Chapter 137 - 136: Cat Mario (Part 3)

Pei Guang explained, "It's simple. The game isn't technically hard—just full of unexpected tricks. After playing through once, it's not that tough to beat. But when players get caught by those unpredictable traps, they just want to get back at the game. Then they fall into a new trap, and the cycle continues. It makes them frustrated, but every time they pass a difficult section, the satisfaction builds up. By the time they reach the end, the sense of victory is unmatched." Listening to this, March 7th shuddered. "That sounds kind of twisted..." Pei Guang thought for a moment. "Twisted? I wouldn't say that. It's all about pushing through obstacles with sheer willpower and making it to the finish line. That feeling is incredibly rewarding! Games are meant to be played while screaming through the frustration, after all" March 7th shot him a skeptical look, muttering, "Everything you say feels full of bad intentions." Pei Guang grinned. "How could that be? Yes, I've played and beaten this game myself and Silver Wolf is a brilliant gamer, no doubt. But you know, I died three times more than she has! Still, as much of a genius as she is, there's nothing quite like watching others suffer through these punishing games." March 7th nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I totally get that. You couldn't pay me to play, but watching someone else get wrecked by it? That's pure fun!" Herta, overhearing their conversation, shared the sentiment. Watching Silver Wolf grow more agitated with every death, especially after confidently making bold claims only to immediately die, was immensely satisfying for her. Letting gamers struggle like this was best left to the pros. No one gets offended, and you still get to enjoy their suffering. Plus, Herta had learned a valuable new trick: how to use what someone cares about as a soft threat—something that's important but not crucial. Just a few well-placed words, and they fall in line. Meanwhile, Silver Wolf had kept up her impressive speed, averaging around 20 minutes per stage, finally clearing all eight stages in just over three hours. When she cleared the final level, Silver Wolf jumped up, punching the air in triumph. The livestream chat exploded with congratulatory messages. At that moment, across the galaxy, everyone who had watched Silver Wolf's long struggle felt a wave of joy. It had been a fantastic stream—one where they got to see the infamous Stellaron Hunter almost rage-quit and smash her controller, throw tantrums, and even jump around in excitement when she finally succeeded. For some, the Stellaron Hunters had always seemed like terrifying villains—people who could eat three children for breakfast without feeling remorse. But after this? They realized that, at least when gaming, Silver Wolf was just an adorable, determined girl. Suddenly, fan clubs dedicated to Silver Wolf began popping up all across the galaxy. While they still didn't know what she looked like, her voice, expressions, and reactions—whether in terror, frustration, or joy—had captivated audiences everywhere. Of course, if anyone spotted Silver Wolf in real life, they'd still report her immediately. No one was going to turn down a bounty, no matter how much they liked her. After all, those reward credits were hard to resist. Unbeknownst to Silver Wolf, as soon as she cleared the game, Herta gleefully started editing a highlight reel of her most embarrassing moments. The moment the stream ended, a new video titled "Silver Wolf's Facepalm Collection" appeared across major platforms. In no time, the video gained massive traction. Even some of the Stellaron Hunters liked and shared it, laughing at their comrade's misadventures. Would Silver Wolf throw a tantrum? Probably not. She might roll her eyes, but deep down, she'd see it as a badge of honor—a showcase of her gaming prowess, even if it came with a bit of humiliation. For everyone else, it was a rare moment of joy. The Stellaron Hunters were an unstoppable force in the galaxy, allowed to run wild thanks to powerful backers. No one could fight them, and meeting one face-to-face was a rare occurrence. So while they couldn't confront Silver Wolf in person, watching her rage at a game and get slapped down by its traps was immensely satisfying. Even programmers who'd been hacked by her banded together, creating their own remix videos of her gameplay failures. In the end, it was a win-win situation. Viewers got a great show, and Silver Wolf—despite her frustrations—felt the euphoria of finally beating a tough game. What she didn't know, though, was that she'd soon become the star of a viral meme. By the time she discovered it and tried to erase the footage, she might just have to break into a corporate headquarters to get the job done. But for now, Silver Wolf was overjoyed. She waved over to Stelle, who was still focused on her own game. "Stelle~ I finished the game!" At Silver Wolf's call, Stelle reluctantly closed her Mario Bros. game, sighing. "Congrats, congrats! Too bad, though. I was just about to beat my game too." Silver Wolf scooted closer. "Wasn't that game totally brutal?" Stelle, unaware of the full pain of Cat Mario, nodded seriously, recalling her own tough time with Mario. "Some parts were really tough—lots of frustrating traps. But I'm super strong, so I made it all the way to the eighth stage." Silver Wolf nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the devs are definitely sadistic. I'm going to have a word with the creator later." Stelle smiled. "I actually enjoyed it. It was pretty fun!" Silver Wolf was confused. "Wait... are we even playing the same game?" Stelle nodded. "Of course! We were competing in Cat Mario to see who could finish first. And you won!" Silver Wolf still felt uneasy. "But something feels... off." Stelle tried to reassure her. "You finished first, so you won. What's off about that?" Silver Wolf wasn't satisfied. "No, it's not right. I need to get back at him for this competition. I'll make sure he pays in the next match!" At that moment, Stelle's eyes gleamed with a spark of understanding. Even though this was technically their first meeting, the familiarity between them made it easy to talk openly. However, Silver Wolf had overlooked one crucial detail: Stelle and Pei Guang were teammates, and they were on a mission to get Herta to face some humiliating defeats. Knowing this, Stelle quickly glanced over at Pei Guang. With just a look, the two understood each other's thoughts without needing to say a word. Unaware of the silent communication happening around her, Silver Wolf smiled confidently as she walked up to Pei Guang. Her plan had been to make him search for graffiti and then try a hacking challenge, but now, she decided to push forward the hacking competition. "Alright, come on! I've beaten your game, now let's have a real challenge. I'll teach you some hacking skills—let's have a fun hacker duel. I'll show you what I'm really capable of!" Silver Wolf declared, her tone filled with determination. Pei Guang, who had been having a blast for the past four hours, shifted to a more serious demeanor. "No problem, but I can't promise I'll pick up hacking skills right away." Silver Wolf smirked. "That's fine. Even if you don't master it right away, we can test out other stuff first. You never know—you might surprise yourself!" She was determined to give Pei Guang a hard time in this hacking duel, hoping to take out her frustrations from the Cat Mario match. Pei Guang asked with curiosity, "So how does this hacking duel work?" Silver Wolf explained, "We'll see who can destroy the other's system first. Oh, and no physically breaking the equipment, of course." At that, Pei Guang smiled. "Alright! I've got it now. Believe me, I've got plenty of experience in hacker duels." Silver Wolf raised an eyebrow. "Through your battleship's AI?" Pei Guang shook his head. "Who do you think I am? Do you know what they call me?" Silver Wolf looked intrigued. "What?" Pei Guang declared, "They call me Cyber Psycho." Silver Wolf gasped. "Cyber Psycho? You're the Cyber Psycho?" The nickname was well-known in her homeworld, and she couldn't believe Pei Guang would call himself that. What's more, she started to realize that Pei Guang might actually know a thing or two about hacking. Pei Guang continued confidently, "That's right. The infamous Cyber Psycho—it's me. I might not be able to hack everything right away, but when it comes to duels, I'm a pro. Let's see if you can take me on, Silver Wolf." As Pei Guang spoke, Stelle and March 7th noticed something important—Pei Guang had placed a few objects into the shared storage space. As teammates, they instantly understood Pei Guang's plan. He and Silver Wolf were about to engage in an epic hacking battle!