Eldritch Horror Theatre

"Entrusted by someone..."

Fu Qian's answer clearly exceeded Nepheli's expectations once again, plunging her into a momentary silence.

"So in your opinion, Kisaragi Kana's sudden advancement to the Transcendent Tier has nothing to do with the Miracle Potion?"

It was obvious she knew her limits; she didn't press him on exactly who had entrusted him.

"Are you hoping it does, or hoping it doesn't?"

Even so, Fu Qian was in no rush to answer. Instead, he smiled and returned a question of his own.

Speaking to a Divine Emissary with such an attitude was, by any measure, a surefire way to court death.

But in Fu Qian's eyes, while this sudden conversation appeared peaceful on the surface, hidden tensions were already brewing beneath.

She was a Divine Emissary who had once spied on the two of them. Now she had suddenly shown up, taking the initiative to expose his background with startling, calculated remarks.

"Naturally, I hope it does. Unfortunately, things rarely go the way we want them to."

Nepheli didn't take offense. She elegantly lifted the teacup in front of her and took a sip.

"It seems you've already guessed. The Miracle Potion test is indeed led by me. Carlos is merely an executor."

Behind that boring test was actually a Tier 2 Divine Envoy?

Wasn't her approach to this a bit too half-hearted?

Sawada, Sakura Asao, Carlos, Nepheli. Was he just beating the young only to draw out the old, steadily climbing the ladder?

Fu Qian thought to himself in relaxed amusement.

"If that's the case, then I have to revise my earlier evaluation," he said. "For a test designed by a Divine Emissary, it really is dry and boring."

"Experiments are inherently boring."

Nepheli emphasized the point but didn't argue further.

"How could that be? I know an Old Man Takahashi Yae, and the experimental project he was in charge of was quite fascinating."

Fu Qian didn't sound entirely convinced by her claim.

"You call that an experiment?"

Amidst Nepheli's suddenly solemn tone, Fu Qian watched as Sawada filled his teacup to the brim and just kept pouring, showing no sign of stopping.

Yet the endlessly cascading tea didn't spill over. Instead, it transformed into a burst of water vapor.

Guided by some invisible force, this tea-scented mist spread across the tabletop, rapidly forming a swirling, dense veil around the four of them.

"I believe our conversation requires a bit more privacy."

As she spoke, Nepheli waved a hand. Sawada, without a word, took the now-empty teapot and stepped out of the veil, standing a good distance away.

"What an interesting trick."

Shooting a glance at Su Gao to signal her not to attack just yet, Fu Qian sized up their surroundings.

He could tell this veil didn't physically restrict entry or exit; it just possessed phenomenal sensory isolation properties.

"Just a parlor trick."

Nepheli's face remained expressionless.

"So Mister Dancy considers Universal Infamy an experiment? From what I know, you haven't even tried it."

"Could the reason I didn't participate in the test be that I don't like being a guinea pig?"

Faced with such an obvious probe, Fu Qian looked like he couldn't be bothered to entertain her.

"I've always been an honest man. When I said that little game was more interesting earlier, I wasn't just jumping to conclusions."

"But what I'm curious about is this—defining a concept out of thin air isn't something Old Man Takahashi could pull off. Who exactly is the real mastermind behind this project?"

"Yasui Tokiyuki. I merely provided some technical consultation."

Nepheli sighed, finally confirming that Fu Qian wasn't trying to bluff her.

"Oh..."

Fu Qian let out a sound of realization.

"So old man Yasui was still working in the middle of the night yesterday? No wonder you said he was busy."

...

For a brief moment, Fu Qian felt himself locked onto by a surging killing intent.

"I must say, today has been full of surprises!"

After a long pause, Nepheli let out a heartfelt remark.

"But this also proves that you two really aren't Night Watchers."

"That goes without saying."

Fu Qian snorted.

"So in your opinion, Yasui Tokiyuki's actions last night were the cause of the changes in Kisaragi Kana?"

Nepheli's words were essentially an implicit admission that some operation had indeed been performed on the notoriety law last night.

"And in your opinion?"

Met with Fu Qian's counter-question, Nepheli realized she was asking a bit too much.

"It is indeed the greatest possibility. Kisaragi Kana clearly possesses a special talent. Unfortunately, those idiots never managed to see it."

Moving past it, she let out a cold sneer, expressing her contempt for those incompetent fools.

"The materialization of the notoriety concept must have inadvertently resonated with some rule of her cultivation. In that sense, Yasui Tokiyuki actually gave her a helping hand."

"Yeah. Her sister even said she's become a lot more obedient."

Fu Qian nodded repeatedly.

"No need to beat around the bush; I don't mind telling you."

Nepheli scoffed.

"Honestly, it feels quite nice. Like a piece you meticulously designed finally being appreciated by someone who understands it."

"You guessed correctly. Universal Infamy isn't just simple child's play. Its core lies in the plundering—or rather, the erosion—of other people's cognitive power."

"Defining this concept and spreading it, then endowing it with meaning within the transcendent realm. So far, it seems both steps have been executed flawlessly."

"Thanks to Yasui Tokiyuki's efforts, this concept now exists in the cognition of the vast majority of people on Ye Island."

"And starting from midnight yesterday, many people will discover that they've become particularly persuasive, capable of easily swaying the will of others. Of course, they can also be swayed by someone of a higher Rank, or by someone whose cognitive power has a unique influence over them."

"As for Kisaragi Kana's talent, it seems she needs to do exactly that to nurture and temper herself."

It was exactly as he had guessed.

Listening to her, Fu Qian nodded silently.

As the one who had interacted more with Kisaragi Kana, he had been left with a deep impression of her psychotic desire to conquer and control.

And after her notoriety was activated, her boyfriend Takagi had gone completely insane, ultimately dying in his pursuit of her acknowledgment.

Could her path of cultivation lie precisely in this absolute conquest of body and mind?

"Great minds think alike."

Amid his thoughts, Fu Qian nodded.

"So you aren't from Siren, nor are you Night Watchers. Then what's your purpose in coming here? Don't tell me you're actually just interested in our research."

Nepheli didn't seem the least bit flattered by the validation.

"Why not?"

Fu Qian pointed at himself and Su Gao.

"The path of advancement beyond the Demigod Realm is treacherous and unpredictable. With such an excellent reference right in front of us, why wouldn't we use it to learn a thing or two?"

It sounded reasonable enough.

Nepheli was lost in thought for a moment, even forgetting to sip from the teacup she was holding.

"There!"

At this sight, Fu Qian suddenly turned his head to look at Su Gao.

"She's confessed to everything on her own. You can report this to the Council and bring them all back."

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