Eldritch Horror Theatre

'This week's difficulty level is a pleasant surprise. It's actually a 3-series Item.'

'Given what happened last time, is this another little compensation to keep me from going on strike?'

Fu Qian thought leisurely, listening to the prompt in his ear.

It made sense. Last week's incident really had been quite severe.

But severe as it was, the Warehouse really didn't need to be this nervous.

'A multi-million annual salary is one thing, but I'm someone who didn't even give up when my SAN Value dropped into the low teens.'

'The only reason I'd ever stop is if I got bored.'

[Entering 3-0530 Containment Scenario]

As expected of a task starting with a 3, there were no ability restrictions. After making a few simple adjustments according to the prompts, his vision rapidly blurred.

[This is a prosperous metropolis, glamorous and vibrant, where countless men and women rush about in pursuit of life's value and meaning. Yet, as one of them, you did not fulfill your duties as a student today, leaving school early instead.]

'A student identity again? I really don't miss my school days that much!'

The background introduction in his ear was extremely brief, but its contents still made Fu Qian want to complain.

"So, what do you want to ask?"

A soft voice spoke up in front of him.

As his vision cleared, Fu Qian located the owner of the voice.

A dark wooden table sat before him. A woman of about thirty sat behind it, staring at him.

She was dressed simply and lacked any outstanding features, but her eyes were extremely bright.

At the same time, Fu Qian noticed that they were in a tiny room no larger than a few square meters.

Because the window was so small, the lighting was rather dim, even though nothing was intentionally blocking it.

Behind the woman stood a delicate wooden shelf holding playing cards, copper coins, and all sorts of strange tools.

'A fortune-telling shop?'

Fu Qian quickly made his judgment.

'No wonder she asked that question. Did I skip class to get my fortune told?'

'So, what should I ask?'

Fu Qian sized up the young woman in front of him, in no rush to speak.

He had to admit, she carried the aura of a fortune teller quite well.

Her gaze was calm, her demeanor relaxed, and she hadn't dressed up in any bizarre getup just to act mysterious.

Furthermore, since his powers weren't restricted, Fu Qian was absolutely certain that the woman before him was just an ordinary person.

[Current task updated: find Kisaragi Kana's corpse before six in the evening.]

Right then, the task prompt sounded in his ear.

'Looking for a corpse right off the bat? That doesn't quite match the tone of the background introduction!'

Fu Qian noted inwardly, though his expression remained perfectly neutral.

"Can I ask anything?"

"Yes."

The fortune teller sat there patiently, showing not the slightest hint of annoyance.

"I want to know where Kisaragi Kana is."

...

The moment Fu Qian asked his question, the previously aloof fortune teller frowned slightly, finally showing a different reaction.

"Many people are looking for her, and I can understand why."

After looking him up and down, she refrained from kicking him out as a troublemaker.

"But aren't you a little too young?"

'They actually know each other?'

Fu Qian naturally caught the implication, instantly intrigued.

'That explains why the task spawned me here.'

However, based on his perception, he could confirm that this small room and its surroundings were perfectly clean. There were no corpses hidden anywhere nearby.

"You might have misunderstood. I just want to divine her location."

Fu Qian said evenly.

"Your excuse is just as clumsy as everyone else's."

The fortune teller looked rather disinterested.

"Unfortunately, Kana hasn't been here in a long time. I have no idea what she's doing either."

As she spoke, she scribbled a few words, tore off a sticky note, and handed it over.

"If you want to find her, you can ask at her house."

'Judging by her tone, is she the older sister? It doesn't seem like the two get along very well.'

Fu Qian thought to himself, accepting the note without protest.

He took the note from the fortune teller and confirmed it held an address.

"Thank you very much."

Fu Qian had no interest in clearing up her misunderstanding. He simply said his goodbyes and left.

...

Outside, the sun was clearly beginning to set in the west.

Fortunately, the address on the note wasn't far. Fu Qian didn't spend much time finding his destination.

Along the way, Fu Qian didn't forget to observe his surroundings.

At first glance, the earlier introduction had been correct. Before him was undoubtedly a highly modernized metropolis.

Skyscrapers stood tall, crowds wove through the streets, and everything seemed perfectly orderly.

Unfortunately, in a place like this, he had to find a corpse.

...

"You're looking for Kana?"

The destination was a small, detached single-family home. After Fu Qian rang the doorbell, a half-bald middle-aged man soon came out to answer.

The moment he saw Fu Qian, the man frowned. Before Fu Qian could even state his purpose, the man asked his question directly.

"I'm sorry, Kana isn't home right now."

'He's so well-practiced. It seems Kana's sister was right; she really is quite popular.'

Fu Qian nodded inwardly.

At the same time, he confirmed that this Mister Kisaragi wasn't lying.

Aside from the man standing before him, there was no one else in the house—dead or alive.

"Do you know where she went?"

"I'm sorry, Kana is frequently out of the house, so I'm not entirely sure where she is right now."

Mister Kisaragi recited his answer like lines from a script, as if he had said them countless times.

"However, if you really want to see her, I know where you can find her."

'Oh?'

That last sentence caught Fu Qian slightly by surprise.

"Where?"

"It's not time yet."

Mister Kisaragi shook his head, looking up at the sky.

"A bit later. Every day at six in the evening, Kana goes to the Anjing Building in the city center for her observation tests. You'll definitely be able to find her there."

'Anjing Building...'

The address the man mentioned felt somewhat familiar to Fu Qian.

Soon, he realized the source of that familiarity.

The last time he discussed the Origin Council with Classmate Su Gao, she had mentioned the title of the King of Ye Island. If he remembered correctly, the faction that person controlled was the Anjing Group.

'So this is Ye Island?'

"Observation tests?"

With this in mind, Fu Qian asked with a slightly confused expression.

"Yes. Because she applied to participate in a potion experiment, her physical changes need to be recorded and examined regularly. So, she will definitely show up at that time."

Mister Kisaragi remained expressionless. After he finished speaking, he rudely shut the door right in Fu Qian's face.

'A potion test at six every day.'

Staring at the closed door, Fu Qian fell deep in thought.

'I think I know why I have to find her before six o'clock.'

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