Eldritch Horror Theatre

”Okay, A Wei.”

Since the entity was so easygoing, Fu Qian readily accepted the good advice.

”By the way, making an entrance like this—are you trying to make me believe you’ve been hiding inside Brother Jiang En’s body all along?”

”You saw right through me...”

The entity was much more straightforward than expected. Faced with Fu Qian’s probing remark, he fell silent briefly before directly admitting the truth.

”I had my suspicions a moment ago. It seems my decision to reveal myself was correct.”

”For someone in the Demigod Realm to stoop so low and show up looking like this... it really makes me curious about your motives.”

”You can see my communications with everyone?”

Fu Qian employed the classic technique of answering a question with a question.

”Strictly speaking, in my current state, I can project myself onto any of them.”Even though he looked like nothing more than an inflated layer of human skin, A Wei still found a spot and sat down.

By now, the strange odor in the air was thick enough to rival canned herring, ten times more hostile than Daneta and the others’ Skin Tempering Realm.

Its corrosive effect on vitality was just as severe.

However, you couldn’t have everything. The smell was awful, but at least the entities bound by this covenant were relatively honest—much more endearing than Patches and his gang.

...

”Let me guess. Are you the entity Jiang En and the others formed their covenant with?”

”How could that be? I merely receive a fraction of the glory He shares.”

A Wei denied it immediately.

”I am His most loyal apostle.”

”Understood. You’re Daneta and the others’ senior.”

”You could look at it that way, though we are fundamentally different.”

A Wei snorted.

”After reaching the Demigod Realm, one transcends those links and is no longer bound by rigid restrictions.”

”But you can still reap benefits from the Carrion?”

Fu Qian nodded, a single sentence plunging the other party back into silence.

”Don’t be nervous. I just figured that if there were no benefits in it for you, you wouldn’t be this proactive. Jiang En’s second enlightenment had something to do with you, right?”

”I merely act as an agent of His will.”

A Wei quickly admitted it, his tone carrying a hint of doubt.

”You know more than I imagined. By doing all this, could it be you were looking for me from the very beginning?”

”No.”

Fu Qian shook his head, denying the entity’s inflated ego.

It was the truth. The mission briefing was so simple it only contained two sentences; there was no way it would mention a hidden boss like him.

Generally speaking, the normal way to complete this task would simply be to find Jiang En and wipe him out in one go. Given that the guy hadn’t even reached the Mid Tier, it being a Grade 3 Item standard was well-deserved.

”It’s just that the second enlightenment he mentioned struck me as a bit odd.”

Fu Qian pointed at Jiang En.

”The devil is in the details. Simply explaining it away as luck or destiny is far too presumptuous.”

”My first reaction upon hearing it was to wonder if this could be a new trick from Daneta and her group. And if not them, could their incompetence have forced an entity beyond their comprehension to intervene? After all, it was just far too coincidental.”

Fu Qian spoke with casual confidence, recounting his life as a task runner.

”And after chasing him all the way here, they unexpectedly found Jiang En performing a new ritual, so they immediately decided to lend their full support.”

”Speaking of which, what exactly is the benefit to you people when a newcomer completes a ritual?”

”...A successful ritual will not succeed.”

It had to be said, A Wei’s candor was touching, but the content of his words...

Fu Qian frowned slightly.

”You mean he was supposed to complete his advancement through a successful ritual, but that feedback won’t actually arrive?”

Was this the true meaning of the ”Carrion”? Were they feasting upon the Sublimation brought about by the advancement ritual?

No wonder the mission briefing mentioned that the Greed Worm excelled at accelerating decay. The care and protection provided by Daneta and her group truly had been meticulous.

”Exactly. It will ultimately elevate everyone all at once in a special way.”

A Wei nodded.

So that was it!

In an instant, Fu Qian felt all the pieces fall into place.

He could almost envision a game of Snake, hunting for food everywhere, growing a fraction longer with every bite it swallowed.

”What a marvelous form!”

Fu Qian made no effort to hide his admiration.

”But what if the advancement isn’t successful?”

”Their sense of smell is very keen. They can catch the scent of an impending advancement. The scenario you described is almost impossible.”

”Of course, if a truly unexpected situation arises—like right now—we simply kill them.”

A Wei pointed at the unconscious Jiang En.

”As long as purification hasn’t been completed, his death won’t affect anyone else.”

According to this logic, Daneta’s group had prepared for both outcomes?

Playing the role of the benevolent mentor on one hand, while preparing to send him right back into samsara on the other?

For a moment, Fu Qian felt that Jiang En really had it rough.

Moreover, according to A Wei, he was targeted by Daneta because his advancement was imminent?

After years of painstaking effort reaching alone into untrodden realms, just as his hardships were about to bear fruit, he ended up being directly led astray down a wicked path?

Such is life!

”I see... And here I thought you were just caring for the younger generation, unwilling to let me ruin his fortuitous encounter.”

Fu Qian spoke in a tone of sudden realization.

”Stop playing the fool. The sole reason I revealed myself is that you know too much.”

A Wei wasn’t buying it.

”Those idiots thought everything was under control, entirely unaware that all their movements were being watched by someone in the Demigod Realm. Even if they had died just now, they would have deserved it.”

”So it was you who intervened just now?”

Fu Qian recalled the melting that had abruptly ceased.

”That makes sense. It was self-preservation, after all.”

”No, you didn’t understand what I meant earlier about transcending.”

A Wei shook his head.

”Even though I share the feedback, the damage doesn’t transfer to me. Even if they all died, it would only mean I’d have to personally hunt for prey.”

Was this the legendary privilege of enjoying all the rights without bearing any of the obligations?

That level of clearance was a bit too shamelessly overpowered, wasn’t it!

Hearing A Wei’s explanation, even someone as thick-skinned as Fu Qian couldn’t help but marvel internally for a moment.

”You’re explaining this in such detail. Could it be...”

”That’s right. Are you interested in joining? Becoming an existence just like me?”

”Even someone in the Demigod Realm can join?”

Fu Qian was mildly surprised once again.

”Right now, of course not. They are too weak to serve as a conduit between you and Him. But you can kill them all.”

A Wei stood up and made a gesture.

”When the time comes, I will be the only one standing between you and Him.”

”Not only will you receive His shared power, you might even glimpse the opportunity to advance further yourself. This is a rare chance. What do you say?”

”Not interested.”

A Wei had just finished painting a picture of this beautiful future when he saw Fu Qian shake his head with absolute casualness.

”Why...”

His tone was filled with confusion.

”Because you’d still be standing in the middle.”

Fu Qian scoffed, his voice impassioned and ringing.

”A great man born between heaven and earth cannot dwell in misery beneath another for long!”

”You really are a madman. Even reaching a high Rank won’t change that...”

After a moment of silence, A Wei’s tone turned rather hostile.

”But do you know why, despite knowing this, I was still willing to waste so much time talking nonsense with you?”

”Thanks to the vitality you contributed, I can now execute a true Descent.”

Before A Wei’s voice even faded, the long white feathers on his body began to wildly extend.