Eldritch Horror Theatre

Sweet but not cloying, subtle yet lingering.

Even a faint whiff was enough to reveal the sheer quality of the essential oil.

Unfortunately, stuck in this cutscene state, he couldn't even control how much of the fragrance entered his nose. Taking a deep breath was impossible.

But that hardly mattered. The candles alone proved this place was high-class.

In the blink of an eye, that wisp of Bright Light rapidly filled his vision.

The moment everything became clear, the first thing Fu Qian saw was two bright yellow candles.

Pure and warm, they were wrapped in gold-painted patterns. The fragrance emanated directly from them—the only two light sources in the space.

This location was evidently much more private than the last, like a hidden darkroom no one knew about.

Indeed, Fu Qian didn't think this was simply a matter of stepping out of the dark and regaining his senses in that previous body.

More importantly, the hands currently stretching out before his eyes were undeniably made of flesh and blood, but they were vastly different from the ones before.

Not only were the sleeves far plainer, but the fingers were somewhat withered, belonging to someone evidently much older.

So he wasn't just watching a cutscene, but he wasn't locked to a specific character either? The camera position kept changing?

It was an easy conclusion to draw. For a moment, Fu Qian could only marvel at the sheer novelty of this experience.

No wonder people always said to seek advice from your seniors. He had been an administrator for a while now, but an experience like this was still entirely refreshing.

Of course, a very direct question naturally followed: what was Camera Position 2 doing here?

...

If these two candles had been lit outside on a day of grand celebration, they would undoubtedly look completely normal.

But illuminating each other like this in the depths of the dark, they carried a somewhat eerie flavor, easily evoking thoughts of some cult ritual.

Even the person facing the candles right now looked somewhat frightened.

That was right. The hands stretching out in front of him weren't preparing to drip a few more drops of fragrant oil onto the wicks. Instead, they reached out uncontrollably to extinguish them, the fingers visibly trembling.

Furthermore, the flames were already very close, but the flesh surprisingly seemed to feel no burning heat at all.

It made one wonder just what he saw when he stared into the heart of the flame.

Unfortunately for Fu Qian, although they theoretically shared senses, he only received the most superficial visual input.

Any accompanying mental shocks or illusions were completely undetectable. He could only rely on his imagination.

Had this guy wandered in by accident and scared himself?

Fortunately, Fu Qian had a rather rich imagination and quickly came up with a guess.

From the corner of his eye, he could see that this was a rather cramped space, and it should be located Underground.

The candles sat within a stone niche, and other implements could be vaguely seen around them. It looked exactly like a small altar.

Judging by his posture, leaning sideways to peer inside, he seemed deeply shaken by whatever he saw.

So the question arose: if this person had accidentally stumbled in, then who set all this up?

"What did you see?"

As if to answer that question, a voice suddenly rang out from the darkness behind him.

...

Was this horror-movie aesthetic trending today?

It was a classic trope, sure, but could they consider the victim's psychological endurance for a moment?

Given that Camera Position 2 kept staring straight ahead, Fu Qian naturally couldn't see behind him either.

And even though the voice was soft and calm, it still made him want to complain.

Mainly because anyone with eyes could tell that the person in front of the candles was already wound tight enough.

Pulling a stunt like this right now could easily give someone with a weak constitution a sudden heart attack.

Of course, one thing seemed certain: the person speaking from behind was probably not Senior Ji Feng.

Aside from the clear difference in tone, it was a woman's voice.

An unfamiliar female voice he had never heard before. It carried a spring-breeze warmth that naturally made him want to see what she looked like.

Ah—

Camera Position 2 did not disappoint. After its body abruptly stiffened for three seconds, it violently wrenched its head around.

Even the startled cry in his throat was forcefully suppressed.

Not bad.

Although there were only a few movements, this brief interaction really sparked the imagination.

Finding it deeply amusing, Fu Qian unabashedly studied the newcomer.

Just as he thought, it wasn't Old Man Ji Feng, the suspected fake groom—but was it the bride?

A hairnet, a long dress, a brocade shawl. It was a rather young face.

Her delicate yet dignified features had clearly been heavily made up.

...

The star of the Blood Wedding? The Punished Consort?

The moment he saw her attire, Fu Qian couldn't help but feel surprised.

It was common knowledge that on the day of a grand wedding, especially for the bride, it was nearly impossible to have any free time.

Leaving aside the fact that she would constantly be surrounded by people, even a quick trip to the restroom amid the chaos usually required assistance.

Yet this woman somehow had the chance to sneak down to this basement all by herself?

Looking at the setup, this small altar might have even been her handiwork.

It had to be said that because this second person appearing from behind wore such a classic outfit, his common sense was starting to contradict itself.

However, if that was the case, her subsequent fate didn't seem quite so pure and innocent anymore, did it?

After all, behavior like this hardly seemed like the work of an ordinary woman.

Furthermore, he had to complain again about the bizarre camera switching.

He had clearly used Insight on the Punished Consort's eyes, yet not only was he just finally seeing her now, he was actually viewing her from a third-person perspective.

Camera Position 2's throat even let out a gurgle, as if he were too emotionally overwhelmed to communicate.

"I understand. You didn't see anything, right?"

Fortunately, to his relief, the "Punished Consort" didn't insist on waiting for him to speak. She took the initiative to continue.

The meaning behind her words was quite clear: you'd better not have seen anything.

...

Had she really set this up?

What was so important that it warranted secretly carving out a hidden space, refusing to keep a low profile even on her wedding day?

Additionally, her demeanor clearly screamed 'I realize I've been discovered.' Yet she was prepared to brush it off with just a few simple words?

As everyone knew, threats required a material foundation.

Anyone with half a brain would know that even if someone feigned compliance in the moment, once they broke free and the leverage was gone, any promises made would hold very little weight.

"Yes... I didn't see anything."

Not too surprisingly, at that moment, Camera Position 2 took a deep breath and actually echoed the "Punished Consort's" words.

"There are still many people waiting outside. It would be best not to stay down here too long."

He even immediately followed up with the same reminder the groom's side had given, hinting that the wedding day schedule was tight.

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