Eldritch Horror Theatre

[The air carried the fragrance of flowers and tea, while the sounds of human voices and birdsong blended into a gentle harmony.

Following in the footsteps of an old friend, you journeyed over mountains until you finally reached this Sanitarium nestled deep within the peaks.

At first, you didn't understand why anyone would choose such an isolated place. That is, until the road narrowed to an end and you finally saw those faces, completely untouched by the dust of the mortal world.

Here, you found unprecedented peace. You began to listen to the inner voice you had always ignored, even growing intoxicated by a deep affection for all things.

But you had best not forget: you are not a patient, and you do not belong here.]

Unsurprisingly, the mission briefing appeared the moment loading finished.

The content even sounded rather authentic. Though the phrasing leaned a bit toward stream-of-consciousness, it explained the situation clearly enough.

He was playing the role of a visitor to a Sanitarium hidden in the mountains, and it seemed his soul had accidentally been healed a little along the way.

It was a perfectly normal premise. Fu Qian had vaguely anticipated something like this the moment he heard the Containment Object's name.

The mission briefing itself vaguely hinted at as much.

More importantly, as the briefing concluded, Fu Qian confirmed that his five senses had returned.

Yet his vision remained pitch black.

His body was incredibly stiff, entirely deprived of freedom.

...

Just as he suspected, this didn't exactly feel like the treatment a visitor should receive.

Encountering such a scene right off the bat didn't surprise Fu Qian in the least. If anything, he sighed with a sense of vindication—this was exactly how things should be.

As a fully certified Scavenger recognized by various factions, he had long since abandoned any fantasies of an all-expenses-paid vacation. He was absolutely certain that trouble would follow him wherever he went.

Rather than waiting for chaos to shatter a deceptive peace, starting off with immediate abnormalities felt much more welcoming.

His only real regret was missing out on the chance to sample the local food first.

Taking a moment, Fu Qian tested the mobility of his limbs.

He concluded he was seated, his wrists and ankles securely bound.

Not only that, but a physical obstruction covered his mouth.

Combined with his lack of vision, it was clear this wasn't just a gag to keep him from biting anyone—his entire head had been sealed inside some kind of canister.

Just what kind of "old friend" was he visiting this time?

The restraints on his limbs were incredibly sturdy. Even his shirt seemed fastened directly to the back of the chair.

After confirming he was currently operating with the physical constitution of an ordinary human, Fu Qian didn't waste his energy trying to break free. Instead, he mulled over the context of his situation.

The setup binding him was actually quite classic.

It was just that you'd typically find it in a prison for restraining highly dangerous criminals, not a Sanitarium.

Even if this Sanitarium took a hardcore approach, patients with mere psychiatric issues shouldn't be subjected to this level of restraint.

Most importantly, whether it was a Sanitarium, an asylum, or a prison, none of them should be doing this to a visitor.

In short, Fu Qian ignored his bodily stiffness, growing increasingly curious about the "old friend" mentioned in the briefing.

If such a person actually existed, were they going to just sit back and watch their visitor receive this kind of welcome?

Or was this very treatment their way of welcoming him?

[Containment Fulfillment Conditions: Escape the Sanitarium before the arrival of the Thirteenth Day Judgment Day.]

As he pondered this, another prompt echoed in his ears.

...

Was it really being this straightforward?

Fu Qian felt even more surprised by this than when he had first realized he was strapped to a chair as a supposed visitor.

Based on its recent track record, it was incredibly rare for the Warehouse to hand over an objective this efficiently.

More often than not, he would have to stumble around blindly before it coyly pointed him in the right direction.

But this time, it had directly given him the Containment Conditions right away.

Its sudden transparency only made the situation feel far more ominous.

Clicking his tongue in thought, Fu Qian felt the tone of these missions was becoming increasingly consistent.

Moreover, while the Containment Conditions were unusually detailed, their actual implications were rather alarming.

The Thirteenth Day Judgment Day?

So this isn't just a standard plot of stumbling into a sinister Sanitarium, losing my freedom, and desperately fighting to escape?

Both the number and the phrasing involuntarily brought the concept of divine retribution to mind.

Will this place be reduced to ashes in thirteen days? Is that why I need to escape?

It made the situation sound dire, but looking at it that way actually made a lot more sense.

After all, if there was no overarching threat, getting locked in a place with room and board wouldn't exactly count as a desperate crisis.

The parameters of the mission had suddenly become much clearer. Fu Qian felt deeply satisfied with the Warehouse's performance this time.

Looking at the objective alone, the task itself might be difficult, but he wasn't exactly starved for time.

The thirteenth day. That meant he had plenty of time—unless the system decided to skip the preamble, inform him that he had already been here for nearly two weeks, and declare that today was the thirteenth day.

Otherwise, he had plenty of time to work with, even if his current confines offered very little room to maneuver.

During this brief pause, Fu Qian explored his restraints further. He confirmed that he wasn't merely tied down—there were actual physical locks securing the key points of his bindings.

Picking the locks wouldn't be a problem, but with his hands' incredibly limited range of motion, finding a suitable tool would take some effort.

He also needed to ensure he didn't have an audience while he did it.

Fortunately, as he listened closely, the room remained dead silent. It seemed he was entirely alone.

It made sense. Trussed up like this, even committing suicide would be a Herculean task. There was no need to waste manpower keeping an eye on him—Clack!

Life, however, was always full of surprises. Just as he was listening to the silence, an odd sound actually echoed through the room, making Fu Qian halt his movements.

...

Someone was opening a door, and it was located directly in front of him.

Fu Qian didn't need superhuman hearing to figure out certain aspects of his situation.

He could perfectly picture the scene: bound to the teeth with restraints, he had been positioned directly facing an iron door so that anyone outside could check on him at a glance without ever needing to step inside.

It was a highly logical arrangement designed to minimize risk, but the person opening the door seemed a little strange.

He couldn't hear any footsteps, but Fu Qian still noticed a problem right away.

In fact, it was precisely because there were no footsteps.

Unless the entity outside wasn't human, moving this quietly meant they were deliberately concealing their presence.

But considering he was already trussed up in high-risk restraints, there was no reason for a guard to be so stealthy.

They didn't have to worry about him suddenly breaking loose to attack them, and it was even harder to imagine them tip-toeing around out of a polite desire not to disturb him—Clack!

Yet, even as the faint sound of the door closing echoed through the room, there were still no footsteps.

Mmm—

Fortunately, a different sound finally echoed from nearby, confirming that whoever opened the door had indeed stepped inside.

It was just that the sound was a bit indecent—and it seemed to be coming from two people?

Indeed, it was the heavy breathing of a passionate kiss.

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