A Pawn's Passage

After disembarking from the passenger ship, Qi Xuansu immediately felt a noticeable difference in people’s attitudes.

That was because he was now disguised as a respectable Western gentleman. Everyone, including foul-mouthed sailors, treated him with courtesy and deference. It almost seemed as though this were a rather pleasant world.

But once he turned his gaze to the other side of this world, it was clear that things were not so. The laborers and slaves there endured heavy toil, overseen by foremen. When dealing with them, the same people showed none of the respect or humility they displayed toward gentlemen, but brutality and violence. Among them were quite a few Eastern faces.

Although the Daoist Order had strictly prohibited the slave trade, some people were still unfortunately trafficked to the New Continent. Others had committed serious crimes and could no longer survive in the Central Plains. They dared not flee to Nanyang due to the strong Daoist presence, so they could only cross the vast ocean to the New Continent in search of a way to live. It was essentially a place of exile for criminals.

In this city dominated by Westerners, the status of Easterners was quite low. Most could only take on menial work, like dock labor, railway construction, and other hard labor. Their wages were far lower than those of locals. Those with slightly better circumstances might run small businesses, such as restaurants. Slaves were concentrated on plantations, and relatively few were found in large cities.

In such an environment, it was only natural for gangs to rise to power, filling the power vacuum in gray areas such as brothels and taverns. Among them were also many Eastern faces.

This was also one of the reasons Qi Xuansu disguised himself as a Westerner. The status of Easterners in the Northern New Continent was simply too low, with the limit capped at the middle ranks. To enter the upper ranks, one had to follow the Holy Court and inevitably display even greater zeal than Westerners. For Easterners to prove their loyalty, they had to be even more fervent and extreme than Westerners.

For this reason, if Qi Xuansu wished to reach the middle and upper ranks and truly understand their movements and thinking, an Eastern identity would severely hinder him.

Qi Xuansu did not focus on the lower classes here because there were too few Easterners and natives to form any real foundation. Most natives were concentrated in the Tawantin Empire, so there was no need to consider organizing uprisings or resistance here. Moreover, it was not his place to take responsibility for the region since he was not a ruler here. No matter how much he observed, there was little he could actually do beyond a few sighs.

The movements of the middle and upper classes, on the other hand, might yield unexpected insights, allowing Qi Xuansu to grasp the overall situation.

Qi Xuansu carried a large leather suitcase. Besides a few outfits, it contained some Silver Eagles and Gold Crowns. Since this place was highly developed, paper banknotes became popular, so Qi Xuansu had prepared some of those as well.

A fine-looking hired carriage pulled up beside him. Qi Xuansu spoke in the Lune language, “Take me to the best hotel in the city.”

The driver attentively helped load the luggage onto the carriage. Once Qi Xuansu was seated securely, they left the docks.

Qi Xuansu’s current identity was that of a gentleman from the Lune Kingdom. He held no noble title but carried himself with poise. He had received a solid secondary education and possessed considerable family wealth.

He had come to St. York seeking greater opportunities since the Lune Kingdom had become too “crowded,” and competition had become excessively fierce.

This identity was neither high nor low—enough to barely edge into the fringes of certain upper circles, yet not so prominent as to attract undue attention.

Qi Xuansu now went by the name Dutch Vanderlind. He was not only a gentleman skilled in swordsmanship but also an elite marksman.

All relevant identification documents were kept in his suitcase. After all, as an ordinary gentleman, he could not possibly have a Space Bag.

These documents were all the work of Beichen Hall. Though technically forged, everything—from archive numbers to official seals—was genuine. Moreover, the local churches could hardly verify them. After all, this was a melting pot of immigrants, with enormous population mobility and many undocumented residents. How could they possibly investigate everyone? Thus, they simply let things be. This environment also provided fertile ground for various cults to thrive. It was even rumored that certain blood clans had arrived here, often committing crimes right under the Holy Court’s nose.

However, only a handful of people knew that Qi Xuansu was using this identity. Officially, according to Beichen Hall’s public statement, Qi Xuansu had not yet departed for the Southern New Continent. Instead, he had supposedly gone to the Fenglin Daoist Mansion to temporarily replace Deputy Hall Master Shen Mingxin and handle certain confidential affairs.

Qi Xuansu looked out the glass window of the carriage. From time to time, he saw clattering railcars as well as strange vehicles with only two wheels—smaller in front and larger behind—propelled by pedaling with both feet.

