Eldritch Horror Theatre

Never question a trained professional.

Under the bewildered and uncertain gaze of the Winslows, Fu Qian let out another cold scoff.

Observing, smelling, and tasting—after this routine, no evil could hide. Its true form would inevitably be exposed.

Of course, this exposed form seemed a bit large.

Mister and Mrs. Winslow's worries were correct. The affliction troubling their precious daughter was indeed an influence from the Transcendent Tier.

But unlike a flesh-and-blood mutation, this influence seemed to be imposed on the very concept of Jane as a whole.

Like a special filter applied to a single person.

Fu Qian recalled what he had sensed during his observation just now.

He didn't even need a more precise perception; the obvious discrepancy in the time affected by the Eternally Lucid Mind was enough to prove just how high this "filter's" Rank was.

...

The fact that the Blasphemous Blood was actually related to a commandment hardly seemed like good news.

The Warehouse had demanded that he purify it. Dealing with an existence of such a high Rank was clearly going to be much more difficult.

Of course, that was from Miss Winslow's perspective.

For him, this was an absolutely massive gain.

His purpose for this mission was never just to clock in and do the job, but to use the agency's resources for his own personal gain.

His past experiences had already proven that commandments served as something of a foundational basis for this world. What he was looking for were exactly loopholes like the Pocket Watch, which he could use to somehow increase its instability.

Compared to the Celestial Sphere Cult, which converted commandments into power, the Blasphemous Blood before him looked far more sinister.

It was a genuinely refreshing discovery.

Speaking of which, the fact that a mere mortal like Miss Winslow could receive such focused attention was truly unusual.

"Jane, you just—"

As he marveled internally, Mrs. Winslow's words beside him came to an abrupt halt.

Evidently, witnessing that specific change just now had caused her already unstable emotional control to slip, making her cry out her daughter's name.

After subconsciously silencing herself, her first reaction was to glance at Fu Qian.

However, he showed no reaction, seemingly completely uninterested in knowing his patient's name.

Breathing a slight sigh of relief, Mrs. Winslow looked at her husband again, only to see him narrow his eyes and give a faint nod, signaling her not to worry.

"Did you feel any changes in your body just now?"

Feeling much more reassured, Mrs. Winslow finally looked at her daughter and asked carefully.

"What changes? I don't feel uncomfortable anywhere."

Jane was clearly a little bewildered by the question. She shook her head subconsciously, not wanting her parents to worry.

"Did you feel like your eyes..."

Mrs. Winslow paused mid-sentence and looked at her husband with some uncertainty.

Evidently, the fleeting sight just now had been too wonderful, making her doubt whether it was real.

"Did your eyes feel a bit more comfortable just now?"

As it turned out, her husband had experienced the same beautiful illusion, and he followed up with a much more direct question.

"No..."

Jane was visibly confused by her parents' behavior.

"We... we thought we saw your eyes get better for a second just now."

Mrs. Winslow finally couldn't help but gesture at her daughter's face.

"Really?"

Jane's expression instantly lit up. In disbelief, she pulled out a small mirror, only for her expression to darken a moment later.

"Could it be... that I just blinked?"

Filled with disappointment, her voice dropped even lower than before.

"Probably not. Doctor... you just treated her, right?"

This reaction clearly broke Mrs. Winslow's heart. As she sought confirmation from Fu Qian, her gaze was unconsciously drawn to the Bell in his hand.

It was obvious that this overly unconventional diagnostic method left her asking the question without much confidence.

"Not quite."

Fu Qian shook his head and put the Eternally Lucid Mind away.

"But it does look like there was a reaction. I already have a preliminary idea about your daughter's illness."

"...Doctor, are you saying she really is sick?"

However, Fu Qian's denial perked up Mister Winslow's spirits.

Unlike his wife, his expression remained solemn even after seeing the change in their daughter, and his eyes had practically been glued to the Bell in Fu Qian's hand.

There was no helping it; this method simply looked too much like a charlatan's trick.

If it wasn't an illusion, and this method truly was effective, then their daughter's condition was practically confirmed in reverse.

This had kept him deeply worried until he heard Fu Qian's verdict.

"What else would it be?"

Fu Qian looked at him somewhat strangely.

"Isn't this what you hired me for?"

Well, of course, but...

This rhetorical question left the Winslows momentarily speechless. It was hard to tell if he genuinely thought that or was saying it deliberately.

But regardless of the situation, this seemed like the most appropriate answer.

"True. Apologies, my mind was a bit jumbled just now... So what exactly is my daughter suffering from?"

Mister Winslow immediately played along and asked.

"I just have a rough idea. I'll still need the results of further tests before I can confirm anything."

Unfortunately, Fu Qian displayed a strict professional attitude, refusing to jump to conclusions.

"So I really did... but I only heard the sound of the Bell..."

Even so, this conversation had left the patient staring blankly, muttering to herself.

"Nothing is certain yet. Get some more rest."

Mister Winslow didn't let his daughter say more. He gestured for her to keep resting before turning to Fu Qian.

"You've worked hard this whole time. Let's wait outside."

His tone held concern, yet it was firm.

It seemed he still retained a certain level of wariness. With the situation seemingly improving, he clearly didn't want Fu Qian trying anything even more outrageous.

"Sure."

Fu Qian readily accepted the suggestion.

Just as, in his capacity as a doctor, his greatest value to the Winslow family on this trip was confirming the illness rather than treating it.

As a task runner, the greatest significance of this mission was never about actually completing it either.

Through their initial contact, he had already gained more than enough information from Miss Winslow.

The next step was figuring out how to maximize these few hours before sunrise.

For instance, figuring out the possible cause behind Jane's problem, and what would actually happen when sunrise arrived if she maintained her current state.

He felt the answers to both questions could effectively help him find a better way to apply pressure to this Nightmare, forcing it to produce more loopholes.

...

"Apologies for the modest setup. Please rest here for a while."

Mister Winslow clearly wanted this house call kept as secret as possible. Even though the butler was waiting right outside, he still personally escorted Fu Qian out.

After a long trek that brought them to almost the complete opposite corner of the villa, he ensured everything was settled before hurriedly taking his leave.

Modest, indeed.

Appraising the exquisitely luxurious room before him, Fu Qian only gave a slight nod without a word. A moment later, he walked straight to the window and gazed up at the clear night sky.

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