Eldritch Horror Theatre

[Today's work begins. Entering Containment Scenario 3-0009...]

[Current SAN Value: 58, current inspiration: 99]

As Fu Qian entered the mission, the familiar prompts appeared.

[Select the skills and equipment you wish to carry.]

Fu Qian thought for a moment. Considering the item's name, he made an exception to his usual loadout and brought along the Insect Whistle, something he hadn't used in a long time.

[...4%... 6%... 10%... 18%... 34%... 66%... 100%. Containment Scenario successfully loaded.]

[The Greed Worm feeds on Carrion, gluttonous and forever insatiable.

Fresh flesh and blood is something they cannot endure and must discard.

Fortunately, accelerating decay is what they do best.]

No restrictions on Tier 3 Items?

And the target even had a specific name?

Although the introduction was brief, Fu Qian was thoroughly satisfied with how this mission was unfolding.

But ruining an advancement ritual... hadn't he been doing a bit too much of this destroying-other-people's-fortuitous-encounters business lately?

While he mused over this, the scenery before his eyes shifted.

Even before his five senses fully returned, Fu Qian sensed a lingering threat and locked onto an aura not far away.

A Demigod Realm presence? Was this the system's way of telling him right out of the gate that things wouldn't be simple?

Wait a minute. This aura felt a little familiar.

His mind raced as he suddenly realized something.

The next moment, warm sunlight spilled into his vision.

At the same time, a figure scribbling furiously outside the door seemed to sense something and slowly looked up.

Dressed in fashionable business attire, her exquisite features carried an innate authority that made it impossible to guess her exact age.

Sure enough, it was someone he hadn't seen in a while—Chief Yuan of the Shangjing Night Watchers.

The exact person he had been planning to chat with after conveniently wrapping up this mission.

If that was the case, didn't that mean he was currently in— Not rushing to speak, Fu Qian turned his head to survey his surroundings.

The Deck Chair, the counter, the bookshelves—everything was so familiar. It was indeed his own Bookstore, which hadn't been open for business in days.

Wasn't this a little too coincidental? If it weren't for the explicit mission prompts just a moment ago, he might have mistakenly thought there had been an operational error.

So this mission was to be completed right here in Shangjing, directly assuming his identity as the Bookstore Owner?

Didn't that mean he could even borrow the strength of the Night Watchers?

To sum it up: Tier 3 Items, no ability restrictions, a clear target, and he could even call for backup.

What kind of ultimate breeze of a scenario was this!

Fu Qian clicked his tongue in admiration, feeling that it was finally starting to look like a proper weekend.

It wasn't until Yuan Shan stepped up and knocked on the door that he finally sat up.

"You really do have a knack for coming and going like a ghost!"

Stepping inside, Chief Yuan immediately let out a heartfelt sigh.

"I was just about to leave. You really startled me just now."

"Actually, me too."

Fu Qian echoed her sentiment.

"Did you need me for something?"

"I did, but to be more accurate, I wanted to confirm that you were alright."

Yuan Shan waved the crumpled ball of paper in her hand, then tossed it in a clean arc into the trash can in the corner.

"When did you get back?"

Sitting down heavily, she looked at Fu Qian and asked.

So the timeline was indeed set after his trip to Ye Island?

From that one simple question, Fu Qian gleaned a crucial piece of information.

All at once, he seemed to understand what a certain number in his field of vision meant.

That was right. The moment he appeared in the Bookstore, he noticed a countdown timer in the top-left corner of his vision—the exact same spot as his very first mission. It looked like there were less than twenty-four hours remaining.

Judging by the angle of the sunlight spilling into the Bookstore, he could tell it was around two o'clock in the afternoon.

In other words, the timer's expiration coincided almost perfectly with the moment he had entered the Warehouse in the other world.

Was it a restriction caused by that?

If that were the case, assuming he logged off to rest right now and waited to be drafted again at midnight, wouldn't that give him a more lenient countdown?

"Just now. Why?"

Amidst his swirling thoughts, Fu Qian gave a very honest reply.

"Where is Su Gao?"

Yuan Shan didn't seem to question the truthfulness of his answer.

"Her vacation is over."

In response to her question, Fu Qian opted to simply parrot Su Gao's exact words from before.

...

For a moment, Yuan Shan didn't even know how to react.

As far as she could tell, Su Gao was undoubtedly very close with the man sitting before her.

From what she had gathered previously, Su Gao had rushed straight here the moment her condition stabilized after advancing to the Demigod Realm.

And now, after merely a few days, her vacation was just over and she'd left? She hadn't even returned to Shangjing together with him.

"So, in what regard exactly did you want to confirm I was alright?"

Fu Qian offered no further explanation. After a brief thought, he simply posed his own question.

"Did you know that something happened over on Ye Island?"

"What happened?"

"You were actually there and didn't hear about it? The clash between Siren and Anjing is massive news!"

Yuan Shan furrowed her brows.

"Oh, you mean that... I was wholly engrossed in tea ceremonies and divination at the time. I didn't pay much attention to anything else."

Tea ceremonies and divination... Yuan Shan's breathing grew a fraction heavier.

No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't associate those two terms with the guy sitting in front of her.

"The corporate conflict is one thing. The real issue is that the abnormal actions of a certain demigod caused a substantial number of civilian casualties, making the situation quite severe."

Shock aside, Yuan Shan didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"You mean Sybil, right?"

Fu Qian nodded.

"Her defection on the battlefield caused quite a stir back then. To think she was only feigning surrender. The Anjing side was far too overconfident. I suppose they've just had it too easy lately?"

"Perhaps..."

Faced with Fu Qian's critique, Yuan Shan wore a peculiar expression.

This take was undoubtedly the mainstream opinion out on the streets. If you pulled aside any ordinary citizen who followed the news, their conclusion would likely be exactly the same.

But the problem was, this guy was no ordinary citizen!

Add Su Gao to the mix, and you had two demigods heading to Ye Island one moment, only for a massive incident to break out there the next.

Although it looked like a standard corporate feud on the surface, something about it still felt strangely off.

"So that's why you came to find me? Don't tell me you think I was secretly orchestrating that behind the scenes?"

As if suddenly realizing her implication, Fu Qian shot her a look of utter disbelief.

"How could I? I merely felt that Ye Island had become a hub of trouble and thought it best that you didn't stay there any longer. I happened to have some free time today, so I swung by to check on you."

Yuan Shan hurriedly explained.

"Also, I wanted to thank you for the advice you gave before you left. The mess stirred up by the Gulade group has pretty much been smoothed over."

"It was an effortless favor. I didn't do anything in that whole affair but wag my tongue."

Fu Qian waved his hand, looking as open-minded as an empty valley.

Strictly speaking, he was the one who had started that whole mess in the first place.

Feigning modesty, he glanced around until he finally dug out a kettle and casually set some water to boil.

"Speaking of which, where are the people you summoned? It's been so long, they should have arrived by now even if they're slow."

After getting the water running, he suddenly seemed to remember something and looked up to remind Yuan Shan.

"Judging by Old Man Logan's experience last time, you'd best not lead them here to my place."

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