Eldritch Horror Theatre

For a split second, Cynthia's feelings were incredibly difficult to describe.

She was an experienced researcher who insisted that nothing should be taken for granted and everything must be judged by experimental results.

Yet at this very moment, even she hesitated, hoping Fu Qian really had just been pondering something as absurd as "who is the most handsome in the world."

Of course, this naive thought survived in her mind for a mere few seconds before it was swiftly crushed to nothingness.

He was playing her. He had been from the very beginning!

The realization swiftly dawned on her, sending her blood pressure skyrocketing.

The next moment, Cynthia snatched up the discarded black cloth and firmly covered the Guide of the Soul.

"You really... have a death wish, don't you!"

Doctor Cynthia was in a noticeably foul mood, and the look Goya shot her only fueled her fury.

"I don't know what you mean. Are you trying to back out of our deal?"

Fu Qian looked genuinely surprised.

"Back out?"

Cynthia let out a furious laugh.

"As if a lunatic like you would care about someone backing out?"

"Those are two different things. Just because I'm not afraid of someone backing out doesn't mean I allow it."

Watching the enraged Cynthia, Fu Qian settled back into his seat, his expression entirely serious.

"From start to finish, I have acted according to our agreement. I looked at the Mirror, didn't I?"

...

For a moment, Cynthia actually couldn't find a single reason to refute Fu Qian's logic.

It was true. Although she didn't know why the Guide of the Soul hadn't worked, she couldn't deny that he had stared into it right in front of her.

But the problem was— Cynthia's eyes reddened with sheer frustration.

"Could it be that what's really making you angry is that I accepted this deal for fun, rather than out of fear? And that this hurt your fragile pride?"

Fu Qian didn't let up, delivering his mockery in a slow, conversational drawl.

"If that really is the case, then I can only offer my condolences. After all, they say that when you deal with smart people, you don't need to consider their egos."

...

"Enough!"

Fu Qian's ability to mock people had truly reached its pinnacle. Provoked one too many times, Cynthia clenched her fists, looking as though she might lunge forward and strike him at any moment. But just then, a voice suddenly rang out.

Cynthia stiffened instantly, her aggressive demeanor swiftly melting away.

Somewhat surprised, Fu Qian glanced over.

It was not surprising that they were being monitored, but the voice that had just spoken sounded exactly like Doctor Goya.

And Fu Qian was absolutely certain the man beside him hadn't opened his mouth.

Now this was getting quite interesting.

The next moment, Fu Qian noticed the lighting in the room rapidly beginning to shift.

A wall to the side of the group had actually begun to slide open silently. It started slow, then sped up, eventually revealing another room hidden behind it.

Inside, surrounded by a throng of guards, sat another Doctor Goya.

So this was what it meant to stay true to the initial resolve to achieve the final outcome!

Witnessing this scene, Fu Qian couldn't help but marvel internally.

There was no need to ask. Just from his posture alone, it was obvious this one was the real deal.

Although his motives were difficult to understand, the project leader, Goya Ulrich, had clearly set himself up with a body double.

So, if he had just strangled the Goya beside him earlier instead of playing the role of Patches to the very end, the mission likely would have failed, and the real Goya would have undoubtedly slipped away.

"Hold out your hands."

The newly revealed Goya was clearly prioritizing his safety.

Several guards immediately marched up to Fu Qian and gave the order.

Fu Qian cooperatively held out his hands, and a pitch-black pair of Handcuffs promptly locked around his wrists.

"My apologies. We noted that you can unleash brief bursts of considerable destructive power, so we had to take a few restrictive measures."

Only then did the newly arrived Goya walk over, peering down at Fu Qian.

"Allow me to introduce myself. Goya Ulrich."

"A pleasure."

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Fu Qian showed no signs of displeasure, putting on an expression of someone honored to finally meet him.

After all, he had already experienced similar treatment during previous missions.

Of course, these Handcuffs were clearly not ordinary items. Not only were they astonishingly heavy, but he could also feel his vitality frantically draining away from the points of contact, the sensation even spreading to other areas.

It felt a bit like the defensive technique the fake Doctor Goya had used earlier—it came with a built-in curse effect.

Fu Qian roughly gauged the sensation. If he had to wear them for a few days straight, he likely wouldn't even have the strength to hold chopsticks or lift a pen.

"His condition is somewhat unexpected."

Now that the real Goya had arrived, even Doctor Cynthia temporarily shelved her anger to deliver a serious report.

"I saw it all. Mr. 9527 has certainly brought us quite a surprise."

The man in charge nodded gracefully, his gaze locking onto Fu Qian's torn cheek.

"Of course, we need not get too caught up on titles. Having the opportunity to converse with you like this is something I am quite interested in."

"So what was all that just now?"

With his target right in front of him, Fu Qian still didn't rush to make his move. Instead, he jutted his chin toward the fake Goya, who had stepped aside.

"Merely guarding against unpredictable danger. After all, quite a few people inside the Anjing Company know who I am."

Doctor Goya explained with a smile.

So it really was the Anjing Company?

Fu Qian nodded, not showing much surprise.

"What if I had actually strangled him to death earlier?"

"Then he would be dead."

Doctor Goya answered bluntly, and even his body double's face remained completely unchanged.

"That has always been his duty. He knew the potential risks before accepting the position, and his compensation has already accounted for that."

"The Company has always been clear about its rewards and punishments."

"Just like us."

Fu Qian looked down at his own orange uniform.

"Correct. Just like you."

"Furthermore, there is our experience in dealing with 'you'."

"Patches undoubtedly loves pranks, so we decided to play a little joke of our own and observe the reaction."

"I see."

Fu Qian sighed.

One thing was explicitly clear: this testing team had made exceptionally thorough preparations.

"So, do you have anything else you'd like to ask?"

Fu Qian's words were undeniably a bit strange. Goya stared blankly for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"No need to ask. Just watching is enough."

He flashed the watch on his wrist.

"The time will be up in just a few more minutes. I'm very much looking forward to your performance then."

"After the screams stop, what will your fate be?"

"Will you write off your present self as a delusion like the others, or will you transcend yourself and allow Patches to truly exist in this world?"

"I will record the process in detail, and I thank you for your contribution to The Company."

His timing was indeed precise.

Fu Qian had similarly been keeping an eye on the time. Comparing it against the recorded timeline, he confirmed the man wasn't bluffing; the 48-hour mark was just about up.

"What happens after the screams stop... That is indeed an interesting question."

The next moment, he nodded, and his fingers—elongating like spears—pierced straight through the real Goya's head.

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