What Else Did You Think? (Please Vote)

Ten minutes later, the auction came to an end.

The intelligence scrolls were snapped up.

Everyone had come for that information; instead, few paid any attention to the auction items.

After all, "Monkel Ancient Language" was an ancient script that had yet to be deciphered. Whoever obtained it would merely have an antique collectible, with no practical use.

Rein glanced at it from afar and used his "Mind Core" to scan the writing, but he did not place a bid.

As for the intelligence, he did not have such a big appetite.

A morsel substantial enough for a large trade association to relinquish was certainly not something an individual could swallow.

Besides, his interest in the ruins was only because he wanted to decipher the "Ancient Monkell Script."

If a large wasteland hunter team really went to explore it, the market would surely be flooded with relics in the near future.

He could just spend some money to buy them then.

Of course, the biggest gain from this auction was still the ten pieces of "High-Combustion Coal."

There were too few of these High-Combustion Coal samples, so almost none of the large teams were interested.

Instead, an individual buyer like Rein got a bargain.

For the starting price of three hundred thousand Wan Lisuo, he easily won the ten high-purity pieces of "High-Combustion Coal."

Both his Mechanical Arm and Steam Motorcycle consumed this kind of energy, and that was the main reason he had attended the auction.

Rein returned to Room Three. Since it was still early before bedtime, he went to the bathroom as usual to practice dissecting corpses.

What he had not expected was that, at midnight, someone actually knocked on his door.

"Who is it?"

When Rein heard no response from outside for a long while, a wary look appeared on his face.

Logically speaking, if it were the attendant Athena, she would immediately explain her purpose after knocking.

Yet the person outside was completely different, both in the rhythm and force of the knocking.

"It's me."

A soft female voice answered from outside, directly revealing her identity. "Madam Vanessa."

At the sound of that voice, even without seeing her, one could immediately picture her slender, beautiful legs and voluptuous figure.

"..."

Rein's cheek twitched.

This woman had really come?

Was she actually here to watch him dissect a monkey?

Rein asked, "Madam, what can I do for you?"

Then the seductive voice outside urged him again. "Doctor. I'm feeling a little unwell. Could you prepare some medicine for me?"

Heh.

Rein snorted inwardly. As if I'd believe that.

After a long while without a reply, the urging came again from outside.

"Doctor, what's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"

"..."

"Oh, don't tell me you fell down? If you don't answer, I'll have the attendant open the door for me~"

"..."

Rein had no intention of opening the door, but his brows furrowed.

Although he did not know what this woman wanted, his instincts told him that women who looked so harmless were the ones he needed to be most cautious around.

Still, he had carefully observed her before. Her muscle definition and breathing were ordinary; she did not look like a Transcendent, but more like a pampered noblewoman from high society.

Before Rein could think further, someone began shouting outside, "Attendant! Attendant!"

Rein's eyelid twitched. What exactly is she trying to do?

Though he could not figure out her intentions, he knew that if he did not open the door, she would probably make a scene through the entire carriage.

And if she truly had ill intentions, she probably would not use such an idiotic method of knocking.

Click. The door opened.

He carefully peered through the crack and saw only one person.

Rein did not relax in the slightest, nor did he intend to invite the woman outside into the room. Behind the door, his hand tightened around the scalpel.

With the door half open, he asked coldly, "What can I do for you? I'm busy right now and have no time to entertain guests. Besides, it's already very late. Madam, your coming here is quite inconvenient for me."

The moment he spoke, he had already made it clear that she should leave.

The woman merely smiled slightly at that and did not get angry.

Rather than answer, she removed the wide-brimmed hat from her head.

Only then did Rein notice that, unlike before, she was not wearing a black veil over her face!

It was an exceptionally beautiful face, like a Eurasian beauty from his previous life—possessing the exquisite features of a Western woman and the gentle charm of an Eastern beauty. Her eyes were like rippling spring waters, seemingly holding boundless seduction, yet carrying a clear purity that was alluring without being vulgar.

With a gentle smile and peach-blossom cheeks, she was a very beautiful woman.

But Rein could not understand her at all. What did this mean?

Had she come to offer him warmth in the middle of the night?

"Well, Doctor, why did it take you so long to open the door? Are you hiding someone in there?"

Canossa leaned lazily against the doorway, her gaze drifting into the room.

She had only made a casual teasing remark, but out of the corner of her eye, she actually saw a pair of bare feet by the bathroom door!

Huh... There really was someone in the bathroom?

With a faint sniff, she caught the slightly rotten scent of blood.

Not a living person, but a corpse?

Even with her broad experience, Canossa's mind could not process it for a moment.

Then she saw Rein wearing gloves and holding a scalpel. How could she not understand? This fellow really was dissecting a corpse.

Ah... So what he had said before was true. He really was a corpse-loving pervert?

The woman's startled expression was exactly what he had wanted.

Rein sneered inwardly. Like a cold butcher, he replied blandly, "As you can see, I'm communicating with my 'silent teacher.'"

He had deliberately not put away the corpse just now.

The bloodstained gloves and scalpel, paired with that dark, sinister mask, made him look exactly like a midnight serial killer who dismembered bodies.

"..."

