The Gamer who traveled to Honkai: Star Rail

Welt had been silently listening to their exchange. Hearing Pei Guang's vision, he sighed deeply. He realized this Earth would tread a path completely different from his homeworld. How far this world could go depended on Pei Guang's humanity and patience.

Judging by the current atmosphere, as long as Elysia remained safe, the planet seemed unlikely to veer in any disastrous direction.

The name Elysia resonated with Welt. He had learned some things about the Elysian Realm, and now, meeting this version of Elysia in person, he could understand why Mei had spoken so highly of her.

From Elysia, Welt sensed a power that felt... otherworldly—akin, in a way, to Stelle's strength. However, this wasn't his concern. More pressing was Pei Guang's curious tendency to go to extraordinary lengths for people he'd barely met, driven by what seemed like pure, straightforward goodwill.

It didn't matter if someone was human or not; what mattered was Pei Guang's resolve. A kind heart, good looks—sure, those were bonuses, but they weren't the deciding factor.

Elysia reflected on Pei Guang's words and ideals. In their simplicity, they echoed the most basic desires of humanity. Yet, precisely because they were so simple, they seemed impossible. Evidence? How could anyone get their hands on that in a corrupt system? Without divine intervention, the interconnected web of favoritism, mutual exploitation, and corruption between the elite made such ideals unattainable.

Under normal circumstances, even Elysia would find such goals insurmountable. But this wasn't normal. Whether through Silver Wolf's Aether Editing or simply using Herta Puppets, they could gather all the proof Pei Guang and Elysia needed.

Since Silver Wolf couldn't be contacted, Pei Guang summoned his Herta Puppet to assist Elysia directly. However, the moment Pei Guang pulled out the Herta Puppet, Elysia's eyes lit up.

"What an adorable little girl~"

Elysia's gaze sparkled as she inspected the puppet. While its mechanical joints and artificial features were initially obvious, a closer look revealed skin that felt as smooth and lifelike as that of a real person.

"Your nostrils are... quite exquisite?" Elysia remarked, her tone both sincere and marveling.

Elysia froze for a moment upon hearing that. Her stunned expression didn't escape the Herta Puppet, who waved dismissively and said, "Not to be rude, but, Trailblazer, where on earth are you finding these airheaded girls? Nice nostrils, really?"

Pei Guang retorted, "You sure it's not because you're too short and can only look up at people's noses?"

Herta Puppet shot back, "And that's somehow my fault?"

Pei Guang smirked. "Not blaming you. But seriously, Elysia's nostrils—how nice are they? Details!"

Herta Puppet shrugged. "Why not see for yourself? You're the one charming these girls; do whatever you want."

Elysia: "?"

Elysia was left baffled, visibly shaken by the bizarre banter. Pei Guang, noticing her reaction, turned to chastise the puppet. "Ahem, let's keep it classy. She's my adjutant and new vice-captain, after all."

Herta Puppet replied flatly, "Classy? You're lecturing me about class? Every time you summon me, it's either to fight or prepare for a fight. So, who are we smashing this time?"

The Herta Puppet's exasperation was palpable. Though bound to her role as a puppet, she couldn't help but resent being summoned exclusively for work. Lately, Pei Guang had even installed some bizarre gadgets into her systems. Now, it was all combat, no fun.

Pei Guang, attempting to placate her, explained, "Look, this time it's different. I'm assigning you a special task. Once you're done, you're free to do whatever you want."

Herta Puppet narrowed her eyes. "Anything I want? Just so you know, if it's boring, this hammer's coming down on your face."

Pei Guang chuckled nervously. "I can't promise excitement, but I'll make it worth your while. Plus, when we head to the next planet, I'll make sure to bring you along. For now, all I need is for you to gather evidence, help my new vice-captain stabilize my domain, and push their tech forward."

He outlined the mission in detail. Hearing him out, the Herta Puppet rolled her eyes dramatically. "Ah, of course. When there's grunt work, you remember me. Fine, I'll do it. But what about you?"

"Me?" Pei Guang grinned mischievously. "Main quest time, of course! Homeworld management is for downtime or for when I'm free. You're all grown NPCs now; you should learn to thrive on your own. Build your tech, level up, expand to other star systems, crush your enemies, and dominate the universe!"

