Eldritch Horror Theatre

So he had actually asked the caretaker herself to help him fill out the application?

He was honestly putting on a bit too many airs.

To think Professor Lisa was directly in charge of the demigod Claudora's flesh. He genuinely hadn't bothered to look into that beforehand.

Of course, this was by no means a bad thing. From the looks of it, he might not even need an application form anymore.

Fu Qian certainly hadn't forgotten his main objective for returning to the Academy.

Having rested up and sorted out most of his errands, it was time to pick an auspicious day to begin his expedition.

Given how smoothly things had progressed, and even though he was absolutely confident he wouldn't be shedding any hair, Fu Qian gladly complied with the dress code and draped the cloth over his shoulders.

"This way."

This gesture seemed to mollify Professor Lisa a bit, and she stepped ahead to continue leading the way.

As it turned out, Professor Lisa hadn't been exaggerating. The lower level was indeed incredibly pristine.

Even the corridor was absolutely spotless, practically warranting a cleanroom suit.

Though only this specific area.

Fu Qian was quite certain there were several more corridors just like this one nearby, none of which interconnected.

This corridor, for instance, led to a single room at its far end.

"No. That would only have a negative impact."

Now that they were on the lower level, Lisa's demeanor had turned dead serious.

She walked ahead with light, careful steps as she quickly explained.

"Are people considered contaminants too?"

Readily accepting good advice, Fu Qian mirrored her cautious steps as he ventured a guess.

"Transcendents, to be exact. Ordinary humans don't trigger any reaction from her."

She partially agreed with his theory. As they spoke, the two of them arrived outside the door.

Taking one look at it, Fu Qian was struck by a sense of déjà vu.

It wasn't some ancient relic covered in mystical restrictions or anything of the sort.

Cast in sleek, silver-gray metal, the door featured the exact same modern industrial aesthetic as the Workshop from his recently completed mission.

Its thickness was far more exaggerated by comparison, but it was otherwise completely ordinary. He couldn't sense a single trace of transcendent power from it.

It made sense.

Fu Qian understood the logic. Professor Lisa had just mentioned that any transcendent element could trigger an adverse reaction; under these circumstances, using the most primitive, brute-force method for containment was actually safer.

"Should I wait out here?"

Seeing that Lisa wasn't in a hurry to open the door and was instead carefully placing their earlier spoils on a metal stand outside, Fu Qian took the initiative to show some profound empathy, sparing the idle caretaker from making an awkward request.

"No need. I'm just taking precautions."

But Professor Lisa didn't put on any strict airs. She opened the door as she spoke, her actions proving she wasn't just being polite.

"Don't get your hopes up, though. There isn't much to see inside."

Along with her warning, the heavy door slowly swung open to reveal the sight beyond.

...

Professor Lisa had indeed inherited the Apocalypse's virtue of honesty.

Though the lighting was somewhat dim, the space behind the door wasn't very large to begin with, making it easy to take in everything at a glance.

The most prominent feature was a giant metal tank suspended in the air, taking up nearly half the room.

Despite its massive size, the container was completely sealed, leaving only a ridiculously thick lid at the top.

It was easy to guess that inside lay the demigod Claudora, whom the Apocalypse was so reluctant to disturb.

It was hard to imagine what kind of devouring mutation she had endured before finally being stored here.

Furthermore, despite the tight seal, it wasn't difficult for Fu Qian to discern some of the conditions within the container.

In a sense, she could indeed still be considered alive, and her divinity was beyond question.

Even if it was in the form of an amorphous, primitive mass of flesh and blood.

For now, the two of them hadn't disturbed her by entering.

Aside from the massive tank, the only other things in the room were a few workbenches made of the same metal.

As he observed the room, the rather quiet Professor Lisa walked over to one of the benches, opened a compartment, and took out an object.

Fu Qian got a clear look at it. It was a completely smooth metal cylinder, devoid of any markings or textures. Judging by the sound it made, it was heavy and solidly built.

As Lisa fiddled with it, a mechanical click rang out, and the side of the cylinder slid open to reveal a narrow space inside.

The way it opened easily reminded Fu Qian of the container His Excellency Night Watcher Hughmon had used to test the Academy instructors with that ear.

Of course, compared to the container holding the ear, this cylinder was far simpler—a textbook mass-produced industrial model.

Still without uttering a word, Professor Lisa approached the giant tank with even lighter steps. She turned a slender metal tube at its base, one that clearly led directly into the container's interior.

At the same time, she aligned the cylinder with the tube. She then casually sliced open a small wound on her finger and let a single drop of blood fall into it.

Like baiting a wild beast with food.

She didn't have to wait long.

A few breaths later, a thin, dark red strand of flesh—stretched out like a worm—slowly wriggled out. It writhed as if foraging, its target undeniably the blood inside the cylinder.

Just as its elongated tip was about to touch the blood, Lisa manipulated the metal tube again.

With a sudden twist, the tail end of the fleshy worm seemed to be severed. Momentum carried it tumbling straight into the cylinder, which snapped shut with a crisp click, locking it inside.

The entire process was incredibly smooth. Watching it, Fu Qian couldn't help but silently praise her efficiency.

"Here. Under most circumstances, as long as you don't open it, it will remain relatively docile inside."

The operator herself, however, looked rather somber. She signaled with her eyes for them to leave the room before finally handing the cylinder over to Fu Qian.

"I'm sure you can handle the safety aspect on your own, so I won't nag you about it."

"The only thing you need to remember is to never let it come into contact with your transcendent items, or they might end up damaged."

"Understood."

Fu Qian listened intently and nodded.

"When does your expedition begin?"

Even though he was wearing a visor, Professor Lisa had clearly sensed his cooperative attitude, and her mood seemed to improve slightly as a result.

"In a bit."

Fu Qian answered honestly.

"...You aren't going to wait for those two sisters to come and thank you?"

Lisa, who had been leading him swiftly away, couldn't help but pause in surprise.

"Karmic ties in this world shouldn't be forced."

Professor Fu's response was entirely magnanimous, showing he clearly didn't care about such trivial mortal affairs. As he spoke, he even pointed at the pocket in Lisa's hand.

"Let's hope that by the time I return, you'll have made some headway."

"Thank you... I'll do my best."

Letting out a long sigh, Professor Lisa seemed to have grown accustomed to the two Apocalypse demigods showing the head but not the tail like a divine dragon, and was now feeling the pressure from the interim spokesperson's encouragement.

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