Eldritch Horror Theatre

She handled the vehicle with practiced ease.

Even though this vehicle’s performance was vastly inferior, driving it clearly posed no problem for Chief Yuan.

With a smooth start, the trio officially set out on the Pilgrimage Road.

Even if their three-person party looked utterly surreal.

Wen Li at least had a motive. Regardless of what crime he had actually committed, she was here as a pursuer to arrest a lawbreaker. But what about Yuan Shan?

She should have been playing a similar role, yet her hands-off attitude was glaringly obvious, as if she were nothing more than a hired driver.

And it was clearly easy money. Not a single pedestrian was in sight, let alone a traffic light. The driving experience was outrageously smooth.

”It might be a bit weird to say, but you two actually look quite good sitting together like that.”

They had barely driven a few hundred meters before she showed a shocking level of immersion, slipping right into the role of a chatterbox driver.

Hmm...Eldest Miss Wen was noticeably bothered.

Sitting properly, she had already closed her eyes to rest. At those words, she slowly opened them, her gaze falling on the Handcuffs binding them together, and then on their overall appearances...

”We do.”

Her response carried a sharp sense of contrast.

While remaining expressionless, Wen Li actually agreed with Yuan Shan.

”Do you want to join us?”

Her follow-up question was even more explosive.

...

Not bad.

Eldest Miss Wen was playing the cold-blooded captor rather well.

The results spoke for themselves: two casual remarks were enough to completely silence the chatterbox driver.

Fu Qian could only mentally applaud her performance.

Of course, she didn’t mean it literally. In his eyes, Wen Li’s words served a very simple purpose: to remind the driver exactly whose prey he was in the most efficient way possible, thereby shutting her up.

Whether it was a tease or a probe, her unwavering stance was the only answer she gave.

Yuan Shan clearly got the message and respected it.

As for himself, it was a shame that even as the subject of their conversation, he didn’t get a single chance to share his thoughts.

The moment Yuan Shan had spoken, the sensation of his vocal cords vanishing had returned.

Wen Li clearly didn’t want her prisoner engaging in pointless chatter.

As for why she didn’t just use the same trick on Yuan Shan?

Simple: the latter had also retained her Transcendent physique, making her much harder to deal with.

So far, he appeared to be the only one reduced to a completely ordinary human.

But why was that?

It was a thought-provoking question. If he could figure that out, it might prove crucial for this mission.

Of course, before he could do that, he had to focus on surviving between a rock and a hard place.

He was once again at a stage where his SAN Value was running low. The two women beside him theoretically had more than enough strength to kill him with ease—wait, make that more than two.

Unbothered by the sudden silence, Fu Qian spent the ride leisurely observing their surroundings, taking in the local sights.

The landscape was dominated by grayish-white tones, with barely any tall buildings in sight.

It really did give off a Silent Hill vibe. Aside from being as desolate as a dead city, the entire area was shrouded in mist.

While there wasn’t coal ash raining from the sky, every breath he took carried a strange, suffocating oppression.

It was hard to imagine how any lawbreaker could sleep peacefully in a hotel in a place like this.

He hadn’t even slept in his clothes. He had deliberately changed into light plaid pajamas, leaving him looking like the least dignified person in the car.

And right amid this highly immersive scenery, as the thin mist swirled, Fu Qian finally spotted the first living creature outside.

A figure wrapped in a heavy cloak slowly stepped into the middle of the road, raising her left hand high to block their path.

...

Sure enough, the law of dramatic tension was still at play.

Even with most of her face hidden, only her eyes were exposed.

Fu Qian easily identified the roadblocker just from that Amber hue.

Classmate Su Gao. So you’re here to join the fun too?

That was right. Who else could it be but the Night Watchers’ rising star, Executive Yama Su?

Another acquaintance, and another woman. This undoubtedly tracked with his earlier theory.

On one hand, this was indeed a scenario shaped by his own will; on the other, there was clearly something fishy about these special guest appearances.

Why were his female acquaintances showing up one after another? Where exactly was this story trying to go?

And what exact role was Su Gao playing right now?

”Sorry, we’re in a hurry.”

Chief Yuan hadn’t lowered her guard just because the roads were empty. She braked smoothly and scrutinized the newcomer.

Her tone was also somewhat unfriendly. Perhaps she had some pent-up frustration from earlier.

”I know. I’m in a hurry too.”

Classmate Su Gao was as blunt as ever. Making zero attempt to find an excuse, she lowered her hand and stated her intent directly: she was here to hitch a ride.

Furthermore, the hand she had just raised was holding a sheathed Rapier. She kept the tip pointed down to signal she meant no harm.

”Got it. But it’s not my call. The other passengers have to agree.”

That frank yet overbearing attitude made the driver pause in brief thought.

Her conclusion was to wash her hands of the matter entirely and push Wen Li to the front.

It made perfect sense. After all, Wen Li had just finished establishing a ”mind your own business” dynamic.

”We likely aren’t heading the same way.”

Wen Li didn’t disappoint. Ignoring this trick of diverting trouble onto others, she coldly took over the conversation.

”I’m sure we are.”

But Su Gao simply shook her head.

”Where are you going?”

The newcomer’s stubbornness made Wen Li frown slightly, but she asked anyway.

”Wherever you’re going.”

It was a response that bordered on provocation, yet Su Gao’s tone was so dead serious that one couldn’t help but believe her.

”We’re heading to the Sanctuary.”

Wen Li didn’t question her directly. Instead, she dropped that name again.

”Then I’m heading to the Sanctuary too.”

...

Impressive.

He had just been praising Eldest Miss Wen for playing her part so well, but against Classmate Su Gao’s ethereal, absolute dominance, he had to admit that she still suffered a bit of color loss.

It was the flimsiest excuse imaginable, yet after a brief silence, Wen Li couldn’t bring herself to explicitly refuse.

”Thank you.”

Su Gao clearly took that as tacit consent. A second later, she stepped up to the car and pulled the door open.

The only silver lining was that, despite glancing at the passengers in the back, she didn’t try to squeeze in next to them. Instead, she took the passenger seat, completely ignoring the strange chain binding Fu Qian’s hands.

Unsurprisingly, Fu Qian’s vocal cords remained missing throughout the entire exchange, his verbal options completely locked down by Wen Li.

Not that he had planned on speaking up anyway.

[Current quest updated: Find a Way into the Sanctuary]

Because his destination was exactly the same.