Eldritch Horror Theatre

”I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth. You had the chance to leave this place the easy way.”

In the Corridor, the Persuader let out a long sigh.

”I believe you.”

Unexpectedly, Fu Qian gave a decisive nod.

”You do?”

Fu Qian’s sheer decisiveness left the Persuader momentarily stunned.

”Yeah. I was just purely curious earlier, so I gave it a shot.”

Fu Qian said in all seriousness.

”Why don’t you send me back, and I’ll pretend nothing happened?”

Fu Qian was talking nonsense, of course. He was completely on guard against this mysterious ”person” who had suddenly appeared and could even interfere with his task.But that was exactly why he needed to test the limits of his abilities.

...

”Sorry, but that won’t work.”

The Persuader froze for a long moment before finally shaking his head, his tone thoroughly helpless.

”Even though this is a Nightmare, it stems from an entity of an extremely high tier. It isn’t something I can casually deceive. I have no way to do that a second time.”

”That makes things difficult for me.”

Fu Qian frowned.

”From start to finish, this ’goodwill’ of yours has been entirely self-proclaimed. I have no way to verify it.”

”That doesn’t matter.”

The Persuader let out a string of low chuckles, exuding a profound air.

”I don’t mind. Your trust means nothing to me.”

”I’m relieved to hear that.”

Fu Qian nodded. The next second, he leveled his right hand, aiming straight at the Persuader’s head.

The Persuader froze instantly.

”What are you doing?”

”Since my trust means nothing to you, you shouldn’t take offense at what I do next.”

The moment he entered the Corridor earlier, Fu Qian realized his power had been restored.

Now, he was highly interested in testing this mysterious figure’s depths.

”Wait—”

The Persuader was clearly getting anxious. Fu Qian didn’t look like he was joking.

But he only made it halfway through the shout before the air in front of him distorted with a low, muffled boom.

A Demigod Tier Air Bullet. Compared to before, its increase in power was massive.

However, unlike when released through Mythical Form, it carried no special effects; it was a purely enhanced version in sheer kinetic force.

This came as no surprise to Fu Qian. After all, he hadn’t solidified his Demigod Form yet.

Given the distance between them, the Air Bullet reached the Persuader almost the instant it was fired.

Unable to dodge in time, the Persuader simply crossed his claws in front of his face to block.

The next second, the Air Bullet struck him solidly.

However, the expected explosion and impact never occurred.

The moment it touched the Persuader’s claws, the Air Bullet suddenly transformed.

The originally invisible impact not only took on a visible gray hue, but it also rapidly collapsed into a shuttle-shaped silhouette.

The next moment, the paper-thin silhouette pasted itself seamlessly onto his claws without a sound.

Its kinetic impact vanished entirely.

”I told you, I can distort everything.”

The Persuader lowered his claws and lightly shook them twice, causing the tattoo-like silhouette to fade without a trace.

”Also, you are far too reckless.”

He immediately glanced back to confirm that the darkness behind the door hadn’t been provoked.

”This door is open. Do you have any idea what would happen if you actually provoked whatever is inside?”

”No idea.”

Fu Qian shook his head.

”You don’t know, yet you still act so recklessly!”

The Persuader sounded thoroughly exasperated.

”Aren’t you afraid of being trapped here forever?”

”Nope. Are you?”

”Of course not.”

Oh.

Fu Qian replied.

”So you really are trapped here too.”

...

”Interesting. You’re very smart.”

After Fu Qian spoke, the Persuader fell into a long silence. Only after a good while did he finally speak.

”That’s right. I am indeed trapped in this place.”

”Then here is the question: since you know where the path is,”

Fu Qian pointed at the door behind them.

”And with such insane abilities, why don’t you escape?”

”I am different from you.”

The Persuader’s voice was low.

”Conceptually speaking, the reason I possess this power is precisely because I am so highly assimilated with this place.”

”The Corridor is the source of my power. If I try to use this power to escape, a paradox will occur.

”Escaping would mean losing my power, and losing my power would make it impossible to escape.”

”If I want to leave this place, not only do I need to accumulate enough experience, but I also have to find the perfect opportunity.”

”The reason I chose to help you is also in the hopes of exploring the Nightmare further.”

”Yet you made it sound like some selfless sacrifice.”

Fu Qian looked at him with utter contempt.

”I just didn’t mention it. Besides, what difference does it make to you? It doesn’t change the fact that I’m helping you, does it?”

Realizing that his unfathomable, enigmatic persona was useless against Fu Qian, the Persuader’s speech became much more straightforward.

”How does it not?”

Fu Qian blinked.

”The nature of this has changed from selfless sacrifice to mutual benefit. Your credibility just skyrocketed.”

”If you had informed me earlier, I wouldn’t have had to snap my own neck. You know that hurts a lot!”

”...Wait, so after all that, it’s still my fault?”

The Persuader sounded ready to hit someone.

”Alright, back to business.”

Fu Qian straightened his expression, looking up and pointing at the open room.

”According to what you just said, to leave this place, we can take any door?”

”Theoretically, that is indeed the case.”

Fu Qian shifted topics so fast that the Persuader almost couldn’t keep up.

”However, I still suggest you take this one.”

”Not only do you have the experience from your previous exploration, but from what I understand, out of all the rooms, the danger behind this door is the lowest.”

”Of course, you won’t have my assistance this time.”

”Is that so?”

Fu Qian gave him a suspicious look.

”You didn’t look completely drained when you took my attack just now. You’re just deliberately refusing to help, aren’t you?”

”What do you know!”

The Persuader scoffed.

”The terror of the Nightmare far exceeds your imagination. By activating my power earlier, its rejection of me has greatly increased in the short term. Right now, I can at most exist as an observer.”

”In other words, you’re useless to me now?”

As Fu Qian muttered this, his gaze turned icy again, and he raised both hands to take aim.

”What are you doing! Is this how you treat someone who helped you?”

”Just kidding. Don’t take it seriously.”

Unexpectedly, Fu Qian suddenly lowered his hands the next moment and broke into a smile.

”Actually, what I wanted to say is that it’s my turn to offer assistance.”

”What do you mean?”

The Persuader’s voice was full of confusion.

”It’s simple. Even though you can’t help anymore, as repayment for your actions just now, I’ve decided to carry you through this.”