Eldritch Horror Theatre

”What’s going on?”

As Fu Qian’s group descended, one of the party members immediately looked at Gerald and asked.

The speaker was another woman, though much older than Elena, draped in a heavy dark robe that concealed half her face beneath a hood.

She stood the straightest of everyone present, her demeanor radiating a clear disgust at the thought of touching anything around her.

As for her strength, Fu Qian could only marvel that the Siren Group truly lived up to its reputation as a top-tier conglomerate—she was actually another demigod!

”We brought someone along to join the exploration.”

This demigod clearly held a very high status within Siren.

Prompted by her question, Gerald immediately stepped forward and whispered an explanation with the utmost respect.

Judging by how he addressed her, her name was Sybil.

”Him?”After Gerald’s brief explanation, Sybil frowned and looked over.

After sizing Fu Qian up, the demigod finally gave a slight nod.

”I see.”

”I’ll have him join the upcoming operation.”

Her voice was flat as she stared at Fu Qian.

”I don’t care who you are or what hidden motives you have. If I catch you doing anything suspicious, I will kill you myself.”

”Alright.”

Facing a death threat from a demigod, Fu Qian responded in an equally steady tone.

One demigod was personally leading the exploration, and another was set to arrive later. The Siren Group was clearly treating this place with unprecedented importance.

Even Elena and the rest were at least Mid Tier.

The Siren Group had virtually deployed all their elites, clearly aiming to wrap up the exploration as quickly as possible.

Once they resolved things here, they could free up their hands to deal with the situation outside.

Given their absolute confidence in their own strength, this was a perfectly reasonable approach. He just wondered what they had discovered earlier to warrant such intense focus.

For a moment, Fu Qian also found himself brimming with curiosity about whatever lay deep within the Ruins.

Gerald, however, clearly had no desire to linger. Seeing Sybil accept the addition, he looked as if he had just been granted amnesty and promptly took his leave.

After receiving her nod of approval, he led his men back the way they came without another word.

At the same time, Elena raised her head from the corner and glanced in their direction.

Fu Qian hadn’t deliberately disguised his voice when he spoke earlier, so she probably found it somewhat familiar.

However, since Fu Qian was wearing his mask, it obviously never crossed her mind that a monster like him would be forced into this kind of exploration. After studying him for a few moments, she quickly looked away.

”Alright, the break is over. We’re exploring the next area.”

Barely a minute after Gerald’s group departed, Sybil called out to the crowd, announcing the end of their rest.

”Stay alert. Nobody touches anything without my permission!”

As she spoke, her eyes were practically fixed on Fu Qian; the warning was incredibly obvious.

Stared down by a demigod, Fu Qian simply nodded, silently pulled out his gun, and loaded it one bullet at a time.

Judging by the group’s demeanor, they hadn’t encountered any strong enemies yet, but he still had to demonstrate his professionalism.

In the quiet Underground, the rhythmic sound of reloading rang out crisply. It drew numerous gazes, and the crowd watched Fu Qian’s actions in silence until Sybil ordered them to move out.

Because they had already been inside before, everyone looked relatively relaxed.

Walking down the smooth corridor, even though they were buried deep beneath the surface, the air in the Ruins remained incredibly dry and crisp, completely free of any strange odors.

Soon, the group passed through the corridor and arrived in a much more expansive hall.

Right away, Fu Qian spotted a Mirror directly facing the entrance.

Was this the Mirror Ji Yicheng mentioned? That guy was right; it really was gigantic.

From top to bottom, it had to be at least ten meters tall. Its surface resembled flowing Mercury, and despite sitting in this lightless Underground for who knew how long, not a single speck of dust could be seen on it.

Intricate patterns surrounded it like interwoven vines, stretching all the way down to the base.

Equally eye-catching was what lay at the foot of the Mirror.

Grayish-white Feathers, nearly the length of a palm, overlapped with one another to form a thick layer.

However, compared to the Mirror, these Feathers didn’t appear to possess any divine qualities. Not only was the dirt on them clearly visible, but some had even rotted into dust.

Looking at this scene, could it be that some molting birdman had used the Mirror to preen and dress up?

Fu Qian’s vivid imagination was instantly sparked as he continued to observe his surroundings.

In fact, judging by the layout of the entire hall, it would have been much more fitting to place a throne or something similar here.

Aside from the side they had entered through, the other three directions all featured differently shaped doors leading deeper into the back.

Based on what Sybil had said earlier, he guessed they were exploring area by area.

”Do not look at the Mirror, and do not touch the Feathers on the ground.”

Sybil offered another icy reminder before signaling for everyone to follow her. Taking the shortest, straightest path, she walked directly across the hall toward one of the doors behind the Mirror.

The group quickly followed, keeping their eyes straight ahead.

This was where the benefit of wearing his mask showed itself—as long as his movements remained normal, it was very hard for anyone to tell what he was looking at.

So, as he reached the middle of the hall, Fu Qian caught sight of his own Reflection on the Mercury-like surface of the Mirror.

It was very clear, but not at all realistic.

What Fu Qian saw seemed to be an image superimposed from countless perspectives.

Amidst countless chaotic blocks of color, white bone and pink flesh were visible. Their lines were distinct and their angles eerie, combining into a single entity in a way that utterly defied logic.

He could certainly understand why they weren’t allowed to look at the Mirror; the visual impact was a bit much.

At the same time, Fu Qian felt some kind of change occur within his body.

The sensation was somewhat hard to describe. It felt a bit like sudden enlightenment, a feeling of having all his worries completely dispelled, leaving his heart with an unprecedented sense of peace.

Fu Qian continued to watch as he walked, noticing that the image in the Mirror was constantly shifting. Barely any single form managed to persist for more than half a second.

Until they passed through the door at the back, there was no further reaction.

”Just like before, we will split into groups of two or three and explore different routes.”

After safely crossing the hall, another set of uniquely shaped corridors appeared before everyone.

The group seemed used to the sight, and Sybil systematically assigned their tasks.

”Mr. Fu.”

After issuing her orders, she specifically turned her head and spoke softly to Fu Qian.

”You will group up with Elena’s team. Remember to report any anomalies to me immediately.”

What was this about? Wasn’t she being a bit too polite!

In that instant, Fu Qian felt his hair stand on end.

What Sybil said naturally made sense, but her tone and inflection... wasn’t the contrast from earlier a little too drastic?

Giving a casual response, Fu Qian scrutinized Sybil’s face.

At this moment, her eyes were clear and her expression indescribably serene. Even through the heavy hood, she faintly gave off a vibe akin to one of the Saints.