Eldritch Horror Theatre

”He’s trying to say that since you refuse to quiet down and refuse to die, you’re causing him a great deal of trouble.”

The scene within the Black Mirror was rather bizarre. Just as Fu Qian was taking it in, a voice chimed in beside him with an explanation.

This time, he didn’t even need to turn his head. He could recognize the newcomer just by looking in the mirror—

Bleary-eyed, hair like a bird’s nest, and a cigarette dangling from his lips—it was none other than Loretta’s good friend, Bernard.

He undoubtedly originated from one of the numerous blood shadows. The Black Mirror just seemed to act as a catalyst, making his manifestation so effortless that he practically walked right out of it.

His demeanor was also far more uninhibited; he simply plunked himself down right at Loretta’s feet.

”I sensed that. So, how do you think he plans to solve this annoyance?”

Although Bernard’s words were blunt, Fu Qian nodded in agreement.

”By making you live in a deeper hell, I suppose.”

Like a true intellectual, Bernard took a deep drag and instantly provided an answer.”It seems the true concept of a righteous one is a fundamental self that exists only within cognition after the death of the physical body.

”And the so-called redemption isn’t actually that complicated. It’s simply accepting this point and willingly marching toward death. There’s absolutely no need to have people gnawing on your thighs... cough, cough, cough.”

Unfortunately, he couldn’t maintain his cool for more than a few sentences before his respiratory issues threw him into a coughing fit.

”So what happened earlier was indeed a misdirection. The thing interacting with you from the moment you closed your eyes was already the righteous one.

”Kadon seemed to have sensed something was wrong. What he has been fighting against all along is that soon-to-be-born self. Wanting to die in his sleep was a rejection of the final redemption. It has always been a struggle between the two versions of him.”

But it didn’t matter; someone quickly picked up where he left off.

Sternly dressed and wearing a serious expression, it was none other than Professor Claudora—who had dedicated herself to scientific research—stepping out to offer a detailed analysis.

”And this is also the reason why he has been unwilling to tell you the truth. The nature of that thing is even more bizarre than mental parasitism... For instance, our current conversation includes things you don’t even know yet. Because it is mixed with Kadon’s knowledge, you are already being influenced—”

The situation she described was undoubtedly grim.

”But there’s still something a bit strange about this.”

Almost the moment she finished speaking, another newcomer joined the discussion. It was Nepheli, the runaway Dean of the beneficent curse.

”I don’t believe such a crude ritual could give birth to a transcendent out of thin air. Not to mention that Kadon abruptly gained power back then while knowing absolutely nothing... There must be another reason.”

Unlike Claudora, she frowned deeply, focusing more on raising questions.

”Isn’t that simple—”

Fu Qian finally cut into the conversation, looking at the ”Kadon” who stood there with an eerie smile.

”The young Kadon had a bug in his stomach, and the bug woke up.”

...

Most events encountered in life actually have historical precedents.

Inexplicably awakening as a transcendent was not an uncommon occurrence.

But add a qualifying condition—that this transcendent power had begun an internal war of mutual self-sabotage against one’s own will—and it was hard not to associate it with Eldest Miss Wen and Eve back then.

Indeed. ”Breaking out of the Cocoon is a painful process, especially when you are the Cocoon.” This phrase seemed equally applicable to Kadon’s current struggle.

It was just that the gestation process was rather strange. The critical turning point wasn’t advancing to Tier 6 like Wen Li, but rather the death of the physical body.

To Fu Qian, this was naturally very easy to understand. The preceding series of familiar faces and their narrations was akin to a self-conversation within a mind palace.

After all, Bernard and the others couldn’t possibly know these things. The entire process could be considered a manifestation of his own deductions.

And ”Kadon is in a similar situation to Wen Li” was the conclusion he ultimately reached.

”As expected, you have fallen too deeply. There is absolutely no possibility of you attaining redemption.”

This conclusion even seemed to gain the acknowledgment of the party involved.

The ”Kadon” standing there finally spoke, shaking his head to indicate that Fu Qian was indeed beyond saving.

