The Last Gentleman

Chapter 11

Yi Chen had never worn such elegant and refined clothing before. Though it was ready-made, it fit over 90% of his body perfectly, allowing full freedom of movement, and the fabric against his skin was remarkably comfortable.

However, the lady boss, whose face was veiled by thin gauze, seemed somewhat displeased.

“It's a pity you're not yet a member of the organization, and time is short. Otherwise, at least I could've prepared a more fitted and functional garment for you... For now, wear this temporary 'casual attire' and hope it doesn’t impact the organization’s impression of you.”

“I’m already very satisfied.”

“When you pass the organization's test, you’ll receive a free [Full Customization] opportunity. At that time, you may choose any tailor shop under the organization to create a bespoke piece for you. Then, you will truly understand the importance of attire.

“Remember, a perfect piece of clothing can ‘stimulate’ your spirit, crafting a style that is uniquely yours. Wrap your body in rare, ancient fabrics, deciding what version of yourself to present to the world—and, indeed, determining whether you can survive within it.

“Invest a lot of energy in perfecting your attire and pursuing excellence.”

“Understood.”

Yi Chen pulled out a complimentary mechanical watch from his pocket and noticed it was almost noon, with only half an hour left until the carriage's departure. After a quick farewell to the lady boss, he rushed toward the town entrance.

Though he was in a hurry, Yi Chen still spared some time to stop by a butcher's shop along the way, purchasing all the pig and cow eyes they had—thirteen in total.

Without any preparation, he handed these so-called “grapes” to the black meatball. It swallowed each one whole, savoring the burst of juices in its mouth before chewing carefully, its black fur rippling with pleasure as it ate.

It was only satisfied after consuming five. The remaining “grapes” were swallowed whole, stored within its body to keep fresh until needed.

Yi Chen asked curiously, “Do you only eat these?”

“Grapes are my staple; the nutrients in their juice are essential for my body. I can eat other food, of course, but it’s not as important.”

“You don’t seem to have a name.”

“Correct. I’m pieced together, fermented, and assembled from incomplete body parts in Cemetery No. 6. Those corpses didn’t have names, so I don’t have anything like a [name] either.”

“In that case, why not call you [Little Grape]?”

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“Sure!”

The meatball wiggled its arms like waves, clearly pleased with its new name.

Rushing to make the last five minutes, Yi Chen finally arrived at the town entrance. Two sturdy brown horses were hitched to a large wooden carriage that could hold at least eight people.

It’s worth noting that the horses wore special breathing masks and were covered in layered fabric, with only their hooves exposed.

As departure time approached, the carriage was already crowded with masked townsfolk, bundled up and carrying large bags as they prepared to leave Easton Town. Yi Chen stepped up to the white-haired driver and discreetly showed him a cemetery business card.

Unexpectedly, the elderly driver, who looked frail, turned a piercing gaze on Yi Chen, sizing him up like an eagle. He opened his mouth, releasing smoke and words together, “You’ll sit at the very back. It’s a long journey…”

“Understood.”

Upon stepping into the carriage, whether due to his elegant attire or the presence of Little Grape on his shoulder, the townsfolk squeezed themselves against each other to clear a path, some even trembling slightly in fear as they made space for him.

As the carriage started moving, its wooden wheels, though wrapped in thick rubber rings, still caused varying degrees of jostling.

Having slept too little the night before, Yi Chen quickly felt drowsy from the monotony of the ride. Resting his head against the wooden frame, he drifted into a dream amid the bumps and sways.

It was unclear how much time passed, but a stir in the carriage woke Yi Chen. Instinctively, he glanced at his watch.

“Already slept over three hours?”

A portion of the passengers had already left, likely disembarking along the way, leaving enough space for him to stretch his legs and move around a bit.

However, those who remained seemed restless, and their eyes reflected an unmistakable fear of death.

They took more cloth from their luggage to wrap around their bodies, even winding it like mummies until they were completely covered.

Just as Yi Chen started feeling suspicious,

the coachman’s voice came from the front:

"We are about to enter the [Gray Zone]. Everyone, reduce breathing and unnecessary body movement as much as possible, clear your mind... If any symptoms appear, regardless of severity, it will be treated as 'infection.'"

With those words, the coachman outside spread a thick black cloth over the carriage, sealing it off.

Darkness fell, with only the kerosene lamp at Yi Chen’s waist illuminating the carriage.

[Gray Zone]

Another unfamiliar term. Based on the coachman’s words, it seemed to be a special area affected by an infection.

At this moment, Little Grape’s voice came through:

"With me here, plus the decent-quality [Pathogen Essence] you’ve absorbed, such a common Gray Zone doesn’t pose much threat to you.

"The only thing to watch out for is the other people in the carriage. If you notice anything unusual about them, act as quickly as possible."

"Got it," Yi Chen replied.

He was curious to see what the so-called [Gray Zone] looked like, but since the carriage was sealed, he could only focus on the inside.

As they traveled through the Gray Zone, apart from the bumps, the carriage was silent. The passengers sat like wooden statues, with some even adopting prayer or kneeling positions.

An hour passed,

two hours,

yet there was still no word from the coachman, and no one knew if they had crossed the Gray Zone.

Then, an elderly woman wrapped in deep red cloth began to show faint signs of twitching.

Because they had been in a bumpy state for so long, her odd behavior went unnoticed by the other passengers.

However, Yi Chen had already moved his right hand to the handle of the axe at his waist.

Seconds later, the elderly woman leaned forward, making a retching motion.

Hiss... Black smoke rose.

The mask and fabric on her face corroded entirely from her vomit, revealing a ghastly mouth with torn corners and no lips left, her tongue turning into a tube that leaked corrosive black liquid.

Swish!

Yi Chen immediately swung his silver axe.

Just as the blade was about to cut into her neck, suddenly, a tiny bullet, the size of a grain of rice, shot from the front of the carriage, hitting the back of the elderly woman's neck with pinpoint accuracy, shattering the “Pathogenic Abscess” hidden within her throat.

Almost no blood spilled, and the elderly woman collapsed to the floor, motionless.

Then, an extremely stern shout came from the coachman at the front of the carriage:

"Do you want to cut her neck and let her arterial fluids spray, spreading remnants of the pathogen to infect everyone here?"

"My apologies."

After Yi Chen apologized, the coachman’s voice returned to normal.

"However… your only weapon seems to be that axe.

"In terms of reaction speed, it's not bad.

"Now, do me a favor. See the burlap sack under the seat? Pack up this corpse and stash it in the compartment below the floor."

"Understood."

Perhaps due to his experience as a gravekeeper, Yichen was adept at handling corpses, quickly packing the body and stashing it into a hidden floor compartment.

Thud!

The body slid out through a chute at the bottom of the carriage, left to dry up and disintegrate in the Gray Zone or to become food.

Another hour passed.

Finally, the carriage emerged from the so-called [Gray Zone].

The surviving passengers began laughing and chatting about their hopes for a new life, and they got off at different stops.

Yi Chen, the last passenger, disembarked at the final stop.

"You've arrived… Prepare for the organization’s assessment. Hope you survive it."