His enthusiasm was infectious, but Elysia couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was off. "Ah Guang, if we're doing all that, what's your role in this grand scheme?"

Pei Guang puffed up his chest proudly. "Me? I'll evaluate your progress! You're mature NPCs now. Time to learn to grind independently!"

The Herta Puppet seemed lost in thought. Elysia, meanwhile, stared at him blankly. Then, after a moment of reflection, nodded in understanding.

They got it. They understood everything. Pei Guang was creating a world where the people could develop on their own, while he stood as their guardian, ready to intervene in times of crisis.

However, the Herta Puppet, who had seen much of Pei Guang's antics, couldn't shake the suspicion. She whispered to herself, "Is he trying to play at becoming a… a full-blown Aeon?"

But then she considered his personality. Pei Guang, an Aeon? This universe would plunge into chaos. Besides, he didn't seem even remotely interested in becoming an Aeon—unless it involved stabbing one in the butt for fun. If anything, he'd probably be the type to ambush Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction, just to cause trouble.

That was the kind of thing no one else would even dare to imagine. But Pei Guang? Not only would he imagine it, but he'd probably pull it off!

Pei Guang's musings on turning fantasies into reality in this vivid, tangible world were deceptively simple.

Back when he played card games to grind resources, he had this whimsical daydream: what if he could just pile resources onto the table, and his beloved characters would autonomously gather their own resources, craft their gear, and eventually max out their affection levels—even putting on wedding rings all by themselves?

Beyond that? He hadn't thought too deeply.

But now, with Herta Puppets at his disposal, those daydreams might actually bear fruit. For Earth's corrupt elites, however, the puppet's arrival was nothing short of a death sentence.

The depth of their corruption was staggering. Investigations uncovered countless atrocities: substandard materials provided to critical projects, embezzled funds intended for fallen soldiers' families, and—most damning of all—some were actively scheming to negotiate with the Antimatter Legion. They planned to play both sides, gambling Earth's survival on the off chance the Legion wouldn't destroy the planet entirely.

Pei Guang's initial plan was to maintain a semblance of civility: deal first with the irredeemable criminals. However, as the Herta Puppet worked through the evidence and detainees, a horrifying reality emerged: nearly a third of the remaining global leadership deserved the death penalty.

When this was brought to Pei Guang's attention, he decided that mere executions were too merciful. Instead, he opted for a more "humane" demise.

Their final meal? Gourmet dishes crafted with Antimatter Legion creatures, cooked using Savory Truefire. A rare treat, to be sure. After all, if they wanted to collaborate with the Legion, they might as well become one with it.

The Savory Truefire's cooking produced a peculiar effect: the condemned would be left with a single hit point—just a sliver of life. With such low vitality, even a minor bump or insect bite could cause grave injuries. Though the body's natural recovery mechanisms were fast, the low maximum health meant any misstep could prove fatal.

Pei Guang wasn't entirely without mercy. Those brave enough to end things themselves were granted a swift release. Unfortunately, most of these individuals were cowards, clinging to life and enduring unimaginable suffering.

Imagine a world where a mosquito's bite or a cockroach's nibble could cause life-threatening injuries. Such was their fate.

Even Pei Guang hadn't anticipated the sheer range of agonizing ends these individuals would meet. On the upside, the Herta Puppet gained valuable data for her archives through these experiments.

This method of execution—seemingly humane but in truth profoundly cruel—would later become a hallmark for dealing with criminals in Pei Guang's territory.

That, however, was a tale for another time. 

Detaining these corrupt officials wasn't an instant process; even with the Herta Puppet working at lightning speed, it would still take a month to gather all the evidence and round them up.

For now, Pei Guang left Earth in the hands of capable individuals. With the groundwork laid, he issued a few simple instructions and gleefully returned to Xianzhou.

Earth still needed time to develop, and he wasn't one to micromanage every stage of progress. His approach was simple: skip the dull building phase and return once the corruption was dealt with and the infrastructure was complete. By then, he'd have fresh plans ready to guide the next steps.

Before moving forward with his plans, Pei Guang decided to occasionally check in on his territory, especially if someone started causing trouble. For now, however, his next step was clear: return to the Xianzhou and resume treasure hunting.

Developing Earth was a priority, yes—but so was unearthing treasures on the Xianzhou!

Both tasks were equally important and couldn't be neglected.