Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 36: Fighting Poison with Poison

After bidding farewell to Benjamin, Levi went to the other side of the 【Intelligence Research Department】, and as soon as he opened the door, he heard the sound of an argument coming from inside.

Levi peeked in and saw Mr. Richard and Ms. Windsor facing each other in heated debate.

Only when they saw Levi did they stop quarreling.

“Uh……… looks like I came at the wrong time?”

“No, you came just in time, Mr. Levi.”

Mr. Richard shifted his bucket-like body, stood up, and waved to Levi.

“Actually, Ms. Windsor and I were having an academic discussion about your report. Perhaps you could give us some insight.”

“All right.”

Levi entered the room and sat down across from the two of them.

“What were you discussing?”

“We read your report. Based on your description, these people are trying to use a certain method to gain power.”

Ms. Windsor stretched out her hand, adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, and spoke with a stern expression.

Seeing her like this, Levi couldn’t help but think of his elementary school homeroom teacher who taught Chinese—serious, strict, and full of oppressive presence.

“They create incidents, spread rumors related to them, and try to draw power from it, thereby strengthening themselves………”

“That’s only a guess.”

Levi answered cautiously.

“Thank goodness, so far we haven’t seen the completed form of such a plan. My report was based on what the other party described, as well as my own experience. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s fact.”

“That’s understandable. Rigorous investigation and research are indispensable.”

Ms. Windsor nodded.

“And just now, Mr. Richard proposed such a plan. He thinks that since the other side can use this method, then so can we.”

“…………………？”

“Let me explain.”

Under Levi’s puzzled gaze, Richard rubbed his hands together with a grin.

“If they’re trying to gain power through the consensus of the human subconscious, then of course we can do the same. For example, we could have someone perform an act befitting a hero from history or legend, or we could connect our opponent with such a hero through this method, thereby gaining that hero’s power………”

“But that’s extremely dangerous!”

Ms. Windsor immediately objected.

“I believe our enemies can’t possibly be so foolish as to miss something even you were able to discover, yet they still chose this method. Why? Because the images of historical and mythological figures are deeply rooted in the public’s consciousness! Even if your method succeeded, merging the experimenter with a hero figure, the question remains—who would stand before us then? The experimenter? The hero? Or merely the hero as imagined by the public’s consciousness?”

“That isn’t a problem for us.”

Mr. Richard clearly felt confident.

“We are subjects of the Empire. Of course we can summon heroes who once guarded the Empire. We are not the vermin hiding in shadows. We have a proud and glorious duty, and I believe those heroes would also lend us their strength to defend the Empire.”

“Good idea, but Mr. Richard, I think you overlooked one thing.”

Levi, having understood the crux of their dispute, joined in.

“Let’s assume your theory is correct, and we really did obtain a superhuman hero. Then how do we restrict his actions? Or do you think the Empire should disarm and rely solely on a handful of superhumans to dominate the world?”

“That……… hmm……… I’m not sure……………”

“At least as far as I’m concerned, I’d never want some unknown guy with superpowers standing by my side. Who knows what he might do.”

Levi made his stance clear, siding with Ms. Windsor, while Mr. Richard only mumbled a few words and scratched his head.

“All right, I admit, that was an oversight……… But I think, it won’t be long before we actually encounter such individuals.”

“What do you mean?”

“Simple.”

Mr. Richard chuckled.

“Since those people spread rumors and whispers through humanity’s subconscious, and then anchor them to reality to draw power……… if this theory is correct, then soon enough, as Mr.

Levi said, we’ll be seeing a completed form.”

“Why? Do you know the enemy’s next plan?”

“I’m no fortune teller. But have you forgotten?”

Richard patted the books beside him.

“If it’s just this process, then no ringleader is needed. Fairy tales, poems, the legends passed down in wilderness, forests, and seas. Fairies, mermaids, unicorns……… If humanity’s subconscious could really affect reality, then even without guidance, these might appear in our world.”

“This……………”

Hearing this, Levi’s heart suddenly sank.

Indeed, as Richard said, the process didn’t seem to require any special ritual.

From what he had seen, the enemy merely committed crimes in reality to align themselves with those rumors, drawing closer, perhaps eventually merging.

Other than that, Levi hadn’t seen any mysterious cult rites or strange incantations.

If that were true……… it meant that mutations in this world weren’t limited to humans!

