The Gamer who traveled to Honkai: Star Rail

Stelle and March 7th immediately noticed a corresponding task indicator pop up on their shared minimap, making both of them widen their eyes in surprise.

March 7th exclaimed, "I mean… can we even handle this quest?"

Stelle gave a confident smirk. "Of course we can! We've got the invincible—no, wait—the almighty Ah Guang with us!"

Pei Guang chuckled. "This quest isn't something we'll tackle now. Based on my experience, it's one of those post-main-story quests. You know, the kind you finish after wrapping up all the mainline missions. It probably popped up now so we don't forget about this area later. Classic gamer issue—you forget the early-game zones once you're deep into the endgame."

Stelle nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, I get it! So, whenever we see a marker like this, we should always accept the quest, right?"

Pei Guang gave her a thumbs-up. "Exactly. Since there's no cap on how many quests we can take, just grab everything. If we hit a limit, we'll figure out which ones to drop."

Stelle, looking determined, declared, "Got it. I'll remember that!"

Stelle and Pei Guang exchanged a knowing glance before March 7th nudged Pei Guang.

"Ah Guang, didn't you come here to ask for something specific? We can deal with the quest later," March 7th reminded him.

Pei Guang suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing his original purpose for finding Fu Xuan. Accepting a quest was always exciting, but this one was clearly a long-term goal for the distant future.

Wait a second.

Pei Guang took another look at the quest details and thought about why he had come to find Fu Xuan in the first place. He also considered the backstory of the Denizens of Abundance and the Antimatter Legion.

"Wow, so this is like an open-ended questline? Unlocking one storyline after another, with each new discovery leading to another main plot?"

It all clicked in his mind. He fully understood now. He had been curious about the massive exclamation mark that had suddenly appeared over Fu Xuan's head. Could it be that her firm resolve and the depth of her wish for someone to help had materialized into this?

But after reflecting on his recent experiences, the rewards he had earned, and the newly unlocked strategy-simulation elements in his gameplay, he realized what this really was: a long-term main quest tailored to his playstyle.

If he could complete this mission, his strategy-simulation route could also reach its endgame. It all made sense—this was the game's way of tying everything together.

"Only when all the big forces have been dealt with can the player-created faction step in to clean up the rest," Pei Guang thought to himself, nodding at the clever design.

While he was deep in thought, Fu Xuan waved a hand in front of his face. "Hey, you okay there?"

"I'm fine," Pei Guang replied. "I just picked up a quest from you."

Fu Xuan blinked, confused. "A quest? From me? But I didn't give you one?"

"You did," Pei Guang said confidently. "Don't worry. Just prepare a suitable reward for me once I've completed it."

Fu Xuan chuckled, half amused. "Fine, fine. If this so-called quest was from me, I'll make sure to prepare a reward worthy of its difficulty."

Pei Guang tilted his head and asked seriously, "Are you sure you can afford it?"

Her amusement turned into mild offense. "What's that supposed to mean? Do you think I can't afford the reward for a quest like this? Fine! If the time comes and I truly can't pay you back, I'll owe you a favor—so long as it doesn't harm the Luofu or the Xianzhou Alliance."

Pei Guang smirked. "Deal. But if you can't pay up, I'll drag you off as free labor. No pay, no complaints."

Fu Xuan scoffed. "Ha! The day you see me working for free is the day you've wiped out every Denizen of Abundance. I'll admit, you're bound to get stronger—probably strong enough to face any Aeon someday. But wiping out the Abundance? That's just absurd! If the General heard that, he'd laugh for a week."

Stelle, who had been quietly observing, sighed dramatically and shook her head. "Poor Fu Xuan. She just sold herself out without even realizing it. It's only a matter of time before she ends up as Ah Guang's unpaid worker."

March 7th sighed along with her. "Yep. Let's make sure to mock her when it happens."

In the past, March 7th might have brushed it off as nonsense. But after traveling with Pei Guang, she'd learned that nothing was impossible when he was involved. Whether it was dealing with Stellaron crises or defeating major threats like a Lord Ravager, Pei Guang always came through—sometimes in the most unexpected and ridiculous ways.

Fu Xuan, however, seemed unaware of the weight of her casual words. By now, March 7th and Stelle were certain: one way or another, Fu Xuan would end up as unpaid labor for Pei Guang.

After a bit of lighthearted banter, Fu Xuan felt noticeably more relaxed. Even the nagging headache she'd had earlier seemed to subside. She turned to Pei Guang with a smile.

"Alright, enough about that. You didn't come here just to joke around with me, right? What do you need my help with?"

Pei Guang: "You guessed it. Asta handed me a resource-rich, habitable star system as a goodwill gesture after I built some rapport during one of my trades. I asked her to help me build a Mobile Construction Vehicle. 

I'm planning to play around with some strategy-simulation stuff in my downtime and play commander for a bit. But I've run into a problem—manpower. So, I thought I'd ask you Xianzhou folks for a little help. You have plenty of people, and your longevity and resilience make you perfect for the job. I'd be getting a great deal out of this."

"Seriously?"

Fu Xuan stared at him, momentarily at a loss for words. She had assumed Pei Guang was here to ask for some small favor—a crate of supplies, maybe, or a minor reward. But this? He wanted manpower? And not just a handful of workers, by the sound of it, but enough to develop an entire planet, possibly an entire star system? The scale of what he was proposing was massive.

If anyone else had made such a request, she would have refused outright. But this was Pei Guang.

After reflecting on everything Pei Guang had done for Xianzhou, Fu Xuan exhaled and replied softly, "I can't make a decision like this on my own. However, I can help you connect with anyone here who's interested in working on your star system. For those willing to leave, I'll expedite their approvals: there are plenty of people in Xianzhou who dream of a life beyond our alliance's borders. 

But, Ah Guang, if they do go, I need your promise: you must keep them in check. Don't let them drift to other planets. Even ordinary Xianzhou residents, given our longevity and the lingering potential of mara-stricken influences, can cause immense trouble on other worlds. As for a larger-scale migration... that will need the General's approval. It's beyond my jurisdiction."

Pei Guang nodded confidently. "No problem. Thanks for helping me out."

Fu Xuan coughed lightly, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. "You don't need to thank me. I'm just doing my job. This has nothing to do with the fact that we're friends! Besides, I should be the one thanking you. Your presence here has brightened my day considerably."

At that, March 7th sidled closer, her curiosity piqued. "Oh? Is today a special festival or something? Don't tell me you're feeling lonely because you can't celebrate it?"

Fu Xuan chuckled softly. "Lonely? Not at all. But yes, tonight is a special occasion. It's a blessing to share it with all of you."

Stelle raised an eyebrow. "A special occasion? What kind of occasion?"

Fu Xuan gazed up at the stars, a gentle smile on her face. "It's a story from legend. Tonight marks the meeting of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, a night meant for endless lights and boundless joy—a day of great fortune. Only…"

Her voice trailed off as her gaze shifted to the scattered lanterns dotting the sky. Despite the beauty of the scene, there was a touch of wistfulness in her tone.

Still, Fu Xuan reminded herself of her priorities. As a high-ranking official of Xianzhou, the sacrifices she made were worth it if they allowed others to celebrate this day with joy. She took solace in the knowledge that, once the lockdowns and restrictions were lifted later in the evening, the citizens of the Luofu would fill the skies with light, creating a sight worthy of the festival.

The thought brought a quiet satisfaction to her heart.