Odis had ulterior motives when he lent the Staff of Guth to Bernadette.
If the "Mysterious Queen" could establish a connection with the "Lord of Mysteries," that would be ideal. This would not only strengthen mutual trust, but also allow Odis to provide more assistance when Bernadette advances in the future.
When Bernadette learned that she could borrow the "Gus Staff," she simply grunted in response and then changed the subject: "You mentioned before that you planned to train a group of extraordinary tool researchers?"
Odis nodded: "Yes."
He then went on to say, "Currently, the forces I have cultivated myself already have a group of extraordinary individuals who are either 'Secret Seekers' or 'General Knowledgeers,' but they are all 'low-sequence' extraordinary individuals."
Without the "Gar Rune", one could only conduct the corresponding research at least at the Sequence 6 level with the "Craftsman" and "Scroll Professor".
However, now that there are "Garr runes," even "low-sequence" extraordinary individuals can use computation to create corresponding extraordinary tools after completing the necessary training.
With the emergence of "Spirit Storage Crystals," ordinary people can also perform this kind of work, but they will be much slower than extraordinary individuals in learning about magic arrays and "Garr runes."
The calculation process is very difficult for ordinary people, and they cannot come into contact with anything too advanced, otherwise they are easily contaminated.
"There is a group of 'low-sequence' extraordinary individuals on Lasha Island who are 'Generalists'," Bernadette said. "Under the current conditions, I simply don't have enough traits to advance them."
She looked at Odis: "You can try to recruit them."
Wild "Generalist" individuals face a precarious situation before becoming "Craftsmen," lacking significant combat strength. Crucially, their battles primarily require extraordinary weapons, which are extremely expensive.
However, most of them were unwilling to join the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery. Firstly, the Church of Steam might not be able to trust them, and secondly, they chose this path in the hope of making a lot of money after becoming "craftsmen".
The "Elemental Dawn" is one of the few organizations that can provide them with the "Artisan" trait, so many wild "Generalist" pathway extraordinary individuals come here because of its reputation.
However, "Elemental Dawn" does not need too many "craftsmen". Even if they open "magical item manufacturing shops" under the guise of leather goods stores in several major cities, it is only enough to absorb the current production capacity of those "craftsmen".
Moreover, while such "manufacturing shops" earn a lot of money, they also have high expenses because they require extraordinary power to maintain the normal operation of such shops.
This is why Odis intended to use a "teleportation array" as the entrance to the "Scroll Shop," as such a place would easily attract the attention of other Extraordinary Individuals, whether they were official Extraordinary Individuals or those from clandestine organizations.
The "Generalist" pathway extraordinary individuals waiting on Lasha Island were in a somewhat awkward position. At Sequence 7, they were unable to complete dangerous missions independently, and "Elemental Dawn" had no shortage of research talent. They could be said to have no advantage in this organization.
But Bernadette will still try her best to retain them, providing them with easy and stable jobs.
Because this is an important "extraordinary reserve," even though such a "reserve" is mostly unused.
She knew very well that what Odis needed most at this time was this kind of "extraordinary accumulation", so after deciding to help Odis further, she planned to use the entire "Elemental Dawn" to further lift Odis up.
Bernadette was well aware that such a decision posed both enormous risks and opportunities for the Elemental Dawn to become even stronger.
Odis was deeply moved by Bernadette's help: "Thank you."
"Yes, I'll send the second and third mates to recruit people in the next few days."
At this time, Third Mate Bivis had been promoted to "craftsman".
After settling the matter, Odis then discussed the pirate tournament with Bernadette.
The grand maritime event is just days away, and Odis has made thorough preparations and plans to stay on Cruz Island for the next few days.
Because some pirates had already arrived at the venue, Odis needed to personally intimidate them.
"I'm somewhat surprised that the 'Morse Penitentiary' hasn't made a move yet," Odis said to Bernadette on the sofa. "I had received intelligence that they were preparing to take some action against me."
This intelligence was obtained from Rosalind, one of the ten pillars of the "Morse Penitentiary," who was currently running a mobile library and had not been able to obtain any new information from her recently.
Logically speaking, Odis had been in Vote for some time, and even if the "Morse Penitentiary" was slow to react, they should have received the news by now.
