Steam Old Days: The Extraordinary Begins with a Corpse Collector

"Mr. William, I've lost."

The man on the white horse raised his saber, signaling his surrender.

He was William Sutcliffe's riding instructor and also a well-known swordsman.

"You are very capable. If this were the medieval period, you would definitely be a knight of high moral character and superb horsemanship."

Such praise is extremely high for a nobleman.

Nobles are often proud of their lineage and naturally need various ways to prove and proclaim their nobility.

Therefore, the skill of a nobleman or a person with a title was linked to his authority.

The nobles believed that horseback riding and hunting were key to shaping a person's leadership character and physical abilities.

It represents excellent qualities such as courage, honor, and etiquette.

It symbolizes the once-glorious chivalric system.

A true nobleman must aspire to become a noble knight!

Nobles once learned horsemanship, pursued the glory of knighthood, and yearned to achieve merit on the battlefield.

Now, with the development of industrial technology and firearms, the whole society has undergone earth-shattering changes, and the nobles are naturally deeply affected, so they can only seek solace in this way.

In conclusion, horsemanship remains an essential skill for every nobleman, including members of the royal family.

Faced with his teacher's praise, Viscount William simply placed his saber across his horse's back and nodded slightly to his teacher to express his respect.

"Teacher Cade, you're too kind. I know you're being lenient with me; my skills are far inferior to yours."

"Humility is a virtue of chivalry, but please do not underestimate the power within yourself. This, like arrogance, will prevent you from truly knowing yourself."

Cade rode forward, sheathed his sword, and said sincerely, "You have already learned my knowledge of horsemanship. Now you just lack some practical combat skills. To be honest, today's contest has already made me feel exhausted. I believe that soon, Mr. William will completely surpass me."

At this moment, the servants outside the fence saw Cade raise his knife and surrender. They knew that their master had won, and the scene erupted in excited cheers.

They cheered for their master's victory.

"Go, go and greet the cheers of the people, Mr. William, this is what you deserve."

"I can only say that," Cade said encouragingly.

Upon hearing this, William raised his saber and, like a victor, galloped away on horseback.

It was during this process that William saw Lyndon and Alastor.

After the horseback riding celebration, he leisurely rode towards the two of them.

William, with an arrogant expression, sat on his horse, gripping his knife, looking down at the two men.

"If I'm not mistaken, you two are Mr. Copperfield and Mr. Alastor, aren't you?"

"Lydon Copperfield," Lyndon said, standing ramrod straight and nodding.

"I am Alastor, and I greet Your Excellency Viscount William."

Alastor took a half step back with one foot, one hand behind his back and the other in front of his chest.

Bend your knees, lean forward, and lower your head.

He paid his respects to William with aristocratic etiquette.

"No need for formalities." William glanced at Alastor, then fixed his gaze on Lyndon.

He said to the old gentleman, "Barkley, please take the two guests to the drawing room first. I will change my clothes and then go there soon."

"Yes, Mr. William."

The old gentleman bowed and said.

He then led Lyndon and Alastor back to the mansion and into the drawing room William had mentioned.

The wallpaper in the reception room is a rich burgundy with intricate patterns embossed on it.

The walls are covered with all kinds of oil paintings.

The drawings above depict different men.

A standing man, a sitting man, a man on horseback, a man in a car, and a man holding a dog.

These oil paintings of men were all framed in expensive solid gold frames.

Lyndon guessed that these different men were all members of the Sutcliffe family.

"Wow!"

Suddenly, Alastor tilted his head back and shouted.

Lyndon looked up and saw a huge crystal chandelier hanging upside down from the ceiling.

Hundreds of cut crystals are layered and inlaid on it.

It is firmly secured with a brass chain.

A copper pipe about the thickness of a thumb lay horizontally next to the crystal chandelier.

The copper pipes, like vines, wound around the oil painting along the wall and finally disappeared into the radiator next to the fireplace.

There is also a small pressure gauge on the copper pipe.

There was an old wall clock on the wall, its pendulum swinging slowly and making a monotonous ticking sound.

"Please have a seat. Mr. William will be here shortly."

"I'm talking," said the old gentleman Barkley, pointing to the velvet sofa.

He clapped his hands.

A maid dressed in a black and white dress pushed in a small brass cart.

The cart was decorated with an exquisite coffee pot, porcelain cups, milk jugs, and sugar bowls.

The maid poured coffee for the two of them and, like Barkley, stood aside without saying a word.

Lyndon and Alastor sat on the sofa and drank coffee for a while.

