Chapter 133 - 132: Outlast (Part 3)

March 7th raised an eyebrow, curious. "You talk like you've been through this. So, tell me, if you were transported into a game world, how would you know if it was real or just a game?" Pei Guang thought for a moment before answering. "Hmm... my take is, if there's emotion, it's real. If there's no emotion, it's fake. If a person standing in front of me has no thoughts or feelings, then they're just an NPC. But if they have emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness—then they're real. It doesn't matter if it's a game or reality. As long as they think and feel, that's all that matters. What's real or fake isn't important. You just do what makes you happy, choose what you won't regret, and that's enough." "Wait, that's really important, isn't it? What if all the people I know are fake, or my memories are false? What's the point of my existence, then?" March 7th's voice grew somber, a reflection of the emptiness she sometimes felt about her forgotten past. Seeing her downcast expression, Pei Guang lightly flicked her forehead. "Does that hurt?" "It does!" March 7th's eyes teared up as she glared at Pei Guang, rubbing her forehead. He hadn't held back, and she could already feel a bump forming. Pei Guang smirked. "Well, it hurt me too! You're always looking for meaning, huh? Just appreciate what you have right now, use your abilities to get what you want, and live in the moment." March 7th laughed, still rubbing her forehead. "I know, I know... It's just that sometimes..." Pei Guang nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I get it. Sometimes you just feel sad for no reason, or remember something painful. I do that too. Sometimes when I'm feeling super hyped, I'll shout 'I've accepter all the darkness! Wryyyyyy!'" March 7th giggled, her mood lightened as she watched Pei Guang pretend to power up dramatically. "You're ridiculous! So, how do you cheer yourself up when you get like that?" Pei Guang grinned. "I watch as my resources pile up. I admire the new skills I've unlocked. I look at the completed main quests. I claim rewards from NPCs. I see all the people around me getting happier. And I gaze at all the beautiful girls. That always makes me feel better." March 7th raised an eyebrow playfully. "Hmm? I'll take that compliment then~" Pei Guang gasped theatrically. "How did you know I was talking about you? What if I was talking about someone else?" With a sly smile, March 7th summoned her six-phased ice and snapped it in two with a sharp crack. "Oh? Someone else, you say? Who's this beautiful girl you were talking about?" Pei Guang quickly backpedaled. "Just teasing! Of course, I meant you!" Meanwhile, Herta, who had been silently observing, was speechless. She couldn't help but wonder how Pei Guang and March 7th had gone from teasing Silver Wolf's fear, to talking about philosophical questions, and then to discussing beautiful girls—all within the span of about twenty lines! Herta, as sharp as she was, even found herself overwhelmed by their chaotic conversation. But whatever. Herta was satisfied watching Silver Wolf's predicament unfold. Through the livestream, Silver Wolf's humiliating reactions were being broadcast across the galaxy. Silver Wolf was frantically hiding in trash cans, crying as a monster caught her and sawed off her hand, tiptoeing around in fear, barely daring to breathe, and screaming as she ran down dark hallways in terror. The contrast between the in-game horror and Silver Wolf's real-world reactions? Pure entertainment. Herta was thoroughly enjoying herself. One moment Silver Wolf was talking tough, the next she was running in a panic. Seeing a renowned Stellaron Hunter in this state was pure satisfaction. As for the viewers? They were having a blast. Comments like "So cute!" and "I'm dying from laughter" filled the chat, while others, likely those who had been wronged by Silver Wolf in the past, were gleefully cheering her humiliation and urging Herta to show more of Silver Wolf's suffering. And of course, Herta was more than willing to oblige. She knew Pei Guang had prepared two games for Silver Wolf. If the first one brought her fear, she couldn't wait to see if the next would drive her to fury. For most of the viewers, though, the vibe was just pure fun. Seeing a legendary hacker reduced to tears over a game was rare entertainment. Sure, horror games would scare anyone while they played, but watching someone else get scared? That's what viewers lived for. As for playing the game themselves? Absolutely not! The game could finish itself, thank you very much! Even Kafka was thoroughly enjoying watching Silver Wolf squirm from a distance. "Looks like she's really enjoying herself. It's been a while since I've seen her so fully immersed in a game... Wait, is that... Stelle? Pfft, is she playing too? And she's not scared at all? Oh, I see, so this was your plan all along? You little tricksters" Kafka mused, a smile spreading across her face as she watched the livestream. As for whether Silver Wolf would feel embarrassed? Kafka knew that Silver Wolf wouldn't see it that way. For a player, the fear in horror games is just another part of the fun. Herta might be getting a laugh out of Silver Wolf's reactions, but at the same time, Silver Wolf was strengthening