Eldritch Horror Theatre

Essentially, using his sword intent to infiltrate the Swarm was like turning himself into a virus to infect a host.

Once "it" discovered him, it would undoubtedly do everything possible to eliminate the contamination and purify itself.

This was completely understandable, just as he would do everything in his power to kill "it."

"Why are you asking this?"

Hearing Fu Qian ask if there were other Warehouses, Lanaya frowned.

A moment later, her expression hardened as she began to understand his implication.

"Are you saying the killer might strike again right away?"

"While we can't rule out the possibility, how can you be so sure?"

She stared at him, her brow furrowed.

Fu Qian stretched lazily.

"A swordsman's instinct."

...

'Give him an inch and he takes a mile?'

'I don't know how you crossed disciplines to manifest sword intent, but isn't a "swordsman's instinct" taking it a bit too far?'

"Focus on driving."

Fu Qian didn't even need to look to know what Lanaya was thinking.

"What did you think of my move just now?"

"It was decent."

Thinking he was about to brag again, Lanaya answered casually.

"I have no idea how you managed it, but that was genuinely the True Intent of the Sword Dao. And it was reeking of murderous intent."

"Actually, it was more than just murderous intent. When I swung that sword, my instinct told me that as long as I slaughtered recklessly, it would continue to grow."

"You mean..."

Lanaya grasped his point.

"And after hearing your description of the crime scene just now, my first reaction was actually to feel a little tempted!"

Fu Qian put on a shocked expression.

"I even had the urge to replicate it perfectly. That's why I called it a swordsman's instinct."

"Then I thought about it. If they are anything like me, rushing to the next spot right now might just let us run into them!"

'Are you saying you can fully empathize with a killer?'

After Fu Qian finished, Lanaya fell into a long silence.

She hadn't interacted much with this temporary conscript and didn't know him well.

But his tone was so utterly certain that she had to consider the possibility.

After a brief hesitation, she called Jia Yi.

It was clear from the call that Jia Yi found her question odd, but he still provided the address to another Warehouse.

Lanaya immediately demanded, in a tone that brooked no argument, that they meet there directly.

Though full of complaints, Jia Yi ultimately agreed.

The timing was just about right!

Fu Qian heard every word of their conversation.

Recalling the time of the previous Warehouse attack, the timeline matched up perfectly.

...

When the two arrived, Jia Yi was still on his way.

Before the car even came to a complete stop, Lanaya's expression shifted as a scream rang out from ahead.

Uncontrollable surprise flashed through her eyes. She threw her door open and sprinted toward the sound.

Fu Qian stepped out after her, but instead of rushing over, he surveyed their surroundings.

Right at that moment, a streak of sword energy reeking of slaughter tore through the air, slashing straight for his back.

Despite the sudden ambush, Fu Qian seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He took a single step—seemingly slow but deceptively fast—and narrowly dodged the strike.

Turning around, he saw a lanky figure standing there, completely enveloped in a cloak and wearing a mask. A low, gurgling sound emanated from their throat.

"My instinct was right. The target is here!"

"I can feel it... my sword path thirsts for your blood!"

Ruan Shuo's voice drifted from beneath the mask, sounding like a bloodthirsty beast.

'That's what you think. In reality, that might not even be your own instinct!'

Fu Qian retorted silently.

Ruan Shuo, who should have been inside going on a massacre, had actually executed a feint to the east and strike to the west, luring Lanaya away to ambush him.

Fu Qian refused to believe that "its" will wasn't behind this.

It only proved his earlier judgment right. The flood of information had just been the beginning; the targeted attacks were only escalating.

"Die!"

Clearly knowing time was short, Ruan Shuo didn't waste another word. He lunged forward, his monstrous killing intent erupting instantly.

The sheer power was even more staggering than last time!

Facing Ruan Shuo's savage slash, Fu Qian recalled their clash at the Academy.

Compared to then, this sword intent was definitely several degrees more brutal.

Of course, his sanity had also deteriorated. The man's mind was being increasingly eroded by the sword intent.

It was a sword intent originally capable of slaying a Tier 5 Transcendent, and now it was even more ferocious.

Meeting the fierce sword energy head-on, Fu Qian didn't dodge or block; he simply threw a punch.

He didn't try anything flashy, not even lacing the strike with the myriad sword intents he had just comprehended.

When one's mind was chaotic, it was better to fight with simple, unadorned strikes.

Amid a dense chorus of shattering bones, Ruan Shuo—the incarnate Sword of Slaughter—was sent flying backward, slamming heavily into a wall.

His courage was commendable, but courage alone was useless. After his ambush failed, he never stood another chance.

Despite being battered almost beyond human recognition, Ruan Shuo still struggled to rise. Unfortunately for him, before he could succeed, a blast of concussive force slammed him back into the dirt.

This time, he didn't get up again. He simply and cleanly breathed his last.

"You're here."

Fu Qian nodded at the rushing Lanaya. She stared at him in disbelief, seemingly unable to process that he had just punched their target to death.

"Looks like my instinct was right. He really did come here."

Fu Qian couldn't care less what she was thinking. He just wanted to wrap this up quickly; he still had a lot to do.

"What happened here?"

At that moment, Jia Yi hurried over with several subordinates in tow.

Judging by his thunderous expression, he had probably already been briefed on the way over.

Lanaya let out a heavy breath.

Deciding to table her questions about Fu Qian for now, she walked over and pulled off Ruan Shuo's mask.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is the man who attacked your Warehouse."

Lanaya obviously didn't recognize Ruan Shuo.

"Now we just need to confirm his identity."

This...

Looking at the corpse on the ground, however, Jia Yi's expression was a bit strange.

"How did you know he was going to attack this place?"

"Instinct!"

Fu Qian's answer was short and to the point.

"That excuse won't convince anyone. I'm afraid I won't be able to explain this when I get back."

Jia Yi frowned, his skepticism on full display.

"You insisted on coming here for no reason, beat a man to death, and now you're telling me he's the killer. How do I know this wasn't orchestrated in advance?"

"What are you implying, Director Jia?"

Lanaya instantly flared up in anger.

Although Fu Qian's excuse was indeed far-fetched, Jia Yi's accusation crossed the line.

"I'm not implying anything. I just think the timing is highly suspicious, so it's only reasonable for me to have my doubts, isn't it?"

"It is reasonable."

Beside them, Fu Qian chimed in with agreement.

"By the way, have you tallied the casualties yet?"

He asked the question casually.

"At this Warehouse? One dead, two injured."

Jia Yi snorted.

"No! Two dead."

Fu Qian shook his head.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!