Pei Guang pulled the item from the vase. It was a fist-sized staff, but its head was humorously topped with a goofy, smiling bean figure. He tried to detach the head, but no matter how hard he tugged, it wouldn't come off.
After examining it, Pei Guang's eyes widened. "March 7th, you really hit the jackpot this time. Don't be fooled by its silly appearance—this thing is seriously strong."
March 7th, thrilled, asked, "Jackpot? How strong?"
Pei Guang continued, "It's a special skill—just like a weapon effect. Once you equip it to your weapon, you can use the skill. The ability is called 'Divine Weapon Descent.' It clears all debuffs from you and grants five seconds of immunity to all debuffs and magical damage. The cooldown is one hour. Basically, any damage that's not physical counts as magical. No joke, this thing might even be more valuable than my starship. It's a god-tier skill! The only downside is it's a one-time use—you can't unequip it once it's attached."
Pei Guang had already analyzed his Star Destroyer and knew that while it was powerful, it wasn't invincible. Plus, it came with certain restrictions. For example, when he tried to warp directly to Xianzhou, the ship's system warned him that doing so could provoke hostility from the Xianzhou Alliance and potentially start a war.
Right now, it was still orbiting near Jarilo-VI. Pei Guang accepted that it was a common feature in games—being able to use something freely in the first map was already a luxury.
Five seconds might not seem like much, but if the system was accurate, those five seconds could potentially block even an Aeon's attacks. When Pei Guang saw the skill description, he knew exactly who should use it.
"March 7th, this skill is for you," Pei Guang said, handing it over.
March 7th quickly shook her head. "No, no, I'm mostly a ranged attacker. You need this more. Your deflection can only block physical attacks, so if—"
Before she could finish, Pei Guang had already snatched her weapon and forced the skill onto it. "Listen to me. This isn't about building affection points. I just think this suits you better. It can dispel all debuffs, even long-lasting ones. If your memory is simply sealed away by some kind of debuff, this skill might be able to restore it. Just for the chance to recover your memories, I think you should try it."
March 7th hesitated. "I…"
Stelle chimed in, "Keep it. Both Pei Guang and I have gotten golden loot before. Our trio needs you to catch up. Now that you've finally gotten a gold item, it'd be a waste not to use it. Didn't Pei Guang always say we should share our resources so everyone gets stronger together? Don't you want to stop lagging behind us?"
Seeing March 7th's hesitant expression, Stelle pulled out her flaming lance and Light Cone. "Look at this! I've got both an orange weapon and a legendary Light Cone. Pei Guang's gotten his, too. You don't want to be the odd one out, do you?"
Pei Guang had already attached the skill to March 7th's weapon. "You found it, so that means it's meant for you. Try using it and see if it helps you regain your memory."
Hearing this made March 7th pause, tempted to use the skill immediately. But she restrained herself. "It's a powerful ability, but the cooldown is so long! I'll save it and use it when we're in a safe spot. I really want to remember my past, but it can wait."
Pei Guang laughed. "Suit yourself. Use it whenever you're ready. But don't get your hopes too high—if your memory loss isn't considered a debuff, you'll just have to keep searching for clues about your past and your home."
March 7th looked at her bow, her voice unusually calm. "It's alright. Even if it doesn't work, I haven't lost anything. My old memories are gone, but now I have all of you, and in the future…"
Before she could finish, Pei Guang pulled a lollipop from his bag and popped it into her mouth. "No need to jinx things. When we have some downtime, we'll all help you try it out. If it works, you treat us to a big meal. If it doesn't, we'll treat you!"
Stelle, curious, asked, "Why does this always involve food?"
Pei Guang wagged his finger playfully. "Ah, you don't understand. In traditional games with a Chinese setting like this, the food is always amazing. I'm already drooling just thinking about it. I wonder if this place has giant steamed buns, soup dumplings, xiaolongbao, or pan-fried buns. Mmm, I'm getting hungry just imagining it!"
March 7th, intrigued, asked, "There's really that much good food?"
Pei Guang grinned. "Of course! In a setting like Xianzhou, if the food isn't top-tier, I'll be disappointed. Hey, Old Yang, what kind of food do you have back in your hometown?"
Welt smiled. "My hometown? There's plenty. If we ever get the chance to visit, I'll make sure to give you all a proper tour of the local cuisine."
Pei Guang: "Oh? Really? Then I'll be sure to eat enough to put you bankrupt."
Stelle: "Speaking of food, I just thought of something—my lance can create fire. Do you think I could use it to grill meat?"
Pei Guang: "Give it a shot... I put some skewers in the communal storage space. Go ahead and try it out."
Laughing and chatting, the trio made their way back to the cart, where they carefully arranged the Cloud Knights and subdued Mara-struck soldiers. Four Herta puppets pushed and pulled the carts forward while the mass-produced Svarog units patrolled around them, ready to defend against any ambushes.
