The Gamer who traveled to Honkai: Star Rail

While the three of them were busy looting, the father and daughter on the other side hesitated, unsure of how to react. Pei Guang and the others moved so smoothly—it was as if they were seasoned scavengers, always ready to take advantage of any situation.

Hook tugged on her father's sleeve. "Dad… they…"

Fersman reassured her. "Don't be afraid. They saved us. If it weren't for them, we would've been in real trouble."

Hearing their conversation, Pei Guang straightened up and turned to them. "No need to worry, we're not bad guys. I'm—"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Hook finally got a good look at his face. The moment she recognized him, she practically jumped with excitement. "It's the Trailblazer big bro! Big bro, did you come to save Hook and Dad?"

Pei Guang proudly placed his hands on his hips. "Of course! But what exactly happened here? How did you end up in trouble with these guys?"

Hook puffed up her chest and explained with confidence, "Dad and I were helping transport some goods, but when we arrived, we found out these bad guys were actually smuggling… um… wait, what was it again, Dad?"

She was too excited to recall the details, so Fersman stepped in to clarify.

"Artifacts—museum artifacts. I visited the museum a few times when I was younger, so I recognized them right away. The things they were transporting were definitely stolen. If I'd known earlier, I never would've taken this job. What a mess!"

With the Underworld rapidly developing, life here was no longer as harsh as before. Unlike the old days when survival itself was a challenge, people could now make an honest living without struggling. In fact, not only was it easier to sustain themselves, but many could even afford small luxuries—buying clothes, snacks, and other things from the Overworld after the passage reopened.

There was a time when Fersman, as a father, had no choice but to engage in questionable activities to ensure his daughter's survival. But now that circumstances had improved, he made sure to set a good example and earn his living properly.

That was why, upon realizing that the cargo they were delivering consisted of stolen artifacts, he immediately confronted the smugglers.

As for the group of wanderers facing them, they were part of Sampo's smuggling network—people who had been lured into the scheme. They weren't satisfied with honest work. Smuggling was easy money, and as long as they weren't caught, the profits were enormous.

The only real challenge was setting up airtight alibis and moving the stolen goods before the Silvermane Guards could react. That was why they hired people like Fersman for transport.

They never expected their very first shipment to run into trouble. Not only did they get caught, but they had also run straight into Pei Guang and his group. Their luck couldn't have been worse.

After listening to the father and daughter's explanation, Pei Guang, Stelle, and March 7th exchanged glances.

March 7th, took a big breath. "Hiss! Of course it's like this! We weren't even trying, and we still managed to stumble upon a major clue and find some of the stolen artifacts?"

Stelle smirked. "Classic Ah Guang. Fast as always."

Pei Guang, however, looked deep in thought. "You know, I think the reason we're moving so fast is because we immediately caught the mastermind. Normally, you'd follow a trail of clues one by one, but since we went straight for the head of the operation, they didn't even have time to cover their tracks. 

Plus, since we're technically moving in the opposite direction of how the game's quest progression was probably designed, we're skipping all the filler steps."

He said all this with a completely serious expression, analyzing the situation as if he were breaking down a strategic guide. March 7th and Stelle, naturally, listened with the same level of seriousness—even though they both knew he was just making stuff up.

Stelle shrugged. "Eh, whatever. Just trust Ah Guang. He's never wrong. But still, these guys are scumbags! Picking on a little kid?"

Hook crossed her arms and huffed. "Hook isn't a little kid! I help Dad with work, I deliver goods for people—I can do all sorts of things! Hook isn't a kid!"

Hearing that, Pei Guang turned his gaze toward the unconscious men on the ground. "Hook? Oh yeah, I remember now. Back when we were transporting supplies, you were there too. Natasha said you were mischievous but a really responsible kid. And these guys had the nerve to bully someone like you? Stelle, I think you went too easy on them."

March 7th hesitated. "Uh… so what do we do now?"

Pei Guang: "How about... we wake them up and beat them again?"

Stelle: "I think... that works?"

March 7th: "How do we wake them up?"

Pei Guang pulled out a gourd. "Heh, Bailu gave me some medicine. It won't cure everything, but for people who passed out from minor injuries, it'll wake them up real quick."

March 7th looked at the gourd, feeling a bit distressed. "That's one of Bailu's treasures. Wouldn't this be a waste?"

Pei Guang shook his head. "Not at all. This is the same medicine Bailu used when treating that scumbag, Banxia's boyfriend. It works great for recovery but doesn't have any special properties. She gave it to me specifically so that if I ever came across someone I wanted to beat up but didn't feel satisfied, I could use this to go another round."

March 7th widened her eyes. "Wait, when did you even get this?"

Pei Guang thought for a moment. "Probably back when we stirred up trouble with the Vidyadhara in the Luofu. I grabbed some herbs at the time, and Bailu just casually whipped up a batch of these. Doesn't do much for us, but for normal people? Works like a charm."

Hearing this, Stelle excitedly spun her bat in her hands. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Pei Guang turned toward Hook. "Hold on a second! I need you two to do me a favor. Head to the Overworld and report to the Silvermane Guards that you've captured some artifact thieves. While you're gone, we'll keep an eye on them."

Hook: "Huh? But there are Silvermane Guards right here in the Underworld. Why go all the way up?"

Fersman tugged at Hook's sleeve. "Hook, you don't understand yet, but you will when you're older. Come on, let's go find the guards in the Overworld."

As the saying goes, age brings wisdom. Fersman had spent years surviving in the Underworld and immediately understood what Pei Guang was planning.

Stop him? Why would he stop him? If Pei Guang and his crew hadn't shown up, who knew what would've happened to him and his daughter? He never imagined that Hook was actually strong enough to take on these wanderers—her destructive power was no joke.

As the father and daughter left, Pei Guang clenched his fists excitedly. "I feel like we're about to have a really good time."

Stelle nodded. "Yeah! Last time we dealt with that scumbag, the Cloud Knights showed up too fast. We didn't get to enjoy it properly."

March 7th: "I-Isn't this a bit much?"

Pei Guang looked at March 7th. "Just say whether you want in or not."

March 7th: "Of course I do! Scumbags like this, if we don't give them a proper beating, it's just frustrating!"

Pei Guang scoffed. "Frustrating? This isn't just frustrating—it's infuriating! If they at least dropped some good loot, I might have given them a little leeway, but they didn't drop anything!"

Stelle: "Not only did they drop nothing, they bullied a kid!"

March 7th: "And not only did they bully a kid, they're out here stealing and scamming too!"

Pei Guang: "Then why are we even talking? Just beat them up already!"

And so, the Trailblazers happily embarked on their beating spree.

The Underworld had already changed—anyone willing to work could eat, drink, and even enjoy a bit of leisure. And yet these guys still chose to steal artifacts and prey on the weak? Pei Guang had no respect for criminals who didn't even have the decency to drop good loot.

In most games, you'd just see the screen fade to black and the fight would be over. But here? Here, Pei Guang could do it himself—and there was no way he was letting this chance go to waste.