Eldritch Horror Theatre

”So... it was actually my problem?”

It was obvious that Wen Li wouldn’t be fooled so easily.

Thoroughly shaken by the revelation that her presence had been utterly loathed, she finally broke her silence, realizing there was another way to interpret the recent forced marriage incident.

”Not long after I returned home, my father and the others started becoming emotionally unstable...”

”I tried my best to soothe them, not even daring to leave, but it had little effect...”

”Once I actually left the house, they went back to normal...”

Muttering to herself, she let her gaze fall on the notebook next to Fu Qian, recalling the contents that had just been erased.

Her father and aunt might have been emotionally unstable, but their behavior was actually being driven by her own will...

The woman desperate to get married was actually me?

For a moment, if not for the Head Cage still stuck on her head, Wen Li would have had the urge to turn and flee.”Yes.”

Fu Qian confirmed her guess without sugarcoating it.

”Because of that Ear Stud?”

Receiving the demigod’s confirmation, Wen Li’s cheeks burned, but she wasn’t so fragile as to reject reality. She quickly began to piece together the reason.

”But I really didn’t feel much. Is the Rank of that Ear Stud that high? It influenced me without a sound.”

The more Wen Li thought about it, the more alarmed she became, and she couldn’t resist reaching up to touch her earlobe.

”Don’t be nervous. The item itself isn’t that exaggerated.”

”It’s just that the demigod behind it used it to lock onto you, and then transmitted a tiny bit of resentment, that’s all.”

Playing with the thin sheet in his hand, Fu Qian spoke casually.

This bizarre polygonal thin sheet was what he had picked up from the ground in that special place right before returning.

Without a doubt, it had a significant connection to the Liliana who had been reduced to ashes.

A demigod’s remains? If so, it would be an incredible item.

Fortunately, its properties seemed stable for now—not nearly as dangerous as its master.

”A demigod...”

Fu Qian’s answer clearly shocked Wen Li.

She never expected that a small gift her father had casually given her would actually be connected to an existence like a demigod.

Even though the only two demigods she had met so far weren’t exactly conventional, she still naturally held a sense of awe for existences that transcended humanity.

”Does that demigod Excellency... need me to do something?”

Considering she might have offended a demigod, Wen Li frowned in deep thought, wondering how she could make amends.

”There’s no need. It’s already been handled.”

Fu Qian didn’t even look up, simply shaking his head.

Handled... Mr. Fu couldn’t possibly mean he killed her, right?

For a moment, Wen Li had no idea how to react.

Admittedly, this man’s strength was unfathomable. Even Chief Yuan of the Night Watchers visibly placed great importance on him.

But that was a demigod! Yet he used the same tone as if he had just stewed a fish.

”Hold onto this.”

While Wen Li was questioning reality, Fu Qian finished his observation and held out the item.

The object might hold some value, but compared to a transcendent item with unknown effects, he was far more interested in seeing what changes would occur once Wen Li held it.

Of course, Fu Qian was even more interested in the place where Liliana had hidden.

That seemed to be a place completely distinct from the Real World. His intuition told him it held secrets well worth exploring.

Moreover, the facts proved that Liliana’s strategy must have been useful. Although her consciousness was shattered, it wasn’t chaotic; she had likely managed to preserve her last bit of SAN Value.

The Warehouse truly hadn’t sought her out afterward.

It was a pity. Whether the effect of Insight had timed out or the coordinates were lost with Liliana’s fall, Fu Qian was absolutely certain he had now lost the ability to enter that place. He would just have to look for opportunities later.

”For me?”

Looking at the thin sheet Fu Qian was handing her, Wen Li was shocked.

One glance was enough to tell the object was far from simple. The transcendent aura it contained was much denser than her Ear Stud, and he was just giving it to her?

Furthermore, the angle at which he held it almost directly faced her, perfectly reflecting her current bizarre appearance.

Considering Fu Qian’s usual style, Wen Li highly suspected he had done it on purpose.

In the flawless mirror surface was her own reflection wearing the Iron Cage. Wen Li found her gaze being involuntarily drawn to it.

At a certain moment, she felt as if her reflection had come alive, even making a face at her. Her hairs immediately stood on end.

Struggling to look away, Wen Li took a deep breath and reached out to take it.

It had almost no weight, and she couldn’t even feel its temperature.

Wen Li quickly analyzed it, which rapidly led her to think of another matter.

”Is it best if I don’t go back for now?”

”Will my father and the others still be affected in the short term?”

She was clearly worried about accidentally hurting her family again.

”My suggestion is that you take that off first to feel it.”

Fu Qian was noncommittal, pointing at Wen Li’s head.

Making Wen Li wear the Sweet Dream Head Cage just now was mainly to ensure the connection was severed, preventing a situation where the gaze remained fixed on Wen Li even after he swallowed the Ear Stud.

Judging from Liliana’s performance, that hadn’t been impossible.

”Okay.”

Hearing she could take it off, Wen Li instantly beamed with joy. She located the clasp and nimbly pulled her head out from underneath.

”I seem to be back to normal.”

As the Sweet Dream Head Cage was removed and placed on the counter, Wen Li immediately closed her eyes, checking her own condition carefully.

”No—it’s even worse!”

However, she whipped her head up the very next moment, staring fixedly at Fu Qian with a face full of disbelief.

”I can actually sense... your emotions are incredibly unstable!”

”That’s correct.”

Fu Qian replied with an expressionless face.

My mind is currently full of thoughts about going home and getting married, and even my names are going through rapid flip-flopping. How could my emotions not be chaotic?

Just now, to gather a bit more information, he had allowed several spiritual brands to wreak havoc in his consciousness. Fully shaking off that influence wouldn’t happen quite so fast.

However, it could be considered a rare experience: chaos, pain, struggle, fear...

To a real man, they were just a few wisps of noise.

...

To be safe, Wen Li ended up staying in The Bookstore until almost nightfall before finally leaving.

To express her gratitude, she even turned into a volunteer, taking the initiative to organize all the bookshelves.

She was incredibly serious about it, striving to place every single book neatly, remaining entirely meticulous.

Of course, what she didn’t know was that she could have just substituted this with vulgar money.

Unfortunately, she clearly felt that wouldn’t sufficiently convey her sincerity.

...

[Identity verification complete. Today’s work begins.]

[Warning, leak incident]

Early the next morning, when Fu Qian entered the Warehouse again, he unsurprisingly heard the leak notification.

[Name: Clamor, Code: 1-339]

However, the item number that followed made him frown for a moment.

Another mission starting with 1?

Had he violated some heavenly law recently?