Eldritch Horror Theatre

...Huh?

This was no longer just a matter of a strange name.

As a seasoned professional, Fu Qian had claimed special mission rewards so often his hands were practically numb.

Yet even he had to admit that an effect this peculiar was rare.

On the one hand, a new form of Commandment Residue was a long-absent prize; he never expected to reap another harvest here from Senior Ji Feng.

On the other hand, this effect... was it truly a literal "Finger Pulp" arranged marriage?

The name alone had evoked a strong sense of déjà vu. Upon scrutinizing the details, Fu Qian figured his understanding was spot on: the very concept of bloodlines at the Transcendent Tier was being torn apart and reconstructed.

The resulting bloodline connections would, in turn, influence their transcendent forms.

Did this mean that under the shroud of the Crimson Storm, the generational hierarchies of all living things would devolve into a massive, chaotic tangle?

Furthermore, with enough lives involved, this situation would crisscross into a literal web, painting a beautiful picture guaranteed to make any ethicist's blood pressure explode.

The system's note of a "Bloodline Curse" was remarkably fitting.

Moreover, this process was continuous.

Meaning the web itself was constantly being torn apart and stitched back together.

Every connection forged was a profound shock to the lifeforms involved.

It would continue until they were ravaged beyond recognition, losing their "human shape" on a transcendent level. Their ruined bodies would be discarded, forcing them to achieve a better version of themselves by birthing Offspring, only to endure the torment all over again.

Impressive. The effect seemed somewhat subtle on paper, but its level of chaotic evil was absolutely second to none.

Judging by the description, it didn't even come with any visual effects for the victims, making it impossible to guard against completely. One wrong move, and you'd have parents and children sprouting up everywhere—

Take Old Man Ji, for instance.

Earlier, he had just mentioned the necessity of conducting paternity tests on the Ji Clan and the Yuan Clan to serve as a reference for his apocalypse-related judgments.

Now, the details of this special reward provided even more clues.

...

The essence of mission rewards was fleecing the system.

Based on past experience, this theory held true most of the time.

Which meant he could assume the halo effect of "Finger Pulp" most likely originated from the Unseen Hill, or from Old Man Ji Feng himself.

And when it came to bloodlines, that was a subject inextricably tied to Ji Feng.

Throughout numerous past studies, the Ji Clan had always served as a crucial case study.

This included the classic question: if transcendent power wasn't hidden in the blood, then how exactly was it inherited?

Thinking carefully, wasn't the negative effect of this Crimson Storm living proof?

Even though the effect was detrimental, the mere fact that conceptual bloodline ties could alter transcendent forms provided robust support for his recent conversation with Cass regarding the abstract factors behind transcendent inheritance.

Great minds think alike; the Two Giants of Apocalypse had been walking the correct path all along.

Of course, for the ever-brimming-with-confidence Fu Qian, this wasn't even the main point.

The core issue was that if he could fleece this special reward from the old man, didn't it prove he possessed a certain degree of the related authority?

The Order of Blood Authority.

Exactly. The advanced effect of the Crimson Storm—where mutations exceeding a lifeform's tolerance forced it to transform into a more resistant, higher-tier entity under the concept of Offspring—felt incredibly familiar.

It was just like the weeping in the Ehm Palace, and the members of the Laria Family turning into human flesh cradles.

That mission hadn't just involved Bloodline Power; with Brother Luyi's help later on, it became practically confirmed that their transformations were influenced by the Order of Blood Authority, with technical support provided by the great Excellency Rom.

Now, there was reason to believe Ji Feng also possessed a certain degree of this capability.

Starting from this point, it even explained why Classmate Liushuang had previously claimed there was no one named Ji Feng among the Ji Clan's ancestors—

Why bother deploying actual DNA when you could directly define an entire clan as your Offspring?

Going a step further, why might the Yuan Clan also be Old Man Ji Feng's Offspring?

Because He might have defined them too, or at least considered them defined.

...

Learning without thought brings confusion, indeed. This feeling of everything connecting was truly wonderful.

Relying on a fairly rich accumulation of clues, triggered by the effect of a single special reward, Fu Qian felt the enigmas that had plagued him for days were finally assembling into a coherent system.

He had wondered how a predecessor who reached such heights had the energy to sire so many children; it turned out he had taken the route of pointing at bellies to declare grandchildren.

But once this was established, it inevitably spawned a new question: why point at bellies to declare grandchildren?

What meaning did doing so hold for Old Man Ji Feng?

An Anchor Point? A fallback plan? A ritual—or a message board?

The first few were fairly standard operations, and honestly, with too little evidence, they couldn't be falsified yet.

But that was also the problem; lacking corroborating content meant they held no practical significance.

Then, in a flash of insight, Fu Qian recalled a certain Bronze Circlet that had fallen into his hands.

A Circlet that only produced sound when worn on the head of a Ji Clan Offspring.

Was this the true goal?

Not for reproduction, not for survival, but simply to leave behind a warning for the ages?

Thinking from this angle, the old man's image instantly grew much grander.

Consequently, the Ji Clan's wildly illogical yet exceptionally strict ancestral teachings implicitly began to make sense—

By utilizing Bloodline Power and even the concept of the "family head," Old Man Ji Feng had woven a hidden, rigorous thread, preserving a secret and a message He had left behind.

Words left for the latecomers in the Warehouse.

...

So, back when he tested it on the research assistant, was its success partly due to coincidence?

Even among the Ji Clan descendants, perhaps not everyone could decipher that Circlet?

Classmate Liushuang was the chosen one, and he had simply stumbled upon her on his first try?

As expected, human wisdom could never be underestimated.

If his guess was right, Senior Ji Feng's application of Bloodline Power was exceptionally inventive; no wonder he had such a rich inner world.

Verifying it wouldn't even be troublesome. He just needed to find another Ji Clan member at random, toss the Circlet over, and see if they could hear the voice...

What a hearty, exhilarating brainstorm. This revisit to the Unseen Hill had truly yielded a bountiful harvest.

It was exceptionally fitting, even serving as preparatory knowledge for the expedition to the Ash Sea.

After all, the old man's recorded message inside the Circlet was: "the path to gods is severed, ashes form the ladder."

[Today's task is completed. You may now leave the Warehouse. Current weekly work progress: 1/4.]

Amidst his swirling emotions, Fu Qian had already stood up just as the prompt chimed appropriately in his ear.

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