Eldritch Horror Theatre

The Other Shore fell to the mortal realm.

What Fu Qian did in that moment was remarkably simple: he took the sufferer who had just found relief and tossed him right back out of the Other Shore.

Given that the brain dance had already run its course during this back-and-forth, the now-quiet patient showed no abnormal reactions to the process, his emotions perfectly stable.

The audience, however, was anything but calm.

In just a few casual words and chuckles, the missing pieces fell back into place, and the lingering gloom dispersed.

Anyone with the slightest bit of sensitivity could feel the air of a picture-perfect ending.

The problem was that these particular spectators were far more than just a little sensitive.

”Professor Fu...”

Wen Li, who had maintained her principle of quiet observation the entire time, was actually the first to look over and call out softly.

It wasn’t strange. The previous checks confirmed she hadn’t fallen victim to the brain dance, so it made perfect sense for her to recover faster.Looking at the big picture, she was even the greatest beneficiary of the brain dance.

It was exactly what one would expect for a daughter of destiny. Her luck was simply unreasonable.

And precisely because of this, Wen Li likely had the most objective perspective on the entire treatment process.

The bizarre inconsistencies were impossible for her to ignore even if she tried.

For example, the sufferer vanishing and returning.

The process itself might be imperceptible to anyone below the Demigod Realm, but the abnormal reactions just now were undeniably real.

For instance, if she just thought back... when questioned earlier, why hadn’t Old Man Weilong known who they were treating?

Or even worse: the patient’s skull had just been blown open, yet Professor Yang still wanted to give the entire academy a checkup first?

Anyone with basic logical reasoning could sense that something was wrong.

Not to mention that as a ”soul singer,” Eldest Miss Wen was extraordinarily perceptive of others’ emotions.

”He... seems to be free from the torment...”

Sure enough, unable to hide her surprise the next moment, Wen Li pointed at the chair to indicate that the treatment had actually worked.

...

How tactful.

She had clearly sensed the anomalies, yet without needing any prompting, she took the initiative to speak up and steer the conversation straight toward the treatment’s efficacy.

Eldest Miss Wen’s reaction was somewhat emotional, but Fu Qian fully understood the deeper intent behind it.

This gesture wasn’t just to protect him; Old Man Weilong and the others benefited from it as well.

Otherwise, how were the two professors supposed to react? Were they just going to stand there in an awkward stalemate?

The two who had just experienced a yellow millet dream clearly hadn’t lost their rationality. Their current silence meant they were undeniably stuck on the same logical contradictions from earlier.

But even if they suspected Professor Fu of pulling some unorthodox tricks, how could they even ask?

If they asked, could they guarantee he would be willing to answer?

And even if he did answer, would the details of an experience where they had bumbled through like complete fools really be that pleasant to hear?

It was better to embrace a hard-won muddleheadedness. They could gloss over that part for now and focus on the beautiful reality in front of them.

All in all, while thinking back on the daughter of destiny’s promotion was enough to send a chill down one’s spine, Wen Li still didn’t hide her gratitude toward Linghui.

Her current reaction was mostly just to give the old men an out.

”Yes, I’ve confirmed that as well. However, it would be best to treat his wounds.”

Appreciating her thoughtfulness, Fu Qian played along, giving Mercy a quick twirl before tucking it into his coat.

...

The craniotomy was a complete success, and the patient was no longer troubled by any worries.

Everyone present was smart enough to easily interpret his body language.

”The injuries aren’t severe...”

Living up to expectations, Fu Qian’s gesture finally drew a reaction from the old professors.

Awaking as if from a dream, Old Man Weilong cleared his throat before speaking, though his voice still sounded a bit dry.

Yet, as he stared at the craniotomy patient in the chair, he ultimately displayed the composure of a person in charge at Linghui, indicating that bitter medicine cured the sickness and that Professor Fu hadn’t been heavy-handed at all.

”He’s truly fine now... I can feel it.”

Professor Yang was only a second slower, chiming in to confirm that Wen Li was correct.

”However...”

But his furrowed brows still hadn’t entirely relaxed. He seemed to recall something as he spoke, looking upward and hesitating to voice his thoughts.

”The others are fine too.”

Fu Qian knew exactly what Professor Yang was worried about, so he immediately delivered the rest of the diagnosis.

Regardless, as two Psychic Type masters, they were certainly able to perceive the anomalies within themselves from before and after the incident.

Even if they couldn’t bring themselves to ask, they would inevitably think of the other Linghui staff they had mistakenly believed to be safe earlier.

As for Fu Qian, he was absolutely certain that all the Linghui instructors had quieted down, without a single one slipping through the net.

He hadn’t been joking earlier when he mentioned delivering them all; Fu Qian had been monitoring everyone, keeping that as a backup plan.

If the brain dance had collapsed too slowly, or if it had somehow managed to sustain itself, he would have dragged everyone directly into the Other Shore.

After all, the Burial Scroll’s effects were strictly time-limited. If he hadn’t resolved the crisis this time, there was no telling how disastrous the situation would become during the twenty-four-hour cooldown.

Especially since the effects varied between the two worlds; its duration on this side was even shorter than on the Witch’s side.

”Thank you so much... We should have asked Professor Fu for help earlier.”

As Fu Qian mentally reviewed the current treatment process, Weilong and Professor Yang completed an exchange of glances over his overly optimistic diagnosis. Ultimately, the former let out a soft sigh and offered a sincere expression of gratitude.

...

So all of their troubles had been resolved with a single Cranial Pressure Release?

Though it was completely unbelievable, looking back at the entire process, that was exactly what had happened.

Regardless of his attitude, Professor Fu had proven the reliability of his judgment time and time again. Despite their lingering confusion, the two heavyweights of Linghui finally felt their moods lift.

”If you ever need Linghui’s assistance in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Before Fu Qian could even offer a polite dismissal, the usually unapproachable Professor Yang chimed in to emphasize that their gratitude went far beyond mere words.

”Haven’t you already assisted?”

Fu Qian just laughed it off, casually gesturing toward Wen Li.

”This joint cultivation effort was quite a success. When you go to the Night Watchers for certification, just don’t forget to include Apocalypse in the acknowledgments.”

...So Linghui was still taking the lead?

At first glance, it sounded a bit like he was demanding repayment for a favor and swooping in to snatch the fruits of their victory. Yet, everyone present immediately grasped the true nuance of his words.

Although Wen Li had ultimately reached the Demigod Realm, considering the sheer bizarre and dangerous nature of the process, Linghui would have had little room to argue even if this academic leader had decided to hog all the credit.

But instead, he only wanted a spot in the acknowledgments?

This seemingly joking remark not only fully acknowledged Linghui’s primary role, but it could even be said to be using this title to endorse Wen Li’s achievements.

”It’s still early. You can stay here and learn a bit more from the professors.”

Before the two heavyweights of Linghui could figure out how to respond politely, Fu Qian was already passing instructions to Wen Li.

”Okay.”

She agreed instantly without a single objection.