Eldritch Horror Theatre

"Not bad."

Calm and tranquil, an ancient well without ripples. Compared to her previous Dark Form, Hilaria's current presence was akin to breaking through her barriers and achieving complete enlightenment.

Fu Qian was fairly certain her words were not a tactic of retreating in order to advance to secure her survival, but rather that death truly no longer brought her any fear.

Her eyes, which had been blinking frantically just moments ago, now shone only with the light of wisdom.

Of course, for Fu Qian, the assessment of "not bad" did not mean he actually thought this state was better.

The key lay in the change.

The Bitter Fruit he was looking for was something that was currently growing.

Ever since the Containment Conditions appeared, finding a change had become more important to him than finding secrets.

Unfortunately, reality had played out in reverse. The Natives' deep-seated little secrets were being dug up one after another, while all of Akons appeared excessively immersed in peaceful years, showing no signs of any major disturbances.

Furthermore, that wasn't all. The most important thing was that Hilaria's current posture immediately reminded him of the very beginning of the mission, when she had explained the effects of her treatment down in the Underground Stone Chamber—

The effect of her embrace was to "catalyze the filth in one's heart so that it withers away," thereby achieving true peace.

Looking at her current state, it very much seemed as though she had embraced herself.

Was this behavior a manifestation of the Bitter Fruit? Had he wrongly blamed the Warehouse earlier?

It had arranged for his mission to start with a conversation with Hilaria; had it actually been trying its hardest to give him a hint?

Not bad. As long as he maintained this positive mindset, there was still room for progress.

Faced with this new discovery, Fu Qian's first reaction was to try to find a silver lining for the Warehouse's lackluster performance this time around.

If Hilaria's unusual behavior was truly related to the Bitter Fruit, then some of his initial assessments—and even the very name of this Containment Object—were quite fitting.

The target he was looking for was something growing on a spiritual level.

The Natives, who possessed deep spiritual roots, were passively "comprehending" something, ultimately cultivating it to fruition.

Of course, that was the optimistic view.

If this hypothesis held true, Hilaria's change before his eyes likely represented a very pessimistic point—the Bitter Fruit had already fully grown within her, which was why she exhibited such a state.

This undoubtedly confirmed his previous concerns: the time left for him was actually running out.

At the same time, in the recently concluded second Healing Dreamscape, some of Madam Bride Sarah's actions seemed to serve as supporting evidence to a certain extent.

Unlike the first time in reality when she cautiously performed a C-section on herself, the Sarah who had taken the initiative to run downstairs spoke far more abstractly. She had chosen to violently tear her own stomach open, emphasizing that "even the Offspring cannot represent Him."

This mental state, as well as the lines he had mocked at the time for sounding like Hilaria's style, could also be seen as a manifestation of the Bitter Fruit from his current perspective.

It was just that because it hadn't happened in reality, under the circumstances at the time, it was clearly more appropriate to understand it as Dorian pushing her to her absolute limits in a desperate bid to survive.

All in all, it appeared the Bitter Fruit was indeed using the Natives as soil to grow, and he didn't have much time left.

...

"Why haven't you made your move?"

Hilaria obviously couldn't have guessed that Fu Qian would read so deeply into a single sentence of hers.

However, she didn't seem to care.

Facing death, the current Hilaria possessed a natural tranquility that felt almost like a homecoming.

Seeing that Fu Qian was in no rush to act, she even casually reminded him.

"Have you thought it through? You won't be able to serve Excellency Akons after this."

Fu Qian marveled at her free-spirited detachment, but he still offered a polite reminder.

"That was only a self-perceived service. My so-called devotion was clumsy and hypocritical. Even now, I merely understand this point, but I cannot truly achieve it."

She let out a long sigh. While it showed that her past actions were truly unbearable, Hilaria did not feel ashamed; instead, she possessed a quiet indifference, letting it all scatter with the wind.

"To actually use this method to become my own special symbol—perhaps it will allow me to draw closer to Him..."

The God of Insight and Wisdom was still her faith; she hadn't been corrupted into changing her beliefs.

Besides, achieving complete enlightenment was truly something else. To think she would actually plagiarize his lines, and without even blushing.

Making a split-second judgment, Fu Qian nodded inwardly while casually making a mental quip.

The form of power corresponding to the Bitter Fruit seemed far purer than these ancient deities.

The changes occurring in the corrupted seemed merely to be a clearer comprehension and an elevation of their mental state—the Dao at the very pinnacle of cultivation.

A certain concept he had encountered more than once flashed through Fu Qian's mind in that instant.

If that were true, it was truly brimming with Chan.

Was this God-Forsaken Land being purified and delivered by some special, pure conceptual authority?

Eliminating their delusions and granting the Natives great liberation?

And his mission was to stop all of this?

It sounded like an act that deserved damnation.

Of course, given that he had done this sort of thing far too many times, his heart didn't stir with even the slightest ripple. Instead, Fu Qian focused on another point—

If this were truly the case, re-examining the Containment Conditions undoubtedly provoked deep thought.

At least one of the Natives must survive.

One reason for their uniqueness was already apparent: because they were the soil in which the Bitter Fruit grew.

But at the same time, the Warehouse didn't allow him to simply eradicate the soil. In other words, having everyone die would be just as unacceptable a consequence as the Bitter Fruit fully maturing.

Would turning this place into a ghost town trigger some terrible reaction?

What role was this speck of historical dust, which seemingly should have vanished long ago, actually playing?

Regarding the specific form of Akons' existence, Fu Qian suddenly grew even more curious.

Furthermore, the operational difficulty of this mission was indeed extremely high.

Aside from having to operate from behind a glass pane, these Natives of Akons showed zero immunity to the Bitter Fruit. It was hard to imagine anyone being an exception.

"That makes perfect sense. From that perspective, shouldn't you be thanking me?"

While making his assessment, Fu Qian nodded with a smile, even casually claiming credit.

"It does sound that way—"

"You're welcome."

Hilaria's response came to an abrupt halt; her neck, its spine snapped, was already hanging from Fu Qian's grip.

Although she had achieved complete enlightenment, the Bitter Fruit still hadn't acted like typical evil powers and granted her an extraordinary physique.

Her eyes and lungs couldn't be damaged.

Recalling Dorian's requirements, Fu Qian carefully carried Hilaria in one hand, left the Church along the familiar path once more, and headed straight for the Clinic.

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