Eldritch Horror Theatre

As it turned out, fear was the greater driving force.

Not long after daybreak, Fu Qian welcomed his first set of guests.

He considered them a group rather than a single guest because the long-absent Sawada had actually brought someone with him.

She was a woman in red-framed glasses, no older than thirty, wearing standard office attire that highlighted her exquisite curves at a glance.

She shadowed Sawada’s every step, looking every bit the dutiful secretary.

Yet Sawada, having rushed over bright and early, seemed blind to his charming secretary. From the moment he walked through the door, he stared fixedly at Fu Qian with a stern expression.

”Where have you been all this time?”

Though just a single sentence, it conveyed a heavy mix of complex emotions.

”And what might your name be?”

Fu Qian didn’t rush to answer the interrogation. Instead, he looked the secretary up and down, not missing a single strand of hair, looking as if he were evaluating how she would taste.”Sakura Asao.”

The beautiful secretary clearly couldn’t handle such scrutiny. She lowered her head and answered in a small voice.

”Lovely name.”

Fu Qian offered a word of praise, finally turning back to Sawada. He completely ignored the man’s question, greeting him with a familiar tone.

”Haven’t seen you in a few days. Did you get a promotion and a raise? Congratulations.”

”It’s been more than a few days, and you still haven’t answered my question.”

Sawada seemed to have no patience for pleasantries, immediately dragging the conversation back on track.

”Where exactly have you been? We had an agreement, yet you completely skipped the subsequent tests.”

”Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused me?”

His tone grew harsher with every word, to the point that the female secretary beside him nervously tightened her grip on her documents.

”That’s actually what I wanted to ask you. Why is it that the very day after I took your advice, the Night Watchers came looking for me?”

...

How the hell should I know why they came looking for you!

Fu Qian read that exact sentence on Sawada’s face, but he just kept staring at the researcher with a mirthless smile.

”With the things you’ve done, did you really expect them not to come knocking—”

Never expecting to be the one on the receiving end of someone aggressively demanding accountability, Sawada finally broke under the intense glare and growled.

”I’ve been doing those things for a long time.”

Unfortunately, Fu Qian cut him right off, his expression shifting into a complete sneer.

”I chose to trust you, and then I was forced to deal with the Night Watchers at the absolute worst possible time.”

”So what? You suspect I leaked the information? That’s absolute nonsense! What good would that do me?”

Choked off time and again, Sawada was starting to gnash his teeth.

”The one thing I can guarantee is that Anjing Company would never cooperate with the Night Watchers against you—urk, mmph!”

Though he was growing more agitated by the second, his words were cut off once again. It was as if something had lodged in his throat, leaving him only able to make muffled grunts.

”Enough, step aside.”

The beautiful secretary, who had been so delicate and reserved just moments before, took a step forward and stopped Sawada from leaking any more company information.

All trace of her shy, timid demeanor vanished from her face as she ordered Sawada aside with a commanding tone.

Unable to speak, his face flushed as red as a boiled shrimp, Sawada didn’t dare voice a single objection and obediently stepped away.

Hmph!

Sakura Asao finally withdrew her gaze, letting out a haughty yet flirtatious scoff.

”Let me introduce myself again.”

Turning back around, she swapped expressions in a second, looking at Fu Qian with a radiant smile.

”Sakura Asao, of Anjing Company’s Public Relations Team.”

”Public Relations Team? As in, that kind of public relations?”

Fu Qian listened with a look of surprise.

”Exactly that kind! We are dedicated to maintaining Anjing Company’s public image.”

Sakura Asao nodded firmly, admitting she had put on that previous act entirely on purpose.

”Understood. No wonder you came along with Brother Sawada.”

”And it turns out my choice to come was correct. Trash like Sawada has absolutely no right to deal with you.”

Miss Sakura parted her red lips, showing zero hesitation in dropping such a heavy insult.

Beside her, Sawada shuddered at the provocation. Even though he seemed to have regained his ability to speak, he didn’t dare show even a hint of dissent.

What a gap in status. Sawada really was just a struggling, expendable pawn at the bottom of the ladder!

Fu Qian watched with a sigh of realization.

”Mister Dancy, first of all, please believe that our company takes your situation extremely seriously.”

Sakura Asao continued.

”Our team consists of far more than just me. I partnered with Sawada on this operation solely to ensure this matter is resolved satisfactorily.”

”But before that, there’s a question we need to confirm with you. Another of our employees, a young man named Kunio—do you know how he died?”

...

The moment that question dropped, Sawada’s breathing inevitably grew shallow, and he stared unblinkingly at Fu Qian.

With a reaction like that, it would be a miracle if he managed to fool PR Sakura.

Fu Qian noted it and mocked him silently.

Feeling this guilty over a little action—so much for wealth is found in danger!

However, the man’s intense nervousness also revealed a piece of information: in his report to the company, he had most likely followed Fu Qian’s advice from before and avoided showing his hand.

Right now, if Fu Qian’s story didn’t match up, this guy’s fate would be visibly miserable.

”Oh, I remember now. The one who liked wearing that chicken-head mask? Of course I know.”

The next moment, Fu Qian tapped his head.

”He was killed by the Night Watchers.”

...

The living room fell unusually quiet. Even Sakura Asao was momentarily left speechless.

”Which Night Watcher?”

”Hayami Suzune. Didn’t the Night Watchers inform you about this?”

”...The reason? Why did she kill him?”

Miss Sakura truly was a professional. She only asked questions, refusing to leak even the slightest bit of her own information.

”To cover for me. Kunio was quite dedicated to his job. When he realized Madam Suzune had come looking for trouble, he volunteered to run interference. By the way, did you guys ever pay out a pension for that?”

”...So under his cover, you escaped alone?”

”Yeah. I went out and hid for a while.”

”I see.”

Sakura Asao nodded, noncommittal.

”Thank you for the explanation. Just one last question. When we arrived, Kunio was reduced to nothing but a head. Where did his body go?”

Sure enough, Anjing’s people were the ones who cleaned up the scene.

”That I wouldn’t know. I didn’t eat it, anyway.”

Fu Qian shook his head firmly.

”That much I believe. Your tastes have always been picky.”

Sakura Asao dropped a quiet hint, subtly displaying her grasp on Fu Qian’s situation.

”Anyway, it’s a pleasure to see you back. I wonder, when might you be available to complete the subsequent tests?”

Oh?

Fu Qian looked up to see her smiling sweetly.

”As you know, Anjing has always placed extreme importance on the test results of the Miracle Potion.”

”Understood.”

After Sakura Asao finished, Fu Qian finally gave an understanding nod.

”Anytime.”