Eldritch Horror Theatre

He was certainly being obedient.

Old Man Laurie had gone to such lengths that refusing him would almost seem rude.

He lived up to his reputation as a veteran of the jianghu. If a less experienced player had realized they were the ones being played, their first reaction might have been to lash out in anger.

At the very least, fear for their own safety would have driven them to attack first in a desperate bid for survival.

But the old man skipped both reactions entirely. He didn't even waste breath on meaningless begging, instead immediately shifting his focus to what value he could offer.

It was a very wise move.

It didn't matter who the person standing before him actually was, or that his Rank didn't appear particularly high. What sort of organization was the Rebirth Club?

Given how well-informed the Greed Worms were, they had to have caught wind of some recent exploits.

Even if they hadn't been set up in this traceless meeting and had simply been tracked down with brute force instead, did they have any option other than following orders?

As for their supposed "cooperative investigation of Siren"?

The core reason that suggestion had been proposed was obvious at a glance: the Rebirth Club was clearly interested in Siren's movements.

Between his words, the old man had already placed his group in a highly passive position. His decisive promise not to pry into names or motives was a direct reflection of that posture.

"Do you have anyone watching Solendir's ship?"

Fu Qian didn't bother with pleasantries, cutting straight to the point to confirm the Greed Worms' deployment.

"Yes... Gene is over there."

It was a somewhat blunt question. Even the blank-eyed Brother Shulan couldn't help but shoot Laurie a look in that moment, but the older man only hesitated slightly before even offering up a name.

Always charging at the front lines?

Fu Qian gave a slight nod, recalling the figure who had nearly died to the Tumor Flower's poison last time.

If that was the case, then counting Laywoman Tooth-Throat, there were at least four Greed Worms here.

"Someone has already noticed him."

...

It was the absolute truth.

He wasn't sure what exact intelligence channels Serana relied on, but she clearly knew not only that the Greed Worms had come here, but also Gene's specific name, and had even gone straight to the ship to catch him.

However, she hadn't seemed entirely certain of their stance, doubting whose side the Greed Worms were actually on.

To be honest, it was a little strange, but that information alone was enough to scare people.

"...Solendir?"

Hearing Fu Qian clearly, even a seasoned veteran like Laurie was struck with shock and uncertainty in that moment.

"He has indeed noticed a few things. So, you're working for Anjing?"

Recalling the hole in that ship, Fu Qian deliberately painted an even more tense picture of the situation.

Besides, judging by how Old Man Laurie phrased the question, the situation was already crystal clear.

Solendir was absolutely not an ally; he was the primary threat they were guarding against.

"Your Excellency truly knows a lot..."

His expression predictably grew even uglier. Laurie's praise in that moment was sincere and low.

Next to him, Brother Shulan's eyes flickered, looking as though he was already rejoicing over their person in charge's decision.

"Yes. Our presence in Moore is indeed heavily tied to Anjing... though we still have a certain degree of autonomy. The core is actually maintaining secrecy about the details."

Laurie was still showing off his jianghu experience. Without waiting for Fu Qian to ask any questions, he pushed past his awe and continued to confess.

It sounded like they had indeed continued their partnership with Anjing, even involving more personnel this time, though he emphasized their degree of freedom.

He also held onto a bit of the principle of confidentiality, being somewhat tactful about the specific details.

"Then keep it a secret."

Although that persistence was somewhat feeble, Fu Qian, acting as the Rebirth Club's representative, still demonstrated the organization's magnanimity, signaling that the other party could temporarily maintain this principle.

...

Stirring up trouble, but doing it tactfully.

Just as he had guessed earlier, Anjing was indeed unwilling to sit idly by and watch Solendir's operation succeed.

Yet for a matter this crucial, they had actually hired a third party to intervene?

That detail alone reeked of something highly suspicious.

It was obvious that both Siren and Anjing harbored incredibly strange attitudes toward what Solendir was looking for.

As for why he allowed the Insect Swarm to keep their secrets when there was so much to be curious about?

It was simple. They had just formed a cooperative partnership, and rather than listening to what they had to say, Fu Qian was far more interested in seeing what they would do next.

"Thank you for your understanding... and the warning. Shall we go confirm Gene's situation now?"

Old Man Laurie was indeed adept at reading the room. Almost equally surprised and delighted by the Rebirth Club's graciousness, he immediately proposed their next course of action.

So their perception-sharing was still deactivated?

Judging by his reaction just now, that certainly seemed to fit.

But to maintain such a self-imposed restriction during such a perilous time... weren't they being a bit too bold?

Silently musing over this, Fu Qian didn't point it out. He simply offered a smiling gesture.

"Lead the way."

...

Gene was actually hiding in a place like this?

Their joint operation proceeded even more smoothly than anticipated. Faced with the easygoing elite of the Rebirth Club, Old Man Laurie didn't hesitate, immediately taking point to lead the way.

Even Brother Shulan hadn't stayed behind to watch the house; he was asked to follow along.

After stepping outside, their route unsurprisingly led straight toward the docks.

It was more than just being different from the others who had stayed behind to study the Cattle Slaughterhouse. "Front lines" wasn't even enough to describe Gene's position.

That realization only grew stronger when the group came to a halt a short while later.

His location wasn't just some obscure corner near the docks—it was straight out on the water.

The weather remained bright and clear. Laurie stared grimly from afar at a large ship moored in the harbor.

It hadn't taken advantage of the break in the storm to depart. The passenger liner was evidently making a brief layover here.

Hiding in a place like this? In theory, it was actually a reasonable choice.

According to Laurie, they had been monitoring Solendir's movements the whole time, and Gene was clearly the one assigned to that task.

By choosing a place like this as his hideout, he could keep immediate tabs on the Siren ship's whereabouts, while also keeping himself easily concealed.

Even now, a steady stream of people could be seen getting on and off the ship, so boarding was quite smooth for the three of them.

Naturally, since he was holding the verification documents provided by Laurie, Fu Qian still obliged his request and altered his appearance slightly, making his overall look less flamboyant than before.

"He doesn't seem to be here."

By the time they reconvened, Brother Shulan, who had taken the lead, wore a rather ugly expression. He lowered his voice and gestured to Fu Qian and Laurie.

A perfectly round bead could be seen flickering with faint light in his hand—likely some sort of communication artifact.

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