The Last Gentleman

The forging process did not go as smoothly as expected. This was mainly due to the stringent "requirements" put forth by Yi Chen. Moreover, while processing the tumor-like crystals of [Moonlit Rat - Jesmin Lee], various technical challenges arose. To ensure the materials wouldn’t degrade during use, the blacksmith's workshop even needed to apply for a special support grant from Zion, which naturally required additional application fees.

Not only did the costs rise significantly, but the expected completion time for the final product was also pushed back by a month.

However, Yi Chen was not particularly anxious about this. Thanks to the perfect execution of the special mission [Secret Medicine Retrieval], the academy had flagged the files of the four participants for special recognition. They were granted a three-month rest period, during which they were exempt from undertaking any other Gentleman Missions.

Yi Chen decided to spend this free time at the academy.

Though his physical training had already yielded noticeable results, Yi Chen still spent 1–2 days each week consolidating his progress in Teacher Zed's paradise. Unlike the previous grueling regimen that drained his body with relentless training, his current sessions focused more on discussions and exchanges regarding physical refinement with Teacher Zed.

After the battle at the Twilight Clinic, Yi Chen's body experienced noticeable improvement during the intense combat. Although his [Physique] attribute didn’t reflect a numerical increase, Teacher Zed's assessment indicated that the value had risen by approximately 0.5.

Only when this value increased by a full point would it be directly reflected in the attribute display.

During these daily "discussions," Yi Chen gradually came to understand the terrifying extent of Teacher Zed’s physical prowess. Even the smallest muscle fibers could be precisely controlled by Zed.

While staying in the paradise, they occasionally engaged in sparring matches.

With his current perspective, Yi Chen was unable to gauge Zed’s "true strength," let alone imagine the sheer destructiveness he could unleash in a real battle.

In addition to his weekly courses and exchanges with Teacher Zed, Yi Chen spent the rest of his time immersed in the academy's [Grand Library]. He utilized his occupational advantages to make up for the informational gaps that came with being a transmigrator.

The Grand Library granted reading access based on an individual's task records. Thanks to the [Secret Medicine Retrieval] entry in his file, Yi Chen gained the right to browse approximately 40% of the library's foundational books.

Over the course of a month, Yi Chen completed reading all the accessible foundational books.

These covered a wide range of topics, from the initial establishment of Zion and the academy, to the early Gentleman groups that evolved into the G&D organizational framework. The books also included basic and advanced methods for physical training, cultivating both the body and mind, and investigative approaches tailored to various regions and environments.

With the help of the book emblem engraved in the back of his mind, Yi Chen meticulously linked valuable points of knowledge to weave a personalized information network, fully integrating himself into this pathological world through written text.

The benefits went beyond knowledge alone.

While reading books on botany and introductory magic, Yi Chen deepened his understanding of his own "pathogenic characteristics." He resolved to use the task-rewarded [Gentleman’s Skin] to craft gloves, postponing the upgrade of his attire.

The only regret was that even the Grand Library of the academy didn’t contain any books on [Diseases]. The reason remained the same: texts about diseases could act as a medium, potentially attracting pathogens to the location.

[One Month Later]

After completing all accessible books in the Grand Library, Yi Chen temporarily concluded his reading spree.

That night, while lying on his dormitory bed, Yi Chen was about to drift into a dream when wisps of white smoke began to rise from his head. Alongside this was an enticing aroma, reminiscent of roasted brain tissue.

Since becoming a Gentleman, Yi Chen had found it difficult to resist two kinds of delicacies: plants and brains.

Smelling the fragrance, Yi Chen—half-asleep—began to drool, soaking his pillow. As his consciousness gradually sharpened, he realized his head was heating up. More precisely, his brain was heating up.

Startled, he rushed to the bathroom. One minute passed...

White smoke began seeping from the bathroom door's cracks, and the situation showed no signs of improving.

However, one thing was roughly confirmed:

The area with the highest temperature was located at the back of the head, seemingly linked to the book emblem.

The commotion completely woke up Little Grape, who was deeply concerned about Yichen's condition.

"Don't panic! Let me take a look inside your skull to figure out what's going on. If there's a risk of your brain 'exploding,' we’ll have to find that Chamberson guy immediately."

Little Grape performed a classic diving motion.

The black flesh ball dove directly beneath Yi Chen's skin, leaving only a coin-sized patch of fur visible. It quickly traveled from his shoulder to his brain region, locating the culprit responsible for the intense heat in his head. As Yi Chen suspected, it was indeed the book emblem at the back of his head.

The emblem glowed red-hot, as if it had just been seared onto his skin.

Little Grape, clueless about the phenomenon, hesitantly tried to touch it.

Sizzle!

The black fur between its fingers instantly burned away, causing it to yelp in pain and leap out from the back of Yi Chen’s head, landing swiftly in the sink.

While frantically rinsing itself under cold water, it exclaimed in a panic:

"William! You're about to explode! Your head is definitely going to blow up!

I've been in Easton Cemetery for years, delving into countless skulls, and I've never seen one as hot as yours! What should we do? It's too late to find Chamberson now!

But don't worry~ If you really die from a brain explosion, I'll figure out a way to bury you back in Easton Cemetery. Maybe, someday in the future, you’ll crawl out from the grave, and we can team up again.

Although… the journey from here to Easton Cemetery is pretty far. I’ll just use your grapes to cover the travel expenses—after all, if you're buried in the cemetery, your grapes will rot anyway."

Yi Chen ignored Little Grape’s arrangements for his posthumous affairs.

Although his brain was extremely hot, he felt no discomfort.

When all else failed, he decided to stand under a full blast of cold water.

Sizzle! Sizzle!

The cold water initially evaporated as soon as it touched his head, filling the entire bathroom with thick white steam, obscuring all visibility.

As time passed, the temperature of his brain gradually began to drop.

The process took a full hour.

Finally, his brain returned to normal temperature.

At the same time, his retinal interface displayed corresponding data changes:

[Intellect] has increased from [4] → [5].

*Note: Intellect has reached extraordinary levels. The "pathogenic characteristics" directly influenced by this attribute will also change. Please conduct simulation exercises after your brain has fully stabilized.*

With his brain completely cooled, Yi Chen felt his thoughts becoming broader, more flexible, and his synaptic structures regenerating at an unprecedented rate. Neural transmitters were now flowing rapidly within his brain, and even some scientific problems he hadn’t solved during his life were now clear to him. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

However, Yi Chen no longer needed to write any academic papers.

He focused on the pulse of the plants within his body, linking them with his newly active brain.

Stretching out his palm—

Whoosh!

A thick, sharp plant root shot out from his palm, piercing the air like a spear.

Bang!

The root penetrated the mirror on the sink two meters away, shattering it and leaving a conical dent several centimeters deep in the wall behind it.

"My plant control has finally reached the level of that living corpse!"

At that moment, Little Grape stood by the sink, chewing on shards of broken glass as it sized up Yi Chen.

Muttering softly, it said:

"Good thing you're fine~ I wouldn't want to eat an unripe grape prematurely... Keep growing strong, William."