Eldritch Horror Theatre

A pair of Persuaders?

The concentration of scale dust in the air inexplicably felt thicker.

That sudden harmony instantly made the scene far more thrilling, vastly surpassing a cheap jump scare in an ordinary horror story.

Even more shockingly, the figure inside the door didn’t just mirror the Persuader’s voice—it looked identical, too.

The tangled hair, the long wings, the massive abdomen dragging along the floor—it was practically a copy-and-paste job. Perhaps that was exactly what the entity intended to convey?

That earlier phrase, spoken in perfect unison, had clearly been delivered in the Persuader’s exact tone.

Was reality truly always more absurd than art? They had just been critiquing the Persuader’s multiple personality disorder, yet now it had undergone a literal Transformation?

Taking in the sight behind the door, Fu Qian clicked his tongue in marvel.

He had previously likened the place to a paper-mâché villa, but those abstract walls clearly hadn’t compromised the door’s fundamental function.

Not only could it still open, but the space behind it remained Excellency Yarakil’s Mansion, complete with the same array of rusted weapons jutting out on display.And amidst this clamorous scene stood the second Persuader.

Meeting Fu Qian’s appraising gaze, he smiled right back.

...

The intensity immediately dialed up.

In fact, it wasn’t just the one behind the door. At that moment, even the Persuader who had traveled with them all the way was beaming, all traces of his previous panic completely gone.

There were seemingly only two explanations for this shift: either his previous terror had all been an act to humor the persona Fu Qian had thrust upon him, or he had finally managed to pull a fast one on them, the vindication instantly lifting his spirits.

Of course, regardless of which it was, Fu Qian was more than happy to see it.

They might have been conversing in their usual tone the entire way here, but Fu Qian had never truly believed his old friend had reappeared intact.

At best, it was just a depressed patient forcing a laugh.

His purpose in calling the Persuader out had always been to let The Prisoners perform to their hearts’ content.

Now that a new act had debuted so quickly, what was there to be dissatisfied with?

”Not bad.”

Looking entirely easygoing, Fu Qian nodded, agreeing with the pair of Persuaders thanking him in unison.

”It would be best if you could both introduce yourselves in unison. Tell us which Excellency you serve under, and things like that.”

Not only that, he even suggested they add their prefixes, as if he were trying to complete a collection.

”That is an interesting proposal.”

Gratifyingly, the party in question actually seemed quite willing to cooperate.

The Persuader behind the door spoke first. Giving a slight nod at Fu Qian’s suggestion, he appeared to be seriously considering it.

”But in the spirit of reciprocity, is it possible for you to introduce yourselves first?”

Immediately after, however, he looked troubled, as if he had run into a difficult problem.

”Not a chance.”

Naturally maintaining his pleasant expression, Fu Qian casually rejected the idea.

...

”Heh... the great Dark Moon and Its Knight, searching together for the traces of another Dark Moon.”

Facing this rejection, the Persuader Inside the Door did not look angry in the slightest.

Instead, with a half-smile, he answered on their behalf.

The casually revealed information was staggering, effectively summarizing the core objective of Fu Qian and the Witch’s trip in a single sentence.

”Do you know what you two look like to me? A pair of empty-headed fools, who think you can control the situation under any circumstances, completely oblivious to your rapidly approaching deaths.”

Before Fu Qian could share his thoughts, however, the Persuader Inside the Door sharply pivoted. Although his expression remained as bright as ever, his words spiked in aggression and carried a literal curse.

”Believe me, your very best fate is to find a dark corner and repeat your boring role-playing games day after day, hoping you never grow tired of them, woo—”

By the end, the speaker seemed to have already envisioned the scene, letting out an excited howl to vent all of his pent-up frustration.

”Just like you’re doing right now?”

In that brief pause, Fu Qian finally had the chance to deliver his critique.

”...What do you mean?”

The Persuader Inside the Door finally reined in his emotions slightly, staring at Fu Qian as he shot back a tepid question.

Oh, naive youth.

At that moment, Fu Qian simply shook his head again.

Did you really think that slapping together a disguise and hiding your Rank would let you slip by unnoticed in front of two bigwigs of the Dark Moon Cult?

Leaving aside the fact that the Vision Radar had already picked up on a few anomalies, couldn’t you tell that His Excellency the Pope was already preparing for an execution?

Did you think the two visitors exchanging a glance just now meant they were flustered because you had exposed their motive?

The intent in the Witch’s eyes had been painfully clear. She was just checking with him to confirm whether they should execute you on the spot, or let you spout a few more lines of nonsense.

If it hadn’t been for this Knight’s benevolent and merciful heart, you wouldn’t have gotten the chance to flex your acting skills here.

...

Indeed, anyone who witnessed that scene would instinctively assume the Persuader had escalated from a split personality to a split body.

Since this place was essentially a dreamscape, such a change wasn’t exactly strange.

For Fu Qian, however, even without relying on the Vision Radar for verification, he still would have absolutely suspected its identity.

The reason was simple: the timing was perfect.

If he were The Prisoners, facing the earlier performance of the Witch and the Tyrant, he would have known it was necessary to dial up the intensity.

It was a process of advance and retreat.

The Prisoners’ objective was to lure the enemy in deep, ultimately leaving their victims with no way back.

His and the Witch’s objective, meanwhile, was to delve as deep as possible while keeping a way back open, hunting for the targets hidden within.

Under these circumstances, aside from Depth, speed was also an important metric they had to consider.

They might not fully grasp the operational mechanics, but if his and the Witch’s actions were overly efficient, there was every reason to suspect it would be bad for The Prisoners’ plans.

Did the permeating corruption also require time?

In Fu Qian’s view, the best-case scenario for those entities was for the two of them to grow increasingly hesitant as they advanced, caught between a bleak prospect and an alluring target, ultimately maximizing their immersion in this theme park before finding their goal.

However, the Witch’s earlier performance had been like an overly sharp blade. It had undoubtedly left a profound impression on them.

Since their targets weren’t slowing down on their own, could The Prisoners, who had pinned high hopes on this plan, really hold back from stepping in to help?

Dominating the Persuader to bring the two of them down to a sufficient Depth as quickly as possible, then personally stepping in to keep them at that Depth for as long as possible—it was the most normal choice.

It could even be said that this was exactly what Fu Qian had been anticipating all along—oh?

With only a trace of awe added to his expression, Fu Qian hadn’t even had time to answer before the Persuader who questioned what he meant had already quietly melted into the mist, drifting away like a transcending immortal.

It had barely been a few seconds since his earlier excited howl.

Truly worthy of a bigwig fighting for freedom. He was indeed decisive and ruthless.

That counter-question hadn’t been asked to get an answer at all; it was merely a smokescreen for his escape.

Amidst his marveling, Fu Qian exchanged another glance with the Witch. There was no longer any need to doubt the party’s true identity.