Eldritch Horror Theatre

Caught red-handed.

Although Fu Qian’s personal appearance was quite bizarre at the moment, compared to an antique like the Candlestick, he still lacked a certain historical flair.

Under the staff member’s piercing golden eyes, offering any sort of defense in that moment wouldn’t be easy.

”How could this be called stealing? This item is Fated with me.”

But how could such a thing stump Professor Fu? He immediately gave a cold snort, declaring that treasures belonged to the virtuous.

”You’re quite honest...”

The staff member had seemingly never encountered anyone quite so brazen. They froze for a moment before offering this high praise.

”So, are you planning to confiscate it?”

Maintaining the dignified composure of an intellectual, Fu Qian didn’t let a couple of compliments go to his head. He toyed with the Candlestick in his hand, verifying how the official procedure was supposed to go.

”So, did you not hear what I just said?”However, the staff member showed dissatisfaction at this question, their expression turning cold.

”I told you in my very first sentence: pedestrians do not need to be inspected.”

Understood. This fell outside their work duties.

Ignoring their tone, Fu Qian even felt a pang of understanding for the staff member’s mood in that moment.

Forget about being caught red-handed, or even the culprit freely confessing. Turning him in would be an easy merit... but was it part of the prescribed job description?

’I come to work to type on a keyboard. If someone walks in and beats the boss until he’s crawling on the floor, what the hell does that have to do with me?’

That was what you called true professional ethics.

As a player with an equally strong moral compass, Fu Qian easily empathized with the staff member’s line of thinking. He couldn’t help but sigh in relief, realizing that choosing to approach as a pedestrian the first time had been a wise move.

Furthermore, making this choice wasn’t just some psycho acting out for kicks; there was actually logic behind it.

Since there were abstract elements at play—like the rule that one could only truly leave this place by driving through the checkpoint...

...then the act of not driving should theoretically carry its own unusual significance.

Without confirming the rules for being allowed through, attempting contact in this manner was undoubtedly a low-risk, high-reward endeavor.

Reassuringly, the staff member was quite enthusiastic as well, bringing up many key points in just a few short sentences.

”Understood. Thank you very much.”

In that moment, Fu Qian maintained the high caliber of an academic worker, earnestly thanking them for the patient explanation.

”So, are you going to cross?”

Courtesy goes a long way. The staff member gave a grunt of acknowledgment, seemingly somewhat appeased by the politeness.

But the cold gleam in their eyes barely softened as they scrutinized Fu Qian, taking an interest in his plans.

”Not for the time being. I need to tend to my body first.”

Fu Qian shook his head, gesturing with his eyes.

Indeed...

This was a rather irrefutable excuse. Looking at his faintly deathly body, the staff member ultimately couldn’t bring themselves to say something like, ”You look fine to me, there’s no need.”

...

”It looks like I’m not very welcome.”

After his first informal visa interview, the rejected Professor Fu quickly retreated alongside Su Gao.

Looking back at the rather dilapidated checkpoint, he summarized the gains from this trip.

”I’m not entirely sure of the reason... I’ve never been intercepted here before.”

Su Gao didn’t seem too surprised by this outcome, but as she frowned slightly, it was clear she lacked any real clues.

So even this part of her persona had been tampered with? One could only say it was a case of no three hundred taels of silver buried here.

Unfortunately for the perpetrators, to a professional like Fu Qian, even this seemingly empty display held plenty of flavor to savor.

”Never been intercepted here before” could be understood the same way as ”the promise with Professor Fu”—it was a specialized persona assigned for this mission.

At the same time, a piece of Su Gao’s original cognition seemed to have been quietly sliced away.

Otherwise, just the term ”stowaway” should have been enough to trigger certain associations—back when they were at the Academy, he had invited her to be a volunteer for a certain special experiment.

And the content of that test hadn’t just been related to dreams; what he had wanted her to help him do was exactly ”stowing away”—stowing away into the sea of mind.

That was right. In Fu Qian’s estimation, there was a certain probability that this was the very theme of their current mission.

For instance, carefully recalling the elements they had encountered along the way—a Mind Space resembling a dream, female acquaintances who were all connected to him, and the White-Headed Sanctuary that was already closely tied to humanity...

There was also one other point: Professor Fu’s opponent was still Professor Fu.

He had guessed earlier that this was exactly why the Warehouse had him operating as an ordinary mortal.

Now, it seemed that stripping away his Transcendent Tier attributes might also be a factor in making the stowing away process easier.

...

Was the Warehouse trying to help an outsider like him enter the sea of mind? If so, what was its objective?

Although it was difficult to answer at the moment, for Fu Qian, even barely brushing against the edges would undoubtedly be a major breakthrough in the realm of the sea of mind.

What a pity. Su Gao, who should have been able to share in this sentiment, wasn’t nearly as sensitive to it as he had imagined.

There was reason to believe her memories regarding this had been intentionally excised.

But it was precisely this anomaly that carried the flavor of the more one tries to conceal, the more is exposed.

If this had nothing to do with the sea of mind, why would the related elements be made so sensitive?

All in all, it made the whole situation seem incredibly contorted—both creating the conditions and masking the objective, highlighting a classic case of sparring between left and right.

Of course, now wasn’t the time to condemn the Warehouse.

”Let’s get in the car first.”

Fu Qian gestured toward the vehicle.

...

He couldn’t find any fault with that.

While walking might not draw targeted hostility, it would also never reach the destination. Driving was a necessary condition.

Su Gao immediately complied. Under Fu Qian’s instructions, she still chose the same car they had driven when they arrived.

”You know how to drive?”

However, when she prepared to slide into the driver’s seat, she was met with Professor Fu’s inquiry.

”I do.”

Su Gao was clearly a bit puzzled as to why he was asking, but she answered anyway.

”Not bad. I do too.”

Fu Qian nodded. While offering praise, he gestured for her to sit on the other side.

Hmm...

Her initiative in wanting to drive was obviously out of consideration for Professor Fu’s mobility.

Yet it turned out he actually wanted to enjoy the thrill of driving himself. Su Gao raised no objections and obediently complied.

”Here, for you.”

As soon as she was seated in the passenger seat, Fu Qian immediately handed over the object in his hand.

This was...

Heavy. It was clearly that very Candlestick.

Su Gao, who hadn’t understood his actions from the very beginning, didn’t ask any questions and took it directly, watching Fu Qian as she waited for her next instructions.

”I won’t survive much longer looking like this.”

Fu Qian gestured at his own body once more.

Hmm...

Su Gao didn’t offer any meaningless comfort. For an ordinary mortal’s constitution, sustaining such trauma didn’t just make staying alive difficult; the pain endured was far beyond what a normal person could imagine.

”And here is my heart.”

Fu Qian continued, pointing at his chest.

”You’re quite skilled with a sword. You should be able to use the Candlestick to accurately pierce the muscle without stabbing all the way through, right?”