Eldritch Horror Theatre

Was it too much like destiny?

Everything had been preordained. He was the fallen Angel, and today, that destiny had converged in an entirely unconventional way, finally completing a puzzle that spanned across time and space...

It genuinely felt like something out of a legend.

Furthermore, all jokes aside, Fu Qian didn't think activating Resplendent Tyrant to churn up the seawater was a terrible idea at all.

In fact, that kind of brute-force approach had been one of his contingency plans for this trip all along.

His recent discoveries near the crash site merely added a layer of mystery to that course of action.

As the universally recognized symbol of chaos, the Ash Sea's greatest advantage was that it was much easier to locate than The Abyss. Fu Qian had long been curious about what would happen if he activated some of his auras here.

Especially since his auras were currently remastered versions backed by his own Pseudo-Law Core, the resulting effects were highly anticipated—Splash!

Dismissing The Thinker state, Fu Qian stood up and pulled his feet out of the water.

Ultimately, Fu Qian chose not to use his backup plan. Instead, he retraced his steps, heading straight for the nearest port, Moore.

It wasn't that he harbored any aversion to destiny or was deliberately acting out of rebellion.

To Fu Qian, that kind of psychological hang-up would only impair his judgment.

His choice right now was driven entirely by the desire to maximize his gains.

When faced with a lack of leads, applying indiscriminate, extreme pressure to expose weak points at the cost of destroying a few details was actually a very reasonable strategy. But he couldn't forget that the vegetable plot over in Moore was still waiting for him.

The situation was still far from truly lacking any leads.

...

The anomalies encountered during this expedition went far beyond just their destination.

Even on the journey here, various oddities had already begun to surface.

Though the situation in Moore still appeared to center around the conflict between Siren and Anjing.

Even Solendil, who had been operating out in the open, was active far from here, making it hard to say if he had any connection to the Ash Sea—but Moore itself certainly did.

There was a reason he was keeping an eye on the struggle over there.

Aside from its conceptual status as the "city closest to the Ash Sea," there was a far more practical point to consider: if the Academy Exploration Team had come to the Ash Sea for an expedition back then, wouldn't their first stop also have been Moore?

Was it possible they had left traces there after the incident occurred?

Due to the operation's secrecy, such details were obviously impossible to verify. However, a mere glance at the route map Cass had provided revealed that he clearly harbored similar suspicions; he had visited Moore more than once.

Though he had come up empty-handed, great minds thought alike.

For those reasons alone, Moore was worth squeezing for information to see if any distinct flavors could be extracted.

Not to mention that, with the help of Etched Intellect, this voyage had already proven highly rewarding.

Beyond what he had witnessed inside, the sheer contrast with the utter emptiness of the outside world was an interesting phenomenon in itself.

If a "crash site" genuinely existed, yet he had circled the area and found nothing, didn't that suggest it was being deliberately hidden?

That was a possibility that grew terrifying upon deeper reflection.

Given all that, Fu Qian was in no rush to flip the table.

It was a highly efficient but mediocre strategy—one that risked burning zithers and cooking cranes, and one that others could easily predict and exploit.

...

It felt like a lifetime ago.

His heart wasn't returning like an arrow, nor did he linger to sightsee. The return journey was just as smooth as the trip there.

He even swapped mounts three times to avoid overworking them inhumanely.

By the final leg of the trip, riding a whale through the waves, he caught sight of Moore in the distance. Fu Qian realized that the weather-beaten port had taken on an entirely different vibe.

Not a single trace of the storm remained. Beneath the clear sky, Moore basked in gentle breezes and warm sunshine; combined with a lingering, damp scent that had yet to dry, the city possessed a unique charm.

As expected, Excellency Solendil's vessel seemingly only ventured out in foul weather; he hadn't seen a single trace of it along the way.

However, numerous other ships could be seen sailing out of the harbor, heading straight into the afternoon sun.

For a moment, the deeply historic city of Moore resembled an old turtle, lazily sunning its shell after enduring the bitter storm.

Moving against the direction of its stretching body, Fu Qian disembarked and immediately pushed forward. He didn't break his stride after making landfall until he reached a particular "crevice" in the turtle's shell, where he finally sat down to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

Calling it a "crevice" was apt. It was an alley that wasn't particularly wide, but the buildings lining it weren't just historic—their architecture clearly displayed the rich diversity of a seaport city.

The same could be said for Fu Qian's current attire.

Never one to care much about fashion, he had conjured a leather outfit upon coming ashore, and the clothes he had bought along the way were thrown together with complete disregard for stylistic cohesion.

By the time he finally sat down for a drink, he looked somewhat multicolored, and he had topped his bald head with an outrageously flamboyant wig.

Fortunately, the city's inclusive nature shone through, and he wasn't refused service.

"What'll it be?"

Even if his appearance was a bit much for older folks to handle.

The gray-haired Old Granny behind the counter had to police her expression twice before finally speaking up.

"Hmm... pomegranate juice?"

Fu Qian glanced at the sign and quickly made his choice.

...

He didn't suffer from decision paralysis, nor did he order anything bizarre.

It was obvious that his straightforward choice relaxed the Old Granny.

And truth be told, while the price was slightly exorbitant, the taste was genuinely excellent.

It was perfectly balanced between sweet and tart, boasting a translucent, deep crimson hue. The Old Granny even threw in a homemade meat sausage on the house.

So much so that when Fu Qian stuffed them into his mouth together, he exuded an elegance akin to savoring human blood.

Hmm...

Thanks to his Transcendent Tier expressiveness, the Old Granny seemed to catch that vibe. For a moment, her expression went completely slack, as if she hadn't expected her handiwork to be interpreted in such a manner.

...

Interesting.

Excellency Serana was indeed on the older side, but she shouldn't have been this slow to react.

Faced with this situation, Fu Qian inwardly clicked his tongue in wonder.

There was naturally a reason he had put together this kind of style.

He was fairly confident that the location where Excellency Serana had interrogated him was right nearby.

Yet not only had his return trip been completely unimpeded, but even after loitering around here for this long, there was still no activity whatsoever.

Even after he had specifically ordered a drink with an appearance that would be somewhat striking to a member of the Blood Clan.

She truly hadn't disappointed his expectations—Excellency Serana was busy.

And beneath Moore's sunlit, peaceful exterior, the undercurrents were likely surging more violently than ever.

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