But they didn't take any action for a long time, which made Odis wonder if they were going to "make a big move".
He also believes that the presence of Bernadette by his side may be the reason why they have not yet taken action.
After all, even if the angels came, they would have difficulty harming Odysseus.
Bernadette thought for a moment before asking, "What are your plans?"
"I don't have any plans," Odis laughed. "After all, the enemy is hiding in the shadows, and any plan could fall through."
He paused for a moment before saying, "What I'm worried about now is that after they conduct some investigation in Wotai, they might change their mission from assassinating me to sabotaging my operations in Wotai."
After all, establishing a corresponding force in Wotai State is a crucial step for Odis. Once he has a base in Wotai State, he will have a springboard in both the Raging Sea and the Northern Continent.
Once Odis becomes a demigod, he can formally establish his own organization, recruit wild extraordinary individuals, and further expand his power.
A little research would reveal that disrupting Odis's plans in Vote would make him very uncomfortable.
Bernadette looked at Odis, already guessing what he was thinking: "During your pirate tournament, you want me to help you protect the gains you've made in Wotai?"
Odis nodded: "Yes, I have prepared for this..."
"No problem," Bernadette said before Odis could finish speaking.
Odis paused for a moment, but continued, "I...I have prepared a reward for you."
Bernadette waved her hand, then said seriously, "When I saw what you did in Wotai, I knew that this state, this country, would be yours sooner or later."
"In my opinion, helping you is a long-term investment. You can just say hello to this small favor; there's no need to prepare any compensation."
Odis smiled and said, "Now that you mention it, I'm afraid I won't be able to pay you enough in the future."
"Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. I'm an angel investor." Bernadette clearly remembered that after her father became consul, the conflict between him and the church grew increasingly serious.
Bernadette found it a great experience to be involved in Odis's actions; she wasn't too concerned about the distribution of profits after success.
Or rather, based on her observations, she knew very well that by involving the "Elemental Dawn" in the revolution initiated by Odis, and by making the "Elemental Dawn" even larger, it would be her share of the benefits.
Yes, in Bernadette's view, Odis is now carrying out a revolution.
However, this guy is very much like a seasoned politician. Before he becomes powerful enough, he will not make any statements that contradict the current rulers. He will just quietly accumulate strength and wait for an opportunity.
"Alright then." Odis did not insist further, but said, "The construction of the railway is the priority now and in the future. As for the bandit suppression, there is no need to worry about it, because once the newly recruited men have completed their basic training, I will be able to completely eliminate the bandit problem in Wotai Prefecture in less than a month."
Bernadette paused for a moment. She had thought about this problem before. If she used her extraordinary power at the demigod level, the problem didn't seem too difficult to solve: just kill all the bandits.
Hypnotizing them or imprisoning them are too troublesome, so it's much more effective to just kill them all.
Anyway, they had killed people either voluntarily or under duress, or at least committed crimes like burglary, so they didn't have much of a psychological burden when they killed.
If new bandits appear, then kill them again.
But if that's the case, by the time the bandit problem is completely solved, it's estimated that almost all the able-bodied men in the entire Wotai Prefecture will have been killed.
She knew very well that this was a way of thinking from the perspective of an extraordinary person, not from the perspective of a ruler.
"No problem." Bernadette smiled, realizing that Odis would surprise her again. "I can help you maintain the status quo."
Odis nodded: "Okay."
After discussing some details, the two started talking about going to a bar for a drink together.
Because they were so satisfied with today's spoils, they drank until evening without realizing it.
Odis returned to his bedroom reeking of alcohol. Instead of going to sleep immediately, he lit his pipe and began to summarize the rules of conduct.
Since arriving in Wotai State, he has often pondered this, because in the last few days he has not known why the potion has started to be digested little by little.
Just two days ago, when Odis heard rumors that "the new governor is Prince Lenburg" and "the new governor is a chosen one of the gods," he probably understood why the potion had been digested.
After completing the bandit suppression operation, Odis transferred many intelligence personnel from Bayam. Their only task was to help Odis build momentum.
