Eldritch Horror Theatre

This was what it truly meant for the power of teamwork to shine.

The information Old Man Li He had shared was undeniably intriguing. Fu Qian was certain his own repeated displays of candor were exactly what had finally convinced the old man to open up.

Otherwise, no matter how dire the situation, there was no way such a closely guarded secret would ever be revealed to a demigod of unknown origins.

From the way the old man had improvised a weapon earlier, it was obvious he liked to hold his cards close to his chest. Coupled with his past status as the Academy’s dean, it wasn’t surprising he possessed such a deep reservoir of knowledge.

In fact, this was exactly the sort of hidden value Fu Qian had anticipated from this group operation.

Judging by excellency Ji Ning’s reaction, however, it was clear this was her first time hearing about it as well.

The specific incident Old Man Li had mentioned felt far from simple, to the point where he still spoke of it with deep reluctance.

Digressions aside, the fact that the old man was sharing this now carried a very clear implication. It was his working theory on the source of their current predicament—

The ”face” concealed within an ancient bloodline had reappeared in the world through a newborn with a unique constitution. That reappearance had bridged a connection with some higher power, unleashing this localized anomaly and the encroaching corruption.

Given what they currently knew, it was a perfectly seamless deduction—just as seamless as his own theory regarding the Tree Infant.Fu Qian didn’t doubt the authenticity of Old Man Li’s information, but he still held reservations about the conclusion itself.

...

Having faith in the power of teamwork and having blind faith in your teammates were two entirely different things.

Recognizing that everyone had limitations was a core prerequisite for effective cooperation.

Take the old man, for example. Unlike Fu Qian and Ji Ning, he hadn’t been exposed to that unique medium of information. That gap in experience would inevitably skew his judgment regarding the true nature of their predicament.

The same applied to the secret he had been withholding. It was undeniably valuable information, but it also came with a distinct drawback: it bred confirmation bias.

When you approached a problem already holding an answer, it was far too easy to overlook any other possibilities.

Having dealt with various higher powers so many times, Fu Qian had absolute confidence in their nature.

Especially when it came to exploiting the weaknesses of human nature.

”It seems my decision earlier was the right one.”

Walking beside him, Old Man Li still maintained a steady pace, but a hint of genuine surprise bled into his voice.

”To be honest, for a long time after arriving at that conclusion, even I remained skeptical of it.”

”But as we pushed forward in our exploration, the mounting evidence made it harder and harder to ignore the possibility.”

He looked at Fu Qian, making no effort to conceal the admiration on his face.

”Some ancient powers truly defy imagination. Your Excellency’s insight into such matters is quite admirable.”

Insights into ancient powers, huh?

I definitely have plenty of that, though the reason might not be quite what you imagine.

Noting the old man’s underlying reverence toward ancient transcendents, Fu Qian kept the thought to himself.

...

Fu Qian never held high expectations for the sincerity of an old jianghu veteran’s flattery.

But since the other party had pushed the conversation this far, it was undoubtedly his turn to clearly state his stance.

Otherwise, the others would just end up doing the same and wasting more time.

”I only agree that your theory is a possibility. If we want to verify it, it seems we still need to find the source of the crying.”

Offering a masterclass in false modesty, Fu Qian displayed the haughty pride of a Blood Clan member refusing unearned praise, while gesturing toward the path ahead.

”Are we sure we still want to keep going? If it really is as Dean Li claims...”

Even so, a voice finally broke from among the team members who had remained silent all this time.

Lu Yi—looking incredibly haggard despite the team’s fruitful progress—was the first to express hesitation about their path forward.

”If we stick to the plan, our absolute best-case scenario still involves facing an entity wielding something akin to a Deity’s authority...”

”And even before we reach it, that authority has already battered and bruised us. So, what exactly do you think we should do?”

Fu Qian looked at the team’s most battered member with keen interest. He echoed Lu Yi’s concerns, even generously expanding on the man’s point.

”...I think we could at least try leaving this place. Instead of pushing deeper, we should reverse course and head back out.”

Even though Fu Qian’s expression bordered on outright mockery, Lu Yi gritted his teeth, displaying the stubborn urge of a living being scrambling for survival.

”What a coincidence. It seems we actually do have a backup plan for exactly that.”

Wearing an expression that said ”I expected as much,” Fu Qian flashed an unwavering smile at Aike.

”We do...”

It was obvious he didn’t want to speak, but having been called out so directly, the Night Watcher demigod could only let out a long sigh and recount his initial experience in this place.

He then detailed the contingency plan Fu Qian had mentioned earlier: deliberately letting their bodies turn to wood to build resistance before throwing themselves into the toxic fog to find an exit.

”Unfortunately, the feasibility of that plan is incredibly low. Unless we are completely out of options, I personally advise against it. But of course, you’re free to make your own choices.”

”...So, according to Your Excellency’s perception, the next clue is right up ahead?”

It was clearly Lu Yi’s first time hearing about the horrific conditions outside. After a heavy silence that dragged on for over ten seconds, he finally seemed to accept Aike’s assessment.

A chaotic, endless expanse of toxic fog—anyone could instantly grasp the sheer insanity of that backup plan. It was easy to see why Aike harbored such complicated feelings toward Fu Qian.

The only silver lining was that this further solidified the possibility that the space they were trapped in was entirely divorced from reality.

”Since we’ve already come this far, I suppose we might as well see if there’s anything of value ahead before we decide our next move.”

Avoiding Fu Qian’s gaze, Lu Yi displayed an impressive ability to backtrack and offered a cautious suggestion.

”Good idea.”

While the others fell into deep thought, Fu Qian remained as easygoing as ever. Beaming, he jutted his chin toward a massive archway set into the far wall.

”It’s right through there.”

...

”There really is a statue!”

That brief moment of dissent hadn’t slowed the team’s advance in the slightest. Soon, under the group’s cautious scrutiny, a pale gold statue came into view.

Beyond the archway lay the most magnificent hall they had encountered thus far. The statue itself was equally exaggerated in scale, towering within the vast, dimly lit space.

It was a figure clad in Armor. Despite its towering, majestic physique, the statue featured no inhuman traits. Even the portions of the face left exposed by the helm appeared delicate and soft.

This was the third clue. Everyone had heard Fu Qian share his findings earlier, and seeing it now, the verification was flawlessly consistent.

Resting openly like this, it was vastly more conspicuous than the previous Item.

Following the initial gasp of surprise, Lu Yi—who had been ready to trigger the backup plan just moments ago—turned an eager gaze toward Ji Ning, the one who had left the original tracker mark.

”Should I do the honors this time, excellency Anke?”

However, a moment later, Li He let out a light cough and volunteered himself instead.