"[Abiogenesis: Solar Isotoma]!"
A massive barrier made of Geo energy erupted at the bridgehead, absorbing all incoming attacks.
Standing calmly at the front line, Albedo surveyed the advancing monsters without a flicker of panic.
"Moment of birth—rise!"
With a graceful wave of his hand, Geo energy converged rapidly. The earth trembled as enormous stone spikes surged upwards like a tidal wave, smashing into the massive Mitachurls leading the charge.
Rock shields shattered, armor splintered away, and the attacking hilichurls stumbled and fell under the force of this quake-like assault, bringing their momentum to an immediate halt.
In mere seconds, the battle's tide had turned.
"Wow, amazing!" Jiang Bai clapped enthusiastically from atop the city wall.
This was his first time seeing Albedo in action. Truly worthy of being the Knights of Favonius' top alchemist—his combat strength was simply outstanding!
But even though Albedo held firm at the bridge, it wasn't the monsters' only route of attack.
Groups of hilichurls, guided by Abyss Mages, drove Ice Slimes forward, freezing the surface of Cider Lake and using it as an icy bridge toward Mondstadt's walls.
Knights atop the walls loosed volley after volley of arrows, striking down any hilichurl attempting to cross.
Flaming arrows streaked like meteors across the sky, swiftly melting the ice beneath the hilichurls' feet. With panicked shrieks, the creatures tumbled helplessly into the lake, gurgling as they sank beneath the surface.
"So hilichurls can't swim, huh..." Jiang Bai remarked in astonishment, witnessing the spectacle.
He hadn't realized it until now—hilichurls really couldn't swim!
No wonder they needed Ice Slimes to cross the lake. For them, Cider Lake surrounding Mondstadt truly was an impenetrable moat.
It was fortunate they couldn't swim. Otherwise, defending the city might've proven more difficult.
"Seems there's nowhere for me to pitch in, though…"
Looking around, Jiang Bai noticed that no matter how the hilichurls attempted to cross, the seasoned Knights easily thwarted them.
With Albedo anchoring the bridge and Knights providing cover from behind, not a single monster breached the layers of defenses.
Kaeya and Diluc had disappeared somewhere—Jiang Bai hadn't seen them for quite a while.
With nothing better to do, Jiang Bai wandered along the walls to inspect other sections.
Logically, the hilichurls should attack from the east gate, as the lake surrounding other sides was too wide, and cliffs on the opposite shore made launching an attack difficult.
Still, Jiang Bai wanted to ensure nothing slipped by unnoticed. Since everything was currently under control, he might as well check elsewhere.
---
The southern gate faced a broad expanse of lake, with a dock outside connecting to deeper waters for ships to anchor.
With hilichurls focused on the east gate, defenses here were relatively sparse. Only two knights guarded the tightly sealed gate, while others atop the wall vigilantly scanned the surroundings.
Unbeknownst to them, two Abyss Mages silently appeared in the dense bushes below. Whispering incantations, they attacked the unsuspecting gate guards from behind, swiftly knocking them unconscious.
Amidst the chaos of the ongoing siege, no one noticed the guards collapse.
Quickly hiding the unconscious knights in the bushes, the Abyss Mages teleported inside Mondstadt, heading straight for the Mondstadt Library.
As Jiang Bai continued along the wall, the Knights—having grown familiar with him from his time with Klee—didn't stop him.
When he reached the southern gate area, about to marvel at Mondstadt's excellent defenses, Jiang Bai suddenly noticed something odd.
The bushes beneath the gate looked peculiar, as though something lay hidden between their branches.
"Is there something down there?" he asked a nearby knight, pointing toward the bushes.
"Is there?" The knight squinted carefully but didn't notice anything unusual.
"Something feels off. I'll go down and check."
There should've been guards stationed below, yet the area was suspiciously quiet. Jiang Bai was worried someone might've slipped in unnoticed—he'd already seen people pass through objects before.
Without hesitation, he jumped down from the wall, pushing into the bushes.
The knights atop the wall watched as Jiang Bai pulled two unconscious guards from within the foliage.
Quickly checking the locked gate, Jiang Bai called up to them, "They've been knocked out, but the gate wasn't breached. Can someone help me bring them inside?"
"Understood!"
After confirming no monsters were nearby, the gate cracked open slightly, and armored knights joined Jiang Bai to carry their fallen comrades into the city for treatment.
At almost the same moment the Abyss Mages infiltrated Mondstadt, another clandestine event was unfolding elsewhere.
A group of masked Treasure Hoarders quietly gathered beneath the cliffs near Mondstadt's cathedral, having snuck into position the previous night under cover of darkness. From the city walls, this location was invisible.
Although Mondstadt was entirely encircled by tall walls, some sections—kept shorter for aesthetic harmony—could be scaled easily with the right tools and teamwork.
The Hoarders had anticipated the monster siege early on. Their instincts were sharp—such a large-scale gathering of monsters wouldn't have escaped their notice.
Days before, they'd scouted and disguised the location, their presence concealed by thick bushes that even observers across Cider Lake couldn't spot.
Patiently, they'd awaited the right opportunity—when the Knights were fully occupied defending the city, leaving the interior vulnerable.
And now, their chance had finally arrived.
"Boss, let's do it already!" one member whispered impatiently.
The leader blew a short whistle resembling a bird's call—a subtle sound outsiders wouldn't recognize.
Moments later, an answering whistle came from within the city—two long notes followed by a short one, signaling safety.
With eyes gleaming excitedly, their leader waved his hand, leading his crew swiftly toward the lowest section of the wall.
Several grappling hooks spun upward, firmly lodging onto the battlements. The eager Treasure Hoarders quickly scaled the wall and slipped inside Mondstadt.
Guided by their accomplice already inside, the group hurried toward the Knights of Favonius headquarters.
Above, a Night Raven circled quietly, observing everything. It suddenly swooped downward, landing gracefully on its master's shoulder.
After a quick exchange of silent signals, Diluc received precise information about the infiltrating Fatui spies now hiding in Mondstadt.
"Tch. Seems there's no shortage of rats causing trouble during moments like this."
With a cold smirk, Diluc rotated his wrist, flames igniting faintly at his fingertips as he made his way swiftly toward the Cathedral.
---
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