Eldritch Horror Theatre

"Does Your Excellency mean I should find a chance to warn the Night Watchers about the unconfirmed risks surrounding the dancers?"

His earnest offer was unexpectedly met with a casual rejection.

The attitude of this mysterious "Lao Wang" left Layton completely bewildered.

He didn't seem to be joking.

Staring at that placid face, Layton vaguely sensed a genuine trace of divinity radiating from it. He finally asked, carefully seeking confirmation.

"No, everything."

Fu Qian shook his head again, gesturing between the two of them.

"Our entire conversation? Including Gregor's theories?"

Layton grew even more confused.

After all, although their conversation hadn't contained much sensitive information, the man was so unfathomable that he presumably wouldn't want the Night Watchers knowing about certain topics.

Yet he had flatly refused the offer? If this wasn't a joke, his arrogance was simply staggering—

"No, by 'everything,' I mean you can even tell them about my current actions. There's nothing you can't say."

The next moment, however, Layton was hit with a triple denial.

Fu Qian's gesturing hand finally stopped near his own face as he emphasized with a smile.

"Of course, the answer to your previous question is your own personal gain. You can keep it to yourself if you wish."

...

He really meant the entirety of today's conversation... This "Lao Wang" didn't even mind being exposed to the Night Watchers?

Even though the man sitting across from him had such an easygoing demeanor, Mister Layton was completely dumbfounded.

He never expected the man to be so entirely unconcerned with exposure.

Mysterious and presumably immensely powerful, yes, but even a true Ancient King would hardly dismiss the Night Watchers so completely.

Although his own Rank wasn't high, Layton believed he still had a decent eye for things.

When Lao Wang first said their conversation could be shared with the Night Watchers, Layton had suspected it might be an intentional ploy to use the organization for some specific purpose.

It was a high-risk move, but not incomprehensible.

Yet with such glaring malicious intent, he still didn't need any help keeping it a secret?

From showing up at his door, to the contents of their talk, to openly suggesting he inform the Night Watchers... This blatantly obvious exploitation was beyond simply being audacious.

Though for him and The Club, it was the safest possible choice.

"Understood."

Even though his thoughts were still reeling from the shock, Layton nodded in agreement a moment later.

He might not understand the logic behind the man's actions, but he was certain of one thing: Lao Wang was serious.

"Thank you for sharing. I've learned a lot today."

Satisfied that Layton had grasped his point, Fu Qian didn't linger. He politely took his leave.

...

He was indeed trying to use the Night Watchers.

Ever since his first attempt to make a living here, he had considered using the local security forces to further stir up the situation.

Unfortunately, judging from what happened later, the Glasses Bro watching over the venue had failed to overcome his own limitations, choosing to silently swallow his business losses instead.

Now that such an excellent opportunity had finally presented itself, it would be a massive waste not to try pushing the boat along with the current.

His thanks to Mister Layton hadn't been mere politeness; their conversation had genuinely been highly beneficial.

And the most crucial part of it all was undoubtedly the past and present of the dancers.

To be honest, the views held by Layton and the members of The Club aligned perfectly with rational judgment.

It was just a vulgar commercial exploitation that bastardized traditional culture, and it hadn't even been around for very long.

If someone claimed that the marks drawn on their lower abdomens represented a hidden Transcendent Tier power in traditional human culture—or even a biological evolution—hardly anyone would believe them.

Not to mention the supposed contraceptive powers they later developed, which even the practitioners themselves admitted were completely ineffective.

However, when this same information fell into Fu Qian's ears, it sparked a theory regarding the "desecration" he was tasked to eradicate.

...

The folk art prototype performed by the dancers was actually a prayer dance to the gods representing an ancient faith, only the object of their worship had long been forgotten.

This was probably why the Night Watchers allowed such a thing to exist. After all, far too much of the original context had been lost.

Facts had also proven that aside from boosting tourism, it hadn't triggered any abnormal Transcendent Tier reactions... Just like the Inviolable.

Unfortunately, earlier today, the Inviolable had gained a master.

This change not only made that cheap glass trinket genuinely effective, but it also activated the previously dormant desecration—the Ancient Higher Being pointed to by the divine dance.

His condition might be exceedingly poor, perhaps not even qualifying as alive, but certain symbols related to Him had already been linked to the Inviolable through the medium of the dancers, even spawning an alternative concept.

For example, it was as if someone had found a box of unrecognized coins, scribbled on them, and claimed they had issued a currency that could buy things. No one would believe it, and no one would care.

Until one day, a country suddenly designated that very money as its legal tender. At that point, the person's actions would constitute defacing currency—that is, desecration.

But at the same time, there was another crucial point: by piggybacking off the legal tender, the money in that person's hands would also gain a certain degree of purchasing power... It was hard to say what kind of impact this would have on the condition of that Ancient Higher Being.

If this was truly the case, the only strange part of this hypothesis was why the Warehouse had assigned this mission in the first place.

After all, it seemed that if he, the master of the Third Cause, hadn't shown up, the negative effects wouldn't exist either. Was it really necessary to create a problem just to solve it himself?

Unless that act of scribbling on the counterfeit bills would eventually lead to severe consequences if it continued. If left untreated, it will only worsen.

In short, it was still just a theory right now and couldn't be immediately proven.

However, the countermeasures based on this theory could be implemented immediately—

Layton would definitely contact the Night Watchers. No matter how suspicious the mysterious figure was or how unreliable his words seemed, the terms Inviolable and dancer would absolutely be pushed to the Night Watchers' attention.

Even if purely to hunt him down, they would have to pay attention.

And the best part was that as soon as they paid attention, they would quickly discover an unprecedented anomaly.

Because the master of the Third Cause had returned.

This was a genuine open scheme.

Of course, no one knew what that evil power was doing right now—

"You finally came back? I thought you got lost."

As night fell, Fu Qian didn't have to expend much effort to find the hotel where the tour group was staying.

Almost as soon as he walked through the door, the Captain, who was standing in the lobby, spotted him and greeted him warmly.

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