Eldritch Horror Theatre

[This week’s work progress: 4/4. Thank you for your hard work. You may leave the Warehouse at any time.]

Amid his self-consolation, the notification of a completed shift chimed right on time.

Fu Qian thought for a moment and reached out to pick up the Emissary Mask beside him. The bloodstains on it remained practically nonexistent.

It seemed that time in the Warehouse paused while he was inside a mission.

After confirming it wouldn’t synchronize to The Bookstore, he wasted no time and put the mask directly on.

The test was complete. Very good.

The scenery shifted. Fu Qian looked at the marks on the dining table in front of him with considerable satisfaction.

Using this method, as long as he paid a little attention, he could effectively log in and out of this world anytime, anywhere.

The only problem was that once he returned to the Real World, time flowed synchronously. If he stayed there too long, the temporary Anchor Point would still be erased.

That was just a minor issue, though. Once he figured out the limit, he could just log in on schedule to refresh it....

Overall, the haul this time was acceptable.

Fu Qian looked down at his hands.

Including the Delusion Step Ring, he was now wearing a full five rings. At a glance, they were vibrant and colorful, practically radiating wealth.

Of course, this was only one aspect of his gains.

Although Patches and its ilk were tough to deal with, the interaction had provided plenty of valuable information.

First, he had gotten a proper taste of Anjing Company’s corporate culture.

He had to admit, the organization was rather interesting. In a world where transcendents stood above ordinary people, Anjing Company somehow had the ability to make them line up to be cannon fodder for tests.

Pulling that off was no easy feat.

Second, based on the situation when he left, although all four informed ”Horse Legs” were dead, the project would likely be abandoned.

However, the incident would undoubtedly draw the utmost attention from the Anjing Group. He might be able to make use of that later—for instance, taking a stroll through the streets with his true face if necessary.

Finally, while that ”Patches” most likely wasn’t the real body, such a highly targeted trap still held considerable significance.

Clearly, many of the god-like entities behind those covenants were quite actively stirring up trouble.

In fact, as they stirred up trouble, the existence of the Warehouse and task runners like himself were not top secrets to them.

”Mr. Dancy.”

A call interrupted his thoughts.

Fu Qian looked up and saw that Su Gao, who had just gone upstairs to rest, was already walking back down the stairs.

”Someone’s here.”

Meeting his gaze, she walked over and spoke softly, casting a glance in a certain direction.

Hmm.

Fu Qian nodded, confirming her judgment.

”They got here fast.”

Su Gao continued in a low voice.

”Yeah, a little too fast. Logically, Anjing should be very busy right now.”

Fu Qian tapped his finger lightly on the table, staring out the window in thought.

Su Gao’s meaning couldn’t be clearer. At this very moment, someone was in the yard, concealing their aura and quietly approaching the house.

A new guest had arrived.

Their strength was quite impressive—only a step away from a Demigod.

Of course, a step away was still a gap.

To two Demigods who excelled in perception, this observer’s movements were crystal clear.

The Night Watchers certainly wouldn’t act so stealthily. No matter how he looked at it, this had to be Sakura Asao calling for backup.

”Don’t hold back too much in front of our guest later. Give him a little Half-Step Demigod shock.”

After a brief thought, Fu Qian instructed Su Gao.

She was still in her casual clothes, with slight traces of dampness at her temples.

He had told her to go up and rest, and she had clearly followed through to the letter, taking the time to wash up.

Now, her delicate face showed not a hint of fatigue. Even without makeup, she was the picture of a classic urban beauty.

”Okay!”

Su Gao didn’t ask why he suggested that.

”Have a seat.”

Gesturing for Su Gao to take a seat, Fu Qian stood up and walked into a small room connected to the living room.

The room was quiet and elegant, with exquisite decor. It was a dedicated tearoom.

At a glance, a complete array of tea sets was readily available.

Fu Qian couldn’t be bothered with the hassle. He casually grabbed a handful of tea leaves, stuffed them into a beautifully crafted teapot, snagged two cups, and returned.

Given all the good food and drink on the cruise ship earlier, he didn’t have much of an appetite right now.

And Su Gao probably didn’t want to touch anything in the kitchen either, so a little tea would do.

Facing the returning Fu Qian, Su Gao sat quietly, silently watching him work.

Even as he brewed the tea and poured her a cup, she made no move to help.

It had to be said, Dancy’s taste was quite refined. Even under Fu Qian’s brute-force brewing, the tea still smelled incredibly fragrant.

”If you don’t mind, could I have a cup too?”

Right at that moment, a man’s voice came from behind Fu Qian.

Stopping his movements instantly, Fu Qian looked back and saw that someone else had silently appeared in the living room.

It was a middle-aged man wearing a black casual outfit and a wide smile. His long hair was combed meticulously and tied up behind his head, and his somewhat small eyes were remarkably bright.

Oh?

With Fu Qian there, Su Gao naturally didn’t react.

Seeing the newcomer, a perfectly natural hint of surprise flickered in Fu Qian’s eyes.

But it only took half a second for him to adjust his mindset and return to normal.

”Sure.”

The next moment, Fu Qian grunted softly and actually pushed the remaining cup over before sitting down.

”Who might you be?”

Only then did Fu Qian speak up to address the uninvited guest.

This deliberate posturing was clearly an attempt to keep from losing the upper hand.

Unfortunately, no matter how perfect the act, having someone infiltrate his home unnoticed completely ruined his intimidating image.

Of course, this was all just acting on his part.

Although this long-haired middle-aged man had made a highly dramatic entrance, in the eyes of Fu Qian and Su Gao, there was absolutely no mystery to him. They could have even mapped out the exact route he took to sneak in with a pen.

”Carlos.”

The man reached out to take the teacup, his movements light and utterly poised.

”The aroma is slightly lacking. It seems you didn’t warm the cup. You were a bit too hasty, Mr. Dancy.”

Looking entirely unconcerned about what might be in the tea, Carlos took a sip and commented with a smile.

”I’m not one for formalities.”

As a human fiend, his mental fortitude was unshakeable—how could he possibly be hurt by a personal attack of this level?

As he spoke, Fu Qian lifted the teapot in a rather unrestrained manner and poured a mouthful directly down his throat.

”Can I help you, Mr. Carlos? I’m sorry, but I don’t recall inviting any other guests today.”

”Just a routine client visit. After all, you purchased our company’s services, Mr. Dancy.”

After spitting out that bizarre answer, Carlos saw Fu Qian staring at him and laughed.

”I’m joking. The real reason is that I wanted to see a special case with my own eyes.”

”Let me properly introduce myself. I am Carlos, a Doctor, and the project leader for Anjing Company’s Miracle Potion.”