Pei Guang poured the ingredients into the pot, flames ignited beneath it, and after a few crackling pops, the lid lifted open.
As the sound rose, he drifted into memory.
His knowledge of mixology came from two games. Though they weren't of the same genre, both shared a cyberpunk setting.
As for what separated Penacony from cyberpunk—maybe just the difference between a main story and a side story.
After all, this world was a fusion of sci-fi, fantasy, metaphysics, and "cyber cultivation." In a normal game, a cyberpunk storyline would be big enough to serve as the main plot, but in such a chaotic, blended world, that kind of story could only count as a side quest.
To be able to recreate that old feeling, to experience it in reality again…
What Gallagher and Siobhan saw next, they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
The pot, which had only contained the ingredients, now held two perfectly filled glasses of liquor.
That's right: there hadn't been any glasses when he started! Yet now there they were.
Siobhan muttered, "Even for a dream…"
Gallagher followed, "This is… ridiculous…"
Sure, anything could exist in a dream, but even dreams had basic rules. And Pei Guang had just broken them completely.
He'd poured liquid into a pot, and out came two glasses of finished cocktails? Was that really mixology?!
What made it worse was that they had watched him light the pot on fire, yet the resulting drinks had ice in them!
As the two stood speechless, questioning their very understanding of reality, Pei Guang calmly brought the two drinks forward.
"Here, try it. This drink's called David Martinez. Born great, died glorious."
Gallagher chuckled. "Heh, interesting name. Let's see what you've got."
He took one of the glasses and tasted it carefully. But the moment the drink touched his tongue, the light faded from his eyes.
It wasn't poison—but…
How to describe it? It wasn't exactly good. It tasted like cough syrup spiked with alcohol: a strange composite flavor swirling across the tongue, telling a story of a complicated life.
And with that thick, bittersweet taste, Gallagher seemed to see someone: the life of an ordinary man.
A screwed-up world. A screwed-up life. Someone who had nothing, yet found bonds. Someone who fought against a rotten world, lived for the dreams of others, and in the end, chose his own death.
"Mikhail…"
In just that brief instant, he had lived another person's entire life—and the first name that came to mind was Mikhail.
This drink carried Pei Guang's will within it.
Gallagher could feel it clearly: this cocktail was influencing him.
Damn it. There wasn't even any Harmony energy involved, yet he felt as though his mind were being swayed, like he wanted to join Pei Guang in doing something great, to become the next living legend of Penacony.
He suppressed that impulse, though. He still had things to do: not just for Mikhail, but for Penacony itself.
With those thoughts firm in his heart, Gallagher looked at Pei Guang with a steady gaze. "This drink… I can feel your will in it. But because of that, I have one question for you. How do you view Penacony?"
Pei Guang thought for a moment. "Hmm… A land of dreams, through and through. People like Firefly, who can't move freely in reality, can live their dreams here—even experience things they never could in the waking world.
Here you can drown in pleasure, live out countless strange dreams. It truly lives up to its name. It's just a shame… that the Family's actions rub me the wrong way."
If it had only been the matter with Cocona, Pei Guang would've just felt uneasy—nothing more. But that incident involving the member of the Genius Society had made his opinion of the Family plunge straight into the negatives.
Since then, he had been collecting all kinds of information about the Family, and their deliberate concealment of matters related to Death.
How should he put it? Pei Guang could understand the decision to keep things hidden, but what he hadn't expected was that the Family not only hid the truth, they didn't even bother to investigate.
He had heard on the broadcast earlier that Robin was spreading the message of Harmony throughout the universe with her songs.
Even when he played management simulation games, if he ever encountered such a talented person, he'd make sure to treat them well.
Anyone who dared bully that kind of talent under his care… he'd wipe out their entire family, down to shaking their eggs into mush!
But the Family didn't even investigate? That was exactly why Pei Guang thought the Family wasn't harmonious enough.
If they couldn't properly manage Penacony, then let someone who could handle it take over.
After all, this was just a side quest anyway. Pei Guang figured making the Family truly harmonious might actually be easier than curing Firefly.
Because if Firefly got better, they could hang out together in the future, but if Penacony became harmonious, that wouldn't do him any good. It's not like he'd actually take over as Penacony's real administrator, right?
He couldn't even be bothered to manage Earth, who had the time to manage this place?
Listening to Pei Guang's answer and feeling the willpower behind his words, Gallagher couldn't help but be moved.
He really wanted to invite Pei Guang to reach the true Penacony. Gallagher believed that if Pei Guang ever got there, he'd definitely complete the mission of saving Penacony once and for all.
But there was one problem: Something Unto Death couldn't beat Pei Guang.
Losing was one thing, but now even after marking him, it was avoiding Pei Guang altogether.
That was just absurd.
Normally, he used Something Unto Death to send people to the real Penacony. Those who wanted to stay would go together, and those who didn't could return to reality.
But now that Something Unto Death had gone on strike, he couldn't even issue an invitation.
What, should he jump to Pupil Village instead? He could, but that would ruin his original plan completely—and all the effort he put into sending Robin over would go to waste.
After thinking it over, Gallagher decided not to jump for now.
He'd wait for a chance: maybe he could find a way to make that jump to Pupil Village and bring this special existence, Pei Guang, along.
With an Emanator of Harmony who looked like the Aeon of Harmony itself, and this special being beside him, Gallagher couldn't imagine any scenario where his side would lose.
In fact, he even had the feeling that if Pei Guang became Penacony's actual administrator, Penacony might turn out far better.
With that thought, Gallagher made his decision.
"All right! It's been a long time since I've felt this way. Since we're going against the Family, count me in."
That's right, Gallagher decided to temporarily side with Harmony, helping Pei Guang and Xipe Cake rebel against the Family, while still carrying out his own plans and looking for an opportunity to jump to Pupil Village.
As for worrying that Pei Guang might be trouble? If Pei Guang belonged to any other faction, Gallagher would never have dared to approach him so easily. Even if Pei Guang showed power and difference, he wouldn't have trusted him.
But the problem was: Pei Guang was a Trailblazer.
The Trailblazer's insignia on his belt was proof enough of his weight, and the aura around him, like he was the Aeon of Trailblaze's own favored child, gave Gallagher a deep sense of reassurance.
In Penacony, you might not trust anyone: but you could always trust a Trailblazer.
Siobhan: "Hey, hey, hey~ Are you serious? You're rebelling against the Family too?"
Siobhan teased him with a grin. Gallagher sighed. "Can't help it. The Family's done plenty of rotten things over the years. Cleaning out a bit of the noise isn't such a bad thing. So? Do you welcome an old dog like me?"
Pei Guang extended his hand. "Of course! Harmony embraces all. No matter what you've done before, as long as you haven't committed crimes against heaven or harmed innocent lives, Harmony will accept you."
Xipe Cake: "Woof woof woof~~"
Hearing Pei Guang's words and looking at Xipe Cake's expression in the distance, Gallagher smiled. But after that smile, his expression grew heavier.
Because suddenly, he realized: he seemed to have joined Harmony.
No, wait—that wasn't quite right.
He hadn't joined Harmony… he was helping the Trailblazer build Harmony.