Originally, Herta had still planned to invite Pei Guang to test the simulated universe, but after that first test went so disastrously, she put that plan on hold.
Instead, she invited Screwllum, who didn't have much going on at the moment, to help. Remote operations had their limits, and certain issues could only be solved by being there in person.
As for the other two researchers? They were holding off for now. In terms of data, Screwllum was the most specialized, so it made sense for him to handle the adjustments.
While Screwllum was en route, Herta began repairing the backup machine. There was no way she'd risk the main computer crashing too.
Given how chaotic the last test had been, she backed up the data—over and over—and cut off all connections to the main server to prevent any surprises.
As long as the main system stayed safe, the backups could be played with however they wanted. What about resources? As Herta often said, if resources ran low, they could just sell off Silver Wolf. With a fifty-fifty split, Silver Wolf would probably sell herself with a smile.
While Herta was struggling to stabilize the simulated universe, Pei Guang and his team had returned to Belobog, rushing to attend Bronya's inauguration ceremony.
The streets of Belobog's administrative district were already filling up with people, as the inauguration was about to begin. Security was tight, given the importance of the event.
Walking down the busy street, March 7th spoke up. "Whew~ The contest's over, and now it's time for Bronya's inauguration. Hard to believe we've been here for ten days. It feels like we've been busy non-stop with barely any rest."
Pei Guang nodded. "Yeah, tomorrow we'll be heading to the next map. But it's no big deal, we can always come back."
Thanks to the teleportation ability, coming and going was effortless. The only thing to keep an eye on was the number of teleportation charges. The last thing they wanted was to run out when they needed it most.
Stelle added, "We've explored everything there is here. This world doesn't need our help anymore. It's time to move on."
Pei Guang agreed. "Exactly. We've repaid Belobog for all the treasures we gained, and we've done our best for its people—both as players and as Trailblazers. We've done everything right."
March 7th nodded firmly. "Yup~ By the way, can we really trust that Silver Wolf?"
Pei Guang smiled. "As a teammate, definitely. You saw it yourself—she's a backup team member now. We can switch her into the main team anytime if we need her. And with her around, all these things become much more useful."
Pei Guang glanced at the Engine of Creation in his inventory. It wasn't great for combat, but if they ever needed to stall during a large-scale battle, it could buy them at least a second, which could be crucial.
Listening to him, March 7th teased, "Oh? Seems like you've taken a real shine to that pretty little hacker."
Pei Guang waved it off. "Pretty? I'm face-blind. After seeing you every day, no one else seems all that good-looking."
March 7th clicked her tongue. "Tsk~ Sweet talker. Fine, you've earned a small boost in favorability."
Pei Guang grinned. "Bit by bit, I'll max out that favorability eventually~"
March 7th smirked. "We'll see about that~ Anyway, I'm looking forward to a nice long nap once we're back on the Astral Express."
While the three of them were chatting and wandering through the streets, someone called out to them.
It was Natasha, out with some kids from the Underworld. Seeing the group, she waved. "Trailblazers? Good to see you!"
Hearing her voice, the trio turned around.
Pei Guang greeted her, "Natasha! How have things been?"
Natasha smiled. "Thanks to you all, things have gotten a lot better in the Underworld."
After the Overworld sent people down, the resources Pei Guang's group had collected from Rivet Town had made a big difference. In fact, some of those resources had even helped the upper district's reconstruction efforts.
Pei Guang nodded, satisfied. "That's great to hear! If you ever need us for a mission, just call. Even if we're off-world, we can come back in no time—because I'm the Galactic Swordsman of the Galactic Guardians!"
A young boy nearby, clearly excited by Pei Guang's declaration, stared up at him. Word of their exploits had spread throughout Belobog, and hearing that the heroes who saved the city were standing before him, the boy couldn't help but ask, "Excuse me, mister? Do you think I could be as strong as you one day?"
Pei Guang crouched down to his level and said, "As long as you never lose your sense of righteousness, the whole world will open up to you."
The boy blinked in confusion. "Huh? I don't get it…"
Natasha gently comforted the child, saying, "Just remember those words and hold on to your belief. I'm sure you can do it."
After a few words of reassurance to the child, Natasha turned to Pei Guang, saying, "Though words of thanks may seem unnecessary at this point, I want to express our gratitude on behalf of everyone. Without you, I can't imagine what our world would have become. Looking back at all the hardships we've faced, I still can't believe we managed to overcome so much. It's hard to believe I've been so resilient through it all..."
Taking a deep breath, Natasha continued, "The hardest part wasn't staying vigilant all the time; it was not knowing when it would all end—when I could finally relax. Regardless of how others may see it, your arrival was a reward for my long years of guarding this place. Thank you, all of you."
Listening to Natasha's thanks, March 7th blushed a little in embarrassment, while Stelle turned to Pei Guang. "Ah Guang, you're the most experienced here. Do you know what to say?"
Stelle ran through several possible responses in her head, but they all felt a little too cheeky, especially considering the serious mood—and with kids around, she was too shy to say anything too out of line.
Pei Guang smiled. "There's no need for thanks. My appearance might just be the answer to your unwavering perseverance. It was your own determination and faith that led to your chance at being saved. You should feel proud—your steadfast belief will carry on. If you really want to thank me, just prepare some great rewards! As a player, I've always believed that I should never be disappointed when it comes to the rewards I receive here."
After chatting for a bit longer, Pei Guang and his group bid Natasha farewell. Once they were a little farther down the street, March 7th teased Pei Guang. "Not bad—you've got a way with words!"
