Chapter 100. Suggestion
At that moment, Futsu Mitama raised a hand, signaling Alhaitham to wait. His consciousness shifted into the Chat Group, intending to share the newly acquired intelligence and hear everyone's opinions.
Now that they had a likely location for the God Creation Project, perhaps there was no longer any need to proceed one cautious step at a time.
[Futsu Mitama: "Maha Rukkhadevata, Nahida, we've made a major breakthrough."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "A major breakthrough? What happened?"]
[Raiden Ei: "Did something happen again?"]
[Raiden Makoto: "No, more likely they've uncovered new intelligence."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "What did you find?"]
[Shenhe: "A major breakthrough? Explain."]
[Aila: "We know where the God Creation Project is being carried out."]
[Azhdaha: "The location? You mean the laboratory? Like Guizhong's... whatever-that-Mech-place-was?"]
[Guizhong: "It's called the Azhdaha Mech!"]
[Guizhong: "You found the laboratory? That's excellent news."]
[Zhongli: "Indeed. Once the experimental site is identified, the initiative shifts into your hands."]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "The laboratory? Where is it?"]
[Nahida: "You found the God Creation Project's laboratory? How? Even with the Akasha Terminal, I haven't discovered anything."]
[Albedo: "Was it Black Aila's authority? Shadow authority is capable of uncovering many hidden things."]
[Aila: "No. Even her authority couldn't locate the laboratory. The information came from the Akademiya's Scribe, Alhaitham."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Alhaitham? The Scribe who's built a little sturdier than Boss? Isn't he one of the Great Sage's people? He switched sides? That's genuinely unexpected. I leave for a short while, and so much happens."]
[Futsu Mitama: "Not exactly. In a sense, he was never truly part of Azar's faction. He came to us because he believes the current Sages have completely lost themselves in their pursuit of knowledge. According to him, the God Creation Project is being conducted somewhere within the Akademiya itself."]
[Futsu Mitama: "Most likely beneath the Akademiya. Those Scholars who remove their Akasha Terminals while remaining inside may have secretly established an underground laboratory."]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "If that's true, then this is very good news."]
[Venti: "Good news? If the battle starts underground... unless it's far away from Sumeru City..."]
[Venti: "I'm not trying to alarm everyone, but if the fighting breaks out beneath the city, Sumeru might end up not as ruins but as a prehistoric crater."]
[Cyno: "... Then what should we do? Perhaps I should hurry, capture those Scholars in the desert, and return immediately."]
[Nahida: "Can this information be verified?"]
[Futsu Mitama: "If necessary, I can investigate it personally tonight."]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "No."]
[Raiden Makoto: "That would only alert the enemy."]
[Albedo: "Futsu Mitama, your presence is far too conspicuous now. The moment you approach, you'll almost certainly be detected."]
[Aila: "Then someone weaker should conduct the reconnaissance."]
[Shenhe: "I'm not suited for infiltration. I'm not confident I could avoid being noticed."]
[Aila: "Senior Sister, our strength itself makes us too conspicuous. We'd be discovered very easily."]
[Klee: "Klee can do it!!! "]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "No."]
[Zhongli: "You absolutely may not."]
[Albedo: "Klee, infiltration requires technical expertise. Besides, if I sent you on such a mission and something happened... Aunt Alice would kill me."]
[Klee: "Eh?! Mama wouldn't do that!"]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Sumeru has not fallen so low that we must send such an adorable child to gather intelligence."]
[Nahida: "I'm confident in my abilities, but an Archon's aura is unique. I don't know whether I could conceal it from Dottore."]
[Eula: "If I were already inside Sumeru City, I'd be fairly confident in handling reconnaissance."]
[Cyno: "I can do it."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Reconnaissance is better suited to me, but I'm currently escorting Faruzan to Gandharva Ville. It'll take another day before I'm available."]
[Futsu Mitama: "As expected, Shinobu is needed everywhere. Venti, can I use the Anemo Gnosis to conceal my aura?"]
[Venti: "Certainly. The only condition is that you activate it well away from Sumeru City, so no one notices. If you combine it with that magical Teleportation Scepter, it's worth trying. Though I can't guarantee whether the power will leak during teleportation. After all, I have no idea what happens when the powers of wind and space overlap."]
Reading Venti's reply, Futsu Mitama frowned slightly.
Those words made him hesitate.
If the Anemo Gnosis leaked even a trace of its power during teleportation, then it would make little difference from declaring war in advance.
Whether it was Signora or Dottore, both were extraordinarily suspicious individuals. At such a critical moment, if they sensed the power of the Anemo Gnosis.
They would almost certainly conclude that Futsu Mitama intended to launch a preemptive strike.
And given their personalities, they would undoubtedly choose to strike first.
At that point, avoiding a battle would become impossible.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Futsu Mitama's expression darken, Alhaitham finally spoke.
"Did something happen?"
Strictly speaking, those words should not have come from him. Yet, for some reason, Alhaitham felt the atmosphere had become unusually heavy. Remaining silent no longer seemed appropriate.
More importantly, constantly standing on the outside looking in gave him an oddly uncomfortable feeling.
"I'm considering how best to verify the location of the God Creation Project's laboratory."
Futsu Mitama looked at Alhaitham as he answered.
"If we can confirm its exact location, we'll gain a tremendous advantage. But everyone on our side has an aura that's simply too powerful. The moment we approach, Dottore will likely notice us."
"You've met him before. He's a genuine old monster."
Hearing Dottore mentioned, Alhaitham's expression gradually became solemn.
Verifying the laboratory's location was anything but simple.
In fact, it was extraordinarily dangerous. Anyone who approached carelessly would likely be discovered by the Fatui.
