Eldritch Horror Theatre

Was it really this fitting?

He had just been regretting the missed chance to step into that deep-sea-like darkness.

And in the blink of an eye, a mission came along and exiled him to the Underwater Prison?

The mission description was brief and hadn't even explained his identity.

But given the Warehouse's usual style, the mention of a prison meant it wouldn't let him sit safely on the shore to watch the sea—sure enough.

As he grumbled inwardly, his five senses rapidly returned.

Looking up, he saw only darkness; his line of sight didn't even extend past nine millimeters.

Indeed, the main reason his vision was so severely restricted wasn't just the lack of light—an extra obstacle had been added into the mix.

Fu Qian was absolutely certain that his head was currently locked inside a thick, round metallic object.

He could also clearly feel his chest and back clamped tightly in equally heavy Armor.

The problem was that this helmet didn't have a single opening to look through, and it clearly isolated his perception as well.

The effect might not be too obvious on him right now, but for anyone who didn't specialize in perception, even a Mid Tier powerhouse wearing this would likely walk straight into a wall.

On top of that, he could feel briar-like Spikes around his neck.

They were unusually sharp—definitely not ordinary items. The slightest careless movement would drive them straight into his flesh.

Whether in its effects or the way it was secured, the whole setup felt a bit too masochistic.

Considering the mission details from earlier, it was hard to find any explanation other than this being special treatment for prisoners.

No wonder Lane and the others had been so careful when taking the boat to explore the Ash Sea.

Not only had they been hiding from the Night Watchers, but it seemed they were also hiding from Siren.

Even if they weren't killed in passing, being dragged to a place like this to experience it firsthand would undoubtedly be a miserable affair.

But one had to look on the bright side: the helmet at least had a movable latch.

Screech—

Amidst a slightly ear-piercing grating sound, Fu Qian felt around the latch by his mouth and slid it aside, revealing a rectangular opening.

See? At least they provided meals.

...

Leaving a single isolated opening like this was clearly meant for eating.

From what he understood so far, the Night Watchers didn't care much about conflicts between transcendents.

Especially between these massive factions; their attitude essentially amounted to "beat each other's brains out for all we care."

However, the way Siren flaunted its infamy was still primarily through mental torment.

It wasn't hard to understand why they made such a choice.

Times had changed. Unlike the religious organizations of the Mythological Era, everyone nowadays was a businessman.

Profits reigned supreme. Without any extreme ideological conflicts, acting too ruthlessly would only ruin their reputation.

There were so many competitors out there, and one couldn't forget that talent was fluid.

Becoming a behemoth was one thing, but were they really planning to unite the transcendent realm?

Setting aside the Night Watchers, who were stationed right there to dictate the foundational rules, even the current transcendent circle was predominantly made up of independent individuals.

The advanced nature of such a conglomerate never manifested in an absolute monopoly over resources, but rather in a stable, functioning mechanism for entry, exit, and growth.

It was a pity that it obviously wasn't mealtime yet. He didn't have the chance to get a taste and see if the diet was primarily seafood.

"You're too noisy."

It seemed the joys and sorrows of humanity truly were not shared.

Just as Fu Qian was sighing in lament, an emotionless voice drifted over from across him, sounding extremely muffled due to the helmet's obstruction.

Contrary to Siren's imprisonment culture of savoring absolute solitude, he actually had a roommate.

...

The voice was like an ancient well without ripples, expressing straightforward disgust. Although it was just a short sentence, a profound sense of the gap in their realms of cultivation naturally arose.

His act of exposing his mouth before mealtime had not only been instantly detected because the place was simply too quiet, but it also seemed to have been interpreted as an attempt to communicate, an urge to relieve his loneliness.

And not only did the other party not welcome this behavior, but he also radiated disgust, proactively shutting down any possibility of further interaction.

Such behavior, combined with their current predicament, immediately brought to mind phrases like "a blessing in disguise" and "destruction precedes creation."

With both body and mind bound, this roommate had unexpectedly achieved complete enlightenment in the midst of adversity, surpassing his former self.

Generally speaking, after such an elevation in spiritual state, the next step would be the mastery of some divine technique.

Screech—

Amidst his admiration, Fu Qian actually pulled the latch over his mouth shut again. Quietly breathing in the less-than-pleasant air, he continued to carefully ponder whether there was still a chance to make it in time for dinner.

"...What were you trying to say just now?"

The silence didn't last too long. A moment later, the voice drifted over from across him once more.

Brother Roommate seemed to feel a trace of compassion for his earlier cold words, finally deciding to listen to the grievances of this restless soul.

Of course, this goodwill was clearly wasted on him.

For a full minute after those words were spoken, Fu Qian neither answered the call to slide open his mouthpiece again, nor did he voice a rejection.

...

Listen to his words, observe his actions.

If he truly wasn't afraid of loneliness, how could he be afraid of breaking it?

A competitor who had truly achieved complete enlightenment wouldn't feel a ripple in his heart even if Fu Qian had slid that metal plate back and forth until sparks flew.

When it came to the discipline of mental cultivation, this person still fell far short.

Speaking up the instant he heard Fu Qian's movements earlier wasn't a sign of a high realm at all. Essentially, he had been desperately struggling to keep his mental defenses from shattering.

As for now, it looked like those defenses were already shattered.

"...There's no need to be afraid. This place is just like this."

For instance, having received no response, the silence was quickly broken once more.

"When you first arrive, you feel terror and disgust. You wish you could immediately tear off these restraints. But after a long time, you'll find that they are actually supporting you... It's precisely because we bear these iron chains that we can walk without restraint."

He could almost feel the smile on his roommate's face through the words. Sharing insights on the life of a prisoner actually sounded somewhat philosophical.

And the iron chains he mentioned weren't even a metaphor.

Fu Qian was well aware that an iron chain of considerable weight was attached to the Armor on his back, clearly meant to restrict his range of motion.

Of course, he still didn't make a sound.

"I can no longer remember clearly how long I've been stuck in this place... but that process of transformation remains incredibly vivid to me even now.

"Trust me, I can tell you exactly how far away you are from that point. So don't worry, just say whatever is on your mind."

It had almost reached the point of gentle coaxing. Driven by this compassionate intent, his roommate's tone even gained a bit more humanity, and perhaps a bit of temper.

"So, have you gone mute—"

"You're too noisy."

Replicating the other party's opening line perfectly, Fu Qian instantly cut off his less-than-dignified display.

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