Eldritch Horror Theatre

"It's hard to pin down the exact nature, but something is clearly accumulating on you, every single moment."

At such close quarters, the Dark Moon Pope's insight was terrifyingly sharp.

Even as she suggested he leave, the Witch had already laid out all the collected Items in front of her, looking Fu Qian up and down.

"Is this the price for coming here?"

"Yes. I consumed another transcendent item using the same method as the Digestion Mask and gained this ability. In the form of the Nightmare Worm, it has a wondrous barrier-crossing effect."

Fu Qian didn't bother with pointless concealment, frankly explaining his method of travel.

"The price is that on the return trip, I have to pass through an exit called the Nightmare Corridor. The longer I stay, the more severe the interference will be when the time comes."

"I can indeed sense that it is related to a Nightmare."

The Witch listened quite seriously, nodding slightly.

Changing the subject, she looked down at the dazzling array of props on the table and fell silent for a moment.

Whether it was his rapidly skyrocketing Rank or these Items with their entirely different natures of power, it was easy to imagine the thrilling danger behind them.

"Give me your hand."

She didn't waste time on empty words. The next moment, the Witch motioned to Fu Qian.

By this time, he had already assumed a mostly human shape. He didn't ask why, simply extending his only right hand.

Although he had left some rings on the table, the remaining ones still sparkled against each other; his aura of a wealthy tycoon had suffered only a slight color loss.

At almost the same time, the Witch's pale, slender fingers pressed onto one of the rings, which looked like two crescent moons embracing each other.

Her final bequest—the Dark Moon Ring.

It was obvious she didn't want to take it back because of a change in plans. After a light, two-second touch, the Witch pulled her fingers away.

Of course, when she pulled them back, they were no longer fingertips.

Her originally human arm instantly deformed and bloomed, transforming into swaying tentacles and feelers.

This transformation continued to spread. In the blink of an eye, the Witch's entire upper body completely lost its human form, and her face was no exception.

...

The reason for this change was simple.

Fu Qian focused his consciousness on the Dark Moon Ring on his hand. Its second attached effect, Time-Moon Slumber, had actually become usable again.

This effect, which could summon an absolute Lightless Night and had even helped him dispel color distortions in the past, could only be used once—and sure enough, there was a reason for that.

Even face-to-face, without a barrier between them, the Witch was clearly severely depleted after replenishing just one usage, to the point that she could no longer maintain her human form.

"I will make good use of this protection."

Looking admiringly at that long-unseen, enchanting face, Fu Qian didn't stand on ceremony and gladly accepted the gift.

"If there's any harvest on that side, I'll notify you immediately."

As he spoke, Fu Qian was already stowing away his equipment piece by piece.

"Alright, but it might take me a little time to respond."

A voice echoed in Fu Qian's consciousness. The Witch seemed very satisfied with the Templar Knight's reaction to seeing her true form.

"No rush."

With astonishing efficiency, Fu Qian arranged his internal space and packed everything away.

As he spoke, a hunger originating from the deepest essence of his soul enveloped him.

Extreme Hunger Infection activated once more. For a moment, Fu Qian felt like he had sculpted his human shape in vain, seemingly transforming back into a long Nightmare creature.

Just as the description stated, the moment his vision turned illusory, some long-accumulated power burst forth like a broken dam.

It didn't even give him a chance to choose a target before the Witch's figure vanished.

...

This seemed a bit different from what he had imagined.

Although he'd had a vague premonition earlier and hadn't even activated Pseudo-God Incarnation, compared to the tearing of flesh and blood when he broke through the barrier last time, this return trip was as gentle as a sauna.

When he reappeared, Fu Qian confirmed that he was completely unharmed.

But that was far from the only unexpected thing.

Not only did he not dig out of the ground in the form of a worm, but the scene before him wasn't the bizarre corridor he had pictured. Instead, it felt quite lived-in.

Glancing at the nearby bed and the pattern of its bedsheets, Fu Qian confirmed that his sense of familiarity was correct.

This was the Bookstore Second Floor, the exact place he had been when he used Extreme Hunger Infection to leave.

It was as if he had merely gone to the Warehouse for a task and returned after completing it.

But it was only "as if."

The next moment, Fu Qian turned his head toward the nearby stairwell.

Light footsteps, carrying a palpable sense of hesitation, were ascending from below, approaching step by step.

A moment later, a picturesque face peeked out and quietly looked his way.

It was impressively the former sponsor of The Bookstore's renovations, Eldest Miss Wen.

"...Mr. Fu, you really came back."

The instant she saw Fu Qian, Wen Li almost subconsciously tried to pull her head back, feeling as if she had been caught red-handed.

As for the title she used... Fu Qian turned and checked his reflection in the nearby Mirror.

Sure enough, it was his true face.

"I just got back. How did you know?"

Fu Qian nodded slightly, gesturing for her to take a seat.

"I can't really explain it... I just suddenly got this feeling that you had come back, so I wanted to come up and take a look."

Seeing that he didn't mind, her awkwardness eased a bit. However, Wen Li frowned slightly, seeming a bit puzzled by Fu Qian's question herself.

"It turns out the door downstairs really wasn't locked, and after I came up, you were actually here... It's just like a dream."

'That's because this is your dream.'

Fu Qian replied in his mind. He didn't rush to comment, instead lifting a heavy Iron Cage in his hand and setting it aside.

[Current task updated: Find a channel to break through the barrier and Descend into reality.]

At the same time, a familiar voice echoed in his consciousness.

[Due to scene restrictions, you may only retain Nightmare-related Items.]

[Due to scene restrictions, you may only retain Nightmare-related abilities, but your existing Rank remains unchanged.]

It hadn't disappointed him; sure enough, it was trying its hardest to help.

Amidst the string of prompts, Fu Qian mused.

A one-click return to base—of course, such a good thing wouldn't happen.

He had immediately noticed the anomaly earlier. Not only were his abilities restricted, but he even held two extra things: the Eternally Lucid Mind and the Sweet Dream Head Cage.

Just as the prompt stated, they were both his rewards from tasks related to the Nightmare Corridor.

As for abilities, the Extreme Hunger Infection he gained after swallowing the Insect Whistle was surprisingly not the only skill he retained.

The Decree of Return, this special form of Commandment Residue, was actually available too.

The former [2-205, Virtue].

That task of posing as a vacationing student to find Lasik seemed to have quite a deep connection with the Nightmare Corridor as well.

In short, just like when he completed the Pseudo-God Ritual, after falling into the Nightmare Corridor, the Warehouse had immediately coupled another task tailored to his specific situation.

Not only did it help clarify his current status, but the mission objective was also quite clear.

Find a channel to break through the barrier and ultimately Descend into the Real World.

In the blink of an eye, it seemed that he, this shepherd of lambs in the Nightmare, was about to reverse roles and invade reality.

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