Chapter 1908: Chapter 1906: It’s You!! (Hahahaha, My SAN Value Is Collapsing!)
When Fang Zheng arrived at the guest room, he quickly saw Allen Howard, a gentleman in his early thirties, dressed very cleanly and neatly. Next to Allen Howard sat an elderly man who looked to be around fifty or sixty, with all white hair and sunken eyes, appearing somewhat distracted.
"Hello, Mr. Van Helsing."
Upon seeing Fang Zheng enter, the two hastily stood up, and Allen Howard extended his hand.
"I’m Allen Howard from Miskatonic University, currently teaching in the Psychology Department."
"Hello."
Fang Zheng reached out to shake hands with the other, then glanced at the elderly man beside him.
"Who is this?"
"This is my father, I apologize, he seems... not in good shape."
"It’s okay, if you need it, I can prepare a cup of hot tea for him."
"Then I’ll trouble you with that..."
The two exchanged casual pleasantries, but at this moment, the elderly man beside Allen Howard suddenly glared at Fang Zheng. Strictly speaking, he watched Fang Zheng’s opening and closing mouth, then suddenly sprang backward and began to scream.
"It’s you! It’s you!!"
This sudden scene shocked everyone present. Nymph quickly sat up, and Ryoko Asakura quietly stood in front of Nymph. The elderly man seemed intent on leaping backward but instead fell into the sofa, yet even so, he continued to stare at Fang Zheng, shouting angrily.
"It’s you, no mistake, it’s you! I know it’s you! It’s you!!!"
"...?!"
Watching the elderly man’s frightened expression, as if he had seen a devil, Fang Zheng couldn’t help but be taken aback. He then looked questioningly at Allen Howard, who had also rushed to his father’s side, forcefully grabbing him.
"Father, please wake up! Calm down!"
"No, I’m very awake, I know, it’s him, it’s him, that voice, it’s him...!!"
The elderly man frantically waved his arms, looking like a wronged prisoner desperately making accusations, and out of options, Allen Howard had no choice but to pull him up and move toward the door.
"I’m really sorry to disturb you, Mr. Van Helsing, my father he..."
"I understand. Ryoko, please see them off."
Fang Zheng waved, and Ryoko Asakura quickly came to the elderly man’s side, accompanying Professor Allen to leave the room with the elderly man.
This is just crazy.
Fang Zheng was at a loss about all this, why this crazy world always has such pointless trouble...
"Master, have you seen that elderly man before?"
"No, I can assure I’ve never met him."
Fang Zheng was certain that the elderly man had also never encountered him; when he had entered the guest room, the elderly man had no reaction until Fang Zheng greeted Professor Allen, which is when the elderly man suddenly changed. So, he hadn’t seen him, but had heard his voice?
That’s odd, the elderly man wasn’t a Magical Girl, and there’s no way he would be chosen for missionary work...
Fang Zheng didn’t know what was going on, but fortunately, Professor Allen was reliable; a day later, he came again, but this time by himself.
"I’m deeply sorry, Mr. Van Helsing, my father’s condition is a bit unusual."
"No worries."
Facing Professor Allen’s apology, Fang Zheng waved it off.
"But I am indeed curious about his condition, could you tell me what’s going on? Professor Allen?"
"Well..."
Confronted with Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Professor Allen hesitated for a moment but decided to divulge.
"Actually, I won’t hide it from you, my father once was also a professor at Miskatonic University, teaching economics... I wonder if you’ve heard about this incident: twenty years ago, a professor at Miskatonic University suddenly fainted and passed out during a lecture?"
"Sorry, I have no impression of that."
"I thought so."
Allen smiled wryly.
"Back then, I was just a child, but I’m very sure my father wasn’t like that. Yet, after waking from the coma, my father wasn’t my father anymore... It was as if another soul occupied his body.
Speaking of this, Professor Allen seemed to recall the situation back then, his expression slightly changed.
