Eldritch Horror Theatre

”Maybe it’s because he’s getting older.”

Cats and fish. Fu Qian’s rather nonsensical question clearly made Chief Thirteen even more hesitant.

However, she wasn’t bored enough to feign ignorance. Winona had been with Claire earlier, and there was no way the Night Watchers wouldn’t know about Rick waking up in the middle of the night to lick everything in sight.

”According to his wife, Claire, Rick just celebrated his fifty-ninth birthday two days ago. Before that, he obviously didn’t use his tongue nearly as much.”

Chief Thirteen’s answer was undoubtedly meant to return the absurdity. An eerie smile even touched the corners of her lips as she spoke.

”Is that so... Then he can certainly be considered old but still vigorous.”

In response to this seemingly loaded answer, Fu Qian just let out an ”oh” and offered that completely deadpan assessment.

Yet, amidst this thoroughly undignified exchange between two High-Tier Transcendents, Fu Qian was actually thinking of two other faces: the male and female medical authorities he had encountered earlier, that duo guiding people astray.

The devil was often in the details. He remembered lamenting back in the hospital that, compared to the young doctors who inadvertently blocked his line of sight, the older experts were far more active in their interference.

That old woman at the very end had even initiated a direct transcendent Descent, scratching and biting at him.Thinking about it now, those two were definitely older than the early retiree, Rick.

Fifty-nine years old... Could age be an influencing factor?

...

No matter how bizarre it sounded, Fu Qian never tied his own hands with assumptions.

He could only say that aside from acting as a living prison, the Night Watchers had provided even more help—such as filtering out this interesting piece of information.

”So, what do you think?”

Madam Thirteen obviously wasn’t going to be brushed off with a mere ”old but still vigorous,” instantly kicking the question back to him.

”I just couldn’t quite figure it out before. Now that you mention it, it does seem to make a certain amount of sense.”

Surprisingly, Fu Qian nodded, straightforwardly agreeing with her clearly joking answer.

Hmm...

Her expression growing a bit more peculiar, Madam Thirteen stared intently at him, seemingly suspecting Fu Qian of being sarcastic.

”Old age and physical decline—do you really think that’s the reason Rick started having those weird habits?”

His perfectly serious expression finally prompted her to ask outright.

”Older people always encounter troubles they couldn’t have imagined in their youth.”

There was nothing unusual in his tone. By the end of his sentence, Fu Qian was even looking her up and down in return.

”Your Excellency should have plenty of experience with that, right?”

’What the fuck...’

Though his words were veiled, Fu Qian always believed in people’s comprehension skills.

For Madam Thirteen, whose face lacked a single wrinkle and whose attire was quite youthful, her previous emotional displays had clearly been mostly an act. Now, thanks to him, there was finally some genuine emotional investment.

”Fifty-nine is indeed a memory from many years ago for me, but unfortunately, I don’t recall any particular changes.”

However, compared to Chief Yuan, she actually had a bit of courage for self-deprecation.

In just a single breath, Madam Thirteen adjusted her emotions and genuinely admitted to this.

”Furthermore, Rick’s more peculiar behaviors clearly existed long before this. Do you think he ate the things he dug out of his patients’ bodies just because he got old?”

”Not really. How did he explain it himself?”

Since a dignified chief was being so magnanimous and not holding a grudge, Fu Qian naturally remained mild and modest, playing along with the topic.

”It’s similar to what he told Claire. He feels that those things are masterpieces nurtured within a broader ecological entity.”

Thirteen made no attempt to hide the disgust on her face as she said this.

”He wants them to concentrate more intensively on his own body, or rather, his part of it... After all, in his eyes, he is merely the center of this broader ecological entity.”

”That is indeed a rather novel outlook on life, though it seems you guys aren’t too accepting of it?”

Fu Qian was undoubtedly very good at reading facial expressions.

”People can hold whatever beliefs they want, but can you tell me what the point of accepting it would be?”

And he undoubtedly received a blunt counter-question in return.

”The behavior of licking things can be explained to a certain extent.”

Unfortunately for her, Fu Qian was always quick with a response.

”...How does that explain it?”

”As he got older, he became more desperate for an intimate connection with all parts of the ecological entity. Give him a bit more time to evolve, and he might actually eat them.”

...

”What’s wrong?”

Chief Thirteen remained silent for a moment, prompting Fu Qian to politely express his concern.

”I’m becoming more and more curious about your reason for being here... Your answer is exactly the same as his own explanation.”

She finally slowly expressed her shock.

”Oh? And how did he explain my reason for being here?”

Fu Qian didn’t feel anything was wrong with his line of thinking aligning with a pervert’s.

”He couldn’t explain it. He doesn’t know you at all, nor does he understand why you coaxed his wife into doing those things. So, can you answer this question yourself?”

Thirteen sneered coldly.

”Of course I can. I even answered it earlier when I was with Raylan and the others.”

Fu Qian pointed behind him.

”Shadow shrouds Loss, and a crisis is brewing.”

”But you also said you weren’t the Savior.”

With a snort, Thirteen openly admitted that she had heard their entire exchange just now.

”Indeed, I am not. I am merely waiting for destiny.”

Fu Qian revealed a smile that perfectly suited his current profession as a charlatan, gazing off into the distance.

”I can feel it. It will arrive shortly.”

”What do you mean?”

This behavior seemed to make Chief Thirteen highly alert, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

”Don’t be nervous. Destiny is preordained.”

However, Fu Qian did not stop.

”This city will be fine, and enjoying this predetermination will be a rare joy in life.”

”Thank you for the lesson, but why don’t you stop for a moment and explain yourself more clearly?”

It was evident that with the target’s behavior continuously shattering her expectations, some of Madam Thirteen’s preconceived notions had begun to shift.

Along with her gentle reminder, her hand had once again moved to her waist.

”Trust me, you will understand soon enough.”

However, Fu Qian ignored the warning this time, continuing to walk forward.

”I told you to stop...”

The high-ranking Chief of the Night Watchers was naturally quite displeased with such disregard. Along with her increasingly severe tone, she decisively opened fire, a gunshot ringing out.

This time, however, there were no flashy elemental effects.

The fierce attack instantly reached the target’s back, only to be caught firmly once again by a frost-covered hand.

The only difference from before was that, despite him not being hit, a violent burst of frost simultaneously exploded from Fu Qian’s chest.