Chapter 2970: Already a Victim

Sure enough, every abnormality had a reason.

Had Calamity erupted as an electric current because an incarnation of lightning was standing right beside him?

In that moment, Fu Qian found the answer to one of his earlier questions.

He hadn't been sure earlier what kind of "divine being" Excellency Half-Art was, but the consistency here was impossible to ignore.

Nor could he be blamed for not considering it earlier. A combatant who by all appearances was built for battle and destruction was somehow performing therapeutic work—psychiatric treatment, no less.

It seemed rather outside his field—except who said that? It was actually a perfect fit!

Using electric shocks to treat addiction... he seemed to recall hearing about similar research long ago.

Besides, if that was truly the causal link, it carried a faint whiff of the "chaotic entanglement" found on travelers.

Even with a Playing Card, was it impossible to remain completely detached? Did one still inevitably get entangled with their surroundings to some degree?

As he quietly reflected in that moment, Fu Qian was even reminded of Old Man Henry, who despised the smell of this place.

So it wasn't psychological squeamishness after all—cats simply had a superior sense of smell?

Feeling that his understanding of the Birthday Party had deepened a bit further, he even found himself more forgiving of Old Man Half-Art's unfriendliness. Regardless of the old man's temper, Fu Qian had been the one to hit him first.

Yes—affiliated with the Night Watchers, a Tier 1 New God, with power manifesting as thunderstorms and lightning...

He seemed to have encountered someone just like that once before, back during his tour of the historic city of Lanphilai.

And at the end of that trip, Clara, the folklore expert of noble blood, had performed a proper prayer dance to the gods right before him.

Which had ultimately led to a remote clash between him and another power behind the "Third Cause," successfully demonstrating the divine might of the King of the Abandoned Prison.

Was Excellency Half-Art that very victim?

With so many corresponding elements, the probability of a mere coincidence was simply too low.

And if it really was him, considering that not much time had passed in theory, Excellency Half-Art might still be nursing injuries. A foul mood was entirely understandable.

...

The person who had just spoken...

It seemed Excellency Half-Art's mood was souring even further.

It was obviously a clumsy pretext, yet Professor Fu had managed to tie it seamlessly back to what had come before. Half-Art was visibly dissatisfied with the explanation, but having already gone along with that line of reasoning earlier, questioning it now would only trap him in his own words.

"On what charge?" Half-Art asked.

Still, a master was a master. Half-Art didn't actually question it, casually embodying the spirit of the rule of law instead.

"Violating the eight-hour workday," Fu Qian replied.

How could a question like that stump Fu Qian? Recalling how Professor Ian had been working overtime late at night in the Laboratory, Fu Qian sneered.

Group debauchery was obviously a serious offense as well, but with family standing right there, he decided not to bring it up this time.

Hmm...

Professor Fu's air of enforcing justice on behalf of Heaven was so infectious that a brief silence fell over the ward.

"Professor Fu is welcome to return anytime," Excellency Half-Art said.

His tone sounded as if he had actually been convinced.

Not only did he stop dwelling on certain unseen petty tricks, but he even pre-approved Professor Fu's request for follow-up visits.

However, that emotionless tone left one wondering whether the latter would actually dare to return...

"Are you really planning to go back?" Excellency Stoss asked.

Being a relatively straightforward individual, he didn't hold back, bringing it up shortly after they left Lily's ward.

Although he was already used to Professor Fu's bold style, it was still astonishing to see him act so unrestrained and uninhibited right in the heart of the Night Watchers' headquarters.

"Is there a problem?" Fu Qian asked.

Faced with Old Man Stoss's obvious goodwill, though, Fu Qian wasn't entirely deaf to advice.

"Excellency Half-Art is usually quite strict..." Stoss said. "So doing that might expose you to some unnecessary risks, especially with the Speaker absent right now."

The old man was truly frank, getting straight to the point.

"Even if the Speaker were here, he would often respect Half-Art's opinion on certain matters," Stoss added.

'So he really is at the very top of the Night Watchers' hierarchy?' Fu Qian thought. 'His influence carries far more weight than the Needle Witch.'

Fu Qian wasn't surprised by this revelation.

Stoss's contrasting behavior—initially having someone else host them, only to rush over in a hurry now—already proved plenty.

"I understand," Fu Qian said. "Actually, I'm a bit curious. Why is he the one in charge of Lily's situation?"

Fu Qian looked thoughtful, as if he were genuinely considering giving up on the follow-up visits, while casually bringing up his earlier question.

"...This is actually related to why I asked for your help," Stoss said. "The one originally in charge of this was Aike."

Old Man Stoss had hesitated for a moment this time, but ultimately chose to share.

"But she ran into some trouble during a recent operation, and the others were tied up for various reasons," Stoss explained.

"Since Excellency Half-Art didn't participate in the operation, he was specifically tasked with holding down the fort here at the Birthday Party, so he kept an eye on Lily's situation along the way."

...

'So that was how it was. I was wondering why a certain acquaintance hadn't shown up yet,' Fu Qian thought.

Although Old Man Stoss had been somewhat vague, Fu Qian could easily guess what that "recent operation" referred to.

It could only be said that Excellency Father's Amnion was a veteran entity after all. Even with the Night Watchers' strength, dealing with it wasn't so easy.

For example, Demigod Aike seemingly hadn't managed to emerge unscathed.

Indeed, aside from the bloody incident triggered by his continuous mudslinging, the probability of any other matter being such a coincidence was incredibly low.

It was obvious that the Night Watchers had organized their forces for a major operation not long ago, and the fallout had yet to settle even now.

Was this also why so many people looked travel-worn and weary upon arriving this time?

Besides that, several other details now lined up perfectly.

For instance, how was Aike qualified to participate in the operation when she was merely a Demigod? Because it was her project.

From the initial Finger Orb to bringing Lily here, she had always been the lead investigator regarding the movements related to Excellency Father's Amnion.

Even if her strength was a bit lacking, her participation in the operation was completely justified.

Then there was the question of why someone as prominent as Excellency Half-Art, a New God, hadn't participated. Because he was recovering from his injuries—the injuries Fu Qian had inflicted on him.

Lastly, even if he was temporarily holding down the fort, what gave a minor character like Lily the qualifications to warrant his personal attention?

That was simple too. It was precisely because they had just organized an execution against Excellency Father's Amnion. A victim like Lily, whose condition was so closely tied to that entity's power, warranted the highest level of surveillance.

"So what's Aike's situation now?" Fu Qian asked.

Having instantly connected the dots on all these anomalies, Fu Qian—the undisputed mastermind behind the scenes—offered a friendly inquiry about the wounded.

"That is actually what I was hoping you could help with," Stoss said.

Stoss sighed and gestured toward his right.

"She keeps saying she feels great and that there are no problems."