Eldritch Horror Theatre

What was said earlier was true: the Academy had genuinely been thriving recently.

Multiple research projects had borne fruit, and everyone had grown more tolerant of the inevitable missteps during exploration... but naturally, the most impactful development was the continuous emergence of High Tiers.

Perhaps it still fell far short of the grand spectacles of the past, but there were faint signs of a renaissance—and now he was about to set off to explore the Ash Sea, mirroring the very expedition that had marked the Academy's fall from its absolute peak.

Looking at it from that angle, it felt more than a little ominous.

"Thank you again. If I make any discoveries on my end, I'll be sure to keep you updated, Professor Fu."

Amid Fu Qian's musings, Professor Ah Kai, having found a measure of peace of mind, decided not to take up any more of his time and promptly took his leave.

For one, Professor Fu was a busy man. For another, his own assimilation process had been rushed, and he clearly needed to head back and stabilize himself.

That included his emotional state.

After all, for Professor Ah Kai, the experiences of this single 'day' had been far too much of a roller coaster.

Fully understanding this, Fu Qian did not try to make him stay. He offered a slight nod and a parting blessing.

"Hehe!"

Having received his safety certification, the man's expression eased, and he finally allowed himself to share in the joy of his advancement.

...

With his work at the Academy mostly wrapped up, the upcoming expedition was becoming all the more highly anticipated.

So what exactly was the Crystal Blessing that Claudora and the others had encountered back then?

Watching Professor Ah Kai leave, Fu Qian lamented the ominous parallels while simultaneously feeling a surge of enthusiasm for the upcoming operation.

If his earlier, broader conspiracy theory held true, then no matter what power had cursed the gods, this consistency made it hard not to associate it with the concept of crystals.

After all, just like that curse, he had encountered these crystals in more than one place.

The pool at the Nameless Graveyard on Ye Island, upon the Knight of the Apocalypse Claudora, and even in that vision of the Holy Infant Calamity Star siphoning tribulation from history...

It was hard not to speculate on the position this special form of power held within the entire transcendent world—a power that, even now, blurred the lines between good and evil—and the inherent dangers of coming into contact with it.

Not only had it wiped out a group of High Tiers, but the very incident of their annihilation had been forcibly suppressed.

He had already deduced that it was nearly impossible for the Night Watchers to have been ignorant of the accident back then. And enforcing the Academy's silent compliance with such a heavy-handed cover-up almost certainly involved their will.

It was a pity. The Night Watchers' Hongmen banquet was currently scheduled after the expedition, so he couldn't immediately ask them for 'advice.'

Of course, the silver lining was that since the Academy Exploration Team had been infected back then, theoretically, as long as he found the right place, there was a high probability he wouldn't escape it either—

"Professor Lisa?"

Lost in these beautiful visions, Fu Qian blinked, watching a figure push the half-open door the rest of the way in.

Wasn't this getting a bit too lively? The legendary bustling marketplace at one's door was probably no more than this.

He had thought that after Professor Ah Kai's departure, he might finally be able to steal a half-day of leisure from a fleeting life.

Naturally, Fu Qian wouldn't turn a guest away, but he did let out a dramatic sigh of giving his utmost with total devotion.

Especially since, looking past Professor Lisa's shoulder, he could see Kasi walking in right behind her.

...

Compared to earlier, Professor Lisa's mood seemed a little down?

Kasi always wore a smile, and this time was no exception.

As he exchanged greetings with him, Fu Qian easily noticed Lisa's strange demeanor.

Although she hadn't been thrilled earlier, that had mostly looked like a simple reluctance to work.

Now, only a short while later, her expression had smoothed out, yet he could sense an underlying trace of seriousness.

It only made him more suspicious about the true purpose of their visit.

"Please, have a seat."

Of course, the legend of Professor Fu's unwavering composure lived on; he offered the exact same gesture, inviting them to sit.

"Hmm... I can't even remember the last time I visited this place, but it's obvious its current layout is far more pleasing to the eye."

Kasi even seemed more talkative than usual. Sitting down comfortably, he appraised his surroundings and highly praised Professor Fu's arrangement of the Laboratory.

"It's all thanks to everyone's hard work. I merely made a few annoying requests."

Refusing to take the credit, Fu Qian repeatedly waved his hands in a show of modesty.

So you actually know your demands are outrageous, do you?

Although they were just polite words, they seemed to provoke quite a reaction from Professor Lisa.

She remained silent, but the look in her eyes clearly conveyed that exact thought.

"What is it?"

Fu Qian, however, wasn't content with just exchanging looks. He addressed her directly, casually livening up the atmosphere.

"...I remember the Candlestick didn't look like this. What did you do with the original one?"

Still somewhat absentminded, Lisa froze for a second. Seeing Kasi's expression—like he was just enjoying the show and had no intention of interjecting—her eyes darted around the room before she threw the question back at him.

...

Not bad. She actually hadn't targeted the seating arrangements this time.

Although it sounded suspiciously like an audit for lost fixed assets, Fu Qian nodded, quite satisfied with Lisa's performance.

"A very keen observation. I'll let you in on a secret: I took it to forge some equipment."

With complete honesty, he told her exactly where the previous Candlestick had gone.

Forging equipment...

Professor Lisa's expression grew even stranger.

"Are you sure? I find it very hard to imagine you covered head to toe in glittering gold."

She looked Fu Qian up and down. Judging by her deeply furrowed brow, one could easily sense her disapproval of certain aesthetic styles.

"Why not? It's such a delightfully vulgar color. When I have some time in a few days, I'm even planning to forge it into a chain to wear around my neck."

Fu Qian merely scoffed at that, stubbornly sticking to his own aesthetic preferences.

Uh...

However, considering that a certain someone present already had something hanging around her neck, Lisa quickly brought a hand up to touch her own throat.

"I respect your tastes, but I'd much rather keep this..."

What had originally been a rather serious artifact to her had been brought up in such an absurd manner that it felt somewhat bizarre, making it impossible for her to maintain a serious tone.

"Lisa came by my place earlier to discuss the preparations for the Preservation Chamber. She specifically mentioned the help you've provided, so thank you both for your hard work."

Watching the exchange between the two of them, Kasi finally chuckled and interjected, offering an explanation for why he had come over with Lisa.

"She also mentioned something else. When you saw her earlier today, did you mention that she looked like she hadn't been resting well?"

Without giving Fu Qian a chance to offer a polite reply, Kasi continued speaking, his gaze naturally falling on the ornament around Lisa's neck.

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