The Gamer who traveled to Honkai: Star Rail

After working together for so long, everyone knew exactly what Pei Guang's move meant. Stelle's eyes lit up with excitement, while March 7th spared a brief 0.1 seconds of silence in sympathy for Skott.

Pei Guang's tactic was nothing short of brilliant. Abominations of Abundance-related materials were strictly forbidden in Xianzhou. If any were found in Skott's packages, he'd be immediately detained by Xianzhou authorities for investigation.

Given the thorough nature of Xianzhou's inspections, they'd certainly determine whether Skott had any actual connections to Abominations of Abundance. If not, it would simply be dismissed as a misunderstanding. And considering Luofu had just dealt with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, it'd be easy to pin the blame on them without raising any suspicions.

As for investigating Pei Guang? That was unlikely. His close ties with Luofu, not to mention his role in capturing numerous Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and defeating the Lord Ravager, meant Luofu authorities wouldn't doubt him easily. Even if they did, the matter would likely end up with Fu Xuan for divination.

But here's the catch—Fu Xuan and the Divination Commission were effectively on their side. Even if Fu Xuan maintained her integrity, March 7th vividly remembered the fear in her eyes the last time she tried to divine Pei Guang's fate. There was no way she'd casually attempt that again.

In March's eyes, this wasn't just a clever move; it was an absolute checkmate. By the time Skott was eventually proven innocent, the situation in Aurum Alley would've long been settled.

Meanwhile, Skott remained blissfully unaware of the trap closing in around him. Even Sushang and Mingxi had no clue what Pei Guang was about to pull.

As dockworkers hauled out Skott's cargo and started unsealing the crates, Skott crossed his arms, wearing a smug grin. He'd been meticulous—no paper trails, no digital records, just verbal agreements. They'd never find proof.

With so many dockworkers around, how could they possibly identify his inside man? His confidence grew as Pei Guang's group approached his cargo. Skott nearly laughed out loud.

But that laugh never came.

Pei Guang strolled up with a casual smile, barely pretending to inspect the goods. He glanced into a ceramic jar, reached inside, and pulled out a token bearing the emblem of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus.

"Oh my, what's this?" Pei Guang exclaimed theatrically. "How did this get into your shipment? Oh—perhaps you're unfamiliar with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus? They're basically a bunch of Denizens of Abundance, and the Xianzhou really, really doesn't like them."

His words caused an immediate stir. Dockworkers and passersby who'd been idly observing now turned their attention sharply toward Skott.

"…Huh?" Skott blinked, stunned.

Elsewhere, Stelle was rummaging under a nearby table and conveniently "found" a pill she'd pocketed back when they'd raided the Disciples' hideouts.

"Look at this!" Stelle announced. "A medicinal pill from the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus! Bailu, come verify if it's authentic."

Bailu had clearly seen both Stelle and Pei Guang pull these items out of thin air. But hey, she was part of the crew—and besides, wasn't it her duty as a new High Elder to back her allies no matter what?

She examined the pill with exaggerated seriousness. "Yep, no doubt about it. This is indeed a Disciples of Sanctus Medicus pill."

On the other side, March 7th rifled through a bookshelf and dramatically "discovered" a leaf resembling that of a ginkgo tree—an unmistakable material tied to Abundance.

"Wait, why is this in your books?" March gasped. "Isn't this something only Mara-struck would have? Don't tell me…"

Skott's face went pale. "These aren't mine! You—you're framing me!"

Pei Guang smiled serenely. "Of course I'm framing you. I mean, let's be real—I am setting you up. But… well, they don't seem to believe you."

Sure enough, one of the dockworkers, munching on some snacks while watching the drama unfold, chimed in.

"Nonsense. I know Pei Guang—he's our hero! I saw him fighting Abominations of Abundance with my own eyes during my shift. There's no way he'd frame someone over something this petty. You? You're just some random corporate lackey. Why would he even bother?"

Pei Guang chuckled, "I would."

A Sky-Faring Commission employee laughed along, "Our benefactor sure knows how to joke~"

Skott, visibly furious, snapped, "What, are you saying I framed him? I have absolutely no connection to any of the things you're accusing me of. I've never had any dealings with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus—I'm just an ordinary IPC employee!"