Pei Guang shook his head. "I was just stating the truth. You know, I joke around a lot with NPCs and always think about how to play more devilishly. But deep down, even the most heartless player—the so-called 'Fourth Calamity'—would want to repay an NPC who's been kind to them. Even the most ruthless 'Paradox Interactive' player still cares for their people and wants to protect those NPCs who are loyal to them. If a storyline tries to kill off someone we care about, we'll mod the game, use cheats, or even alter the source files to save them."
Stelle chimed in, "Exactly! Never betray a single treasure! Never let down any trust placed in you! Discover the unknown, explore the unknown, and reach the end by your own will."
March 7th echoed, "Reach the end by your own will."
Stelle looked at March 7th. "Now you're just repeating me."
March 7th countered, "You've been repeating stuff all days. Can't I do it just this once?"
Stelle turned to Pei Guang. "Ah Guang, be reasonable!"
Pei Guang grinned. "If you want me to be reasonable, I'll side with March 7th."
Stelle gasped. "But I'm a cute girl too!"
March 7th giggled. "But I can boost favorability."
Stelle pouted. "That's cheating!"
March 7th, laughing, said, "I'm just using my abilities to their fullest~"
Pei Guang tried to calm things down. "Alright, alright… Hey, isn't that Dan Heng over there?"
Following Pei Guang's gaze, Stelle and March 7th spotted Dan Heng sitting on a bench, sipping warm water. Ever since his storage space expanded, Dan Heng had packed all sorts of items, including a supply of warm water, which he now considered a necessity for resting during their travels.
Hearing the lively chatter of the group, Dan Heng looked up, smiling when he saw them. "You're back. That contest was quite something."
March 7th lit up. "Oh? You watched it too? Ah Guang really knew how things would play out, though there was a bit of an unexpected twist at the end."
As the most talkative member of the group, March 7th naturally took on the role of storyteller. But standing and telling stories was too much work, so Pei Guang pulled out a long bench for everyone to sit on while they talked.
Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, March 7th had recounted the entire story, with some artistic embellishments that made it even more entertaining.
After hearing everything, Dan Heng couldn't help but laugh. "Of course, it had to be you. Even a famous Stellaron Hunter got tricked by you. But where is she now?"
Pei Guang shrugged. "She's holed up at Herta's space station. She said it wasn't the right time to tag along with us, and she's too scared to return to her crew. So for now, she's helping Herta with some tests. She just messaged me, though—something went wrong during the test, and she's feeling bored, so she invited me to play some games."
This made March 7th's eyes sparkle. "A cute girl inviting you to play games, huh~"
Pei Guang waved it off. "I'm a player, remember? With a cool main storyline and companions like you, why would I ditch all that to play games with her?"
March 7th eyed him suspiciously. "Are you serious?"
Pei Guang nodded. "Of course! What's better than experiencing the real game?"
Stelle quipped, "Why do I feel like Silver Wolf just doesn't want you…"
Their playful banter brought a smile to Dan Heng's face as he watched them go back and forth.
As the group continued chatting, the sound of Silvermane Guards calling out nearby caught their attention.
"Guards! Fall in line!"
The announcement prompted Pei Guang, Stelle, and March 7th to stop fooling around.
March 7th asked, "Is it starting?"
Pei Guang pulled out the pink camera that March 7th had given him: "Of course! We have to watch the plot! This might be the final main storyline in the beginner's village. I need to record this moment—who knows, I might need material for writing a novel or memoir someday."
Stelle: "Make sure I look good in the photos."
Pei Guang: "Don't worry, you're not even in my camera!"
March 7th: "No worries~ You're in mine~"
Stelle grabbed March 7th's hand: "Woohoo~ March, you're the best!"
March 7th: "There, there~ Help me out with Pei Guang later, and the rewards will be huge~"
Stelle: "No problem! I'll help raise Pei Guang's favorability for you. Don't forget the reward."
Pei Guang: "You guys really think I'm not here, huh? Just so you know, my favorability is super hard to raise."
March 7th glanced at Pei Guang: "If I try to raise your favorability, will it go up or not?"
Pei Guang confidently replied: "It will!"
Stelle: "Alright, time for the reward!"
As the three of them continued their playful banter, Seele found them using the mini-map. Seeing Stelle and March 7th hugging each other, Seele curiously looked at Pei Guang: "What are they doing?"
Pei Guang: "Ah, that's just typical girl-to-girl playfulness."
Seele, wide-eyed: "I see, I've learned something new!"
Since Seele didn't have much experience with social interactions, she took Pei Guang's explanation seriously and made a mental note to try it out later when she returned to Bronya's side.
However, Pei Guang had forgotten to mention one important thing—hand-holding and hugging depended on context and atmosphere. Those gestures were only appropriate in playful settings, but doing them suddenly could give off a different impression.
Pei Guang noticed Seele's expression of newfound knowledge and curiously asked, "There's still plenty of time before the ceremony starts. What brings you here?"
Seele looked at Pei Guang, Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng: "Come with me. Bronya says she has a big surprise for you—a one-of-a-kind reward from this planet."
This immediately caught Pei Guang's attention, who had been preparing to zone out during the "story animation." Honestly, he wasn't too interested in the ceremony itself, but since they had cleared the main story, he couldn't resist checking out the end results.
Stelle, curious, asked: "What kind of reward? Is it rare?"
March 7th: "Hey, do I get something too?"
Dan Heng, on the other hand, had a vague sense of foreboding, but Seele's sudden appearance left him no choice but to follow.