The Gentleman at the End
Chapter 500 - 498: What is Fear

Chapter 500: Chapter 498: What is Fear

[Zoo]

Having rested well, William arrived at the first opportunity, while Catherine, due to their last unpleasant interaction, chose not to follow.

Using the Madness Brain’s sensing ability, William quickly located Zock in the ’Crow District,’

wearing his unique mask and intensely training an unusual crow-person... to be exact, a family of five.

A crow, larger than an adult tiger, stood on its hind legs on a tree trunk, performing a high-difficulty performance following Zock’s commands.

Hidden among its feathers were four human skulls made of white bone, which would separate during certain special stages to help the main body complete the performance.

William quietly approached the current zoo section and silently stood outside the glass enclosure, admiring the performance.

However,

just as the performance was about to end, perhaps due to the excessive physical exertion earlier, or maybe because the last maneuver was rather forced,

unable to maintain balance during the final move, the crow-person could only make an extraneous wing flapping motion, using air resistance to stabilize its body and complete the performance.

The next second.

Crack!

A sound of bursting brain matter spread as the crow-person’s limp body fell from the tree, crashing heavily to the ground. The foul-smelling brain matter flowed out between the skulls, indicating complete death.

Two eyeballs filled with despair and fear rolled towards the glass where William stood.

At this moment, Zock noticed his friend’s arrival. The ferocity and anger on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a smile of kindness and utmost closeness.

"William, you arrived! I’m sorry you had to see such a disheartening scene just as you came. Such failures cannot stay in my zoo.

If they make errors even during regular training, the immense pressure of a real performance will probably prevent them from doing even a single maneuver right. It seems we need to find other materials for avian performances."

Being an outsider, William naturally had no place to comment and could only nod in agreement.

Zock tapped his right hand on his left palm, recalling something, "Right! I heard William, that yesterday during the trial performance, you induced maximal fear and even received approval from the boss.

The person who came to report the information to me was quite surprised, but I expected as much.

We Madmen are indeed the elite among the afflicted, not to mention someone special like you, William, who in some respects might even surpass my talent.

A mere trial run is naturally trivial."

"Haha~ It was just a bit of good luck on my part, and even though my performance was very high quality, I myself haven’t grasped the meaning of fear, nor do I know how to define my phobia, so I came to ask for your advice."

"Oh, that’s the issue, is it? I thought you were preparing to go to the kitchen and specially came to invite me along."

William scratched his head somewhat awkwardly.

"Haha~ Currently, I lack the inspiration to cook. I’ll visit the kitchen when I have a new idea. Even with a gold card, you’re limited to ten visits. If I went casually, it would be disrespectful to the head chef."

Zock stood upright and nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, that makes sense! Come with me, let’s talk in my [Beast Cave]..."

The so-called Beast Cave was actually the administration room of the zoo, which also served as Zock’s private quarters within the circus.

William had expected a primitive dwelling,

but when he reached the entrance curtained with deformed skeletal remains, he realized he had completely underestimated the chief beast tamer of the circus.

The Beast Cave was located at the lower end of the zoo,

a subterranean cave filled with primal bestiality, festooned with sacrificial totems and decorated with various beast heads.

Living there allowed one to monitor the entire zoo and access any section at any time.

"It’s so big!?"

"Did you think the chief’s space would be small? You must have been to Jian’s room, hence the fixed notion. His room appears to be a three-bedroom apartment, but each bedroom is a world of its own.

In terms of size, my Beast Cave is only ranked fifth.

Jian’s Magic House is probably second.

Keep it up. With your talent, once you take over the chief’s position, you can easily collect massive amounts of fear essence during the official performances and effortlessly have a mansion inside the circus.

This is a very important proprietary asset. When the circus is recognized by the Old World and becomes the New Source Epidemic Area, our personal rooms will be transformed into actual Old World land."

"Does the circus aspire to become the new Source Epidemic Area? Forget it, this conversation seems to stray too far from the topic. Let’s focus on the important matters," he said.

