The Last Gentleman

"I am Kadacy Haji. Thank you, Mr. William, for your help."

"Mm."

Yi Chen took his seat at the reserved spot.

In front of each person were two beautifully prepared main courses, soup, and dessert.

They served Avengrader-style sashimi, stewed fish chunks, a large fish roe vegetable pie, and a rich mushroom and fish bone soup.

The dishes, with their vibrant reds, purples, greens, and whites, looked overwhelming at first glance, but the aroma was inviting enough to make them palatable.

During the meal, the innkeeper, while chewing on his fish, asked quietly:

"Have you already seen through the essence of this town?"

Yi Chen quickly waved his hands. "Ah? Not entirely. I only have a rough understanding of the pathological symptoms and processes happening in Green Lake Town — or rather, a sort of 'selection mechanism.'

1. First Stage: Direct or indirect contact with Green Lake’s water leads to pathogen invasion.

At this stage, the body begins to grow patches of fish scales, and there's a desire to live underwater. You may even start receiving orders from the 'parasitic host.' The body’s main structure remains human, with minimal visible changes... The infected live among the townspeople, organizing various activities to draw more visitors here.

2. Second Stage: Once the first stage stabilizes or reaches a certain threshold, individuals gain permission to interact more intimately with Green Lake, entering the 'Second Stage.'

I personally call this stage 'Fish Transformation.' Due to prolonged immersion, the body undergoes drastic changes: the skin becomes scaly, and organs start to resemble fish anatomy, gradually transitioning into a mermaid-like form.

3. Third Stage: This is the state you've reached. You return to land, shed the fish-like traits, and emerge as a fully conscious individual."

"Incredible... You truly are... unique. Yet, one thing I couldn’t understand, even after thinking all night — why, knowing we’re infected, would you still help us? Isn’t your mission here to investigate the disease and eliminate it?"

Yi Chen listened to the innkeeper's question. Unhurriedly, he placed a piece of sashimi in his mouth, chewed, swallowed, and replied:

"To be precise, I'm still in a probationary period. I don't fully grasp certain concepts yet. I’m just acting in the way I believe is 'right.'"

At this, Miss Kadacy couldn’t help but giggle softly.

The innkeeper smiled too and said no more. But just then, a loud explosion sounded from outside the inn, coming from the town center... accompanied by frantic footsteps and crashes. The town had seemingly descended into chaos.

Yi Chen was about to get up and check when the innkeeper signaled him to sit, saying softly:

"If 'outside visitors' spend two days in town without infection, we initiate mandatory measures. This time, the visitors here have remarkable self-control and significant strength, carefully avoiding all forms of water contact. Tonight has been designated as the 'Infection Night,' with a mandatory purification for you all.

"But don’t worry... As long as you stay in the inn, no one will come knocking."

"Mm."

Spending the remaining days in the inn sounded like a safe option.

Yi Chen understood his limits. Especially after meeting people like Edmund, he knew his foundation was weak, with no formal training. If he encountered a more advanced infected entity, his chances of winning were close to none.

As Yi Chen settled into the idea of staying safely in the inn, his companion, Little Grape, suddenly popped out from his shoulder, jumped onto the table, baring its rows of teeth and revealing its eye, standing akimbo!

A strange, blended voice came from within it.

"Hey~ William helped you achieve the critical 'pathogenic infected transformation'... You know, humans might see this as a 'crime,' something that could even land you on the guillotine. Do you think a mere meal is enough payment? Offer us some real information and tangible help."

Though Little Grape’s squishy appearance was somewhat comical, its words carried an unmistakable tone of intimidation.

The innkeeper remained expressionless, but his sister, Kadacy, instinctively moved her chair a bit further from the creature.

Yi Chen, though slightly surprised, maintained his composure, permitting Little Grape's actions.

The innkeeper looked into Little Grape’s single eye and eventually chose to relent.

"This was something I planned to discuss after dinner. Since you seek to use 'Green Lake Town' as a testing ground and aim for high scores in your assessment, I’ll give you a special lead.