Odis was also very "experienced" in creating momentum. He knew that simply reciting a script wouldn't do if he wanted to praise the governor. He needed to use a series of fabricated stories to quickly build up the image of the "new governor" in the minds of the people.
And Odis did indeed do many things, so as those stories spread, they were embellished and became more and more outrageous.
The versions reported by his subordinates to Odis were all ones that would not embarrass him. After hearing some rumors, Bernadette laughed and asked Odis if he could eat three cows in one meal and use the toilet once to fertilize three acres of land.
Odis was speechless.
Regardless of public opinion, Odis has already acquired a certain "legendary" quality, which makes her even more mysterious.
So Odis digested the potion!
Odis then realized that the core of being an "astrologer" was not about using celestial phenomena to divine for others, but about gaining the respect and admiration of those who received the divination after making an accurate prediction.
A normal "astrologer" achieves this by pretending to be a charlatan, while Odis achieves the same effect by acting as a governor.
So Odis concluded in his mind: try not to appear in front of the public; use the facts he has done to mobilize public opinion and make the people continue to feel that their governor is very powerful.
To sum it up briefly, Odis went to bed early, as she had a lot to do tomorrow.
The following morning, Odis first set up a "teleportation array" from Cruz Island to Wotai City, and then took Longzel and Mandy back to Cruz Island.
The port town had been transformed by then, and the whole town looked brand new with distinct layers. The only drawback was that the smell of paint had not completely dissipated.
After all, the construction period was so tight, and Odis had no intention of using extraordinary means to speed things up.
The pirate convention is still three days away, but a group of pirates have already arrived. They are all amazed that such a remote island has such a large deep-water port and such a beautiful town.
The entire port town, whether new or old, has been painted with a fresh coat of paint and simple designs.
Some landscapes feature blue skies and white clouds, while others depict the sea and islands, creating an overall artistic feel.
Although the pirates were rough men, they still had basic aesthetic sense, and coming to a town like this would make them feel happy.
At the same time, Odis divided the town into five areas: the accommodation area, the red street area, the trading area, the dining area, and the residential area.
The lodging area was a hotel that provided accommodation for the pirates, while the Red Street was the area where prostitutes solicited business.
Although Odis didn't particularly like the business, he was well aware that it was an important source of income for many women on the island, and that it couldn't be stopped until new industries were developed.
Moreover, this business may not be able to be stopped in the future, since pirates are not exactly gentlemen, and satisfying their desires at the port is one of their main purposes for landing.
Unless there are no pirates at sea, streetwalkers will be the most common profession in this area.
Therefore, Odis tried to formalize the business, including setting corresponding hygiene standards, providing appropriate personal protection for the streetwalkers, and providing them with relevant training.
The people Mandy brought were all very skilled at this. With a little training, any one of them could make the prostitutes on Cruise Island stand out on the high seas.
The purpose of "standing out" is to command higher prices so that streetwalkers can escape poverty as soon as possible.
Another important poverty alleviation project is located in the trading and dining areas. There are two types of transactions here. The first is to purchase the pirates' spoils, which requires a strong background and ample funds. Therefore, this business can only be carried out by the town government.
When Odis returned, in addition to establishing a passage between Cruz Island and Vote State, he also brought back a large amount of cash.
This cash was seized from nobles and bandits, and Odis intended to use it to purchase the pirates' spoils, including a large amount of cargo from merchant ships.
Converting goods into cash was an important way for pirates to sell stolen goods. Compared with goods sold through normal channels, these stolen goods were very cheap, and many of them were purchased for less than one-tenth of the price of goods sold through normal channels.
After Odis established the "teleportation array" between Crus Island and Vote State, he was able to transport large quantities of goods to Vote State.
In recent years, industrial production in Vote State has been almost at a standstill, requiring a large amount of industrial products, and some of the stolen goods can be easily sold within the state.
Odis planned to organize a caravan to transport most of the stolen goods to the city of Solothu, and then use the railway to transport them to other regions. He believed he could quickly sell these goods and then make money to repair the railway.
This is a business that only Odis can currently do, because the cost of transporting the stolen goods to the Northern Continent is extremely low. He doesn't have to pay taxes or bribe customs officials, and the profits are quite considerable.
