Eldritch Horror Theatre

So this was the confidence of having intangible assets!

Faced with Madam Vivian's proposal, Fu Qian marveled inwardly.

If she had been offering rare treasures or transcendent artifacts, she likely wouldn't have been so direct.

After all, no matter how small the chance, the risk of being murdered for one's treasure had to be considered.

But a method locked inside someone's head was much harder to extract.

Conversely, this also posed a problem: a purely empty promise made it extremely difficult to earn trust.

Coincidentally, he had already obtained corroborating evidence that such a method might exist—first from the Cosmic Deity known as the Blasphemy Monarch, and later from the mysterious Ji Clan ancestor, Ji Feng.

To a certain extent, this made her proposal immensely tempting.

But that was information only he possessed. Regardless, Madam Vivian's confidence was still a bit overblown.

"I thought your condition would be a way to leave this place."

Rather than rushing to agree or refuse, Fu Qian put on a surprised expression.

"After all, given our earlier conversation, I firmly believe you know how."

"Heh... that would indeed be a more logical proposal. But do not underestimate me, human!"

Vivian sneered, speaking rapidly.

"Over my long years here, I've learned not to take things for granted. Do you really need that?"

"I clearly remember something you said earlier—how could someone step into such a dangerous place without preparing a retreat in advance?"

"You entered the Shattered Crown without my guidance and even triggered its mutation. This place couldn't trap you to begin with, could it?"

"The only reason I can think of for a clear-headed Demigod in peak condition to visit a recognized danger zone like the Ash Sea is to take a step further."

"The wound on your arm may be peculiar, but it's far from enough to drive you to such extreme risks."

"Of course, since I can figure this out, it's entirely possible that I'm deceiving you and merely tailoring my offer to your desires."

"I won't even reveal anything to prove my offer is genuine before you fulfill my request. But—the path to becoming a Divine Emissary is still worth the risk of being conned, isn't it?"

Vivian smiled with considerable confidence.

"I know that for your kind, this path has become incredibly difficult to walk as well."

"And regardless of my current state, these are the words of a Tier 2."

"Unsubstantiated, but very reasonable."

The Divine Emissary had analyzed the pros and cons on the spot. Fu Qian listened attentively the entire time before finally letting out a sigh of admiration and offering a critique.

"Hearing you put it like that, missing out would be a lifelong regret. Any other reasons?"

"There are."

Vivian smiled wantonly. She swished her gorgeous long tail, surprisingly leaving flowing trails of color in the air wherever it passed.

As the flowing colors dissipated, it sounded as if space itself were trembling and wailing.

"Although I am in poor condition, I am still a Divine Emissary. If you refuse, I will give my all to kill you."

It was obvious she had some psychological issues.

Fu Qian sighed.

"That is even more reasonable."

"It is simply the truth."

Looking at Fu Qian, Vivian seemed absolutely certain she had tempted him, and proceeded to dispel his remaining concerns.

"I can promise that once we leave this place, I will detach from your body within twenty-four hours at most and fulfill my end of the bargain."

"That won't be easy for me. But on one hand, borrowing your body for such a short time will greatly minimize your risk; on the other hand, my strength in that state will be far weaker than it is now. If there's a problem with my method, I should be the one who is afraid."

"You are an excellent negotiator."

Fu Qian finally nodded and decisively slipped on the Glove.

To ensure the container was of the best possible quality, he even went out of his way to use his uninjured hand.

"A pleasure doing business with you."

Watching him complete this action, Vivian's smile bloomed sweeter than ever, finally exuding the same aura as the fishmen outside.

Coupled with her massive surface area, anyone else's blood sugar would have spiked dangerously by now.

"I will offer them a certain degree of guidance. You won't need to wander far to find them; just take a stroll around the island."

Her subsequent operational details were incredibly considerate. Fu Qian nodded repeatedly as he listened.

"That's great. But have you ever considered that I might be a psychopath?"

Fu Qian raised the Glove in Thanos's signature pose.

"Maybe I have absolutely zero interest in advancing. What if I just use this to slaughter the fishmen and then walk away?"

"Never crossed my mind."

Vivian's smile didn't falter, her tone resolute.

Alright.

Sighing, Fu Qian snapped his fingers, turned around, and left.

"You can summon them now."

...

What a posture of absolute control.

As he navigated through the Dense Forest, the singing rose again behind him.

Considering the time Madam Vivian needed to act, Fu Qian didn't walk fast.

Perhaps to facilitate the summons, the melody was slightly softer this time.

Of course, it still sounded awful.

While he begrudgingly endured the performance, his mind was actually replaying Vivian's behavior throughout their entire exchange.

It was obvious that Madam Vivian had been extremely excited by his arrival.

At the very beginning, she had even tried releasing in order to capture, attempting to drive him away.

But once he insisted on staying to talk, she smoothly steered the conversation, ultimately securing this win-win cooperation.

Truth be told, Fu Qian hadn't actually wanted things to go this smoothly.

If Vivian had shown even a shred more doubt and worry while proposing the deal, he would have felt much better.

That would have meant his arrival had introduced changes here that even she couldn't understand.

Exactly. No matter how certain Vivian was, Fu Qian's real objective remained the abnormal reactions within the Ash Sea caused by his arrival.

He was far less interested in this transaction handed to him on a silver platter than she imagined.

It was too suspicious. This situation was like looking up a formula to solve a math problem, only to have someone shove the final answer directly into your hands.

Although the answer couldn't be falsified right now, the way it appeared was a bit too coincidental.

For instance, why had the Shattered Crown, which had existed here for so long, suddenly pulled his group inside?

Judging by Vivian's demeanor, this clearly wasn't a common occurrence.

It was a pity. Faced with a deal that concerned her very life, Vivian hadn't shown the slightest hesitation, which strongly suggested she hadn't noticed anything unusual either.

...

Soon, he neared the spot where he had first landed on the island. Through gaps in the Dense Forest, guided by the continuous singing, he spotted the figures of fishmen surfacing on the sea.

As well as the poacher ship scrambling to evade them.

Fu Qian stopped in his tracks, the layout of the entire island flashing rapidly through his mind.

A moment later, he changed directions, heading off to wait for another character who might react to the singing.

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