Eldritch Horror Theatre

Things were getting interesting.

True to her word, Mrs. Tracy had barely finished giving the address when she opened the door and strode out without looking back, refusing to waste another word.

Even so, she didn't forget to pull the door shut behind her.

Watching her go, Fu Qian felt rather gratified with how things were progressing.

His view from here was somewhat restricted, but through a corner of the window, he could tell she was heading in the opposite direction of the residence she had mentioned.

This lined up perfectly with what the two of them had said earlier: no one would come out this way, not even for a stroll.

Logically speaking, if he wanted to achieve his Containment goal, he should bolt straight out of here and make a mad dash for the most desolate corner he could find.

The execution didn't even seem that difficult. One glance outside revealed a total lack of proper walls; there was only a perimeter of thorny shrubs planted to keep wild animals away.

And yet, Fu Qian found himself intensely curious about the two locations Mrs. Tracy had mentioned.

As a patient, having a somewhat colorful mental state was perfectly fine. But from the sound of it, even the Attending Physician here was a bit unhinged, successfully casting another layer of gloom over the place.

Making a run for it probably wouldn't be that easy, just as Mrs. Tracy had warned.

That remained true even though a quick glance from this angle revealed no guards.

Naturally, Fu Qian wasn't the type to tie his own hands. He wouldn't abandon an attempt just because of a few suspicions.

Still, if things went south, wasn't it best to have a backup plan ready?

Considering how the Warehouse had pulled its classic move yet again—handing him a persona but absolutely no background intel, leaving him completely in the dark about this place—Fu Qian was quite keen on making the doctor's office his potential target.

After all, Mrs. Tracy had said that Servis would run off to just about anywhere, except his own office.

Of course, there were other backup options as well—

Fu Qian toyed with a set of keys and a handkerchief he had fished from his pocket. He stood up and walked over to the man tied up on the floor.

Judging by his sharply dressed appearance, the man likely enjoyed a private room just like Mrs. Tracy.

Although Fu Qian was the sharply dressed one now.

Casually prying the man's mouth open, Fu Qian stuffed the handkerchief inside before sliding the oversized leather hood over his head.

He had to admit, the fit was surprisingly perfect.

...

She moved fast.

The entire process was swift and efficient. Fu Qian obviously didn't expect his little bait-and-switch to remain hidden for long; he only needed to make sure Mrs. Tracy's companion couldn't make a racket once he woke up.

Even so, by the time Fu Qian finished cleaning up and stepped out the door, Mrs. Tracy was already long gone.

Outside lay a windowless interior hallway. It even looked like a dead end.

The room he had just occupied was tucked into the very corner—no wonder they had used it to lock up a dangerous element like him.

All things considered, this building felt a bit too claustrophobic and gloomy for a Sanitarium.

It gave off the distinct impression that it was never designed for human habitation, but merely hastily renovated because business was booming.

At the same time, this layout left him with only one possible escape route: heading straight out.

Fu Qian did exactly that. He pulled the door shut behind him, leaving Mrs. Tracy's companion locked inside.

Simply killing the man had certainly been an option. The reason he hadn't done so boiled down to two factors.

First, this place was indeed remote. The biggest risk of discovery actually came from patrolling staff, including whoever delivered the regular meals.

Killing the tied-up man would do practically nothing to help him stay hidden.

Second, a missing Columnist was one thing, but a dead body would completely escalate the situation and severely limit his room to maneuver.

Regardless, just as he had noted earlier, if he could slip away effortlessly, the mission would be over in minutes. There would be no need to stay hidden for long.

On the flip side, if his escape was blocked, it meant he would have to play a game of cat-and-mouse throughout the Sanitarium. Keeping his options open was crucial.

Simply put, if he ever actually needed to stage a grisly murder to create a distraction, he could always just come back and kill the guy later.

Especially since the odds of him making a clean, easy getaway were practically zero to begin with—

The soft soles of his shoes perfectly muffled his footsteps. Yet, just as Fu Qian was moving silently down the hall, casually inspecting the other doors he passed, a figure suddenly appeared in the corner of his eye.

...

It seemed he truly couldn't escape even if he sprouted wings.

Despite the dim lighting and the newcomer's somewhat slender figure, Fu Qian easily recognized that it wasn't Mrs. Tracy.

The woman was shorter and dressed far more plainly. Add in the tray in her hands, and her identity and purpose were obvious—a Sanitarium staff member here to deliver a meal.

She had clearly undergone strict training; her movements were so silent that it had been impossible to hear her coming.

She hadn't even given him a window of opportunity to duck into an empty room. Walking with absolute purpose and eyes straight ahead, the staff member immediately glanced toward the end of the hall, only to freeze in her tracks.

So, time for stealth plan B? If you can't avoid being seen, just eliminate all the witnesses?

Fu Qian didn't miss a beat. He continued walking forward without the slightest hint of panic as the thought crossed his mind.

He could only chalk it up to unbelievable bad luck. If she had arrived even a second earlier or later, this impasse never would have happened.

The timing was so precise she might as well have been standing there with a stopwatch.

As he rapidly closed the distance, the woman looked like she was about to scream or trigger an alarm at any second—

"This area is temporarily closed off. You cannot be in here."

Yet, even as Fu Qian drew close enough to meet her eyes, the petite staff member never ran.

Instead, she just stared at his face and offered a calm warning.

Her tone sounded exactly as if she had merely stumbled upon a lost patient.

...

A new hire who hasn't memorized everyone's faces yet?

Her reaction undoubtedly brought to mind the old adage: wealth is found in danger.

Perhaps his approachable demeanor had successfully bluffed her.

Unfortunately for Fu Qian, it was hard to be that optimistic.

She might not recognize Mrs. Tracy's male companion, but how could she not recognize the face of the guy she hand-fed every single day?

Regardless, the situation was simply too bizarre.

"Don't go near the perimeter wall..."

His suspicions were instantly confirmed. The staff member lowered her head slightly and stepped aside to let him pass, her lips barely moving as she slipped him another warning.

Oh?

Fu Qian kept a perfectly straight face as he brushed past her, only then realizing she had pressed something into his hand.

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