If the Remnburg government wants to get involved and take a share, Odis will ask them for more funds to build the railway.
As a Sequence 5 and with the support of the Church, Odis was not afraid of them at all.
Other daily necessities, such as everyday items, jewelry, clothing, hats, boots, etc., can be traded with local residents.
As for arms deals, they are currently only under the control of the town government.
Odis has already manufactured a batch of submachine guns and semi-automatic rifles, preparing for limited sales.
In the food area, Odis uses "smart helmets" to provide training, enabling the local people on the island to quickly master the methods of making some local specialties. He also provides them with interest-free loans to help them get their businesses up and running.
Although the number of visitors will decrease rapidly after the Pirate Convention, it will certainly help some people escape poverty and even become wealthy.
The last residential area was for the town's residents; Odis had moved all the original port town residents together.
Odis stood atop Lighthouse Hill, surveyed the bustling port town and harbor, and then, led by a staff member, arrived at his office.
After this period of construction, the buildings on Lighthouse Hill are basically completed. The first batch of buildings facing the sea are mainly positions and bunkers, while those facing the island are mainly administrative offices and some residential areas.
The second phase of construction is still underway, mainly consisting of supporting facilities such as schools and shops, as well as the second phase of residential areas.
Odis intended to distribute these residences to those who followed him; for example, Mandy and others were eager to have their families move here.
There's none of the chill and gloom of Backlund here, prices are low, and most importantly, there's an abundance of fruit and food is very inexpensive.
The only downside might be the risk of being attacked, given the presence of pirates hostile to Odis and the Fennepot Navy, which is also an adversary.
Providing the local natives who have just pledged allegiance to Odis, as well as the newly trained extraordinary individuals, with housing far exceeding the living standards of Cruz Island, will enhance their sense of belonging.
Meanwhile, Odis also planned to build a new housing development in Plains Town, which was intended to be sold to pirates who hoped to settle there.
The future model is that the port town will host pirates, while the town itself will be isolated from other areas.
Plains Town can accommodate pirates who intend to settle there, and Odis can even provide them with the necessary protection.
These kinds of pirates usually went to sea because they were too poor in their hometowns. After making a fortune at sea, they hoped to return to a normal life.
Odis believed that such pirates were acceptable.
As for Lighthouse Town, it does not accept any outsiders unless they pledge allegiance to Odis and work for him for a period of time.
Odis's office was on the second floor of the town hall. It was very spacious, and all the decorations were very new. They were the work of designers hired by Backlund. Both the decorations and the desk looked very impressive.
He toured his office and was quite satisfied. Just as he was about to go find Grosser, Mandy's assistant, Bella, came to report: "Mr. Garr, Mr. Tim has something urgent to discuss with you."
During Mandy's absence, Bella was in charge of the normal operation of Cruz Island.
Tim is an officer sent by the Rune Navy to contact the "Dawnbreaker," but he also has the duty to monitor the "Dawnbreaker."
In an ordinary pirate crew, this position would certainly be of high status, but in "Dawnbreaker," this naval officer was like a transparent person. Rupert and the others who stayed behind on Crus Island went about their business as usual, seemingly not treating him as an outsider at all.
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Odis said, "Let him in."
He guessed that the navy had sent people again.
Sure enough, a man in his thirties with a rather handsome appearance came in with Tim. Tim introduced him, "This is Bob."
Odis simply grunted in response, then looked at Tim: "What do you need me for?"
His meaning was simple: I'll only talk to you.
This made Tim secretly grateful to the captain. His current situation was rather special. He was sent by the original Admiral Emilius. After the new admiral took office, considering that he knew the "Mysterious Admiral" and the "Dawn Sword" pirate crew best, he was allowed to continue in his post.
If Tim cannot keep his current job, he will likely be transferred to a sinecure by the new general and will be unlikely to be given important responsibilities for the next few years.
The most important thing to keep your current job is to prove that your role is unique.
"The Mysterious Admiral" is only willing to talk to Tim, so he is irreplaceable.
Tim smiled and said, "Bob came a week ago but hasn't been able to find you."
He asked Rupert for information, only to learn that the captain had gone to the North Continent to become the governor and was not replying to letters written to Odis.
