Eldritch Horror Theatre

"What do you want?"

A moment later, in the Night Watchers Base, the occupant of the Chief's office—which boasted a spectacular view—looked over with utter vigilance.

After several days apart, Chief Yuan's presence was even more radiant than before.

Clearly, the latter half of her vacation in the Sacred Night Capital had been quite pleasant.

Unsurprisingly, she was wearing the exact same fashionable outfit she had once scrutinized in a shop window.

Sure enough, some things were bound by the law of convergence. Even though she hadn't been dragged around by him in this final timeline, she had still added the outfit to her wardrobe.

He could easily imagine that before his arrival, she had been enjoying the quiet afternoon, buoyed by the good mood her new clothes brought.

...

"Didn't you tell me to come over for tea?"

"Isn't this a little too soon?"

She didn't deny leaving the message, but Yuan Shan obviously wasn't that easy to fool.

Their experiences in the Sacred Night Capital had felt almost surreal. Facing this man who was now a full tier higher than herself, the First Poison Strategist still felt her emotions tangle for a moment.

"Don't tell me you were actually sleeping upstairs when the message was delivered."

However, his tone and demeanor instantly pulled her back to their eventful days in Shangjing, loosening Yuan Shan's tension enough for her to ask the blunt question.

"Of course not. I just got here too. How is Old Man Henry doing?"

Fu Qian's smile didn't falter as he firmly denied being the sort of entrepreneur who would casually shut down business to sleep.

From Yuan Shan's words, he could tell she had probably arrived only a few hours before him.

"He's doing great... already back to enjoying his retirement."

Yuan Shan blinked, her expression turning slightly conflicted as she recalled her teacher's exact behavior before her departure. It seemed too awkward to put into words.

"Thanks for asking, by the way. He specifically instructed me to apologize for his initial rudeness."

"Don't worry about it. You can't blame the old man; anyone would find my behavior suspicious."

Facing the solemn Yuan Shan, Fu Qian waved his hand amiably, openly admitting that his actions were practically begging for a beating.

"Good that you know. I really can't figure out what goes through your head, going out of your way to pull a stunt like that right in front of a group of Night Watchers... Was it a requirement for some special ritual?"

Seeing that he possessed his usual self-knowledge, the First Poison Strategist, Yuan Shan, seemed completely relieved and launched into an endless litany of complaints.

"Even if it were, did you ever consider the risks involved? At the very least, you could have given me a heads-up beforehand—"

It was obvious that after he left, Old Man Henry had broken down the situation for his beloved disciple.

Likely with a hefty dose of disdain.

"He also asked me to pass along his gratitude for all the help you've provided to the Night Watchers."

Clearly, their brief exchange had given Old Man Henry a better understanding of his disciple's repeated miracles in Shangjing—and instilled in him a deep sense of worry.

This was just human nature. Overly sinister people always drew suspicion, even if he had already proven himself to be an upstanding citizen.

"It's just what any responsible citizen would do."

Sighing, Fu Qian offered the polite, considerate reply.

"...Also, you can rest assured. My teacher specifically promised that only the two of us will know about what happened during this incident."

Naturally, Yuan Shan found his claims of responsibility hard to swallow, but since he hadn't hinted at any intention to retire and return home, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She couldn't help it; this responsible citizen was simply too powerful. He was almost making them complacent. If he really left, she would definitely feel the loss.

"Thank you very much."

"...What kind of tea do you want?"

"Anything is fine."

...

"Tastes good."

Clearly, even though Chief Yuan had made the invitation, she wasn't particularly skilled at the art of tea.

In the end, it was her much-improved secretary, Classmate Xiao Ming, who answered the summons. She skillfully prepared the tea and quietly slipped out as the fragrant aroma filled the room.

And Fu Qian didn't hold their minor previous unpleasantness against her, offering his genuine praise.

"Thanks, but are you sure you only came to have tea with me—"

Chief Yuan accepted the praise without the slightest blush, though her suspicions clearly hadn't vanished.

"Chief."

Unfortunately, she was interrupted before she could finish by Classmate Xiao Ming, who had returned.

"Ms. Wen Li is here for a visit. She's waiting outside."

Aha—

At that moment, Yuan Shan practically jolted. Her eyes widened to an unprecedented degree as she stared dead at Fu Qian.

"Is this your real reason for coming here?"

"Yes. But she doesn't know I'm here."

Fu Qian's friendly candor continued.

"...Go invite her in."

Yuan Shan had completely run out of temper for her chief strategist. Undoubtedly intrigued by his words, she sighed and gave Xiao Mingyue a nod.

"So, do you also know why Wen Li is here?"

She didn't even wait for their guest to walk in before questioning him.

"I do. She ran into some trouble and needs the Night Watchers' help."

Strategist Fu answered without missing a beat.

"Even you can't help her?"

She was visibly surprised. Yuan Shan was intimately aware of the connection between Fu Qian and Wen Li.

Casually boosting someone to Tier 4 was a favor that could scarcely be measured in money.

It was hard to imagine a situation he was unwilling or unable to handle himself, forcing him to let the Night Watchers step in.

"Yeah."

Fu Qian simply nodded.

"Why?"

"Because the trouble came from the Night Watchers."

...

"What exactly happened? Which Night Watcher?"

Given the news Fu Qian had just dropped, staying shocked for a little longer would have been only human nature. But since the person involved was already on her way in, Yuan Shan didn't allow herself that luxury.

Although she rarely displayed much professional dedication, certain core beliefs were practically branded into her bones. Instantly, her gaze turned as sharp as a sword.

"Can you really not guess who it is? Have you never looked into Wen Li's background before she came to Shangjing?"

Fu Qian shot her a glance, not bothering to be subtle.

"Even if anyone below the Mid Tier isn't worth your attention, and even if they left very little information behind—didn't your colleagues' attitude toward her special talent strike you as abnormal for even a second?"

...

She pursed her lips in silence, but her reaction spoke volumes.

Fu Qian's words had clearly struck a nerve.

This time, however, she didn't race against the clock to pry for more details, as a knock on the door soon interrupted them.

"Hello, Chief Yuan."

Wen Li, whom they likewise hadn't seen for days, maintained her usual serene demeanor. She had even changed into formal outerwear and offered a polite greeting the moment she stepped through the door.

"Mister Fang."

The moment her gaze landed on Fu Qian, her expression softened even further.

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