Eldritch Horror Theatre

Shang Shiming's actions were undeniably bizarre and gory.

For a moment, Rachel watched, her heart pounding, and even Li Min couldn't help but frown.

Yet as the long nail pierced his palm, not a single drop of blood spilled. Shang Shiming even took a deep breath, an expression of sheer intoxication washing over his face.

Starting from the wound on his hand, his flesh withered away, the desiccation rapidly spreading across his entire body.

His already unimposing physique instantly shriveled like a dried corpse, leaving them to wonder if he was even still alive.

The next moment, however, Shang Shiming moved like a phantom. Crossing several meters in a single step—moving so fast he practically left afterimages—he slammed his palm onto a scattered stone slab.

With a sharp crack, the rather thick slab shattered into a pile of rubble.

'Not bad at all!'

Fu Qian nodded thoughtfully.

Shang Shiming's abilities were clearly of the Psychic Type, meaning his physical strength was only marginally greater than an ordinary person's.

By relying on this item, he had covered his physical weakness early on without needing an advancement medium.

It was a highly practical item.

Shang Shiming was visibly satisfied. Still riding the thrill, he unleashed two more consecutive palm strikes, smashing two more slabs to pieces.

"We need to leave. Quickly."

Li Min spoke up at the perfect time, bringing the overjoyed Shang Shiming back to reality.

"That was too loud. Someone will be here soon."

"If the Night Watchers set their sights on us, we'll have a huge problem."

^&%!$#...

As Li Min finished speaking, Shang Shiming let out a string of unintelligible sounds from his throat.

Realizing he could no longer speak normally, he nodded, pinched the head of the nail protruding from the back of his hand, and slowly pulled it out.

Flesh and blood rapidly refilled his body, and his ability to speak returned.

He nodded to the others, and the group swiftly fled the scene of the crime.

...

"Thank you so much for this, Mister Cha."

Having escaped along their pre-planned route and confirmed no one was following, Shang Shiming turned to Fu Qian with genuine gratitude.

"If it weren't for you, there was no way this ritual would have been completed. I was ready to give up!"

"It was an effortless favor."

Fu Qian waved it off, his expression casual.

"I really didn't expect that you were just an ordinary person not long ago. The gifts you received from the ritual are simply beyond imagination."

Shang Shiming couldn't hold back his praise.

Clearly, the terrifying power of Fu Qian's punch had left an indelible impression on him.

"You flatter me. Just don't forget my payment."

"...Rest assured, I definitely won't."

"My harvest this time was even better than I imagined. I'll do everything in my power to ensure you're satisfied, Mister Cha."

Looking completely earnest, Shang Shiming turned to Li Min.

"The same goes for you, Ms. Li. If you hadn't stepped in, let alone completing the ritual, we probably would have been trapped inside forever. I will do whatever I can to show my gratitude."

"And I'll help keep an eye out for that ritual you mentioned."

"Thank you."

Li Min didn't stand on ceremony, nodding in acceptance.

"Speaking of which, I actually have a question."

Seeing that Shang Shiming was finished with his pleasantries, Fu Qian spoke up.

"Strictly speaking, when the Stone Tower collapsed, you were all already outside. I was the only one left inside, and I was the one who delivered the final blow."

"Under those circumstances, how did the gifts from completing the ritual still lock onto you so precisely? No matter how you look at it, my contribution was greater."

"That's actually quite simple."

Shang Shiming laughed.

"That is because one of the prerequisites for completing the ritual is possessing the knowledge related to it."

"And that knowledge isn't as simple as a few summary sentences."

"You have to understand, language is merely a medium for conveying information, not the information itself."

"What I can describe is not the same as the revelation I received in my mind."

"And only those with the true revelation in their minds can complete the ritual and receive its gifts."

"Otherwise, wouldn't anyone who accidentally ruined an ancient building stand a chance of receiving them?"

Shang Shiming waved the long nail in his hand.

"Even you, Mister Cha—the reason you received a gift is because Rolden used a special method to fully impart the revelation to you."

"Without that, even if you had hollowed out your own organs, it wouldn't have done a thing."

'So that was how it worked? It seemed the rituals used by this group from Boxi City were somewhat different from the typical ascension to a Demigod.'

Listening to Shang Shiming's explanation, Fu Qian pinched his chin, deep in thought.

"Now that everything is done, why don't you come rest at my place? Let me show a small token of my gratitude."

Having answered Fu Qian's question, Shang Shiming proactively offered the invitation.

"Forget it, I have business to attend to. Keep the payment for now; I'll collect it when I have the chance."

Unexpectedly, Fu Qian shook his head and firmly declined.

"Alright, then."

Shang Shiming was visibly puzzled, but seeing Fu Qian's resolute attitude, he didn't press the issue. Instead, he turned back to Li Min and Rachel.

"No need. You should head back and rest, Mr. Shang. I will be sure to visit when I get the chance."

Li Min glanced at Fu Qian, then also shook her head, declining Shang Shiming's kindness.

Rachel didn't say a word, following Li Min's lead entirely.

"Alright..."

Seeing that none of them were interested, Shang Shiming didn't insist further and immediately took his leave.

...

"Mister Cha."

Once Shang Shiming had walked away, Li Min suddenly called out to Fu Qian.

"What is it?"

Fu Qian glanced back at her.

Judging by her performance earlier, she had quick reflexes and decisive methods; she fully deserved her reputation as a veteran of the jianghu.

"Do you have time to come to our place for a chat?"

Li Min stared directly into Fu Qian's eyes.

"That white frost from earlier... I can't shake the feeling that something was off about it."

"No time."

Despite the earnest invitation, Fu Qian still rejected her point-blank.

"If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."

Leaving it at that, Fu Qian ignored Li Min's slightly awkward expression, turned, and walked away.

"What's he acting so arrogant for?! He's just a simple-minded muscle freak."

Rachel was completely indignant on her behalf. However, when she looked back, she saw that Li Min was still lost in thought.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

Watching Fu Qian's back disappear into the distance, Li Min shook her head.

"I don't know why, but that man looks a bit familiar."

...

Raindrops fell like beads as Fu Qian moved swiftly through the darkness.

"Hello there, Mister Cha."

The very next moment, a short, slender figure suddenly called out in greeting from a short distance ahead.

The person was wrapped entirely in a black cloak with a wide-brimmed hat, sitting in the shadows with their back turned to him.

"Hello."

Unsurprised, Fu Qian replied without breaking his stride, walking straight toward the figure until he was just a few meters behind them.

'Of course I knew there was something wrong with that white mist. I even knew there was someone hiding nearby the whole time.'

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