Odis invited the two to sit down on the sofa over there, then smiled and said, "I've been a bit busy lately."
He knew perfectly well what Tim and Bob wanted from him, which was why he didn't reply.
"Here's the thing," Tim quickly got to the point: "The Navy wants your cooperation to arrest several wanted criminals during the Pirate Conference."
Odis refused outright: "No!"
He then added, "I will not arrest the pirates as long as they do not commit crimes on Cruise Island."
Tim paused for a moment before laughing and saying, "I understand."
At this moment, Bob, who had been silent until now, spoke in an unfriendly tone: "It is your duty to carry out the Navy's orders..."
Tim cursed under his breath as an "idiot," then quickly said, "Let's go back and discuss it."
Odis gave Bob a cold look before saying, "I only promised to assist the navy in eliminating pirates, but I did not promise to help capture wanted criminals."
Bob frowned. "What's the difference?"
Odis suddenly laughed and said to Tim, "How did the Navy end up recruiting such an idiot?"
Tim didn't know what to say, so he could only sit aside and smile apologetically.
Bob was about to explode when Odis spoke to him first: "I said it's different, and it's different."
"Furthermore, I have no obligation to carry out naval orders, because I have never received a penny of salary from the navy."
"If you continue to spout nonsense, I will immediately join forces with Fenneport and relentlessly attack the islands along the Chacker Island, Nicard Island, and Norhouse Island line."
"I can tell you definitively that unless the Rune Navy sends three fleets, don't even think about stopping my ship."
Bob opened his mouth wide, momentarily speechless.
Tim quickly said, "He's not very good at talking, please don't be angry."
He then started talking about the changes that had taken place on Cruise Island in recent months, abruptly jumping to another topic.
Odis didn't mind and started chatting with Tim.
After chatting for a few minutes, Tim got up to say goodbye.
After the two left the mayor's office, Tim whispered, "If you want to die, don't drag me down with you."
Bob replied, "Odis wouldn't dare kill us."
Tim cursed "idiot" under his breath again: "If the 'Mysterious Admiral' had really sided with Fennepot, would he need to kill us?"
Bob swallowed hard, but still stubbornly insisted, "He destroyed so many of Feneport's warships, would Feneport accept him?"
Tim took a deep breath and tried to explain calmly, "That just proves his worth."
Bob had no choice but to change the subject: "What should we do if we fail to complete the general's mission?"
Tim thought to himself: You have the nerve to mention the general? I reported to the navy a month ago that the new pirate convention would be held on Crus Island.
If the newly appointed General Michel wanted to gain political achievements, he should have sent someone to "comfort" the "mysterious general" long ago. However, he has been in office for more than a month and has not sent anyone to make contact.
They only sent someone because they needed the help of the "Mysterious Admiral." If I were Captain Odis, I would have to leave you hanging there for a week.
But he said aloud, "Didn't you hear? Odis already agreed!"
"He agreed? Didn't he say that if the pirates didn't commit crimes on Cruise Island, he wouldn't..." At this point, Bob understood what the other person meant.
Tim laughed at the other man's foolish appearance and said, "We can make them commit crimes!"
Bob replied, "Actually, the task would be much simpler if we sent people to forcibly arrest them."
Tim was genuinely amused and exasperated: "Then we can forget about catching those wanted criminals."
He was certain that Odis would protect those people and spread the word that the Navy would not be able to capture anyone on Cruz Island.
Tim knew perfectly well that Odis intended to build a place on Cruz Island for pirates to sell their stolen goods and spend their money, and that security was the pirates' top priority.
Especially during the process of selling stolen goods, the pirates felt very insecure and had a higher demand for security and stability.
In Odis's view, the navy's unannounced arrest was a perfect opportunity for him to promote himself.
He had enough confidence to do so because, in addition to cooperating with the Navy, he was also a "favored one of the Goddess of Night," an identity that allowed him to disregard the Navy's orders.
...
After seeing Tim and Bob off, Odis used "travel" to reach the village opposite Lighthouse Hill.
The residences for Grosser and the others who came out of the book are now complete, and have been decorated in their preferred style.
Grosser and others named this place "Old Village".
