Leon: "So, to get to the mining area to find Wildfire's leader, we have to deal with those rogue thugs first?"
Natasha: "This is the fastest route to the main mining area. The situation's escalated quite a bit, and mediating between both sides isn't easy."
Seele's expression darkened, shooting a cold glance at the thugs.
"Then we'll take another route.
The trouble deep in the mining area hasn't been resolved yet. No time to waste talking with this trash.
If my temper makes the conflict worse, that's even more trouble."
She knew her own personality well.
She wasn't afraid of guns pointed at her.
But with so many people here, once the first shot rang out, the consequences would be unpredictable, potentially causing even bigger chaos.
Otherwise, why would she ever choose to detour?
Leon asked the key question: "Taking the detour will add a lot of time, right?"
Seele nodded: "Yeah."
"Then why not resolve the conflict in front of us first?"
At this, Leon glanced at his companions, speaking with heartfelt consideration.
"I may not have great stamina, but as a grown man, I can handle a bit of fatigue.
But my companions, since arriving in this world, haven't eaten or slept well.
They're already exhausted. Taking the long way would only tire them more."
Hearing this, March 7th's eyes sparkled as she looked at Leon.
Just like past Trailblazing journeys, Leon was still so considerate of his teammates~~
Though, to be fair, she wasn't that tired yet…
"I don't like what you're saying. It's like implying we underground folks ever eat or sleep well."
Seele wanted to scoff, but with the current situation, she couldn't muster a laugh.
Leon, however, chuckled.
"Just as you prioritize Wildfire and your own people, I do the same.
My first priority has always been my closest companions.
There are countless worlds to Trailblaze, but I only have one set of them."
These words struck a chord with countless players.
[This is Leon, teetering between reliable and unreliable.]
[Sorry, unreliable only for outsiders—for his companions, he's always reliable.]
[A bit heavy, Master Leon.]
[Uh, he doesn't look heavy, does he?]
[It's a dual trait! Ever heard of a 'heavy guy'?]
[Ah Xian loves heavy guys, or rather, extremely devoted characters.]
[If Leon were a female character, she'd definitely get slapped with the ML label.]
[When Ah Xian starts wailing, you know Leon's tugged at her heartstrings again.]
Words like "wanting to be blasted into olive pastures" made some viewers, munching on their mental snacks, jump in shock.
What the heck!
This stream won't suddenly get flagged for review or tossed into the ban box for seven days, will it?
"With Seele's personality, she's probably gonna storm off in a huff."
After fangirling over Leon, Ah Xian said with some certainty.
But Seele's reaction was unexpected.
Her expression froze, then she praised Leon from a different angle.
"If our so-called Great Guardian had your kind of character, even if they lacked brains, the underground wouldn't be suffering this much."
Bronya: "…"
It hurt, and she couldn't argue back.
Lately, the Silvermane Guards sent to the frontlines by Cocolia had suffered mounting casualties.
So many that Bronya even considered retreating from the fight.
But no matter how she pleaded, Cocolia dismissed all objections, stubbornly pressing on.
As if Belobog's soldiers' deaths were just insignificant numbers.
Seele: "I get what you're saying, but our priorities differ. Dealing with the trouble deep in the mining area is my top task."
"That's so like Seele."
"The public release plot's slightly different, but her character's the same—straightforward, no nonsense, says what she thinks."
① "So, we're splitting up and going our own ways?"
② "I'm not actually tired. We can take the detour."
③ "Why not just suppress them with force? You seem like you can fight."
Ah Xian thought for a moment and picked option three.
Natasha spoke first.
"Because there are too many miners and their families gathered here.
Wildfire's short on manpower—Seele's the only one here. Force won't work.
If violence escalates the conflict and those vagrants fight to the death with their guns, innocent people could get hurt."
March 7th gave Stelle a light kick.
"You—looking like a quiet girl-next-door, but your head's full of violence?"
① "Violence can solve everything."
② "Because the barefoot don't fear those in shoes."
③ "My head's not itchy enough to grow a brain yet."
Ah Xian couldn't help but snicker, frantically clicking her mouse.
33333!
March 7th looked exasperated: "Alright, enough already. Leon, you said that earlier—you must have a plan, right?"
Leon said earnestly: "Actually, I was thinking of quietly using knockout drugs, then stirring up a wind to take down those vagrants."
March 7th's eyes widened, her mouth agape.
"You…"
Here we go again!!
Leon once said something.
A doctor can use medicine to save or to harm.
From past Trailblazing records, Leon wasn't some by-the-book doctor.
He had a rap sheet!
He'd secretly poisoned plenty of people who got in the way.
Uh… seems like he'd already done it on this journey.
The wine for Sampo might've just been overly potent, but the one for Cocolia was definitely toxic.
That "Three Cries, Half-Step Stumble" sounded terrifying just by name.
Good thing Leon was a teammate—no need to worry about him targeting his own.
Leon's words made Seele and Natasha instinctively furrow their brows.
"Will your knockout drugs affect the human body?" Natasha asked.
Leon put on a thoughtful expression.
"Hard to say. Probably, maybe… it might? The underground folks' constitutions are weak—they might not handle the side effects.
I haven't diluted the potency. Never thought I'd need to use it on regular civilians before."
March 7th's face drooped as she sighed: "Don't say it so casually…"
That's knockout drugs, knockout drugs!
"Hubby's knockout drugs can be used on me any day. My body's tough—I can handle it."
"If you throw in some 'resist-but-welcome' or 'love-one-chai' pills, even better!!"
[Please, streamer, act normal. We're scared.]
[Why no expired 'lewd and cheap can't be moved' pills?]
[Ah Xian's grown enough—taking expired drugs might bump her up to a J cup.]
[So many old drivers in this stream, it's freaky.]
Seele: "There's a Silvermane Guard here now. Think she'll let you use knockout drugs?"
Leon: "Oh, right."
Bronya really wanted to say her status alone couldn't rein in Leon.
She was deeply conflicted.
She wanted to do something for the lower district, but thinking it through, she felt helpless.
Reality was cruel.
Did the surface's order work underground?
No.
Following the Guards' code, she'd accomplish nothing.
Stelle looked at Leon: "Your expression tells me you've got a more practical solution."