Hu Tao Is Monetizing My Existence. [115]

Even Albedo didn’t quite know how to explain it.

It felt real, and yet it wasn’t. It looked and functioned like a Vision, but lacked the defining trait of a genuine one—the presence of a wish.

“What do you mean?” Jiang Bai couldn’t sit still anymore.

Zhongli didn’t seriously give me a real Vision, did he?!

Weren’t Visions supposed to be bestowed by the gods, only upon those chosen and seen? And they were rare, too. How on earth had he ended up with something that precious?

“I need to run a few tests. There’s a chance it might get damaged,” Albedo warned.

“No problem. Go ahead,” Jiang Bai replied without hesitation.

Worst case, I’ll just ask Zhongli for another. He probably would give me one, right…?

With Jiang Bai’s permission, Albedo picked up a hefty iron hammer and slammed it down on the Vision.

If it had been an ordinary glass orb, it would’ve shattered instantly. But the Vision remained completely intact—not even a scratch.

Next, Albedo tossed it into a testing device, added a few reagents of various colors, and gave it a good shake. A moment later, the apparatus exploded with a loud bang. Had the casing not been reinforced, the blast would’ve torn it apart. Even so, the outer shell was visibly warped.

From the choking cloud of smoke, Albedo calmly retrieved the Vision. Still flawless.

He ran a few more tests. Each one more extreme than the last. None made a dent.

Jiang Bai watched in awe.

He’d believed Zhongli’s words—that it was just a decorative glass bead—and had never dared to test it. Glass was fragile, after all. He hadn’t wanted to break it by accident and end up owing Zhongli an apology.

Only now did he realize—this thing was practically indestructible.

I really was too naïve… just took Zhongli’s word at face value.

Jiang Bai sighed inwardly, a little embarrassed.

After all those experiments, Albedo had a fairly clear grasp of the Vision’s nature.

He placed his own Geo Vision beside Jiang Bai’s. Aside from the difference in design around the outer frame, the two were virtually identical.

“To the people of Teyvat, a Vision is an external magical organ—an elemental catalyst. Only through a Vision can one manipulate elemental power without suffering side effects.”

“But more than that, a Vision is a vessel of one’s will—an embodiment of the deepest, most unwavering desire in one’s heart. When the gods turn their gaze upon you, that wish is crystallized into a Vision, forming a bond between it and its wielder.”

Albedo had conducted experiments on this. He knew for a fact: Visions had a built-in property to never be truly lost. No matter how far they were thrown, they would always return to their owner.

That said, with certain methods, a Vision could be willingly relinquished.

But if a Vision was abandoned—or forcibly taken—the bond and the wish that birthed it would fade away, until the Vision was returned to its original holder.

And one more thing: Visions couldn’t be destroyed.

When a Vision’s bearer died, or when their wish vanished, the Vision would become dormant. A “blank” Vision. Still indestructible, but devoid of power.

Only when rekindled by a new desire could it shine once more.

Jiang Bai’s Vision, by every material and structural standard, was real.

But it lacked the most critical component: a wish.

Without that, it couldn’t channel elemental energy, and served as nothing more than an ornament.

“So you’re saying… my Vision is actually real?”

Jiang Bai was stunned.

Zhongli, who the hell are you?! You just handed me a real Vision like it was nothing!

“In a way, yes,” Albedo replied. “But it isn’t bound to you. It lacks the return mechanism and cannot assist you in controlling elemental power. It’s essentially an unfinished product.”

Even Albedo couldn’t understand how such a Vision had been created. After all, crafting one without a divine will was supposedly impossible.

“Can you tell me who gave this to you? And why?”

Albedo’s eyes were full of curiosity.
A Vision like this… was it possible to complete it—by imbuing it with a wish?

Jiang Bai didn’t hide anything. He needed someone to help him figure out what kind of person Zhongli really was.

“It was given to me by a guest consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. His name is Zhongli. Like you, he knew I wasn’t from this world. It was thanks to him that I learned I could control elemental energy without using a Vision.”

Jiang Bai recounted everything that had happened back then in detail.

Albedo listened closely, absorbing every word.

“So… he guided you in using elemental power. And he gave you the Vision to hide your abnormality. That way, no one would suspect you were different.”

“Yeah.”

“I can sense the starborn aura on you because someone close to me came from beyond the stars as well. I also have several objects she brought back from the cosmos. I’ve studied them—so I recognize the aura.”

Albedo went to a shelf and pulled down what looked like a magazine. It was one of the idol fanbooks Alice had brought back from the stars. It had made brief rounds in Mondstadt.

Jiang Bai flipped through it. He felt… nothing.

No strange energy. No cosmic signature.

“As for this Zhongli of yours… I don’t know how he knew you came from beyond the stars. But if he can casually hand you something like this… he’s definitely no ordinary man. I’d love to meet him one day.”

Jiang Bai frowned. That’s not helpful! I already know Zhongli isn’t normal. What I need is to know exactly who—or what—he is!

“What do you think he might be?” Jiang Bai asked.

“There are… many possibilities.”

Albedo had never met Zhongli. But Alice had mentioned him once in her travel notes.

He returned to the bookshelf and pulled out a well-worn copy of Teyvat Travel Guide. Sure enough, Zhongli was mentioned.

According to Alice’s writing, she’d traveled with him briefly. From her tone, it was clear: Zhongli possessed an extraordinary knowledge of Liyue, and his insights were deeply profound.

“He could be an adeptus—one of the illuminated beings of Liyue, a servant of the Geo Archon. Or perhaps he’s the Archon himself, in mortal form. He could even be an ancient scholar… or a long-lived species that’s just very, very old.”

Jiang Bai sighed. That… didn’t help either.

He’d already considered all of those. Guessed each and every one.

But guesswork without proof was just noise. No way to tell which theory was closest to the truth.

Besides, he thought, Zhongli didn’t seem particularly fond of the Geo Archon. That alone makes the “he is the Archon” theory feel off.

They chatted a bit longer, going back and forth on the subject.

But in the end… no clear answer emerged.

—

This is a fan translation of 胡桃拿我冲业绩 by 余溯. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!