Eldritch Horror Theatre

The meeting with the Gulade Clan, represented by Taylor, ultimately concluded in a rather awkward fashion thanks to one of his fans showing up at the door.

Of course, such minor details were unimportant. Despite the brevity of the meeting, the two sides had amicably exchanged their views and reached a mutual agreement to let bygones be bygones.

As for the little life hack Fu Qian had provided, Taylor had clearly mastered it long ago. Even if he hadn't personally verified its effectiveness, he certainly didn't dare question it.

Ultimately, under the gaze of the onlookers, the young man whispered his thanks and fled in a hurry.

"Ask the world, what is love!"

Faced with this unexpected interlude, Fu Qian could only click his tongue in admiration before throwing the shop doors wide open and hanging up the open sign.

The entertainment had come to an abrupt halt. Suddenly deprived of their spectacle, the crowd of onlookers was left feeling somewhat lost.

Now, faced with the wide-open doors of the bookshop, many of them—despite having no real love for studying—subconsciously wanted to find something to occupy themselves. For a brief window, the customer conversion rate was staggeringly high.

Naturally, they were quickly treated to an experience that made guests feel at home.

"The shop is closed."

Amid a chorus of complaints, Fu Qian shooed out the final few customers—the ones with the mental fortitude to hold out until the bitter end. Having surfed the tides of commerce once more, he felt utterly satisfied.

Afterward, he spent two minutes sorting out his gear. Then he locked the door and embarked on his expedition—rather, his journey home.

He was, after all, a proper instructor of the Academy, a trusted aide of Apocalypse Dean Cass, and a covert enforcer for the Disciplinary Department.

Aside from a tiny little criminal record, he was more than qualified to win a "Top Ten Most Inspiring Figures of the Academy" award.

Not to mention that his decision to turn himself in this time was born entirely from a sincere love of learning.

...

"Ah, sorry!"

He had only been in his rather cramped seat for a few minutes when, accompanied by a faint fragrance, a soft body bumped against him, followed by a somewhat half-hearted apology.

Compared to Ye Island, the Academy was much farther from Shangjing, and taking the sea route would require a massive detour. Thus, Fu Qian had opted for a different mode of travel this time.

The aircraft in this world sported fairly standard designs, though they were considerably smaller. Despite the exorbitant ticket prices, the cabins were cramped, making accidental bumps perfectly normal. However, that voice...

Looking at the short-haired woman who had naturally taken the seat beside him, and then glancing over at the middle-aged man with graying temples sitting a bit farther away, he found the scene seemingly familiar.

Fu Qian briefly searched his memory banks and recalled a name.

"Xiaozhi?"

That was it. These two were the very same Night Watchers duo who had mistaken him for a dangerous criminal and tried to arrest him on his way to Fenghou City.

Of course, he had ultimately sacrificed Chief Yuan's pristine reputation to successfully earn their trust.

Fu Qian had a rather good impression of these two. They were dedicated and professional.

The problem was that he was a thoroughly law-abiding citizen today. Knowing that some of his equipment was rather recognizable, he had left items like Mercy safely in the Warehouse. What kind of murder weapon could she possibly find on him now?

"Hi, still remember us?"

Fortunately, Xiaozhi quickly cleared up his confusion. Blinking her eyes, she pointed at herself and her colleague.

"Of course. Such pleasant surprises are rare."

Fu Qian nodded, gesturing to the spot where she had just bumped him.

"It really is a coincidence! We're passing through Shangjing this time, and I even mentioned you to Uncle Mo."

His subtle compliment was clearly effective. Despite her usually valiant demeanor, Xiaozhi covered her mouth and giggled, highly receptive to the words.

"I'm truly sorry about what happened last time. If there's ever anything we can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

Even as she smiled, she leaned in close to Fu Qian's ear and whispered the offer, her tone brimming with sincerity.

So she had bumped into him purely to apologize? These two really were honest people!

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind."

Fu Qian gave a slight nod, not standing on ceremony.

"Did everything go smoothly after we parted ways last time?"

His casual response seemed to greatly relax the middle-aged man, who had been keeping a close eye on their exchange. He offered a greeting with a smile.

"It was quite a fruitful trip."

Fu Qian answered with absolute honesty.

"Are you traveling for personal reasons or official business this time?"

Xiaozhi clearly remembered Fu Qian's previous explanation. Seeing how unexpectedly friendly he was, she casually asked a follow-up question.

...That was a little tricky to explain. Fortunately, he already had plenty of experience in this regard.

"Shangjing has been experiencing an autumn of many troubles lately, and the Chief has been racking his brains over it."

Fu Qian sighed and shook his head, his tone growing solemn.

"There are certain things that simply must be done."

By using two completely unrelated sentences to successfully pin the blame on Chief Yuan once again, he managed to subtly shut down the conversation. Xiaozhi and Uncle Mo tactfully refrained from pressing the matter.

The rest of the flight was spent in pleasant conversation. Upon reaching their destination, the two parties wished each other well and went their separate ways.

Following another few hours of travel, Fu Qian finally arrived at his destination under the cover of night.

He didn't rush straight to the Academy. Instead, he found a bustling spot to eat dinner. Once he finished, he joined the flow of the crowd, leisurely taking in the city's nightscape.

Before doing any of this, of course, he had already reverted to his true appearance and voice—the identity of the Academy instructor, Fu Qian.

...

People weren't always afraid of the dark. The quiet, profound depths of the night often harbored a restless vitality that the daytime could never match.

Even around the Academy, there was virtually no academic atmosphere to be found. Instead, various men and women were busy letting loose, whether intentionally or otherwise.

Along the way, Fu Qian had drawn more than a few bold, fiery gazes, as well as one that was chillingly sharp...

"Professor Lanaya."

Staring at the familiar brown-haired, blue-eyed face that had suddenly appeared before him, Fu Qian offered a beaming smile and a greeting.

"It really is you..."

The head of the Disciplinary Department responded through gritted teeth.

...

Returning directly to the Academy had been out of the question. Regardless of any ideological differences, the death of an Academy instructor simply had too many massive implications.

If he had marched straight back in, he would have undoubtedly walked into a situation of chickens flying and dogs jumping.

Given that, Fu Qian had opted to give Lanaya and her people some time to react, deliberately choosing to show his face in a crowded public area.

By the looks of it, the initial chaos at the Academy had already subsided, and their final stance toward him was actually somewhat amicable.

Regardless of her tone, the fact that Lanaya had shown up alone, without any backup, spoke volumes.

"When did you get back?"

"Before dinner."

"You still had the mood to eat... Do you have any idea how much misery you've caused me?"

Their subsequent exchange undoubtedly confirmed Fu Qian's theory.

Although Lanaya was griping with the bitterness of a tragic widow, she radiated very little actual murderous intent. She didn't seem the least bit worried that the fugitive murderer standing before her might suddenly snap and attack.

"Sorry, I was in a bit of a rush back then. Did I interrupt your drinking session?"

Fu Qian's apology was utterly sincere as he looked her up and down.

"It's fine. I'll treat you to a drink later to make up for it."

Lanaya was clearly exuding the faint scent of alcohol. Combined with her past track record, it was easy to deduce that she had been out enjoying the beautiful nightlife.

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