Eldritch Horror Theatre

A newborn Offspring that had yet to show its face, though its cries could now be heard.

It was obvious from Demigod Aike's tone that she considered this the key to their current predicament.

In fact, Fu Qian agreed with her assessment.

For one thing, it was undeniably bizarre.

Laria. Renowned as the royal family, they were essentially little more than mascots in the current world.

Rumor had it that one reason they had so readily handed over power back in the day was that this Divine Human Family's bloodline had already been in steep decline before then. Now, they were the very picture of wealthy idlers, their numbers dwindling.

Under such circumstances, the birth of a newborn Offspring was undoubtedly a joyous occasion.

But whether that was reason enough to invite a Night Watchers demigod to attend... in Fu Qian's view, that likely depended entirely on the demigod's own interest.

Yet Demigod Aike, who had attended in full regalia and given them plenty of face, sounded as if she hadn't even managed to lay eyes on this continuation of their noble bloodline.

The other reason was even simpler.

[1-207; Offspring]

That was the exact name of the Item for this mission. He couldn't ignore it even if he tried.

And of course, finally—

[Current mission updated: Find the source of the crying]

The moment Demigod Aike finished speaking, the expected mission prompt appeared right on cue.

...

This was a true case of sharpening the axe does not delay chopping wood. Even wandering aimlessly could trigger the main quest.

"I feel the same way. The key to our escape is likely in there."

Stroking his gradually recovering fingers, Fu Qian voiced his agreement with Aike.

"Though the same goes for the danger. We had better be fully mentally prepared for what we are about to encounter. How long can Your Excellency's injuries hold out?"

"Asking that is very dangerous."

Hearing this, Demigod Aike finally turned to look at him. Her gaze fell on Fu Qian's hand, a half-smile on her face.

"Rest assured. I might not compare to those of you who specialize in flesh and blood powers, but this kind of localized transformation is enough to reduce the body's rate of corruption to a negligible level."

"Thank you for your trust, Your Excellency. I am merely trying to assess the situation as best I can."

Having gotten his answer, Fu Qian gave a slight nod, his tone relieved.

"But if that is the case, I just had a thought. Would it be possible to increase someone's resistance to that toxic fog through a more extensive transformation, and thereby venture deeper to see what we can find?"

"Good idea... If we still don't find anything in there later, I will transform you like that and throw you into the fog to see the effect."

It was clear that Fu Qian's highly divergent train of thought had once again shattered Demigod Aike's imagination.

However, she clearly didn't want to show her shock. After a brief pause, she voiced her appreciation for the concept.

"I thought the same. We can use this as a last resort if we hit a dead end."

Yet unexpectedly, as the designated test subject for this plan, Fu Qian nodded in utter seriousness.

...

Demigod Aike's face finally revealed the expression of someone looking at a lunatic.

"How should I address you?"

Though the expression was fleeting, it seemed to have finally reminded her of a question she had continually forgotten.

"An Ke."

He answered fluently; Fu Qian had prepared his response for this question long ago.

In fact, it was inspired by the persona the Warehouse had assigned him during his last mission.

Spreading the Dark Moon Glory was an indisputable duty for his kind.

The name of the Dark Moon Seventh Apostle had already pierced the boundaries of realms to return.

"Very well, An Ke. But now is not the time to activate the final plan. We should head inside first to look for some answers—such as why you found this place familiar."

It was obvious that Demigod Aike didn't fully trust the authenticity of this name, and she still remembered Fu Qian's excuse of feeling inexplicably familiar.

Even as she spoke, she stepped onto the slick surface and strode straight ahead.

"Alright."

Fu Qian had no objections to this and quietly followed.

After an exchange where the chain of suspicion was pulled taut, this temporary exploration team had finally assembled.

Under the delicate atmosphere, neither of them breathed a word about their earlier conflict.

...

"How is your recovery coming along?"

The broken path wasn't long, and the two soon reached a relatively intact stone ramp.

Looking up, they were met with a colossal, multi-story archway. Dust and moss couldn't hide its exquisite reliefs, which still proclaimed the past glory of the Divine Human Family.

But after just a single glance, Aike withdrew her somewhat complicated gaze and directly checked on Fu Qian's condition.

"It won't affect my movements in the slightest. Shall I lead the way?"

Fu Qian volunteered, showing off a hand where the exposed bone rate had dropped to zero.

"I appreciate the effort, but there's no need to be so tense. This area by the main entrance should be relatively safe."

Seeing that her cannon fodder was so self-aware, Demigod Aike didn't stand on ceremony. She simply gave him a long look before offering a well-meaning reminder.

"It is only what I should do. However, how does Your Excellency know this area is safe?"

Fu Qian's behavior was a perfect display of swift and resolute action; he was already stepping up as he spoke, and even his casual question didn't affect his observation of their surroundings.

"Because when I discovered the banquet had turned into what it is now... I was standing right in this spot."

Yet it was this casual question that made Demigod Aike's breath hitch.

Staring at the figure already walking beneath the archway, she found it somewhat hard to determine if he was doing it on purpose. After a moment of hesitation, she finally followed and answered as if nothing were wrong.

She spoke a bit vaguely, but it wasn't difficult to understand.

Although she had concluded after testing things outside that the key to escaping should still be in this building, it seemed Aike had been inside here right at the beginning of the crisis.

Unfortunately, she had no intention of exploring deeper, choosing instead to head in the opposite direction.

This behavior of shrinking back from difficulties could be explained as caution, but it undoubtedly caused a slight dent in the prestige of a demigod.

...

Fu Qian had, of course, asked that on purpose.

Taking shame as a spur to courage—when he guessed this from her words, Fu Qian's first reaction was that he could use it to stimulate her motivation.

After all, their current situation wasn't looking particularly optimistic.

The moment he crossed the archway and stepped into this ancient estate, a strange sensation washed over him almost instantly.

For instance, the infant's cries had suddenly grown much louder. They were still ethereal and drifting, and while their direction could not be confirmed, they seemed to be gradually accumulating and amplifying within his will.

For a time, even that toxic, fog-shrouded world outside seemed to suddenly become distant.

It felt as though as time passed, it would become increasingly difficult to leave here, until they eventually became a part of it.

There was one other thing. Observing from close up, Fu Qian felt he had finally confirmed the source of the familiarity he had mentioned earlier.

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