Eldritch Horror Theatre

Old Man Logan?

Actually, I could be considered quite close with him. I hope you aren’t referring to the time I helped his one Qi transform into the Three Pure Ones.

He hadn’t expected Henry to open the conversation by immediately bringing up the Night Watchers’ recently fallen general. It made the older man’s stance somewhat hard to read.

”You’re too polite. It was an effortless favor.”

While assessing the situation, Fu Qian casually offered the modest reply.

Was he close friends with Old Man Logan and, given the old man’s disastrous encounter, feeling indignant and demanding an explanation? Or—

”Well done. That guy needed a bit of a lesson.”

Staring at Fu Qian and taking in his modest reaction, Henry’s expression turned instantly gloating.

He really was referring to the battle with Ariel, then.

Furthermore, it seemed Old Man Logan’s recovery following Unseen Hill had been fairly ideal. Otherwise, unless there was some deep-seated blood feud between them, Henry wouldn’t be making this kind of comment right now.”Character is forged through hardship. How many youths are truly wise beyond their years?”

Swiftly analyzing the implications of Henry’s attitude, Fu Qian suggested there was no need to be too harsh on Logan; young people had to be given the chance to make mistakes.

”It’s not surprising for someone to become a bit arrogant when things go too smoothly. Being able to experience rebuilding after destruction is a rare fortune.”

...

A youth not being wise enough... Wasn’t it a bit inappropriate to evaluate Logan like that?

At first glance, the content of their exchange sounded perfectly normal—assuming Fu Qian were wearing a different face, that is.

Listening to their conversation, Yuan Shan, who knew more of the details, felt her vision go dark.

While this guy’s claim of being twenty-five was definitely unreliable, he absolutely couldn’t be much older than that. Hearing him speak like this was truly grating on the nerves!

And her teacher was no better. His Excellency Logan’s condition was still deeply concerning—

”Has His Excellency Logan’s condition completely stabilized?”

The next moment, Yuan Shan finally realized the implication. She looked up at her teacher with a touch of pleasant surprise.

”Although he’s overall a little odd, his sanity has recovered quite well.”

Henry confirmed her deduction.

”He got lucky. According to Chaumont, although that final attempt could indeed bring about some changes, the intensity was almost impossible to control.”

”Since coming back, his condition has been steadily improving.”

”That’s truly wonderful.”

Although Logan had never been particularly polite to her, it was obvious that Yuan Shan was genuinely happy about the news.

”Is His Excellency Logan currently here, or...”

”How could he be? He has always utterly detested things like gambling.”

Henry snorted.

”Even though that guy isn’t very old, he’s incredibly stubborn!”

”Alright...”

Before Yuan Shan could say anything else, Henry suddenly looked up at Fu Qian.

”I heard you opened a bookstore?”

...

Why did this question feel a bit strange?

As expected of a Tier 2 expert, the topic shift by Yuan Shan’s teacher was truly bizarre.

”Yes, a small shop.”

Fortunately, Fu Qian was a veteran who had fought real battles in the turbulent sea of business. He immediately responded with calm composure and modesty.

”How is business?”

Henry remained noncommittal, adopting a scrutinizing posture.

”Not bad. We rarely offer discounts; we aim for high profit margins.”

Fu Qian’s expression didn’t change as he spoke freely about his business principles.

”Although we haven’t been open for long, we’ve already accumulated some solid business partners. At the same time, we’re expanding our lateral business operations, including book recycling, rentals, and so on.”

”Mhm... Not bad. You could be considered a motivated young man with ideas.”

Henry stroked his chin, offering a tactful, positive review.

...

I fucking knew that when these two got together, the conversation would completely derail!

Inside the quaint and solemn quiet room of the Church, Yuan Shan watched the two of them chatting away, feeling a surging urge to hit someone.

”How are your driving skills—”

Henry asked his next question with utmost naturalness, but it came to an abrupt halt under a certain murderous glare.

Cough, cough!

Retracting his gaze from his student’s frosty face, Henry coughed lightly and instantly resumed his initial serious posture.

”Not bad.”

Sitting across from him, however, Fu Qian seemed oblivious to this exchange and answered with absolute confidence.

”Mhm... Where are the Night Watchers?”

Unfortunately, Henry looked as though he didn’t dare continue that line of conversation, leaping to a new topic yet again.

Yet this abrupt, disjointed question made the atmosphere instantly tense.

”I truly haven’t heard Chief Yuan mention that.”

Glancing at Yuan Shan and noticing her slight nervousness, Fu Qian made a reassuring gesture to emphasize her strict adherence to principles.

...

Naturally, that wasn’t what Yuan Shan was worried about. She was rendered momentarily speechless by Fu Qian’s reaction.

”So, where are they?”

And indeed, Henry wasn’t so easily distracted by the attempt to crack jokes and banter. He pressed the question without hesitation.

”The Underground?”

Taking the elderly man’s blood pressure into consideration, Fu Qian didn’t beat around the bush.

”Why? Did you sense people down there?”

”I can’t sense anything at all. But that’s exactly the issue; it looks like there’s a meticulously designed shielding structure down there.”

”Not bad.”

Henry’s gaze finally softened, and he let out a laugh.

”I believe now that you have the potential to face a Tier 2 on your own.”

”Is this your first time here? What do you think of this city?”

The next moment, without waiting for Fu Qian to act modest, he began a new test.

”An interestingly designed playground.”

Fu Qian glanced out the window, his answers as fluent as before.

”Are you referring to the idea of putting a Church and a casino right next to each other? You flatter me.”

Henry offered a very natural, modest reply, sounding as if he were one of the city’s designers.

”What else?”

”There’s also a very nice monitoring room.”

”...Monitoring what?”

Henry’s smile instantly vanished.

”Hard to say. A relatively purified greed combined with various Gods—is it related to faith? After all, I’m not the designer, so some specific details are still difficult to grasp.”

Fu Qian wore a thoughtful expression.

”But without a doubt, as an international metropolis, the humans in this playground are a world-class collection sample.”

”They require no compensation, and they actively volunteer to pay the operating costs and provide automatic updates... What a beautiful design!”

Fu Qian shook his head in admiration.

”...I didn’t tell him a thing.”

As Fu Qian spoke, the smile on Henry’s face disappeared bit by bit. Feeling his subconscious stare, Chief Yuan hastily explained.

”Of course I know that. There are some things you don’t even know much about yourself.”

Henry shook his head.

”I have to say, Mister Fang has truly opened my eyes today.”

”To think our supposedly ingenious and concealed design was seen through at a single glance. By putting on such an astonishing display, though, aren’t you worried I might invite you to take a seat down below?”

”Would you?”

Faced with these slightly threatening words, Fu Qian remained completely unafraid.

His trip this time had never been about passing a political background check. Just as the person in front of him wanted to test him, what Fu Qian wanted to know was a secret likely deeply tied to the man.

Acting so conspicuously from the very beginning was exactly because he wanted to see the man’s reaction.

As for how he had figured all that out just now, aside from observation and deduction, there was also the inspiration he had drawn from recently witnessing the Astral Clocktower.