Eldritch Horror Theatre

It actually worked?

Light and slender as it was, the Vanity Knife sliding from its sheath sent a shock through the team comparable to drawing the Sword in the Stone.

After all, Excellency Ji Ning's description might have challenged the imagination, but rather than doubt her judgment, the others were far more inclined to blame their own lack of comprehension.

Thus, "her" Dagger was naturally assumed to be an exclusive item, just like the dress.

Yet, when Ji Ning herself couldn't draw it, the volunteering An Ke seemed to have managed it without much effort.

"Are you sure there isn't one for each of us, just in different colors?"

And by all appearances, the man himself seemed somewhat caught off guard by the development.

Letting the blade slide lightly across his palm, Fu Qian frowned and looked at Ji Ning.

"Besides, nothing seems to have changed about me. Nor have I received any of those abstract messages you mentioned."

Somewhat recovered from her initial shock, Ji Ning softly denied it, her gaze hollow.

The overly smooth display clearly made her suspicious of his initial volunteering.

Even Old Man Li felt the same from a short distance away; rather than the Dagger, his gaze lingered on Fu Qian's face.

"Just like putting on the dress, you need to use it."

But regardless, it was a step forward.

Suspicious as she was, Ji Ning lacked the evidence to draw any concrete conclusions. Not wasting time, she instructed Fu Qian on its use.

"Cut yourself and smear your blood over the blade—"

Waaah—

Before she could finish, however, another sound interrupted the investigation.

Accompanied by a spray of blood.

...

A wail, but not the one from earlier.

This voice was noticeably more agonizing, and literally ear-piercing.

Because the source was right beside them.

Fu Qian turned his head and looked at Lu Yi, who could barely stand.

The infant's wails were coming straight from his body.

It wasn't that he had conceived again in such a short time—the sound was actually coming from the tree.

As if doused in growth hormones, the already lush green sapling embarked on an even more exaggerated growth spurt, even beginning to "bloom."

More than one bud-like structure was rapidly swelling upon it.

They grew so fast that as the deep red petals elongated and withered, they resembled violently torn human tissue, even splattering real streaks of blood into the air.

Amid this firework-like display, cyan fruits with surfaces as smooth as skin popped out from within.

Faint outlines of heads and limbs could even be seen on them. The wailing was coming from these fruits, their cries tangling together in chaotic confusion.

Was this actually a Ginseng Fruit Tree?

Bizarre as this sudden mutation was, it wasn't hard to understand—Brother Lu Yi's accumulated corruption had erupted once more.

Only this time, it manifested on the tree rather than in his flesh and blood, which challenged the imagination a bit.

And of course, there was the shape of those fruits.

"Can you still manage?"

While Fu Qian was inwardly marveling at the sight, Old Man Li spoke up in a heavy voice, directing the question to Aike beside him.

"...I should be able to."

Taken aback for a moment, Aike quickly realized he was asking if she could handle it again. She gritted her teeth and nodded.

Without a moment's hesitation, she stepped forward and grabbed the tree.

In the span of a single breath, the Ginseng Fruits ceased their growth.

...

Aike's Demigod Realm abilities were as miraculous as ever.

The sudden eruption of corruption was frozen in place in a similar manner.

Yet it was only frozen. The changes that had already occurred were ultimately irreversible, leaving Lu Yi heavily laden with fruit.

The only small comfort was that the rapidly ripened fruits no longer looked like creations of flesh and blood; they actually looked almost edible.

"Thank you..."

Though looking utterly haggard, the rescued Lu Yi still struggled to express his gratitude.

"It's getting stronger. I can feel it... that voice is planting seeds inside my body."

He then looked toward Li He. Despite his best efforts to hide it, his tone was anything but calm.

"And not just my flesh and blood—it's turning everything I am into fertilizer..."

"A very accurate description. In fact, it isn't just you—I'm feeling the exact same thing."

Lu Yi's meaning was undoubtedly a plea to find a way out as quickly as possible.

Clearly understanding this, Li He offered no meaningless comfort. As he spoke, he also lowered his head to look at his own abdomen.

"I can feel something trying to come to life in there. Something that overrides mere flesh and blood, tied to me by a specific connection."

"Offspring?"

Seeing the atmosphere being rapidly pushed to the limit of tension, Fu Qian chimed in at the perfect moment to share his perspective.

Hm?

This time, everyone looked over at him.

"What? Based on the descriptions just now, I think it's a very fitting word. It even explains why it's so hard to resist and impossible to purge."

Knowing full well his choice of words was somewhat peculiar, Fu Qian had no intention of changing them.

"Because I once learned a saying: the highest level of corruption is always life. And since the concept of Offspring even represents the continuation of one's own life, the effect should be far superior—"

"Enough!"

...

Under pressure, the number of people who liked to interrupt had clearly grown.

Watching the suddenly unpoised Aike, Fu Qian understood that his description was unpleasant to hear.

But how could a Demigod Realm expert be so emotional...?

The next moment, right in his line of sight, Aike's already pale face turned translucent.

This was the same phantom form she had used to deal with the trap earlier.

Compared to flesh and blood, this incorporeal state seemed much further removed from the concept of Offspring. It was an excellent way to resist the corruption, but unfortunately...

Waaah—

The next moment, a faint, almost surreal wail rang out from Aike's lower abdomen.

The degree didn't seem as deep, but even manifesting her phantom form hadn't spared her from the fate of being corrupted.

And the most miraculous part was that, just like before, there wasn't only a single cry.

However, compared to the chaotic mixture coming from Lu Yi, these layered wails seemed to follow a certain pattern.

It was as if a new lifeform resided within this phantom body, and inside that lifeform rested another wailing phantom, looping endlessly on and on.

"Aike!"

At this sudden change, Ji Ning's sharp cry rang out.

The next moment, the special-form body of the Night Watchers' Demigod Realm expert gave a wave-like shudder, and the layered wails subsequently quieted down.

It was easy to guess that she was using a mental piercing technique similar to before to forcefully suppress the mutation.

"I have a question."

After applying this temporary treatment, Excellency Ji Ning stood frozen for a few seconds before turning her head toward Fu Qian and softly asking, "So... why are you perfectly fine?"

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