her connection with the Astral Express crew and Pei Guang. In Kafka's eyes, it was a win-win-win situation. Nobody really lost. "No, wait, someone did lose. And they lost quite a bit," Kafka said with a knowing grin. Herta's betting pool was still open, and the rules allowed for wagers right up until the final outcome was declared. Many gamblers had jumped in, despite the restrictions placed on them—only those without debt were allowed to participate. But where there's a rule, there's a way to bend it, and plenty of people found a way to place their bets, hoping to strike it rich. With the odds of 1:10 in Pei Guang's favor, many people were tempted to bet against him, hoping for a huge payout. Betting on him, on the other hand, would yield a much safer—but much smaller— profit. In the face of money, people's true natures were laid bare. Although there had been subtle manipulations online to influence the bets, in the end, the choice was each individual's to make. And nothing reveals human nature quite like gambling. Honor and disgrace both come to light when people place their bets. For some, this was nothing short of a festival. But to Kafka, everyone placing those bets was a loser. Every move they made was playing right into Herta's hands, part of a carefully planned spectacle that was now entertaining the entire galaxy. While different factions had their own takes on the situation, Silver Wolf was simply enjoying the raw fun of the game. Chased, cornered, fingers chopped off. Even though there was no real pain, the hyper-realistic and terrifying atmosphere had her reacting instinctively. What's the heart of a horror game? Fear! The agony of playing through it and the rush of joy when you finally beat it—that's what horror games are all about! "I will... beat this!" Silver Wolf's determination surged as she pushed forward. Pei Guang's game wasn't long in terms of gameplay. Hide, get caught, try again. While recording evidence? Get caught. While gathering clues? Get caught again. After countless narrow escapes, heart-pounding moments hiding from her pursuers, and experiencing the sheer terror of seeing the enemy open a locker right next to her, Silver Wolf was constantly teetering on the edge. But the moment she finally opened the last door, she broke into a triumphant smile. "I did it! I beat the game!" Based on the game's design, Silver Wolf knew that this was the final door. It had a futuristic look, completely different from the dark, grim environment she had been stuck in. But the moment she opened that door, her smile froze. The game's final scene showed a squad of mercenaries aiming their guns at her and opening fire. After all the effort she'd put in to escape the asylum, she was gunned down by mercenaries right at the end. Silver Wolf's joy turned to disbelief, her expression stiffening as the realization sank in. Right at that moment, Herta zoomed in on Silver Wolf's face. While Silver Wolf's real face had been pixelated for privacy, Herta made sure the stream captured every bit of Silver Wolf's transition from joy to shock and frustration, for all to see. As the game's "THE END" screen flashed, Silver Wolf's face twisted in frustration. "What the heck? Who makes a game like this? That's just cruel!" Silver Wolf was furious. After all that hard work, just to die in the end? Sure, she understood that this was a realistic kind of ending, but that didn't stop her from wanting to rage. However, before she could fully explode, Stelle suddenly took off her headset, and Pei Guang, Stelle, and March 7th quickly surrounded her. Pei Guang burst into laughter. "Congrats, congrats!" Stelle grinned. "Congratulations on being the first to clear the game. Man, I didn't even get past the first level!" March 7th smiled slyly. "Congrats, Miss Silver Wolf, on defeating Stelle and earning the first point!" Pei Guang cheered. "You're amazing! Let's all celebrate Silver Wolf's incredible victory!" As the trio clapped and danced around her, celebrating her supposed triumph, Silver Wolf's anger melted into confusion. She found herself stuck in an odd emotional limbo—she'd won, but it didn't feel like a victory. She wanted to rage, but... hadn't she won? "I cleared the game, but... why do I feel so frustrated?" she muttered to herself. Stelle stretched and looked around, appearing far too relaxed for someone who had supposedly been playing a horror game for almost an hour. The trio's joyous expressions were also off somehow. Silver Wolf couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. Silver Wolf frowned, her instincts kicking in. "Why does it feel like... something's off?" Pei Guang, as smooth as ever, responded without hesitation, "Nothing's off! The fact that you beat Stelle to the finish line just means you're the strongest!" With no hint of embarrassment, Pei Guang continued to hype her up. Meanwhile, Herta had already captured every one of Silver Wolf's reactions, from her fear to her frustration, and promised to share the footage with Pei Guang as well. She couldn't help but admit—trapping a gamer like Silver Wolf in a situation where she was caught between joy and discomfort was far more entertaining than just bullying her outright. Watching her awkwardly stuck between happiness and frustration was absolute cinema and pure comedy!