Eldritch Horror Theatre

As expected, when you try to bring in a weapon of mass destruction, you had better be prepared to shoulder the risk of a backlash.

With just a little guidance, a paranoid character like Nathalie was undoubtedly the perfect poison pill. She was top-tier at stirring up trouble.

For now, here is to wishing Brother Butler a healthy appetite.

Shaking his head with a sigh, Fu Qian raised his left hand to inspect the special reward from this trip.

It was a small metal bottle, looking just like one of the many jars and vials inside his Medical Visit Box. Giving it a shake, he could tell it was about half full of liquid.

As he observed it, information surfaced in his consciousness.

[Name: Fine Vintage]

[Type: Consumable]

[Description: Crimson Fine Wine, rich and mellow. Upon drinking, one can share in the glory of the Blood Clan and feel the grace of the Stars during a brief moment of tipsiness.]

[Note: This sweetness will be sought by countless people, bringing even greater sorrow upon waking.]It sounded as though it had manifested from Miss Winslow’s serendipitous encounter.

He wondered if she was experiencing the sorrow mentioned in the note right now.

Fu Qian casually popped the cork. Sure enough, there was that seemingly familiar scent of blood, but as the bright red liquid sloshed around, it carried a hazy, intoxicating quality.

Sharing glory and feeling grace might sound vague, but it was easy to connect to Jane’s experience.

If he drank this, could he touch the commandments up close, just like her?

It was certainly an interesting item, but considering the effects only lasted briefly, knowing when to taste it would be the real question.

Although it hadn’t been the primary goal of his trip, Fu Qian was quite satisfied with this special reward. He tucked it safely away against his body and looked up.

The night remained deep. High in the tranquil canopy of the sky, the stars twinkled.

Given the harvest from this mission, gazing at this sight made it much easier to understand how the members of The Order felt.

Laerdin’s nightlife was clearly lacking. From the moment he had stepped outside until now, he hadn’t encountered a single pedestrian.

So, on this highly fruitful night, what was the next step in his plan?

Fu Qian tapped his head, got his bearings, and headed straight west.

Racing against the clock was no empty phrase.

On such a fine night, it was undoubtedly the perfect time to honor his promise and pay a visit to an old friend.

His destination was the West District Church of the Celestial Sphere Cult.

It was still nearly a full day until the bloodsuckers’ meeting, but Brother Olinter was likely already getting anxious from the wait.

...

Shifting like a wisp of smoke and moving swift as wind and lightning, Fu Qian’s body and face rapidly transformed.

Pale skin and crimson eyes. In the blink of an eye, he had taken on an entirely new look.

This wasn’t anyone he knew in reality, but a figure from the Ancient Reminiscence he had visited alongside Serana—Herbert.

A person ought to match their appearance to their true nature. Though the Herbert he had seen back then was just one of the Moon Believers and hadn’t sported this vampire aesthetic.

But since he was borrowing the man’s name, Fu Qian used a bit of imagination to recreate the image of the First Apostle to the greatest extent possible.

As for why he absolutely had to pull off a Blood Clan look?

First, The Order would definitely investigate every tiny detail of what happened in the Winslow Family mansion, including how he had made his exit.

The Commandment Residue falling under the Burning Frost was undoubtedly a striking visual.

Fu Qian was confident that the report Amira submitted as early as this morning would detail that exact scene.

A distinct vampire appearance would clearly make it easier to distinguish himself from Anke.

Even better, his peculiar medical treatments at the Winslow household had already laid the groundwork for this.

Second, according to Jacques, the Blood Clan had kept such a low profile over the years that The Order had never obtained concrete proof of their existence.

By putting on a high-profile show for them this time, once it was confirmed that Herbert and Anke were two different people, The Order would assume the pollution suspected to be from the Painting World had spread without anyone noticing, and was even connected to a deeply hidden ancient race.

It would be terrifying upon deeper reflection, practically forcing them to bring out all their firepower.

Third, judging from Jacques’s earlier reaction, the Children of the Stars currently had a rather loose organization. Jacques’s word alone might not carry much weight.

But the news that the one eroding the commandments was suspected to be a fallen member of the Blood Clan would surely give his call to action more weight, thereby effectively boosting attendance at the meeting.

All in all, the benefits were plentiful.

...

There was just one problem right now: how should he show off the elegant temperament of the Blood Clan? Such as acting like an ”Untouchable”?

Fu Qian came to a halt.

After rushing along, he had arrived at his destination.

Compared to the building he had visited during the day, the West District Church of the Celestial Sphere Cult was clearly much more striking and ancient.

Looking up at the towering, majestic Spire, it was easy to see why those giant bats insisted on using this place as their gathering spot.

Disdaining to be seen yet terrified of being truly forgotten, this location was simply perfect for those hermits to stroke their sense of superiority.

Staying true to The Order’s style, there were indeed quite a few diligent people inside right now. It was practically the liveliest place he had seen all the way across Laerdin.

He wondered what kind of amusing scene would unfold tomorrow night when a flock of ”Untouchables” sneaked in.

Aside from that, there was a second issue: where could he find Olinter to observe the progress of his treatment?

At the moment, he wasn’t even sure if the man had been transferred somewhere else.

In truth, these two problems could be solved together.

Picking an angle, Fu Qian leaped high into the air repeatedly before finally landing silently on a certain rooftop.

Below a narrow skylight, a completely serious face was staring upward.

Without pausing, Fu Qian repeated his old trick, stretching his body into a single thin line.

Hmm?

Seeming to sense something odd, the young member of The Order frowned slightly and looked around.

Unfortunately, this vigilance still didn’t help him figure out why the light had dimmed for a split second.

”Where is Olinter?”

Just as he finally gave up his search and prepared to embrace the starry sky once more, a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Not understanding why he would think of this, the man instinctively tried to banish the distracting thought.

Yet, a peculiar urge made it hard for him to resist pondering the answer.

”Right below us... Word is he got injured and has been undergoing treatment.”

At some point, he finally muttered to himself, even tracing out a rather detailed route.

As soon as he finished speaking, an indescribable sense of relief welled up within him.

When he looked up again, the starry sky overhead seemed a bit more real than before.

Unable to hide his joy in that moment, the man glanced around to confirm no one else was there before finally tossing his doubts to the back of his mind.

And from an unseen angle, Fu Qian was already descending the stairs, walking the exact route the young man had just provided.

What Fu Qian did just now was simple: open a dreamscape, plant a question, and hide himself.

Ultimately, the only thing the victim perceived in his consciousness was a ’voice’ prompting him to perform the bizarre act of talking to himself. Aside from that, there were no other anomalies.

Just like Miss Winslow’s experience.