As Richard said, take mermaids for example—mermaids had prototypes, and most sailors firmly believed in their legend.

If mermaids really appeared because of that, it wouldn’t be impossible………

Likewise, fairies, unicorns, pixies……… those might still be acceptable.

But what if it was witches, warlocks, ghosts?

What would this world become?

Levi silently shifted the topic.

“What do you think about what Miss Betty said?”

At Levi’s question, the two glanced at each other and shook their heads.

“We are not occultists, nor do we have any mysterious powers.

If you’re asking about theoretical knowledge, all I can say is I don’t feel this era is any different from before.”

“But the Luddites don’t think so.”

Richard snorted.

“They insist that humanity’s use of machinery, the Industrial Revolution, destroyed nature’s balance. They claim humanity should be a part of nature, not above it.

They say our actions blaspheme God and this world, and we will surely be punished……….”

Levi sneered, clearly dismissing it.

In his eyes, these Luddites were no different from the crazy green terrorists of his own era.

They dreamed of the kind of beautiful life seen in fairy-tale films—green meadows, wooden houses, farming and hunting, everyone living in pastoral bliss.

Only, in Levi’s era, those lunatics were just delusional—like people who saw influencer travel videos, went on trips, and imagined themselves enjoying the same breathtaking scenery.

Then got swarmed by mosquitoes and couldn’t sleep all night.

Modern city folk only saw nature’s beauty, ignoring its dangers.

The Luddites of this era weren’t quite so stupid.

They were more fearful—after all, this was the first Industrial Revolution.

Steel and steam power shattered long-held human common sense.

Many people didn’t want to, or couldn’t, accept such incomprehensible concepts, preferring to return to the lives they understood.

That wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

The Luddites also had their logic.

They argued that natural creatures required less human oversight.

For example—————our cows can birth calves on their own.

Can trains do that? No, they can’t!

Well, of course they can’t.

If Levi ever saw two trains mating on the tracks and giving birth, then he’d know he was drunk.

But clearly, with the advance of the Industrial Revolution, the Luddites were being forced into a corner.

Just look at the recently passed laws—the Council had decided to clean up the horse-drawn carriages of Mist City.

The stench and pollution of horse manure had to be curbed.

Thus, they had already begun replacing public carriages with steam-powered omnibuses.

Road expansion, carriage taxes, and more were part of the plan.

Levi even saw that they intended to build aerial railways for city transport.

Hmm……… this era truly was insane.

From the viewpoint of someone from the future, Levi thought the Empire’s actions made sense.

But from the perspective of the people of this era, he could understand the Luddites’ stance.

If, in Levi’s time, people suddenly abandoned reinforced concrete and steel technology and turned to a purely natural way of life, he too would think they were mad.

After that, Levi spoke with the two for quite some time, receiving many suggestions and opinions—they were scholars, pure and simple, and could not fight on the front lines with Levi.

All they could do was share their theories, leaving Levi to test them one by one.

Hmm, as far as Levi was concerned, he hoped they remained mere theories.

Still, Richard’s guess troubled him.

If Richard’s inference was right, then in the future his opponents might not just be humans……… Hmm, well, such troublesome matters could wait until they actually happened.

Or rather, he hoped they never happened.

“Oh, by the way, Mr. Levi.”

Just as Levi was about to leave, Richard called out to him.

“There’s another matter—regarding Professor Franz’s wanted notice. We need more details…………”

“Details? I’m no fortune teller, I don’t even know what the guy looks like……… wait.”

At that moment, inspiration struck Levi.

He picked up a pen and began scribbling rapidly in his notebook.

Moments later, he handed them the paper.

“All right, publish it like this.”

“？？？”

The two curiously took the paper, and Richard read it aloud in confusion.

“Height, one meter sixty. Left foot impaired. Skin dark brown. Biologically male, but personally believes himself to be female, often disguises as a woman to seduce young men. Suffers from syphilis, prostate disease, and kidney stones……….”

At this point, Richard looked at Levi in puzzlement.

“How do you know Franz is like this?”

“I don’t.”

Levi shook his head, then smiled.

“But we can make him so.”

“Uh……… you mean……………”

“Right now, we can’t pinpoint him. So why not try this trick?”

Levi chuckled.

“Since this fellow likes spreading rumors so much, let’s see how he enjoys being the target of one.”