Eldritch Horror Theatre

Fu Qian's abrupt change of topic undoubtedly shocked Brooke and Kelly.

His long-premeditated scheme had just fallen through, yet he looked as if they had merely been shooting the breeze. One simple 'back to business' and that was it?

Dumbfounded, the two officers gained a profound new appreciation for the sheer thickness of Fu Qian's skin.

"Right. Did you discover anything after you joined them?"

Shock aside, they still had a job to do.

Relying on her excellent professionalism, Kelly was the first to compose herself.

"The Bodhi is no tree, nor is the clear mirror a stand. Since originally there is nothing at all, where can dust alight?"

In response to her question, Fu Qian let out a long sigh, his expression turning solemn.

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting..."

"I'm just saying that they were a group of seniors pursuing inner peace."

"Since you two investigated that place, did you come across the files of two specific people?"

Fu Qian fired off the question before the man could erupt.

"Loretta and Nivalis."

"Loretta, Nivalis... Are they from The Monastery?"

Kelly instinctively glanced at Brooke.

"I don't know about Loretta, but I do know Nivalis."

Brooke, however, did not let her down.

"According to our prior investigations, The Monastery is essentially a place for independent spiritual practice."

"It gathered all sorts of people who generally lived as recluses. Nivalis was their public liaison, though he rarely showed his face... What about them?"

"They drove a special Golden Needle into their heads, using the induced pain to purge their inner distractions and stabilize their minds."

Fu Qian answered with perfect honesty.

"That practice... is bizarre, no doubt, but what does it have to do with the spread of the virus?"

Brooke frowned.

"How could it not be related?"

Fu Qian scoffed and began to pontificate.

"Think about it. This 'inner pollution' they were suppressing—doesn't it bear a striking resemblance to the symptoms of the infected when they act up?"

"Could this mind-altering virus have originated from them?"

"And their act of driving a Golden Needle into their heads—regardless of whether it actually helped them—inevitably created open wounds. It's highly likely they spread the virus that way."

"Could that really be the case?"

Fu Qian's theory clearly sent the two officers into deep thought.

"I've never heard of a virus like that before..."

"Neither had I. But you asked me to find something anomalous, and this is the anomaly I found."

Fu Qian shrugged, wearing a 'believe it or not' expression.

"Besides, according to what you told me, the outbreak originated from there and radiated outward. That perfectly aligns with my deduction."

"Wait a minute. The name Nivalis actually rings a bell."

Kelly seemed to suddenly remember something.

"I once treated a patient by that name. He was suffering from severe anxiety that hadn't seen much improvement."

"During his consultations, he was quite vague about his personal details, only mentioning that he lived with a group of friends. Could it be the same person?"

Girl, you seem to have just exposed a fatal flaw in your story!

Hearing Kelly's words, Fu Qian's immediate internal reaction was a heavy sigh.

When we first met, you spoke entirely like an outsider. You insisted I was the only living person left in Fenghou City and claimed you only found my medical records later.

Now you suddenly claim you might have treated a patient from The Monastery in Fenghou City. No matter how you slice it, that's a glaring contradiction!

This only deepened Fu Qian's conviction that they were currently trapped inside his own unique Mind Space.

"Do you recall what this Nivalis looked like?"

Even as he lamented her slip-up, Fu Qian didn't forget to press his question.

"He was in his fifties or sixties. Very tall, clean-shaven, and his hair was getting a bit thin—"

"Hold on."

Fu Qian interrupted her recollection.

"Did you just say this Nivalis was balding?"

Her initial description perfectly matched the Nivalis he had met, but the hair...

Fu Qian was absolutely certain that, despite his age, the man he knew possessed a thick, lustrous head of hair.

"I'm positive about that!"

Kelly's tone was resolute.

"It was a prominent symptom of his condition. I definitely wouldn't mix that up."

It seems we have a real problem here!

Fu Qian clicked his tongue in thought.

While hair loss from anxiety was reversible, and the Nivalis he had met did appear remarkably serene, there was a catch...

"When did he visit your clinic?"

"A few months ago, give or take."

That wasn't very long ago. The odds of such a rapid recovery seemed rather slim.

Fu Qian massaged his temples.

"I think he might be the root of the problem."

"What do you mean?"

Brooke pressed immediately.

"Because the Nivalis I met seems to be physically different from the one Kelly treated."

Fu Qian explained the glaring discrepancy.

"I'm starting to suspect that this administrator was swapped out with an imposter before the incident even happened."

"Whoever took his place needed to hide in The Monastery for some reason... perhaps to orchestrate this very outbreak."

"But we didn't find any bodies inside The Monastery."

Brooke's fists clenched as he spoke.

"Which means this bastard is likely still alive."

"I need to issue an immediate warrant. I'll coordinate with Federation police everywhere to hunt him down."

"You'll need more than just the police."

Fu Qian shook his head.

"You need to contact the Night Watchers."

"You suspect he's a transcendent?"

Brooke was taken aback.

"Exactly. So, we need to escape this place, find the Night Watchers, and pass everything we've uncovered on to them."

"Escape? Escape from what?"

Brooke and Kelly demanded in unison.

"From this Nightmare prison!"

Fu Qian shot them a glance.

"Can you load your gun?"

"What are you planning?"

Brooke looked instantly wary.

"I just told you. We're getting out. I'm taking you two out of here."

"Why would I need you to take me anywhere? And after that stunt you pulled earlier, do you really think I'd hand you a loaded weapon?"

Though he was somewhat intimidated by Fu Qian's demeanor, Brooke resolutely shook his head.

"It's not like I'm planning to use it in here."

Fu Qian snorted.

"If you're that worried, you can place the gun in one hand and the bullets in the other."

"What exactly are you trying to pull..."

Hesitantly, Brooke retrieved a handful of gleaming brass bullets.

"Shh!"

Fu Qian held up a finger to shush him.

"I simply wish to tap into the great power of idealism."

...

In the end, the handgun and the bullets were placed in his hands, exactly as Fu Qian had requested.

Before doing so, however, they made sure to strap his arms back down tightly.

Fu Qian was perfectly cooperative. He looked over at the now-silent Kelly and Brooke.

"Turn on the recording of the crying. Shut it off in exactly one hour. Don't be off by a single second."

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