Eldritch Horror Theatre

Often, the best way to hide is to let common sense kill the very idea of your existence.

If your actions completely contradict common sense, you wouldn't even need to hide. Even if you wanted to expose yourself, it would be incredibly difficult.

The current situation was a perfect example.

Fu Qian hadn't hidden a thing about his involvement in the demise of the Xu father and son. Even his actions leading up to it had been visibly strange.

Yet despite all that, Young Master Qin and the others hadn't once considered that he was actually the killer.

Even after his direct confession just now, judging by their reactions, they most likely just assumed he was having another psychotic episode.

In fact, the only person in the entire room who actually believed him was the other crazy person.

Looking at Madam Sissi's delighted smile, Fu Qian had no doubt that she genuinely believed him.

However, her understanding of how he had done it relied on a completely different set of logic, utilizing concepts like "scripts" and "actors."

"Hehe... It's certainly satisfying to see people like that meet such an end," she said. "But wasn't the process a bit too fantastical? Wouldn't something like a sudden bankruptcy in the cold winter have been a better plot?"

"You have a point."

Fu Qian sighed.

"The problem is a lack of funds. Getting my hands dirty was just simpler."

"I have money."

Madam Sissi's smile didn't waver. She pulled over the suitcase she had set aside upon entering and pushed it straight to him.

"Here. Your consultant fee."

That was a lot!

Before Fu Qian could even respond, the others in the room were already staring wide-eyed.

Paying in physical cash was a bit old-fashioned, but having an entire suitcase of it dropped right in front of them carried a massive visual impact.

Did expert consultants really make this much money nowadays?

And paying this much just for some psychological counseling... suddenly, her previous words didn't seem like bragging at all.

"Thanks for making the trip."

However, as the recipient of this massive payout, Fu Qian casually accepted the suitcase without a care in the world, then let out a cold snort.

"Just a minor inconvenience. It wasn't worth exposing my true identity over."

...

In the quiet room, Madam Sissi's clear laughter rang out.

Fu Qian glanced back at the other four, who had been thoroughly stunned by the melodramatic dialogue, and seemed to come to a sudden realization.

"Remember this," he said. "If you want to make money, you have to stand close to the money."

The next moment, he patted the suitcase beneath his hand, generously imparting his life wisdom.

'That's the first time I've ever heard the phrase interpreted that way...'

Tan Ying was completely dumbfounded. She looked as if she had forgotten how to make a facial expression.

'So "close to the money" just means sticking close to a sugar mama?'

"Brilliant!"

Just as she was holding back her urge to complain, the two men beside her suddenly spoke in perfect unison. Young Master Qin and Little Yu both slapped their thighs simultaneously.

"That interpretation... our previous thinking was too narrow! A fixed mindset really is a terrible thing!"

'Are you two losing your minds too? Be serious, you idiots!'

Tan Ying had the sudden urge to hit someone. She deeply felt that the worldview of everyone in this room was rapidly derailing.

"Aren't you going to check inside?"

Madam Sissi seemed highly entertained by the scene, continuing to ask with a bright smile.

"No need. If I opened it here, I might scare the kids."

Fu Qian glanced at the others and shook his head.

Naturally, the Bronze Madam was inside.

A mere leather suitcase couldn't possibly block his perception. More importantly, Madam Sissi had no motive to trick him.

No matter how valuable the artifact was, to her, it was essentially just a prop.

"Alright."

Madam Sissi's smile only grew brighter. The others in the room all had different feelings on the matter, but none of them tried to force Fu Qian to drop his low profile and open the case.

...

"It's getting late. Do you have a place to stay, Big Sister Sissi? Should I help arrange something for you?"

The dinner concluded with everyone in good spirits. The group, having experienced a fierce collision of worldviews, all felt they had gained a lot from the evening.

As they were heading out the door, Tan Ying looked at the solitary Madam Sissi and took the initiative to offer.

It wasn't that she liked overstepping her boundaries. It was just that, judging by everything that had happened since Madam Sissi arrived, her "consultant" clearly had zero interest in helping her arrange accommodations.

Just imagining that awkward scene made Tan Ying feel bad for her.

"That would be wonderful."

Madam Sissi thought for a moment and graciously accepted the offer.

"I had originally planned to leave right away, but after this meal, I suddenly feel that staying here for a few days wouldn't be so bad. Is that alright with you, Mr. Consultant?"

She glanced at Fu Qian as she spoke.

'Does she really need his approval for that?'

Seeing that Madam Sissi actually sought her consultant's permission just to stay in town, the peanut gallery was left entirely speechless.

...

'So this was why she delivered it in person?'

'Did she want to see what kind of plot he would spin next, now that he had taken the Bronze Madam from her?'

Meeting her inquiring gaze, Fu Qian nodded.

"Of course. Lincheng welcomes you."

Madam Sissi was an observation subject with a priority level just as high as the Bronze Madam. While he wouldn't deliberately try to convince her to stay, there was no reason to refuse her when she offered to do so herself.

"It won't be inconvenient for you? And when the time comes, can I watch what you do with it?"

Surprised by how accommodating Fu Qian was being, Madam Sissi cast a pointed glance at the suitcase.

"You could absolutely be a bit more forceful with your demands. Don't forget, you have dirt on me."

Fu Qian offered some serious analysis to help her.

"I personally confessed to my atrocities against the Xu father and son. Theoretically, you could blackmail me with that."

"You say that, but I'm also terrified that you might drag me down into The Abyss too!"

After listening intently to her consultant's serious analysis, Madam Sissi agreed entirely, yet still offered a smiling objection.

"So what you're saying is, you don't think you're 'abyssal' enough already?"

As a professional consultant, Fu Qian delivered this rhetorical question, immediately securing a total victory in the conversation.

"Fair point. Excuse me, I'm going to step into the restroom for a moment."

Her smile faltering slightly, Madam Sissi fell silent for a moment before excusing herself and walking off alone.

'These two...'

The audience, having listened to this entire bizarre exchange, finally looked at each other with undisguised bewilderment. At last, Tan Ying's eyes lit up with sudden understanding.

"Are you really giving her psychological counseling? Is she so deep into her own delusions that it's hard to pull her back, so you decided to sink to her level first? Was all that nonsense you were spouting just you pretending to validate her worldview?"

"That actually makes sense."

Hearing the theory that had just cost Tan Ying a good chunk of brain cells to formulate, Qin Mingze clicked his tongue, finding the logic surprisingly sound.

"You're that professional? I guess you really earned that money after all!"

"What do you mean, 'nonsense'?"

Despite the thoughtful agreement of the other two, Fu Qian himself raised an objection.

"A real man owns up to his actions. Those two fools were courting their own death. They can't blame me for being ruthless."

"...Take it easy, man. Making money is one thing, but don't lose yourself in the act."

After a long silence, Wu Qingyu stepped forward and patted Fu Qian on the shoulder.

Suddenly, he didn't feel jealous of the suitcase full of cash or the wealthy sugar mama at all.

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