On the streets were steel sentinels more than 3 meters tall, forged entirely from metal. They resembled oversized suits of knightly armor, magnificently crafted, with visible gears and traces of steam in certain places. Although these steel sentinels moved rather slowly, they were quite intimidating. They were also equipped with Western long guns connected by an iron tube to a backpack behind them, enabling them to launch ranged attacks.

Soon, the carriage stopped before a luxurious four-story hotel. Following Western custom, Qi Xuansu paid not only the fare but also a tip. Then, he carried his suitcase and walked into the hotel lobby.

A single night here costs 1 Gold Crown, which was certainly extravagant. However, since Qi Xuansu’s trip was funded by Beichen Hall, he did not need to worry about the cost.

In St. York, Qi Xuansu had a contact named Strauni, a Westerner who had come to hate the Holy Court after falling into misfortune. By chance, he was recruited by Beichen Hall as an external member, and with Beichen Hall’s strong support, he eventually became a member of the city council.

This was not surprising. Even a paladin could become a loyal servant of the Great Xuan Emperor, drawing his sword to confront Daoist Spirit Guards, let alone a fallen noble without fortune or status.

A councilman required votes, and competing for votes required considerable financial support. Beichen Hall had operated overseas for many years and maintained connections with numerous merchant guilds, so funding was hardly a problem.

In terms of their relationship, Strauni and Dutch had been childhood friends. Although they had gone their separate ways as adults, the friendship of their youth remained cherished. Dutch had come this time to seek out his old friend. If there were any inconsistencies or missing details, they could easily be explained by the fact that the two had not seen each other for many years and had grown somewhat distant.

Strauni’s loyalty was beyond doubt—not because of gratitude, but because of fear and hatred. Ironically, both of these feelings stemmed from the Holy Court itself.

Early the next morning, a visitor arrived.

It was Councilman Strauni, whose electoral district was located in the Richmond District.

This was Strauni’s first time meeting Qi Xuansu. He only knew that an important figure from Beichen Hall was coming, but he did not know the person’s background. In fact, even the idea of a “great figure” was merely his own assumption. After all, his own identity was fairly important, so he would not be employed casually. Thus, anyone who could employ him must certainly be a person of great importance.

Strauni had assumed that this important figure would be an Easterner with long hair and flowing robes. To his surprise, it turned out to be a Westerner. He quickly realized the truth—it was an extremely sophisticated disguise, so much so that he could not detect the slightest flaw.

After confirming each other’s identities, Qi Xuansu set up a privacy barrier and spoke directly. “I did not come here to gather intelligence. I just want to understand St. York under the Holy Court’s rule from a relatively objective observer’s perspective.”

Having risen to the position of city councilman, Strauni was naturally a clever man. He immediately understood Qi Xuansu’s meaning.

This also made him breathe a sigh of relief. The task was not difficult and was entirely reasonable. He would simply guide a childhood friend he had not seen in years around the city for sightseeing. That would not arouse suspicion.

As for the ending of the story, it would naturally be that this old friend failed to find suitable opportunities for advancement and eventually returned by ship to the Lune Kingdom.

“Glad to be of service,” Strauni said, performing a Western-style bow.

Qi Xuansu waved his hand. “No need for that. Don’t forget. Although we were childhood friends, you’ve already risen to become someone of importance in this city.”

“Of course.” Strauni smiled slightly, once again adopting the bearing of a city councilman.

After finishing a simple breakfast, the two left the hotel.

Strauni’s carriage was already waiting outside.

They boarded the carriage and sat facing each other as it slowly moved forward.

Qi Xuansu asked, “What has the city council been doing lately?”

Unaware of Qi Xuansu’s true identity, Strauni replied, “After the new Chief Deputy Beichen Hall Master openly declared support for the Tawantin Empire, the city council began pushing forward an anti-Daoist bill. The proposal is to hunt down all Daoists within the city and place them on the stake for ‘glorious purification,’ ensuring the city remains free from Daoist influence.

“However, the matter is still under debate. After all, the Daoist Order is the ruler of the Eastern Continent. Persecuting Daoists would essentially mean going to war with the East. The consequences would be extremely serious. Supporters of the bill argue that Daoists possess many bad habits and prejudices. They claim Daoists cannot truly adopt the lifestyle of the Holy Court nor accept its moral and ethical standards. Thus, they are no different from demon-worshipping cultists and must be dealt with harshly.

“Although the bill has not yet been enacted, some places have already begun taking action. If someone is identified as a Daoist, they may be imprisoned or expelled. If they wish to remain, they must publicly swear to renounce their faith and obtain recognition from the Church, which is extremely difficult.”