The Eldritch Files

The Drunkard seemed to be laughing, making the very air tremble.

But the sound of the mysterious Spell was incessant. It was as if he was no longer chanting but using spiritual resonance to enact the Encrypted Spell. All around them, streams of Mysterious Power intertwined, summoning even more black shadows.

They gathered at their feet, forming what looked like an ever-expanding, ever-deepening lake of water that enveloped Han Su and the others.

Wei Lan had already used her Makeup Mirror, creating crystalline air walls all around them.

Her only thought was to seal off the area to prevent the lake water from spreading.

Otherwise, if the lake breached the containment, the Drunkard could come and go as he pleased.

Han Su continuously unleashed the power of his right eye, evaporating the lake water that gathered around him. But his Spiritual Power dwindled with each use. The lake seemed endless, and he was nearly spent, his head growing heavy and dull.

”He’s not only deciphered the Life Code, but he has also Mastered a high-level power from the Banshee Sequence.”

”I’m not his match. Perhaps I could face him head-on after obtaining the Empress title...”

Wei Lan conveyed this to Han Su via a mental message, her strain now obvious.

At this point, Han Su couldn’t even summon the Ghost Truck. The moment it appeared, it would just sink into the lake.

He glanced at Pot Lid Head. The man was squatting there, looking like he was either trying to come up with a plan or just spacing out.

But his own Spiritual Activity was so high that any lake water that approached him simply dissipated on its own.

’Is it time to use my ultimate move already?’

Han Su hesitated. ’But it’s not the time Miss Ai and I agreed upon...’

Just as anxiety began to build within him, he suddenly heard an impossibly arrogant voice:

”Hmph, the Black Lake?”

As the voice spoke, the black lake water that had been furiously gathering across the wasteland seemed to be instantly torn apart, as if evaporated by the sun. Then, on the surface of the mirrored crystal barrier Wei Lan had created, a face actually appeared.

It was just a blurry human face, but it exuded utter arrogance and disdain:

”Is the Hidden School supposed to be impressive? Even if it is, it’s not for a second-rate hack like you to show off!”

”Don’t even talk about the Black Lake. So what if you could summon the Midnight Banshee back into reality?”

”...”

”Hm?”

When this voice rang out, Han Su froze. Wei Lan froze. Even the Drunkard, in the middle of summoning the Black Lake, froze.

Wei Lan was stunned because this person had impressive Spiritual Activity and a sharp eye. Her Makeup Mirror could isolate a pocket of space, but because she was injured, the mirror had a slight crack.

This person had perceptively penetrated that tiny fissure to project himself inside. However, since he bore no ill will, he didn’t suffer any backlash.

Pot Lid Head, however, furrowed his brow slightly, seeming annoyed by this person’s arrival.

”Doctor... Rong?”

Han Su looked at the face reflected on the mirrored crystal, somewhat surprised.

’Shouldn’t this guy be at the black notebook sealing site? When did he follow us?’

As he was thinking, Rong Qiyue’s gaze swept unhappily toward Pot Lid Head before he turned to Han Su with an accusatory tone.

”Why is this guy still alive? Wasn’t he executed by firing squad?”

”Good thing I was quick on the uptake. The moment I saw him, I followed him over. Otherwise, I...”

”...”

Listening to his discontented rambling, Han Su frowned. ”Is this really the time to be asking about that?”

”Oh, right...”

Rong Qiyue caught himself and quickly added, ”It’s a good thing I came, otherwise you might not have been able to solve this problem!”

”There’s no need to be afraid of his Encrypted Spell. It’s all just for show. Dealing with him is simple.”

”He can summon the Black Lake, but he can’t necessarily carry it.”

”It looks like he’s hidden in the lake, but in reality, he *is* the entire lake!”

”Just attack this projection of the Black Lake, and his Spiritual Power will be constantly drained!”

”You can wear him down easily!”

”...”

As he spoke, he even shot a pointed, provocative glance in Pot Lid Head’s direction.

’See? No matter how tough you act, you still need me to solve the problems you can’t handle, right?’

”?”

Hearing this advice, both Han Su and Wei Lan were about to act.

But before they could do anything, the one on the other side snapped. The Drunkard’s voice rang out first:

”I...”

He tried his best to remain calm, but he couldn’t hide the loss of control in his voice. ”When did I ever offend your Rong Family?”

When a person accumulates too many unanswered questions, they can go mad. That was precisely the Drunkard’s state right now.

To guard against Zhang Chiguo, he had even taken the initiative to make overtures to the people of Seawall City and enlist their cooperation.

He never expected that even someone from the Rong Family of Seawall City would be on their side...

’How did I end up in this situation?’

’Damn it all, with so many people plotting against me, it would be a miracle if I *didn’t* end up here!’

