Chapter 42 - 41: Gathering Intelligence and Wanted Posters

Hearing Pei Guang's words, Serval's expression stiffened. Who exactly is this guy? Why does wiping out all life on a planet seem like a casual topic for him? But clearly, this was just her first time encountering Pei Guang's way of speaking. Stelle and March 7th, on the other hand, were used to it. To them, he always liked to fantasize about things he would never actually do, just to speculate on what the results might be. Stelle grabbed her bat. "Let's go! Let's complete all the side quests." Ever since she got lucky once, Stelle's mindset had shifted dramatically: after all, following Pei Guang's advice really did lead to treasure! That golden, dazzling light shooting up to the sky—seeing it once made her want to see it again. She'd completely forgotten the frustration of not getting anything before. March 7th pulled Stelle aside, "Let me tell you something—I know you two were up to something fun last night. If you don't include me this time, my favorability will drop! Hehe~ I want a battleship too!" Pei Guang replied, "That depends on luck! And my luck is unbeatable." March 7th's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Wanna bet on it?" Pei Guang smirked, "I bet you can pull a battleship!" March 7th protested, "You're not playing by the rules!" Pei Guang shrugged, "I'm called Pei Guang for a reason, and you still want me to gamble? What are your intentions? Besides, your suggestion is nothing but wishful thinking." March 7th pleaded, "Just once, come on~ Your luck is so terrible that it's almost guaranteed." Pei Guang turned his head, "No way! I'm not gambling. They say small bets are fun, but a gamble is a gamble. If you really want one, I'll just give you my Star Destroyer." This statement left March 7th stunned: now she wanted to make sure she heard him right. "What... did you say?" Pei Guang repeated, "I said, if you like it, I'll give it to you. After all, you've been joking about not having a place to call home, right? When you've got nowhere else to go, you can pilot the battleship around the universe with me." March 7th's eyes flickered with a hint of panic. She didn't know how to respond: did Pei Guang actually remember their promise? Was he planning for a future long after all of this? At that moment, Dan Heng interrupted their banter, "Alright, didn't you want to complete the mission perfectly by visiting the lower city? Let's figure out how to get down there first." Pei Guang then put on a wise expression, "I do have an idea, but I need someone to go out with me to scout the enemy's position." Stelle pondered, "But the question is, won't we get caught if we go out?" Pei Guang chuckled coldly, "Heh! Listen up! As players, we need to be aware of our surroundings at all times. We must charge like Spartans but also know how to sneak, ambush, and gather intel. We are seasoned players, skilled in using every trick to get close to our target and gather the information we need! Come on! Let's scout the enemy. With some luck, we might even reach the underground city by nightfall!" Stelle excitedly asked, "Alright! Should we hide in the trash bins?" Pei Guang dismissed the idea, "Trash bins are good for hiding, but not for moving around. We don't need to go through all that trouble. We can just walk out boldly." March 7th, now somewhat recovered, worriedly asked, "Just walk out? Won't we get caught?" Pei Guang smiled, "Of course not. Based on my years of gaming experience, in situations where you're wanted, walking openly in the streets won't get you caught unless you actively engage with those Silvermane Guards. If their internal systems aren't perfect, we might even pass by some guards without any issue. If they recognize us, just deny it. In all the games I've played, rarely do characters get caught if they simply deny it." Stelle, now enlightened, exclaimed, "Oh, I see! I've learned something new." March 7th cheered, "Let's go, let's go~" Pei Guang glanced at Dan Heng, who shook his head, "You guys go ahead! I'll stay here and keep watch. If anything goes wrong, I'll be there in a flash." Pei Guang responded, "Thanks! Oh, and try to get the location of the Stellaron from her. Let's have a backup plan. While there's still a unified conflict, we should max out our favor with the lower city inhabitants! That way, when we finally deal with the Stellaron, we'll have full favor, the mission will be complete, and our rewards will be richer~" Dan Heng nodded, trusting Pei Guang's ability to hide. Letting Pei Guang take Stelle and March 7th on this adventure was fine by him—he didn't dare to go along. Mainly because it was embarrassing! He had some pride, after all: if word got out about this, he wouldn't know how to face anyone. And so, Pei Guang led the way, boldly stepping out of the workshop. As the three left, Serval finally spoke, directing her question to the only seemingly normal person left—Dan Heng. "Are they really going to be okay?" Dan Heng shook his head, "I don't know, but I trust his words. In essence, he is a rational and fundamentally good person, even heroic or courageous at times. But sometimes, he's also inexplicably terrifying, like a natural disaster." After all these days, Dan Heng had a certain level of admiration for Pei Guang. He possessed a sense of justice that wasn't overbearing, and just for the promise of a 'better reward,' he was willing to try and resolve the city's internal conflicts. The potential success of such an effort was clear—if they sealed the Stellaron and left, the humans on this planet, once united again, would be better equipped to face the crisis. Even if they failed, the benefits would outweigh what they'd gain by directly dealing with the Stellaron. Sure, they could go straight to the Stellaron, seal it, and immediately eliminate the world's greatest threat. But the crisis facing the people of this world wouldn't be resolved—the Supreme Guardian's plan to destroy the city, the accumulated tensions between the upper and lower cities, and various other issues. If left unresolved, the people of this city might self-destruct after the natural disaster had passed. To be safe, Dan Heng decided to first get the exact location of the Stellaron from Serval: if worse came to worst, he could call Himeko and Welt down to deal with the Stellaron directly, preventing the disaster from spreading further. Outside the workshop, as Pei Guang and the others stepped out, they happened to run into a squad of Silvermane Guards. Seeing the three emerge from the workshop, the leader of the squad called out to them. "Who are you?" March 7th grabbed Pei Guang's sleeve, "What do we do? We've been spotted?" Pei Guang calmly replied, "Be confident. They definitely won't recognize us. And if they do, we'll knock them out, strip them of their uniforms, and blend in as Silvermane Guards." Stelle readied her bat, "Roger that!" March 7th also got ready for battle: "Understood." At that moment, the three of them confidently watched the Silvermane Guards approaching from a distance. When the squad of Silvermane Guards arrived, Pei Guang spoke up, "We're just bystanders!" The squad leader pulled out a wanted poster and carefully compared the drawing on it to Pei Guang. The poster was quite exaggerated, with two noses, one mouth, and eyes that exuded a cunning and evil aura. The surrounding scattered trash gave off an ominous vibe, but the strange, round shield in the drawing was particularly eye-catching. Despite the rough lines, it captured the essence of Pei Guang in battle. The abstract trash around the figure conveyed a distinct feeling to anyone who saw it. It must be acknowledged that the artist had some skill and managed to capture Pei Guang's battle posture quite accurately!