"Hmm... Follow me!"

Deep in the Beast Cave.

Many stone stumps were positioned there; some had already been carved into some beast shape, while others remained unsculpted, still resembling raw stone embryos.

A large round bed was surrounded by these stone stumps, which was also where Zock rested.

"Senior Zock, do you carve these beast shapes here every day?"

"Limited to when the zoo closes at night, I would return here to begin creating, illustrating indescribable beasts conceived in the Madness Brain through sculpting, and then use this as a template for the Patients’ Beastification.

As you might have understood, what I possess is the ’Wild Beast Phobia’, evoking the Root Fear that arises deep within the life form’s genes when they first encounter ancient beasts.

To achieve the ultimate effect of fear, I must carve the most perfect beast, find the most perfect Beast Embryo, at least I am far from it now.

Now, let’s discuss your problem. Come here~ Let me see the entire process of your last performance, let’s see how you brought fear to the audience?

Theoretically, your performance could maximize fear, you should easily be able to identify the direction of ’phobia’. Really not even a clue?"

"Really not, otherwise I wouldn’t have specifically come to disturb you."

William accepted Beast Tamer Zock’s request; they both sat on the large round bed, each adopting a kneeling posture and opened their brains,

Similar to greeting a fellow Madman, both bowed at 90°, pressing the exposed Madness Brain together.

Through this ’Brain Paste’ form, the Mad Shell Virus deep in the brain could interact most directly.

Scenes of the performance were transferred into Zock’s brain, and beyond that, various thoughts and feelings that William had during the performance were all read.

Who knows how long passed, it felt as if their brains were glued together, and it took a strenuous effort to slowly peel them apart, each also smearing the other with brain mucosa.

Zock, having covered back his skull, crossed his arms over his chest; beneath the mask, the beast’s eyes stared into William’s eyes.

"I know why, despite an almost perfect performance, you still couldn’t find the direction of your own phobia. You’ve made a very simple, yet deadly mistake."

"Why?" William covered his skull cap back, sat up straight, and listened attentively.

"Because you yourself are unwilling to acknowledge this Root Fear stemming from past memories, even holding onto a naive idea that you’d overcome the fear, no longer afraid.

You merely replicated the process that generates fear, allowing others to repeatedly experience it.

This form of replication in the trial performance might be fine, but it’s not suitable for the official stage.

Fear is the root of all emotions, the first emotion that consciousness life in this world ever felt was an unknown fear towards all things.

This emotion is engraved deep in the soul of all life and cannot be removed; so-called ’overcoming’ is merely a pretext used by the weak to cover their own frailty.

As chief performers, we too, are dominated by fear every moment, but we don’t resist or deny it; instead, we acknowledge its presence, even enjoying the feeling it brings.

Magnify this fear infinitely in your heart, actively embrace this hard-earned fear, then spread and share it with others in the way you best know how.

If you intend to deny fear, to deny this most primal emotion, then... the circus is not for you.

My words may seem harsh, but this is something you must understand, William.

No matter how painful your past experiences were, do not reject or hide them; you must acknowledge their existence! Because this Root Fear formed in your heart is a treasure that most people can’t acquire.

Let yourself fall into fear, embrace it!

Then, you will understand the true meaning of phobia, understand the founding intent of the circus, and the relationship between Madness Brain and phobia will also be readily resolved."

"I understand now... Thank you, Senior Zock."

Zock scratched his somewhat excited brain and then placed his hand on William’s shoulder, "I really envy you~ to have such an experience from birth, forming such peculiar, unique Root Fear.

Most people aren’t as lucky as you, I’m really looking forward to seeing what your phobia will look like once it’s formed."

William couldn’t help but shake his head, never expecting that his experiences in the Orphanage would be seen as a treasure by others.

"I know what to do now!"

Enlightened, he hesitated no longer and headed toward his Magic House.

"Hey! Remember our deal, you have to call me when you go to the back kitchen. Ever since I last had your rice noodle rolls, the taste seems to have changed for me."

"Definitely."