Eldritch Horror Theatre

"What do you want to know?"

Facts proved once again that Fu Qian's choice was correct.

Driven by a sheer will to survive in the face of that highly threatening response, Brother Macho needed only a few seconds to adjust his emotions and signal his cooperation.

"You can ask anything, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to answer it all."

As he spoke, he voluntarily stepped away from the door that served as his escape route, stopping a short distance from Fu Qian to demonstrate his sincerity.

"What I can guarantee is that I will answer everything I know."

He even spread his empty hands to show he wasn't concealing any weapons.

"Because I understand the situation perfectly. If someone can anticipate my moves and wait for me here, there's no room to struggle."

Having delivered this solemn declaration, the burly man—standing well over two meters tall—sat down squarely, looking like a prisoner awaiting sentence.

Under the stare of those earnest eyes, Fu Qian didn't put on airs. He even gave a few slow, deliberate claps.

Sincerity was the foundation of communication.

For the man to display his submission so perfectly wasn't an act of pure begging. Instead, he was vying for a higher conversational footing, hoping to establish mutual assurances.

Under these circumstances, offering some kind of response was simply a matter of courtesy.

Even as he spoke, Fu Qian openly measured the distance between them with his eyes.

Brother Macho certainly wasn't close to the door, but he hadn't chosen the most convenient spot for a conversation, either. He had left himself room to react.

This, too, was undoubtedly a manifestation of his will to survive.

"I knew my feeling was right... something is going to happen."

Realizing that a fragile, unspoken understanding had been reached, Brother Macho visibly relaxed and let out a sigh.

"Oh? Why is that?"

Fu Qian blinked, smoothly playing along with the conversation.

"Because things have been a bit too peaceful lately."

...

No wonder people always said that big guys possessed great wisdom.

Faced with Brother Macho's remarkably refreshing logic, even Fu Qian marveled inwardly for a moment.

"So, what should I call you?"

This time, however, he didn't play along so easily. He chose the most conventional line of questioning and asked for a name first.

"Hao Ke."

Brother Macho clearly had no objections. He offered the quick introduction while maintaining his submissive posture, showing no intention of asking any questions of his own.

"Good name."

Although they had crossed paths before—and Fu Qian had even given him the critical order to "regurgitate" while waiting at the scene for Ill Omen to appear—they had never actually exchanged names.

Hearing that name now and pairing it with the man's massive frame made for a rather amusing impression.

"So, how exactly has this recent peace in West Plain shown itself?"

However, Fu Qian never liked to dwell on such trivial matters. After offering a polite compliment, he smoothly steered the conversation back on track.

"It isn't just recently. Even before the Night Watchers updated their personnel deployment in West Plain, it had been peaceful here for more than just a day or two."

True to his word, Hao Ke instantly demonstrated his total cooperation.

"Everyone has been keeping a low profile and avoiding conflicts, even the Huang Clan."

"Once the Night Watchers sent in reinforcements, that bunch behaved themselves even more. Even people like us have been taking fewer losses in our daily dealings."

After that incident back then, the Night Watchers had actually sent more people here?

It made perfect sense.

Regardless, the original personnel here wouldn't have stood a chance if another Ill Omen showed up.

Fu Qian fully understood the reasons behind the major shifts Hao Ke was describing.

That included why the Huang Family had suddenly become so well-behaved—it was their descendants who had caused the disaster in the first place.

"So, why did the Night Watchers send in reinforcements?"

Fu Qian nodded, continuing his questioning with the casual tone of a friendly chat.

...

Despite his best efforts to hide it in that moment, a sudden, fleeting stiffness came over Hao Ke's body. To Fu Qian, it was as clear as day.

"Sorry, but I'm really not too clear on that... I just heard it stemmed from an incident with mass casualties, one that even dragged in an innocent couple. The Night Watchers obviously kept the whole thing tightly under wraps."

However, he hesitated for only a second before continuing his policy of holding nothing back.

Just how badly had Executive Yama Su terrified these people?

Nodding slightly, Fu Qian sighed inwardly.

In the mission summary back then, Classmate Su Gao had mentioned that to help him maintain a low profile, she had not only written the report herself but had also given a special "warning" to everyone present at the scene.

Clearly, the results were stellar.

So much time had passed, Hao Ke valued his own life dearly, and he was currently facing a lethal threat. Yet, even with these three conditions stacked upon him, he still chose to feign ignorance after a brief hesitation.

She really had gone out of her way for him.

"I see. Still, the situation you've described sounds like a perfectly logical development, doesn't it?"

Showing no sign of suspicion, Fu Qian quickly steered back to the main point, feigning confusion.

"After an incident like that, transcendents naturally became more cautious and focused on their own safety. Combine that with the Night Watchers ramping up their efforts, and what's so strange about things being a bit more peaceful?"

"This..."

Hao Ke stumbled over his words for the first time, seemingly struggling to convey his exact train of thought.

But it was a well-known fact that human potential was limitless. Under Fu Qian's intense scrutiny, Hao Ke finally forced himself past the hesitation. He looked down and began rummaging around on his person, leaving one to wonder just what kind of extraordinary item he had stashed away.

Unfortunately, at almost that exact moment, the strange sound of wind whistled through the air, and Fu Qian's vision began to sway.

Amid the harsh clatter of striking metal, all light was abruptly snuffed out.

...

"Hahaha... Now do you see the real reason I kept my distance? How do you like it down there?"

Over the continuous sound of falling, Hao Ke—who had just been looking down in search of something—raised his eyes to stare at the suddenly empty space in front of him. His submissive posture vanished entirely as he erupted into thunderous laughter.

"Honestly, I didn't prepare this for you. But the guy who inspired this, the one who made me realize I needed to make far more preparations..."

Even at a moment like this, he seemed subconsciously terrified of speaking too plainly, cutting his sentence short.

"Anyway, don't waste your energy. Aside from the sheer Depth of the place you just dropped into, it's built out of specially crafted materials. And don't even dream of tricking me into opening it back up for you."

"For now, you need to stay in there and reflect on your mistakes. You can start by thinking about how you're going to answer my questions—"

His helpful little tip was abruptly cut short. Amid an unnaturally crisp sound of shattering, Hao Ke's gaze went slack. He stared blankly at the erupting spray of metal fragments, and the biting white frost that surged out alongside them.

A moment later, an oddly shaped arm—one that was far colder and more crystalline than the frost—clamped directly onto his neck, hoisting his massive frame entirely off the ground.

"Do you understand?"

Knowing full well who the "guy" Hao Ke mentioned was, Fu Qian decided to honor the sentiment by highly cooperatively recycling one of his old lines.

"I... understand..."

Hao Ke was equally cooperative.

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