Eldritch Horror Theatre

This likely stemmed from her upbringing. Su Gao had a strong sense of justice, and the moment Yuan Shan mentioned the risk to innocent bystanders, she immediately paid closer attention.

This was also evident from her past performance in the forbidden zone.

To track down a malicious supernatural who toyed with ordinary people, she had been willing to drive herself to the brink of schizophrenia just to hack him to death.

At the same time, she still highly valued his opinion. That was why she hadn’t rushed to express her own stance despite her obvious concern when Yuan Shan spoke.

Not bad. She had the makings of an outstanding employee!

Looking at the elite talent he had hired at a high salary, Fu Qian silently gave her a thumbs up.

As for himself?

His agreement to stay in Shangjing and hold the line for Yuan Shan was genuine, of course, given Chief Yuan’s earnest invitation.

Anyway, to him, it was merely a question of where to rest.

Besides, the ”sweetness” inside his head was still blossoming, making it unlikely he would head back regardless.Beyond that, he had another motive for agreeing: his intuition told him this would be an excellent opportunity for observation.

In Fu Qian’s eyes, this group of giant bats—or the Blood Clan, rather—made for a fascinating specimen.

He had to admit, his recent experience in Dunis had been highly rewarding.

Veil’s mention of the Boundless Long Night and the Silent Gods had thoroughly piqued his interest.

After all, based on what he knew so far, the widely accepted consensus leaned toward conceptual Deities like the sun representing the pinnacle of supernatural power. These ancient gods were considered nothing more than fabricated myths and legends.

It was plain to see that the various legends even conflicted with one another, riddled with anti-intellectual absurdities—like the God of War’s wife and Hamadus’s pectorals.

But recently, counting Rom and Hamadus, he had encountered far more than just one or two named ”Gods.”

Then there were the sinners and Angels, powers that obviously carried the nature of a covenant.

Judging by their reactions after every incident, the Night Watchers were clearly keeping this a closely guarded secret.

Fu Qian couldn’t help but consider a certain possibility.

Could these myths and legends have been deliberately polluted?

To cover up certain things, a contradictory, loophole-ridden system had been woven together to easily invite doubt, burying the truth beneath a sea of garbage data.

It truly made him curious about what exactly had happened during That Long Night.

...

Under these circumstances, the uniqueness of the Blood Clan became apparent.

A race that had survived for nearly a millennium meant a supernatural force with a stable thousand-year lineage. They were absolutely living fossils.

Moreover, just as Yuan Shan had mentioned, this race was quite exceptional.

Ever since he obtained the notebook last time, Fu Qian had made a point to research them.

According to the current information, there were no records of the Blood Clan ever worshipping any Deity. They maintained a strict hierarchy where being one Rank higher allowed them to completely crush others. At the very peak of this Rank system was an entity known as the ”Progenitor.”

An ancient ancestor to all the Blood Clan, possessing power comparable to a Deity.

What kind of information such a race might expose while dancing on a knife’s edge, braving massive risks to seek a breakthrough, was undoubtedly something to look forward to.

Without a doubt, this was a rare observation project.

...

”Alright, have you memorized the key points from just now? I’m heading out for a bit. Watch the shop while I’m gone.”

All these thoughts flashed through Fu Qian’s mind. Making a swift decision, he sat up from the Deck Chair.

”Mhm, okay.”

Su Gao nodded briskly, completely refraining from asking where he was going. Instead, after a brief observation, she shifted her sofa chair behind the counter, positioning herself at the optimal angle to keep the entire shop in plain view.

When Fu Qian walked out the door and looked back, she had already settled back into her chair, leisurely continuing to read her book.

”A child worthy of teaching! You’ve grasped the essence of our corporate culture so quickly.”

Feeling deeply gratified, Fu Qian strode away.

Barely two steps out the door, he waved down a taxi and gave the driver an address.

Speaking of which, Shangjing was the pearl of the West Coast, a gathering place for the powerful and famous. Yet, despite staying here for so long, he still hadn’t found the opportunity to properly experience the local customs.

Over on Chief Yuan’s end, after hearing his advice, she would undoubtedly launch a detailed investigation into the new municipal official’s recent activities. He believed new information would surface soon.

But she had only one goal: ensuring Gulade didn’t stir up any trouble.

He, on the other hand, needed to know more, which meant taking more initiative.

Unfortunately, after the previous incident with the Chen Clan, his face was undoubtedly quite famous in Shangjing. Anyone with well-informed sources knew he dealt with the Night Watchers.

And operating under Old Man Lu’s identity would likely scare people off.

Fortunately, Fu Qian immediately thought of a suitable persona.

The address he had just given the driver belonged neither to the Night Watchers Base nor Eldest Miss Wen’s place. Rather, it was one he had intercepted from a business card left in a car a long time ago, during his first visit to Shangjing.

...

Given Brother Zha Yingjun’s methods, he had surely carved out a slice of the world for himself in Shangjing over this period.

Hopefully, the man hadn’t been in too much of a rush to move houses.

After paying the fare, Fu Qian looked up at the high-end apartment complex in front of him. Locating a familiar aura with his perception, he felt rather gratified for a moment.

Brother Zha really knew how to handle things; he hadn’t been in a rush to marry himself off.

Easily bypassing a bunch of high-quality human security guards, Fu Qian arrived at a door and spent exactly two point five seconds picking the lock.

”Mr. Zha Yingjun.”

At the greeting, the luxuriously dressed Brother Zha Yingjun, standing inside the luxuriously decorated flat, stared blankly in his direction and subconsciously asked, ”Who are you? How did you get in here?”

Then, before Fu Qian could answer, his brow furrowed deeper. He looked Fu Qian up and down, faintly recalling something.

’Your taste in clothes deteriorated so fast!’

Fu Qian was in no hurry to speak, instead taking a moment to inspect the man.

Unlike the creamy, all-white aesthetic from last time, his current styling had become increasingly flamboyant, making him look like a slick and glossy rooster.

Meanwhile, his strength had not advanced an inch.

Obviously, the man’s ambitions lay elsewhere.

At the same time, several distinct styles of women’s perfume lingered in the air, easy to differentiate.

Wherever his ambitions lay, he had actually been quite successful.

”What are you planning to do in a bit?”

The next second, Fu Qian snapped his fingers and asked with a smile.

”...I’m going to a high-end cultural and art salon... Many upper-class figures will be in attendance. I put a lot of effort into securing an invitation.”

Under the effects of the Lucid Dream, Zha Yingjun only held out for a few seconds before decisively answering the question.

’A cultural and art salon, and a high-end one at that. Have I been vulgar for too long in comparison?’

Fu Qian engaged in a moment of faux self-reflection.

’Might as well take this opportunity to properly cultivate my sentiments.’

”Time? Location—never mind, I think I see it.”

Looking at an Invitation Letter carefully placed on the table, Fu Qian immediately canceled the dream, casually knocking the newly awakened Zha Yingjun unconscious with a swift chop.