The past was built upon collecting unique characteristics.

The next morning, shortly after dawn, Morian hurriedly went out.

He did not take a carriage, but walked alone on the quiet streets of Slan Street, letting the warm summer breeze caress his face.

Woo! Woo! Woo!

The faint sound of a steam train starting its journey could be heard several kilometers away, like the panting of a giant beast.

Whenever this colossal machine forged from steel starts moving, countless dreamers returning home and newcomers flock to the station, heading towards their distant ideal place.

After passing through the down-to-earth and affordable market, Morian adjusted his top hat and headed towards the less crowded commercial street.

In the past, when he was short of money, he would have chosen to go to the market to buy things because it was affordable.

The quality of goods there varies greatly, and it all depends on the buyer's discernment. If you're lucky, you might even find treasures that you can't find anywhere else.

The difference now is that with the two hundred pounds in my pocket, I have the confidence to visit the commercial areas frequented by upper-class gentlemen.

Changing into a presentable outfit is not just about saving face, although saving face is important, but it is also a practical consideration.

Even when doing business and interacting with people from different social classes, or going to more upscale places, a well-fitting outfit can make a huge difference in the first impression.

Morian didn't consider himself a materialistic person, but that's how society works. In order to seek better development, it's understandable to follow the market logic of "you get what you pay for".

After all, in the midst of a busy schedule, it's necessary to treat yourself occasionally.

Stepping out of the familiar working-class neighborhood, the most immediate feeling was that the air was much fresher, and at least the damp, musty smell had faded considerably.

The implementation of the new law led to the establishment of countless factories within cities. While this helped many ordinary people find jobs, industrial pollution was unavoidable. In addition, in order to save costs, factory owners preferred to discharge wastewater into ditches in the city or suburbs.

Indeed, rapid industrialization has led to a continuous expansion of military strength, with giant ships and cannons crisscrossing the seas. However, no one is willing to pay for the thick black smoke billowing in the sky, and no one knows whether this path of compromise is the right one.

Stepping into the well-planned commercial street with its smooth and clean stone slabs, the scene before him seemed to give Morian a brief glimpse of the once-prosperous streets of Earth.

The various shops, adorned with exquisitely decorated windows, interspersed with green trees and blooming flowers, not only serve as streetscape elements but also exude a refreshing and delightful fragrance.

Compared to the area we just left, this place is like two completely different worlds.

His gaze swept across the row of shops, and he quickly spotted a restaurant with an eye-catching facade. The restaurant had wide floor-to-ceiling windows, and the signboard hanging above it read "Canary Restaurant" in large characters.

crunch.

As I pushed open the door, the bell on it jingled.

Just like the restaurant's name suggests, the interior decoration style is dominated by pure white and gold colors, with fragrant lilies placed at the entrance.

Two waiters, dressed in crisp black uniforms and wearing polite smiles, immediately came to greet us.

"Someone, find me a quiet spot by the window with a good view." Morian held up one finger, maintaining a natural expression as if he were just a regular customer.

Although he was already worried about the projected bill.

"Please follow me, sir. Please feel free to ask for anything you need." A waiter respectfully led the way to a corner seat by the floor-to-ceiling window and then handed over a menu.

Morian quickly browsed through the menu and ordered a medium-rare steak, a cheese and butter bread, a lemon-baked salmon, and Snow Beer.

He was indeed hungry, and not wanting to waste too much time, he devoured all the food as soon as it was served.

Actually, the food tasted pretty good. Even if a restaurant in a commercial area is bad, there's still a limit to how bad it is. It's just that the beer wasn't very good, but that might be because he doesn't like drinking alcohol but insisted on trying it anyway.

This meal cost a total of 5 pounds 2 shillings, which is equivalent to a little over a week's worth of food expenses in the past. The price markup for food in this place is indeed too high, and it's not worth coming here often.

Stepping out of the restaurant, the morning sun was even brighter.

After passing several shops displaying exquisite clothing, Morian was still undecided about which one to go to.

If we're talking about the most classic and foolproof combination, it's undoubtedly a white shirt as a base layer, a black trench coat and top hat as outerwear, paired with matching trousers and a pair of clean leather boots.

This outfit is basically the same as the attire worn by upper-class nobles for non-extremely formal occasions. It is highly practical, as one set can serve as two sets for multiple purposes. By simply adding a suit jacket, it can handle most occasions.

Besides the casual clothes he wore when changing identities, his wardrobe also contained a few similar clothes and pants, but they were all cheap items bought from the market and couldn't stand up to scrutiny in terms of details.

Anyone with a discerning eye can immediately see the wearer's predicament and the cheapness of the clothing.

After comparing the prices displayed in the windows of several shops, Morian slowly walked into the shop called "Smith Clothing".

"Good morning, sir. What can I do for you?" A middle-aged man with meticulously combed hair turned around from beside a row of coat racks and asked warmly.

