When He First Transmigrated

This was not a complicated principle, yet Mike, a reporter for the Daily Observer, had deliberately or unconsciously ignored it before. Deep down, he did not want society's elite class to be cruel and heartless.

He preferred to believe that the elite were like him: some problems simply had not been noticed, and once they were, people would actively seek ways to solve them.

Leaning back against the sofa, Odys said in a slightly world-weary voice, "What I'm doing is the same as you, only the method is different.

"I never expected understanding or help from those important figures, because they could never understand. Help based solely on sympathy is unreliable, because that sympathy might disappear the next day.

"You should have heard that I once tried to open a factory.

"It wasn't because I was making an investment. I only hoped to give the streetwalkers another path. After all, unless they had no other choice, who would be willing to work in this line of business?

"But I failed. At present, only the Nanmu Restaurant is still profitable."

Mike hurriedly said, "I've heard of it. You're carrying out a great—"

Odys raised a hand, cutting Mike off. "There's no need to flatter me. I know that what I'm doing isn't great.

"On the contrary, some of it is rather dirty."

He pointed at his mask. "Once this mask is put on, it can never be taken off.

"But I don't regret it, because I have genuinely solved some of the problems. Unfortunately, all I've received in return are the cold stares and ridicule of high society. To this day, there hasn't been a second Nanmu Ballroom."

Mike grew somewhat agitated. "No, what you've done truly is great. You've given many streetwalkers security and prevented many tragedies."

"Thank you." Odys suddenly stood up. "Thank you, Mr. Reporter."

Mike hurriedly stood as well.

Odys continued, "Those willing to learn about the Nanmu Ballroom will do so through their own channels. But that channel cannot be the newspapers, because this avenue is too easily misunderstood and too easily exploited."

He pointed at his mask again. "And I must remind you that beneath this mask lie the secrets of far too many important figures.

"For your sake, mine, and the Nanmu Ballroom's, please do not run another report like yesterday's."

Mike immediately said, "Rest assured. At the very least, nothing like that will appear in the Daily Observer again."

Odys took another puff of his cigar. "Thank you."

They chatted idly for a while longer before Mike rose to take his leave. Mr. Gal saw them all the way to the stairway.

After leaving the Nanmu Ballroom, Mike said, "He is a gentleman worthy of respect."

Klein nodded in agreement. At the same time, he planned to divine where he had previously met Mr. Gal as soon as he returned.

Third floor of the Nanmu Ballroom.

Odys smoked his cigar and said to Enoch, "You may bring people to the ballroom tonight. Put the expenses on my tab."

Enoch bowed happily. "Thank you, Mr. Gal."

He was one of the few people who knew that Mr. Gal was Odys.

After Enoch left, the elegant Miss Mandy said, "Mr. Gal, Lord Asbourne sent an invitation yesterday. Well, this is already the second invitation he has sent, hoping to invite you to a ball he is hosting."

Odys pursed his lips in a smile. "He still refuses to give up."

The enormous profits of the Nanmu Ballroom had made many people covet it, wishing to claim it for themselves.

Fortunately, this was a gray industry. Nobles and parliamentarians disdained competing over it. Yasbourne was a lord who had bought his title rather than an influential noble, so his greed was somewhat uglier.

"Ignore him." Odys took a puff of his cigar. "Tell him I have no time to attend. If he dares use any underhanded methods, I'll deal with him."

After chatting for a few more moments, Odys intended to return immediately. He planned to continue practicing combat and master his newly acquired Beyonder Ability as quickly as possible.

Returning once more to the room containing the auxiliary Teleportation Array, Odys shut the door, activated the auxiliary array, and returned to the basement of Gall Herbal Shop.

After changing clothes again, he became the herbal shop owner once more.

Odys sat in a chair in the break room and suddenly smiled. He had not expected to encounter Great Detective Sherlock today. He wondered whether this "great detective" had noticed that he was the Hermit, or whether he had realized that the Nanmu Ballroom's business model seemed somewhat familiar.

As Odys speculated about Klein's thoughts, he took out his pipe and packed it with tobacco.

After lighting the pipe, he recalled the process of founding the Nanmu Ballroom.

When Odys transmigrated here, he experienced a bizarre Beyonder incident.

That incident occurred in the northern outskirts of Backlund. The original owner of Odys's body had been the youngest son of a small farm owner. Although grain prices had continued to fall over the past few years, the farm had not gone bankrupt, and the family had lived a fairly decent life.

At the instant Odys transmigrated, every living creature on the entire farm, as well as several surrounding farms and workshops, turned into irrational Monsters. Only Odys remained unaffected, and he even became a Mystery Pryer.

There were many small workshops producing industrial goods in the area, so most people there were believers in the God of Steam and Machinery. After receiving the report, Machinery Hivemind immediately intervened and began an investigation.

Machinery Hivemind discovered that the case seemed to be related to certain high-level Beyonder Characteristics or Sealed Artifacts of the Mystery Pryer Pathway, or the Savant Pathway. Even the headquarters of the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery had inquired into the matter several times.

As a result, they scrutinized Odys for a full half month.

Fortunately, their spirituality only sensed a Connection at that level. If they had noticed a connection to Knowledge Moor, the God of Steam and Machinery might have personally come to speak with Odys.

Machinery Hivemind investigated for more than half a month without finding any clues. In the end, they could only bring Odys, who had become a Beyonder, to Backlund, arrange for him to live near the Backlund Mechanical Research Society, and continue observing him.

However, by entering Knowledge Moor, Odys had already understood the cause of that Beyonder incident. When he arrived in this world, he possessed much knowledge about Great Old Ones and the starry sky, which had brought a tremendous Catastrophe upon the surrounding space.

As for why that Catastrophe had not spread to the entirety of Backlund, and why he had not only remained unaffected but also become a Beyonder?

Odys believed it should be related to Knowledge Moor.

He did not know the precise reason either, but it was the most reasonable guess.

At the same time, while using Knowledge Moor to study his own experience, Odys accidentally discovered certain principles and new applications of spirituality and Magic Formations. This led him to develop a method for rapidly planting spiritual herbs over large areas.

Thus, while cooperating with Machinery Hivemind's investigation, he studied occult knowledge under their close surveillance, pretending to have sudden realizations before he began leasing wilderness land to grow spiritual herbs.

At first, he only peddled them at certain Occult Gatherings. Later, he obtained an order to supply Spiritual Materials to Machinery Hivemind, which finally gave him the money to open a herbal shop.

As a physically healthy young man, once Odys gradually became wealthy, he naturally went to patronize the streetwalkers whose business was everywhere in the streets.

But before long, Odys became deeply disappointed in this world's sex industry.