Pei Guang chuckled, "Perfect! So what do you like to do? Anything's fine—eating, playing..."
Bailu thought for a moment. "I'm really good at healing... and eating!"
Pei Guang, serious for once, lifted her from the trash can and set her on a small table he'd pulled from his inventory, covered with snacks and drinks. "So you know medicine? How good are you?"
Bailu sat down confidently. "If the head and heart aren't injured, I can pretty much heal anyone."
Pei Guang looked at her with newfound admiration. "From today on, you're one of us. Even if you can't join us in battle, as our team's first healer, you'll be honored!"
"Uh… what?" Bailu was a little stunned.
March 7th sighed. "Don't worry, kid. Pei Guang's been searching for a healer forever. You don't even need to join us for adventures—you just signed on as our first 'medic.'"
Bailu thought it over. "Medic… like in games, right? Healing others? I'm pretty good at that, actually. And hey, you're all good people, so if you ever get hurt, I'll patch you up—free of charge! Medicine will be… hmm, five percent off. Oh! Can I have some of these snacks too?" She glanced hungrily at the treats on the table.
Pei Guang grinned, "Dig in! It's all yours!"
Bailu eagerly began munching on the snacks and drinking the refreshments, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, really? Are there any fun places on Xianzhou you could take me to?"
Pei Guang thought for a moment. "That might be tricky—what we're doing is pretty dangerous. We're rescuing a lot of people. Even if you're a healer, you could still get hurt in a fight. But if we're just hanging out in a safe area, sure!"
Bailu patted her chest confidently. "No problem! I'm actually pretty good in combat too! Only…"
Her tail flicked slightly, which caught Pei Guang's attention. He noticed a seal on it and asked, "A seal, huh? Too much power, so it has to be controlled? Don't worry, I've got just the thing that can stop any outbursts—as long as you're alive, it'll work."
Bailu tilted her head. "What kind of treasure?"
Pei Guang held up a bottle. "It's our special coffee. Just a sip brings instant calm; even mara-struck people fall into a peaceful sleep after drinking it."
Bailu eyed the bottle suspiciously. "Can I try it? Wait, it's not poisonous, is it?"
Pei Guang shook his head. "Not at all! It just gives you the perfect ten-minute nap. Look, I'll show you." He took a big gulp and instantly dozed off. As he slumbered, March 7th took over.
"You can always trust Pei Guang! Not only does he have all kinds of treasures, but he also knows how to make things fun. Want to hear some of our past adventures?"
Bailu, taking a bottle of the coffee for herself, nodded. "Sure! Tell me about some exciting adventures."
March 7th happily started recounting their journey. "Alright, so it all began at Herta's Space Station. Do you know Herta? She's part of the Genius Society! Anyway, she's the one who sent us on a mission we completed splendidly…"
Bailu listened intently, munching and sipping away. The stories of their adventures filled her with a longing for similar experiences, though she sighed, knowing her duties would keep her tied to Xianzhou. Still, hearing the tales made her feel her runaway plan was worthwhile.
Just then, March 7th and Stelle received a message on their phones. It was from Welt: "Miss Tingyun is waiting for you all outside the Palace of Astrum. Please make your way over."
March 7th replied, "Got it!"
Stelle added, "We'll be there soon. Oh! Pei Guang just drank some coffee and fell asleep, so he'll be up in a few minutes."
Welt replied, "No rush!"
Seeing them put away their phones, Bailu spoke up. "You all must be busy, right? I'll leave so I don't get in your way."
Stelle shook her head. "You're not a bother! If you're interested, you could come with us—so long as there's no fighting. When you're a bit older, we'll go on missions together."
At that moment, Pei Guang woke up, stretching. "Where were we?"
Stelle answered, "Uncle Yang wants us to head over, and she wants to come along but feels awkward about it."
Pei Guang grinned. "No problem. As our healer, she's free to come along for anything! Besides, leaving her alone wouldn't be safe, right?"
Bailu hesitated, wanting to point out that she was stronger than she looked. But on second thought, she held back and instead mumbled, "This doesn't seem proper…"
Pei Guang turned to Stelle. "Alright, Stelle! Give her the 'special treatment'!"
March 7th excitedly pulled out a camera, and Stelle brandished her bat, saying, "Well said! Rules are meant to be broken!" With a playful swing of her bat, Stelle aimed at Pei Guang, who quickly blocked it with a trash can lid. With each tap, confetti erupted around him.
Pei Guang sighed. "I get that you need to swing, but could you not aim at me?"
Stelle reassured him, "Don't worry, Pei Guang! I knew you'd block it, so no harm done!"
Pei Guang chuckled. "Easy for you to say! If anyone else got hit, they'd be howling by now."
March 7th reminded them, "Alright, enough horsing around. We'll finish up and meet with Uncle Yang—then we can mess around later."
Pei Guang turned to Bailu. "Want to tag along? I can't promise much, but I guarantee your safety."
Intrigued by the opportunity to travel with the famous Trailblazers, Bailu nodded. "How should I tag along?"
Pei Guang pointed to the trash can. "We're about to meet an important person. It's easier if I carry you in here than leaving you out in the open where you might get caught again."
Bailu agreed quickly, "Got it! Oh, and can I get some milk tea?"
Pei Guang nodded, "I'll grab a couple of bottles for you."
With a little help, Bailu climbed into the trash can. Pei Guang, after adding some straps for ease, lifted it onto his back. Inside, Bailu played a handheld game he'd given her. It was a snug fit, but she felt a strangely comforting sense of safety, just like hiding under blankets as a child.
Pei Guang had a few reasons for bringing Bailu along. Was it her healing skills? Not exactly. Pei Guang had multiple goals in mind. First, knowing about her seal piqued his curiosity, so bringing her along to keep an eye on things seemed like a good move.
In games, it's an unwritten rule: if a character has a seal, it will inevitably break. No matter the type of seal, players have countless ways to bypass it. Rather than waiting for Bailu's seal to shatter on its own and cause trouble, it made more sense to befriend her during the main storyline. Plus, with coffee in hand, Pei Guang believed he could help her stay calm if things got out of control.
And besides, he found her endearing. Her playful expressions and lively spirit had a way of brightening his day. Sometimes in life, you just click with someone—that was enough for Pei Guang.
Of course, her healing talents were a big plus too. He suspected that her claim to save someone "as long as they had one breath left" might be exaggerated, but it didn't matter. If she could keep someone alive during critical injuries or heavy bleeding, that made her a fantastic support. In such a massive map, not having a healer left Pei Guang feeling uneasy, even with powerful allies around. Not for his own sake, of course—he could always risk a resurrection chance if needed. But March 7th was a different story. As a character he had maxed out with affection and who practically radiated "plot flags," he would always put her safety first.
In this life, everyone needs a purpose. Sure, Pei Guang was a gamer, but he wasn't willing to bet on a "second round." Instead of counting on a second chance, he focused on protecting those important to him in the here and now. That was his main goal for the time being.