Eldritch Horror Theatre

"Fu... Mister Fang, what is this?"

Early the next morning, when Wen Li personally called Fu Qian for breakfast, her jaw dropped wide enough to swallow a fist at the sight of the Hexagonal Iron Cage on his head.

'Is it really that startling? She almost blurted out my real name.'

Fu Qian patted his head. The towering Iron Cage sat so high he could barely reach the top of it.

After waking up that morning, he had made a special trip back to the Warehouse to retrieve the Sweet Dream Head Cage.

His current look was undeniably a little bizarre.

"Self-Isolation Device."

Fu Qian casually spun nonsense in response to Wen Li's bewildered stare.

"Want to try it on?"

Wen Li waved her hands nervously, but a moment later, she let out a surprised gasp.

"This is really strange. I can't sense your emotions at all right now."

Of course she couldn't. The item claimed to isolate its wearer from all prying eyes. Even if that was an exaggeration, blocking minor emotional perception was well within its limits.

"I told you, it's a Self-Isolation Device."

Fu Qian didn't explain further. He reached up and pulled the Head Cage off.

Click.

As he did, the lower edge of the Iron Cage snapped shut automatically.

His offer had just been a joke anyway. The item was already on cooldown. Even if Wen Li wanted to wear it, she would have to wait twenty-four hours.

Fu Qian hadn't worn an Iron Cage on his head first thing in the morning out of sheer boredom.

After spending a night sleeping in this world, he felt it was absolutely necessary to check his condition.

He was prone to drawing unwanted attention these days. He couldn't exactly carry an Iron Cage around while working, but here in the manor, it was the perfect time to test it out.

So far, he hadn't noticed any issues.

Aside from a distinct sense of quiet, putting the cage on hadn't caused any noticeable physical changes.

...

The breakfast spread was incredibly lavish, and the portions were noticeably larger than before. Wen Li must have given special instructions to the kitchen.

'My standard of living here compared to the real world cannot be mentioned in the same breath!'

Fu Qian rapidly devoured his food like a wind sweeping away remnant clouds, filled with emotion.

"Mister Fang, do you have any plans for today?"

Wen Li ate with graceful manners and a small appetite. She finished quickly and sat quietly, watching Fu Qian eat.

"Aren't you laying low at home? Want to go out for some fresh air?"

Fu Qian looked up at her.

"No, no."

Wen Li quickly shook her head.

"I just meant that if you have things to do, you should go ahead. Please don't let me hold you up."

In Wen Li's impression, something always seemed to happen whenever Fu Qian appeared, and he was constantly in a hurry.

Even though she didn't know exactly what the specific danger was, she still felt a little guilty making a man like him stay cooped up indoors with her.

Fu Qian saw right through her thoughts. He could only conclude that the girl was overthinking things.

In reality, he was in the exact same boat. Staying hidden indoors was his best option right now.

Both Ariel and Yuan Shan were currently focused on Deng Feizhou.

There was a high probability Ariel had come specifically for that issue, and Yuan Shan clearly hadn't given up on probing him, either.

Fortunately, his careful guidance the day before had successfully pointed the two of them right at each other.

This was the perfect time to be sitting on the mountain to watch the tigers fight. All he had to do was peacefully enjoy his free time.

Yuan Shan might have various reservations holding her back from immediate action, but based on Ariel's style, he wouldn't stay patient for long.

"It's fine. I'm currently on vacation," Fu Qian stated with perfect calm.

"Uh..."

Wen Li studied him closely for a moment, as if verifying he was telling the truth. Once she was satisfied, her expression finally relaxed, and her voice took on a lighter tone.

"That's wonderful! What would you like for lunch? I'll have the kitchen start preparing right away."

'Is the life of the rich really this mundane?'

Before Fu Qian could answer, the butler walked into the room.

"Chief Yuan is here? I'll head out right away!"

The news clearly caught Wen Li off guard. She shot to her feet, instinctively throwing a glance at Fu Qian.

Although she and Yuan Shan had grown somewhat familiar through their recent encounters, a high-ranking official of the Night Watchers showing up bright and early had to be related to the man sitting across from her.

Unfortunately, Fu Qian was entirely focused on his breakfast and showed zero intention of moving.

Wen Li gave a wry smile. Wasting no time, she hurried out to greet her guest.

'That fast?'

Truth be told, Fu Qian was a little surprised.

By his estimation, it shouldn't have been that easy for Yuan Shan to rally her colleagues.

No matter how high her reputation was, she couldn't just call in a group of heavyweights to back her up based on a simple assumption.

And confirming Ariel's strength and the issues surrounding him was no simple task.

For one, Yuan Shan wouldn't move too quickly, fearing she might strike the grass to startle the snake and provoke Ariel.

Besides, Ariel's aura was so well-concealed that even Fu Qian had trouble detecting it. Even face-to-face, Yuan Shan would likely need time to figure him out.

'Did something happen that spiraled out of her control?'

As he pondered, Yuan Shan followed Wen Li into the dining room.

"You certainly look carefree!"

Yuan Shan glared at Fu Qian, who was still savoring his meal, and unceremoniously took a seat nearby.

As a Demigod, she rarely showed signs of physical fatigue, but the foul mood radiating from her was impossible to miss.

Wen Li had clearly noticed it too and tactfully remained silent on the sidelines.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're already making a move."

Fu Qian glanced at the rose-red skirt suit she was wearing.

'Just how many outfits does this woman own?'

"I wish! No, there's a new problem," Yuan Shan sighed heavily.

"Chen Du is dead. He died last night."

"Who?"

Fu Qian blinked in genuine confusion. He had never heard the name before.

"You don't know who Chen Du is?"

Yuan Shan looked even more surprised than he was.

Fu Qian shook his head honestly.

"Ah!"

Beside them, Wen Li clamped a hand over her mouth and let out a soft gasp of shock.

"You know him?"

Fu Qian glanced at her.

"He was the current family head of the Chen Clan. After Chen Xing advanced to the Demigod Realm and went into seclusion, the clan's affairs were handed over to him, his cousin, to manage," Wen Li explained concisely.

'That really is a high-risk profession!'

Fu Qian lamented inwardly.

During the Blood of Thorns incident, the former head, Chen Xing, had died. The presumptive heir, Chen Mingda, had died too, along with a strong rival for the position, Chen Mingfei.

Now even the man stepping in as regent was dead.

If Ariel had nothing to do with this, Fu Qian was willing to chop his own head off.

He had just been thinking that Ariel might lack patience, and here was the man's next move already.

Speaking of which, the man truly was decisive and ruthless. Chen Du was an important public figure, yet Ariel had swatted him dead as easily as tossing aside trash.

Then again, Chen Xing's cousin was likely far weaker than Chen Xing himself. Regardless of how prestigious his mundane status was, in front of a Tier 2 Divine Envoy, he was nothing but a bug waiting to be crushed.

'How tyrannical!'

"Long story short, this caught us completely off guard. I've had to rethink my plans."

Yuan Shan sighed, throwing a meaningful glance in Wen Li's direction.

Naturally, the fewer people who knew what she and Fu Qian were discussing, the better.

Unfortunately, the man was too lazy for his own good, forcing her to come looking for him in person.

She was well aware that Fu Qian and Wen Li were close—otherwise, she wouldn't have barged right into the manor to find him.

However, Yuan Shan wasn't entirely sure how much Wen Li actually knew, even though Wen Li was the one who had reported Ariel in the first place.

A moment ago, she had waited to see if Fu Qian would dismiss Wen Li from the room. When he openly asked about her operation right in front of the girl, Yuan Shan realized there was no point in holding back.

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