Chapter 23: The Transmigrated Young Man Enters the City

Kaios found that chatting with Xiao Zhuo'an was incredibly comfortable. The natural rhythm of their conversation put him entirely at ease.

Xiao Zhuo'an rarely put on a front. When he first saw Kaios, he had stood up in sheer joy. Upon hearing Kaios agree to submit a painting to the auction, he immediately went over to hug him. Every expression of emotion felt entirely genuine. He hadn't even bothered to hide his ulterior motive for visiting: to piggyback off Kaios's qualifications to attend the upcoming auction. He was refreshingly candid about his inability to attend on his own merit, and unapologetically straightforward about his desire to go just to mingle with unmarried noblewomen.

Yet, this frankness wasn't off-putting, nor did it invite contempt. He was neither pretentious nor pitifully insecure.

Even after realizing that Kaios had suffered from severe memory loss and had drastically changed from his former self, Xiao Zhuo'an never pried into the details. Whenever their shared past came up, he kept it brief and mostly framed it as a joke. However, whenever Kaios actively asked questions, Xiao Zhuo'an answered with complete transparency. It was obvious that he possessed a deep understanding of the original Kaios.

A man like him—lacking an intimidating status, unburdened by tangled conflicts of interest, highly sociable, and refreshingly straightforward—served as the perfect bridge for Kaios to re-enter the outside world, specifically the noble circles.

As a Transmigrator, Kaios was naturally out of his element. To make matters worse, the original host had been a total recluse who, for various reasons, rarely engaged in social activities. Diving straight into functional, casual networking events now would present numerous hurdles.

The auction would be an excellent starting point.

Two days later.

After finishing afternoon tea around three or four o'clock, Kaios boarded a carriage to Yulang City, departing early for the evening auction.

Beinam, who had remained at the North Mountain Manor, offered to escort him personally. However, Kaios politely declined, arguing that there was no need to trouble the Li family's highest-ranking Spiritual Energy Warrior and Captain of the Guard with such a mundane trip. Instead, he brought only Lu Hao, Sharvella, and Harvey as his guards.

He knew very well that the enemies scheming against him didn't want him dead—at least not immediately. Their true goal was to force him into a near-death, comatose state, stripping away his agency so they could seize control of his Soul Subordination Contracts. Because of this, his basic safety during travel was practically guaranteed.

The North Mountain Manor wasn't far from Yulang City. The main road was exceptionally well-maintained, paved entirely with smooth bluestone.

The moment the carriage began to move, Kaios was genuinely surprised. The ride was exceptionally smooth, with barely any jolts or vibrations. When boarding, he had noticed the wheels were wrapped in a thick, black rim—perhaps leather, or some other unknown material. Still, to maintain such a comfortable glide even over bumps and uneven patches, the carriage's chassis absolutely had to be equipped with some sort of suspension or shock-absorbing system. He resolved to inspect the undercarriage once they arrived.

However, after a smooth half-hour journey, the carriage finally pulled into Yulang City.

"Master, it's our turn. Please disembark," Lu Hao announced.

By then, Kaios had completely forgotten about inspecting the suspension. His attention was utterly hijacked by the bizarre sight in front of him.

It was a... streetcar?!

At least aesthetically, it resembled a classic trolley. It rested on tracks embedded straight down the central axis of the main road, and a "cable" extended overhead, mimicking the infrastructure of a modern electric tram. Yet, instead of metal, it appeared to be constructed entirely of wood. Its exterior boasted intricately carved patterns and exquisite layers of paint. Paired with its heavily tinted, one-way windows, the vehicle looked less like a machine and more like an elongated, luxurious log cabin.

After flashing the Three-leaf Badge pinned to his chest, Kaios led Lu Hao, Sharvella, and Harvey aboard.

Inside, he discovered that the vehicle was partitioned into private compartments. The boarding process was highly regimented: upon arriving in the city, a noble's servants or guards would queue up on their behalf. Only when their turn arrived would the noble step out of their carriage to board this magical "streetcar."

