Chapter 90 - 89: A Special Way to Skip Problems

Under Welt's scrutiny, this planet-destroying ship felt strange. Very strange. There were multiple Emanators-level energy readings coming from the ship. This level of energy was something no ordinary starship could achieve, not even the major powers in the galaxy could pull off something like this. The most important thing was using Emanators-level energy as the power source for a starship—what a waste of energy! With that kind of technology, why not just draw power directly from the Imaginary Space? But that wasn't the real issue. The real issue was that the energy signatures weren't hidden at all. However, what Welt was more concerned about was something else: "Those kids..." Himeko fell into thought for a moment, then shook her head: "It doesn't matter. This is their stage now. We shouldn't interfere, except maybe to offer a bit of support from the sidelines. Besides, Pei Guang seems quite reliable to me." Welt nodded: "Yes, if we think of him as a player in a broader sense, in a real game with no save points or respawns, even the most unconventional player... in their so-called first run..." Welt explained to Himeko some things he knew, having dabbled in anime and game design after peace came to his world. He had some insights into Pei Guang's behavior and mindset. As for the threat of the planet-destroying ship? No need to worry. If it used normal weaponry, the Astral Express could withstand it. The main cannon would be too much to handle, but while it charged up, both he and Himeko were confident they could grab the crew and escape in time. But then again, this planet-destroying ship belonged to Pei Guang, and it was now under March 7th's control. Wait, what? Welt and Himeko immediately took out their phones and stared at the bragging photo March 7th had sent them about twenty minutes ago. Group Chat: March 7th: "Himeko! Uncle Yang! Look~ Pei Guang gave me the planet-destroying ship! I can fire off a round!!!" If Pei Guang were in control, Welt wouldn't be worried at all. He saw a lot of familiar traits in Pei Guang. But with March 7th in charge, both he and Himeko took a sharp breath. Himeko: "I feel like... it won't be a big problem." Welt, adjusting his glasses: "It's not a problem... as long as nothing goes wrong." Himeko: "Let's just trust them. I'm sure they won't do anything reckless." While Himeko said this, she pinpointed Pei Guang and the group's location and focused her attention on March 7th. She couldn't help but wonder what this fearless girl might be up to. Meanwhile, with Pei Guang's group, the planet-destroying ship had completed its warp. As they hurried through the already-corrupted restricted zone, March 7th tapped Pei Guang on the shoulder: "Hey Ah Guang~ The ship's here!" Pei Guang: "It's arrived? You know how to use it, right?" March 7th: "Of course! I've been paying attention. First, lock onto the target, and then fire away!!!" Pei Guang: "That's right~ I've already adjusted the power output, so you can have fun with it however you like." March 7th: "Hehe~ There's this move I've wanted to try forever—it's super cool. Oh, Ah Guang, do you have a chair?" Pei Guang glanced at the white chairs they had snagged from the restricted zone: "Yep! And they've got the right vibe. I've already imagined it—before the boss fight, we'll have a cutscene where we're all sitting in these chairs, watching." March 7th: "Awesome~ This is going to be so much easier now!" As they moved quickly, Stelle pointed ahead to a corridor: "Look, everyone—it's Bronya and Cocolia." Following Stelle's direction, they noticed a residual shadow. Dan Heng: "That's... a sort of remnant? Energy left behind by the Fragmentum?" Pei Guang: "So, heading this way is the right call?" Serval nodded: "Yes, this is the path... to the Stellaron." Seele pulled out her scythe. "Perfect! Let's follow this trail and cut down the Stellaron." However, as the group reached the massive gate, towering over two people in height, Pei Guang, Stelle, and March 7th all simultaneously drew their weapons. Dan Heng quickly raised his spear, blocking their impulsive attack. Dan Heng: "Hold on!!" Pei Guang: "Hold on for what? This kind of mechanism is blocking our way. Shouldn't we just break it?" Stelle: "Exactly! How does that saying go again?" March 7th: "Smash a path through~~~" Seele: "That's right!" Watching the four of them eagerly prepare to charge, Gepard, seeing this for the first time, felt a chill down his spine. "Sir, these people..." Dan Heng: "It's fine. I'll stop them." He then looked at Pei Guang. "These mechanisms likely serve a key role in defending the restricted area. We shouldn't just break things recklessly. Let's try to figure out how to—" Before Dan Heng could finish, Pei Guang took out a ladder and propped it against the gate. "If we're not breaking it, we can just climb over it! No big deal. We shouldn't limit ourselves by thinking every mechanism needs solving. That's a waste of our energy." Dan Heng stood silently, watching Pei Guang casually climb over the gate and jump to the other side. He had originally