March 7th couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
But when she thought about Pei Guang's personality, instead of worrying about herself, she began to worry about him—and the girl named Firefly.
"Then doesn't that mean Ah Guang's in danger too? We have to go help him!"
March 7th stood up, ready to rush out, but Himeko stopped her before she could take a step.
"March, calm down. If Ah Guang told Stelle to come back first, that means he's confident he can handle things on his own. Besides," Himeko's eyes turned toward Stelle, "you probably found something big, didn't you?"
If Pei Guang had chosen to send Stelle back rather than have her stay and help, it could only mean one of two things: either he was sure he could deal with it himself, or they had discovered something extremely important, so crucial that Stelle had to deliver the information even if it meant leaving Pei Guang alone.
Either way, rushing over now might not help at all: it might actually make things worse.
Stelle nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I know you're worried, March, but we need to stay calm. Ah Guang asked me to come back so I could tell everyone what we found. Inside the Family's dreamscape… we found Death."
She began recounting everything that had happened in the dream with Pei Guang.
As she spoke, everyone's expressions began to change, especially when she mentioned the trash can becoming real.
March 7th couldn't help but blurt out, "I knew something was off that time! Everyone started acting so weird: I thought maybe it was just you guys messing around! Turns out it actually was you!"
Thanks to Pei Guang's influence, a lot of people inside the dream had become "Q-bouncy," and this ridiculous "Q" state was so absurd that even March 7th had tried it out herself once she saw it.
It didn't really do anything, but bouncing around all squishy and rubbery through the world had its own kind of fun.
Stelle waved her hand. "That's not the main point. The main point is that something's wrong with Penacony itself. According to Ah Guang's analysis, the dream we entered might've been just the shallowest layer. The deeper layers are the true Penacony. When Ah Guang, Firefly, and I tried to go deeper, we encountered something terrifying…"
She went on to describe Something Unto Death: its form, its presence, and its dreadful abilities. As she spoke, everyone's expressions grew grim.
After finishing her explanation about the creature, Stelle continued, "And in Penacony, we found several beings that normal people can't see. One of them was the Clockie Boy of Penacony.
He asked Ah Guang to gather materials and told him how to reach the deeper dream. I think he wants Ah Guang to help him save Penacony. And… we also heard some things down there."
Even without Pei Guang present, he had already shared all his theories with them along the way: about the legacy of the Watchmaker possibly being a Stellaron, and about Penacony itself facing an existential crisis.
Himeko crossed her arms. "So you're saying Ah Guang's current goal is to find the Watchmaker, obtain his legacy, and help the Clockie Boy save this city of dreams?"
Welt nodded thoughtfully. "Knowing his temperament, once he learned Penacony was in danger, he'd never just stand by and watch. He's got all the hallmark traits of a classic 'hero' RPG player."
Having known Pei Guang for some time, and having designed games and animation himself, Welt understood that player mindset almost perfectly.
To him, Pei Guang was like a traditional RPG protagonist: someone who treats saving the world as the ultimate quest.
Sure, games let players do whatever they want, but many still choose to chase the impossible, to complete the grand deeds that most people never could.
That's why so many people can't quit gaming, even as they grow older. Games may be "just games," but they carry the purest of dreams.
Pei Guang was like the embodiment of that dream, standing before them in real life. And for someone with such earnest values, his motives were easy to guess for anyone who'd ever played a game:
See a character you like? Protect her. See innocent people suffer? Help them.
The world may be full of grey areas, but for a player, if someone wants to destroy the world, that person is the enemy.
It's a simple truth, one that's hard to achieve in real games, often twisted by the whims of cruel or capitalistic writers, but Welt believed that players like Pei Guang could always find a way.
Mods, cheats, exploits, private servers… players always had ways, honorable or otherwise, to make their vision real.
The only real problem would be if someone like Pei Guang got access to a save file and started a new game anew.
That might be… complicated. But if that ever happened, Welt could only hope the "next run" version of himself, March 7th, and Stelle would handle it well.
Hearing Welt's words, March 7th clenched her fists in excitement. "Then what are we waiting for? What should we do?"
Just as she said that, the Express's family group chat suddenly pinged. When they opened it, they saw a message from Silver Wolf.
Silver Wolf: "Ahem~ Long time no see, everyone~ I've got a mission with the Stellaron Hunters right now, so I can't come hang out this time~ But I heard you're investigating the weird stuff in Penacony? I've got some fresh data for you. Sharing it now."
Attached was a data package.
Silver Wolf: "Input this code into your Dream Pool, that's the machine you use to dive into dreams. It'll unlock a hidden map. I've packed the coordinates for you, too. Oh—and don't use the trash can to enter. The code won't work there. It only works with the Dream Pool device.
Right! You've all heard about Sam, haven't you? Don't worry, that guy prefers a fair and square fight: you'll get along just fine. Oh, and he asked me to pass on a message: In the unreachable dream, the play is about to begin.
Anyway, good luck! All the major factions are starting to move now. This is about all the help I can offer you. But with Ah Guang around, your progress won't slow down much even without me. Still, Ah Guang probably wants a powerful NPC to appear during the adventure and give a key hint, so this time, let me play that NPC role~
See you, everyone~"
After reading the message, March 7th grew even more excited. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's dive into the dream already!"
Himeko shook her head. "No rush. This time, we might need a guide."
As she said this, she looked to the side, where Black Swan was slowly approaching. "Oh? Were you all waiting for me?"
Himeko nodded. "Miss Black Swan, the Astral Express would like to work with you. In the realm of memories, we'll need a guide."