Eldritch Horror Theatre

"Nonsense! We did go near there yesterday, but Li Min was with me the whole time. When would she have had time to kill anyone?"

Inside the room, Fu Qian listened expressionlessly to Rachel's yelling. She was clearly quite upset.

Having just returned with Rolden, he quickly noticed that the three from the ritual were already waiting.

News of Teresa's death had spread, prompting Rolden to gather everyone.

After a brief explanation of the situation, the reaction was predictably intense.

"The Night Watchers merely issued a notice: Teresa is suspected to have died from sustained burning."

Rolden didn't seem to mind being sprayed with Rachel's spit. He simply spoke at a sluggish pace.

"You don't need to get so worked up. I'm just trying to understand the situation. I never said Li Min was definitely the killer."

"After all, there are many ways to achieve a similar effect."

Rachel turned her head sharply away.

Clearly, she was deeply dissatisfied that her close friend was even under suspicion.

"So the Night Watchers believe Teresa's death is connected to the incident at the Stone Tower?"

Beside them, Shang Shiming frowned, carefully weighing his words.

It was obvious that this unexpected complication had caught him completely off guard.

"They definitely have their suspicions."

Rolden narrowed his eyes at Shang Shiming.

"After all, the timing is too coincidental. Of course, personally, I don't buy into that theory."

Shang Shiming had just found people to help with his ritual, and the Stone Tower collapsed right after. It was impossible not to draw a connection.

But Rolden had pointedly avoided asking about it directly, clearly not wanting to dig too deep.

It made sense. Considering his past conduct, tearing down a tower hardly qualified as a heinous crime.

"True... but given Teresa's strength, killing her wouldn't have been easy. And the motive is truly baffling."

Shang Shiming naturally understood Rolden's implication and swiftly changed the subject.

Rolden glanced at him, knowing the man was still trying to clear Li Min's name.

No matter how strong Li Min was, she was only at the Tier 7 Peak. Claiming she killed Teresa was indeed hard to believe.

Regardless, Teresa's death had to be thoroughly investigated.

Partly to appease the Night Watchers, and partly for everyone's own safety.

An entity capable of casually killing a Mid-Tier Transcendent and calmly escaping the Night Watchers' pursuit...

Without knowing its motive, that alone was enough to make every transcendent in Percy lose sleep.

"It's fine. The Night Watchers merely asked us to assist with the investigation. I'll explain the initial situation to them later. Just be more cautious for the time being. Also..."

Rolden mused for a moment, then turned to look at Li Min.

She had kept her lips tightly pursed since the beginning, not saying a word, let alone trying to defend herself.

"Ms. Li, regarding the request you made earlier, I have some leads."

Leads?

Li Min, who had been lost in thought, clearly hadn't expected such a drastic shift in the conversation. She froze for a moment before perking up.

"Someone indeed knows a ritual close to what you're looking for, and he's willing to share it. He asked me to bring you over."

Rolden told her.

"Is it a transcendent from the gathering?"

Before Li Min could respond, Rachel asked hesitantly.

"You could say that, but you've never met him. He rarely makes an appearance."

"Mainly because the content of the main gatherings is far too shallow for him,"

Rolden explained.

"Someone that impressive... Can I go too?"

Rachel asked, almost without hesitation.

"No!"

Rolden refused her request categorically, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Just as he was about to say more, he paused, seemingly listening to something.

A few seconds later, Rolden looked at the four of them with a strange expression.

"He wants all of you to come over. Right now."

All of them?

Fu Qian watched this development with a faint smile.

Just as expected, there was a more central figure behind Rolden.

...

"Here we are. You can call him Mr. Claudio."

In silence, the group followed Rolden into an exquisite courtyard.

Rolden gestured for them to follow him, then walked straight up and opened a door.

Inside stood an elderly man they had never seen before. His features were plain and unremarkable, but he was dressed meticulously, right down to the black top hat on his head. He had the distinct air of an old-school gentleman.

So this was the old man, Claudio?

Fu Qian stared at the formal top hat.

He was a bit allergic to those things right now; just seeing it gave him the urge to crush a skull.

However, the man before them truly gave off a unique vibe.

The first thing he could confirm was that while the man's aura was strong, he probably wasn't a Demigod yet.

At the same time, his entire being exuded another peculiar sensation, as if every move he made had countless unseen effects on his surroundings.

"You've arrived."

Claudio gave Rolden a slight nod and gestured for the group to take a seat nearby.

Shang Shiming's group seemed to sense how formidable he was. Even the rebellious young woman Rachel became cautious, obediently taking a seat.

"I've already heard about Teresa."

Claudio evaluated the group.

"It is truly regrettable that such a thing occurred. Teresa was quite a talented transcendent."

"Without a doubt, Percy is currently under the threat of some kind of Shadow."

"But you need not worry too much. Just quietly mind your own business and have faith in the Night Watchers."

Claudio offered a few words of comfort before turning his gaze to Li Min.

"Welcome to Percy. I've already heard about your request from Rolden."

"I invited you over because I happen to have a ritual I can share."

"Thank you so much!"

Faced with this sudden stroke of good luck, Li Min remained relatively composed as she earnestly thanked Claudio.

"You're welcome. Letting a revelation find the right person is a meaningful endeavor to me."

Claudio snapped his fingers as he spoke. Li Min's body instantly jolted, plunging into a brief state of bewilderment.

He actually started right away?

The room instantly quieted down as every gaze converged on Li Min's face.

A moment later, Li Min let out a long breath and returned to normal.

"I understand, but wouldn't this be a bit—"

"Transcendent rituals are inherently like this. Of course, during these sensitive times, you can consider how to minimize the impact."

Her words were cut off halfway. Claudio seemed to understand her meaning and responded immediately.

Li Min was someone who hadn't hesitated much to help tear down a tower. Could this new ritual contain something even more inappropriate?

Although the two of them spoke vaguely, Fu Qian listened from the sidelines, deep in thought.

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