wanted the group to deal with the hostile machines in the rift, allowing them to figure out how to open the gate. But Pei Guang just... climbed over? And that ladder... Even the ladder itself probably never imagined that one day it would become the ultimate "puzzle-skipping" tool. Pei Guang landed on the other side and said, "Solve a puzzle? What a joke! In a free world, puzzles are an insult to freedom! Who's next? I'll catch you!" March 7th climbed up. "Leave it to me~ Heave ho~ Heave ho!" She clambered up the ladder and leaped off. Pei Guang caught her perfectly. Stelle watched this and, feeling rather smug, pulled out her bat. "I don't need to do all that..." With a few powerful swings, Stelle smashed a large hole in the wall, big enough for two people to walk through. She and Seele calmly strolled through the opening. With a surprising sense of civic responsibility, Stelle took out some stones from her backpack and filled in the hole, making it sturdy enough to block the rift creatures and ordinary folks. As for how anyone else would get in? Not her problem, she was already inside. Dan Heng: "..." After a moment of reflection, Dan Heng realized that Pei Guang had a point. There are countless ways to solve problems, and you don't always have to follow a predefined path: as long as you achieve your goal, that's what matters. With this new perspective, Dan Heng took out his weapon and used it to support himself as he vaulted over the gate. Seeing Dan Heng using his pink bunny plush to push himself up and over, both Silvermane Guards, Serval and Gepard, clapped in admiration. When Dan Heng landed smoothly, Pei Guang couldn't help but shout, "A perfect ten!!!" As if to celebrate this joyful moment, Stelle also banged her bat, causing fireworks to go off around Dan Heng, almost as though they were congratulating him for his stylish landing. Serval: "I get it now. You all have your own special tricks. We can't fall behind, little brother." Gepard: "How are we going to get across?" Serval: "Climb the ladder..." Gepard: "..." Since neither had any special tricks like Stelle or Dan Heng, they used Pei Guang's ladder to climb over. Perhaps neither Cocolia nor the Stellaron had expected that Pei Guang and his group would simply bypass their defenses this way. They had set up important mechanisms to prevent others from getting through, but instead of solving them, the group just climbed over. And as for the ladder? Pei Guang didn't waste it. After Serval and Gepard crossed, he took it down and packed it away. After bypassing the gate that anyone could climb over but that still had intricate mechanisms, the group pressed forward. It wasn't long before they came across another echo of Cocolia and Bronya. Just as Pei Guang was about to walk right through them, he overheard their conversation. Bronya: "I don't understand. If what you're saying is true, then for hundreds of years, every Supreme Guardian has resisted the Stellaron's call... Were they all wrong?" Cocolia: "Can't you see yet? It's not about right or wrong, only human arrogance and short-sightedness. Our ancestors—" Cocolia hadn't finished when Bronya gave a dismissive response: "Oh yeah, sure, whatever you say." Cocolia: "You'll hear the true voice soon enough." Bronya: "Yeah, yeah, sure~" Cocolia: "..." Seeing Pei Guang standing there listening, March 7th curiously approached. "What did you find?" Pei Guang: "I just stumbled upon a funny scene and recorded it. Oh? March, do you want to take a selfie with me?" March 7th: "Sure, but... with those two projections?" Pei Guang nodded with appreciation. "Yeah! Doesn't Bronya's expression during her 'Yeah, yeah, sure' response seem a bit... adorably dumb?" ( ?? ?? ?? ) ↑ That's the look Bronya always had when she answered "Yeah, yeah, sure." March 7th studied it carefully. The once helpless and hopeless Bronya, who had no vision for the future, now looked exactly like Pei Guang described—kind of adorably dumb. So, she pulled out her camera, and they took a commemorative selfie together. While Pei Guang was busy capturing this amusing moment, Stelle shouted over. "Pei Guang! We've got enemies." Pei Guang: "Probably mid-level elites. Just take care of them, I trust you guys. Let me know if any loot drops." Stelle: "Got it~~~~" Meanwhile, Stelle, Dan Heng, Serval, and Gepard were already in the middle of the battle. It was a humanoid creature with a unique attack pattern, fighting almost like a real person... except it was easy. Yes, from Stelle's perspective, this enemy was way too easy. Seele, now invisible, had snuck around and was slashing with her scythe. As she spun, Stelle swung her bat, now glowing, grinning broadly as she aimed it at the creature's head. Even Dan Heng, who rarely showed such focus, was giving it his all. He raised his pink bunny plush high. The creature, called the Shadow Guardian, was quite fortunate that Pei Guang was still busy with selfies. Otherwise, it might have been subjected to a more humiliating assault from below. With Pei Guang not in the battle, the creature only had to face head, throat, and chest attacks.