Pei Guang and Stelle were having quite a bit of fun as they moved together.
Pei Guang remembered March 7's advice and his friend's emphasis on the game's realism. In this context, maintaining NPC favor meant avoiding actions that would upset them.
However, he was focused on the hostage rescue mission. It's well known that in games, side quests can be temporarily set aside while focusing on the main storyline.
Soon enough, they found themselves facing a group of four enemies.
Crouching in the middle of the road, Pei Guang asked Stelle, "What skills do you have?"
"Skills?"
"Yes, skills that make you hit harder, or help others hit harder, or make people survive longer so they can hit harder."
"Well..."
After thinking for a moment, Stelle raised her wooden stick, which now glowed with a starry energy.
"Oh! Enhancing weapons and increasing damage output?"
As Pei Guang commented, Stelle clenched her left hand, and Pei Guang saw a +0 prompt on his interface.
"You can even heal! A healer too?"
Stelle nodded.
"Hey, don't be shy. I know it's your first time playing. Come on! I'll teach you how to crouch. It's a special mechanic in this game. We need to avoid their line of sight..."
Stelle crouched and followed Pei Guang. She noticed that the enemies were all focused intently on them. Actually, they were all focused intently on Pei Guang.
Guided by Pei Guang, Stelle crouched with her stick and reached the enemies' feet. While the four enemies were still trying to figure out what these two were up to, Pei Guang stood up with his sword, and Stelle realized it was time to attack. They both launched powerful attacks simultaneously, instantly killing two of the enemies.
Remembering Pei Guang's instructions, Stelle swung her stick at one enemy's head. Meanwhile, Pei Guang saw an attack coming, blocked it, and then thrust his wooden sword into the enemy.
With the four enemies quickly defeated, Pei Guang looked at the empty ground and remarked, "It's a shame the enemies didn't drop any materials. By the way, what's your stick's execution like?"
"Execution?"
Pei Guang nodded, "It's a strong attack when the enemy hasn't noticed you. But if you're using a stick, I know a particularly powerful execution technique."
"Powerful?" Stelle asked.
"Yes," Pei Guang confirmed. "First, use a blunt object to strike their abdomen or other weak points. When the enemy is off balance, charge up and deliver a powerful blow. But compared to swords, blunt objects cause less damage. Alternatively, you could go straight for the heart"
"Heart?"
Pei Guang explained, "It's a metaphor—punch into the enemy's body, crush their internal organs, and then pull them out."
Stelle was shocked, while Pei Guang thought aloud, "Maybe that technique is too gory. Will it get censored here? Try it out, and if not, I can get you a sword or knife. They're much easier to use."
As they continued their search for survivors, they found a few parts but no complete people.
"Help! I don't want to die!"
Hearing the plea for help, Pei Guang weighed his options. "If we don't rescue them, they'll die, and the mission will fail. Rescuing them might lower our favorability... Oh well! We'll rescue them."
Pei Guang wasn't just aiming to complete the mission; he was also drawn to the game's realism. Even though saving someone might lower the NPC's favor, he thought, "What if one of the rescued people is attractive? That would be worth it!"
"Hey, don't take the long way around. I have a special skill that can break walls!"
Pei Guang took out his wooden sword and started swinging at the wall. Under Stelle's astonished gaze, cracks appeared and widened until the wall was completely shattered, creating a large hole leading to the next room.
Pei Guang looked at the person cornered and about to be killed and said, "This open approach is great! If we had to go around, we'd never have made it in time. Now, small monsters ahead, drop my reward!"
As Stelle thought about the execution technique Pei Guang had taught her, she saw someone in danger and jumped into action, mimicking Pei Guang's movements.
She noticed Pei Guang's excited expression, which deeply impacted her. Indeed, saving someone was an incredibly satisfying experience.
Both of them smiled—Pei Guang's smile was driven by seeing the rewards, thinking, "Since the rewards are given so openly, I could ask for rewards from both the rescued people and the mission givers: double rewards, double the fun!" His excitement made him grin widely.
Stelle smiled purely out of joy, her happiness from saving people reflected on her face.
The rescued person was stunned. His hiding spot had been discovered, and in a desperate attempt, he had called for help, only to see a man and a woman burst through the wall and attack with big smiles. He was grateful for being saved but couldn't help feeling confused by the bizarre situation.
The two finished off the remaining enemies quickly.
Pei Guang turned to the middle-aged man and said, "I saved you. Don't you have anything to show for it?"
The man replied gratefully, "I'll owe you one when we get back..."
Pei Guang insisted, "Back is later. I want it now."
The man responded hesitantly, "I only have this..."
He pulled out a piece of candy, which he had prepared for his child.
Pei Guang exclaimed, "Oh! Stelle, look, the reward is candy. I knew it—since the game is so realistic, a little intimidation can get you rewards. Although the attribute is poor, it's still a reward. I'll take it."
Upon hearing Pei Guang's remarks and seeing his excited expression as he held up the candy, Stelle silently took note of his behavior. She seemed to understand something, but when she tried to think it through, she couldn't quite figure out why Pei Guang was acting this way.
Pei Guang said, "Let's go, let's go! There are more people and more rewards waiting for us to grab. But our pace is too slow... Oh, right! We can have NPCs help us collect things."
Pei Guang turned to the middle-aged man and said, "On the way, take whatever valuable things you can. Got it?"
The middle-aged man replied, "Understood!"
At first, Pei Guang chose to walk normally, but now he decided to smash his way through. Walking was too much of a hassle—having to activate elevators, adjust equipment directions, and some places even required identity verification.
In Pei Guang's opinion, if the level of freedom wasn't so high, he might have just walked honestly. But with so much freedom, and even the ability to have NPCs help collect valuable items, why not just smash his way through? As he always said, going against March 7th's requests would only lower her favorability, but saving so many people might just make some NPCs' favorability skyrocket!
The only thing that made Pei Guang a bit cautious was that he only had one chance to respawn after death. But it wasn't a big issue. As a player, even with just one respawn, he should be slightly careful, but there was no need to be overly timid.