Canossa pursed her lips. She merely seemed to find it uninteresting, rather than being frightened by him.

After pondering for a moment, she finally spoke softly and revealed her purpose directly. "I originally wanted to bring you something, but I didn't expect you to be busy."

Hearing that, Rein looked suspicious. "Bring me something?"

He thought the woman was about to reveal her true colors, and the scalpel in his hand tightened slightly. At the slightest suspicious movement, he would slash her throat.

Yet unexpectedly, she took out an exquisitely embroidered cloth bag.

"Yes."

Canossa pointed at the bag and showed it through the door crack. "I saw that you seemed rather interested in those auction items, so I bought them for you."

Looking again, the items inside the package were not dangerous either.

There was a wax-sealed intelligence scroll, several ancient-script beast-hide scrolls, and a book. The title on its cover was none other than the Gene Source Power cultivation method that had appeared at the auction earlier: the Holy Shield Knight Breathing Method!

These were indeed all auction items Rein had looked at and found quite interesting.

He had not expected this woman to have noticed every one of his previous reactions.

No kindness came without a reason.

Rein did not dare casually accept favors from someone whose intentions were unclear. This woman's enthusiasm was far too unusual.

They were neither family nor friends, so why would she do this?

After thinking for a moment, Rein coldly asked a key question. "How did you know my room number?"

He did not believe the attendant would casually divulge the identities of guests in the VIP cabins.

Yet to his utter surprise, Canossa said with a smile, "Because I was the one who arranged your room."

"What?!"

Hearing that, Rein's pupils contracted sharply.

Was the woman before him the "Count" who had arranged his room?

Could she be a friend of Ymir's?

Uncertain whether she was trying to deceive him, he tested her again. "Do you know the young lady who was with me earlier?"

"You mean Miss Ymir?"

A sly glint flashed through Canossa's beautiful eyes, as though she had guessed Rein's probing. She directly spoke the name, then nodded pleasantly. "Of course I know her."

She really knew Ymir!

Rein could not make sense of things now.

No third person had known about him and Ymir boarding the train. Since she had said her name, this matter was worth considering carefully.

Canossa naturally caught the change in Rein's expression and added meaningfully, "And Ymir and I are very good friends~"

"Oh?"

Thoughts raced through Rein's mind. He felt that he should remain cautious.

Yet no matter how he examined it, he could not find any flaw in her words.

If she were not Ymir's friend, why would she arrange his room and give him things for free?

The timing, motive, and reasoning were all perfect. Anyone would have found it hard to doubt her.

She had shown no hostility and might even be Ymir's friend. Though Rein remained guarded, he could not continue treating her coldly. "Thank you for arranging my room, Madam Vanessa."

Canossa waved a hand as though the room was not worth mentioning.

Changing the subject, she instead asked the question she was most curious about, blinking her eyes. "Do you... really like corpses?"

"As you can see, I'm a doctor. So I'm practicing my dissection and suturing techniques."

Rein felt somewhat awkward. Whether she was Ymir's friend or not, he figured this was nothing worth hiding.

He added, "By the way, Madam. You can call me Rein."

"Oh? Not Jess Bond anymore?"

Canossa gave a seductive smile, unconcerned since she had long guessed it was a fake name.

After thinking a moment, she asked again, "Are you heading west? I saw that you were quite interested in the 'Monkell Civilization.' Are you planning to visit those ruins too?"

Rein neither confirmed nor denied it, not immediately revealing his destination.

But he was puzzled when he heard an interesting term and asked, "Ruins?"

"Oh? You don't know?"

Canossa raised her brows, slightly surprised, then explained, "Those ruins were discovered near the City of Radiance, but that place is rather dangerous."

After a pause, she glanced at Rein as though recalling something, then continued, "As it happens, I have some business there too. If our plans are along the same route, may I invite you to travel with me? My entourage happens to be short a doctor."

"This..."

A noblewoman like her certainly would not lack doctors. Rein's first thought was that Ymir had specially arranged this because she feared for his safety along the way. Yet something still felt off.

But upon hearing that, his thoughts began turning involuntarily.

Nobles held extremely high status in this world and would not be inspected in any territory. He, on the other hand, was an unregistered nobody without even an identity, and he was wanted by the black market. Every step he took was like walking on thin ice.

He had been considering how to conceal his identity after getting off the train and reach the City of Radiance, over ten thousand kilometers away. Now that someone was willing to take him along, was that not exactly what he needed?

This "Countess" seemed highly influential. Following her might spare him a great deal of trouble; for example, petty thugs would not so easily come knocking to inspect his room.

Besides, if she truly intended him harm, this train was the best opportunity. Why go through the trouble of inviting him to travel together?

The more he thought about it, the less there seemed to be any reason for suspicion. Rein agreed, "That would be perfect. Then I'll trouble you, Madam Vanessa."

"Mm."

Canossa smiled slightly. "All right. If you need anything, you can come find me directly. I'm in Carriage One."

With that, she turned around and put on her wide-brimmed hat, leaving Rein with a graceful silhouette.

After the door closed, a soft murmur like fine silk drifted through the train corridor. "Where did that Princess find such a little doctor? He's really cautious. Tsk tsk, interesting."

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