Eldritch Horror Theatre

"Speaking of which, where did you get this?"

Fu Qian pointed at the Countess's hand.

Now that the Dragon Blood had been poured out, the object had reverted to an ordinary Pocket Watch.

"This is a Sacred Relic of The Church."

The Countess replied without expression.

"You stole it from The Church?"

Fu Qian immediately understood. The woman truly was decisive and ruthless.

"Just putting things to good use."

The Countess didn't elaborate. She simply tossed him the Pus Stone.

"The leader of the guards below is named Collison. The man is a sadist, so remember to avoid him at all costs."

...

Whether she feared he might flee at the last second or not, after finishing her instructions, the Countess thoughtfully "escorted" him all the way to the Clock Tower.

She only turned back once Fu Qian disappeared behind the door.

Navigating the darkness, Fu Qian descended the stairs and quickly found the Cloak and Mask he had discarded earlier.

Pulling the garments back on, he quickly mentally reviewed the prison's layout.

According to the Priest, these guards suffered from sluggish reactions as an inevitable side effect of Awakening.

That explained how he had managed to escape so easily in the first place.

Now that he was far stronger than before, theoretically, it should be an even smoother trip.

The only issue was where to find his target.

"The deepest part of the prison" was an awfully broad definition.

By now, Fu Qian had already reached the connecting corridor once more.

Repeating his old trick, he dodged the guards and rapidly wove his way downward, soon arriving at the prison's lowest level.

The floor space here was just as massive, with a huge, deep pit sitting dead in the center.

Scattered fragments of white bone littered the pit, appearing to belong to both humans and beasts. Many likely belonged to the deceased Colorless.

Given a bit more time, that poor guy he had shared a cell with would probably end up tossed down here, too.

Strangely enough, a massive group of guards was currently circling the pit.

They all wore identical black masks and long robes, maintaining fixed distances from one another. Their steps were completely silent. From afar, they looked like a black centipede swallowing its own tail.

The bizarre sight made Fu Qian click his tongue in wonder.

"Welcome."

A hoarse voice suddenly rang out.

"Welcome~"

The next moment, the circling procession stopped. One shiny black mask after another turned toward him in unison, speaking in a chorus of sleep-talking murmurs.

"To kill our guards and break out of prison, yet actually dare to return!"

After that synchronized greeting, the hoarse voice spoke again, its tone dripping with twisted cruelty.

"I couldn't sleep at night, so I came to turn myself in."

Fu Qian said with a smile, not surprised in the slightest.

He had felt something was off the moment he walked in. It was simply too normal, no different from when he first left.

It was certainly possible that, because of how he had handled things, they just hadn't discovered the dead guards yet.

However, on his way down just now, some guards had almost seemed to be actively avoiding him. That was highly suspicious.

It was hard to believe this wasn't a classic trap designed to lure him right in.

In response, Fu Qian had decided to simply play along.

Time was precious. How else could he have reached the bottom floor so efficiently?

"Good. Since you've returned, you will stay."

A figure parted the crowd of guards and slowly stepped forward, letting out a burst of eerie laughter.

"We have a lot to discuss."

Unlike the others, this person wore a golden mask.

Such a unique appearance usually signified an elite monster. There was a ninety percent chance this was Collison.

Fu Qian shook his head and slowly removed his mask.

The next moment, Collison's tone shifted to alarm.

"Dragon Communion?"

"Seems you're well-informed."

The man was visibly shocked. He clearly knew that Dragon Communion had not appeared in years.

"Hmph, even if Dragon Communion has returned, it makes no difference—"

Collison snorted.

Yet he only got halfway through his sentence before a grayish-white dragon head materialized in his vision.

A strong sense of crisis hit him, and a Blue-Gray Mirror Shield appeared in front of Collison, countless facets flashing across its surface.

But it held for only a split second before the shield instantly shattered, and an invisible breath blasted straight into his chest.

The next moment, the sound of breaking glass echoed out. Collison's body collapsed heavily, and a pile of shattered crystals poured out from beneath his cloak.

In mere seconds, the guards had lost their leader.

"I'm done committing my crimes..."

Fu Qian looked at the bewildered crowd and held out both of his hands.

"You can lock me up now."

...

Ultimately, treated as a top-tier dangerous element, Fu Qian was escorted to a corner of the prison under heavy guard.

A guard stepped forward, opened a heavy stone door, and herded Fu Qian into a downward-sloping tunnel.

If Collison hadn't served up his own head on a silver platter, finding this place on his own really would have been difficult!

Fu Qian marveled to himself as he walked down.

The guards clearly had no desire to follow him. The moment Fu Qian stepped inside, they slammed the door shut from the outside.

Below was a massive, lightless space. A gigantic monster skeleton emanated a faint fluorescence, serving as the sole source of illumination in the darkness.

Surrounding it, the outlines of other bones could be vaguely seen.

If that lady was still alive, she should be down here!

Strolling through this pitch-black graveyard, Fu Qian used the glow from the bones to observe his surroundings.

Right at that moment, an icy-blue spectral light rose from the darkness.

The ethereal glow shifted from faint to bright, quickly overpowering the phosphorescence of the bones.

The next moment, a colossal, creeping figure emerged from the spectral light.

It was a creature with an extraordinary appearance.

Its massive body was turned away from him. Its spectral blue skin seemed to shimmer with starlight, and several tentacles covered in circular stripes drooped all the way to the floor.

On its back rested two enormous, coral-like wings.

As if sensing Fu Qian's scrutiny, the entity slowly turned its head.

In truth, Fu Qian wasn't even entirely sure it was a head.

On top of an oval-shaped bulge grew a mass of swaying, root-like tubes.

Nestled amidst those roots, several irregularly arranged eyes gazed back at him.

It was serene and elegant, making him subconsciously feel that this was a lady.

Fu Qian earnestly admired the sight before him, trying to memorize its marvelous form.

After an unknown amount of time, the massive body abruptly vanished, and the icy-blue spectral light slowly converged into a corner.

A slender human figure appeared, wearing a massive, pointed black hat.

"You're a bit of a strange one!"

The figure's voice carried a hint of confusion.

"Was my previous form really that nice to look at?"

"Of course."

Fu Qian nodded.

"Shouldn't most people feel terror at such a grotesque shape?"

"How can I let mundane aesthetics dictate my own judgment?"

"Swaying tentacles, flowing wings—the beauty of consciousness and life interpreted to the absolute fullest.

How could such an existence possibly be described as terrifying!"

"In fact, I think you could even be called a fairy!"

"Oh?"

"Then between my previous form and my current one, which looks better?"

The person in the corner slowly raised her head, revealing a pale yet alluring face.

The extreme contrast made Fu Qian seriously consider the question for a moment.

"Each has its own merits."

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