Chapter 12: Scientific Genius
1, 2, and 4 are all acceptable—while 9 is certainly tempting (mechanical ascension sounds cool), considering the historical background… Zhou Ning really didn't want to risk losing any body parts.
After a moment's thought, Zhou Ning chose 1, 2, and 4.
[You have selected Talent 1, Talent 2, and Talent 4.]
[Match successful. In the parallel world, you're a playboy, a scientific genius, and naturally athletic—whether in bed or on the field. If people can overlook your Nike-like smirk, you're actually quite likable.]
[The simulation ends when you die.]
[Boarding time machine... 1%... 33%... 65%... 95%... Whoosh... Traversal complete.]
[You have traveled to London in the year 1894. From this moment, the wheels of history begin to turn.]
[December 17, 1894. New to London, you're unfamiliar with everything and not too keen on working. Standing by the roadside, pondering life. You approach a blonde woman—rejected. A black-haired woman—rejected. A brunette—rejected. A redhead—when you give her a crooked, devilish smile, success! You borrow some money from her and buy a dozen condoms at a store. You purchase a whip. After an hour-long tryst in a public restroom, you move into the redhead's house. You've gained the skill: Expert-Level Flirting Specialization.]
[December 18, 1894. You learn the redhead you met by chance is named Jenny—a long-widowed countess, the kind who can seemingly draw in dirt by just sitting on the ground. Your first day in this world was spent in bed...]
[December 19–20, 1894. Still in bed...]
[December 21, 1895. Feeling weak in the legs and arms, you decide you can't keep indulging in carnal pleasures. You're a time traveler, not some walking cannon!]
[December 22, 1895. You're forcefully pinned again. (Health -1, Happiness -1)]
[December 23, 1895. Still forcefully pinned. (Health -1, Happiness -1)]
[December 24, 1895. Feeling empty inside, you decide it's better to find a job. Thanks to your social skills and scientific talent, you land a position at a budding tech company.]
[February 15, 1896. After two months of work, you've saved up a bit. You borrow more money from your old flame Jenny and form a research team.]
[April 1896. You invent and improve the wireless telegraph.]
[August 1896. You invent the optical interferometer and use it for spectroscopy and fundamental metrology research. (You've gained the specialty: Scientific Genius)]
[May 1897. You build the world's first airplane, break free of Earth's gravity, and soar into the sky. (You've earned the achievement: Top Gun)]
[June 1897. Your research yields enormous profits. The money Jenny lent you brings her a tenfold return. You become one of the hottest tycoons in Europe. You officially enter high society and begin attending social gatherings. At one such event, you meet George Bernard Shaw again. Fate is indeed strange—you become good friends for the third time. (You've earned the achievement: Friends Again)]
[September 1897. At a banquet, George Bernard Shaw introduces you to a young Italian nobleman. This time, you remember his name: Will A. Zeppeli. That name sounds familiar!]
[October 1897. You deliberately grow closer to him, and you two become fast friends. After all, who could say no to a gentleman with a cheerful and sincere smile? You learn that Will A. Zeppeli came to Britain to track down an evil artifact—the Stone Mask. Anyone who wears this mask becomes a terrifying vampire. His father died because of it.]
Zhou Ning: ...
The Stone Mask!!!
Upon seeing this, Zhou Ning slapped his forehead. My god!
He had originally assumed that with late 19th-century London and vampires, this might be Interview with the Vampire or Bram Stoker's Dracula, but turns out—it's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure!
In the manga, Will A. Zeppeli is the mentor of the protagonist, Jonathan Joestar. He learned a skill in Tibet called the Ripple Breathing Technique, which simulates the power of sunlight and can deal massive damage to dark creatures—even delaying aging.
If he could learn Ripple Breathing from Zeppeli, that would be huge.
The simulation continues.
[November 1897. You learn that Zeppeli has mastered a secret technique called Ripple Breathing, a powerful ability that mimics sunlight. Out of friendship, he teaches it to you—on the condition that you help him recover the Stone Mask.]
[December 1897. As a rare athletic genius, you have a unique affinity for the Ripple Breathing Technique and quickly master it. You also begin looking for a noble named George Joestar. You've gained the skill: Ripple Breathing (Beginner).]
[January 1898. The Ripple Breathing Technique proves very effective. You feel much more energetic. Honestly, the joy of the rich is beyond your comprehension. (Happiness +7)]
[April 1898. You expand into various athletic fields—you dominate British football, scoring seven goals in one match. You're a short-distance running legend, completing the 100-meter dash in under 10 seconds—70 years ahead of its time. You even swim across the Atlantic without support.]
[Late July 1898. Your mastery of Ripple Breathing surpasses Zeppeli's. Through his introduction, you meet his master, Master Tonpetty—a true Ripple Grandmaster.]
[August 1898. You discover that Elina actually knows George Joestar! She takes you to Liverpool and introduces you. As fate would have it, George Joestar's son, Jonathan Joestar—JoJo the First—is Elina's childhood sweetheart! Childhood friends really can't compare to sudden romances, huh?]
[September 1898. You meet George Joestar's adopted son, Dio Brando. The two of you quickly become friends—who could resist befriending a superstar scientist, athlete, and celebrity? You discover Dio is also quite talented in science. At your suggestion, he enrolls in Oxford University. Changing the trajectory of a villain's life—it's a surprisingly good feeling.]
[October 1898. While visiting the Joestar estate, you spot the Stone Mask. After some negotiation, you purchase it from George Joestar. You were supposed to give it to Zeppeli and fulfill your promise—but as a scientist, you can't resist the urge to study it. Despite feeling guilty about breaking your word, you decide to keep it. (You've obtained Epic Item: Stone Mask, Happiness -1)]
[1898–1899. Though your research into the Stone Mask hasn't progressed, your scientific work has continued. Over two years, you've obtained 67 patents, many of which have brought in enormous profits. Your wealth is now something even the old-money elites would envy. (Wealth +11)]
[September 1899. You make a shocking discovery—the Stone Mask exhibits a "Doppler-Fizeau effect" in its spectral signature, showing redshift. It seems to both crave and repel sunlight. Why? And when the mask comes into contact with blood, bone-like spikes shoot out from the back—sharp enough to pierce the brain. The ingenuity of the ancients is truly astounding.]
[October 1899. Your research using the optical interferometer and spectroscopy earns a nomination for the Nobel Prize in Physics! That same month, you win the Nobel Prize in Physics! A lifetime dream for many scientists. (Happiness +3)]
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