Out of curiosity, Stelle and March 7th decided to join Dan Heng in seeing what new skill Pei Guang would install. But once they saw it in action, they backed into a corner, too terrified to speak.
It was too terrifying. If Dan Heng combined this skill with the abilities of his Herta puppet, anyone who got hit might actually prefer death to social humiliation.
Between real death and social death... both March 7th and Stelle agreed that the latter was far worse.
Dan Heng, always the diligent learner, took Pei Guang's "skill" seriously. Though the technique sounded bizarre, based on his years of experience, Dan Heng realized it might have a real psychological effect on Blade.
And if it had any effect, that meant it was useful. And if it was useful, he had to master it.
Herta's puppet No. 4 spent the entire night learning, while Dan Heng ended up "learning" in a way that left him mentally exhausted. The methods Pei Guang taught were simply too unconventional.
Dan Heng had encountered many people over the years, but none as eccentric as Pei Guang. And the worst part? As bizarre as Pei Guang's methods were, they worked!
His head buzzing with confusion, Dan Heng decided to get some sleep and see if he could dream about the man who often appeared in his dreams. If he couldn't practice in reality, at least his dreams might provide a good testing ground.
After Dan Heng left, Stelle and March 7th didn't immediately follow. They noticed something strange—Pei Guang had been acting differently today, especially when it came to Dan Heng. The two of them had known Pei Guang long enough to realize that if he was this focused on someone, something was up.
Seeing the two of them standing still and staring, Pei Guang asked, "What's up? Not going to sleep?"
March 7th shook her head. "No, no~ Sleep can wait. Ah Guang, did you figure out something about Dan Heng?"
Stelle added, "Yeah, why were you so interested in him today?"
Pei Guang nodded. "Yeah, I did. Based on my years of experience, when an old character in the team mentions something like being hunted down by an enemy, it means there's a high chance that character's going to face some serious trouble—probably in the next mission, if not the one after that."
March 7th asked cautiously, "So, are you betting on being right?"
Pei Guang shook his head. "No need to bet. It's almost guaranteed. In most sandbox-type games, a character like Dan Heng—with his hidden powers, amnesia and a personal nemesis—is practically fated to face danger after meeting us. He might've gone years, even centuries, without any issues before, but after crossing paths with me and Stelle? He's done for. Anything he's worried about will inevitably become reality. What's that called again? Garfield's Law"
Pei Guang knew there was a name for it but couldn't quite remember the exact phrase.
Stelle asked, "What do you mean?"
Pei Guang explained, "It means when you think something bad is going to happen, it definitely will. That's not always true in real life, but in games? It's a certainty. You've got protection in the early levels, but once you leave the starter zone, trouble is unavoidable. The only question is if it'll happen in the next area or the one after that."
March 7th grew nervous. "What should we do? Wait, don't you have an invincible Star Destroyer?"
Pei Guang thought for a moment. "It's no good. The Star Destroyer is basically a background-level item now. I'm already surprised it worked in the starter zone. But in the next area? There's a high chance it'll be unusable, typical of game mechanics that prevent players from using overpowered items at critical moments."
Stelle seemed surprised. "Huh? There's logic behind that?"
March 7th added, "So that's why you gave Dan Heng's puppet so many abilities and taught him all those underhanded tricks?"
Pei Guang nodded. "Exactly! And mark my words, when we enter the next area, Dan Heng is definitely going to end up separated from us for some reason. He'll say he can't join us, but then he'll secretly follow. And in the process, he'll probably forget he has the teleportation ability or realize it doesn't work because the area hasn't been explored yet. That's when something bad will happen, and we won't be able to help him."
Pei Guang's vast gaming experience was on full display. While their teleportation currently seemed unbeatable, it had a major flaw: it only worked in areas they'd already explored. If Dan Heng wandered off into uncharted territory, there was no guarantee they could teleport to him in time.
Stelle suddenly understood. "Oh, I get it! This is what you meant by Dan Heng being 'hunted down' in the next chapter, and you're trying to prevent that from happening."
Pei Guang smiled. "Exactly! We have to be fully prepared before we reach the next zone. Even if our overpowered items stop working, we'll still be able to handle things and share the loot afterward."
March 7th, curious, asked, "Since you've been right about everything so far, can you guess what the next area will be like too?"
Pei Guang pondered for a moment. "Let's see. The starter zone is meant for practice. The enemies, even the final boss, are manageable."
"If this were a normal sandbox game, we could just move forward at a steady pace because no enemy would be stronger than the player. But this is an open-world, free-exploration game. And since there aren't any level restrictions, I'd bet there's a good chance we'll encounter enemies in the next zone that we can't defeat, even if we all go all-out."
"And this is a universe-based setting. Where Stelle and I started was just a tutorial area, and Belobog is the 'starter village.' Everything is small-scale and basic because it's meant to ease us into the world."
"In the next zone, whether we go there by choice or are drawn in, it'll be much bigger, probably a bustling city. But that city might be in chaos due to a Stellaron, and a lot of people will be in danger. And we, the players, will be cast in roles like heroes, saviors, or even just unpaid laborers."
"Wait, wait! It was all making sense until that last part. Where did 'unpaid laborers' come from?" March 7th couldn't believe how the conversation had taken such a turn.
Pei Guang's expression grew serious. "That's the fate of all players. The starter village lets us enjoy the thrill of being heroes, beating up easy enemies and collecting rare loot. But after that, the next zone starts messing with us—giving us fetch quests with mediocre rewards, making us deal with NPCs who know our true purpose but still give us a hard time, and sending us to solve puzzles that aren't even challenging. We'll be forced to fight in someone else's territory, deal with the same enemies dressed up in different skins, and take on bosses where we barely get to contribute. And then there's always—"
Before he could finish, March 7th, who had been recalling her past experiences, stopped him. "No more! The more you talk, the more it hurts!"
March 7th reflected on her past experiences, and as Pei Guang elaborated on his theories, everything he said clicked into place. His explanations perfectly summarized her own adventures.
In the past, she would have eagerly anticipated a new world, but now, she looked at Pei Guang with hopeful eyes. She wanted him to bring something new and exciting to their journey.
Stelle chimed in, "Ah Guang! Isn't there any way we can make the next area more fun?"
Pei Guang smiled. "Of course! But it'll depend on the specific missions we encounter in the next area. From what I've gathered, the side mission we picked up from Herta will definitely help us."
Stelle asked, "The challenge with Silver Wolf?"
Pei Guang nodded. "Exactly. Based on the timing of her appearance and the mission we're doing, I believe she'll drop some crucial items for us. Not only that, but she could even provide significant assistance in the next area, maybe even join us as an ally."
Stelle grew serious. "Oh? So should we go easy on her?"
Pei Guang shook his head. "No, we stick to the original plan. But I will need a little help from you, Stelle."
Stelle blinked. "What do I need to do?"
Pei Guang grinned. "Who are we?"
Stelle replied confidently, "The Trailblazer squad!"
Pei Guang continued, "Right. But that's just our role. Strip away the title, and what are we?"
Stelle thought for a moment. "We're... players!"
Pei Guang gave her a thumbs-up. "Exactly! And since we're players, when we encounter such an important NPC, we have to 'woo' her, using every trick in the book. We need to make her blush, to the point where she can't imagine leaving us. Based on my years of experience, in non-pay-to-win games, there are a few ways to get an NPC to join your team."