Choice

"The letter is the profession.

Once opened, it will determine my future growth path, determining my treatment in Zion City, my life, and the subsequent limits of my exploration of the world, and even to some extent, determining my maximum survival time in this world.

I can't rush. I need to think slowly and make a decision.

Neither Chamberlin nor the church officials in the official residence mentioned the issue of a [time limit]. It should be fine to stay here for as long as I want."

Yi Chen also tried to call out to Little Grape, hoping it could offer some reference opinions.

It was a pity, only his consciousness had arrived here.

He calmed his mind and summoned all the focus he had when he was doing scientific research.

The first thing he observed was the blue envelope.

"An ivy circle, with tree branches that look like human limbs... It's obviously related to the 'Pathogenization Trait' within me, and it must correspond to a plant-related growth path.

Once I choose it, I can further develop the plant system.

Moreover, Mr. Wilbert also said that the diseased crystallization I ingested was of superior quality, both in color and shape.

During the assessment in Green Lake Town, I also deeply experienced the convenience brought by plants.

However, I'll look at the others first."

His gaze shifted to the black envelope.

As Yi Chen carefully observed the skull and crossbones on it, the parchment envelope actually released wisps of faint black gas, which Yi Chen inhaled into his nostrils.

Instantly, his thoughts were drawn to a black sea, where a skeleton in a lone wooden boat was floating.

When the skeleton turned its head, its face still bore half a rotten countenance... exactly like Yi Chen's.

The sudden fright brought him back to reality.

"A black sea... I saw a similar scene before when I was accepting the skin of the First Gentleman. It felt strangely familiar, as if I had been there before. It seems to be related to death.

When I first arrived in Zion, I met the Doctor on an arched bridge, and he also said that death flowed through me.

Is it because of [transmigration]?

Is the appearance of the black envelope related to the experience of transmigration through death?"

Recalling Chamberlin's description of the black envelope, it corresponded to the Nightmare Profession. Once chosen, he would accept special training from the Organization and become an executioner.

Yi Chen himself did not reject such a title.

His intuition told him that

the growth path offered by the black envelope would surely grant him more powerful strength.

"No rush... let's look at the purple one."

Compared to the previous two, the purple letter, made of white cardstock, was thicker and more exquisite.

Coupled with the book imprint engraved on its surface, it looked like a purple gentleman enjoying a book in a library.

"The book imprint on the surface of the envelope seems to have tiny text written on it... If this were reality, it would probably require an extremely precise micro-engraving machine to print such text.

Without the visual enhancement provided by Little Grape, I can't see it clearly at all.

Wait~ If this is an area that only consciousness can reach, can I interpret the so-called [Old Hall] as a consciousness area, like a dream?

If that's the case, can my subjective thoughts influence objective factors?"

With that thought, Yi Chen widened his eyes as much as possible, almost pressing his round eyeballs against the purple letter.

However, prolonged staring actually magnified his vision, and the text that was previously impossible to see gradually became clear.

When he could see it completely, "This..."

Yi Chen was so startled that he stumbled backward repeatedly, and at the same time, he pinched his own skin to confirm that what was happening before him was not a dream.

To verify that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, Yi Chen returned to the stone table and looked again in the same way... This time, he looked longer and more carefully.

"Why… is my thesis printed on it?"

Among the book imprints on the purple letter, the small text was Yi Chen's graduation thesis, which he had painstakingly written during his lifetime.

The text on the left side of the book corresponded to the thesis cover, including the title and the names of Yi Chen and his advisor.

The text on the right side corresponded to the thesis abstract.

This familiar text instantly dragged Yi Chen back into painful memories, and he almost gave up on the purple letter.

Not long after, Yi Chen, having calmed down, began to consider the overall situation again.

"The blue letter corresponds to the 'Pathogenization Trait' I just obtained here.

The black letter seems related to [Transmigration], corresponding to some kind of death trait.

The purple letter corresponds to my experiences from before I died.

Just as Mr. Chamberlin said, the letters are intrinsically linked to me.

Broadly speaking, the first two are better.

But… plants represent vitality, and black represents death.

If I choose either one as my growth path, the balance within my body will be broken. The chosen path will suppress the development of the other, or even completely eradicate it.

If I want to develop them jointly, the purple letter is the only choice.

Should I take this risk?"

Yi Chen looked at the purple letter again, his gaze focusing on the book emblem on the envelope.

For a moment, he recalled his life, from the hopeless orphanage to attending the local school after escaping.

Yi Chen never missed an opportunity to study.

It was the lines of text between the books that motivated him to survive in his previous world, shaping his correct 'outlook on life' and giving him the chance to become 'human' through further education. He fought his way through the relatively fair path of learning, winning scholarships each year to reach the graduate level.

[Books] were the dawn of his past life.

"Purple, corresponding to a unique [Profession]… Books and reading were also the most important things in my life, and what I was best at."

As Yi Chen gradually made up his mind, a sense of intuition also formed.

Without further hesitation, he picked up the purple envelope from the stone table and opened it!

The information recorded in the letter transformed into a strong, scorching beam of light that entered his eyes and shot into his brain.

He could even faintly smell the scent of roasted brain.

Buzz!

When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the ritual chamber.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Yi Chen immediately knelt on one knee, panting heavily… thick white smoke was rising from his entire head.

The other examinees had also completed their "Letter Selection."

On some part of their bodies, such as their palms, necks, or chests, the "Emblem" of their chosen letter had appeared.

The golden-haired Edmund had a pattern of 'intertwined gun and sword' branded on the right side of his neck, still emitting smoke as if it had just been branded.

Dagobert the giant had a pattern of an 'arm flexing its bicep' branded on his upper right arm, clearly a [Profession] related to strength.

Julianna's emblem was branded on her waist and abdomen, a pattern of 'dagger piercing a skull,' perhaps related to assassination.

George Chamberlin, the person in charge of this assessment, swept his owl-like gaze over the emblems on everyone, a look of considerable satisfaction on his face.

"This batch of newcomers is very good, with a high proportion of rare professions. The acceptance process was also quite smooth. Some of these newcomers can be considered for focused training… Hmm?"

When Chamberlin's gaze finally fell on Yi Chen, regardless of the angle, he could not find the "Emblem."

"He failed!?"

Yi Chen was the newcomer he had the highest hopes for, and he had also earned the appreciation of the First Gentleman.

He directly stepped into the formation, preparing to conduct a full-body examination of Yi Chen, whose brain was emitting smoke.