Eldritch Horror Theatre

As the saying goes, judge actions not intent. When it came to using people, Fu Qian never made pointless demands.

For example, whether they actually wanted to do it.

Madam Xiao Ying had run all the way here with a clear goal: to slip away from him and report the critical news of a Night Watcher's visit to the Huang Clan's upper echelons.

This was despite the fact that trespassing here seemed strictly forbidden.

Whatever important operation was taking place inside clearly brooked no interruptions.

As for why Madam Xiao Ying had still led him here despite knowing this, it was naturally because he had given her a reason she couldn't ignore: this trespassing Night Watcher was behaving very strangely.

To a family that had recently been embroiled in an incident, this was a gravely serious signal.

As a responsible guard, Xiao Ying had gone through an internal struggle before ultimately choosing to act expediently in an emergency.

As for why he was so certain this ban existed?

After advancing silently for a short distance, Fu Qian concealed his aura and tucked himself into a blind spot to watch the exchange ahead.

It was because Xiao Ying, despite rushing all the way here, had still been stopped and denied entry.

Even the gatekeeper turned out to be an acquaintance—Huang Jianyuan, the son of Old Man Huang Leji.

Always known for his fiery temper, he currently offered absolutely no room for negotiation.

He even harbored clear suspicions about the news she had brought.

"Given our previously decent relationship, their new person in charge should have restricted him from contacting us."

"Setting aside the fact that the Night Watchers couldn't possibly know what's going on in here, even if some information really did leak, it wouldn't be him sneaking over to investigate."

Having not seen him for several days, the gatekeeper—who didn't seem to have grown any sharper—frowned as he rapidly analyzed the situation.

"I thought the same thing at first, which is why I deliberately tailed him for a while longer before revealing myself to stop him."

Guard Xiao Ying was undoubtedly frantic, but she still didn't dare slight the gatekeeper, choosing instead to explain patiently.

"I can confirm with absolute certainty that he was actively avoiding detection. He even went out of his way to change his clothes."

That was because he had deliberately not changed.

Fu Qian gave Madam Xiao Ying a certain degree of credit for her professionalism, silently adding that detail in his head.

He had altered his face without changing his outfit. Captain Qiao wearing his original clothes was naturally abnormal, but for a sneaking, covert Captain Qiao, it made perfect sense.

He had previously gone over the principle that two negatives make a positive, and this once again proved its effectiveness.

...

"But that still doesn't explain why they would send him."

It was obvious that Madam Xiao Ying's words carried at least some weight.

After she laid out the details with absolute certainty, Huang Jianyuan fell silent. Although reluctant to accept the reality, he stopped raising pointless doubts and began pondering the underlying reasons.

"I didn't understand it at first either, but on the way here, I suddenly realized something—what if he wasn't sent here at all? What if he came on his own initiative to pass on some information?"

Taking a deep breath, Madam Xiao Ying lowered her voice despite the fact that no one else was around.

"He wasn't covering his tracks to hide from us. He was hiding from the Night Watchers."

"There's bad news, and he came out of his way to warn us?"

His eyes lighting up, Huang Jianyuan demonstrated the comprehension of a rising star of the new generation.

"I didn't know he and my father shared such a deep bond, but I have to admit, that makes a lot more sense."

The visitor being a friend rather than a foe was undeniably a good thing.

But if it were true, the implications were terrifying.

"I thought so too. That's why I had him detained and rushed over as fast as I could."

"I felt it was absolutely necessary to report this immediately."

Xiao Ying looked relieved, noting that great minds think alike.

"I understand what you mean... but communication devices don't work in here. I'll just have to figure out a way to get someone to contact my father and the others as quickly as possible."

Huang Jianyuan agreed with her once more, giving a slight nod as he glanced into the depths behind him.

"They still haven't found the Blood Lion? I'll just go inside and deliver the message myself."

Following his gaze, Xiao Ying was visibly dissatisfied with this level of efficiency.

"Sorry, but my father gave strict orders. I can't let anyone inside."

Unfortunately, Huang Jianyuan shook his head a second later, leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.

"Just as I must remain right here. I'm not allowed to take a single step away."

...

So the cause of this whole incident was the Blood Lion going missing?

The Huang Clan mobilizing all their elites was actually for a rescue operation inside the Volcano?

Madam Xiao Ying's question had undoubtedly leaked a crucial piece of information, making Fu Qian increasingly pleased with his patience in waiting here.

Although their conversation had mostly revolved around his disguised identity, those few stray words had cleared up the situation considerably.

It seemed that Huang Zhixun—who had kept an unusually low profile ever since returning to the ancestral grounds—had encountered some specific incident. The Huang Clan had received solid intelligence linking his disappearance to the interior of this mountain, prompting them to organize this rescue operation.

Of course, that was only the superficial reason.

The true purpose of this search and rescue operation probably wasn't quite so simple.

It seemed highly likely that Huang Leji and the others knew a thing or two about what was hidden inside here.

The reason for this assumption was simple—

If this were just an ordinary disappearance, and they had already mobilized such a massive force, why would a capable guard like Xiao Ying be excluded from the operation?

Even the gatekeeper was an absolutely trusted family descendant.

Huang Zhixun's motives for bringing people back home hadn't been pure. If even an outsider could sense that something was off, there was no way Old Man Huang had missed it.

Consequently, it was hard to believe this rescue operation was as straightforward as it seemed.

As expected of the Volcano's interior. The moment he arrived, he could already smell the scorching tension in the air.

"Alright... then I'll head back. If I'm gone for too long, I'm worried that guy might try something else."

Naturally, Huang Jianyuan's rigid adherence to the rules had managed to irritate the family guard.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Xiao Ying let out a long sigh and decisively gave up on pressing the issue.

She didn't even bother masking her disappointment as she immediately turned on her heel and walked away.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Giving a slight nod, Huang Jianyuan made no attempt to pacify her. Instead, he kept his eyes locked onto her retreating back, clearly wanting to ensure that she actually left.

Despite having her back turned, Madam Xiao Ying seemed completely aware of his scrutiny. She moved swiftly, darting out of his line of sight before rapidly approaching Fu Qian's hiding spot—where she abruptly stopped, her body seamlessly blending into the shadows.

Her previous resignation had merely been a smokescreen. Not only was she unwilling to be shut out, she was also fully prepared to take direct action.

Watching this unfold with great interest, Fu Qian had already thoughtfully activated his Blood Crusade, waiting to enjoy her performance.

Her stealth skills were undeniably impressive, but the passageway was narrow, and Huang Jianyuan wasn't a complete idiot. The odds of her successfully slipping past him didn't look particularly high.

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