When Odis arrived in his hometown village, Grosser was sharpening his enormous greatsword in the open space in the center.
Odis asked, "Where are Shatas and the others?"
"Sartas and Mobert went hunting in the mountains." Grosser folded a piece of cloth the size of a curtain and wiped the greatsword in his hand. "Snowman went to Plainstown to help make dried mangoes."
Odis was taken aback: "You don't have enough food?"
Grosser, who only had one vertical eye, smiled and said, "We should always find something to do."
Odis said "Oh," and then added, "Rupert must have spoken to you, right?"
A few days ago, Odis received a letter from Hugh, confirming the location of the giant tribe.
Since Odis was unable to leave, he wrote to Rupert and asked him to relay the matter to Grosser.
"We've talked." Grosser sheathed his greatsword and sighed, "I had given up hope, but I never expected there would still be a tribe of giants."
"I'm taking you there today to have a look," Odis said. "Are you mentally prepared?"
"It's done." Grosser's tone sounded somewhat unnatural.
Odis laughed and said, "You don't need to be nervous."
Grosser said, as if to reassure himself, "Yes, don't be nervous. Just greet them like giants, and all the barriers will be gone."
Odis hummed in agreement and then asked, "If you're ready, let's set off now."
After receiving an affirmative answer, Odis grabbed one of Grosser's fingers and opened the "Illusory Gate" to travel to the Fusak Empire.
This empire was located at the northern end of the northern continent, while the tribe of giants was in the north of the country. Because Grosser was so large, he needed more spirituality to travel in the spirit world, so they rested once along the way before reaching their destination.
It was a small town in a valley, and from a distance, one could see tall figures walking on the town's streets.
This place is located on the south side of the Antal Mountains, which are basically a natural dividing line. To the north of the Antal Mountains lies the Plain of Eternal Night, where the polar day and polar night alternate.
In contrast, the southern part of the Antal Mountains experiences two or three months of relatively normal weather throughout the year.
Although those two or three months are called summer, they are relatively cool. However, in the months before and after that, the snow and ice will melt, and the vegetation will have a short growing season.
The tribe of giants was settled in this remote place.
After observing the town for a while, Odis said, "I heard that the giant tribe is quite hostile to humans, so I won't go with you."
"I will come here again at this time tomorrow. Then you can decide whether you want to stay here for a while or come back with me."
"If you encounter an emergency, recite a holy name in the language of giants: the essence of knowledge, the wilderness of mystery;
"The brilliance of all civilizations;"
"To dispel the beacon of truth that is unknown."
Grosser took careful notes.
After bidding farewell once more, Odis returned to the island of Crus through a "journey".
Grosser stared blankly at the spot where Odis had disappeared for a moment before turning to look at the town built by the giant, feeling somewhat lost and uneasy.
...
As evening fell, "Admiral" Cattleya arrived at Cruz Island two days ahead of schedule.
She quietly observed the huge harbor and the beautiful houses on the island.
None of this surprised her. In her view, it was not surprising that the "Hermit" could build a deserted island into such a state with his abilities and resourcefulness.
The arrival of the "Future" attracted all the pirates on the island to the port to watch the excitement.
During the "Pirate Conference," pirates generally do not attack each other unless they have a deep-seated hatred for each other, so they are not worried about being killed by the "Star Admiral" with one shot.
Odis also gave him face, and after hearing his subordinate's report, he personally went to the dock to greet him.
Immediately afterward, the "Future" docked, and a ball of stardust appeared in Cattleya's palm, emitting a dazzling starlight.
Then these starlight solidified and formed the gangway from the ship to the dock.
As Cattleya stepped onto the pier via the gangway, Odis smiled and said, "Welcome to Cruz Island."
Cattleya said, "I hope this pirate tournament won't disappoint."
"Of course." Odis gestured for you to enter. "I've prepared accommodations for you, but before that, I'll show you around the town."
Cattleya was taken aback: "What's so interesting about this?"
This wasn't her first time attending the pirate convention. As an island hosting the pirate convention, the only difference was that the food was more unique and the streetwalkers were more alluring.
Just then, the streetlights turned on one by one.
Gadriya stared at the scene before her for a moment before saying, "Show me around."