"At the deepest point of the lake lies a ‘certain treasure’.

This entity is the one governing the "Fish Transformation" process, while also monitoring and controlling those who have become afflicted.

If we can destroy it, we’ll be able to root out the source of the sickness in this town.

If you're interested in this, my sister and I can disguise you as "sacrifices" to offer to the entity at the lake’s depths... This way, you can avoid interference from the Fishmen and go straight to the target.

The dinner you just ate will be enough to make you give off the "fishy scent," so no one will suspect a thing."

These words from the innkeeper made Yi Chen recall that feeling of being watched from the lake while boating, as if a giant eye were staring at him from below.

At present,

Green Lake Town is undergoing a "cleansing." Townspeople and other assessors are engaged in massive battles, making this the perfect opportunity to act.

Now, two paths to reach the end of the assessment lay before him:

1. Stay obediently at the inn and safely pass the assessment under the cover of the innkeeper and his sister.

2. Seize the current opportunity, move toward the depths of Green Lake under the siblings' protection, and eliminate the hidden root of the sickness.

Before deciding, Yi Chen had one more question.

"If we fail, and are unable to kill this thing in the lake, you and Miss Kadacy will be implicated... Why are you willing to do this?"

"Mutual benefit.

My sister has completed her ‘scale-shedding’ and become an independent-minded individual.

But because of that entity in the lake, we're still bound here... Only by removing it can we leave this town. I promised her we would see the world beyond.

The decision is yours, Mr. William~. If you're thinking of going to the lake’s depths, I trust you have confidence in it."

"I need to think… Give me five minutes."

Although he couldn't detect anything suspicious in the siblings’ expressions, and from all the intelligence gathered and an objective analysis, the siblings, though affected, still retained some humanity.

However,

Yi Chen was still unfamiliar with this world and did not fully understand many of its "rules and positions."

‘Little Grape, can they be trusted?’

‘Of course they can. Why not? After all, I myself defy the "origin of disease" and was reassembled and born anew from the cemetery, an independent entity bound by nothing.

I understand these two people’s thoughts and feelings.

This is a prime opportunity right in front of us, and it’s worth the risk.

If you succeed, your assessment score will far exceed other humans’, making you more valued by the organization, and you’ll have more chances, a better survival rate, and a greater possibility to explore this world.

Wouldn’t you agree?’

‘Are we capable of killing the entity controlling and ruling over this town?’

‘Such entities, which need to control a large number of parasites and oversee the Fish Transformation process, are often fixed in one place and cannot move.

Its nature is also parasitic, so it won’t have significant combat power.

The biggest challenge is getting ‘close’ enough. Any outsider who enters the lake will not only be stained by the lake’s waters but will also face attacks from the Fishmen.

However, with the siblings’ cover, as long as we can get close to the core entity, it’ll be easy.

And even if your silver axe isn’t enough to kill the target, I still have these teeth!’

Little Grape proudly flashed a set of sharp teeth, eager to act.

Yi Chen didn’t respond immediately, crossing his hands in front of his nose as he contemplated.

He had noticed that Little Grape seemed unusually eager this time, more than ever.

While struggling to make a decision, he suddenly recalled his experiences in the cemetery, the sense of coming close to death in the fight against the undead… and remembered Little Grape’s crucial assistance, especially the enhanced vision that allowed him to escape the cemetery alive.

Sigh... He took a deep breath.

‘To survive in this world, playing it safe just won’t work. Just like when I didn’t stay in the cabin but instead went to Cemetery No. 4 to resolve the trouble.

I still don’t fully understand Little Grape’s origins, true nature, or exact stance.

Since it saved me once, I’ll trust it unconditionally this time.

If I survive, it’ll prove it’s trustworthy, and we can work together long-term.

And I need to seize this 'opportunity' to reach a higher level... just like when I left the orphanage, seizing the chance to get out at all costs.’

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