Seeing how Mara-struck soldiers could yield special effects and vases could drop golden items, Pei Guang and Stelle's curiosity for exploration was now in full swing.
As they continued on, a man's trembling voice echoed from ahead: "Lady Tingyun, please stay back. They've already succumbed to the Mara. They're no longer our comrades."
In the shadows nearby stood a woman dressed in a lavish outfit, with fox ears and a long black tail. She had black hair with red-dyed tips that cascaded elegantly. Her name was Tingyun, and her delicate face epitomized beauty even under the current stressful situation.
Tingyun nervously scanned her surroundings. Only two Cloud Knights remained by her side, but four Mara-struck soldiers surrounded them, each bearing the uniforms of her now-turned guards. Just as she looked for a way out, she spotted Pei Guang, Stelle, March 7th, and Welt approaching.
Thinking of asking for help, she froze upon seeing the Herta puppets pulling the miners' cart behind them. A cold feeling washed over her.
The remaining Cloud Knights felt the same sinking dread. Their fear wasn't of dying but of becoming Mara-struck and harming innocent people aboard the Xianzhou.
This striking crew of handsome men and women was truly eye-catching. At the front was Pei Guang, confidently holding a trash can lid while he scanned his surroundings. Noticing Tingyun and her allies, his eyes gleamed with a look so intense it was unsettling.
Following him was Stelle, holding a skewer of meat in one hand and her War-flaming lance in the other, flames licking the meat and sizzling it with the kind of precision that made her weapon feel like a personal grill. As she moved, glittering confetti rose from her steps, adding a hint of festivity to her entrance.
However, Stelle's eyes weren't on Tingyun's group but on a porcelain vase tucked into a corner. She instantly sheathed her skewer, letting her lance flare up.
"Waar-flaming lance! Charge!"
In that instant, Tingyun saw not just Stelle but the cosmic figure of the Preservation Aeon, Qlipoth, briefly behind her. Tingyun had never seen a Preservation weapon aimed with such ferocity—directly at a mere vase.
Following right behind Stelle was the pink-haired girl, March 7th, whose sparkling eyes were locked on Pei Guang as she crouched to sneak up behind him. She wore a mischievous grin that sent shivers down Tingyun's spine.
Further back was an almost middle-aged man with an air of calm and wisdom, whom Tingyun deemed perhaps the only one acting rationally. She considered calling for help, but when she caught his eye, he merely turned his gaze away with a sigh.
Dumbstruck, Tingyun felt that these so-called "Trailblazers" didn't care about her or the Cloud Knights' plight at all. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, her voice died at the sight of the cart.
A squad of identical Herta dolls, along with combat drones, guarded the cart loaded with unconscious Cloud Knights and Mara-struck soldiers. The cart itself was lined with nine aged, rusty barrels.
Inside these barrels, the faces of Cloud Knights peered out in expressions of utter bewilderment and despair. As if in response, each Herta doll offered them a black-brown liquid, upon which their faces would relax into a peaceful, almost blissful smile before they slumped back into an induced slumber.
Anyone seeing this scene would be forgiven for mistaking it as some deranged merchant caravan, except its cargo wasn't just goods but actual Cloud Knights and Mara-struck soldiers. Each had a pacifier linked to a dark bottle, clearly a mind-control drug, Tingyun thought.
Pei Guang spotted them and waved with an unsettlingly wide grin. It wasn't a friendly greeting; it was the look of a person spotting a new piece of "cargo."
One of the Cloud Knights whispered to Tingyun, "Lady Tingyun, we'll do our best to create an opening for you. Please, escape while you can!"
Tingyun sighed, barely able to tear her eyes from the bizarre scene. "There's… no way to escape now, I'm afraid."
The Trailblazers moved forward with a practiced ease. With swift aim, March 7th unleashed a wave of Six-Phased Ice that froze the Mara-struck soldiers in place. Before the Mara-struck could even react, Pei Guang deftly uncapped a black-brown bottle and tilted it into one soldier's mouth. Within seconds, the Mara-struck fell unconscious, limp and still.
March 7th swiftly lifted the limp Mara-struck soldier and tossed him into the waiting trash can.
Once, these barrels had held only refuse. Now, they held the "essentials," granting them an unusual nobility and dignity that Tingyun could sense even from afar. It was as if these vessels now stood as sentinels of virtue and courage, wholly different from their original purpose.
Three of the trash cans on the cart were still empty, as if beckoning Tingyun and her two remaining knights to take refuge in them. She found herself inexplicably drawn, as if fate itself called to her through these strangely dignified barrels.
Gazing into the trash cans, her breath caught in her throat. It was as if they extended an invitation she couldn't refuse, their presence demanding a respect that felt entirely incongruous in her current situation.