The Last Gentleman

The fireplace, built of red bricks, crackled with burning logs that sounded like the last groans of an old man nearing the end of his life. Yi Chen and the mysterious figure sat across from each other on a tea-colored leather sofa, each holding steaming cups of ginger tea, meant to ward off the chill accumulated from years spent among cemeteries.

"Your composed demeanor has earned you this chance to speak with me. As an external worker, you likely have many questions... feel free to ask about anything you’d like.”

“What should I call you?”

“Just call me Wilbert. I oversee this Seven-Day Cemetery.”

As Yi Chen had suspected, this was indeed the manager mentioned in the manual.

"I want to know why an extra body mysteriously appeared in Cemetery No. 4. If a body is brought into the cemetery from outside, there should be a clear transport and burial process. Wouldn’t that be easy to notice?”

Yi Chen began with small, relevant questions, trying to break the ice, and if possible, he hoped to learn more about the basics of this strange world.

"The ‘corpse’ you killed wasn’t brought in from outside. It was created by the cemetery itself.”

“Created?”

“Cemetery No. 4 is the area with the most corpses, and it’s in a chaotic state. Such chaos easily attracts ‘disease.’ The living corpse you encountered was a product of a tree that had mutated… As it formed within the cemetery, it naturally gravitated toward corpses here, undergoing ‘morphological transformation.’”

Yichen, now intrigued, asked, “So, when a tree becomes diseased, it takes the form of a corpse? And what about the coffin and tombstone—where did they come from?”

“‘Camouflage and disguise’ are what pathogens excel at. They blend seamlessly with the environment… by the time they’re detected, the disease has already spread. However, their disguises aren’t completely flawless. Once you become a ‘Gentleman’ within the organization, you’ll learn how to identify them.”

Yi Chen's face was filled with astonishment. “Are you saying that the metal coffin and tombstone were also part of the pathogen’s disguise?”

"Exactly. And that’s just the most basic level of camouflage. You haven’t seen pathogens disguising themselves as entire villages, caves, or even mountains.”

Though Wilbert’s explanation was brief, it painted a picture of a world entirely overcome by disease in Yi Chen's mind.

Yet, a faint smile appeared on Yi Chen's face—a smile of anticipation and the thrill of exploration. Sipping his ginger tea, he murmured softly, "Is this world… sick?”

"Indeed. For most people, the fact that we can sit here, drink tea, and have a normal conversation is an extravagant luxury. The situation 'outside' is far worse than you can imagine, but the topic of the outside world isn’t something we should discuss now. That’s for you to explore in due time.”

Seeing the topic shift back, Yi Chen didn’t press further and continued asking about the cemetery.

"I still have some questions about the cemetery. The employee manual outlines many formal requirements, mostly for identifying signs of infection. It seems like this whole cemetery is prone to abnormalities and disease… If there’s a risk of these corpses causing problems, why not simply cremate them instead of building this cemetery?”

“The answer is simple. The ‘benefits’ generated here outweigh the ‘risks.’ You can view this entire cemetery as a large factory. For instance, that little fellow on your shoulder is a nearly perfect 'product' designed to assist us in combating pathogens.”

"I see."

Yi Chen had already witnessed the little creature’s capabilities—without enhanced vision, he wouldn’t have stood a chance against the living corpse.

The manager continued, “Technically, this little guy is the property of the organization. But I’m very pleased today—happy to see an interesting newcomer like you. If you fulfill a certain request, I’ll 'quietly' give this little guy to you as a gift.” ŖＡ𐌽ОꞖĘŞ

“What’s the request?”

The straightforward words revealed Yi Chen's desire for the little ball of flesh.

"Once the cremation is finished, you'll understand."

Next, Yi Chen inquired about each section of the cemetery and learned that before him, at least 200 externally hired employees had worked there, and not a single one had managed to leave successfully.

He also obtained a key piece of information.

The organization’s insignia, [G&D].

Full name: Gentleman & Doctor.

However, beyond this, the manager didn’t share much about the organization’s details, global intelligence, or the origin of the disease.

According to him, Yi Chen would need to explore these things on his own in the outside world.

Verbal explanations would be a waste of time and meaningless.

Time flew by.

The manager rolled up his sleeve and glanced at his watch.

“The cremation should be nearly complete. Follow me.”

They returned to the cremation area, heavy with heat and the scent of charring.

As the metal door of the incinerator opened, the plant-like corpse Yi Chen had killed was almost carbonized but still retained a roughly intact form.

It was removed, plated, and sent to the surgical room.

The manager retrieved a large pair of tweezers, clamping out a crystal-clear spherical crystal from the waist area of the corpse, about the size of a ping-pong ball.

The little ball of flesh, which had been quietly resting with its eyes closed, suddenly awoke and stared at the crystal intently, showing an eyeball in its mouth.

Thick drool started to drip down, soaking the fur around its mouth.

With a soft "ding," the manager placed the crystal carefully on a nearby metal tray. He took out a monocle from his suit pocket and examined it closely.

“Hmm? Such a color and shape… I almost regret it.

This thing would fetch a high price in the organization. It could even fund expansions and upgrades for the cemetery.”

After inspecting it, the manager held the crystal in his palm, displaying it to Yi Chen.

It was a jade-like white, with around 80% transparency, and had small green light particles moving within it.

"Your luck is truly remarkable.

The probability of a crystal forming from an initial-stage infected is less than 5%,

Not to mention, this crystal is top-quality in both shape and color, and its internal essence is perfectly preserved.

Now you have three choices:

1. Keep and hide this crystal, then go to the city where the organization is located.

Once you become a resident or are granted 'Gentleman' status, hand it over to a local craftsman to make a quality piece of equipment.

2. As with the first option, join the organization, but instead sell it at a high price through internal channels.

Or, sell it directly to me for 50% of the price, which will help you avoid considerable risk. Once others see this crystal, it’s bound to bring trouble.

3. Swallow the crystal here and now, letting it become a part of your body.

This process involves a risk of death,

But if successful, you’ll gain the crystal’s 'disease characteristic,' which would help you survive longer in this world and increase your chances of passing the assessment to join the organization.

The third option also satisfies the [requirement] we discussed earlier.

If you manage to swallow it and survive, the little creature on your shoulder will be yours as a parting gift from the cemetery.”

Yi Chen didn’t answer immediately, instead appearing deep in thought.

“Overseer, I have just one question.

If I’m not mistaken, this crystal is a product of a pathogen… If I swallow it, is there a chance I’ll be infected and turn into something like a living corpse?”

"Exactly. That’s the risk.

If you fail to assimilate it properly and show any signs of infection, I will personally put you down.”

“Understood.”

Yi Chen carefully took the crystal, feeling the residual warmth from the cremation.

His decision had already been made.

Gulp – he swallowed it in one go.

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