Control, for the old hands of the worldly society, is an extremely precious word.
The greater the ambition, the more precious it becomes.
Directly taking out the Black Doctor could certainly assist in testing Ji Feng and the Unseen Hillock, but eliminating someone who can mass-produce "antidotes" is essentially a bit of a resource waste.
Especially since the current situation is unclear, being able to freely enter and exit the Unseen Hillock whether itās on fire or not is a fairly advantageous condition.
But for an Andiel like that, isnāt the threat level a bit too high for the Death Angel who hides away?
Faced with making that decision, Fu Qian had two choices.
One was to squeeze the last drop from the Black Doctor, utilizing the convenience created by the antidote to maneuver between two sides, gradually investigating and trying to uncover everything related to the "darkest night" by oneself.
The other was to actively give this up, in exchange for testing Ji Feng and the old acquaintanceās confidence in the current situation, increasing their chances of coming to share the "darkest night" secrets.
Although so far, the warehouse has not given any reminders about urgent timing, upon reflection, Fu Qian still believed the latter was a better option.
Previous experience from so many missions proved that the warehouse rarely gives time for some kind of government-funded tourism; the idea of gradually investigating is overly optimistic.
And it now seems to indeed be the case, as the darkest night is upon us today.
Of course, if the first two options donāt work, theoretically there remains the possibility of completing the task by running to unlock the gates and go all-out.
But for Fu Qian, that has always been the last option.
See, weāve made a discovery this timeā
"Someone over there has been watching us."
Realizing that her presence had quite an invitation component, Akasha fell into silence once again.
However, Fu Qian seemed to enjoy the nightlife, engaging in secretive matters casually in conversation, even turning attention to the nightlife culture.
The process of clearing people out earlier was smooth and didnāt cause any ripples.
The problem was that Fu Qian and the othersā appearance was too eye-catching, inevitably difficult to stay low-key under the lights.
"Holle, an acquaintance of Crystalās, we generally call him the Ashen Messenger."
Even as casually mentioned, Akasha ceased her silence.
With a faint sigh, her gaze didnāt even seek out but had clearly already noticed the situation Fu Qian mentioned, and possibly the identity of the person involved.
An acquaintance of Crystalās? Does that mean heās on the side of the Justice Camp?
Fu Qian pondered over this without reservation, unabashedly surveying a figure in the corner of the bar.
With stubble, a frown, a melancholic gaze, and paired with one cup of bitter drink after another, he indeed fit the classic superhero imageāat least a protagonist group level character.
"But he has a peculiar temper, isnāt well-related with most people, nearly only the Prophet can command him."
Akashaās timely narration seemed so fitting to the scene.
Even as they exchanged glances, the other party was unabashed, looking back with a gaze that was calm but carried a sharpness.
Too bad...the Ashen Messenger?
Fu Qian wasnāt particularly fond of that name.
Donāt forget that this containment object is called the Ash Bed, sounding a bit ominousāthud!
It indeed seemed to have started to be ominous.
As a half-full bottle of alcohol hit the table, the very person they were discussing boldly approached them.
"Itās impolite to talk about people behind their backs."
The attitude indeed wasnāt friendly, landing into a seat without invitation and pouring another shot.
Even seemingly inquiring their sin seemed as if looking at a far distance, lazy to cast a glance this way.
"Agreed, like we were discussing right to your face just now."
However, towards his statement, Fu Qian wholeheartedly agreed, even using himself and Akasha as an example.
...
Although his face marked with ravines, hair and beard slightly graying, one could still tell he was grand and majestic when young.
The surrounding fell into a brief silence, and Fu Qian observed the Ashen Messenger who proactively sat over, again affirming he met the style of a righteous character.
"You... look a bit unfamiliar."
And Fu Qianās endorsement seemed to briefly sober Holle from his alcoholic daze.
Finally turning to stare at Fu Qian, giving emotionless commentary.
"Could it be an issue of the observation angle? Take a closer look."
For this, Fu Qian thoughtfully offered a suggestion, noting that a side view may not be accurate.
"What a coincidence, meeting here."
The atmosphere became lively for a moment, and sitting next to Fu Qian, Akasha managed a lazy greeting under scrutiny.
"Not much of a coincidence. Iāve been here lately; try not to let your hair fall into my drink."
Unfortunately, it didnāt seem like his image blended too well, as Holleās expression barely masked disdain or discomfort.
...
As an experienced worldly figure, Akasha didnāt get angry about a simple provocation; she kept smiling silently.
"That outsider, I remember now... you changed clothes."
Too bad the other party hardly cared about her expression management, as Holleās gaze returned to Fu Qian, showing signs of recollection.
Indeed, strange temper aside, as Akasha mentioned that only Yuan Fang could command him, and the previous incident was severe enough, Holle should not have been absent, likely seen him before.
"Yeah, I thought wearing this would make me stand out more at a bar."
Regarding Holleās comment, Fu Qian glanced down and explained with a smile.
Itās not an exaggeration, this Mirror Armorās effect under the lights was not something a supposed nightclub outfit could match, easily becoming the highlight of the room.
"But unfortunately, I donāt seem to recall you, were you hiding somewhere outside at the time?"
Honesty sometimes isnāt great, the transition seamless, Fu Qian admitted that the face seemed unfamiliar.
Which was true, during the previous operations, the manpower was indeed vast, and some were unseen.
...
The wordings were sharply pointed after all, causing Holleās gaze to turn sharp, as if ready to act anytime.
"Yes... like hiding here now."
Though the effect was brief, a single breath, his gaze turned murky again.
Without further observing Fu Qianās motive, Holle took another gulp, casually self-deprecating.
Good, this spirit is fitting.
At that moment, Fu Qian felt there was nothing amiss, even sensing it classic.
"So, when will the Lord arrive?"
He naturally turned to Akasha next, confirming.
Alright, letās stir things up.