The Gamer who traveled to Honkai: Star Rail

Veritas was at a loss from Pei Guang's gestures and words. He suddenly felt that this guy wasn't just some idiot… 

But as he was about to complain, something terrifying happened: Pei Guang suddenly disappeared.

Yes, in that split second of thought, Pei Guang vanished. At the same time, Veritas sensed something behind him. Instinctively, he swung the book in his hand backward and leapt away.

As he moved, he noticed Pei Guang was now behind him, holding a bottle of strange dark-brown liquid. Judging by Pei Guang's disappointed expression, Veritas realized he had just tried to ambush him.

Before Veritas could speak, Pei Guang had already equipped himself with his ultimate gear.

Armor crafted from the Abundant Ebon Deer and a Giant True Sting bug appeared on his body. 

On his head was an Abundant Ebon Deer helmet, his left hand held an ancient Abundant Ebon Deer shield, and in his right was the village's best sword. On his shoulders was a shoulder-mounted launcher Himeko had designed for him in recent days.

His face was now adorned with multiple accessories that boosted his attributes. In an instant, his head had transformed into a comically ugly but adorable and squeaky version of an "Albinauric."

The outfit was absolutely ridiculous-looking, but despite the looks, it offered Pei Guang the highest stat boosts.

Seeing the fully armed Pei Guang, Veritas' expression turned serious. "What are you trying to do?"

Pei Guang: "You're not a companion, you won't help me… Don't tell me you're just some visitor to the space station who ended up here by accident? Come on, who would believe that?!"

"I…"

Veritas wanted to respond, but he realized Pei Guang wasn't wrong. At the same time, Veritas felt like he had really messed up today.

Usually, people he encountered either made sense or couldn't beat him. But today, he ran into someone who did make sense and could fight. His logic might sound weird to outsiders, but Veritas realized that for Pei Guang, it all tracked perfectly.

In this special environment, Pei Guang had pointed out his true reason for being here—and if Veritas repeated it now, it would lose its impact!

Still, conflict could be avoided. The root of this situation was Veritas overestimating Pei Guang's intelligence. 

So Veritas decided to explain more clearly and said, "We don't need to fight here. I know you're working for Ruan Mei. My goal is roughly the same. Since you've come, I won't interfere. Take the elevator down: the thing you're looking for is there."

Hearing that their goals aligned, Pei Guang grew more serious and focused. He knew exactly why he was here: to complete Ruan Mei's mission and get her reward. 

As for the details? Nothing he wasn't used to: finding stuff, delivering stuff, or just plain fighting. 

As long as it wasn't something he hated doing, he'd take care of it. If this guy's goal was the same, did that mean they were after the same mission item? Was he trying to steal his monster?

Thinking back to how many missions had turned into messes in the past, Pei Guang decided to clarify things a bit. 

After all, in a lot of games, misunderstandings spiral because the protagonist or NPC says "this is a misunderstanding," only for the other party to attack anyway.

To avoid that, Pei Guang decided to give the guy a chance: "Explain in detail: why are you here? And what are your real intentions regarding that cloned Propagation Emanator? Since you say there's no conflict, I'll trust you, but I need to be sure you're not here to steal my reward."

But the moment Pei Guang said that, he regretted it. Not because he gave the guy a chance to talk and resolve things peacefully: but because someone familiar had appeared behind Veritas.

That someone was none other than Stelle.

While looking for a way down, Stelle had noticed someone ahead. 

As she got closer… would you look at that! Pei Guang was face-to-face with a guy wearing a plaster helmet? And fully geared up?

No need to guess: that guy was definitely an enemy. So she had already gone into stealth and pulled out her sleep-inducing item.

Veritas didn't know any of this, and seeing that Pei Guang was open to talking, he began explaining, "Looks like you're not beyond saving. I…"

Before Veritas could finish, he felt that same sense of danger as when Pei Guang ambushed him earlier. But this time, he had nowhere to run.

Suddenly, a pink-and-white gradient-colored trash can with limbs appeared beside him. Its thick arm grabbed him firmly, and at the same time, on his other side, a gray-haired girl's hand clamped down on his chin. 

In an instant, a thermometer was jammed into his mouth through the hole in his plaster helmet.

He tried to struggle, but before he could, Pei Guang sighed.

Pei Guang: "Brother, it's not that I didn't give you a chance… it's just that my teammate's here now. Just relax!"

That was Veritas' final memory, because in the next second, he fell into a sleep as peaceful as a baby's.

Veritas was out cold. 

