Eldritch Horror Theatre

”So... could they be the ones who destroyed the Underworld?”

Expert Fu’s judgment proved correct. After backing out of that peculiar residence, the two easily picked up the scutigera’s trail once again.

It didn’t enter every door, but its ”sense of smell” clearly wasn’t all that precise either, keeping its route rather circuitous.

Catching sight of that distant figure, Lisa broke her long silence to resume their discussion about the Underworld as they renewed their pursuit.

”Hard to say. You can probably tell that even though this thing is stronger than the bat, it still doesn’t possess any divinity to speak of.”

However, Fu Qian shook his head at her theory, refusing to jump to any hasty conclusions.

”In fact, up until now, we haven’t seen a single one of its kind that carries any divinity.”

”So it’s hard to imagine them having much impact on this Abode of Departed Spirits on their own. Not to mention, in terms of their forms of power, the two are actually faintly similar.”

Fu Qian’s meaning was simple: these creatures just weren’t on a high enough level.

”But you mentioned earlier that the outside might be the corpse of a Divine Entity. Could it be Him? And these things are simply the byproducts of decay?”Lisa clearly had no objections to the points Fu Qian raised.

However, perhaps because she had specifically reflected on the experience, she remembered the details of their previous expedition very clearly.

”Hard to say, though that does sound much more reasonable.”

Unfortunately, Fu Qian gave the same answer to her updated theory.

”But if that’s the case, describing the situation becomes a bit bizarre—”

Fu Qian pondered for a moment before delivering a sentence that sounded like a tongue twister.

”A Deity caused the land of death to die, while simultaneously dying themselves.”

...

Although it wasn’t completely impossible, Fu Qian’s description carried a vivid sense of absurdity.

Lisa was briefly left speechless, holding back from voicing another opinion.

”But in the scenario we just discussed, there’s actually a major contradiction. Did you notice?”

Unfortunately, Professor Fu didn’t seem prepared to let silence be golden. Seeing her stay quiet, he immediately decided to test her.

A contradiction...

This expedition was undoubtedly putting her brainpower to the test, but Lisa didn’t mind. She immediately focused all her energy on thinking.

”A Divine Entity’s corpse, yet its byproducts of decay don’t carry any divinity?”

She didn’t disappoint, quickly arriving at an answer.

”Exactly. Isn’t that strange?”

Fu Qian instantly declared her guess correct, even looking somewhat gratified.

”The corpse theory was indeed my first instinct, and I still feel that way now. But in such an exaggerated landscape, for there to be absolutely no lingering divinity inside... honestly, it seems a bit abnormal.”

”I imagine this was also one of the reasons the people from Linghui used to shoot down Cass’s corpse theory.”

As the two conversed, their target slipped behind another door.

Lisa subconsciously slowed her steps, intending to wait a moment, but Fu Qian uncharacteristically signaled for them to press on.

”Now that you mention it, yes. So, what do you think is causing this discrepancy?”

Although she found it strange, Lisa was too engrossed in the puzzle to object. She followed his lead and continued to ask.

”Hard to say.”

Unfortunately, Fu Qian deployed the exact same answer for the third time.

”But identifying the problem is a reward in itself. As we continue exploring, we can keep it in mind and try to find the answer.”

...

”Alright.”

Although he took the stance of an earnest instructor, his logic was genuinely flawless. Lisa sighed and came to a halt, opting not to press the issue.

Partially, of course, this was because they had already reached the door where their target was foraging, but on the other hand—

Not far away stood another stone pillar, topped with a slightly differently shaped stone carving.

”Should I rush into its range and take it out?”

Clearly not naive enough to hope this one was merely a Statue, Lisa took the initiative to confirm their plan of action with Fu Qian.

In her view, this was likely the exact reason he had suddenly decided to follow so closely—to eliminate this hidden danger and prevent it from interfering with their tracking later on.

Her own idea was simple: sprint into close range and instantly kill it, denying the creature any chance to absorb their life force and launch that troublesome attack.

”Do you still have any reserves?”

Fu Qian’s reaction, however, was noncommittal.

He remembered very clearly that Professor Lisa had mentioned her ”fangs” regenerated very slowly.

”...I do.”

Unfortunately, the recipient of this concern didn’t seem particularly appreciative. She offered a stiff, one-word reply, already tensing up and ready to strike.

”There’s no need this time, though.”

Unfortunately, someone was even faster than she was.

Before the words even left his mouth, Professor Fu—the special guest of this expedition—was already standing at the base of the stone pillar.

Crack!

In the dead silence, the sound of the fracture was incredibly crisp.

As Lisa watched with wide, round eyes, Fu Qian completely ignored the Gargoyle perched on top. Instead, he simply reached out one arm and snapped the stone pillar right off at its base.

’What is this guy trying to do?’

It was certainly a domineering display, but that didn’t stop a barrage of question marks from exploding in Lisa’s mind.

Of course, she wasn’t left to suffer in confusion for long. In the very next moment, he hoisted the stone pillar like a javelin, aiming the Gargoyle at its tip directly toward the space Inside the Door.

’He couldn’t possibly be—’

Boom!

Her thoughts were violently interrupted by a massive crash. Lisa watched helplessly as the stone pillar smashed clean through the door, the wall, and everything else in its path.

...

”I have no problem with taking it out right now, but wasn’t that a bit too loud?”

With the hidden danger eliminated in the blink of an eye, Lisa quickly hurried over. Looking at the terrifying hole in the wall, her tone was filled with helplessness.

Sure enough, this guy either did nothing at all, or he caused an absolute scene.

Even if that strike had instantly pulverized their target, it was hard to imagine that it was the only thing wandering around down here.

With an earthquake-like commotion, it wouldn’t be surprising if it attracted all sorts of things.

”Is that thing dead? I don’t see any remains.”

Of course, she didn’t actually expect Professor Fu to admit he was wrong. In the next moment, she peered through the gaping hole.

”No.”

Fu Qian instantly delivered his conclusion.

”You missed?”

A hint of suspicion crept onto Lisa’s face; she clearly didn’t quite believe it.

”I missed.”

Fu Qian, however, looked completely unapologetic.

’He really did...’

Before Lisa could say anything else, a cluster of spindly, reed-like claws drifted silently out from behind one of the walls.

Without a doubt, it was the very same scutigera they had been tracking.

And with just one glance, it was obvious that the strike from earlier hadn’t caused it a single scratch.

’On purpose?’

Realizing something, Lisa looked over at Fu Qian in confusion, only to find that he was already standing directly in front of the hole.

And from behind that wall, beneath those drifting claws, a headless body poked out and immediately locked onto him.

A torrential jade-green stream, accompanied by a sound like wailing souls, instantly filled their vision.