Eldritch Horror Theatre

The way the situation had developed over the last few minutes clearly exceeded Yuan and Li's expectations.

Just as Fu Qian had more than one purpose for this trip, they must have long suspected the connection between the Archipelago Assassins and the Apocalypse's new demigod.

Their sudden pivot—shifting from test details one moment to an unexpected ambush the next—was undoubtedly an attempt to observe his reaction and bluff more information out of him, all at the risk of angering an academic leader.

After all, framing the question that way was tantamount to assuming he was the culprit.

If they were wrong, it would constitute a severe blow to his reputation.

Of course, even if they were right, it didn't mean they were safe.

They couldn't forget that this academic leader was also a newly advanced demigod.

If he was truly hiding some dark secret and realized he had been exposed, an extreme reaction wasn't out of the question.

Not to mention, he already had multiple kills on his record, all executed with terrifying efficiency.

However, those preparations certainly hadn't accounted for Fu Qian's actual reaction.

Not only did he remain completely calm, without a hint of an extreme reaction, but he also openly admitted to the act—even providing his motive and specific details.

Most importantly, while these details seemed slightly absurd in isolation, they formed a seamlessly logical narrative when pieced together. It revealed a truer side of the man sitting before them, making them realize that this was exactly the kind of thing he would do: an act with massive risks and zero benefits.

"So Lotte, the one currently receiving treatment, is the person Professor Fu went out of his way to save back then?"

After a long silence, Yuan Fang finally spoke again. His attitude had noticeably shifted as he openly admitted to investigating the Veil Sisters.

"Everyone has to bear the consequences of their own choices. I don't know her well."

Fu Qian simply shook his head.

"She has no talent and no brains, but she's lucky to have a sister. Veil asked me for a favor after losing our duel."

"Understood."

The fact that Fu Qian was even willing to explain such details left Yuan Fang feeling somewhat appreciative.

Crucially, the logic was perfectly sound.

From what they had gathered, the Veil Sisters genuinely didn't seem to know him well, yet they placed an astonishing amount of trust in him.

Thinking it over, this scenario was the only one that could explain that dynamic.

"Thank you for clearing that up. I apologize for rashly bringing it up today, but Your Excellency's frankness is truly moving."

Yuan Fang didn't press for further details. Instead, he offered a solemn thank-you.

"Frankly, we were only guessing before. But now, I just want to say that if things really happened the way Your Excellency described... that guy deserved to die."

Exchanging a glance with Li Weixuan, the regional director boldly made his stance clear.

"Does Your Excellency want me to help keep this a secret?"

Not only that, but he followed it up with a direct question.

...

It was clear that even Li Weixuan was a little surprised at that moment.

It was an incredibly blunt offer.

Yuan Fang was essentially saying that if Fu Qian wanted him to keep quiet, he wouldn't even report the information, turning this unverified confession into a secret strictly between the three of them.

As a regional director, this was undoubtedly a strict violation of his principles.

"Don't worry. If word somehow still gets out under these circumstances, the Academy will step forward and claim responsibility for the matter."

The surprise only lasted a moment. The next second, Li Weixuan, who had been quietly watching, chimed in to back him up.

Oh...

Fu Qian nodded slightly. He easily understood the implication—if he chose to keep things quiet and the secret somehow slipped out, the Academy would immediately step forward to take the blame as the mastermind to protect him.

They truly were close friends. Rather than question Yuan Fang's breach of protocol, Li Weixuan supported him with concrete action.

As for the sincerity behind their words? Was this a trap to test him?

Fu Qian didn't lean toward that possibility.

On the one hand, the very fact that they had dismissed everyone else to speak privately with a demigod was a massive risk that showed their true stance.

On the other hand, much like Yuan Fang's offer, Li Weixuan didn't need Fu Qian to actually accept; simply saying those words out loud was already a violation of his own principles.

"There's no need."

Yet Fu Qian shook his head, politely declining their goodwill.

"It might cause a little trouble, but it's not worth making you violate your principles."

His reasoning was perfectly in line with his practical style, not even bothering to deny that it would cause a little trouble.

"If possible, just try to contain the information to a small circle. There's no need to make me world-famous."

...

Truly open and honest!

Seeing Fu Qian decline the offer without a second's hesitation, Yuan and Li—who had already been thoroughly shocked multiple times today—were once again visibly moved.

If it really was reported up the chain, given the sheer impact of the incident, it would be difficult to avoid all the ensuing trouble, no matter how justified his reasons were.

Although their proposal hadn't been a test, his reaction further boosted the credibility of everything he had said earlier.

"Please rest assured, I will report this directly to the members of the Council."

Without pressing the issue with further pleasantries, Yuan Fang chose to respect his wishes.

"Thank you for the hard work. If you need me to cooperate with the investigation in any way, just say the word."

Fu Qian raised no objections.

He naturally appreciated their goodwill, but as he had mentioned before, an Evil God's actions were always about achieving several gains with a single action.

Aside from farming some Merit Value and fleshing out his public persona this time, he was equally interested in the hidden entity that had been watching Bai Jinting.

By leaking this specific piece of information, he could undoubtedly borrow the hands of the Night Watchers to see if they could uncover anything.

Given the absurd amount of power this organization held, whether in terms of personnel or artifacts, it was absolutely worth utilizing their strength. And this was clearly a perfect entry point.

Beyond that, there was another minor detail: once this experience was factored into his record, his sudden leap in strength would appear entirely natural, perfectly backing up the testimony he had given at the Public Trial Assembly.

"Very well. Please believe that if these details are confirmed to be true, the Night Watchers will definitely reward you for your help."

With two gains reaped at once and no awkward dilemmas to navigate, Yuan Fang was in an incredibly good mood, casually handing out blank checks.

"As the saying goes, no reward without merit. Since this is a classified matter, how could I possibly ask for a reward?"

To their surprise, the man declined even this.

'Hmm... If the incident is classified, just keep the reward classified too, right? What's the problem with that?'

Amid the confusion of the two men sitting across from him, Fu Qian gestured toward the report on the table.

"When the time comes, you can just bundle it into this and issue it to my research assistant, who also contributed."

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