He felt only a sense of absurdity, of being mocked by fate.

Amid a bitter laugh, the tides of the Black Lake surged, concentrating their power into a single point and rushing madly toward Wei Lan.

He intended to forcibly shatter the Barrier Wei Lan had set up and escape this place first.

At this point, he was truly afraid.

CRACK...

Wei Lan took the full brunt of the terrifying impact from the Mysterious Power, and her expression changed drastically.

Two new cracks suddenly appeared on her face. Even the original scar on her face began to ooze blood along with them.

Han Su wasted no more words. He immediately unleashed the Giant’s Eye at full power, his already meager Spiritual Power surging out frantically.

As the white light from his right eye swept over it, a large patch of the black lake water evaporated. It was indeed effective.

But more tides were summoned by the Drunkard’s Spell. The lake grew larger and larger, and the force of its assault intensified.

Han Su frowned. ”Why... why isn’t it more effective?”

Rong Qiyue’s expression suddenly turned a little awkward. ”Well, this is definitely his weakness. You just need to put more effort into it...”

”?”

Han Su’s focus was shattered. He shot a cold look at Rong Qiyue. ”Then why aren’t you helping?”

Rong Qiyue said awkwardly, ”It already takes a lot of effort for me to just project myself here...”

”Besides, my specialty is knowledge...”

”...”

Han Su didn’t want to speak anymore. He didn’t even want to look at Rong Qiyue at that moment.

Just then, however, Pot Lid Head suddenly stood up. He seemed to be smiling as he said softly, ”Then let me handle it.”

Han Su turned to look at him. ”You have a way?”

”It’s very simple...”

Pot Lid Head said slowly, ”Since he likes to hide in this lake, why don’t I just eat it?”

Even Han Su was stunned for a moment by that sentence. ”Eat it?”

Pot Lid Head nodded, slowly unbuttoning his clothes to reveal surgical incisions of all sizes covering his body.

He then used his fingers to measure them, selecting one that was neither too long nor too short.

Beside them, Wei Lan was shocked. ”You can do that?”

”Of course...”

Pot Lid Head’s expression was one of confusion. ”Didn’t we agree from the start that this person was to be left to me?”

”I don’t get it. I was still deciding which method to use to find him, and you all were over there, getting anxious and noisy, fighting back and forth.”

”...”

Wei Lan: ”?”

Rong Qiyue: ”???!!!?”

Han Su was suddenly at a loss for words. ”So, we were just getting in the way?”

Pot Lid Head didn’t answer, merely giving Han Su a look. Then, he suddenly pinched a corner of one of his scars. Each scar was stitched with a bizarre, thick black thread, as if the stitches were never meant to be removed, no matter how much time passed.

And now, he yanked one of the threads out, and the bloody wound immediately gaped open.

But this open wound grew wider and deeper, transforming into a mouth.

The next moment, a dark and eerie Spell echoed from within this mouth.

An indescribable power materialized around him. The endless, surging black tide around them was slowly swallowed by this mouth.

Han Su and Wei Lan’s eyes went wide with shock at the sight.

The projected Rong Qiyue was so frightened his face turned pale, his lips trembling. It was as if he had recalled some indelible memory, and the shadow in his heart grew even larger than the Black Lake itself.

...

...

”Am I such a joke in your eyes?”

The Drunkard, hiding within the waters of the Black Lake, seemed to have been pushed to his limit. The composure and calm he had displayed earlier began to dissipate from his very being.

He was silent for several seconds. When he finally spoke, his voice was laced with resolve and a dejection that showed he no longer cared about his last resort. ”It’s come to this, Mr. Bai Shi. Are you still going to hide on the sidelines and watch the show?”

”I’ll agree to all the conditions you proposed before. I’m willing to be your puppet after I become an Independent Investigator...”

”I’m willing to help you take back your position as Heir...”

”...Help me!”

”...”

”Who is he talking to?”

Wei Lan was instantly on alert. ”Is someone nearby?”

Han Su, however, stiffened slightly as he recalled what the Drunkard had said when he first appeared.

’He has a backup plan!’

’Could it be that his backup plan wasn’t Pot Lid Head, but...’

The thought, rather than bringing relief, caused his mind to snap taut with focus:

’Miss Ai was right after all. The one hiding in the shadows has finally come out...’

”...”

”Drunkard, I told you long ago that you’re nothing but a waste...”

As their emotions churned and they scanned their surroundings warily, a dry laugh echoed out. The laughter came from behind the endless wild grass. A man in a white suit, carrying a snakeskin briefcase, emerged. He wore an eyepatch, leaving him with only one eye.

It was as if he had been standing there for a long time, yet he only became visible when the Drunkard called out his name.

His laugh was harsh and dry, filled with boundless madness. ”We finally meet again...”

”You pathetic worms!”