Watching the sleeping 'Doctor of Truth', Pei Guang sighed, "Well, he's down. Hey, Stelle! While you're at it, loot him, will ya? But seriously, what are you doing here?"

While rifling through Veritas' pockets, Stelle grumbled, "I took a mission, and those adorable little guys told me the mission item is down there! I was about to go take a look. Oh, right—Ah Guang! What's with this trash can? It's way too cool!"

The more she spoke, the more excited she got, and the faster her hands moved. And in her excitement, she really did find something.

"Huh? Got a drop! Ah Guang, check out what it is!"

Stelle pulled a thick book out from Veritas' pocket. Pei Guang took it from her and started examining it.

"Oh! It's a piece of gear called 'Knowledge is Power'. According to the description, it can convert knowledge into strength?"

Pei Guang studied the purple-colored item Stelle had looted with great focus, pondering whether it meant turning one's own intelligence into power, or if the book itself was called "Knowledge" and simply increased power by carrying it.

Stelle said, "Nice! But seriously though, what's up with that enemy?"

Pei Guang replied, "No idea! He said it was a misunderstanding and I was waiting for him to explain, then you showed up. I figured since you were already here, might as well loot him. Nothing to lose, right? But now that we've looted him, we should toss him somewhere farther away.

He did say his goal was the same as mine, so I'm guessing he took on a similar mission? But judging by his state, he's probably with the opposing faction to that woman."

That's right: since meeting Ruan Mei, she had never properly introduced herself to Pei Guang, so he still didn't know her name.

Stelle said, "No problem! How about I stuff him in that elevator over there? By the way, was it you who set up this creepy environment?"

As she shoved Veritas into an empty trash bin and called the elevator, Pei Guang nodded, "Creepy? These bright colors are festive! Add the song Good Luck is Coming, and it's perfect!"

As he spoke, the song started playing, and the elevator arrived. 

After shoving the trash bin with the sleeping Veritas into the elevator, Stelle quipped, "It's not festive at all. It's super eerie! But knowing you set it up… yeah, I guess it is kinda festive."

Knowing it was Pei Guang's doing, Stelle suddenly felt that the place wasn't just festive: it was brimming with power.

Pei Guang said, "Not a big deal. Now's not the time to dwell on that. You and the bin are both here, let's go! Time to start the dungeon! I figure what you're looking for is probably down there."

Stelle asked, "What's down there?"

Pei Guang replied, "Oh, a replicated Propagation Emanator."

Stelle responded, "Oh, a Propagation Emanator—wait, what?! What did you say?!"

It hit her all at once.

Did Pei Guang just say there's a Propagation Emanator inside Herta Space Station? She had only taken a lost-item recovery mission, how did that escalate into something involving a Propagation Emanator?

Pei Guang explained, "You didn't know? My mission is to deal with that Propagation Emanator down there. Although it's just a copy and supposedly much weaker than a real Emanator, I have a feeling this mission isn't going to go smoothly."

Stelle said, "But I'm just here for a lost item!"

Pei Guang thought out loud, "Maybe I took on the main quest, and yours is a side quest that spawned from it. Since we're in the same party, our mission progress might be shared. That's why yours turned into a lost item recovery and mine involves fighting the Propagation Emanator?"

Stelle asked, "But a Propagation Emanator, though? Can we even take that on?"

Pei Guang patted the trash bin beside him. "This guy's an important ally in this mission—of course we can!"

Stelle replied, "Ohhh! That makes sense. I did run into a few cute little guys on the way here. Are they also key to defeating this Propagation Emanator?"

Pei Guang nodded. "Could be. I even have a feeling that the guy you knocked out might play an important role too. But it's too late now—he's down, we've pissed him off, and our rapport has dropped. So let's just send him off to avoid interference."

Stelle said, "Sorry!"

Pei Guang responded, "What are you apologizing for? So we offended someone: if he really came to help, he'd help us anyway. If he had other motives, he'd mess with us even if we didn't offend him. It's fine! Now that you're here, let's focus on how to deal with the Propagation Emanator!"

Stelle said, "Well said! But… can we really take down a Propagation Emanator? Even if it's a copy, we probably can't, right?"

Pei Guang replied, "Definitely not! But I'm guessing the mission is more of a survival type: last a while, and our bin friend will take it down for us! Anyway, that guy earlier showed me the way. Let's head over and start the dungeon. Since you've already explored and brought back something, there's probably nothing else left on this map that'll help us."

Stelle: "Let's go!"

Pei Guang: "Not so fast. Just in case something goes wrong, let's put some safeguards in place first…"