Chapter 117 - 116: Universal Prank, Pei Guang’s Viral Hit

Stelle and March 7th immediately clicked on the video. After seeing the shocking title and watching the singing and dancing, followed by reading the description, March 7th couldn't help but laugh. "Pfft! It's actually pretty funny. The lyrics are all about never giving up or hurting someone, yet the whole thing is a trick. That contrast really makes it hilarious. But those Masked Fools followers... do they really worship the Aeon of Elation like this?" March 7th had learned something new today. What? It's fake? Well, real or not, it didn't matter. After all, with Pei Guang's vast experience, how could he possibly be wrong? But as Stelle scanned the titles Pei Guang had sent, she noticed something interesting. Stelle thought for a moment and asked, "Ah Guang, does this 'You've Been Tricked' have multiple meanings?" March 7th was confused. "Huh? Weren't those titles all fake?" Stelle shook her head. "The first one is something I experienced personally. The second one, Ah Guang has mentioned before—he once said that the answer to the universe is 42, and I'm sure he has his reasons for saying that. The purple century egg refers to Black Egg Boss, as Ah Guang calls him. The last one has a question mark, which means it's just a guess, not a certainty. So, Ah Guang's titles are all based on something real, not just tricks." Stelle smiled, "It's funny, right? To outsiders, it looks like we're tricking them, but in reality, these are 'truths' that we know. That contrast is pretty amusing. Ah Guang, are you sure you're not an Elation worshipper? By the way, does the Aeon of Elation really govern love?" Stelle looked puzzled. If Pei Guang said it, she believed he must have some evidence. Pei Guang gasped dramatically. "Wait, you didn't know? Do you not surf the web?" March 7th, equally confused, added, "What? The Aeon of Elation governs love? I've never heard that online." Pei Guang put on a mock-serious tone. "Ahem! That's right, and I have song evidence to prove it: 'Aha, give me a cup of forgetfulness!' and 'For this one phrase, Aha, even heartbreak is worth it.' See? Doesn't that clearly show that Aha governs love?" As Pei Guang sang, March 7th couldn't help but laugh. "Ahem, you know what... you're making some sense here. It's not really lying if you've got evidence, right? Haha! The Aeon of Elation governing love... that's probably the funniest thing I've heard all day. But love does bring pleasure, so technically, your reasoning isn't wrong. By the way, Aha was tricked too, you know! Aha, you've been tricked! Hahaha, I can't stop laughing." The more she thought about it, the funnier it became. If it were just a guess, it wouldn't have been as hilarious. But with Pei Guang's singing and the edited video, it all created a strange, comedic atmosphere. Stelle laughed as well. "So, does that mean every song with 'Aha' in the lyrics can be connected to this Aeon?" Pei Guang teased, "Maybe! I suspect this Aeon chose their name to play a grander game in the future. 'Aha, Aha, Aha'—anyone bold enough to call themselves that has to be a high-level trickster. Their name and probably a lot of the things they've done aren't just for short-term fun but to set up some bigger entertainment for later. Tricksters don't aim for quick dopamine hits. They're always planning something much grander. For all we know, we might just be pawns in their grand scheme of fun." As Pei Guang joked, Stelle and March 7th laughed heartily. After a while, March 7th noticed something was off—Dan Heng wasn't around. It was a shame, as this would have been a fun moment to joke with him. March 7th asked, "By the way, Ah Guang, do you know where Dan Heng went?" Pei Guang replied, "He mentioned it in the group chat—he's gone to the Fragmentum to try out some new combat techniques. He said we shouldn't worry." Stelle sighed, "Ah, so what are we doing now?" Pei Guang thought for a moment. "Let's explore Belobog a bit—see if Bronya has any tasks for us, and we can do some looting too, maybe find some unopened treasure chests. Oh, and that blue-haired guy... we should definitely loot him again, he's like a repeatable elite mob." Hearing there was still so much to do, Stelle and March 7th's eyes lit up. They had assumed after completing the first phase of tasks, they'd have to wait four more days for anything interesting to happen. But with so many activities still available, there was no time to waste. Time to get to work! So, after their morning chat and jokes, the trio prepared themselves for another day of exploration and adventure. However, Pei Guang had forgotten one small detail—he had shared the video link directly in the Astral Express family group chat. Meanwhile, on the Astral Express, Himeko was chatting with Herta. She was already aware of Pei Guang's antics, and as the responsible adult among the group, Himeko had been smoothing things over. But to her surprise, Herta wasn't upset—in fact, she seemed excited and even wanted to send over more puppets. With that settled, Himeko relaxed and prepared to enjoy her coffee. Just as she was about to take a sip, she noticed the video link Pei Guang had shared. The title alone made Himeko thankful she hadn't started drinking yet. "Ah Guang, what are you up to now? Are you really making fun of the Aeons?" Himeko had a smile of mixed amusement and exasperation. It wasn't unheard of to joke about the Aeons—after all, plenty of people across the universe did that. However, most video platforms quickly took down videos that could spark controversy or get the creator into trouble. While the Aeons themselves likely didn't care about these internet jokes, their followers definitely did. Joking about Lan would land you on the Xianzhou's blacklist. Mocking Nanook could put you on the radar of the Antimatter Legion. And if you dared to make fun of Qlipoth? The fans at the Interastral Peace Corporation would personally see to it that your IP got permanently banned. However, Pei Guang always knew how to walk that fine line. Mocking the Aeon of Nihility was generally safe, since their followers either didn't care or were too indifferent to be offended. After all, the adherents of Nihility were... a bit different from ordinary folks. As for those Masked Fools followers? They probably wouldn't care either. In fact, they might not even bother watching the video. They were too proud to seek simple pleasure through trickery. Still, Himeko couldn't deny that the video's title piqued her curiosity. She clicked on the link, and when the video began with a masked figure dancing and singing, Himeko went silent. When the video ended and she saw the message, "You've been tricked," in the description, she quietly shared the video with someone else. Herta received the message and reacted, "Huh? What did Himeko just send me? Hmm? Aeon of Nihility? This sounds juicy!" Since it came from Himeko, Herta's curiosity got the better of her. She clicked the link, and as she watched, all she could manage was an "Uh?" in response. After seeing some of the information in the video—like why Qlipoth swung their hammer twice in one day, and the song lyrics—Herta began to ponder. After a bit of thinking, she shrugged and figured, "Well, since Pei Guang shared it, he'll be responsible for any fallout." She decided to pass the video on to some people she knew. It wasn't just Himeko. Pei Guang's four videos were now spreading across the universe in ways he hadn't anticipated. As long as there was an internet connection, whether on the universal or local network, the video would spread. At the same time, strange "truths" and "lies" began circulating online, creating a storm of discussions. Meanwhile, the person responsible for this chaos was casually wandering around Belobog with his teammates, searching for unopened trash cans.