Eldritch Horror Theatre

How much inner turmoil lay between hiding behind the scenes and stepping into the open?

The meaning behind such a conspicuous display was self-evident.

Unlike before, when it was secretly tucked away in a corner, it was obviously placed there to be found.

No matter how one looked at it, "escalation" seemed the only appropriate word for the situation.

So not only was someone waiting for him at the interview site, just as predicted, but they were taking things to an extreme right from the start?

While marveling at the unpredictability of things, Fu Qian was also acutely aware of how delicate the situation was.

When an opponent chose a frontal assault over covert schemes, it usually meant their move would be incredibly difficult to counter.

After all, the very reason one resorted to working in the shadows was usually because their plot would be easily countered if exposed.

In this specific situation, the dilemma was how to deal with the object hanging right in front of him—something so utterly worthless it couldn't even be given away for free.

While that might look calm and composed, it would undoubtedly betray a guilty conscience.

With something so conspicuous practically shoved in his face, ignoring it would be a dead giveaway that he recognized its significance and was merely covering one's ears to steal a bell.

What if he showed no reaction, refused to go in, and simply walked right past?

Then wouldn't he have to explain his motive for coming straight here with such clear purpose?

Not to mention that he had already claimed to be Ariel from the very start, parading around under such a prominent name.

Should he react, examine it out of curiosity, and then genuinely treat it like nothing more than an ugly ragdoll?

That might seem like a relatively appropriate response, but how could he forget that the entity behind this ragdoll was a Tier 2 with an arsenal of bizarre methods?

While his status might be hard to confirm from a distance, once he held the doll in his hands, could he really be so confident that his presence at the Transcendent Tier—let alone his exact Rank—would remain undetected?

Should he drop the act entirely, trigger Asura Mode, and obliterate the ragdoll into dust?

Leaving aside how much damage destroying something tossed out simply to strike the grass to startle the snake would actually transfer to its operator, what if the Night Watchers were operating as a group?

Wouldn't he instantly go from being the fisherman who reaped the rewards to the snipe and clam caught in the struggle?

In short, the tiny ragdoll hanging there was a true open scheme built on absolute confidence in their own strength. The moment it was displayed, it meant he had to lay out something of equal weight in response—Fu Qian walked inside without a trace of hesitation.

Throughout the entire process, his gaze remained fixed on the Burlap Doll, making no attempt to hide his interest in it.

Creak—

Stopping right in front of it, Fu Qian casually pulled over a wooden chair and sat up straight, his eyes still locked onto the object.

'This is my answer. Now it's your turn.'

'His Excellency Needle Witch, if you please.'

...

Fu Qian's stance was incredibly straightforward.

He had not only noticed the ragdoll, but had known from the very first glance that it was far from ordinary—and he didn't mind showing that he knew.

No matter how one looked at it, his reaction could only be described as reckless.

Aside from proving his honesty, this approach was no wiser than any of the other options he had considered—but he hadn't forgotten his purpose for coming here.

He had sought this place out precisely because it was highly likely someone was waiting for him.

'Whether it's the Night Watchers or the Origin Council, I'm looking for whoever is here.'

'No matter how many elusive, cunning schemes you throw my way, I, Ariel, will never hide my identity.'

'My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror—and that's not just an empty boast.'

...

No matter how secretive the Origin Council was as an underground organization, or how deeply they had infiltrated the Night Watchers, Fu Qian didn't believe for a second that the premier enforcement agency would be completely oblivious to their activities.

Not to mention that Brother Ariel had already served as a primary force in the operations in both Shangjing and Dunis.

His current reaction might seem a bit abnormal, leaving others entirely unable to guess what was going through his mind. However, based on his previous theories, wasn't His Excellency Ariel's operational mode fundamentally just a Black Box—receiving a target as input and spitting out a result?

Even his creator, Nepheli, probably couldn't scrutinize the exact inner workings of that process, could she?

He was currently mimicking that exact state; since it didn't conflict with his ultimate goal, he could comfortably display this utterly fearless behavior.

Looking at it from that angle, wasn't his current acting absolutely flawless?

With this subtle, inhuman aura now on full display, the ball was in the court of whoever was controlling the doll.

The other party had intended to test him, but now they would have to draw a conclusion based on those very results.

Questions like: What exactly was "Ariel" trying to accomplish here? Why else would he react this way when confronted with such a scene?

Which would inevitably lead to an even deeper question: What exactly was the Origin Council trying to accomplish?

As established earlier, this was a power struggle involving three major supernatural organizations.

In a battle for supremacy, no one could remain a bystander.

...

Was there a chance that his extreme approach would lead the Night Watchers behind the ragdoll to confirm his abnormality, prompting them to take the most drastic measures and execute him on the spot?

Given what he knew of their style, that risk genuinely existed. It would be a turn of events that would undoubtedly have the Origin Council dying of laughter.

But in truth, even if things escalated to that point, he could still work with it.

He wouldn't even need to fight them head-on; he just had to find an opportunity to break out of their encirclement. From there, the real Ariel would be left to foot the bill for the fallout.

Instead of merely rushing over to the Solitary King and Waiting by the Stump for a Hare, he would suddenly have an alternative method to complete his mission: letting the Night Watchers do the legwork and find Ariel for him.

As Fu Qian indulged in these beautiful visions of the future, it was as if the ragdoll had somehow sensed his mood. Though the breeze blowing into the room hadn't changed in the slightest, the doll stopped swaying—and then began to turn.

In the blink of an eye, its featureless face—bearing only a stitched mouth—turned to face him directly.

As they stared at each other in silence, two crimson spots surfaced on its irregular face, much like the rosy blush of a shy maiden.

...

'Not bad. That was a fast answer.'

How could Fu Qian be dissatisfied with such an efficient response?

Even if that bashful blush clearly carried the heavy stench of blood.

Swiftness is precious in warfare; the fact that the other party had responded so decisively saved time and unmistakably radiated absolute confidence.

It was highly likely that Excellency Kelin wasn't the only one pulling the strings behind the doll.

Furthermore, it seemed the Night Watchers truly had no intention of executing him on the spot.

The reasoning behind that decision was definitely worth pondering.

And in that brief moment as blood seeped from the doll, Fu Qian felt a strange sensation wash over his own body—he was bleeding too, albeit in a completely different way.

Thanks to Brother Leech's previous guidance, the patch of active skin on the back of his hand seemed to have grown even more independent.

To the point where his blood was now flowing in reverse, converging entirely on that single spot.

The end result looked exactly like an awakened leech settling in for a hearty feast.

'A curse?'

Faced with this sudden change, Fu Qian easily recalled Yuan Shan's description of Kelin's abilities.

It naturally wasn't just a coincidence. Now that the doll had turned to look at him, it seemed to be employing a unique method to weaken his resistance to this place.

As for why they were doing this, the answer was actually quite simple.

Brother Leech had once mentioned that the rippling bloody light was a reflection of the Solitary King's magnificent brilliance.

It seemed he was being used as a tool to sniff out the "King."

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