Eldritch Horror Theatre

'I need to draw in stronger pawns, using myself as the excuse.'

Although Winona remained completely submerged in darkness, every single one of her reactions was crystal clear to Fu Qian.

That was why he hadn't made any further moves.

The intensity was just right—enough to make her realize the gravity of the situation.

His use of Lights-Out Dream Entry just now certainly hadn't been a bout of twisted humor.

It was a crucial link in this entire incident—helping to adjust and correct their operational strategy for the safest, most efficient approach.

First of all, anyone who came into close contact with Rick appeared at risk of being polluted.

But as someone already polluted herself, Winona's enthusiasm might not actually be a positive in the hunt.

As a member of the "me" defined by Mr. Rick, the high-level nature of this pollution meant he couldn't completely rule out the possibility that Winona's actions would be sensed.

For the sake of the mission, it was best for her to stay here and keep her friend company.

Meanwhile, the local Night Watchers needed to deploy more capable personnel.

If nothing else, in a place as large as Loss, the local chief had to be at least at the Demigod Realm, right?

Fu Qian was confident that after truly being toyed with, Winona would grasp this necessity.

This was the primary reason he had put in the extra effort—carefully making adjustments and utilizing the environment—to successfully drag her into a dream.

"Winona, are you alright?"

At this moment, following her previous answer, the continued silence from the darkness clearly caused Claire's fear outside to spike once more.

Unfortunately, she obviously lacked the courage to go inside and check. After a moment, she finally spoke up again, her voice trembling as she asked.

...

"I'm fine... Close the door properly and let's go back for now. I need to contact a few people."

Like someone jolted awake from a nightmare, hearing her friend's voice from behind finally allowed Winona to briefly break free from her terrifying thoughts.

She didn't even try to look for hidden dangers anymore.

If her previous speculation about a Demigod Realm expert was true, as long as the other party didn't want to show themselves, the chances of catching them making a mistake were microscopic. There was no need to take risks and waste time here.

"Are you calling people over to help guard us?"

Although it was a bit impolite to ask, Claire couldn't help but prioritize her own security out of fear.

"I am... But the situation has changed a bit. Considering the danger you're in, I'll stay here too until we get a clue about what's going on."

After a brief hesitation, Winona chose not to tell her the complete truth, only emphasizing that she would stay to act as a guard.

"Ah... Then what about Rick?"

Having seemingly realized her friend's high status, Claire couldn't help but feel flattered for a moment.

"Don't worry, someone far stronger than me will take charge of that. That madman... he has no idea what he's done."

Click!

Even amidst the sound of the door closing once more, Winona's fury still seeped in unimpeded.

...

That was about enough. The intensity of the operation to save Mr. Rick should have been provoked to its absolute limit.

Fu Qian didn't follow them. Shut Inside the Door, he felt satisfied with how things were unfolding.

The stronger figures Winona had mentioned should effectively help bring Rick under control.

Of course, Rick wouldn't be the only one targeted. He would be, too.

The entire Night Watchers of Loss would likely mobilize to hunt down an unscrupulous mystic named Grimshaw.

The people from the Charlatan Association might even try cleaning house.

Naturally, Fu Qian felt no psychological burden over this. In fact, this was exactly what he needed to remotely control the Night Watchers' actions.

Moving forward, three factions would be operating within the turbulent undercurrents of Loss—the Night Watchers, the polluted, and a certain mysterious Demigod Realm expert who wielded the powers of ice and dreams and preferred not to reveal his real name.

...

They moved fast, just as expected. They hadn't let his teachings go to waste.

Facing the secluded location behind the narrow alley in front of him, Fu Qian sensed more than one transcendent aura nearby. He was deeply satisfied with how the situation was developing.

By now, he had long since left the Wesley Residence. The courtyard before him belonged to a prestigious, historic hospital in Loss.

It was also the place where Mr. Rick used to work.

Compared to his home address, information about his workplace was much easier to obtain; casually asking a servant was enough.

As a guest hosted by the lady of the house, he hadn't even needed to use any special methods.

As for how he kept his inquiries a secret under the current circumstances?

What a joke. Why would he keep it a secret?

As a Night Watchers Special Operations Consultant, when he had a good idea, he naturally had to share it generously.

Of course, Fu Qian didn't think the group in front of him had been sent over after receiving his tip. That kind of reaction speed would be far too exaggerated.

It was obvious that Raylan's previous operational arrangements had been quite reasonable.

With Winona rushing to the house to investigate, sending people to do a little reconnaissance at a missing person's former workplace was a highly logical allocation of manpower.

Furthermore, such a dense gathering of transcendents suddenly appearing at an ordinary hospital undoubtedly served as reverse confirmation that the address he had obtained was correct.

The only problem was that the servants didn't seem to know exactly where Rick's old office was.

But that was just a minor issue.

Amidst rising blood mist, Fu Qian crossed dimensions once more, strolling right in.

...

Although it was a bit old, everything appeared very orderly.

Walking through the corridors, Fu Qian examined the layout and furnishings around him, quickly giving it a positive review.

Traces of time were visible all over the building. Many decorations were mottled and faded, and he could even spot some excessively nostalgic facilities.

But with a little observation, one could appreciate the original designer's meticulous care. Even though some areas felt slightly cramped, the various staff members still navigated them smoothly—though the quality of the personnel left something to be desired.

Looking at the back of the head right in front of him, Fu Qian handed out his third negative review.

The reason was simple. In the short distance since he had entered, this was already the third person to do this.

Neither too fast nor too slow, perfectly centered, walking exactly in front of him.

As everyone knows, when you're taking a leisurely stroll, constantly having someone's head bobbing in your line of sight really provokes negative emotions.

True, they couldn't possibly hinder his perception, just as they couldn't perceive him.

But the back of this head was so close that it was almost causing physical displeasure... and sparking his interest.

Revealing himself without a sound, Fu Qian activated Lucid Dream.

Hm?

In that instant, the middle-aged man walking in front of him—blond-haired, blue-eyed, composed and elegant, perfectly matching the imagined image of a medical elite—seemed to suffer a momentary mental lapse.

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