Eldritch Horror Theatre

The core objective of this trip was certainly clear: try turning waste into treasure with the Furnace.

But a professional researcher never squandered resources lightly.

They might not have even crossed paths in actual history, but how could Fu Qian ever forget the stranded assassin?

The mission back then had been rushed. Given how bizarre and eerie the Furnace was, a brief exploration likely couldn’t uncover all its secrets.

Fu Qian had always harbored a sliver of anticipation about what a Mid Tier struggling for survival might encounter and reap in such a place.

Even though both his displayed strength and methods were thoroughly average, it wasn’t impossible for someone in a desperate situation to surpass their limits and deliver a little surprise.

Not to mention that this time, there was no Old Man Feng and his terrible strategies to box in his line of thought.

In short, to Fu Qian, it hadn’t exactly been deliberate, but Brother Zhao Ran was like a lab rat tossed into a vat of viruses.

Upon revisiting this place, the lesions on his body would serve as a living ledger, perfectly displaying more of the Furnace’s traits.

Thus, it was best if the lab rat remained alive. That was one of Fu Qian’s side expectations for this trip.As for the subject’s own wishes, his level of cooperation, or whether he’d experienced a blessing in disguise and mastered some peerless divine technique—none of that had ever mattered.

Ultimately, the facts proved that the assassin hadn’t let him down. He had provided some rather fascinating information, and the gratitude for sharing it was entirely sincere.

”You? You could imagine that? Hahaha.”

Though this reaction seemed to deeply irritate Brother Zhao Ran, he burst into laughter the next instant.

”You’re not trying to tell me... that you arranged all this, are you? Including making such a massive commotion after you came in, just to lure me out?”

Sure enough, once a person went unhinged, their mind grew sharper. Fu Qian didn’t even need to comment before the laughter came to an abrupt halt.

The merriment still hung on his face. Staring at Fu Qian, who sat there as steady as Mount Tai, Zhao Ran had genuinely managed to read between the lines.

”Let’s not take things to extremes. I merely gave a casual pointer and planted an opportunity. Your current achievements are primarily your own doing.”

Fu Qian merely waved his hand. Unwilling to dampen the young man’s enthusiasm, he signaled that he had only made a few casual moves; the rest still depended on personal fortune.

”Heh... what a shame. But rest assured, I’m a very generous person. Even if you didn’t help all that much, I’ll still express my full thanks—”

Zhao Ran clearly didn’t believe him, but he casually declared that he would express his gratitude exactly as if Fu Qian truly had orchestrated everything.

The very next moment, a sudden gale whipped up. The Long Halberd in his hand was hurled out once again, aimed straight at Fu Qian on the Stone Seat.

Yet despite the suddenness of the attack, it failed to hit its mark.

Fu Qian hadn’t even shifted his posture. Moving only one hand, he caught the thunderous strike between two fingers.

Given that it was a simple throwing attack, catching it wasn’t exactly a jaw-dropping achievement.

However, such a casual and effortless display matched perfectly with his previous claims, fully showcasing the demeanor of an expert.

”Apologies, but I said a long time ago that I’m not interested in polearms.”

He casually tossed the weapon aside, simply reiterating his weapon preferences.

”Is that so? Then are you interested in that seat?”

Showing no signs of discouragement, Zhao Ran made a grasping motion in the empty air with his freed hands.

At that exact moment, teeth-aching screeches echoed from every corner of the Church, sounding as if it might collapse at any second. It was no illusion—the structure was genuinely moving.

As if imbued with a life of its own, everything in sight warped and twisted, collapsing inward toward the center.

”If you’re really as indifferent as you claim, why don’t you stand up?”

Zhao Ran’s mocking taunt rang out at the same time.

...

”I was right about you. You’re clever. You realized so quickly that this seat is the key... But have you considered why, knowing it’s the key, I still didn’t mind bringing you right to it?”

As Fu Qian curiously observed his morphing surroundings, he didn’t even give Zhao Ran a chance to answer his own question before speaking up.

”Because without the proper method, I’d never be able to pull off what you’re doing right now? And there’s no way you’re going to tell me?”

Fu Qian had actually given it serious thought, deducing a likely explanation.

”Exactly.”

Zhao Ran showed no displeasure at having his thoughts guessed. On the contrary, immense satisfaction filled his face.

”I originally wanted you to realize this step by step... to figure out who ’they’ truly were, to find the key to becoming them, and to finally realize that you would always be one step behind...

”I have to say, you’ve continuously managed to surprise me. Even though your efficiency was surprisingly high, my carefully prepared gift hasn’t gone to waste.”

As his voice grew increasingly frenzied, the building itself seemed to share in his elation. A massive stone beam crashed down just a meter away from Fu Qian’s hand—landing exactly where the Long Halberd had been.

The man’s control over this space was truly astonishing, running even deeper than Fu Qian’s own ’I think, therefore I am’ state from back then.

Still making no move, Fu Qian watched the scene unfold and reached another conclusion.

Back then, he had only managed to complete the mission and escape the Furnace by repeatedly tempering himself on the Stone Seat, which forged a deep fusion—or resonance—with the realm. Only then were his movements finally unhindered.

Even then, however, his connection to the Furnace merely provided a high-dimensional perspective; he had been entirely incapable of manipulating its physical environment.

But between the earlier blood mist illusion and his current control over the building, it was evident that Zhao Ran commanded astonishing authority over this space. That was likely how he had carved out the passage in the first place.

His progress over the last few months clearly extended far beyond what he had just shown; he had obviously found a way to utilize the Stone Seat even further.

As for Zhao Ran’s claim about deliberately luring him here, Fu Qian both believed and understood it.

Just like resolving to kill your own savior after surviving a desperate struggle for three days, accumulated grievances always needed to be vented.

From showing up and ”mistaking” him for one of ”them,” to the elaborate theatrics he put on afterward, Zhao Ran’s performance had essentially been a game of cat and mouse.

Months had passed. How could simple murder ever be enough? He naturally wanted to inflict both physical and mental torment, offering a sliver of hope only to cruelly snatch it away.

Though dull, given Brother Zhao Ran’s level and style, such an approach was hardly surprising.

Honestly speaking, it could even be considered an exceptional performance tempered by absolute despair.

It was just a pity that humans were ultimately limited. Figuring out exactly who the mouse was in this situation was a highly complex subject, and it remained just a bit too profound for him.

”Understood. So in order to maximize my torment, you can share everything except that one crucial detail, right?”

Deeply empathetic to his plight, Fu Qian gave a faint nod, never forgetting to offer a helpful suggestion.