Eldritch Horror Theatre

"Are you really buying me a drink?"

Having quickly abandoned her duties, Lanaya led the way down the street, finally relaxing after they had walked a short distance.

"What, you don't trust my credit?"

"Credit aside... I'm just wondering where exactly you're keeping your wallet in that outfit."

Unfortunately for him, Lanaya was experienced and not easily fooled, looking him up and down in the dim streetlights.

It was a sharp question. Fu Qian was currently clad head-to-toe in a sleek, fierce-looking suit of black combat armor.

He even had a wing-shaped cape draped over his back. At a glance, he looked like he had just walked out of an anime convention.

"I know things are pretty laid-back here at Apocalypse, but don't you think this look is a bit too flashy?"

Lanaya couldn't help but roast him.

Professor Fu nodded repeatedly, earnestly taking in the Disciplinary Department head's opinion before finally asking his question.

...

Though she didn't want to admit it, purely from a design standpoint, this tight-fitting armor did possess a uniquely domineering elegance.

"It's cool... but back to my question: do you actually have a place to keep your money on you?"

She gritted her teeth in acknowledgment, yet stayed true to her original aspiration.

Hmph!

Fu Qian gave her a look that said at least you have some taste, then turned his body.

There really was one...

Following his movement, Lanaya instantly spotted a hidden compartment on the right side of the armor's waist. For a moment, she was left speechless.

"Let's go... I'll take you to a place where the flavor is pretty good."

"Will they think my outfit is cool?"

"Don't worry. The kind of people who come out drinking in the middle of the night don't scare easily."

...

"Are you sure this is the place?"

A moment later, Fu Qian frowned as he stared at the small shop in front of him.

"You weren't kidding when you said the 'flavor' was pretty good!"

With his heightened senses, he could easily tell that the scents wafting out weren't perfume, cheap liquor, or hormones, but rather the heavy odors of frying and boiling food.

He had assumed she spent her days drowning in alcohol and debauchery, yet here she was bringing him to a Midnight Diner?

"The liquor really is quite good."

Facing his disdain, Lanaya smoothly pushed the door open and walked in.

...

The space was truly small. Behind a classic U-shaped bar, a middle-aged man and woman were bustling about. They had entirely different temperaments and expressions, yet they looked inexplicably harmonious standing side by side.

"You're back?"

Seeing Lanaya enter, the woman who looked like the proprietress greeted her warmly and gestured toward the side with her chin.

"Unfortunately, your things were just cleared away."

Lanaya had likely been sitting there drinking earlier. That spot was already occupied by a new customer, a woman who looked quite young.

"It's fine, we'll sit over here."

Lanaya paid it no mind, pulling Fu Qian over to sit at the only small table in the corner.

Right after, the proprietress brought over two delicate, finely glazed porcelain bottles.

There was no need to ask; this had to be the shop's supposedly legendary liquor.

Without even waiting to toast, Lanaya impatiently downed a cup, picking up her previous mood right where she had left off.

She hadn't been wrong. When it came to Fu Qian's flashy armor, most of the people at the bar merely gave him a few initial glances—mostly with reactions of appreciation—before returning to their loud conversations.

And the spot the two of them had chosen was undoubtedly the best place for eavesdropping.

Fu Qian listened in for a bit. Almost all the chatter was about the sudden appearance of the Red Moon, and the core sentiment was simple: blame it all on the transcendents.

Of course, amidst the various creative complaints, a hidden layer of envy was inevitable.

"So, what do you think is up with this moon?"

Lanaya quickly joined in, speaking in the same gossipy tone as the others.

[That woman recognizes you.]

At the same time, she dipped her fingers in her spilled liquor and deftly traced across the table, leaving behind a line of words.

[Could it be because of my outfit?]

Fu Qian mimicked her actions and left a line of his own.

The reason for this secretive behavior was simple. That woman was different from the others; she could hear their conversation. She was, in fact, a transcendent.

Fu Qian even knew her name: Jia Keke.

Fu Qian still had an impression of this fellow traveler who had stepped up to protect the ship when they went to Ye Island.

And Lanaya had indeed seen correctly. From the moment he walked through the door, Jia Keke had clearly been startled, and by now she had covertly glanced his way several times.

But that was where the problem lay. It wasn't strange that she recognized him, but she shouldn't have recognized this face. Her reaction was truly a bit unusual.