His gaze swept over the glass display case and the suits and trousers hanging against the wall. Morian carefully considered his words before speaking:

"Hmm... I'd like to see a few white shirts for everyday wear, and a mid-length trench coat."

"Wait a moment." After hearing the request, the middle-aged man looked down at Zhe De's figure, then immediately went into the depths of the shop and returned shortly with the selected clothes.

"How about this one? It's made of the finest fabric and will be comfortable and cool to wear in the summer." He held up a white shirt with a pocket sewn onto the left side of its chest.

"...Too thin." Morian glanced at it a few times and gave his assessment.

"And this trench coat, the fabric is dense and thick enough, and it's very slim-fitting, only 8 pounds 8 shillings." The middle-aged man picked up another black trench coat, showing off its lining and workmanship.

Morian took the clothes, inspected them inside and out for any minor flaws in the workmanship, and then compared the length to the mirror on the wall.

The workmanship is indeed quite good, and eight pounds is within an acceptable range.

"The length is a bit short. Do you have a style with a longer hem?"

……

After some selection and bargaining, Morian finally counted out a few bills from his wallet and handed a total of 45 pounds to the shop owner, while also taking several bags containing clothing.

"Thank you for your patronage. Smith Apparel looks forward to your next visit." The shopkeeper smiled and handed over the receipt.

"It won't happen again," Morian thought, his lips twitching slightly. If it happened a few more times, his wallet wouldn't be able to keep up.

During this trip, he bought two high-quality white shirts and well-fitting black trousers, a black overcoat that went past the knees, a brown vest, a light-colored vest, and some ties of various colors.

The basic decent attire has been upgraded.

The next and most important step is to purchase the materials for alchemy.

Walking back along the street, Morian decided to splurge on another carriage ride to the market. After all, he had just spent so much money on clothes, and if he continued to buy those "high-quality" materials in the commercial district, he would probably waste a lot of money.

Indeed, we still need to save where we should and spend where we should; careful budgeting is the way to long-term success.

"Let's go to the market."

The waiting coachman stopped what he was doing, looked him up and down a few times, and a hint of doubt appeared in his eyes. He seemed curious as to why this well-dressed young man would want to go to the noisy and chaotic market.

In the Kingdom of Hiran, grocery shopping is usually handled by hired butlers or servants. Although there are wealthy people who buy an estate and then develop farmland and livestock to produce their own food, most of them choose to buy quiet and comfortable detached villas.

The coachman swallowed back the price he was about to say, and after a brief moment of thought, slowly uttered a number:

"1 pound...5 shillings"

What the hell?!

Morian was dumbfounded, thinking he had never heard of such a ridiculous price in his life, and almost thought he had misheard.

It's only a half-hour walk from the commercial street to the market, and the normal price is at most two shillings. This is blatant overcharging.

Bro really didn't treat me like an outsider, nor did he treat me like a human being.

Without even the slightest hesitation or attempt to haggle, his face darkened, and he turned and left.

This isn't a question of whether the price is affordable, but rather whether one's principles and intelligence have been insulted. He'd rather walk a few more steps as exercise than suffer such a huge loss by targeting "foolish and rich" people.

It took Morian twenty minutes to walk to the market, and then two hours of haggling at various stalls before he finally collected all the materials for alchemy and carried them home in large and small bags.

My biggest takeaway is that the materials are incredibly expensive, a real drain on my wallet!

Of the 150 pounds I brought with me when I left, only 30 pounds remain. The majority of that is from alchemy materials. Apart from the recovery potion, the other materials required are increasingly expensive.

Could it be that alchemy is essentially just about throwing money at it?

But this also seems to conform to its principle of equivalent exchange... to obtain extraordinary products, one must pay an equivalent price.

Well, as long as these investments ultimately translate into personal growth, then it's all worthwhile.

It was nearly afternoon, and the sunlight was becoming increasingly intense. Even with buildings providing some shade, the sweltering air was still unbearable.

The people on the street, however, seemed unaffected, continuing to work tirelessly and move about for their livelihoods.

As a worker carrying heavy planks on his shoulder approached, Morian quickly dodged to the side, but due to his slightly large movement and close proximity, he accidentally brushed against the pet dog being led by an elegantly dressed woman.

The snow-white puppy was immediately startled and began barking wildly, drawing an unsatisfied glance from the woman.

It's only a few dozen meters from the office, in a quiet environment. Just a few steps to the right after you go out, you'll find a community garden. At this moment, several elderly people with gray hair are sitting around a tea table in the garden, listening attentively to a pastor's scripture reading.

A good living environment naturally requires good public security. At the street corner at the entrance of the garden, two police officers in disheveled clothes were leaning against the brick wall, talking in hushed tones.

"Have you heard? Old Brown, the one who always wanders the streets, is dead."