Eldritch Horror Theatre

Though his task completion rate had remained relatively high so far, the effect of All-In had never once triggered.

But during that patient game of wits just now, Fu Qian had never expected a completely risk-free success.

As long as the payoff was worth it.

A Wei was indeed mediocre, the Jester did possess some taste, but Ji Feng was truly mad.

In such a chaotic situation, the former might not be entirely without a chance.

Of course, looking at it now, the Jester’s control was ultimately a cut above.

A Wei had treated him as a pawn, but it seemed A Wei himself was the true pawn all along.

As for when he had fallen into such a fate—

”Actually, I should be thanking you. It really was a wonderful gift.”

Fu Qian’s casual acceptance of failure was apparently exactly what the Jester wanted to hear. He took an exaggerated breath and stood up, striking a pose of theatrical elegance.”I kept thinking about how to begin, but none of the many plans I designed really satisfied me. Just being the mastermind behind the scenes is rather dull.

”But once I noticed this newcomer’s arrival, I realized that being the mastermind behind the mastermind might actually be interesting. Not to mention, you even tied a decorative ribbon on it.”

A decorative ribbon... that description was rather fitting.

Fu Qian naturally understood the Jester was referring to his impersonation. To the Jester, it had indeed added some extra amusement.

And the Jester’s reminiscing undoubtedly cemented A Wei’s tragic nature.

It wasn’t even a traitor staging a rebellion. Had he been discovered and manipulated from the very beginning?

It seemed A Wei had invited the Jester to join the team, but in truth, the Jester had invited him?

If true, this implied a question that was terrifying upon deeper reflection—

”Perceiving the enlightenment others receive and sneaking in your own agenda—that isn’t his ability, it’s yours?”

Fu Qian couldn’t help but click his tongue in admiration.

”I had no choice. He was simply too mediocre. If I didn’t let him believe he possessed some extraordinary skill, he might have lacked the courage.”

The Jester placed a hand over his heart, looking somewhat exhausted, but he undeniably admitted it.

”So what was the true enlightenment A Wei received after coming here?”

The question was a bit insulting to A Wei, but thinking about it carefully, it was hard to refute.

Without being given a cheat like that, A Wei wouldn’t necessarily have exposed himself given his usual style. For a moment, Fu Qian felt curious about his original talent.

”He didn’t receive any enlightenment. He merely appeared behind the door alongside Sophia, and naturally possessed the ability to remain lucid.”

The Jester shook his head decisively, not questioning the name Fu Qian provided in the slightest.

...

That really was mediocre.

Even Sophia had ascended as a mother to the world, yet the embarrassing failure was actually A Wei?

The Jester’s meaning was crystal clear. Aside from appearing in that Unseen Hill Without Fire and being able to stay awake, A Wei had absolutely zero talent.

Even with the madness turning into a massive giveaway, and despite his Rank generally being higher than the locals, Old Man Ji Feng still hadn’t favored him.

Was he really that repulsive? Or was it because he was a Covenanter?

Fu Qian sighed in realization, understanding the Jester’s actions even better now.

If the Jester hadn’t shared his own enlightenment with A Wei, giving him the illusion of the legendary divine right of kings and the treatment of a child of the plane, the latter probably would have actually taken his time and plotted slowly.

The most brilliant part was that this method of observing the big picture and guiding things from the shadows happened to fall right into A Wei’s comfort zone. It was no different from what he had been doing before coming here.

In the end, they hit it off instantly, and the results were miraculously effective. The man had straight-up crowned himself the Angel of Death.

The truth was finally coming to light.

However, this meant the Jester could casually share such things without being detected, which implied that his perception of this place was likely even stronger than what A Wei had displayed.

Was this the true child of the plane?

”Understood. But you really don’t look like a demigod yet?”

Fu Qian looked the Jester up and down, confirming that the data feedback from his Vision Radar was accurate.

For the child of the plane to merely be Mid Tier was truly a surprising contrast.

”Is it necessary? What use is it? Wouldn’t it actually make it harder to be the mastermind behind the mastermind?”

The Jester smiled with overflowing enthusiasm. He gestured toward A Wei and casually fired off a Three-Stage Questioning.

...

Well argued and well founded.

Fu Qian found himself agreeing completely.

What use was a high Rank? Saying that anywhere else might sound a bit arrogant, but saying it here was perfectly fine.

Who exactly was the Angel of Death? He was naturally paranoid and practiced the art of laying low, and he had just suffered a massive loss because he hadn’t bided his time long enough.

As a team member, a demigod could never be as reassuring as a Mid-Tier Transcendent who could be crushed with a single finger.

If the Jester had gone to the ”interview” as a demigod, it inevitably would have triggered far more wariness.

Including during the subsequent operations, where he undoubtedly would have faced much heavier guard.

And that was only the relatively mild scenario. If a demigod had been caught disguising himself as a Mid Tier, the situation would have been far more severe. The Traitor Elimination Squad probably would have been dispatched immediately.

”If he had used a different method just now—for instance, if he had thrown a rock at me instead of trying to annihilate my mind—I really might have been bludgeoned to death.”

Pulling a Dagger from out of nowhere, the Jester gestured in front of his own face as he spoke, seeming to already picture the scene.

Was he truly only Mid Tier?

To control the entire board while remaining liable to be crushed at any moment by the very puppet he manipulated—the earlier assessment had been right. The Jester truly had quite the taste for stirring up trouble.

But one could easily imagine how the corresponding joy and payoff would be multiplied.

And such scheming was nothing short of a dimensional strike against the Angel of Death.

Given A Wei’s scope, he was completely incapable of empathizing with this brand of madness.

No matter how many times he tested the waters, the sheer fact that the Jester was not a demigod was enough to dispel his misgivings.

Tsk, tsk...

Fu Qian’s gaze fell upon the stiff mummy, feeling the sorrow of its fate.

He didn’t even spare it another glance. In the next moment, his eyes looked past A Wei, seemingly gazing out into the infinite distance.

So Ji Feng really was deeply mad.

The one stirring up trouble was the Jester, not A Wei. The underlying implications were actually far more severe.

It meant that the two people he had sent in weren’t even the key factors. It was almost as if, right after the last mission concluded, Ji Feng had already developed this self-destructive tendency.

To the point where a character like the Jester quickly returned from the darkness, preparing to guide the destruction of the mental balance he had only just helped Him establish.

Why?

If the Mother of Gospel was no longer the key issue, what else was troubling him?

If it wasn’t a problem, but rather an act of self-purification, of discarding the false to retain the true, why did the Warehouse want to stop it?

”So, how do you feel right now?”

Amidst his contemplation, Fu Qian didn’t forget to show some concern for the Jester’s feelings.

”Not so good.”

Despite pulling off what clearly looked like a massively successful plan, he made no effort to hide his disappointment.

”I had assumed that as I drew closer to ’His’ will, I would be able to uncover the mystery in an even grander fashion, to know everything.

”Unfortunately, even though it looks like the carriage is gone, the carriage still seems to be here. Everything is rapidly becoming dull... So, how do you feel?”

Despite his poor mood, the Jester politely returned the question.

”Pretty good. After all, it sounds like I still have five seconds on the countdown before I fail.”

Fu Qian was remarkably optimistic.

”Heh... I have to admit, your arrival has added quite a bit of color to this entire plan.

”Why don’t we make a bet on these remaining five seconds?”

The Jester seemed momentarily infected by his mood, giving Fu Qian a deep look.

”I want to play a game with you, Grimm Ballard.”