Pei Guang's instincts flared. He glanced at Herta Puppet No. 1, who nodded and took position beside him while the mass-produced Svarog units flanked his other side. Herta Puppet No. 1 then activated her audio system, playing long, drawn-out karaoke music that filled the courtyard with an unexpected melody.
With the music playing, the three of them struck exaggerated, almost theatrical poses, facing Green Hibiscus.
The triumphant music and bizarre gestures caused a jolt of anxiety in Green Hibiscus, but Pei Guang's next words shattered the tension.
Pei Guang: "Not telling~ No.1, take them down!"
Without hesitation, Herta Puppet No. 1 raised her hammer, aiming at the nearest enemy. "Ever seen a hammer this big? It's coming for your head~~"
"Round and round we go~"
"Lalalala~"
While swinging her hammer, she activated her sound effects and chose a popular upbeat folk song, completely at odds with the intense battle, evoking a strange familiarity for the Xianzhou residents who overheard.
Her chosen song clashed with the usual expectations of battle music, creating the surreal image of a village square dance rather than a fight. However, Herta Puppet No. 1 felt a personal connection to it—not for the song itself, but for the special audio Pei Guang had customized just for her, giving her a sense of individuality. She didn't care whether others found it catchy or annoying: to her, it was just perfect.
As her hammer fell repeatedly, the courtyard filled with Green Hibiscus and his men's screams. She assessed their strength as "pathetic" and held back, ensuring they were only knocked out rather than killed. Her database had useful information on the Abundance followers from Herta's records, ensuring her strikes left them incapacitated but alive.
"Ahh!!"
"Stop!!"
"Please, stop!!!"
Their screams were enough to attract the attention of passing Cloud Knights and civilians on the nearby streets, but Herta Puppet No. 1's music drowned out any cries for help. The song was so catchy that the passersby found themselves humming along, oblivious to the chaos inside the courtyard.
There weren't many followers of the Merciful Medicus's path left in Exalting Sanctum; most of them had already gone ahead to the Divination Commission or the Ambrosial Arbor to carry out their plans. So while Pei Guang wasn't fully aware of their numbers, he assumed there might be hidden reinforcements. As she continued her relentless assault, he guarded the entrance, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings.
The mass-produced Svarog units were set up to monitor the perimeter.
The Merciful Medicus followers were utterly disoriented. Just moments ago, they had been peacefully conversing, and now, Pei Guang was suddenly flanked by a golden puppet and a girl wielding a massive hammer, attacking without warning.
And it wasn't just the surprise attack that caught them off guard—Green Hibiscus had been planning to take advantage of the conversation to coordinate a sneak attack and relay their situation. But even if Pei Guang had introduced himself, they wouldn't have been able to send out any information. Herta Puppet No. 1 had already hacked into every surrounding system, blocking any attempts at communication unless a top-tier hacker intervened.
Meanwhile, a Cloud Knight who had been copying documents nearby sensed the disturbance, grabbed his weapon, and rushed over. His target was not Pei Guang but the Abundance followers who had their backs turned to him.
To him, they were nothing more than Abundance monsters hiding behind Xianzhou faces, selfishly chasing immortality. If it weren't for his mission to infiltrate for intel, he wouldn't have pretended to obediently copy those documents.
As he moved to strike, Herta Puppet No. 1's hammer came down even faster, "Pighead~~"
Without hesitation, she swung her hammer at the Cloud Knight. Seeing the hammer, he shouted, "Ally! I'm an ally!"
Herta Puppet No. 1: "I'm here to hammer allies! Look at the size of this hammer!"
Cloud Knight: "Ahhhh!!!"
He hadn't expected that simply jumping into the fray would earn him a direct hit from a hammer.
This approach wasn't just Herta Puppet No. 1's idea—it was Pei Guang's as well. The moment a battle began, anyone not in their party, without the "friendly" tag, was an enemy.
You say you're an ally? Fine, but I'm still hammering allies.
The fight was over in less than thirty seconds. Aside from the man Pei Guang first ambushed at the door, everyone else was lying on the ground.
Following Pei Guang's instructions, they were all stuffed into trash cans and fitted with pacifiers to keep them quiet.
He then pulled out his phone, using a special channel he shared with Silver Wolf to contact her.
Pei Guang: "These people here—I need you to investigate everyone connected to them. It's related to the main quest, so be thorough. Once it's done, I'll craft a stylish headpiece for you, one that boosts mental strength and resistance."
Silver Wolf: "Seriously? You have something like that?"
Pei Guang: "Of course I do. I never lie."
Silver Wolf: "Alright, I'll take on your request. But what does it actually look like?"
Pei Guang: [Sends photo of the headpiece]
Looking at the photo, Silver Wolf's expression grew serious. Wow, she thought. Across the entire galaxy, only a few could make something this… unique.
Pei Guang: "It boosts mental stats, and even March 7th, Stelle, and Uncle Yang all have one. Are you interested?"
Silver Wolf hesitated. The headpiece was certainly ugly—if this were a standard game item, she'd never wear it. But reality was different. In reality, acquiring attribute-enhancing gear was a rare stroke of luck, even for someone who viewed the world as a game.
And considering Pei Guang's description, it was just a weapon disguise; she could attach it to her spare glasses.
Silver Wolf: "Give me a few minutes. I'll retrieve all available data on everyone linked to them."
Pei Guang: "Thanks a lot."
Silver Wolf: "If you're grateful, make sure to save me some fun gear."
Pei Guang: "You got it! Oh, and if you find anyone connected to the 'Sanctus Medicus', trick them into coming to this location. The more that show up, the more loot there'll be. And if we're lucky, we might even get elite drops for you."
Silver Wolf's Prometheus: "A toast to friendship, my friend!"