Calamity Strikes (14)
"What do you mean?"
Fu Qian's final question made the envoy's imposing momentum falter.
Sigh...
Yet that reaction only made Fu Qian sigh again.
"I've been looking forward to this meeting for a long time. It's a shame my old friend has held so much back during our conversation. I'm truly disappointed!"
He wiped a hand across his face, even restoring his true appearance.
"As for that last question, I knew I could force someone to stay. But did you suggest it because you genuinely thought it was necessary, Brother Envoy?"
"Before he left just now, I tried to make his head explode again."
As if Fu Qian had struck a nerve, the envoy fell silent. Fu Qian pointed to his own head.
"It didn't seem to have any effect. It's apparently far harder to pollute and leave a mark on someone who's realized they're in a dream. You really didn't know that before?"
"Don't worry. You can speak freely. I've always preferred frank conversations. They save time, resources, and patience..."
The threat in that last word was unmistakable.
As a top-tier observer, the envoy had undoubtedly understood—and accepted—the reality of the situation.
"With you, it really is impossible to be too cautious..."
The envoy's gaze traveled from Fu Qian's face to the mask in his hand. When he spoke again, his tone held the depth of an old friend's reunion.
"Your seemingly emotional behavior was actually a way to test the waters. And you weren't only testing the dream. You were testing me, too..."
"You're right. Doubting whether your current situation is real greatly weakens the effects of pollution."
Then he admitted Fu Qian's guess was correct.
"I thought you'd need to go through it several times before you noticed."
"But you acted as if