Eldritch Horror Theatre

The horror movie elements were still escalating.

Following the jump-scare greeting from behind, they had now reached the trope where the guy you're casually chatting with claims to be a dead man.

The Old Man spoke with deep seriousness, seemingly harboring no doubts about his claim.

He watched Fu Qian with that same expression, as if checking to see whether he believed him.

"It doesn't matter. It's all the same."

Fortunately, Fu Qian had done a bit of research on this exact scenario. He nodded naturally, completely unfazed.

Never revealing that you were different was always the number one rule of horror movie survival.

"Hmm... so who are you looking for?"

It seemed his movie-watching experience had paid off. After a brief pause, the Old Man's gaze finally softened.

How could Fu Qian pass up an opportunity like this? He immediately pointed to his own eyes, emphasizing Excellency Serana's distinct features.

Whether or not she had intentionally guided him here, there was no way he was ignoring such a good lead.

"That's too vague. Is there anything else?"

The Old Man thought hard about it, though he ultimately shook his head.

"She might be accompanied by bats."

Fu Qian was quick to add the detail, making Excellency Serana's image sound increasingly grotesque.

"Bats... have you gone inside there to take a look?"

This time, the Old Man finally seemed to recognize something. He turned and pointed toward a specific location—the Cattle Slaughterhouse not too far away.

...

Was this what they meant by different paths leading to the same destination?

Standing among a bunch of mundane buildings, the Cattle Slaughterhouse truly possessed a strikingly unusual bone structure.

However, the assumption that something incredible could be found inside was never the reason Fu Qian had rushed over.

This wasn't a video game where developers refused to let a 3D model go to waste. Relying on that kind of logic in reality would be far too irresponsible with his own life.

And yet, after a brief exchange, his path had actually been redirected right to it?

It gave off the intense déjà vu of a game where, no matter what you did, you inevitably ended up redirected to the cash shop.

The only question was, would there be premium items to unlock inside?

"Not yet."

His gaze landing on the massive building looming in the darkness, Fu Qian shook his head.

"Then you can go try your luck."

The Old Man's response was heavily steeped in déjà vu, to the point where Fu Qian could practically see the gacha wheel.

"So, has anyone else gone in to try their luck?"

Fu Qian didn't dwell on this point, nor did he question why the Old Man felt that way. He only cared whether anyone else had swiped their credit card—bah, entered the slaughterhouse.

"Other dead people."

The Old Man wasn't in a hurry to give a direct answer, simply correcting Fu Qian's phrasing.

"Are you worried about not finding the way? I'll take you over."

...

"Thank you very much."

Even though the wind and rain were far milder here than out on the sea, this was still a miserable environment for asking directions.

His entire body was already soaked through, yet his black top hat sat steadily on his head. This mysterious Old Man was practically the gold standard for street navigation—he was actually preparing to lead him there personally.

"Why the need to emphasize that?"

Naturally, Fu Qian didn't decline. He agreed immediately, bringing up his curiosity in passing.

"A person must clearly understand their own situation in order to exist for a long time."

Reassuringly, the Old Man actually answered while leading the way.

"Or else what? Is it so desolate around here because too many people couldn't figure out their situation?"

Where else could he find such a good guide? Fu Qian gestured around, finally raising a point of suspicion that could no longer be ignored.

There was no one around.

From the start of his walk all the way to this spot, nearly at the foot of the slaughterhouse, the Old Man remained the only living creature he had seen.

The visual discrepancy was getting somewhat jarring.

If jumping out of the window had brought him to some ancient projection of Moore, then the lack of people would be somewhat reasonable.

But right now, everything around him was exactly like the Moore he had strolled through during the day. Even the tables and chairs of the small shops had been copied over, making the timeline appear perfectly consistent.

The only difference was that his current surroundings were far more dilapidated. It felt like the reverse side of the legendary Precious Mirror of Romance, where all the rouge and beauty had dissolved into bleached bones.

The main issue was that right now, there weren't even any bones.

Moore had been copied one-to-one into a dead zone, leaving the entire place completely empty.

If there were absolutely no one around, it would be fine. He could just assume this Precious Mirror of Romance only reflected inanimate objects.

But there just had to be someone walking around who appeared perfectly sane, which naturally made him curious about the underlying reason.

"Not at all. Everyone here is quite clear about their own situation. It's just that the appearance of death is never as narrow as the living imagine. Look over there..."

As expected, you just had to ask when you didn't know. In the next moment, the Old Man spoke startling words, even pointing in a certain direction.

...

Dark night, howling wind, torrential rain. Honestly, a normal person wouldn't even think to direct someone's attention in this kind of weather.

"Aren't there many people over there?"

But the Old Man seemed certain that the person asking for directions would be able to see. Fu Qian barely had time to cast a glance before he continued asking.

Oh?

Well, the Old Man wasn't wrong to ask. Squinting through the rain, Fu Qian realized he could indeed see something not far away.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a crowd of people coming and going in the traditional sense. A single glance revealed nothing but exquisitely crafted rectangular blocks.

They were made of stone, varying in size and height, and even their arrangement wasn't entirely orderly.

But they were still incredibly easy for Fu Qian to identify. Even if they weren't coffins themselves, they were obviously the matching above-ground markers.

He asked where the people were, and his guide suddenly pointed to a graveyard?

It felt like these classic horror movie elements were pouring in endlessly.

"I think I understand. Even though they aren't moving, they're the same as you."

Fortunately, Fu Qian was always one for adapting to local customs. In a second, his voice deepened, his dialogue shifting to match the same tone.

"The forms of death are far from being that narrow." The Old Man's meaning was already very clear.

The unseen people from along the way were likely existing within this dead zone in exactly this manner.

And if that were true, the form this place took was even more fascinating.

It really was the Precious Mirror of Romance?

"Of course it's the same. Death is far more than just the opposite of life. What I am now is simply one of those forms."

Sure enough, the Old Man verified his theory in the next moment.

...

Fantastic. He knew his earlier decision to turn back and reap the harvest had been correct.

At that moment, Fu Qian felt nothing but deep satisfaction.

Not just because he'd discovered this interesting place, but also because of the Old Man, this enthusiastic guide—

Before he left, the Dean had quietly provided two keywords. While the Inverted Lake was still nowhere to be found, it seemed he had located the Wise Dead.

As for why he thought so?

Not knowing oneself is a guest while in a dream. If clearly recognizing that you were already dead didn't count as wise, then what did? It was practically true enlightenment.

Just look at how many vengeful spirits managed to stick around entirely on the strength of a lingering obsession from their mortal lives.

"We're here."

As he marveled at this, the Old Man leading the way stopped walking. He indicated that they had successfully reached their destination, and even pointed out a new discovery.

"It looks like someone has already gone inside."

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