Eldritch Horror Theatre

Fu Qian’s answer clearly gave Ji Liushuang quite a shock.

Fortunately, Fu Qian was considerate enough to spare the injured girl from straining her brain cells any further.

”Two reasons. First, this bargaining chip carries more than enough weight.”

He gave his reason a moment later.

’I really can’t argue with that...’

Grumbling inwardly, Ji Liushuang remained silent.

”Second, I happen to be quite familiar with the Rebirth Club.”

”More familiar than they are with themselves?”

Ji Liushuang finally couldn’t hold back.

”Exactly. I’m not one to brag, but I really should know them better than they know themselves.”He nodded in utter seriousness.

”...If Mister Andil is confident, then we can give it a try.”

She stared at that White Mask. It bore only the simple outlines of facial features, yet it carried a strange sense of beauty under the moonlight.

Even Ji Liushuang herself didn’t know why she had agreed to such an absurd plan.

’Was it because that fleeting sense of familiar unruliness just now resembled a certain someone?’

Quickly rejecting the thought, she attributed her decision to simply having no other options left.

”A child worthy of teaching.”

Fu Qian didn’t seem to notice her internal struggle.

”So from this moment on, you are the Saintess of the Rebirth Club.”

”Next, let’s show them a little true Rebirth Club shock.”

’This title...’

”Alright.”

Ji Liushuang instinctively wanted to refuse, but after a brief hesitation, she resigned to her fate and agreed.

”So what is the exact plan?”

”Simple. If you were trying to keep a low profile, but ran into someone impersonating you instead, what would you normally do?”

”Reveal my identity and expose them.”

Ji Liushuang answered instinctively.

”Well said!”

Fu Qian praised her once more and pulled off his mask.

’You...’

Ji Liushuang’s gaze was drawn to him involuntarily. In the moonlight, the face beneath the mask was no longer the twisted visage from before, but the withered features of an old man.

”Is this an important figure in the Rebirth Club?”

After a moment of shock, she quickly caught on.

”To be exact, one of its founding members. Someone who escaped an incident, attained the Demigod Realm through limb grafting, remains active all over the world, and is certified as a dangerous element by the Night Watchers—Lu Ming.”

Wearing an arrogant expression, Fu Qian scoffed coldly, put the mask away, and extended his right hand.

His flesh squirmed rapidly. In an instant, his arm was covered in a writhing mass of flesh-colored, snake-like tendrils.

And this scalp-numbing sight was far from over. A moment later, he used this deformed arm to slowly stroke the top of his head.

Wherever it passed, his messy hair drifted to the ground.

In just a single breath, a bare, completely bald head was shining brightly beneath the moonlight.

’He actually reached the Demigod Realm...’

As expected of the next family head of the Ji Clan, Classmate Liushuang managed not to jump out of her seat, gritting her teeth as she watched the entire process from her Wheelchair.

She even quickly locked onto the most important detail.

When she saw that Lantern earlier, she had already guessed that his strength was terrifying.

Now that he had relaxed his concealment, that aura—so completely alien to ordinary humans—finally confirmed her suspicions.

”A night stroll through Silver Mist Manor truly has a distinct charm, but it’s getting late. We can head back now.”

The next moment, Fu Qian let out a hearty laugh, his voice now sounding old and weathered.

”Alright.”

Ji Liushuang took a deep breath, understanding his intention.

”But given that you’ve already demonstrated the ability to change your appearance, even if you go back looking like this, they won’t necessarily believe you.”

”We don’t need them to believe it. Providing proof is the competitor’s responsibility.”

Fu Qian shook his head.

”If I were Ji Xun facing such a twist, I would definitely track down their partners and make them prove that we are the fakes.”

As he spoke, dozens of thin, snake-like tendrils extended from his hand and silently climbed up the back of the Wheelchair.

”And then you’ll achieve your goal.”

”Then what is your goal?”

Ji Liushuang blurted out.

His plan did sound somewhat feasible.

But precisely because of that, she felt even more confused.

An expert of the Demigod Realm with mysterious origins had abruptly appeared just when she was practically out of options, plotted and schemed on her behalf the entire way, and even risked throwing himself into danger. Yet, even now, he hadn’t made a single demand of her.

’It’s almost as if he came here specifically to help me...’

”What do you want me to help you find?”

Suppressing those overly naive and optimistic thoughts, Ji Liushuang asked quickly.

”Play your part well as the Saintess of the Rebirth Club.”

However, his response exceeded her expectations once again.

”And think of a reason why you hid your identity in the first place.”

Elder Lu, an expert of the Demigod Realm, wore a sharp expression that brooked no deceit.

”Right now, I am very interested in that group where the fox exploits the tiger’s might.”

...

Fu Qian was telling the truth.

In the conversation between Ji Xun and Ji Liushuang, it was obvious that he had held quite a few things back.

An incredibly powerful organization active all over the world might be worth the Ji Clan’s attention, but cooperation was an entirely different matter.

Given the Rebirth Club’s track record, there was no way the Ji Clan wouldn’t consider the underlying risks.

Yet, it hadn’t even been a few days since Ji Xue’s accident, and the two sides already seemed as thick as thieves. The speed of it was truly somewhat unbelievable.

At the same time, Ji Xun had only mentioned that the Ji Clan would help the Rebirth Club take control of the Gospel Team. As for what the other side offered in return, he hadn’t revealed a single word.

With so many anomalies, Fu Qian judged that the likelihood of these people being related to his mission was very high.

”So you really are Lu Ming?”

Of course, the excessively generous terms he offered had clearly left Classmate Liushuang utterly baffled once again. She thought hard for a moment before finally managing to squeeze out a question.

”No.”

Amidst his crisp and decisive denial, the thin snakes coiled on the Wheelchair slithered, and he silently turned the chair around.

”So at the end of the legend, where did that silver mist go?”

Just as Ji Liushuang found herself at a loss for words, Fu Qian took one last look at the mountains beneath the night sky, thought for a moment, and asked.

”...Rumor has it that it condensed on the ground and turned into flowers that only bloom at night, covering the mountains and plains—incredibly beautiful.”

Ji Liushuang answered instinctively. The next moment, noticing that he was genuinely gazing out into the distance, she couldn’t help but add.

”You have to go a bit further to see them.”

”What a pity.”

Fu Qian withdrew his gaze and focused on pushing the Wheelchair back.

’She is still holding back, after all. She didn’t mention the matter with the Gospel Team.’

At the same time, he sighed inwardly.

’If I had used my real identity, Classmate Liushuang probably would have found herself in a difficult position over this.’

...

When the two returned, Madam Miller, who was indeed still keeping watch in the shadows, let out a sigh of relief that was all too obvious.

But immediately after, her gaze was drawn to Fu Qian’s bare, shining head, and she froze completely.

In fact, Fu Qian was very certain that she wasn’t the only one having this reaction.

’Such is the charm of wisdom!’

’Radiantly shining, even in the dark.’

Amidst his musings, Fu Qian finished the walk with carefree grace, almost wanting to wave to the audience.