They Couldn't Hear Them

Klein and Mike were first led by a waiter to a reception room on the first floor. After sitting for only a few minutes, another waiter invited them up to the third floor.

On the way to the stairs, Klein saw the enormous ballroom on the first floor.

The ceiling above the first floor had been opened up, and an extravagant, massive chandelier hung down from the top of the second floor. The design made the ballroom seem both spacious and tall, while the murals and decor even gave it an artistic feel.

Klein sighed inwardly. Though it was not as luxurious as an aristocratic ballroom, it still felt quite classy.

This was probably the sort of place the middle class loved most. Spending money somewhere like this made them feel respectable.

Even when patronizing streetwalkers, they wanted to do so somewhere more respectable.

The ballroom was quite deserted at the moment, with only a few waiters cleaning.

A few women were chatting and laughing in the lounge area. When Klein and Mike appeared, they all looked at the two men with smiling eyes.

Klein suddenly felt as though he had gone back to his school days, when girls would look his way.

Mike also remarked, "This place really does feel different."

Klein nodded along.

Following the waiter all the way to the third floor, they found the decor even more lavish. There were areas for entertainment such as squash and billiards, as well as dining areas, coffee shops, and more.

Of course, there were also warmly decorated rooms.

The two were brought to a small reception room, where Miss Mandy was already waiting. She rose from the sofa and said without a smile, "Gentlemen, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Besides Mandy, Enoch was there as well. However, he did not stand, merely staring at the two guests with a gloomy expression.

He had come today simply to intimidate them. There was no need for him to say anything.

The moment Klein entered, he looked toward the inner wall. He felt a gaze watching him and Mike from behind it.

Mike said as well, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mandy."

Mandy gestured for them to sit. Once everyone was seated, she asked Mike, "Did you know much about Nanmu Ballroom before this?"

Mike answered honestly, "Not very much."

Mandy said sternly, "Then why did you write reports that could so easily cause misunderstandings?"

Mike had been calm at first, but Mandy's question immediately made him restless. "I... I merely reported the facts. There was no slander involved."

Klein sighed inwardly. Without anyone noticing, Miss Mandy had already seized control of the conversation.

This was not some Beyonder method, merely ordinary conversational tactics.

But the cold stare of the fierce-looking man beside her, combined with Miss Mandy's imposing presence, had affected even the experienced Mike with the atmosphere in the room.

Watching Mike begin to explain himself and grow increasingly awkward, Klein cleared his throat and said, "Since Mr. Gal is here as well, why not come out and speak with us in person?"

Mandy froze slightly, and her conversational strategy was instantly interrupted.

Just as she was about to deny it, the inner wall slowly opened. Odys stepped out from the hidden door, one step at a time. "There was no need for me to personally speak with a reporter like Mike, but you are different."

Klein was slightly startled. He realized that Mr. Gal had discovered that he was a Beyonder, which was why he was receiving "different treatment."

Then he found Mr. Gal strangely familiar.

However, the other man wore a mask that exposed only his mouth and chin. Klein had no idea where he might have seen him before, so he could only wait until he had time to perform a divination.

At that moment, all four people in the room stood. Odys walked over and sat opposite Mike, while Mandy and Enoch hurriedly stood behind him.

Odys opened the cigar box on the coffee table, picked up two cigars, and casually tossed them out. "Have a cigar."

The abilities of a Melee Scholar allowed Odys to control his strength precisely. One cigar landed steadily in Mike's hand, even settling between his index and middle fingers.

As for the other cigar, just before it reached Klein's hand, he lightly flicked it away with a clever Magician's technique. The cigar flew back toward the cigar box. "Sorry, I don't smoke cigars."

Odys casually waved his hand again, sending the cigar back at Klein. "Have one."

Klein was just about to flick away the incoming cigar again when, to his surprise, it seemed to come alive. Just as it was about to touch Klein's hand, it suddenly turned. It did not touch his outstretched hand, yet it landed squarely in his palm.

The exchange happened so quickly that by the time Mike and the others reacted, it was already over.

When Odys had been hiding in the secret room earlier, he noticed Klein looking in his direction several times and knew that Klein must have sensed his presence. After all, a Seer was also a Beyonder with relatively high spirituality.

If he had merely been Odys, the herbal shop owner, then being discovered would not have mattered. But now he was Mr. Gal, a man involved in the gray industries. Since someone had noticed him, it was only reasonable that he come out openly and give the other party a warning.

Klein felt the immense pressure Mr. Gal was projecting and understood his intention to intimidate him. Naturally, he would not clash head-on with the man on his own turf, so he put away the cigar. "I'll take it home and smoke it."

Only then did a thought suddenly occur to him: That exchange just now felt a little like a duel between martial arts masters in a wuxia film... Heh, Mr. Gal must be a Beyonder skilled at close combat.

After giving the "bodyguard" a warning and making Mike feel tremendous pressure, Odys began cutting his cigar and said to Mike, "Mr. Reporter, I have read some of your reports. They were quite thought-provoking.

"But I would like to ask you a question. Your reports have drawn the attention of some people, but have they solved any real problems?

"For example, the poverty of the East District, or the economic policies that have become increasingly unfriendly to the middle class."

After Odys finished cutting the cigar, Enoch immediately bent down and slowly lit it for him with a lighter.

As an herbal shop owner, Odys always smoked tobacco that he had roasted himself and mixed with certain herbs. As the Leader of the Mysticism Research Society, he had always smoked cigarettes.

As Mr. Gal, he smoked cigars.

Different clothes had already absorbed the scents of different tobacco. This was merely one of the details.

Of course, the main reason was that Odys gave these three identities distinctly different temperaments.

Thus, Odys the herbal shop owner, Mr. Gal, and the Leader appeared to be three different people.

Under the pressure of Mr. Gal's presence, Mike answered honestly, "Some problems were solved, but most were not."

Odys took a puff of his cigar and gestured for Mike and Klein to sit. "Mr. Reporter, I know you are a journalist with professional integrity, and that you have done many things to help others.

"But you cannot solve problems such as the poverty of the East District or the tragic fate of streetwalkers, because the people who pay attention to your reports do not care about the fate of the poor or streetwalkers!"

Mike froze slightly, suddenly feeling as though he had grasped the heart of the problem!