The Gentleman at the End
Chapter 579 - 577: Going Home

Chapter 579: Chapter 577: Going Home

A blink of an eye, a week had passed.

The new department—theater—had its first audit, with a chief (Magician Jian), three poker-faced supervisors, and a hundred employees visiting the theater for inspection.

Everyone was to fill out an objective form following the visit,

and then submit the completed audit forms, along with the brain of an employee who participated in the review, to the boss,

The theater ultimately passed its first audit with an overall score of 83 out of 100, scoring even higher with a 97 in ’artistic design’.

The boss also kept his promise, granting William a month’s leave of absence. During this period, the theater would be managed entirely by the deputy chief, Mahat J. Nash.

Of course, should any problems arise in the meantime, William would still be responsible for more than half of the responsibilities.

An hour before leaving the circus.

William detailed the theater’s development plans and personnel recruitment plans for the coming month and handed them over to Nash, advising,

"The plans I’ve provided are just a rough outline. It is up to you to subjectively decide how to operate and develop over the next month."

Nash, with an extremely serious expression, accepted the papers. "I will do my best to manage the theater by imitating your way of thinking. Rest assured!

You’re going back to the human side to deal with troublesome matters, right, Lord William?

What a pity~ The [World Infection] isn’t complete yet. As a Completer like myself, wishing to go there would inevitably be subject to all sorts of restrictions. Otherwise, I would’ve liked to accompany you and help out."

"Just take care of the theater, and there’ll naturally be a need for your help in the future."

"Yes, my lord..." Nash’s playful smile instantly switched to a sinister face, "Anyone who dares to offend my lord, I shall tear them to shreds."

"I’m leaving."

Nash immediately reverted to a servile smile, "My lord, shall I escort you to the exit?"

"Just take care of the theater."

William picked up his black briefcase and left the theater.

Nash maintained a tiptoe peeking stance until William’s figure disappeared at the entrance.

"You just go ahead with your business, my lord! I’ll make sure to take good care of our little house, hehe!"

...

William, who had just stepped out of the gate, also let out a slight sigh of relief.

Having worked with Nash for a week, he indeed was enthusiastic, always taking the lead in everything, with high work efficiency and the ability to order around a group of poker-faced assistants.

But Nash’s thinking was too pathological, often causing psychological discomfort.

"We’ll get used to each other slowly. Overall, he’s not bad. If Nash can be properly utilized, my future circus life will be much easier.

However, if he crosses the line severely, I’ll have to consider compulsory re-education."

William stood at the crossroads in the center of the circus, looking at the rabbit gate which had always been sealed. Mr. Rabbit had not returned for some time; where could he have been?

Walking towards the circus exit, William felt as if something had been missing during this period.

"Catherine hasn’t looked for me for a whole week since that night... Surely she isn’t really angry, is she?"

Just as William was pondering this, a series of footsteps approached from the front,

socked feet tapping the ground,

Catherine, who seemed a bit taller, was wearing a cooler, form-fitting outfit as she went from the Clown House toward the Magic Department, coincidentally crossing paths with William in the corridor.

However, Catherine’s gaze was fixed straight ahead.

Only when William actively greeted her did she reluctantly return a professional, feigned smile, even visibly straining her mouth with tentacles to maintain it.

"Catherine, where are you headed?"

"To the Magic Department, and you?"

"I’ve got a month off, thinking about going back to the human side to check things out."

"Oh."

Catherine’s pace hardly paused as she brushed past after their short exchange.

William, more preoccupied with the matters on the human side, swallowed the apology he intended to make.

Their figures gradually distanced, disappearing at the corner.

"Forget it... I’ll apologize when I get back."

As with his previous departure from the circus, William was directly transported to the airspace near the chosen coordinates after selecting them.

Thwack!

His feet touched the ground firmly, landing on the Blood and Flesh Plains a few dozen kilometers from the Cancer Palace.

...

[Channel Tunnel]

The channels that formed when the Old World infected the human world continue to increase in number as the quantity of the Grey Zone rises.

However, there are specific conditions that must be met for the existence of the channels; not just anyone can come and go freely.

1. Silver Circle Restrictions—Before the World Infection is complete, patients of the Silver Circle from the Old World can hardly pass through the channels; to do so requires a certain sacrifice and they are constantly under the pressure of the world, resulting in a loss greater than the gain. Apart from special circumstances, few Silver Circle patients venture to the other side.

