The Last Gentleman
Chapter 479: Zoo

"This is the Circus’s ’Crossroads’!"

The roller coaster came to a stop under Catherine’s control at the mouth of a cliffside passage. A few dozen steps along the enclosed passage led to an inner crossroad.

[East - Magic Area, Administration]

[South - Circus, Restaurant]

[West - Beast Area, Performer’s Passage]

[North - Internal Roller Coaster (Exclusive to Clowns)]

"Is the circus really that big underground..."

"William, you’re mistaken. We aren’t beneath the circus but inside it! All the areas are within the tent and can move along with the tent, allowing for quick relocation.

The reason it feels so vast is that this tent belongs to the boss; he personally created the ’Circus Tent,’ and its internal space is expandable!

As long as there is enough funding, several more departments can be added. That’s why we all strive in our performances, to earn more ’Fear’ and make our circus the largest organization in the Old World."

William did not delve deeper into Catherine’s words. What the circus might become was irrelevant to him; he needed only a stepping stone.

"Speaking of which, in which department is the Madman located?"

Catherine, in her black and white stockings, hopped over to the sign on the west side,

"Over here! He is the circus’s top Beast Tamer, enjoying direct management of the Beast Cage. His beast taming performances often rank first in the entire circus."

"Beast Tamer..."

William felt a vague sense of foreboding but nonetheless nodded and followed Catherine to the Beast Cage management area.

"Speaking of which, the animals in the circus must be quite different from those I’m familiar with, right?"

Catherine, walking ahead with her hands clasped behind her, pivoted on one foot, her black lips slightly curving.

"That’s for sure~ The ’beasts’ cultivated by that senior are very special; they can incite the audience’s fear without much performance.

Speaking of which, it’s been a few months since I last went to the Beast Cage; there might be some new oddities now."

As she spoke, they reached the elevator entrance. Catherine kicked the button gently with her toe.

The elevator rumbled down, covered in bloodstains and reeking of a foul odor, with many fresh bloody handprints inside.

"Such a heavy smell of blood... this isn’t just an elevator to the Beast Cage; it’s practically a ’Butcher’s Den.’ It feels somewhat similar to Yuri’s Prophet House because of the blood, but here the scent of blood is much more intense and long-lasting.

Yuri’s slaughters involve quick executions through a perfect understanding of slaughter combined with the Slaughter line.

The killings here, however, are enduring, controlling the extent of slaughter to ensure survival... It more closely resembles an area belonging to a physical deviant."

"Catherine, is it really safe?"

"He’s generally nice to us insiders, but this is the first time he sees a Madman like you, William, so I can’t really say if there’ll be issues. But don’t worry, if there’s any danger, I’ll get you out of here."

Catherine patted her slightly protruding chest with confidence.

Stepping into the elevator,

a series of shrieking sounds immediately came from above, indeed resembling animal cries but mixed with other noises, like human vocal cords being slashed and leaking air.

Ding dong!

The elevator reached its destination, revealing an area similar to a zoo.

It was enclosed with transparent, thick material, with beast bones and blood graffiti hung above forming some kind of seal to ensure that the beasts could not escape.

The first few cages were empty of any beasts; there was only some blood scattered on the floor and broken feed piled up in metal barrels, perhaps taken out for training.

Until they reached an area called the Sheep Pen, despite the thick glass, William could still hear sheep bleating from deep inside,

having just come from the ’Forest of Fertility,’ he felt a certain fondness for the species of sheep and thus focused his attention on this particular enclosed cage.

Inside, there was a typical farm-like wooden sheep shed visible through the cracked boards, revealing the tender flesh compressed inside, with dairy products even flowing out of the shed.

Perhaps sensing the presence of outsiders,

the ’sheep’ began to move their bodies, slowly emerging from the shed... to be accurate, they were crawling.

The bloated body, muddy as sludge, completely covered the lower half, with only the fat-stacked upper body and a bald face with black goat horns visible.

The skin had been peeled away to reveal the tender essence of the flesh beneath.

Young goat heads covered the surface of his bloated stomach, numbering over ten, constantly bleating,

The milk that flowed from his greasy body fed these lambs, and the bald creature, whose gender was indiscernible, even took pleasure in it, always observing the growth of the lambs.

This scene made William very uncomfortable with a visceral sense of repulsion.

"Is this... physical stitching?"

As William whispered these words, a bloody scent surged from the depths of the ’zoo,’ accompanied by a profound voice reminiscent of a beast.

"Stitching? Please do not describe my creation with such a low term. It’s disrespectful to them and insulting to us.

This is called ’beastification,’ a higher rank, more primal, closer to the origin of life transformation, a primitive gift that only I can bestow."

As soon as the voice faded,

a man wearing an unknown skull mask emerged, otherwise bare,

but covered in various blood-painted designs that barely functioned as clothing.

Strong, tall, and exuding a primitive brutality,

yet he was holding a thick tome, absorbing the knowledge within while walking, which subdued his brutal nature.

As the man appeared,

Hum! William’s Madness Brain immediately resonated a sensing,

Similarly, the man slowly closed his book and cast a strange glance through the skull mask.

The entire zoo’s atmosphere changed instantly.

The scent of blood intensified, and the wild beasts from the surrounding cages rushed out, their cries a mix of anguish and excitement.

Catherine sensed something was wrong, one hand shielding William, the other grabbing her bag, ready to forcibly take William away just like before at the Clown House.

Whoosh!

The mysterious man attacked with an unbelievable speed, seizing Catherine’s arm and hurling her into the distance—with the sound of her body hitting the elevator clearly audible.

In the face of this sudden turn of events,

William stood still, showing no intention of running away.

It wasn’t that he was intimidated by the other’s presence, but because William didn’t feel any killing intent. Instead, through the resonance of the Madness Brain, he felt an affinity originating from their similar nature.

Then, an instinct carved between their thoughts was triggered,

both extending their right hands, touching fists,

then popping out their thumbs to lock together,

followed by a half embrace and a forehead touch,

finally taking out sharp tools to cut open their craniums, bowing at a 90° angle to let their Madness Brains gently touch each other, completing the unique ritualistic greeting among the madmen.

The mysterious beast tamer said, "You are not from the madmen group; you are a new type of madman formed by the aid of ’Madman’s Box’... Your Black Insane Brain is really beautiful, it’s my first time seeing one!"

"You flatter me, your Madness Brain is truly spectacular,"

William’s gaze was locked on the other’s skull, enchanted by the beast-like Madness Brain that resembled a combination of a primitive forest and a maze.

Soon after,

Catherine stormed back, even pulling out a dagger from her Hundred Treasure Box prepared to confront the beast tamer head-on.

But when she returned to the original spot... Ping~

The dagger fell to the ground, Catherine’s jaw dropping almost to the point of dislocation.

There,

William and the mysterious beast tamer stood shoulder to shoulder in intimate camaraderie, exchanging knowledge like cousins separated for many years amidst the zoo’s enclosures.