The Sky-Faring Commission employee responded coldly, "I don't believe you. I suggest you stay right where you are. It won't be long before someone comes to take you in for questioning. Don't worry, though—if you're truly innocent, Luofu will clear your name."

Skott's face twisted in frustration, but deep down, he knew better than to make a scene. Having dealt with the culture of Luofu, he understood just how serious this situation was. The innocent fear nothing, or so the saying goes. He had no clue how Pei Guang had managed to plant those items, but he knew one thing for sure—he was screwed.

Was he afraid? Not at all. He was, after all, a corporate agent. As long as he cooperated with the investigation, nothing would happen to him—he hadn't done anything illegal. Besides, representing the IPC gave him additional security. If his situation escalated to something that touched the Xianzhou Alliance's bottom line, his corporation would launch its own thorough investigation: dual investigations would inevitably prove his innocence.

But even if he'd eventually be cleared, it would take time—maybe days, maybe weeks. Either way, this operation was completely derailed.

Bitterly, Skott realized the truth: he'd lost. What stung the most wasn't just the defeat—it was the way he'd been beaten. He couldn't believe Pei Guang, someone with such a high profile in Luofu, had stooped to playing dirty against a small-time agent like him. Not only did Pei Guang resort to business sabotage, but he even went as far as framing him outright.

Where's your dignity, huh? Skott fumed internally. You're a big-shot—don't you care about your reputation?!

Still, despite his anger, Skott wasn't afraid for his life. One glance at the gleeful expressions on Pei Guang, Stelle, and March 7th's faces told him exactly what was going on. This wasn't about getting rid of him permanently. No—Pei Guang didn't want him dead.

Pei Guang just wanted to make him bark like a dog.

That realization hit harder than the accusations. Skott had agreed to that humiliating bet, and if he ended up in prison, he'd be unable to fulfill it. Pei Guang wasn't after vengeance. He was after the satisfaction of seeing Skott humiliated.

Meanwhile, for Stelle and March 7th, the whole scene was déjà vu. It reminded them of their time in Belobog, where Pei Guang had similarly stated the absolute truth—only for no one to believe him. And now, it was happening all over again.

This time, though, they fully grasped the perks of having maxed-out favorability. The scene unfolding was a masterclass in double standards: Pei Guang blatantly framed Skott, yet everyone believed it. Skott spoke the truth, and everyone assumed he was lying. When Pei Guang joked around, people thought he was serious. When he was serious, they thought he was joking.

And somehow, in March 7th's mind, it all felt perfectly reasonable.

It was like in a game where you've maxed out your reputation with a faction. You could slaughter someone right in front of them, and they'd still insist, "It couldn't have been the player who did this."

As for whether this wasted Luofu's resources? Pei Guang had done the math. Wasting manpower might lower his favorability a little. If his schemes were discovered, it'd drop even more. But none of that mattered—as long as the gains outweighed the losses, it was still a net positive.

Skott was taken away. Since items related to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus were found in his possession, he would be subjected to thorough interrogation.

In Luofu, such cases are rarely mishandled—wrongful accusations are almost unheard of. By the time the Ten-Lords Commission concluded their investigation, the verdict would likely state that Skott had no direct involvement. It would be ruled that the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had merely tried to exploit the company's logistics to smuggle important materials.

Skott wouldn't be detained for long. After all, Luofu had just gone through the turmoil caused by the Disciples, so their processes were highly efficient. Typically, someone arrested in the morning would be interrogated and processed by the afternoon.

Moreover, Luofu's interrogation techniques weren't limited to simple questioning. They had specialized methods to extract key information swiftly and effectively. 

In a way, this experience wasn't entirely a bad thing for Skott. Not only would he get a deep dive into Luofu's customs and a firsthand taste of "business warfare" with a player, but he'd also receive an authentic experience of Luofu's unique interrogation methods—and even sample their prison cuisine. 

A full cultural immersion, so to speak.

Of course, the price of this "cultural tour" was steep—he'd lost the bet with the Aurum Alley Merchants' Guild. Like it or not, he'd soon be barking like a dog.

Pei Guang and his crew were eagerly awaiting Skott's triumphant return… and his long-overdue dog impression.