Eldritch Horror Theatre

Is this the legendary saying that fortune harbors misfortune?

Faced with this unexpected change, Fu Qian sighed inwardly.

Space was crossed in an inconceivable manner. With a single step, Ji Liushuang walked directly into the Dark Fire Cage.

This was no longer a simple case of walking right into a trap. With the high inspiration of her Lucent Sword Heart, combined with a Rank that remained at rock bottom even after leveling up, her immunity to evil gods was probably near zero.

Fortunately, there were more than just two evil gods inside the cage.

Fu Qian shook his head and expanded his Lucid Dream.

What is this...

Taking a step down, Ji Liushuang realized that after crossing through one door, another had unexpectedly appeared right in front of her.

Even the style of this door was rather unfamiliar.

Is there a place like this in the manor?Ji Liushuang tried hard to recall, but her thoughts felt waterlogged—soft and powerless. She couldn’t even remember what she had originally intended to do.

The last time she experienced this heavy, feverish daze seemed to be when she was a child.

Creak!

Yet, in the next moment, following her instincts, she pushed open the door before her.

The lights were off. The room was bathed in a dusky, twilight gloom, with fogged-up windows and various pieces of furniture that looked like they had been used for years.

Behind the door was a living room. It wasn’t large, but it carried an inexplicable sense of warmth, like a tiny sanctuary before an impending storm.

Right in the middle of the living room, a figure leaned lazily against the sofa. Hearing the door open, he looked over.

It was an incredibly familiar face. Although she couldn’t recall his name or any other details, Ji Liushuang was absolutely certain of this.

”You’re back?”

He swept his gaze over her, asked the question casually, and then turned back to look out the window, as if waiting to see when the rain would arrive.

”Mm.”

This overly casual attitude made Ji Liushuang relax as well. After giving a subconscious response, she couldn’t help but follow his gaze outside.

Ever since earlier, something out there seemed to be calling to her.

”Ah!”

Looking was a mistake. In the next moment, Ji Liushuang let out a low cry of alarm.

It was clearly different from the expected eve of a storm. Though the world was indeed shrouded in darkness, a closer look revealed what seemed to be black flames burning everywhere.

Even in the sky above, leaping lines of fire wove together into a net that seemed to envelop everything. She could vaguely make out strange shapes hanging down, like the hands of a Deity.

And if that could be chalked up to an optical illusion, the two figures closer by—one tall and one short—were unmistakably real.

The tall one was thin and elongated all over, with arms as sharp as awls. On its chest, another face seemed to be embedded.

As for the short one, she was strikingly dressed in a white dress, her shoulders stained with blood.

Although their features were unusually blurry, they were undoubtedly staring straight at her, even opening their mouths to say something.

”What is that...”

In that moment, the Nightmare-like scene outside made everything before her eyes feel somewhat unreal.

Muttering to herself, Ji Liushuang couldn’t stop herself from stepping forward, wanting to hear what they were saying.

”Stop right there!”

The voice from the sofa rang out, now clearly tinged with displeasure.

”Look at what time it is. Where did you run off to just now?”

The ensuing tone was an outright reprimand, forcibly halting Ji Liushuang’s steps.

”And what are you wearing? Which teacher taught you to dress like that?”

”I...”

This feeling of being disciplined was quite unfamiliar to Ji Liushuang, yet a strand of long-accumulated longing made her subconsciously unwilling to resist.

For a moment, she looked like a grade schooler receiving a scolding, her head hanging low.

At the same time, however, a call that seemed to originate from the bottom of her heart made her unable to resist glancing out the window, checking if that Nightmare-like scene was still there.

”What are you looking at? Are you even listening to me?”

The reprimand arrived as expected; her distracted attitude had clearly provoked his dissatisfaction.

”Come stand over here. And massage my shoulders while you’re at it.”

The person on the sofa patted his own shoulder.

...

This scenario of using filial piety to avoid a scolding felt so natural that Ji Liushuang hesitated for less than a second before obediently complying.

Since he had no intention of sitting up, she had no choice but to walk around to the back of the sofa.

While clumsily massaging his shoulders, Ji Liushuang sneaked a peek toward the window. She found that the figure in front of her was sitting squarely between her and the glass, blocking her line of sight so she could no longer see the speaking figures.

”What was that...”

Enveloped in an inexplicable sense of security, she finally suppressed the urge to step aside and asked subconsciously.

”What was what?”

The man on the sofa was clearly confused.

”Outside the window... it looked like there were monsters. They were even talking to me...”

Halfway through, Ji Liushuang lost her confidence, her voice growing quieter and quieter.

”It’s just about to rain. What monsters? Are you half-asleep?”

The man on the sofa naturally glanced out the window again, then turned his head to scrutinize her with a frown.

”Or are you delirious with a fever?”

Realizing something, he reached out in surprise and felt her forehead.

”You really are a bit hot... Lie down here. I’ll go get you some medicine.”

”Okay...”

Faced with this commanding tone, Ji Liushuang didn’t dare to argue and lay down on the other end of the sofa as instructed.

”So bitter...”

A moment later, after taking the water and medicine and tossing the pills into her mouth, her brows knitted together.

”Good medicine tastes bitter. It won’t work otherwise.”

He lectured her like a strict elder, staring her down to ensure she didn’t spit the medicine out until she had finished the whole glass of water.

”Get some sleep.”

Taking the empty glass, he grabbed a blanket, covered her with it, and sat back down in his original spot.

”Okay.”

Looking out from this angle, the window was completely blocked. The bizarre scene from earlier felt like it could no longer harm her in the slightest.

Perhaps the medicine was taking effect, as Ji Liushuang’s consciousness grew increasingly hazy, finally driving that calling out of her mind.

...

”An interesting ability. No wonder you are so arrogant.”

At some point, withdrawing its gaze from the seated Ji Liushuang, the Blasphemy Monarch in the center of the cage looked at Fu Qian and spoke.

”How could the methods of this seat be compared to you fancy parasites?”

Fu Qian snorted coldly at this, showing absolutely no modesty.

Just now, to guarantee the stability of the Lucid Dream to the greatest extent, not only had he shrunk its coverage to the absolute limit, but he had even recreated the incredibly familiar setting where he had lived for many years.

Even so, resisting the corruption of two Divine Entities was not that easy.

Fortunately, he was quite familiar with Classmate Liushuang and had chosen the roleplay that would best lower her internal resistance.

By now, the Blasphemy Monarch before him should have reached its limit.

The same went for this one who had come seeking revenge against him.