Eldritch Horror Theatre

”Sorry, I can only slip out for a little while.”

In the Bookstore, Fu Qian had been sitting in his rocking chair flipping through gossip magazines when Wen Li’s voice rang out right in front of him.

When Fu Qian looked up, she was gazing back with an apologetic expression.

”My father and the others are a bit agitated. I did my best to calm them down before slipping out, but I can’t stay long.”

”Are you sure there’s no problem?”

Fu Qian blinked.

”Uh... it’s fine.”

Wen Li smiled sheepishly and pointed at herself.

”I tried to soothe them, but given your behavior, they were actually worried about my reaction and ended up comforting me instead.”

”That’s human nature. From their perspective, you should be absolutely furious right now, swearing to avenge this terrible humiliation—maybe by having someone burn down my shop.””I wouldn’t be that ungrateful.”

Wen Li gave a sweet smile.

”I’ve caused you so much trouble. Even if they did say things like that, I’d have no right to complain.”

”So it actually is quite serious, isn’t it? Can you figure out where the problem is?”

She sat down naturally in front of Fu Qian as she spoke, her expression turning serious.

”Why do you say that?”

”You aren’t a petty person. Saying those things meant you probably wanted to gauge how my father and the others reacted to the provocation, right? Considering you tested them more than once, I have a bad feeling.”

”Of course, if you tell me they really just have anxiety and I’m overthinking it, that would be for the best.”

Wen Li shared her perspective with complete earnestness.

She really has a clear head on her shoulders!

Fu Qian nodded, looking at the earnest Wen Li.

Asking for help required the self-awareness of someone asking for help. It sounded easy to say, but a significant number of people lacked that basic understanding.

”Not yet. Hold this.”

The next moment, Fu Qian tossed over the Secret Treasure of the Gulade Family he held in his hand.

”What is this?”

Wen Li carefully eyed the notebook before her, in no rush to touch it.

She was doing an excellent job sticking to her principle of not touching things recklessly.

Fu Qian wasn’t surprised. After dealing with her recently, he knew very well that Eldest Miss Wen was always cautious.

”The Abyss Notes. Essentially, it’s just a diary.”

Fu Qian casually tossed her a pen as well.

”What makes it special is that you write down what you believe to be true. If there’s any discrepancy with the facts, that part of the text will automatically disappear.”

”Is it really that magical? Do you want me to write down my recent experiences to see if anything is wrong?”

Wen Li’s comprehension was undoubtedly excellent; she grasped the point in an instant.

”This is a great method!”

”So time is precious. You can begin.”

Fu Qian briefly explained the recording rules and pointed at the notebook.

”If you’re still unsure, you can reference the writing techniques used in the earlier pages.”

”Okay!”

Wen Li nodded repeatedly and immediately flipped to the front for a reference sample.

But as she flipped through the pages, her movements visibly slowed.

”Gulade... Is it that Gulade?”

A moment later, she looked up, staring at Fu Qian with eyes full of disbelief.

”Yes.”

Fu Qian completely understood what she was referring to.

”This notebook... It must be a very precious transcendent item, right?”

Wen Li had clearly realized something.

”Even without its ability to verify the truth, the contents alone should make this a closely guarded secret of the Gulade Household. How did it end up in your hands?”

”I bought it.”

Fu Qian’s explanation was quite concise.

”Anyway, it’s now part of the Bookstore’s inventory, so you can write whatever you want.”

”O-Okay.”

Although she couldn’t imagine what price would make someone from the Gulade Household sell such a secret treasure, considering her tight schedule, Wen Li didn’t ask further. She immediately picked up the pen and fell into deep thought.

Soon, the scratching of the pen echoed through the shop.

”How is this possible?”

Barely a few minutes had passed when Wen Li froze, pen in hand.

A few seconds later, refusing to believe it, she quickly scribbled a few more strokes and froze once again.

”What happened?”

Fu Qian set down his leisure reading and glanced at the notebook.

The handwriting was quite elegant. There wasn’t much content; at a glance, it essentially just described her experience of returning home.

Moreover, her phrasing had clearly borrowed heavily from her predecessors, almost entirely avoiding the mention of other people.

And yet, right beneath the tip of her pen, the page was glaringly blank.

”Write it again.”

”Mm.”

Following Fu Qian’s instruction, Wen Li nodded and immediately lowered her head to rewrite the passage, deliberating over every single word.

[Wen Li, who currently had no thoughts of marriage, falsely claimed that she already had someone she fancied.]

And under both of their gazes, this sentence was erased as if corroded by the void, dissipating for the third time in the blink of an eye.

”Not a problem. It just means the statement is false.”

Meeting Wen Li’s inquiring gaze, Fu Qian nodded, giving a definite interpretation of the phenomenon.

”False...”

Wen Li muttered absentmindedly before she suddenly realized something. Her face flushed bright red.

”I didn’t... I don’t...”

”Don’t be nervous.”

Ignoring Wen Li’s flustered defense, Fu Qian took the notebook and stared thoughtfully at its contents.

”Here, have this too.”

A moment later, after thinking for a bit, he casually grabbed another item from the side and tossed it to the red-faced Wen Li.

”Open it and put it on your head.”

”Is this the... Self-Isolation Device?”

Having already reached the Mid Tier, Wen Li’s physique was not what it used to be. She caught the item Fu Qian threw with both hands and examined it.

It was a massive Hexagonal Iron Cage, standing over half a meter tall and surprisingly heavy in her hands.

She had seen this thing once before. One morning, Fu Qian had been wearing it on his head.

And when she asked about it, he had called it a ”Self-Isolation Device.”

”Correct. Slip your head through the bottom and lock it. Don’t take it off until I tell you to.”

Fu Qian nodded, affirming her memory.

”...Okay.”

Wen Li was visibly quite confused, but she still followed Fu Qian’s instructions, carefully placing the Iron Cage over her head.

With a click, the Head Cage shut once more.

[Sweet Dream Head Cage. Once worn, it isolates the user from all gazes.]

Looking at Wen Li’s instantly striking new look, Fu Qian waited for five seconds.

”How do you feel now?”

”It’s a very peculiar feeling. An unprecedented sense of quiet.”

Obvious astonishment filled Wen Li’s eyes as her hands subconsciously traced the edges of the Head Cage.

Knowing exactly how she must look right now, Wen Li didn’t even want to glance at a reflective surface.

She hadn’t expected such an incredibly ugly getup to actually possess such magical effects.

The feeling of being completely insulated from emotional noise was a rare experience for her.

This was clearly another high-Rank transcendent item!

How could he have so many? Was this the collection of someone in the Demigod Realm?

”An unprecedented sense of quiet. Very good.”

Fu Qian nodded and pointed at Wen Li’s ear.

”What about the peace?”

”That... isn’t as noticeable anymore. I don’t feel that sensation of my emotions being channeled away.”

Wen Li furrowed her brows and shook her head slightly.

”Can you take off the Ear Stud and let me see it?”

”Of course. Do you want to...?”

The grid on the Head Cage was just the right size. Wen Li easily slipped two fingers through and removed the Ear Stud.

”Let me show you a magic trick.”