can't be sure... we can't verify it. These speculations are probably not suitable to be said. I believe you feel the same way."

Han Fulai smiled and said, "You mean... this Abedo is a fake?"

Chapter 137 Yura's Test

"Huh? Abelard is..."

"……Fake?"

Amber and Bennett nearly choked on their food.

Yura made a shushing gesture and lowered her voice again: "Perhaps this is the intuition of someone who has fought many battles. I feel... this Abedo is different from the Abedo who accompanied us before."

Amber remembered Aberdo, who had slaughtered the thieves of the Treasure-Hunting Gang with the Corrupting Sword. Although she didn't know that Rhinedot had created the story of Aberdo and Durin, she still remembered that someone had impersonated Aberdo.

And she also remembered the method Sugar had mentioned for distinguishing the real and fake Abedo—

"Hey, but Abedo has that star-shaped birthmark on his neck, doesn't he?"

Bennett turned his head from one person to another, completely clueless about what they were talking about.

Actually, for reasons of secrecy, this matter shouldn't have been told to Bennett, an adventurer who wasn't part of the Knights Order. But if this Abedo is indeed an imposter, then Bennett might also be in danger.

Hesitation in battle could mean the difference between life and death, so Han Fulai decided he should tell Amber and Bennett the necessary information.

Han Fulai nodded and said, "Yes, this Abedo does have a birthmark on his neck... But Amber, think about it, if the person impersonating Abedo is capable of making himself look exactly like Abedo, then it wouldn't be strange if he drew a birthmark on his neck, right?"

“We were initially relieved when we saw that Abedo had a birthmark on his neck, but later on the road I found that this Abedo was much more taciturn than the Abedo we knew. In addition, there were some suspicious points about him that could not be ignored... First of all, his attitude towards you, Bennett.”

Han Fu looked at Bennett.

“Me…?” Bennett had no idea what this had to do with him.

Yura continued, "Because when this Abedo met us, he said he saw us flying in that direction and thought he would go find us to meet up first, but he didn't mention you at all, who fell with him."

Although Abedo and Han Fulai had conspired to deceive her, which made Yura somewhat angry, one thing at a time, it didn't stop her from acknowledging that Abedo's personal qualities still had merits.

The Abedo they knew was both a fanatical alchemist and a very caring "male mother." Even though he admitted to being a "homogeneous being," Yura still believed Abedo was human, not some heartless monster...

To put it simply, it is—

“The real Abedo wouldn’t stand by and watch you die,” Yura said.

Han Fulai nodded in agreement, confirming what Yura had said. If it were the real Abedo, even for the purpose of studying the "miraculous misfortune" that befell Bennett, they would not have allowed this "precious experimental sample" to be buried in the snow.

"Also... Miss Amber, do you remember? When Abedo met up with us, he appeared behind us in the direction we came from. We searched for him by calling his and Bennett's names all the way, so it shouldn't have been possible for us to miss him on the way."

Amber, after hearing Han Fulai's words, also remembered, "That's right, sounds in the valley travel very far. If Abedo was on the same path as us, he shouldn't have missed us. Since he was looking for us, he should have responded when he heard us calling out, right? It's really strange that he appeared behind us without a sound."

"So now I think he must have gone somewhere else at the time, and just lied and said he was going to find us..." Han Fulai continued.

"In addition, I also tested him a bit just now."

Yura held up the "Moon Pie" she had taken a bite out of. What was originally a full moon had now become a crescent moon, a sight unseen on the continent of Teyvat.

"Deputy Minister Han, do you remember yesterday afternoon when Abedo and I made some desserts together?"

Han Fulai nodded. At that time, he used the excuse of getting some fresh air to go outside the lab to think about Wendy's plans for the "Primordial Ones," while Yura and Abedo stayed in the lab and worked together to make a delicious table of desserts—ah, speaking of which, Yura had also tried making desserts yesterday afternoon for Amber, so he was benefiting from Amber's generosity. Damn it, I'm a little envious...

Yura shook the "Moon Pie" in her hand.

"Not to brag, but our guerrilla squad's rations are quite famous within the Knights... so Abedo asked me how to make 'Moon Pie', saying he wanted to make one for Klee to try. I didn't have time to teach him how to make it, but the real Abedo probably wouldn't refuse the chance to taste it."

Han Fulai raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected that Yura's treat to food was actually a subtle way of testing Abedo. This "Wave Knight" was truly something else.

Yura continued, "I've actually been wary of this Abedo the whole way... but aside from the aforementioned anomalies, he hasn't shown any intention to harm us, and the route he led us on was correct. Furthermore, the strange things we've pointed out can be explained by the fact that Abedo has recently encountered too many... experiences..."

