Eldritch Horror Theatre

'So it really still hasn't appeared?'

Watching Dorian—who looked like he could barely restrain himself from thrusting the Long Spike at him over that reply—Fu Qian was actually thinking about something else.

Yes, the reason he had spiked Brother Dorian's alert level so aggressively wasn't out of dissatisfaction with his prior experiences, but simply because the Warehouse's instructions were stalling.

Aside from providing an initial name and number, the Mission Warehouse hadn't made a single peep since he broke free from the Healing Dreamscape and started talking to the attending physician. It was treating this like an open-world setting, leaving him to do as he pleased.

Unfortunately, after dealing with it for so long, Fu Qian didn't think this special entity possessed that kind of composure.

He leaned toward the judgment he'd vaguely formed earlier: this place was special, placing certain constraints on the Warehouse's influence. The lack of a mission briefing was one such example.

The solution to this situation was actually quite simple.

As an administrator, he needed to be more proactive. He had to play the catfish stirring up the muddy waters, working from his end to provoke the Warehouse into issuing a mission.

Admittedly, this behavior went against his usual low-key style, and exposing himself while flying blind would objectively increase the mission's difficulty.

The art of navigating such trade-offs was a matter of residing in a single mind.

Thanks to his final choice, Brother Dorian became the first victim.

First breaking free from the Healing Dreamscape with almost no hesitation, and then acting excessively sharp and blunt upon coming out—that should be enough to raise Dorian's guard to the highest degree, forcing him to stop beating around the bush.

"I must say, out of all the outsiders who have come here, you are quite a special one... So, could you explain your purpose in pretending to need treatment?"

Dorian didn't disappoint. After a brief moment of thought, he quickly offered this praise, showing absolutely no intention of lowering the murder weapon in his hand.

"What do you mean, pretending?"

However, Fu Qian was surprisingly dissatisfied with that last statement. He pointed at his own face.

"Does my mental state look healthy to you?"

...

Heh!

It was obvious that the moment Fu Qian finished speaking, he was already standing in an invincible position. Dorian clearly had no way to refute someone who would ask such a question.

"But regardless, you aren't planning to receive any more treatment, are you?"

His subsequent response was classic. He sneered repeatedly, his vigilance undiminished, continuing to assume that Fu Qian harbored malicious intentions.

"True. To be honest, your treatment methods left me a bit disappointed."

Since the man was being so cooperative and actively digging deeper into the issue, Fu Qian was naturally very satisfied.

Even though his immediate reaction was to turn around and point at the five Dolls for a harsh critique.

"A very interesting concept, but the quality of your props is ultimately lacking. Take this Madam Hilaria, for example. If the alluring effect she produced had been stronger, I might not have even come up from the Underground."

This wasn't baseless flattery. Among all five Dolls, Hilaria was undoubtedly the most special.

And the sheer relief brought about by being embraced in her arms—a feeling as if all four elements were empty—was a temptation to the soul that absolutely could not be underestimated.

Anyone else would likely find it very difficult to part with that sensation.

So while breaking free from it seemed simple—just walking all the way up from below into the Church, then heading outside over the courtyard wall, and sitting in the dark for a while—there were actually quite a few hidden obstacles involved.

"Is that so? I certainly didn't notice."

Unfortunately, Dorian clearly treated Fu Qian's words as mere social pleasantries. With a smile that didn't reach his eyes, he agreed hollowly while stepping forward, stopping right in front of Hilaria's chair to stare at the exquisitely crafted Doll.

Then, right under Fu Qian's gaze, he reached out, grabbed the Doll by its neck, and hoisted it into the air.

"So, do you know why the quality of the props is lacking?"

...

Dorian's actions were undeniably rough. The tugging distorted the Doll's posture, pulling a portion of the black veil away from its face.

Of course, Fu Qian didn't care about this mistreatment of office supplies. He was more interested in the question that followed.

"Because its materials aren't the best."

Gratifyingly, Dorian performed exactly as expected, answering his own question without needing any prompting.

"So, do you know what the best material is?"

With a thud, he tossed the Doll near Fu Qian's hand like a piece of trash as he asked.

"The person herself?"

Constantly letting the other party answer their own questions was undeniably a bit impolite. And although Fu Qian had never done this kind of handiwork, empathy had always been his strong suit. It was easy for him to relate to the frustrations of striving for perfection, so he casually picked up the Doll and posed the counter-question.

"...I am really starting to wish more and more that you'd stay here!"

Although Dorian didn't immediately judge whether he was right or wrong, his expression said it all.

He allowed Fu Qian to fiddle with his medical equipment, and the tension on his face even eased a fraction.

"I don't know what your actual purpose for coming here is, but you're right. A fake is ultimately a fake; how could it compare to the original in the slightest—"

"So, are you interested in taking this piece of trash and exchanging it for the original?"

Following that passionate declaration, he finally presented his proposal, an indescribable excitement lighting up in his eyes.

It seemed that just thinking about what he was proposing made him unimaginably thrilled.

"Although your logic seems a little flawed, I can roughly try to understand it."

Frowning slightly, Fu Qian held the Doll—which was only a quarter of a real person's height—in his hand and replied casually.

Just like Dorian, this was clearly an item of a Transcendent Tier nature. Even now, staring into those eyes that sparkled more brightly than the original's, he could feel a unique sense of intoxication.

"Are you trying to tell me that the real Hilaria is nearby, and I can go bring her here to serve as the raw material for your new tool, in exchange for better treatment conditions?"

"How about it? Are you interested?"

As if some hidden desire in his heart had been inadvertently ignited, Dorian's voice even grew urgent.

"Or you can name your terms, as long as I can fulfill them."

"So the others are here too?"

Unfortunately, Fu Qian's awful personality showed itself once again. Remaining noncommittal, he instead turned to inspect the remaining four Dolls.

"Yes, they're all here. But without a doubt, Hilaria is the best one. You're not interested in her?"

Seeming to realize that he had been far too eager and had lost the initiative, Dorian reined in his emotions and slowed his speech.

"No, I am interested."

Fu Qian shook his head, his attitude suddenly becoming decisive.

"Tell me where she is."

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