The moment they stepped aboard, female attendants guided them directly into a secluded cabin. There was absolutely no chance of running into the other passengers. Only nobles and their retinues were permitted on this transport; commoners were strictly barred. In fact, the entire "waiting area" functioned as an exclusive parking lot for aristocratic carriages.

Harvey explained that this was the "Inner City Transit." Powered entirely by Magic Power, this magical vehicle was exclusively designed to ferry visiting nobles into the Inner City. A Baron or any higher-ranking aristocrat could ride for free with their entourage, while ordinary Noble Lords were required to pay a fare. The city's commoners, meanwhile, weren't even allowed to step foot in the waiting area.

Seated in the transit vehicle, Kaios gazed through the window at the buildings blurring past, momentarily falling into a daze.

This Magic Power-driven transit vehicle was unfathomably smooth and practically silent. In terms of pure luxury and sophistication, it rivaled the high-speed bullet trains from his past life. Yet, running a hand over the cabin walls confirmed it was solid wood. Magic was truly a damn miracle.

Outside, he saw medieval, European-style architecture straight out of a period drama and commoners trudging along the dirt roads in tattered rags. Inside, he was surrounded by opulent decor and cutting-edge magical comfort. The cognitive dissonance was staggering. Kaios wondered why the rest of the world felt so painfully primitive if their magic system was advanced enough to invent a vehicle like this.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the scenery outside abruptly transformed.

The dilapidated, ancient stone structures vanished. In their place stood a dazzling array of pristine, cutting-edge architecture spanning a multitude of unique styles. There were even towering buildings that reached ten or twenty stories high. Their sheer glass facades made them look as though they had been ripped straight out of his past life's modern metropolis. The low-rise buildings were just as striking. In fact, their designs were arguably more beautiful and structurally ambitious than the skyscrapers. Even back on Earth, these structures would have been considered contemporary architectural marvels rather than relics of the past.

"We've reached the Inner City," Harvey whispered. He was staring out the window, thoroughly engrossed in the view. Because the former Kaios was a notorious shut-in, Harvey himself had only been to the Inner City once before.

Lu Hao, who had frequently accompanied Kaios's father, the Old Baron, on city trips, took the sights in stride. Sharvella, however, was just as awestruck as Kaios. It was her first time entering the Inner City, and she stared out the window with wide, round eyes, brimming with shock and unbridled curiosity.

Mesmerized by the rapidly changing skyline, the group felt the journey fly by. It seemed like only moments had passed before the vehicle glided to a smooth halt.

Disembarking was just as meticulously managed as boarding. The attendants escorted passengers out one cabin at a time to maintain absolute privacy.

The moment Kaios stepped out, he spotted Xiao Zhuo'an waiting to receive them. The man had arrived in the city first thing that morning to liaise personally with the auction organizers—a chore usually relegated to a servant or housekeeper.

Kaios glanced at the pristine pavement beneath his boots. The disparity between the Outer City and the Inner City was staggering. The paving materials, architectural paradigms, cleanliness, fashion, and even the basic demeanor of the pedestrians were worlds apart. Calling them two different cities felt like an understatement—they were fundamentally severed by entirely different eras of civilization.

Xiao Zhuo'an led them toward a massive circular building that closely resembled a grand theater. As they stepped inside, Xiao Zhuo'an confirmed his suspicion: it was indeed an operational theater, temporarily leased out to host tonight's auction.

The pre-auction ballroom dance and banquet were being hosted in a sprawling side hall. The interior decor was breathtakingly lavish. The ceiling was studded with rows of flawlessly sculpted Magic Lamps, casting a warm, ambient glow over the crowd. If a modern person from Earth were abruptly dropped into this hall, they would simply assume they'd stumbled into an ultra-exclusive gala. They wouldn't feel out of place in the slightest.

Still, Kaios didn't need to ask to know that outfitting a space like this cost an astronomical fortune. Even as an aristocratic Three-leaf Baron, his own manor was practically a hovel compared to this level of luxury.