"After awakening, my father couldn’t speak, walk, or do anything, as though something entirely different inhabited his body, unfamiliar with using a human body. My mother, fearing this side of my father, left with my two brothers, but I believed my father simply went somewhere and would be back... At least, that’s what I thought."
"That’s certainly interesting."
Fang Zheng picked up his cup and took a sip of coffee, while Professor Allen laughed somewhat powerlessly.
"In fact, after that, my father completely changed into a different person, obsessively studying all the time... You see, he was originally a professor of economics, but upon awakening, he reviewed every subject’s materials, even those he previously scoffed at, like mystical studies. Plus, he spent all his savings to travel the world, venturing to some... well, I don’t know how to describe those places, but back then, even I could tell this person wasn’t my father, but rather some creature wearing my father’s skin..."
Lucky for you not being Chinese; otherwise, encountering possession, there’d only be spreading black dog blood.
"This went on for twenty years, then suddenly one day, my father returned... Indeed, I knew it was him who had returned, but his condition wasn’t right; his mind seemed stuck on that economics lecture from twenty years ago when he lost consciousness. Furthermore, afterward, he often experienced bizarre nightmares, mentioning visits to unknown places, seeing certain things, which he wrote down... I’m sorry, actually, I studied psychology to help my father, thinking it might somehow be beneficial."
"Alright, I understand the situation, but... what’s it got to do with me?"
"I apologize, Mr. Van Helsing, technically this matter certainly isn’t related to you, it’s just my father, he..."
As he spoke, Professor Allen showed a troubled expression, then took out a notebook and handed it over. Fang Zheng accepted it, opening to see scribbled writings, resembling a memoir but also like a madman’s ramblings. Within these writings, there was one particular line.
"At that moment, I heard it, I heard it, the voice from the void! ’Begone! Do not let me see you again!’ I understood that phrase; those creatures began to flee, screaming, howling, I sensed everything changed, the entire world, the entire world in its grasp..."
At this point, the handwriting became rather messy, and Fang Zheng slightly squinted his eyes. Clearly, this was what he said last night when facing those creatures... Hmm, so that’s what’s going on.
Closing the notebook, Fang Zheng roughly understood the elderly man’s meaning. Judging from this notebook, the elderly man’s soul seemed to have swapped with a creature’s body in another world, and according to those creatures’ actions last night, they had evidently not done these soul swapping shenanigans for the first time.
As for yesterday... Alright, yesterday is just a descriptor. The impact transcends time itself, not subject to timing, so for Fang Zheng, it was merely an event from last night, whereas, for the elderly man, it might be an occurrence somewhere within the past twenty years.
No wonder he became terrified upon hearing Fang Zheng’s voice; after all, Fang Zheng had used Divine Power at the time, equating to divine sound. A Deity’s voice isn’t forgotten, engraved deep in the soul, hence why upon hearing Fang Zheng’s voice, the elderly man immediately recalled that unforgettable roar... Well, understandable.
"Hmm, quite an intriguing story."
Fang Zheng handed the notebook back to Professor Allen.
"Then, what brings you to me? Surely it’s not about this odd novel setup?"
"Yes, apologies, but actually, recently an Australian explorer wrote to my father, claiming to have unintentionally found buildings matching those he described in dream journals, deep in the Australian desert, hoping my father could join their exploration. Sadly, funds are inadequate, as my father spent nearly all his savings over past twenty years, and just then, Professor Mike learned about both our situations and suggested I seek your support..."
That old boy earned his keep, after all.
Hearing this, Fang Zheng nodded; indeed, upon returning to Miskatonic University, he mentioned to Mike that if his colleagues planned adventures or exploration projects, they could contact him again. Mike agreed... Now it seems he was quite considerate about it.
Only Professor Mike, having personally witnessed the Ancient One’s city and Shiges, seemed deeply affected, unlikely to orchestrate new adventures anytime soon.
"That’s certainly not a problem."
Fang Zheng smiled slightly.
"However, I have a small request."
"What request?"
"I want to join you on the journey as well, since I quite enjoy traveling."
Along with a fondness for BBQ.
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