Nightlife really was interesting!

"It probably has something to do with Emperor Yasui."

Amidst his musings, Fu Qian nodded solemnly, answering Lanaya's spoken question.

...What the hell is this guy spouting?!

This time, it was Lanaya's turn to be startled.

Although Fu Qian's voice wasn't loud and the boisterous patrons couldn't hear him, that woman's breathing audibly hitched—was he doing this on purpose?

Lanaya suddenly realized.

How could a man who had turned a Public Trial Assembly into a debate stage make the mistake of having a loose tongue?

"How so?"

Even so, she played her part as his straight man very cautiously.

This guy set people up as easily as breathing and drinking; if she wasn't careful, she might get dragged down with him.

"The war went poorly, so she fled to the moon."

That answer... really did fit his anime outfit.

"That's impossible! With Anjing Company's strength, even if they faced a temporary setback, it wouldn't reach that extent, would it?"

While silently roasting him, Lanaya's tone became much more natural.

"How naive. Don't just look at the surface-level news."

Fu Qian snorted, lowering his voice with a sharp gaze.

"Did you think Anjing only had Siren as an opponent this time? If they weren't absolutely certain, would Siren have been rash enough to make a move on Ye Island?"

"Over the years, Anjing has made countless enemies. I have it on good authority that there's at least one other faction secretly backing Siren. With their combined scheming, Anjing likely suffered far heavier losses than what's shown on the surface."

I can't argue with that, considering even Emperor Yasui seems to have fallen...

Seeing Fu Qian speak with such flair, even pouring himself a cup and downing it in excitement as he flawlessly blended into the bar's atmosphere, Lanaya felt a deep admiration for his acting skills.

"That sounds plausible, but which faction exactly? Does your reliable source know?"

Caught up in the excellent atmosphere, Lanaya was momentarily influenced. She set down her half-empty glass, wearing a skeptical expression.

"I don't know!"

Yet he shook his head frankly.

"Then how can you—"

"But I know how to find out."

Lanaya was halfway through forming a look of disdain when Fu Qian snorted again.

"Looking at you, I bet you think I've had too much to drink, but I'm telling you this so you know I'm not just spouting nonsense."

The next moment, Fu Qian lowered his voice even further.

"I have a friend surnamed Jia. He went to Ye Island for business a while back and happened to witness Anjing's ship sink... After he returned, he told me he ran into some strange people on a cruise ship."

"If you ask me, the shadow of another faction is likely hidden in there. If we just grab them and torture them, there's a high probability we'll extract some very interesting information."

"Really?"

Fu Qian's tone and demeanor were so infectious that Lanaya's question lacked even a shred of acting.

"Excuse me... are you Professor Fu Qian?"

Unfortunately, before Fu Qian could answer her, a figure leaned in.

"Just call me Fu Qian here. Please, have a seat."

Feigning surprise, Fu Qian glanced at Jia Keke, who could finally no longer sit still. It wasn't until her forced smile grew even more strained that he made a welcoming gesture.

"Have we met?"

"No, no. My name is Jia Keke. I've read some of your files before."

Only daring to perch on the very edge of her seat, Jia Keke's posture was incredibly cautious.

Hmm?

"Please don't misunderstand, I was entrusted by someone to pass something to you."

Seeing Fu Qian's gaze suddenly sharpen, Jia Keke hastily explained. She retrieved an item from her handbag and carefully offered it.

A love letter?

Seeing the snow-white envelope in Jia Keke's hands, Lanaya's eyes widened into perfect circles.

Although she could tell it had been preserved very well, it clearly didn't look like any sort of classified document. And these days, not many people used letters to communicate anymore.

Ultimately, through careful deduction, she arrived at a perfectly logical conclusion.

A letter?

Fu Qian was also slightly puzzled, but he readily took it.

Without rushing to open it, he brought the envelope to his nose and took a sniff.

A very faint, yet entirely distinct fragrance.

It wasn't perfume, but the purest scent of flowers.

He had a faint suspicion regarding the sender's identity.

"Having heard the good news of your promotion, Ms. Ji Liushuang asked me to convey her most sincere congratulations."

Jia Keke explained earnestly.

"She still needs a few days before she can make her return trip, so she had me go on ahead and deliver this letter to you."

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