Cloudford had plenty of hidden mara-struck, courtesy of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. Their task was to hold back the Cloud Knights, keeping the Starskiffs turned off and blocking reinforcements to the Alchemy Commission. They were also under orders to guard the pathways, watching for any defectors to capture.
In truth, though, the list of defectors was of little consequence to the Disciples now that they'd launched an all-out attack on Xianzhou.
The mara-struck stationed here were a bit unfortunate. By the time they'd arrived, the crew of the Astral Express had already neutralized most of the mara-struck soldiers born from the Stellaron's influence. So, the Cloud Knights had already taken control of most ports, allowing them to engage in a standoff with the mara-struck.
These others, realizing their position was compromised, had resorted to guerrilla tactics around Cloudford, attempting to evade the Cloud Knights.
Unluckily for them, Pei Guang was now circling around from behind—armed with their own motto.
Whenever they encountered a lone mara-struck, Herta Puppet No. 1 would shout the Disciples' code phrase, prompting the mara-struck to respond automatically. And right after? No further dialogue was needed.
With Herta Puppet No. 1 drawing attention, Pei Guang would circle behind and finish them off with a precise strike.
Pei Guang's sword—upgraded at the Herta Space Station—was a weapon that cut through anything, delivering what the system called "true damage." In practice, it meant that almost nothing could withstand its edge. Mara-struck were durable but not invincible.
Cocolia, empowered by the Stellaron, had been felled by this sword, as had the Antimatter Engine. Compared to those foes, the mara-struck were rather fragile.
After dispatching another mara-struck Disciple, Pei Guang continued forward with Herta Puppet No. 1. The mara-struck had strategically positioned themselves at key passages to drain the Cloud Knights' resources, hoping to buy time for their comrades attacking the Ambrosial Arbor.
While this tactic did indeed harass the Cloud Knights, it also made things much easier for Pei Guang.
At every turn or ambush point, Herta No. 1 would call out, "The mercy of Sanctus Medicus, the Ambrosial Arbor's new growth."
In response, the hidden mara-struck would reflexively answer, "One in sanctification, together into bliss."
Then Herta No. 1 would mutter, "Ever seen a diamond this big?"
A disciple of Sanctus Medicus retorted, "Never seen it before… wait, what are you doing?!!!!"
Once hidden or ambushed disciples came out, Pei Guang would exchange a few polite words, check the area to ensure no one else was hiding, and then strike decisively.
The disciples were scattered so widely that when one location was attacked, it was unlikely others would notice. Besides, Pei Guang's approach was cunning—he used their own password against them.
This code was something they believed only their own members knew, so they never expected Pei Guang, an outsider, to use it. And while their leader was aware of Pei Guang's movements and even the Trailblazers' actions, communication was still hampered by the power of the Stellaron, disrupting their data transmissions. Unlike Silver Wolf, the Disciples lacked skilled hackers capable of bypassing the interference.
In their minds, anyone using the phrase must be a fellow disciple, so naturally, they would come out to investigate, only to meet their demise.
After dispatching three more disciples, Pei Guang received a message from March 7th.
March 7th: "You were right. Liangmu isn't there, so we need to check another location. I'll mark it on your mini-map."
Just as she sent the message, she noticed that Pei Guang was already at the destination.
March 7th: "Pei Guang! You're already at the spot we need to check~"
Pei Guang: "What a coincidence! I'll search around here and see if I can find him."
March 7th: "Got it! We'll be there soon."
Their conversation paused, and Pei Guang, who had initially planned to leave after taking down several disciples, decided to search the area more thoroughly.
His approach was straightforward—stuff each nearby container into his inventory space. If something couldn't be stored, it meant someone was hiding inside.
But just as he was about to start, Pei Guang noticed a note stuck to one of the containers. Curious, he picked it up, read it, and then placed it in the shared storage space.
Looking at the note, Pei Guang muttered, "Why does this mission feel like it's mocking me at every turn? First, I planned to threaten someone to come out, and then she shows up unprompted. Now, I want to search for someone else by force, and here I find a note with a clue instead!"
Grumbling, he messaged March 7th, "No need to come here. He's not around. I found a note saying he's headed toward the docks."
March 7th: "Wow, this guy's quite the escape artist. The docks, though? Isn't that where we were before? How did Stelle miss him…"
Pei Guang: "Who knows? Maybe he showed up just after we left. No problem, March—go ahead and teleport over with the others!"
March 7th: "Really? Are you sure?"
Pei Guang: "Absolutely. I've got one teleport left, and you've got two. The timer's almost up for today's reset. Might as well use them."
March 7th: "Alright~ Just mark the location, and I'll take them over."
After ending the call, Pei Guang marked the spot on the mini-map. March 7th saw it and pulled out a trash can, slipping it over Banxia's head.
"Huh? What's this for?"
March 7th replied, "Don't take it off. I'm using a special ability, and if you look at it for too long, you'll explode. I'll tell you when it's safe to remove it."
Beside her, Bailu's eyes widened, "One look and you explode? What about me?"
March 7th chuckled, "Just close your eyes~"
She gave Bailu a playful wink, and Bailu caught on. She knew Pei Guang had a powerful teleportation skill, and judging by March 7th's act, she wasn't planning to let Banxia in on it. So Bailu played along, coughing and dramatically replying, "Alright, I'll keep my eyes shut, no peeking~" She gave March 7th a wink in return.
As they prepared to teleport, March 7th suddenly remembered Pei Guang's earlier words about Liangmu possibly being a scoundrel using Banxia. If they went straight to him, Banxia might get fooled again.
With a spark of inspiration and a detective-like air, March 7th turned to Banxia, "Hey, Banxia~ How about giving your beloved a little surprise?"
Banxia blinked, "A surprise?"
March 7th nodded, "Yep! When we teleport over, you stay tucked in the trash can. His note said for you to come alone, right? We'll set you down near the meeting point, and you stay in the can, maybe whispering in distress but keeping quiet. Then Bailu and I will show up and tell him about everything you've done for him, hoping to see him so moved he'll kiss you! Perfect, right?"
As the saying goes, "True love fades, but clever tricks win hearts." March 7th didn't know this proverb, but she understood the sentiment. And besides, it wasn't deception, really.
Recalling Banxia's frail state when they first met, March 7th felt it was only fair for Liangmu to see her like that—so moved by his love that even on the verge of mara-struck transformation, she still thought of him. If Banxia's return to that condition tugged at Liangmu's heart, it would be worth it.
March 7th thought back to movies where the male and female leads, caught up in dramatic twists, desperately tried to save each other, their love only growing through near-miraculous recoveries. It was a bit clichéd, but thinking of this scenario playing out in real life thrilled her.
Hearing her plan, Banxia hesitated. "Is this… alright?"
March 7th reassured her, "Why not? Does your beloved know medicine? And if he does, is he as skilled as Bailu? Let her help, and when you meet, let him kiss you passionately. Isn't that what you want?"
March 7th's words hit the mark. Banxia had never experienced love before, and hearing this suggestion stirred something new and exciting within her.