Eldritch Horror Theatre

Considering the theme of this mission, a final reward of an ”amulet” would certainly make sense.

Or a horcrux, a Phylactery, a resurrection cross... in short, something to block fatal damage or simply add a resurrection count. That would better fit the theme of Inviolable.

But instead, it was a ”Body-Slaughtering Talisman”?

This paradoxical theme was particularly bizarre.

[Name: Body-Slaughtering Talisman]

[Type: Consumable]

[An ownerless amulet, brand new and fragile, yet pure because of it.

It will not provide protection when you are in danger; rather, it is meant to be used when you wish to create danger.

Actively crush it, and any damage you cause afterward will possess absolute independence. Neither glory nor ruin will feed back to you. Duration: one minute and one second.]

[Note: Those who once longed for this harvest did not realize that the essence of armor and weapons is the same.]...

Uh... it really was brand new and fragile.

Quickly confirming the details of the final reward, Fu Qian looked at the item that had materialized in his hand, his expression entirely unsurprised.

Half the size of a palm, flat, and oval-shaped, it actually looked somewhat like the Talismans he had seen before—and even more like the tourist souvenirs he had just encountered.

It was almost identical to the ”Inviolable” souvenirs seen everywhere in Lanphilai.

No matter how he looked at it, the material resembled pristine glass. A blue ring in the middle neatly outlined three concentric circles.

The effect, however, was vastly different. Just like its name, it was the exact opposite.

Unable to block danger, meant instead for creating it...

It was a bit abstract. Based on the subsequent description, did it mean that no matter what he did after crushing it, he wouldn’t accumulate any ”karmic debt”?

Combined with what he had seen earlier from the perspective of the master of the Third Cause, did this mean that when he committed evil deeds, an objective, independent third party would bear the karma, leaving him completely clean?

He had to admit it was very unique, and it somewhat fit his low-profile style—

Of course, Fu Qian wouldn’t interpret this as being able to strike someone after activating it without the target knowing who did it. This was obviously a more abstract kind of low-profile.

Even ”karmic debt” sounded a bit illusory, but with a casual thought, it wasn’t hard to find a ready-made example: Sword Three Short of One.

The latter’s blood-restoring effect could be considered an alternative kind of ”feedback to oneself”.

And if his reading comprehension wasn’t wrong, if he crushed this talisman and then hacked at someone with that sword, the resulting damage wouldn’t restore his blood.

So it actually had a negative effect? Of course not.

Although there weren’t many intuitive examples like this yet, Fu Qian didn’t think they would all have friendly effects like Sword Three Short of One.

Therefore, although the Warehouse wasn’t generous enough to directly gift him an authority, if used at the right time, this item would probably yield miraculous effects.

Furthermore, the final note was also very intriguing.

Leaving aside its philosophical musings, ”Those who once longed for this harvest”?

This phrasing didn’t seem to refer to tourists casually buying souvenirs. Was the Warehouse hinting at something?

The power behind Gregor that he had speculated about?

It truly was a place of accumulated history recognized by the Warehouse. In just a day of wandering around, he had witnessed such a complex and intricate side of it.

...

All in all, it wasn’t a meaningless brush-off; this seat accepted the reward.

The ”Body-Slaughtering Talisman” flipped nimbly between his fingertips. As Fu Qian played with it, he even looked for a place to attach a lanyard, feeling no dissatisfaction.

Not to mention, this trip to Lanphilai also had very high entertainment value.

A dedicated tour guide, a down-and-out royal, an elderly expert of the Transcendent Tier... in just a small team, he had met numerous interesting characters.

Of course, to return the favor, his final performance must have left a profound impression on them, along with endless room for imagination.

That was right. At the moment the mission ended, there had indeed been three people watching from behind.

Aside from A Lian and Clara, there was also Old Man Sanhao deep in the shadows.

With his sharp eyes and ears, even if he hadn’t coincidentally run into them at the start, how could he have arrived much later than A Lian?

As for why he had still acted so unrestrainedly despite knowing the old man was spying on him—they were acquaintances, so what was wrong with granting the Old Man an opportunity?

Although this opportunity would most likely just give him a bit more to brag about in The Club, serving no practical use.

As for the Night Watchers grasping some information from it?

Setting aside how much cooperative enthusiasm Layton still had, the battlefield for a clash at that level was almost entirely under his control. Even if that straitlaced lady had been watching from behind, what could she have seen?

Not to mention, given Old Man Sanhao’s style, he would most likely do his best to persuade A Lian not to report the missing person, and she might even earn another handsome reward for her silence.

As for Clara, whose true name was Filae Vinland?

He believed that during his earlier performance, she had already received her reward.

As the saying went, everything is the best arrangement.

The only slight regret was that, judging from the kill status, a higher entity’s ability to cling to life was tenacious after all.

Under that strike, even his declaration had been blown away, yet he still hadn’t completely perished...

Fu Qian raised a hand. As the main battlefield just now, even a form as powerful as the Body of the Mechanical Tyrant couldn’t avoid shattering outward from the palm.

Of course, it was already stubbornly repairing itself now—pfft!

Fu Qian directly plunged it into his own chest, where a bloody maw was already waiting to swallow it in a single bite.

No matter. He would just try again.

Hmph, this seat has waged war for months, and on the very second day, I personally dealt with a parasitic evil god progeny. Did you think I wouldn’t guard against this trick?

Maintaining the King of the Abandoned Prison Rank obviously puts a lot of pressure on the Warehouse. Why did you think I still haven’t lifted it after arriving here?

Since the Warehouse didn’t heal injuries, it most likely wouldn’t help check for bugs either.

...

Never leave things to chance. In this first mission settlement reform, aside from having to manage his own injuries, it seemed he had also run into an extra situation.

The opponent he had fought had obviously still followed the self-cultivation of an evil god, leaving a tiny backup plan on his body.

It was just a pity that what He didn’t know was that, although Transcendent Perception was gone, this body, having undergone complete Mechanical Ascension, was particularly sensitive to this kind of discordant factor.

He had noticed something in that instant; before even finishing the mission summary, Fu Qian had practically confirmed that something was lurking on his hand.

Of course, this couldn’t just be blamed on that Excellency’s bad luck.

Fu Qian knew that even if his Transcendent Perception were still active, he absolutely would have inspected himself eight or ten times over upon returning, just like when he returned from the Bone Burial Ground.

[Three Faces]

And this time there was even an extra harvest. Compared to before, the slots for Insight had indeed increased.