Alhaitham recalled that, over the past several months, more than one Fatui operative who had infiltrated the Akademiya had mysteriously vanished.
At the time, he hadn't paid much attention to those disappearances.
Now, however, he suspected those people had most likely been assigned to guard the God Creation Project.
So, was this Futsu Mitama's way of saying he still didn't fully trust him?
That was the conclusion Alhaitham instinctively reached.
He assumed Futsu Mitama was hoping he could provide even more valuable intelligence.
Frankly, Alhaitham understood.
He himself wouldn't place complete trust in someone he had only met once.
Besides, investigating the God Creation Project was already part of his own plans.
Acting sooner rather than later made little difference.
"I understand."
Just as Futsu Mitama continued discussing possible reconnaissance methods with the Chat Group, Alhaitham suddenly spoke.
"Hm?"
Futsu Mitama looked at him in confusion.
What exactly had he understood?
"Give me three days."
Alhaitham's tone remained perfectly calm, as though he were volunteering for an ordinary assignment.
"I'll take care of it."
"What?"
Black Aila looked at him strangely. She had no idea why he had suddenly made such a declaration.
Aila was equally puzzled.
What exactly did he mean by "take care of it"? Had he misunderstood something?
"The investigation." Alhaitham answered calmly. "I'll locate the God Creation Project's laboratory."
"I'm already confident it's somewhere beneath the Akademiya. Give me three days, and I'll identify its exact location. Once we know precisely where it is underground, everything afterward becomes much easier."
His voice never wavered.
He spoke as though the task carried no particular difficulty.
"Are you certain?"
Futsu Mitama blinked in surprise.
This proposal was completely unexpected.
Only moments earlier, everyone in the Chat Group had agreed on a different course of action.
Kuki Shinobu would first escort Faruzan safely to Gandharva Ville.
Afterward, Nahida would use the Teleportation Scepter to bring Kuki Shinobu back to Sumeru City.
Then Kuki Shinobu—whose talents in reconnaissance and infiltration surpassed everyone else's—would personally investigate the laboratory.
The capable naturally shouldered greater responsibility.
Compared to Futsu Mitama and the others, Kuki Shinobu was unquestionably the better infiltrator.
She possessed exactly the right level of strength.
Strong enough to quietly eliminate elite Fatui operatives.
Strong enough to briefly hold off a Harbinger if absolutely necessary.
As long as Dottore—the one whose strength had already reached the Demon God Realm—didn't personally launch an underhanded attack.
Even if Signora fought at full strength, Kuki Shinobu could buy enough time for reinforcements to arrive.
Yet now...
Alhaitham had voluntarily taken on that responsibility himself.
"Yes."
Alhaitham nodded. At the same time, he couldn't help finding everyone's expressions somewhat strange.
Futsu Mitama, Aila, and Black Aila all looked genuinely surprised.
Almost as though his proposal itself were unexpected.
Did he misunderstand their intentions? Had Futsu Mitama's earlier words simply been casual remarks rather than an indirect test?
"It's dangerous."
After thinking for a moment, Futsu Mitama finally spoke.
"But... how confident are you?"
Alhaitham volunteering had genuinely caught him off guard. After all, sneaking into the inn tonight had already been an enormous risk.
Under normal circumstances, someone in his position ought to keep an even lower profile afterward—not dive deeper into the heart of the investigation.
Still, since Alhaitham had raised the idea himself, Futsu Mitama wanted to hear his reasoning.
"Under ordinary circumstances—" Alhaitham answered without hesitation. "About seventy percent."
"As the Akademiya's Scribe, I've always operated outside its true power structure. After tonight, however, I should be able to gain Azar's trust to a greater extent. Within three days, I'll find a way to insert myself into the God Creation Project."
"If that fails, I'll investigate through other means. Now that we know the laboratory is beneath the Akademiya, there are far more avenues available."
"Of course..." He paused briefly. "Considering Signora, Dottore, the Fatui elites, and the Akademiya Sages—I can only guarantee about seventy percent."
His expression remained completely serious. From his perspective, he already possessed enough information.
With three days, he genuinely believed he could uncover the laboratory.
Futsu Mitama glanced briefly at the Chat Group before asking another question.
"What if you had an agile companion—someone highly skilled in reconnaissance and infiltration—secretly assisting you?"
Alhaitham frowned slightly before slowly shaking his head.
"I don't know how capable this companion is. But if possible—I'd rather go alone. If I'm by myself, I can control every variable. If another person joins me—I'm more concerned that something unexpected will happen."
"And if I have to rescue them—both of us could end up in danger."
He rejected the proposal without hesitation. Working alone allowed him to maintain complete control over the situation. Introducing another person only created unnecessary uncertainty.
"I see..."
Futsu Mitama didn't press the matter. Instead, he spoke seriously.
"In that case, someone will have to guarantee your safety."
Alhaitham was just about to explain that such precautions were unnecessary. As the Akademiya's Scribe, neither the Fatui nor the Akademiya would casually eliminate him.
His position, while not particularly influential, still afforded him a certain level of protection.
Even if something truly went wrong—
Futsu Mitama and the others could still rescue him afterward.
"Then..." A gentle female voice suddenly echoed through the room. "I'll be responsible for that."
Alhaitham's pupils instantly contracted.
His entire body stiffened as though he had just seen a ghost. He turned sharply toward the source of the voice.
There, standing quietly inside the room, was a petite girl holding a scepter in her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Alhaitham. My name is Nahida." Nahida appeared, holding the Teleportation Scepter. She smiled at Alhaitham and said, "You can also call me Lesser Lord Kusanali, hmm~ but don't add 'Your Excellency'~"
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