Eldritch Horror Theatre

Judging from the results, even if there really was something related to the Transcendent Tier here, this woman seemed completely unaware of it.

"It seems your employers are quite generous."

While Fu Qian analyzed the test results, Tan Ying finally recovered her senses.

"So, Sissi, you just arrived in Lincheng today?"

She spoke in a casual, conversational tone, seemingly to ease the awkwardness of her earlier compliment.

"Yes."

Sitting elegantly as she had the entire time, Sissi nodded.

"I only finalized my travel plans early this morning. It's a beautiful place."

"Then later, you can have Fu Qian show you around."

"So your name is Fu Qian?"

Unexpectedly, the other woman turned her head the very next moment and looked at Fu Qian in surprise.

"That's a very interesting name."

'You don't even know your own consultant's name? Didn't you come here specifically to find him?'

Realizing what she had just said, Tan Ying stared wide-eyed at the two of them, utterly unable to make sense of the situation.

'I knew you would blow my cover sooner or later.'

As the person in question, Fu Qian shot Tan Ying an impassive look, completely unsurprised by this development.

And just like that, there was one more person in the world who could call on him.

...

After her initial shock, Tan Ying seemed to realize she had caused trouble.

She shot a cautious glance at Fu Qian and only relaxed a little after seeing that he looked completely unbothered.

She was, in fact, overthinking things.

Having completed his main objective of integrating into this world, Fu Qian was currently in full vacation mode, his mindset utterly relaxed.

Even his few probing attempts had just been made in passing while quietly observing changes.

If he had actually minded, there was no way Tan Ying would have been able to walk in earlier.

A single casual thought would have been enough to send her back out to continue her shopping.

The only reason he hadn't done so was because Fu Qian considered casually manipulating the minds of others to be impolite.

That was right. Although he was infamous for mental violation, Fu Qian had always believed that, in most situations, he respected others.

In fact, he respected many people far more than they respected themselves.

"So, I'm guessing you two haven't had lunch yet? Do you want to go grab something to eat together?"

She could sense a genuine lack of concern in Fu Qian's leisurely attitude.

Even so, as a well-mannered young woman, Tan Ying still felt her earlier slip of the tongue had been inappropriate.

She had originally planned to satisfy her curiosity and then leave, but now she suddenly felt the need to make amends, offering this suggestion after a brief moment of thought.

It was clearly a very reasonable suggestion.

It was barely noon, and since Sissi had traveled a long way to get here, it was highly likely she hadn't eaten yet.

"I already ate."

"Me too."

Unexpectedly, the two gave the exact same answer in perfect unison.

'...So what was your plan then? A friendship of gentlemen is bland as water, so you were just going to drink some tea and part ways?'

Tan Ying felt utterly baffled by these two, and she had to fight the urge to just turn on her heel and leave.

"So, do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"

Taking a deep breath, Tan Ying decided she couldn't let the conversation die there.

"I remember there's a haunted house nearby that was blessed by a high monk?"

In response to her question, Fu Qian thought about it seriously before speaking up directly, without even consulting his client.

From the very beginning, he had never planned on sharing lunch with a customer who showed up at his door.

As far as he was concerned, hospitality was not part of a consultant's job description, especially since the commission had already been completed.

Therefore, before he even left his place, he had already whipped up a quick brunch for himself.

...

'A haunted house?'

Tan Ying froze at Fu Qian's suggestion, her expression visibly souring.

The previous horror stories in Lincheng were definitely memories she had no desire to revisit.

But regardless, it was at least a suggestion.

'I'll just tag along and play guide for the afternoon to make up for my slip of the tongue earlier. Wait a minute—is this his true goal?'

'Did he deliberately invite me in and withhold a warning just to scheme me into acting as a tour guide?'

Although she had no proof, her memories of his terrible personality made the situation feel increasingly suspicious the more she thought about it. She couldn't help but narrow her eyes in scrutiny.

Unfortunately, it was completely impossible to glean any meaningful information from Fu Qian's face.

"Give me a second. Let me put my things back in the car first."

Tan Ying finally withdrew her gaze, letting out a long sigh as she accepted her fate.

...

"Master?"

On a weekend, there was no shortage of young people seeking a thrill.

And almost the exact moment they arrived, the dutiful bald owner recognized Fu Qian and cried out in surprise.

Clearly, the owner had a very deep impression of the master who had taken away his prop.

His extremely respectful greeting instantly drew countless sideways glances, including one from their mysterious client, Sissi.

"How's business?"

Fu Qian ignored the stares, offering a very casual greeting.

"It's passing fair. I still have to thank you for your help last time."

As he spoke, the bald owner glanced at Tan Ying and Sissi.

Both of them were the type of women who were unforgettable at first glance. He was absolutely certain he had never seen the young woman in the purple skirt before.

'As expected of a master. His female companions are always star-quality.'

'Is this the charm of faith?!'

"There are people waiting in line behind us."

Tan Ying ignored the man's profound internal revelations, urging him on with an expressionless face.

"Uh..."

The bald owner seemed to sense a chilling aura and immediately cut his small talk short.

But judging from the subtle glances he shot their way, he had evidently attributed Tan Ying's bad mood to some sort of romantic rivalry.

In fact, he probably wasn't the only one; over ninety percent of the people present likely thought the exact same thing.

...

What a pity. There was no second Mirror to be found.

Both Tan Ying and Sissi displayed a considerable amount of emotional restraint. They quickly hit it off and fell into a harmonious conversation, completely leaving Fu Qian out in the cold.

He clearly didn't mind this at all, observing his surroundings as they walked.

One of his main reasons for suggesting this place was to see if the bald owner had made any new acquisitions.

Unfortunately, he hadn't discovered anything out of the ordinary so far.

Besides, even though he seemed like a third wheel, his presence still had its purpose.

For example, after realizing that Master Fu was walking right beside her, the less-than-courageous Eldest Miss Tan actually walked with a newfound sense of confidence, acting as though his mere presence was capable of warding off evil.

In contrast, Sissi wasn't quite as composed. She let out a gasp of surprise every time the scenery before them shifted.

However, for some unknown reason, Tan Ying couldn't shake the feeling that this perfectly normal reaction felt a little unnatural.

"So, Sister Sissi, your home shouldn't be too far from Lincheng, right?"

After chatting for a while, Tan Ying's form of address had become much more affectionate.

She clearly didn't want the older girl to lose her composure, so she naturally tried to distract her.

Given that Sissi had only decided to come early this morning and had arrived by noon, it was a perfectly logical assumption.

"It's actually quite far."

Surprisingly, Sissi shook her head in response.

"I came from the neighboring city. I've been staying there for over a month now."

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