The Last Gentleman-Chapter 138: Facing Fear

Chapter 138: Facing Fear

[Orphanage]

The orphanage was the place that had the greatest impact on Yi Chen before his death. The fact that he managed to leave the orphanage alive and reintegrate into normal society was already an incredible feat.

At least, based on the history of the orphanage, he was the only one who ever left.

Under the guidance of government-assigned psychological experts, it took two full years to seal away all memories of the orphanage deep within his consciousness using a "locking" method. These memories were then replaced with a fabricated, normal childhood through hypnosis.

Up until Yi Chen's transmigration, there had never been any issues.

However, upon arriving in this disease-ridden world, filled with despair and death, the memories that had been locked away seemed to be drawn out, slowly leaking through the keyholes.

Yet, his experience at the orphanage was not entirely a disadvantage. It was precisely because of those extreme and terrifying experiences that Yi Chen was able to survive various dangers upon entering this world and quickly adapt to its pathogenic nature.

The current mental evaluation led by the principal, however, accidentally caused Yi Chen to sink into the deepest layers of his consciousness. Through the opportunity presented by the [Door], the sealed memories of his past were released.

The concept of the [Door] had left a deep impression on Yi Chen during his time at the orphanage.

Whether it was the iron door of the confinement room, the iron door of the dining hall, or the iron door of the play area—once closed, one had to pay a price to open it again.

The iron door Yi Chen pushed open from within the painting corresponded to his former dormitory—Room 107.

Looking back—

The dark and narrow room, riddled with rat holes, was crammed with six beds.

His roommates, all skin and bones, covered in festering wounds, some even missing fingers or patches of skin, were enjoying a brief and peaceful night’s rest. They had been completely tamed, their minds forever incapable of producing the thought of escape.

In Yi Chen’s hand was a thin wire he had painstakingly obtained that morning—his key to unlocking the dormitory door.

Raindrops, the size of beans, violently pounded against the hallway windows, accompanied by the relentless roar of thunder.

During the afternoon’s outdoor activity, he had observed the changes in soil moisture and deduced that a rare torrential downpour would arrive tonight—this was the perfect opportunity to escape.

However—

Yi Chen stood frozen at the doorway, motionless. A black substance was corroding his vision.

Perhaps it was the shock of being thrown back into the past he least wanted to remember, making him unable to accept reality.

Perhaps he was doubting whether his so-called escape from the orphanage, growing up, and even transmigration were all just illusions—had he truly never left this place in the past twenty years?

Perhaps there was another thought lingering in his mind.

Because he stood at the dormitory door for too long, he missed the best chance to escape.

Minutes passed. A sharp, grating sound—like nails scratching a chalkboard—echoed from the end of the corridor:

"Yi Chen, what are you doing here? Thinking about escaping again? You even managed to unlock the door… truly, just like you."

The source of the voice came from an old woman—her head growing upside down, her lips painted a garish red, her eyes bulging like scattered grains.

The familiar voice triggered an instinctive response in Yi Chen’s body, making him tremble uncontrollably.

He quickly recalled how, whenever an orphan attempted to escape and was caught, the rest of the children were invited to witness their torture and suffering.

But—

When he tried to recall the specific details of those tortures, Yi Chen found himself feeling less afraid. Instead, it reminded him of the joyful times he had spent with Mr. Zed in the underground amusement park.

His trembling body suddenly steadied.

Yi Chen abruptly tilted his head, his gaze shifting into one of clinical detachment, as if looking at a pathogenic patient.

"Escape? Oh no… I just came out to execute all of you."

"You seem a little unwell, saying such ridiculous things. But don’t worry—unless the principal gives special orders, I won’t kill you."

"Guards, seize this child at once."

The moment she spoke—

Two security guards emerged from both ends of the corridor. Their pistols weren’t holstered at their waists; instead, their heads had been replaced with guns, inserted directly into their necks.

One hand gripped a spiked leather belt.

The other held an electric baton.

Their muscular bodies completely blocked the passage.

But Yi Chen remained unfazed.

His gaze locked onto the empty wall ahead… and under the influence of his subjective consciousness, a glass case containing a fire axe materialized out of thin air.𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Elbow strike!

Crash! Shards of glass shattered across the floor.

The weight of the fire axe felt just right in Yi Chen’s grasp.

The two security guards lunged at him from both sides—

The sound of their heads chambering bullets was audible.

