Culprit

"You're quite the lucky boy. Half a centimeter to the left and you would have lost your arm" In a basement a doctor was treating a patient. The doctor was a bald old man and the patient was a young man with a bullet shot in his left shoulder. The young man had an average face, not having any notable features, and was quite short.

"Luckier would have been not being shot," The man said with a toothy grin as he tried to resist the pain while the doctor was trying to extract the bullet from his wound.

"But really how did someone shoot a Mora this way?" The doctor wondered as he finally extracted the bullet that in truth was a coin.

"I had a nasty encounter" The man said as the doctor started disinfecting and closing the wound, bandaging it.

"It's finished, but you need to rest for at least a month. Do not move your arm if you want to keep it joined" The doctor warned.

"Thanks, doctor" The man put a coat over his body and left a big pouch full of Mora over a table "Here's the payment."

"Good" The doctor grinned "I won't say anything."

The man left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Hah!" The man sighed as he shook his head as he looked at the bandaged arm.

"Quite the injury there" The man quickly turned around with a shocked expression seeing a beautiful blue-haired girl leaning on the wall.

"W-who are you?" The man backed up at the sudden appearance.

"So you were the one that attacked Aleksei?" Allen smiled as she stood up and looked at the man.

"I-I don't know what you are talking about!" the man trembled under Allen's gaze.

"Really?" Allen's smile became bigger.

"Y-ye-!" *Boom!* From his sleeve, the man let a ball fall, this one detonating mid-air and exploding into a smokescreen.

"As I thought" Allen swung her hand dispersing all the smoke, the man in no place in sight as he ran towards the busy street. "I'll need to go first to the Adventure Guild, then I'll catch some slippery animal."

...

Over an almost empty street in the poorest part of Liyue, an old man walking with a stick arrived at the entrance of a house. With difficulty, the man was able to take out a key and open the door.

He slowly climbed some stairs and finally reached his floor, entering a little room.

"So this is where you rest. I can't say that it's cozy" Allen sat over the windows as she waited for the old man "You took your time."

"Who are you, young lady?" The man asked with a gentlemanly and polite tone.

"Oh, you can stop with your play. I know very well who you are, Alina!" Allen glared at the old man pissed.

"Alina? Who might that be? I do not know an-" Allen dashed, immediately appearing over the old man and pointing with her index finger over his left shoulder.

"Do you want to lose your arm forever?" Allen threatened.

*Fush* Rose petals surged from the old man and once they dispersed, Alina appeared in his place "Hello, Allen"

"Hello, Alina. Long time not seeing you" Allen smiled.

"Can I know how you knew it was me?" Alina asked with a cold face.

"Simple. Your face and acting are truly perfect, being impossible to read through them, it made even me feel like I was talking with another person, however, I can't say the same from your insides. Minimum particularities when walking, the way of breathing... even if your body changes, some are being kept the same."

"So it was that..." *Fush* Petals flew around and Alina completely disappeared.

"Oh, please! Haven't I said stop playing?" Allen stepped to the left and extended her arm grasping the air, however, as she pressed the air, Alina appeared around with Allen clenching her neck "You don't want me to become angry" Allen glared at Alina as she released her. "I can listen everything of you, there's no escape."

*Cu!* Alina coughed and looked angrily at Allen "So are you going to capture me?"

"Why would I?" Allen shrugged her shoulders "I suppose you attacked Aleksei to become the next Pantalone, taking out your rival. I also hate Aleksei, so I'll avoid helping him. I only was curious if it was truly you. Quite the risky move."

"So only for curiosity?" Alina sighed and fell over the sofa of the room "And I was so proud of my ability to escape, but it's not even a hassle for you. It makes me look bad."

"Don't look down, dear" Alina froze as a voice resounded from the door outside "It was simply a bad match-up" From the door, Aleksei appeared wearing a big smile "So you were hiding here? Quite the bad taste."

"How are you here?" Allen glared at Aleksei "And your wound...?"

"Can you deduct it?" Aleksei grinned.

"Fuck!" Allen took a letter from his clothes, Kokomi's letter. "You followed this."

"Correct" Aleksei nodded "I knew since the beginning that Alina was trying to kill me, but unfortunately, I lack any competent enough personnel to catch her, being impossible to track. So it was quite lucky for you to come, Allen. Thanks" He lowered his head "And for the wound and critical state, of course, it was all fake. A way to force to find her."

"You've got me, Alek. But can really stop me now?" Alina clenched her Vision, preparing to become invisible.

"Even now, it might be difficult for me to catch you if you put your all into escaping" Aleksei shook his head "However, would you really let go your last opportunity?"

"Pantalone is at the end of the rope and with your intent of assassination, you will lose your position. I will become the new Pantalone, there's no future at all for you. However, there's still some hope left for you. To kill me now and silence me" Aleksei extended his hands "Let's start a Purge! The winner will become the new Pantalone!"

"Aren't you ignoring me too much?" Allen glared at him coldly.

"It certainly will be a difficult situation if you were to help her, but will you interrupt our pure and straight duel?" Aleksei grinned.

"What's your decision, Alina?" Allen turned to Alina.

"I'll fight!" She said with conviction as she extended a spear from her clothes, clenching it with her right arm as she pointed it at Aleksei "One arm is enough to kill you in a 1vs1."

"Really?" Aleksei grinned bigger as he took one gun at each hand, pointing them at her "Let's see what can you do in a real fight!"

*Bang!*