Shortly afterward, Viscount William, dressed in formal attire, appeared in the drawing room.

He took off his riding clothes and high riding boots, and put on a dark gray tuxedo, with a peak lapel vest underneath and a silk tie.

Viscount William sat upright on a single sofa.

The maid respectfully poured him coffee and added milk and two sugar cubes.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Copperfield and Mr. Alastor."

Viscount William stirred his coffee a few times with a spoon, took a sip to moisten his throat, and then began the conversation with great seriousness.

"I saw the letter of introduction from the former mayor, Mr. Crockford, which said that you are the Xenomorph Research Institute and want to enter Dark Oak Forest in order to study the physiological characteristics of Xenomorphs."

"Yes."

Lyndon put down his coffee, leaned forward, and quickly got into character.

"As a strange species that coexist with us in this world, although many famous experts in xenoscientology have studied them, our understanding of their living conditions and behavior patterns is still vague, and there is still much for us to discover."

"As His Majesty the King said in the newspapers before, research on alien species cannot stop, just as a train cannot stop burning coal."

"Our purpose in coming here is to uncover the deeper secrets of this alien species. Therefore, for the sake of science, we implore you, Viscount, to help us. We will never forget your support, and your support will be recognized in front of the nation."

As William listened to Lyndon's elaborate rhetoric, a meaningful smile appeared on his face.

"Of course, Mr. Copperfield."

William paused, then put down his coffee cup and placed his hands crossed on his lap.

"Mr. Copperfield, judging from your accent, you shouldn't be from Wiltling."

"I come from Chongqing."

"Ah! A great city, but the air quality isn't very good. When did you arrive in Vilterlin?"

"A few days ago, I forget the exact time."

"Hmm, did you hear anything about my father when you came to this city?"

Lyndon shook his head.

"My father was a very conservative person, even to the point of being pedantic, especially when it came to academia. He was practically a fool, and some people even thought I was just like my father."

William's words were somewhat serious.

"Then you need to change people's perception of you, and now you have a great opportunity," Lyndon continued to persuade.

But then William shook his head.

"But unfortunately, although this is a perfect opportunity, I cannot let you in."

Lyndon's expression froze instantly.

He couldn't believe it.

Even Alastor almost choked on his coffee.

Why?

"No reason."

William crossed his legs and said arrogantly.

"If I had to give a reason, it would only be because Viscount William wanted to blockade Dark Oak Forest. That's my family's fiefdom, and I have the right to do so, even if the reason I gave is utterly absurd."

"No one is allowed to enter unless I agree. If anyone does, it is an infringement of my rights, and I will punish them severely."

The wind can enter, the rain can enter, but the king cannot enter.

Lyndon thought he wanted to say something more to see if he could change William's mind.

But William wouldn't give him that chance.

Just as Lyndon was about to speak, William raised his hand to signal him to be quiet.

"There's no need to say anything more. Actually, I didn't want to see you. I only agreed to speak with you here because of Mr. Crockford. After all, I have a relationship with him, and I should give him face."

Having said that, William stood up.

"That's all I wanted to say. I'm sorry I can't grant your wish. If you don't mind, you can have dinner here before you leave. That's all."

William nodded to the two men and then left the reception room.

The maid took William's coffee cup and left the drawing room with her cart.

Only Lyndon, Alastor, and the old gentleman Barkley remained in the drawing room.

"Should I instruct the kitchen to prepare dinner for both of us?"

"Looking at the two dejected men, Barkley said..."

"No need, we'll leave right away."

Lyndon finished his coffee and then left the drawing room with Alastor.

On the third floor, William stood by the window of his study, looking down at the manor.

He watched as Lyndon and Alastor's carriage drove away from Sutcliffe Estate.

"Sir, they've left."

Barkley, the old gentleman, walked in without knocking.

"I saw it."

William's gaze deepened as the carriage drove further and further away.

"Have you found the person I asked you to find?"

"I've already contacted the agents, and they're still selecting."

William nodded.

He sat down in the chair and said with a serious expression, "The matter of hiring witchers must not be known to outsiders; the investigation has been very strict lately."

"Sir, rest assured. The evidence will absolutely not be traced back to you."

Upon hearing this, William sighed, "Sigh, we must drive those guys out as soon as possible, and also get rid of those alien creatures they've been raising."

"This matter must be handled cleanly, without letting the authorities know. If it causes trouble, neither of us can afford the consequences."

"Yes, sir."

After giving his instructions, William turned to look out the window.

"Seriously, why would a researcher specializing in alien species come looking for us?"