Eldritch Horror Theatre

Patients ignoring a doctor's orders were a headache, but following them too closely could also have side effects.

Even though she was essentially giving him a gift, and her method seemed to be in poor taste, upon closer thought, it was perfectly normal—impeccable, even.

However, what was truly abnormal was that she had completely detached her own consciousness from the process.

Every sentence of the message revolved around him, and her arrangements were highly targeted, yet the process had triggered a call so faint it was almost negligible.

This was undoubtedly an unconventional disconnect between the heart and the mind.

Madam Sissi had already learned to enjoy the cognitive Dislocation he had suggested, even treating it as a game to train herself.

She truly lived up to her years of manic delusions; an ordinary person wouldn't possess such flexible cognitive control.

As for why he hadn't pointed this out when answering Sissi's question just now, choosing instead to play along and give her the answer she wanted to hear?

There was no need.

There was no rush to shatter the safe zone of her "inner world" just yet.

"Thank you, but there is no reward without merit. Shouldn't I do something in return?"

Fu Qian showed not the slightest hint of disappointment over losing out on a house, even taking the initiative to address the matter of labor compensation.

"It's fine, just consider it an advance payment—"

She could tell that Fu Qian genuinely liked the gift. Sissi was quite satisfied with this development and waved off his concerns.

"Tell me more about your unusual experience back then. What details can you still recall?"

However, her generosity was instantly cut short. Meeting her with a warm yet probing gaze, Fu Qian smiled and offered a suggestion.

...

"Before Mother passed away, we spent most of our time living together."

Even though he had offered to repay her—and theoretically, she had every right to refuse—under the gaze of those eyes, the words of rejection caught in her throat.

"She was very good to me. It's just that she hadn't come home yet before I went to sleep that night. So, when a clap of thunder woke me up, I wanted to go see if she was back..."

After a brief hesitation, Sissi ultimately obliged his request, sinking into those distant memories.

"And then you saw two identical versions of her sitting together? Did they do or say anything else?"

When it came to critical information, Fu Qian's memory was always sharp.

"No, neither of them spoke... However, while I was frozen in shock, the one sitting slightly closer seemed to turn her head and look at me."

As if forced to confront a scene she desperately wished to avoid, the cheerfulness completely vanished from Sissi's face. Her voice dropped low.

Of course, despite her strong emotional display, as her attending physician, Fu Qian knew perfectly well that her reliability wasn't very high.

Her aptitude for psychological disorders was rather exceptional. If she were sent to the Linghui Courtyard, she would undoubtedly be considered a prodigy.

And right at this moment, the evolution of her mental Black Box was advancing by leaps and bounds.

"But that was all. After I ran away, nothing else happened. They didn't chase after me, nor did they come looking for me..."

Sissi's eerie behavior continued, pushing her complex emotions to a crescendo with that final sentence.

"I'm sorry to hear that; I can only imagine how you felt. Now, describe the appearance of that Hand Axe for me."

Fu Qian didn't mind playing the supportive listener for a moment, glancing at Sissi's wrist as he spoke.

...

"Is there any point to that?"

Her hand flinched back almost subconsciously. Even though Fu Qian's question seemed like a massive leap in logic, Sissi, having lived through it, knew exactly what he was referring to, and she was clearly sensitive about certain details.

That Nightmare of an experience had ultimately ended with her using a collectible Hand Axe to ruthlessly chop off a hand.

It had even left a physical scar, proving that it hadn't been a simple dream.

"There is. If you describe it in detail, I might be able to find that lost item and bring it back for you someday."

Fu Qian wasn't about to let her off the hook so easily, continuing to paint a rosy picture for her.

"It wasn't very big, and it was quite exquisite..."

Clearly not expecting such a reason, Sissi stared straight at Fu Qian for a long moment before seemingly choosing to believe him, slowly beginning her description.

"It had hollowed-out patterns on it, so it wasn't very heavy..."

It made perfect sense. Otherwise, no matter how much rage consumed a small child, it was hard to imagine her wielding such a lethal weapon.

"Do you still remember the shape of the patterns?"

Nodding slightly in acknowledgment of this logic, Fu Qian continued to press for details.

"I remember..."

And surprisingly, she didn't disappoint. After a brief hesitation, Sissi not only nodded but walked right over to grab a pen and paper, casually sketching it out.

Although Fu Qian was no artist, just by observing her posture and the way she held the pen, he could sense a distinct aura of professionalism.

From this perspective, her previous praise for Tan Ying's drawing skills seemed to hold even more weight.

...

"It's been so many years, after all. I can only remember the rough outline."

She didn't keep Fu Qian waiting for long. Soon, Sissi set down the pen and handed over her sketch.

"It really does look exquisite."

The curved blade was elegant, its patterns distinct and extraordinary.

Taking the simple sketch, Fu Qian examined its clean, uncrowded lines.

Moreover, she had been far too modest. Though sketched casually, the details were remarkably rich. With a single glance, one could almost feel the brutal aura radiating from the original item.

This object had likely made frequent appearances in Madam Sissi's midnight dreams.

"So, can you really find it?"

Hearing the weapon that had once harmed her being praised was clearly a strange sensation. Sissi furrowed her brow slightly, expressing her skepticism about Fu Qian's claim.

"I can't be sure, but I'll keep an eye out. Wish us luck."

He didn't even keep the drawing, instead casually handing it back to her.

Though his words sounded like an empty promise, Fu Qian wasn't just paying lip service.

The exact nature of those three perilous days that had permanently altered Madam Sissi's worldview was still uncertain, but one thing was fairly clear: the missing Hand Axe had most likely been taken by a senior.

As for the two Mothers she had seen, Fu Qian speculated that one of them had likely been that senior in disguise.

They were elites trained by the Warehouse, after all. Even if they lacked his mastery in crafting human disguises, it wouldn't be surprising if they possessed items that could achieve a similar effect.

Therefore, actively searching for the item based on that sketch might not yield much, but under the right circumstances, it could serve as a marker to track down that senior's traces.

In that scenario, not only would he gain an intelligence advantage, but he might also successfully trace the origins of what had happened to Madam Sissi all those years ago.

To a professional, a patient's medical history was always of utmost importance—especially when it involved a psychological condition.

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