Eldritch Horror Theatre

So she simply didn't recognize him at all?

For Fu Qian, throwing out those casual words wasn't just to save Su Gao from being bothered—naturally, he also wanted to test Nepheli's mettle.

Her reaction perfectly demonstrated what it meant to meet an old acquaintance and not recognize them.

Beneath her cautious gaze, this senior from the Academy truly seemed to find his face completely unfamiliar.

"Just call me Fu Qian."

Rubbing his chin, Fu Qian gave a response that was very much in Su Gao's style—honest and easygoing. Beside him, Wen Li made no move to stop him.

"Fu Qian?"

It turned out they had made the right choice. A moment later, Nepheli looked shocked, replaying a seemingly familiar scene.

Only, it was the exact opposite of Su Gao's situation. She clearly recognized the name, but not the face.

Fu Qian adapted quickly to this slightly bizarre development. He didn't even ask how she knew him, merely waving a hand in casual dismissal.

"You know who he is?"

Chief Yuan seemed to love joining in on the fun. Eavesdropping on their exchange, her eyes practically lit up as she eagerly jumped at the chance to gossip.

"I'm not certain, but I've heard the name."

Nepheli shook her head, though her gaze once again fell on the gleaming Handcuffs.

"Rumor has it he's an occult genius who has presided over a considerable number of taboo rituals. He's also exceedingly low-key. Hardly anyone has ever seen his true face."

'Is that so... I can't help but feel there's a double meaning there, senior.'

Professor Nepheli had undoubtedly turned into a flatterer today. First, she heaped praise upon Executive Yama Su, and now she was subtly bringing up Professor Fu's research achievements.

True enough, the title of "genius" easily brought to mind the position of an academic leader, and he had indeed stirred up his fair share of trouble both inside and outside the Academy.

At the same time, if the Warehouse's missions were viewed as "taboo rituals," then her words still made perfect sense.

"But I can't say for sure it's him. He looks far too young, after all, and his current state is a bit strange."

Unfortunately, Nepheli didn't explain further. Instead, she looked him up and down, seemingly unsure.

"Yes. That is exactly why I chained us together."

Wen Li helpfully spoke up at the critical moment, nodding slightly to signal that Nepheli didn't need to keep guessing. She even raised her handcuffed hand as she spoke.

...

"No wonder. Now this is interesting."

Clearly sensing her resolute conviction, Nepheli's expression grew slightly complex, a peculiar smile touching her lips.

"To think he actually hid himself here... quite clever. And the fact that you managed to find him is even more impressive."

While highly praising Wen Li's feat, she didn't forget to offer a warning.

"You should be careful, though. Given his influence within the Academy, those people most likely won't let you take him away so easily."

Oh?

So she really had heard of his prestige as an academic leader? As a former researcher, that did fit Professor Nepheli's identity.

In just a few short sentences, the situation became abundantly clear. The genius Nepheli spoke of really did seem to refer to his academic research, and she even knew that Professor Fu worked at the Academy.

She even rated his influence extremely highly.

"Not at all, not at all. I merely stood on the shoulders of giants."

He had once been a pillar of the Benevolent Curse Institute, after all. Earning recognition from a figure like her was never an easy feat.

While reflecting on this, Fu Qian still didn't forget to offer a humble remark.

"I know."

Unfortunately, no one paid him any mind. Wen Li simply continued nodding, accepting Nepheli's warning.

"They might have already initiated an emergency protocol, waiting for the right moment to rescue him."

Yet Nepheli's warnings were not finished. She continued to caution her.

"Or silence him. I know."

Wen Li showed no signs of impatience, merely adding that extra thought.

"After all, he knows too much."

...

'It's not just me. The Academy's image doesn't seem very positive either.'

Completely unfazed by being ignored, Fu Qian listened to Wen Li and Nepheli bouncing off each other and began to sketch out his own character profile in this current scenario—

Occult genius, the Academy's most influential figure of the year, manipulator of taboo rituals, and a serial rapid flip-flopper on the red line.

Such a persona undoubtedly laid the foundation for classmate Wen Li's motive to eliminate a public menace. It fit perfectly into the current scenario without feeling too abrupt.

After all, even in reality, slapping all those labels on his head wouldn't be entirely unjustified.

It was just that, judging by their conversation, the Academy seemed to carry a rather heavy mobster vibe.

Not only would they obstruct the arrest of a disgraced professor, but it seemed they were also involved in some major hidden secrets, completely willing to murder people to silence them for the sake of the organization's interests.

"Mainly because the Academy has far too many unspeakable secrets."

Amid Fu Qian's internal reflections, Nepheli let out a soft sigh. She seemed to look at Wen Li in a new light, surprised by her sheer perceptiveness.

"Every organization has plenty of unspeakable secrets."

However, the young woman was even more clear-sighted than she had anticipated. Expressionless, Wen Li elevated the statement to an entirely new level.

"...But you are still dead set on taking him. May I ask why?"

Her tone tinged with genuine admiration, Nepheli asked a question that was clearly on everyone's mind.

"No."

Unfortunately, their pleasant exchange ended right there. In the very next second, Wen Li coldly rejected her.

"We're about to leave anyway. You'll soon have your freedom back."

...

They were merely bound by temporary interests; there was no need to bare their souls to a stranger.

The harmonious atmosphere instantly froze. Wen Li's words were undeniably blunt, a clear reminder that they were only traveling together because of a coerced agreement.

They had only been forced to band together because they couldn't deal with her.

Fortunately, it looked like her demands were about to be met. She wasn't planning on overstaying her welcome, was she?

He had to admit, her adaptability was incredibly sharp. Dealing with an old veteran of the jianghu like this, she still hadn't suffered a single loss.

Even if it was a little hard to tell exactly why they were "about to leave."

The fog still lingered, the streets were still dead silent, and the air still carried a bone-chilling cold—Screech!

Right as Fu Qian was casually assessing the situation, the harsh shriek of brakes abruptly rang out once more as the moving vehicle was forcefully stomped to a dead halt.

Thankfully, having experienced this once already, Fu Qian successfully reacted to the violent driving.

Throwing his un-handcuffed hand out in front of him, he once again saved his head from slamming into anything.

After all, Wen Li—who had lent him a hand the last time—clearly had no intention of helping him now.

"What's going on?"

Their previous conversation seemed to have spiked her vigilance. Facing the sudden stop, she sat perfectly steady, clearly slipping straight into a combat stance.

While trying to assess what had happened, she looked ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"Don't worry..."

Yuan Shan proved to be quite a responsible driver, immediately speaking up to reassure her passengers.

"It just looks like we have to get off here."

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