Eldritch Horror Theatre

Beside the sickbed, three pairs of eyes—one large and two small—froze in an instant of stunned disbelief.

At the center of their gaze was an exceedingly advanced medical procedure.

Were they seeing things? Did this highly paid special medical professional just swallow the blood sample whole?

It was their first time hearing of such an analytical method.

It couldn't even be explained away as a quick taste. It was painfully obvious that the moment the blood entered his mouth, it went straight down his throat without a second of hesitation.

The kicker was that right before this hearty swig, he had actually paused to give it a sniff.

Seeing him still holding the container and scrutinizing it thoughtfully made it impossible not to dwell on what he had just done.

Paired with his pale, gaunt face, the word "vampire" surged uncontrollably into their minds.

Mrs. Winslow's recently brightened expression completely shattered. For a moment, she couldn't even speak.

Mister Winslow fared slightly better, forcing the question out through gritted teeth.

The results... bright color, rich texture, and it coats the glass nicely.

Fu Qian nodded slightly, instantly listing off a string of glowing reviews in his mind.

Of course, if he actually said that out loud, the patient's family probably wouldn't be able to handle it. He needed to be a bit more tactful.

"It looks fine for now, but I'll have to wait about half an hour for a more detailed analysis."

He answered with complete naturalness, entirely ignoring the Winslows' reactions. Fu Qian put the instrument away and resumed rummaging through the Medical Visit Box.

Fu Qian obviously didn't have a hobby of drinking blood. What he had just done was very simple: since his perception couldn't find the problem, he tried using his most powerful analytical tool—Insight.

Under its purportedly Deity-level effect, if there was truly something peculiar about Miss Winslow's flesh and blood, it was bound to manifest in some way.

However, the facts proved otherwise. With the blood sample down the hatch, it confirmed that Miss Winslow was an absolutely, completely ordinary person.

In fact, thanks to her wealthy background, she didn't even suffer from common malnutrition.

Obviously, this was even worse news.

It practically confirmed that this wasn't simple contamination. Those massive eyes stemmed from a much more abstract influence.

Fortunately, they had run into a professional like him. Otherwise, Miss Winslow would have likely faced the fate of physical purification.

In short, things were getting interesting.

...

Nothing discovered yet, need to wait half an hour for more detailed results...

Sadly, it was evident that Fu Qian's painstaking efforts were completely lost on the patient's family.

Still denied the answer he wanted, and compounded by that absurd analytical report, Mister Winslow's eyes now harbored thinly veiled anger.

"Doctor... we only sought your help on someone else's recommendation. Time is precious... Aside from this incomprehensible examination method, shouldn't we be doing something else?"

"You know time is precious, yet you're making me waste it answering your questions?"

To think this man was actually doubting his professional competence. Fu Qian finally glanced up and let out a cold scoff.

"So why would an incomprehensible figure like me get recommended in the first place?"

His earlier statement had clearly failed to convince Mister Winslow, but the rhetorical question that followed effectively cut off whatever he was about to say.

Why? Simple. Because there were no other options...

The nature of the situation was far too sensitive, and no one else was willing to take this kind of risk. No matter how unreliable the guy in front of them seemed, he was practically their only choice.

"Also, you're right. She really doesn't have much time left."

Seeing the belligerent family member's arrogant air deflated, Fu Qian scoffed again, dialing up the tension.

"By sunrise at the latest, her condition will become completely irreversible."

Before sunrise?

Subconsciously looking out the window, Mrs. Winslow's face drained of color, her lower lip trembling slightly.

A canopy of stars filled the sky. It was already late into the night, which meant that in just a few hours at most...

"Doctor..."

Amidst the shock, the first to break the silence was actually the patient herself.

Miss Winslow was now sitting propped up in bed, her gaze falling on the various bottles and jars inside the Medical Visit Box.

"What does... blood taste like?"

Young lady, you have a rather unique train of thought.

To think that this was Miss Winslow's immediate concern. It seemed she had done plenty of thinking about life and death over the past few days, granting her a degree of immunity to what he had just said.

Analyzing the patient's psychological state, Fu Qian shook his head inwardly.

Unfortunately, her parents couldn't be quite so calm. Temporarily forgetting to interrogate the doctor, they stared at their daughter in astonishment.

"I'm just a little curious."

Under their scrutiny, Jane offered a smiling explanation. She seemed to possess a strange curiosity about the fact that a part of her own body had just been tasted.

"It doesn't taste good."

Before the family could voice their opinions, Fu Qian satisfied her curiosity without bothering to sugarcoat it.

"If I had a choice, I think it would at least need a little salt and some spices."

"It's just a pity that adding either of those would severely compromise the analysis results."

Fu Qian sighed with genuine regret.

"...So, Doctor, what are you doing now?"

Mister Winslow clearly couldn't stomach this conversation about the culinary preparation of his daughter and finally couldn't help but interrupt.

"You just said time is precious. Naturally, I can't just sit here idly waiting for the results."

Looking at the Medical Visit Box he had already rummaged through, Fu Qian replied casually. He then slapped his forehead as if suddenly remembering something.

"I forgot. I didn't put it in there."

The next moment, Fu Qian patted himself down and eventually pulled an item out of his pocket.

"Is that a diagnostic tool too?"

As Mister Winslow's gaze was drawn to the crystal-clear, exquisitely crafted Handbell, a sense of confusion inevitably rose within him.

"It is, and you don't need to leave the room."

Stepping forward, he gestured for Jane to look at the Eternally Lucid Mind in his hand. The next moment, Fu Qian rang it without hesitation.

If his opponent was truly a commandment, he might as well take this opportunity to ascertain its level of abstraction.

Amidst the crisp ringing, the sensation of the Transcendent Tier being expelled washed over him once more.

Accompanying it, Miss Winslow's young face finally underwent a transformation.

In an incomprehensible manner, her absurdly massive eyes quickly shrank, their proportions harmonizing with the rest of her facial features.

Fascinating.

Fu Qian, who had been staring fixedly at her, naturally didn't miss this. Unfortunately, even he still couldn't confirm whether the flesh and blood beneath her skin had actually changed.

Because long before his Transcendent Perception returned, the changes on Jane Winslow's face had already faded away.

In comparison, the duration of the Eternally Lucid Mind's effect on her was noticeably much shorter.

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