2. Overall Number Restrictions—The total number of patients from the Old World traveling to the human world must not exceed a certain number, which will increase as the World Infection progresses.

3. Human Restrictions—Humans traveling to the Old World are not subject to the specific restriction, including Rule 1, and may choose any channel to go to the Old World. However, they must return through the same channel, or they will be unable to return to the human world.

[Black Worm Inn—Holy Grail Mountain Channel Entrance]

A large number of patients gather at the inn, waiting in line, hoping it will be their turn to go to the other world, as most have little opportunity left in the Old World. Not belonging to any major organization or the Source Epidemic Area, only by going to this new world can they possibly find room to develop.

Just then, a Black Worm Company vehicle arrived at the inn’s entrance.

Clack!

When the sound of metal soles stepping into the inn was heard, everyone’s movement halted instantly.

"Honored Tumor Knight!"

This small waystation had never received such a personage as the Honored Tumor Knight; indeed, most people present had never even seen one. But with just a whiff of that potent tumor smell, they could discern this distinguished identity.

When they looked up, they noticed that besides a slender Honored Tumor Knight, there was also a man in a sharp suit exuding a terrifying aura.

At this moment, the station manager, who is hardly ever seen and also happens to be a manager level figure within the Black Ascaris Company, approached the two,

After a brief exchange, both men touched the channel and disappeared.

This incident immediately caused a stir on the scene, "Eh! How can Silver Circle patients move freely in and out? Shouldn’t there be some kind of binding treaty they need to sign? Could it be that those two just now were humans?"

"Impossible, how could a human become an Honored Tumor Knight..."

"Has the world order changed? It seems that the time when both sides will be united by World Infection is fast approaching."

Buzz!

World Crossing.

William and Jin, crawling through the channel, peer out at the exit and breathe in the fresh air of the human world, relaxing their entire beings.

The journey in the Old World had indeed been long, so long that William’s grasp on the definition of human was beginning to blur.

"Mr. Orman, who is in charge of the channel, must have rushed back to support Zion by now, right?"

Just as William stepped out of the channel with a relaxed demeanor,

Buzz! A formidable presence attacked head-on, accompanied by a towering black heavy spear over three meters in length.

This time,

William did not dodge but caught it firmly with one hand.

"Mr. Orman, it’s us, no need to be tense!"

When William finished speaking, he realized that the black heavy spear was still exerting force. Before him, the once kind and honest Channel Guardian had transformed.

Black parasites, like tentacles, floated around his back, with black slime continuously oozing from between his cast iron helmet.

"Infested with parasites? Jin, is there anything we can do?"

Before William had finished his question, Jin was already perched on Orman’s shoulder.

"No saving him, I’m afraid. Over 80% of his body has been infested, and it probably invaded his brain a month ago. His willpower is strong enough to keep him in a state of cognitive confusion, never fully controlled by the parasites.

But to completely eradicate the parasites, there’s only one way out—and that’s death. They have fully merged... it’s an unfortunate situation, but after all, he was getting in the way of the Black Worm Company’s business.

If he had left the channel a bit sooner, he wouldn’t have ended up like this."

Jin raised a finger and slowly moved it toward Orman’s head, "I’ll kill him, then!"

"No, I’ll take care of it."

"Alright."

As Jin leaped down from the shoulder, William suddenly yanked the heavy spear in his hand, forcefully pulling the ’infested Orman’ in front of him, and pulled down the face mask with one hand.

"Even though his brain tissue has been compromised by the parasites, part of it remains intact, and his self-awareness barely persists... Indeed, there’s no chance of recovery. It has to be this way."

William removed Orman’s mask and their gazes met.

’Education’

As the word madness was inscribed on the surface of the brain, the infested Orman settled down. Simultaneously, William used the influence of the Madness Brain to bring Orman’s self-awareness to the forefront, taking a dominant position.

Although parasites still floated between his eyes, those eyes had cleared up considerably.

"William!"

"Mr. Orman, your condition is far from optimistic, and regaining a human body shape is now impossible... Take this infested body and live in the Old World. Continue seeking knowledge and growing.

"Just hold on to your gentleman’s honor, and even without a human form, you can carry forward civilization."

Orman did not say much, just put his cast iron mask back on, offered a gentleman’s courtesy to express his gratitude, and then re-entered the channel he had always protected.