"Hearing you say that, it seems like you're doing pretty well for yourself on the Path of Trailblaze."
"Yeah, it's actually not bad."
"Then, do you want to buy some of the good stuff I have on hand?"
"Your 'good stuff' actually has a few flaws..."
Aidan took the "good stuff" from Sampo's hand while explaining it to him, leaving him completely dazed. Sampo was an expert, after all, and could understand what Aidan was saying; by the time Sampo realized what was happening, it was already too late.
He pulled out his wallet and handed the Credit Points over to Aidan...?
"Ber?"
Sampo looked down at the modified merchandise in his hand and blinked.
He had a lifelong reputation for being the one who swindled others—had he been swindled today?
But was it a loss? It didn't seem like a loss.
Right, it felt right...
No, no, no!
Ah, yes, yes, yes...
Sampo was a bit confused.
"Wait a second, let me straighten this out... I was going to sell you something, then you explained that my item had problems, and then you helped me fix the flaws in my treasure..."
"Correct."
"And then I gave you money..."
"Correct."
...
Hiss
It seems correct, but something feels wrong here.
Sampo fell into deep thought.
This guy's logic was currently airtight, with absolutely no point of entry for a rebuttal. If he kept pestering him, he might end up selling the very clothes off his back at a discount.
Sampo gave a couple of dry laughs and decided to cut his losses, his signature slippery smile returning to his face.
"But speaking of which, in this freezing cold, you and this lady who looks like she's not to be trifled with didn't come all this way just to catch up with me, did you?"
"I want to enter the city here to do some trailblazing."
"This, well... to be honest, I don't really have any connections."
Aidan pulled out Credit Points, but Sampo remained unmoved.
"Oh, this, actually, it's... not impossible..."
Sampo watched as Aidan slowly added more Credit Points, and the expression on his face gradually became more amiable.
He added another stack.
"Oh! Look at how this turned out. Isn't it just getting into the city? No problem at all."
Taking the Credit Points, Sampo beamed with joy.
"Then the matter of my companions and I entering the city is in your hands?"
"Leave it to me."
Sampo gave a thumbs up.
But Sampo was still a little puzzled.
Did something... feel wrong?
...
"So, your solution is to smuggle us in." Dan Heng crossed his arms.
"Don't put it so harshly—after all, there's only this one city left on this planet. We're all humans anyway, so it's no big deal."
Sampo spread his hands.
Whenever he looked at Dan Heng, he felt a faint phantom pain in his buttocks.
"Is he trustworthy?"
March 7th looked at Sampo skeptically.
This guy looked very slippery; you couldn't tell how many of his words were true or false.
"An old friend, of sorts, and very reliable if he's been paid."
"Oh, young lady, those words really pierce my heart! I'm famous for being honest with everyone, reputation first!"
"Fine, fine, as long as there's a way in."
"Alright, let's go. I'll tell you what kind of city this is as we walk..."
Once inside the city, Sampo gave a few instructions and left temporarily. The five of them looked at each other.
"Reliable?"
"There shouldn't be much of a problem."
"But our clothes..."
"It's fine, I also brought a Cognitive Interference Anchor."
Aidan casually took out a cube and activated it.
"Now others will see us as perfectly normal. A small cognitive interference to make them less hostile toward us."
"I'm starting to think the Path of Erudition is just too underhanded."
March 7th complained.
"Erudition has always been this strong; it's quite fair."
Aidan said as if it were a matter of course.
The city was much cleaner than imagined. Despite the snow and ice outside, the streets inside were swept clean, and the buildings on both sides were quite well-maintained. Occasionally, pedestrians passed by, their gazes sweeping over them before continuing on unbothered.
"It's actually quite lively," March 7th said, looking around. "There are shops, pedestrians, and even patrolling soldiers... it doesn't look like a city trapped in ice and snow at all."
"The more difficult the situation, the more important it is to maintain Order."
Dan Heng also surveyed the surroundings.
Delta stayed close to Aidan, her pink eyes scanning the surroundings warily. Her hand remained near the hilt of her sword, ready to respond to any sudden situation.
"Relax," Aidan patted her shoulder. "This is a city, not a battlefield."
"A weakling like you has no right to say that," Delta glanced at him. "If a group of enemies rushed out of some alley, you wouldn't last three seconds."
"I have force field protection."
"That thing can block impacts under ten tons, right?" Delta sneered. "What if someone stabs you with an enhanced weapon?"
"...Can't you wish me some luck for once?"
"Rookies should just stay behind me."
Aidan:...
He vaguely felt that Delta's attitude toward him was a bit strange.
...Was her protectiveness a bit too strong?
It was even a bit distorted.
It was probably because she failed to protect Liliya.
The fragile Aidan now reminded Delta of the equally fragile Liliya on her hospital bed. That was why she was so attentive to someone she had just met; deep down, Delta was afraid of the same thing happening again.
"There are stowaway criminals!"
Aidan:?
The group tensed up instantly, but when Aidan saw the figure running from around the corner, he was stunned.
What the hell, is this right?
A massive silver iron armor appeared.
Clang, clang, running... Sam?
Is this right? No!
This isn't Penacony, is it!
Sister, isn't your script supposed to be in the Dreamscape?
Did Elio get drunk and use the script as toilet paper?
The group's expressions remained in a state of shock.
However, shock aside, as Sam ran past them, Aidan activated the Capture Force Field, Stabilization Anchor, and Cognitive Interference.
The massive Sam stopped running, its movements becoming sluggish, its visor firmly locking onto Stelle behind Aidan.
Great... the script is correct!
Firefly, inside Sam, let out a breath of relief.
Find the people from the Astral Express, then stand still and wait to avoid trouble. Especially now, Firefly didn't want to go on a killing spree in front of a memory-loss Stelle.
Delta had already drawn her greatsword, standing in front of Aidan.
She could feel that the enemy opposite her was strong—so strong that she couldn't handle them.
"Stellaron Hunter, dangerous individual, Molten Knight Sam. Bounty... 9.723 billion Credit Points."
cloud-striker appeared in Dan Heng's hand.
Aidan's gaze fell on Sam's posture, which remained motionless even though it wasn't fully suppressed.
No, this must be the script... Has Elio's script changed?