Slashing, battering, and gunfire erupted in the corridor.

One minute later—

Two strong bodies lay in a pool of blood.

Yi Chen ignored the bullet wounds piercing his waist and thigh—

Gripping the axe handle tightly, he lifted it upwards!

Swish!

The firefighter’s axe, deeply embedded in the security guard’s back, was pulled out along with blood and shattered bone, then rested once more on his shoulder.

But that wasn’t all.

Yi Chen bent down, using his free left hand to grip the "gun head" of another security guard and yanked hard—

Squelch— Muscles tore apart… The firearm-like head, which had grown from the man’s neck, was ripped out from its roots and held firmly in Yi Chen’s grasp.

One hand carrying the axe.

One hand holding the gun.

He turned his body slightly, tilting his head—

His bloodshot eyes slanted toward the woman at the end of the corridor.

“Now it’s your turn… Teacher.”

[Swan Academy]

Floating above the rooftop, Yi Chen landed just in time, precisely at the three-minute mark set by the test regulations. His body slowly descended from the sky.

Both Chamberson and Zed, along with a few companions, couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat for him.

However…

Though Yi Chen’s feet touched the ground, his eyes remained shut.

He stood there in an unnervingly strange state, dark wisps of energy subtly leaking from the surface of his head.

Clang!

With his eyes still closed, he suddenly pulled out his hand axe and sidearm.

(Today, before leaving, Zed had anticipated possible real combat during the test and had discreetly stuffed weapons from the briefcase into Yi Chen’s outfit.)

Both the gun’s grip and the axe’s handle spun rapidly within his left and right palms.

Three full rotations—

Snap! A firm grasp!

The muscles in his legs tensed up completely, revealing plant-like veins protruding beneath his skin.

With a forceful step forward—

Boom! His explosive speed nearly pushed the limits of human capability.

And more than that—

Yi Chen’s body radiated two distinct auras simultaneously.

One was a crimson killing intent—

The other was an obscure, black deathly energy—

The two forces intertwined, forming a 'dark red shroud' around him.

His target: Principal Deslin Baldivia.

His right hand pulled back the axe, positioning it for a powerful strike, aiming straight for the principal’s slender neck—intent on decapitating her in one blow.

Meanwhile, his left hand adjusted the gun to scatter mode, locking onto her curvaceous figure—intent on blowing her torso apart.

At that moment—

As Yi Chen’s direct mentor, Zed, was the first to react.

He climbed over the last row of desks in an instant.

His toes elongated and thickened, enhancing his stepping force.

His fingers split into thirteen, drastically increasing his crawling speed.

His goal was to intercept Yi Chen while pleading with the principal, hoping to blame this abnormal behavior on “special training”—taking full responsibility himself.

On the other side—

Professor Chamberson also swung his arms, instantly casting a wind barrier, attempting to stop Yi Chen’s reckless actions.

Sweat trickled down Chamberson’s graying temples as he frantically thought of ways to plead for leniency—how to justify such erratic behavior to the principal.

Yet…

Before Zed could reach him—

Before Chamberson’s wind barrier could fully materialize—

The principal had already made her move.

She did not use any counterattacks.

She did not dodge.

Instead—

She stepped forward two paces and opened her arms.

Just before Yi Chen’s attack landed, she pulled him into an embrace…

Like a mother comforting a child, she gently stroked his head, a warm and serene voice seeping out from beneath her mask—

“It’s alright now… It’s alright.”

[Mind Space]

Consumed by hatred, Yi Chen, blinded by bloodlust, charged toward the upside-down-headed old woman in his mind—

But then—

A pair of arms, etched with the patterns of the night sky, pierced through the barriers of his consciousness and wrapped around him from behind…

Yank!

He was forcefully pulled out from the deep recesses of his mind.

The surrounding scene rapidly retreated.

In the distance, the orphanage teacher with the inverted head waved him goodbye, her crimson lips curling into an eerie smile—

As if anticipating their next encounter.

Buzz!

Yi Chen’s consciousness returned.

His eyes snapped open—

But instead of the academy’s classroom lights, something soft completely blocked his vision.

A delicate blend of silk, leather, and flesh pressed against him, transmitting a strangely intricate sensation to his body.

With every breath, a soothing fragrance flooded his nostrils, forcibly relaxing his entire body—

Urging him to savor this comforting embrace.