On the bridge in the mining area, two vagrants were keeping an eye on an elevator, talking amongst themselves.
One of the vagrants, a stammering fool, spoke up, "Th-this elevator... i-is it broken? Why isn't it d-doing anything?"
The frustrated vagrant snapped, "Why are you so hung up on that thing? You wanna go down there and become a target for the Robots?"
The foolish vagrant replied, "But... if we just l-leave, won't we m-miss out on getting anything?"
The frustrated one retorted, "Idiot! Go rob the miners! They've already bagged some geomarrow! Now's the perfect time to strike."
As the vagrants continued their loud scheming, a hand appeared in front of each of them, holding a cup of coffee.
Both of them instinctively looked down at the coffee in the hand before them. At that moment, how those hands appeared was no longer important: they were completely entranced by the coffee.
Despite being underground, both of them felt as though they were standing in warm sunlight just by looking at the coffee.
Under the underground lights, the dark brown liquid shimmered like countless stars in the universe, drawing them in. For a brief moment, the frustrated vagrant felt a sense of peace, almost like the comfort of being held by his mother long ago.
But sadly, he no longer had a mother.
The foolish vagrant thought he saw his father patiently teaching him how to swing a pickaxe, recalling how his father used to smack him across the face.
But sadly, he no longer had a father.
The two vagrants reached for their coffee.
The first one gulped his down in one go. As the warmth spread through him, his eyes filled with serenity and peace. Just before his vision went completely dark, he muttered his final words:
"So... good..."
The second one took a more cautious sip, savoring the blend of bitterness and sweetness on his tongue that calmed him down.
"Not bad... really, not bad at all!"
He took another sip and just as he was about to finish the last bit, he noticed something off.
The frustrated vagrant asked, "Hey? What's wrong with you? Wait! Who are you?"
He instinctively turned his head and was met with a chilling sight. A gray-haired girl was standing there, grinning brightly, raising a bat glowing with blue light. As for the man beside her? He was holding a seemingly ordinary wooden sword. What could a wooden sword even do?
The frustrated vagrant glanced at the bat, poised to strike, then at his fallen companion. In that moment, he felt a strange sense of peace.
It was a choice, a choice about life. A path that only led one way.
"So good... so good! Really good!"
He raised the coffee cup and downed the last sip. As the liquid settled in his stomach, his vision went black, and he passed out.
"Heh heh~"
Pei Guang, excited, pulled out two thick ropes from his backpack: "See? I told you they'd take the bait without a fuss! This drink-and-sleep item is perfect for the peaceful route! Hey, you're not tying that right. Watch me—I've learned special binding techniques that no one can escape from."
Stelle nodded and said, "You do it. I'll learn."
One tied, the other observed, and together they quickly secured the two vagrants. Since Pei Guang had caught them himself, he had no intention of letting them go. After all, they were in the mines, and with two extra people, mining efficiency would improve greatly.
While they were tying them up, March 7th waved her hand in front of Seele, who had been watching the sneak attack unfold: "What's wrong? You look stunned."
Seele shook her head vigorously. The way those two fought... how to put it? It just didn't fit. Forget about sneaking up without being noticed: were these vagrants brainless? A hand appears out of nowhere holding an unknown liquid, and they just drink it without suspicion?
As Seele questioned her reality, March 7th pulled her by the wrist and led her over: "Come on~ Don't think too hard about it~ Just know that they can pull it off! Didn't you chug a whole cup of that coffee the first time you saw it too?"
"I was..."
Seele wanted to argue, but when she recalled that delicious and tempting coffee, she unconsciously swallowed. But then, remembering the coffee's aftereffects, she shivered.
After Pei Guang and Stelle finished tying up the vagrants, Pei Guang, ever the player, openly began searching the unconscious vagrants for loot.
Stelle asked, "Anything on them?"
Pei Guang replied, "No idea! But we knocked them out, didn't we? Gotta loot them! Unlike those stingy Antimatter Legion folks who don't drop anything when they die, these guys might have something good!"
Stelle was curious, "Loot?"
Pei Guang explained, "Oh, it's simple. After you win a fight, you scavenge for spoils. It doesn't have to be from dead enemies—even unconscious ones are fair game. Don't underestimate these two: you might find something useful on them. But in such a realistic game, you need to make sure the target is completely incapacitated before looting. Safety first!"
Stelle nodded in understanding, "Any tips for finding good loot?"
Pei Guang pondered, "Not really. Just loot them after knocking them out or killing them. Oh, and check the pockets and any place they might stash something valuable—good stuff is usually hidden in pockets."
Stelle replied, "Got it~"
Mimicking Pei Guang's movements, Stelle began searching the vagrant she had caught.
March 7th and Seele joined them, having overheard the conversation between Pei Guang and Stelle. March 7th, still curious, asked, "These shabby vagrants probably don't have anything valuable, right?"
As Pei Guang rummaged through the vagrant's pockets, he said, "Who says? Never underestimate any NPC! You never know what rare item might drop. I once got an ultra-rare item with a 1-in-10,000 chance from a low-level mob!"
Seele, less convinced, chimed in, "Yeah, right. These vagrants don't have anything valuable. They struggle just to eat and drink, so I doubt you'll find anything worth taking."
Seele tried to sound tough, but as she recalled the items Pei Guang and Stelle had brought, and considering the times she herself had found glowing items in trash cans, she softened her tone and became less sure of her words.
After all, many things Pei Guang had done were way beyond her understanding.
But just as she finished speaking, Stelle suddenly broke into a bright smile: "Pei Guang! I got something! I actually got something with a 1-in-10,000 chance!"
Pei Guang was stunned: "What the—? What did you find?"
Stelle pulled out a small device from the unconscious vagrant's pocket. This small white device, composed of three diamond-shaped parts, expanded to the size of a human head and started floating in the air as soon as it was removed.
Stelle was thrilled, March 7th smiled, and Pei Guang... he was jealous! Envious! He was about to go dark! And seeing Pei Guang's expression only made Stelle even happier.
The smile wouldn't fade: it just moved. This time, it had transferred to Stelle's face.
But this feeling only lasted a moment. After all, it didn't glow gold, and if it didn't glow gold, it wasn't a top-tier item—no big deal.
As for Seele? She wore a faint smile. She was relieved she hadn't talked too big earlier; otherwise, it would've backfired badly. But the fact that something valuable could come from these rough vagrants—now that was just plain unscientific. These guys usually only dug up mechanical junk—since when did they dig up anything good?