Eldritch Horror Theatre

The layout of the alleys in Shangjing was unlike anywhere else.

Even in the most remote corners, a casual turn might reveal a quiet, elegant bookstore.

These bookstores were usually modest in size but remarkably well-stocked. One could often stumble upon unexpected treasures inside.

On a bright summer afternoon, walking into a shop like this, picking up a favorite book, and breathing in the faint scent of ink was the ultimate relaxation.

And the person willing to run such a little shop would usually be an unconventional free spirit who wouldn't mind whatever you did—right?

"Are you the owner?"

Slumped boneless in the rocking chair behind the counter, Fu Qian opened his eyes a crack to look at the man standing before him.

He was in his forties or fifties, standing tall and straight. His dark gray suit was flawlessly tailored—obviously custom-made at a glance—and the graying hair at his temples was combed meticulously.

This gentleman's aura was completely different from the freeloading readers huddled in the corners; he practically oozed sophistication.

"Yes."

Aside from speaking, Fu Qian didn't shift his posture in the slightest.

"Do you have—"

"No."

The man only got halfway through his sentence before Fu Qian cut him off.

"I haven't even said which book."

Brother Decent was clearly a bit stunned. His expression stiffened for a moment.

"The bookshelves are a mess. I simply don't want to go through them one by one. Find it for me."

"That's right, they've been consumed by chaos."

Having finished serving his customer, Fu Qian simply closed his eyes again.

'I...'

Such a terrible attitude undoubtedly infuriated Brother Decent. The guy in front of him clearly had no idea that the customer was always right.

However, the man wasn't the type to give up easily.

Brother Decent simply stood where he was and actually began scanning the shelves one by one.

Whether he was genuinely lucky or just pretending to be, he found what he was looking for a few minutes later.

Striding over to snatch it up, he tossed the book onto the counter and glared down at Fu Qian.

"Ring it up."

"This isn't for sale. It's a promotional gift that comes with a book."

Fu Qian only glanced at it, his face as expressionless as ever.

'Are you fucking kidding me...'

Suppressing the intense urge to smash the book into Fu Qian's face, Brother Decent gritted his teeth.

"And which book does it come with?"

"Another copy of this exact book."

Fu Qian answered with absolute nonchalance.

Brother Decent didn't say another word. He just stared at Fu Qian, trembling for a good ten seconds before turning on his heel and storming out.

He retained just enough sanity to avoid naively searching for a second copy.

Because even if he actually found one, this guy would absolutely just claim it came with a different book.

There was nothing to be done. Anyone would be completely helpless against a piece of work like him.

Judging by his attitude, he definitely owned the storefront.

...

Having finished serving his customer, Fu Qian once again closed his eyes to rest.

He had originally planned to find Wen Li to get some bullets, but he hadn't expected her to temporarily leave Shangjing.

It wasn't worth bothering her butler over such a trivial matter; otherwise, the people involved might end up overthinking it.

Since he had no pressing matters anyway, he figured he might as well return to his day job.

The bookstore had been closed for so long that his career was on the verge of ruin.

Thus, Fu Qian's bookstore was officially open for business once more. And so far, he had to admit it felt pretty good.

Of course, it didn't seem like his customers shared the sentiment.

Whether it was Brother Decent who had just left or the remaining people in the store, they were all thoroughly stunned by this Guests Feel at Home service.

After reflecting on their own behavior, a few of the remaining customers quietly put down their books and slipped out the door.

In the blink of an eye, the bookstore grew even quieter.

Click!

Not long after, the sound of the door opening broke the tranquility.

The few who had stuck around looked over, wondering which unlucky bastard had wandered into the wrong place this time.

However, upon getting a clear look at the newcomer, a collective trace of mesmerized daze flashed through their eyes.

The newcomer was an incredibly handsome man whose age was difficult to discern.

He had pale skin and deep, pitch-black eyes that faintly flashed with a trace of crimson as he glanced around.

He wasn't dressed formally—wearing only a casual, dark shirt—yet he exuded an indescribable elegance.

Compared to him, Brother Decent from earlier paled instantly, reduced to a pretentious old man.

He didn't seem to mind the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd at all; in fact, he seemed to enjoy them.

It was obvious he wasn't there to buy books. The moment he stepped through the door, he made a beeline for Fu Qian.

Despite being total strangers, a faint look of worry actually rippled across the remaining customers' faces. It was as if they couldn't bear to watch him get tormented by this atrocious owner like the last guy.

"The store is closing. You should all leave."

Stopping in front of Fu Qian, the man gave him a similarly condescending once-over before softly speaking those words.

His voice seemed to carry an indescribable magic. In unison, the remaining customers set down their books and walked out the door without a single word.

The bookstore emptied out in an instant. The man then pulled up a chair and sat directly across from Fu Qian.

"Are you the owner of this store?"

Without a moment's hesitation, he asked a seemingly familiar question.

"Yes."

Fu Qian sighed.

As expected, he was only stealing a half-day of leisure from a fleeting life. Someone had already come to interrupt his hard work.

"Do you—"

The man paused for a moment.

"Take in used books?"

Used books?

Fu Qian thought about it for a second, then gave a natural nod.

If one wanted to grow and expand, diversifying the business was a necessary step.

"Of course, but I have to see the book first."

"It is, naturally, quite a special one. Ancient and precious."

"Taylor Gulade."

The man introduced himself as he spoke.

Just as he thought.

Fu Qian wasn't the least bit surprised by the name.

With a look as perfectly classic as it got, the man practically radiated Blood Clan style.

And the only vampires he had any grievances with belonged to none other than the Gulade Family.

As expected, an ancient family with so many years of history still clung stubbornly to certain traditions.

After suffering a loss in the Gan Zuoxun incident, and knowing full well that the Night Watchers were displeased, they actually still wanted to feel out his background.

It was a matter of face. Whether they actually had the guts to retaliate was hard to say, but they still had to make a show of it.

Meanwhile, Taylor had produced a book from his person. He unwrapped its layers of covering, revealing a black cover.

It wasn't large, only slightly wider than a palm. Judging by the wear and tear on the cover, it was indeed quite old.

No matter how one looked at it, it seemed exactly like a diary.

Fu Qian thought to himself, watching as Taylor spun the book around and pushed it across the counter toward him.

"Please take a look."

"Alright."

Fu Qian reached out and casually flipped open a page, only to furrow his brow a moment later.

It actually was a diary?

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