Eldritch Horror Theatre

The legends were true: a cabin upgrade really did provide a better experience.

Unsurprisingly, no one objected when he and Su Gao volunteered, nor did Excellency Stoss ask to tag along like last time.

For one thing, they lacked a clear target; they were merely trying to find a breakthrough.

For another, given their previous experience, leaving Ai Ke and Ah Kai here by themselves was clearly not a safe idea.

Ultimately, the Old Man chose to stay behind and hold the fort. He watched the two partners—who had performed astonishingly well along the way—quickly vanish into the passage to enter the upper levels of the ship once more.

And Fu Qian's previous judgment was immediately proven right once again.

Standing at this higher vantage point, they could still clearly "see" the giant Spire outside, but they could no longer see the Old Man and the other two, or any specific details of the layer below.

It wasn't that the ship had actually turned transparent; information was merely being transmitted inside as a visual illusion.

Regardless, the view felt at least a bit more open.

Furthermore, the Marr Brothers' recent act of feeding themselves to the ship hadn't just been for show. Even up here on this unseen second level, the previous damage had been fully repaired.

Coupled with the fact that Old Man Stoss had long since burned the Feathers left by the Prison Archangel to ash, this entire floor suddenly looked much tidier.

Unfortunately, that was all it was.

Just as the Old Man had said, this ship and its passengers seemed to be nothing more than spectators witnessing history.

No matter what grand, eerie horrors existed outside, they had no effect on this transcendent place.

"It seems that apart from the Mental Shock we endured, there really is no other impact."

With her swift steps and sharp eyes, Demigod Su appeared to have ultimately arrived at the same conclusion.

...

"Yeah. Otherwise, those ancient remnants wouldn't have been able to maintain such a consistent appearance."

Cutting a much more relaxed figure by comparison, Fu Qian quickly agreed with Su Gao's assessment.

Both were High-Tier Transcendents with a certain level of perception. In truth, they didn't need to investigate much to reach a conclusion; they were just confirming it now.

Besides, consistency didn't necessarily mean stability—it could also mean consistent distortion.

"As for the oceanic traits on their bodies, along with the algae and mist in here, the source should still be this ship."

A moment later, Fu Qian gestured toward the glowing aquatic plants scattered around them.

"That's what I thought, too. Certain concepts belonging to the ship itself seem to be infecting them, causing them to undergo mutations that fit that theme, even though they aren't actually sailing on a real sea."

As partners who had worked together on a temporary basis many times, their communication was direct and highly efficient.

Although Fu Qian's explanation was a bit abstract, Su Gao kept up with his line of thought perfectly—or rather, she already harbored similar suspicions.

"I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the ship coming alive, but it's somewhat similar to the distortion we suffered."

Very impressive. Regardless of the original reasoning behind this arrangement, Classmate Su Gao was clearly demonstrating a level of competence that entirely justified it.

Meeting Su Gao's questioning gaze, Fu Qian silently praised her.

True leadership didn't lie in talking a lot. Clear thinking, decisive action, grasping the core issue—even with Excellency Stoss stealing the spotlight this time, he couldn't mask the brilliance she had shown throughout this investigation.

He was certain the Old Man wouldn't deny that, either.

And most importantly, she had an eye for talent.

Although it was only a guess, it was enough to show that Su Gao never forgot to view the incident as a whole.

And her thoughts aligned almost perfectly with his own.

Wandering for thousands of years with its slumbering passengers inside, The Ark had protected them from outside influence, yet ultimately failed to avoid stealing what it was entrusted to guard.

By coming alive—or rather, by acquiring a certain will of existence—it had, over time, transmitted some of its essential characteristics to its passengers.

For example, the concept of a "ship" had caused the people inside, and even the vessel itself, to undergo changes that aligned with that theme.

As for newcomers, the process of their vision brightening could be understood as the gradual acquisition of the "passenger" identity.

Speaking of which, his midnight deadline still hadn't triggered, and the change in brightness before him still wasn't particularly obvious.

Could it be that once this ship set sail, it entered a true state of spatial-temporal chaos, meaning he didn't have to worry about being forced to work overtime anymore?

If so, did that mean he had found another place to slack off?

It even looked milder than the place Senior Liliana had chosen.

"I'm of a similar mind. Perhaps this just goes to show that everything comes with a price... Shall we head up and take a look?"

Sighing, Fu Qian agreed and pitched his cabin upgrade plan.

"Alright."

With their naturally high efficiency and the fact that they had just been here, they quickly did a sweep of this Second Layer.

Aside from a better view, they made no new discoveries, making Fu Qian's suggestion sound entirely logical.

Even though moving higher would make it harder to keep an eye on the others below due to the ship's shielding effect.

But in the next moment, having accepted the suggestion, Su Gao stepped forward to lead the way without hesitation.

...

"The changes here seem even less significant."

They had returned to the highest level of The Ark—the first time they had done so during this exploration.

As Fu Qian surveyed the scene before him, he quickly reached a conclusion.

The phosphorescence, the mist, the wheat fields... other than a slightly different visual feel caused by the scenery outside, the layout and various structures were practically identical to his memory of their first visit.

Of course, the perk of having a better view from up high remained.

Even though this small difference in elevation was negligible compared to the ever-approaching Spire, the feeling of progress was still inevitable.

Furthermore, as the ship drew closer, they could already observe more details of the Tower. The conclusion, however, was that there really were no details—it was simply too smooth and uniform.

A colossal structure like this, especially one from the ancient Mythological Era, had to be connected to faith in one way or another.

But unlike most Holy Temples or shrines, this structure's exterior was completely devoid of ornamentation. There was only a fine white stone surface and faint seams.

If one had to draw a comparison, it looked a bit like a pyramid that had been smoothed out and stretched.

"Yes."

Sweeping her gaze carefully over the surroundings, Su Gao quickly came to the same conclusion beside him.

Except this time, her pace slowed somewhat. Even as she agreed, she joined Fu Qian in examining the view outside the ship, showing faint signs of a passive slowdown.

But how could Classmate Su Gao engage in a passive slowdown?

Sighing inwardly, Fu Qian took the lead.

Her attitude was clear: the reins had been handed over, and he was free to do whatever he wanted.

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