Eldritch Horror Theatre

So having someone drink her leftover coffee was the last shred of hope for this long-suffering woman?

Seeing Loretta's joy, Fu Qian felt a pang of sympathy.

Now came the real question: whether the sedatives would even work on a patient who had so clearly let all hope turn to ash was one thing, but did Kelly truly worry she would go mad and hurt people?

That doctor was acting stranger by the minute!

"So when did you get here?"

Loretta asked before Fu Qian could say anything.

"Three minutes shy of two hours."

Fu Qian glanced at the wall clock and gave her the exact time.

The probability of this scene happening in the Real World was practically zero. There was no need to weave lies just to make Loretta feel better.

Sure enough, a trace of pity appeared in Loretta's eyes. It was obvious she hadn't forgotten that Fu Qian had claimed to be a fellow patient.

"So you just got here?"

Loretta's words undeniably sounded off. Fu Qian looked around.

Why did everyone else get to be independent business owners the moment they arrived, while he was stuck as a wage slave?

"I should have just arrived, but I've been getting so sluggish lately. I probably sat here for a long time before I remembered to look for the coffee pot."

Loretta stared blankly out the window and muttered.

The problem was only growing. Fu Qian waved the list in his hand.

Loretta had no reason to lie. That meant Kelly's claims about her missing her appointments were completely fabricated.

The most glaring issue was that she had only just arrived. How did Kelly know she was here?

"Have you seen Kelly Landa lately?"

Fu Qian decided to double-check.

"Doctor Kelly? That was a long time ago, wasn't it?"

He could tell Loretta was struggling to remember.

"That was back when I was still in Fenghou City. I stayed there for an unexpectedly long time and met some people... Speaking of which, compared to here, it was much livelier over there."

So she really hadn't seen her?

"Actually, Kelly was the one who asked me to bring you this bottle of sedatives."

Fu Qian took the small brown bottle out of the paper bag and set it down in front of Loretta.

"Kelly asked you to give this to me... Are you her assistant physician?"

Loretta was visibly surprised.

"Even Kelly... Is this curse contagious? Or is this place actually the Real World..."

"It's not."

Fu Qian ruthlessly crushed her sliver of hope.

"She had me bring this because she thinks you've missed your follow-up appointments for too long. She's worried you might spiral out of control."

"I don't even know where she is."

Loretta's eyes quickly dimmed, but she seemed used to such disappointments. She offered a bitter smile.

"But if you need to complete your task, just leave it here."

"If it tastes alright, I can mix it into my coffee and drink it."

Ms. Loretta truly was a kind-hearted person.

Faced with his most cooperative subject so far, Fu Qian instead slipped the sedatives back into his bag.

"As a responsible assistant physician, I need to ensure I haven't made any mistakes. So until I verify the authenticity of this list, I can't give this to you yet."

Meeting Loretta's surprised gaze, Fu Qian explained with a smile.

"That's wonderful!"

She was taken aback for a second before revealing heartfelt envy.

"In the beginning, I tried doing exactly what you're doing. I tried immersing myself in every world, treating them like different lives to experience. I truly found some beautiful things in them. Unfortunately..."

"They were all too easily destroyed, or lost the moment I woke up. That feeling was truly devastating. Soon enough, my ability to feel emotion was completely drained..."

Actually, the Real World was like that too.

Listening to Loretta's seemingly plain but despair-soaked confession, Fu Qian thought to himself.

The torment this woman had endured was easy to imagine. Even the decadent-looking Bernard had likely gone through similar experiences in the beginning.

"You have to look on the bright side. Not all beautiful things slip away. At least you got to drink the coffee just now."

Fu Qian raised his cup in a toast, then downed it in one gulp.

"I still have important work to do, so I'll be going now."

"At least the coffee was drunk... You're right."

Loretta subconsciously repeated his words. Her expression grew a little more lively, but then she was taken aback.

"I think I understand why Bernard likes coffee and books so much now... Ah, you're leaving?"

He could tell that this ordeal wasn't easy for her.

"Yes, I still have important work to do."

Putting down the coffee cup, Fu Qian patted the paper bag beside him.

"Alright, stay safe then."

Loretta paused. Though she wanted to chat a little longer with a familiar face, she clearly didn't want to ruin Fu Qian's immersive roleplay.

"If you can, give my regards to Kelly."

"Will do."

Fu Qian replied casually and left the coffee shop.

...

So far, he hadn't successfully delivered a single dose!

Carrying the four paper bags, Fu Qian strolled down the deserted six-lane avenue, leisurely admiring the night sky.

The view from this angle was spectacular. Wisps of crystalline light converged above him, painting a brilliant picture across the sky.

Out of the three people he had visited so far, Loretta was undoubtedly the easiest to deal with. He barely needed to do anything extra; he just had to confirm the order in which she took the medication later.

And the requests from the remaining two weren't too outrageous. If he really had to fulfill them, it wouldn't be difficult.

The real problem was that Kelly's situation was becoming increasingly suspicious. It looked like he might end up with an extra patient on his hands.

In that case, he might as well chat with the final person on the list and see what her demands were.

Amid his thoughts, Fu Qian crossed a uniquely designed courtyard and knocked on a beige door.

No response.

So unfriendly?

Fu Qian looked around, trying to find a handy tool.

However, he quickly noticed something strange. Every window in this two-story building, from top to bottom, was tightly covered. At a glance, there wasn't a single crack of light showing.

A patient with severe social anxiety?

Fu Qian looked at the list in his hand. Ms. Nancy.

Why did going inside feel slightly dangerous?

Sighing, Fu Qian snapped off a piece of iron wire from nearby and returned to the door. He knocked one more time—courtesy before force.

Unfortunately, there was still no response from inside.

Wasting no more time, Fu Qian casually popped the door open.

It was pitch black. Surprisingly, the lights in the house weren't even on.

He stood at the doorway without stepping inside. Once his eyes briefly adjusted to the dark, Fu Qian spotted a humanoid figure sitting on a sofa.

At that moment, the figure lifted her head from her hands and looked over at him.

"Nancy?"

Fu Qian asked naturally.

"Why is it you?"

However, the next second, the person on the sofa seemed to realize something and abruptly stood up.

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