And Fu Qian interpreted this as a refusal to embrace a hard-won muddleheadedness.

”Do you want to reconsider what your fate will be next?”

”Kadon’s” unfriendliness was only continuing.

”What he tried to do earlier was clearly to deceive the Kadon who was attempting to resist. He wanted to make the latter ignore your presence and mistakenly believe he was already asleep, thereby smoothly completing the metamorphosis.”

And the one who chimed in to answer this was none other than the white-haired, youthful-faced Old Man Li He.

Worthy of a sword path practitioner, the moment he appeared, he pinpointed the core trap of this task with piercing accuracy.

”Now, being forced to reveal himself due to your disruptive behavior, he is clearly using this method to pollute your fundamental self, ultimately plunging you into complete chaos—”

”This is the price of being a scoundrel. You deserve it.”

This final sentence clearly didn’t come from Old Man Li He. It was an even more familiar voice—how did you come out too?

Fu Qian looked toward the voice and sighed as he gazed at the bald and heavily wrinkled figure.

That’s right, it was none other than The Club’s sage, Old Man Lu Ming.

From his perspective, this attitude was quite reasonable.

”You’ve done very well.”

Empathetic enough not to mock him in return, Fu Qian looked back at ”Kadon” the next moment, expressing that his eyes had been opened.

Riiip—

At the same time, a set of leg armor materialized out of thin air, covering his lower half.

Because his body was expanding once more.

...

”To be able to go this far is truly astonishing, but it is still not enough... Do you feel it? One hundred percent!”

Casually tearing off a section of the ceiling, Fu Qian stood up for the first time, his voice overwhelmingly arrogant.

”If you don’t want this to be the end right now, then you had better pray to all the powers you can possibly pray to.”

The praise was sincere. Being able to affect him while he was in this state could almost be considered a God-slaying feat.

And it was done by merely an unborn parasite?

Actually, just a moment ago, the way to complete this task had already become incredibly clear. He just needed to find a way to kill this guy who had been forced out.

Fu Qian, however, was far more curious about the preceding question.

What made it possess such astonishing abilities at such a young age?

Therefore, he hadn’t rushed to act. Instead, he gave the other party ample time to perform—and now it was time to harvest.

Ugh...

Under the sudden surge in pressure, ”Kadon” was undoubtedly feeling terrible.

”Evil demon... beyond saving!”

Yet, as expected, that deformed face did not give up so easily.

Through gritted teeth, the Black Mirror in ”Kadon’s” hand shattered into fragments once again, but his mangled hand slowly rose, pointing at Fu Qian like a pronouncement of judgment.

”Beyond saving!”

Before Fu Qian even had a chance to retort, someone had already echoed him. It was Old Man Lu Ming standing there, making the exact same gesture.

”Beyond saving!”

Then came Nepheli.

”Beyond saving...”

Then it was everyone else.

”Beyond... saving...”

As well as the people who were still appearing.

...

Was this the legendary Universal Condemnation?

At that moment, Fu Qian didn’t squander the opportunity, silently savoring the moral pressure.

It was no joke. Because those condemning him were essentially ”himself,” it seemed that with every pointed finger, numerous fragments of his self were unleashing a synchronized strike in his direction.

Boom!

It was truly an authority that challenged the imagination. The trauma he suffered in that instant was only slightly weaker than the time he dealt with the Serpent of Destiny.

In Fu Qian’s eyes, it even seemed as if an invisible pair of wings had sprouted behind Bernard and everyone else.

There really were redemption Angels?

Amidst his marveling, Fu Qian traced the reverse trajectory he had captured, and the Power of Calamity blasted out with a roar.

[Containment Conditions met, Designation 2-013 Containment successful]

The pleasant notification chime rang out after just a single breath.

And the originally bustling lineup surrounding him, along with the sky full of drifting ash, dissipated into nothingness.

As the scene shifted, Fu Qian looked down. The old man lying there had completely lost all signs of life.

His aged face retained traces of distortion, yet he slept soundly.