Chapter 28: Chapter 27 - Quack!!! It's a Trash Can!
Real World
A player with the ID "Slaanesh's Chosen" didn't follow the main story to the Goethe Hotel. Instead, they steered their character to wander around the Administrative District.
"Eh? What's this? A glowing spot! Let's touch it!"
"Huh? What's this, an interactable? Let's click it!"
"Ooh? What's this? Let's take it."
"QUACK! A treasure chest!"
A gray figure could be seen darting around the Administrative District like a husky off its leash, opening people's chests, picking up their books, kicking their streetlights, and rifling through their mailboxes.
This fiend even managed to clip the camera to look up NPCs' skirts, not even sparing the children!
Their depraved deeds were truly hair-raising!
This was only possible in a game. In the real world, anyone like this would end up squatting in a jail cell!
"Hmm? This trash can..."
Suddenly, a trash can exuding an alluring luster entered the line of sight of Slaanesh's Chosen.
Hmm? It's interactable?
Controlling their character, they walked up to the trash can and, without a second thought, pressed the interact key.
"BZZZZT!!!"
Suddenly, the sound of an electric current crackled. The screen of Slaanesh's Chosen went black. When it lit up again, their character was standing at the nearest teleport anchor.
Clearly, it was because they opened the trash can.
But why the sound of electricity?
Slaanesh's Chosen was baffled but undeterred. They found another pristine, top-quality trash can.
"Let me see what secrets you're hiding!"
With a look of pure excitement, Slaanesh's Chosen pounced toward the trash can!
"BZZZZZZZZZT!!!"
The screen went black again. The character returned to the teleport anchor, and the entire team's HP bar had dropped by about 30 percent.
"Uh, this... this isn't right?"
Slaanesh's Chosen scratched their head, completely bewildered but still refusing to believe it.
Click!
"BZZZZZZZZZT!!"
Teleported. 50 percent HP gone.
They ate some food to heal up and continued!
"BZZZZZZZZZT!"
At this moment, Slaanesh's Chosen was like a player hopelessly addicted to the Galactic Grand Lottery, madly bestowing their warmest embrace upon every trash can in Belobog's Administrative District, only to be sent to a black screen and teleported elsewhere.
"Fifth time's the charm!! Let's go!! Hmph!! Hnnngh!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Slaanesh's Chosen screamed! Their desire for the trash can had made them ecstatic. They were determined to rummage through every single trash can in the Administrative District! Even if the trash cans brought them to the brink of death! Even with only one breath left! Even if their characters lost all combat effectiveness! He... HE WOULD NOT STOP!!!
"TRASH CAN!!!"
Clang!
This time! He finally wasn't sent back to the teleport anchor! He had successfully opened the trash can! He listened to its story and then, as if on a pilgrimage, pulled out a bag of trash...
Swoosh!
A golden light effect flashed across the bottom of the screen!
[Achievement Unlocked: Wende: You're Truly Headstrong!]
[Stellar Jade x20]
"WOC, there's an achievement for this?!"
Like someone who had discovered a new continent, Slaanesh's Chosen immediately posted their findings online. Conveniently, they had been screen-recording to document their gameplay, so they uploaded it to AC Station to let everyone know about this achievement!
At the same time, he opened his QQ group chat.
[QQ Group: Quack!! It's a Madlad!]
[Slaanesh's Chosen: Bros! There's a hidden achievement for checking five trash cans in the main Belobog city! [Achievement.jpg]]
[LittleLamb: For real? I haven't even done the main quest yet.]
[Slaanesh's Chosen: For real! I was halfway through the main quest and just wandering around the city when I found it! You get 20 Stellar Jade!]
[LittleLamb: I'm on my way!]
In an instant, the Star Rail players were swept up in a trash can craze. Regardless of where they were in the main story, and regardless of whether there were trash cans nearby, they would approach any interactable object to have a good "chat." Through this, the players actually managed to uncover quite a few achievements and hidden quests.
Soon, a player figured out the reason for being electrocuted by the trash cans.
A player named "White Night" noticed that the sound effect during the black screen after opening a trash can was somewhat familiar. He quickly compared it to the attack sound effects of some common characters and discovered that it was a perfect match for the sound of Wende's basic attack, the lightning needle!
On a whim, he removed Wende from his party.
Because Wende's kit was so absurdly powerful, basically any player who hadn't pulled Bailu would have Wende in their main questing team.
And even some players who did have Bailu would still bring Wende along, as he could also function as a "little support." With a double healing pump, it was hard to die even if you tried!
After removing Wende, "White Night" found an appealing trash can to test his theory. After pressing the interact key, he was able to converse directly with the trash can, with no black screen or electrocution sound effect! And he successfully obtained a piece of trash!
The excited "White Night" immediately posted this easter egg in his group chat, while also wondering curiously, why would Wende want to stop them from rummaging through trash cans?
At that moment, in Boulder Town in Belobog's Underworld, the residents coming and going were all giving the Trailblazing team strange looks as they walked down the middle of the road.
Especially Stelle, who was trailing behind Wende with two large bumps on her head and a deeply wronged expression on her face.
"I already told you, trash cans are dirty, don't go rummaging through them! Pom-Pom isn't here, so we have no way to wash clothes. Am I supposed to wash them for you? Besides, what's so great about trash anyway..."
Wende walked at the front of the group, lecturing the trailing Stelle in a heartfelt tone, looking exactly like a nagging mother hen.
"Hey now, big brother, why go to such lengths? Isn't it a good thing for a child to develop a bit of personality as they grow up!" old Sampo, who was leading the way, called out with a cheerful laugh, trying to placate Wende. In that instant, Stelle suddenly thought this person was actually quite nice.
"Hmm?"
Wende's eyes narrowed as he gave Sampo a benevolent look.
"Er... I mean, I feel that a child's bad habits must be corrected from a young age! Today she dares to dig through trash cans! Tomorrow she'll dare to bomb a septic tank! Old Sampo absolutely cannot tolerate such things!"
Stelle: I really, truly misjudged him...
"Yeah, why are you so fixated on trash cans?" March 7th also walked over to reason with Stelle. What was so good about trash cans, anyway?
"Your companion's hobby is certainly... unique..." Bronya said to Dan Heng, the corner of her mouth twitching as she watched Stelle's reluctant expression.
Dan Heng: "I don't know her." (Turns his head away)