Eldritch Horror Theatre

Oh? Old man Kadon’s mental state was getting progressively stranger.

If Mister Dickens had continued to question who he was and who had sent him, Fu Qian would have found it perfectly normal.

But to suddenly pivot to something that happened decades ago?

And no matter how you looked at it, a first-time visitor to this esteemed place wouldn’t be able to provide an authoritative answer, right?

”Wasn’t that case already closed?”

Curious, Fu Qian turned the question back on them. He casually tossed aside the bottle of pineapple-flavored liquid and popped open another one with a loud thud.

”It seems that way, but we want to hear your opinion. After all, you’re holding the deceased’s belongings.”

He was no pushover, as expected. Mister Dickens responded almost instantly, denying Fu Qian any chance to play dumb. Even his reasoning cut right to the heart of the matter.

”Could it be because he was a fraud?”

Fu Qian glanced at the Cross Star in his hand, and in the next moment, he genuinely began to analyze that bloody case from all those years ago.”Everything he said was pure swindling, but he just so happened to run into the real deal. In the end, Kadon delivered justice on heaven’s behalf... You two should already know all this, right?”

After tossing out that casual summary, Fu Qian kicked the question right back, staring at the two of them as he countered sharply.

Based on his earlier judgment, they were essentially projections of Kadon’s will, but at the very least, their behavior remained relatively independent.

Furthermore, in theory, both of them were victims of that fraud too.

”We are the ones asking you.”

His tone was evidently too sharp; the woman in the dental gown, who had positioned herself in a supporting role, took a deep breath and couldn’t help but speak up, firing back coldly.

”Is that so... Then another possibility is that Kadon was moved by the victim’s dedication and decided to use his own gains to bring him enlightenment. It’s just that the latter couldn’t endure the hardship of grasping the Dao.”

Since they had placed such high hopes on him, Fu Qian didn’t hold back. He threw out a second interpretation of the events.

”Enough! Are you treating us like fools?”

Finally unable to bear this infusion of knowledge any longer, Mister Dickens let out a low growl.

”Then ask a question with a bit more technical substance.”

Naturally unmoved, Fu Qian gestured for them to be more direct while pouring a mouthful of the newly opened beverage down his throat.

...

This bottle was an even heavier hitter.

It shimmered with a lustrous, delicate, and translucent purple light. By standard logic, it should have been grape flavor.

Even though he had sensed something was off a moment ago, Fu Qian still gave it a chance out of respect.

The facts proved it was indeed extraordinary. The pigment actually seemed naturally derived. The only problem was, what kind of lunatic came up with an onion flavor?

”Regardless of which scenario you described, Kadon has no reason to dig him up at this final moment. We believe the entire incident might share a common hidden truth. What do you think it is?”

Just as Fu Qian was deciding the pineapple juice was actually somewhat endearing by comparison, Dickens couldn’t help but exchange a glance with the woman in the dental gown over that earlier remark. After a moment of hesitation, he genuinely asked the question again.

”Good question.”

Pleased with this progression, Fu Qian literally used the pineapple juice to rinse his mouth while directly praising the question.

”I feel the same way. Moreover, judging from the other items on the Checklist, I don’t think Kadon is repenting either.”

”So what do you think the reason is?”

Unfortunately, mere applause clearly wasn’t enough to appease the two people before him. Mister Dickens kept his eyes fixed on him and pressed the question.

”That same reason made him choose to kill all those years ago, and it also compelled him to dig up the corpse in his final moments.”

Nodding, Fu Qian expanded on the core of the issue.

”Very good... We seem to be getting on the right track. Please continue.”

Fu Qian’s cooperation seemed to surprise even Mister Dickens, as if he had finally realized how treating people with sincerity could eliminate internal friction.

”No, you continue.”

However, what answered him was Fu Qian’s flat refusal as he pointed a finger back at them.

”Tell me about your doctrine. What exactly is the meaning of the ’Unrighteous One’? I think this term is quite relevant to what we’re discussing.”

...

”It is not just us; everyone is an Unrighteous One.”

It was gratifying. The possibility that the two people in front of him were projections of Kadon’s will continued to increase.

For instance, they maintained the habit of only offering more information as the topic deepened.

After hesitating for only a moment, Mister Dickens gritted his teeth and began to preach the doctrine. The ideology even sounded surprisingly inclusive.

”Isolated, closed off, allowing oneself to be defiled by filthy flesh and blood. This weak behavior leaves us unable to achieve true redemption until death, causing us to die prematurely within this world’s gestation of us.”

The old man clearly remembered the doctrine well. He recited the passage without pause, his expression growing progressively more fanatical.

”If you think we are pursuing so-called Transcendent power, that is simply too shallow... Growing into a righteous one is the only answer in this world.

”And the only way to grant you redemption and attain purity is to let the Angels divide and devour your filthy flesh and blood, shattering your imprisonment... In the end, you will live forever within their will in a pure and immortal form.”

Hmm... He roughly understood now.

The filthy physical body was nothing but a prison for the self, and only by achieving redemption could one incarnate as a righteous one?

This doctrine was actually relatively straightforward and easy to understand. With this line of thought in mind, the patterns on their clothes suddenly didn’t seem quite so grotesque anymore.

And Mister Dickens’s actions from back then seemed to undergo a reversal as well—

He was no longer an evil cultist claiming lives in sacrifice, but a redeemer helping to wash away their sins?

”So you rushed over at the time, in truth, to help this lady achieve redemption?”

Fu Qian pointed a finger to the side, casually verifying this with Dickens.

”It is not one-sided. A redeemer will also receive the guidance of a righteous one, and eventually, they will be able to embrace each other.”

Mister Dickens indeed did not refute him. Acknowledging Fu Qian’s understanding of the doctrine, he also conveniently proved that the woman in the dental gown was indeed the one who had been devoured.

”So, can you state your opinion now? Why did Kadon do that? Why kill someone only to dig them up later?”

The woman who had been pointed at, however, was not too pleased, signaling that it was now Fu Qian’s turn.

”A novel concept. Although the model is rather rudimentary, it still shows that some thought was put into it...”

In response, Fu Qian merely looked thoughtful, as if carefully savoring the philosophy behind the ’Unrighteous One.’

”So you—”

This display clearly made it difficult for Mister Dickens to hold himself back, though the moment he opened his mouth, he was cut right off.

”So during this process, does the redeemer absolutely need to be aware of what’s happening? Is it possible to be forcibly conscripted to make a contribution? Like him, back then?”

Three lethal questions in a row. Fu Qian jutted his chin, gesturing toward Kadon lying there.