Although Yura didn't say it explicitly, Han Fulai knew very well that she was referring to Abedo killing the dragon Dulin. Abedo's mood had actually been in a slump ever since then; after all, no one feels good after "sacrificing family for the greater good."

In this situation, it's only natural for Aberdo to behave abnormally. If their suspicions are wrong, it will only hurt Aberdo more.

“But…” Yura changed the subject, “Suppose the Aberdo we’re with now is a fake, the real Aberdo might have fallen somewhere else… or is already in a situation where he can’t respond to us, or even…”

Although she didn't finish her sentence, everyone present understood what she was trying to say—the real Abedo might have already been murdered.

However, Han Fulai had a different opinion.

Yura didn't know how important the so-called "Primordial One" really was, but Han Fulai understood the value and significance of Abedo's identity.

To put it bluntly, Abedor is probably the one in Mondstadt who should be under the most close protection.

Just like in Liyue, if you want to kill Han Fulai, you have to get past the immortals. In Mondstadt, if you want to get rid of Abedo, you have to ask Barbatos for his consent.

Moreover, he could sense that after killing Dulin, Abedo himself had undergone some inexplicable changes, somewhat similar to the feeling he had when he obtained the remnants of the Salt God in the Salt God's ruins. He intuitively felt that Abedo was probably more powerful than when they first met.

In other words, Aberdo won't be killed so easily.

Furthermore, assuming that the current Abedo is indeed a fake, and is Abedo in disguise... what is his purpose in leading them out of the snow mountain?

Chapter 138 Forcing Him to Expose His True Nature

Han Fulai carefully reviewed the entire incident, and it should be like this:

After the five of them reunited, an "accident" of avalanche and landslide suddenly occurred.

All five people fell amidst the heavy snow and rubble; the situation was so chaotic that no one could help anyone else.

He, Amber, and Yura were lucky enough to stay together and landed safely in their Windwings, but Aberdo and Bennett were temporarily separated from them.

The three searched for their lost companion in the direction of the avalanche, but received no response along the way.

In the collapsed snowdrift, the three found Bennett, who said that Abedo had not fallen in the same place as him. After searching, they found that Abedo had not fallen in the vicinity either.

Just as everyone was wondering if Abeldo would be buried by the falling rocks and snow, the current Abeldo appeared behind them.

Although he had that "birthmark" on his neck, this Abedo was taciturn and had many suspicious features, making one seriously doubt whether he was a fake.

Suppose that this Aberdo is a fake, played by Aberdo himself, what would his purpose be?

Han Fulai could think of two possibilities.

One possibility is that he killed her to silence her.

The reason is simple: to eliminate everyone who knows of his existence.

Abe-Shao is a forbidden creation of Rheindorf, a failed product of the "Primordial Man" project. According to Abe-Shao's previous statements, Rheindorf should have chosen to "dispose" of this failed product, but for some unknown reason, he survived.

He stole Abedor's alchemy notes, then transformed into Abedor's appearance to steal the Corrupted Sword from Mondstadt. He returned to the snowy mountains to carry out his plan to resurrect his blood relative Durin, but was thwarted by Abedor. Furthermore, Abedor had been following them, uncovering their scheme to lure him out. In this sense, in Abedor's eyes, they were at least "kidnappers" and "murderers," enemies.

Furthermore, since Abedo killed the dragon Dulin, Abedo may also want to avenge Dulin.

From this perspective, it is highly likely that the avalanche and landslide were caused by Abe, who carefully selected the location to trigger the avalanche and wipe them all out.

Whether it's to avenge Dulin or to erase all traces of their existence in preparation for fleeing far away, silencing them is a perfectly acceptable option. Using a natural disaster like an avalanche to cover up the intent to murder is also a rather clever tactic. As Amber said, avalanches are common in snowy mountains, making it difficult for outsiders to imagine it was a murder.

However, their abilities were clearly stronger than Abedo had imagined, and the plan to murder them with an avalanche failed... perhaps only one Abedo was buried.

So Abe came up with a new plan: to impersonate Abedo and follow them, waiting for an opportunity to "finish them off."

The second possibility is that the body was resurrected through possession.

Abess triggered the avalanche with the real purpose of separating Abedo from the others, creating an opportunity to kill the lone Abedo.

After killing Abedo, Abedo decided to live in Mondstadt as Abedo. To this end, he even disguised Abedo's "birthmark," hoping that if he could fool the few people he had, he could also fool the others.

So he would come out and, posing as Abedo, guide them back to Mondstadt, and have them act as guarantors of his Abedo identity.

...However, both of these speculations contain fatal flaws.