Eldritch Horror Theatre

Although his surface-level explanation had been flawless, Grantham clearly didn’t dare grow complacent.

The three people before him were all genuine demigods. Yuan Shan was relatively reasonable, but the other two had truly terrible reputations.

So when Yuan Shan gave the order, he followed without the slightest hesitation.

Since they had to follow the crowd, Yuan Shan simply abandoned the car.

In truth, if they wanted to, they could travel just as fast on foot as they could by driving.

Even the slightly weaker Grantham was no exception.

Perhaps buoyed by the full moon, the member of the Blood Clan actually looked quite at ease as he sprinted along.

”It seems these people are heading in the direction of Ambor’s Residence?”

After covering some distance, Yuan Shan suddenly stopped and looked directly at Grantham.

”Indeed, it’s actually not far ahead.”Grantham took a brief look around and replied with complete honesty.

”Then let’s head straight there and take a look.”

Looking at the increasingly dense crowd and the deepening darkness, Yuan Shan gave a brisk order.

...

Ambor’s Residence was a villa even more desolate than Grantham’s place, and significantly smaller.

Charging straight into the courtyard, the group’s excellent eyesight allowed them to take in the scene at a glance. The exterior walls were mottled and peeling, the windows narrow and faded. There wasn’t the slightest trace of the living.

Clearly, for an ancient member of the Blood Clan several centuries old, his architectural tastes leaned quite retro.

Fu Qian even wondered if Ambor slept in a stone coffin right in the middle of the living room.

Undoubtedly, the density of the crowd here was higher than anywhere else they had seen.

A single glance was enough to make one marvel at how excessively developed Shangjing’s nightlife was, and how absurdly taxing it must be on their kidneys.

Fu Qian even spotted more than one woman in the crowd. It was truly difficult to imagine how they had managed to stomach that concoction.

However, after the pedestrians arrived in the vicinity, they didn’t stop. Instead, they continued to stroll with elegant, unhurried steps, without making a single sound.

If it had been daytime, Fu Qian might have mistaken them for a highly civilized nature-walking tour.

But right now, beneath the dark red full moon, this shadowy, silent throng was deeply unnerving.

The people in the crowd even raised their heads from time to time, gazing deeply and affectionately at the Red Moon.

And in just a few short minutes, Fu Qian felt the crimson of the full moon grow even heavier.

”Ambor doesn’t seem to be here.”

Grantham spoke up from the side, his tone betraying no emotion.

Yuan Shan maintained a cold expression and remained silent.

At this range, she could easily confirm whether anyone was inside. The building before them was completely empty.

At the same time, despite being the destination the crowd was converging on, there was nothing else of note here.

All their clues seemed to have instantly snapped.

”What do you think?”

She turned to look at Fu Qian and asked softly.

”These people do look quite normal.”

Fu Qian pointed at their surroundings, offering a very fair assessment.

”According to Brother Grantham, under the side effects of the drug, these guys have developed something akin to the Innate Talent of the Blood Clan, making them susceptible to the full moon.”

”And speaking of this, I have a question. Why is the moon this color?”

”Color? The Red Moon?”

As soon as Fu Qian asked the question, both Grantham and Yuan Shan looked at him strangely, as if he were asking why water flowed downhill.

”Hasn’t the moon always been this color? It’s just more obvious during a full moon.”

Grantham couldn’t help but interject.

”Though the color is indeed a bit deeper today.”

”Always red? Why do I remember that the symbol of your Progenitor is the Dark Moon?”

Fu Qian continued to ask naturally, his expression pure and innocent.

...

Grantham subconsciously glanced at Yuan Shan, seemingly guessing that Fu Qian had gleaned this information from the Night Watchers.

But he clearly didn’t dwell on the thought.

”Apologies. Because I have never seen the Progenitor, I cannot answer your question.”

”I can only say that for as long as I can remember, the symbol of the Progenitor has been the moon, and there is only one moon in this world.”

”In my understanding, the Dark Moon is likely more of a concept. When the anomaly appeared in the sky a while ago, our clan discussed it at length, but we didn’t reach any definitive conclusion.”

’Sure enough, this guy is currently more than happy to spout nonsense and stall for time.’

Fu Qian nodded inwardly with satisfaction.

This was exactly why he had chosen this moment to ask. Normally, even if the man were willing to answer, he would never have gone into such detail.

”Are you trying to say that the special situation of the moon is the manifestation of the power of the Progenitor of the Blood Clan?”

While Fu Qian and Grantham discussed the matter, Yuan Shan suddenly interjected.

The Progenitor of the Blood Clan. She remembered clearly that Fu Qian had paid close attention to this subject before, including the Dark Moon that had appeared during the desecration of the sun.

Perhaps it was indeed worth suspecting, but the most important thing right now was to put an end to all of this. Therefore, she didn’t hesitate to push the topic forward.

”Surely not?”

Grantham’s face was a picture of disbelief.

’Brother, your acting is a little over the top. It only makes you look guilty.’

Fu Qian mused as he watched the scene, though he didn’t bother exposing the man.

”I’m not sure.”

”I just feel this isn’t an ordinary full moon’s influence. Here, look.”

As he spoke, he pointed at a gentleman outside the courtyard wall.

Following his gaze, the group quickly understood what he meant.

A sharply dressed young man, who had been strolling along just moments ago, suddenly bent down slowly until he was on all fours.

After crawling forward a few steps, he sidled up to another person, affectionately rubbing his face against their trouser leg.

This scene was undoubtedly a visual shock, but to the group’s astonishment, it wasn’t over.

After the young man affectionately rubbed against him a few times, the person being rubbed also slowly dropped to all fours.

At the same time, the first young man rolled on the ground and stood up, tipping his head back to face the moon.

He pressed his long fingernails against his face and dragged them down with force, slicing a perfectly straight gash from top to bottom. Blood gushed like a fountain.

”Is this what you meant by not causing harm?”

Deeply disturbed, Yuan Shan gritted her teeth and glared at Grantham.

”Apologies. I never imagined it would come to this either.”

Grantham predictably apologized.

”I have never seen this kind of seemingly contagious madness before.”

”Rather than spreading like an infection, it’s more like it’s flowing.”

Fu Qian shook his head.

A third person had already dropped to all fours outside, and his position was clearly a considerable distance from the first two.

”It feels as though some dark desire—one born from within these people themselves—is flowing freely through the area, even rendering the night exceptionally dark.”

’Could this be the true Night of Nights?’

Staring at the increasingly intense crimson moonlight, a thought surfaced in Fu Qian’s mind.