Nero followed closely behind Dan Heng, his two short legs pattering nonstop.
He suddenly asked Dan Heng, "Dan Heng… Dan Heng… this name, are you from the Xianzhou?"
Dan Heng kept walking forward without saying a word.
"I feel like I've seen you somewhere before. Your face gives me this very familiar feeling!"
Dan Heng, who was leading the way, stopped walking, but didn't turn back. After about one second of silence, he replied, "You've mistaken me for someone else."
"Oh. Maybe that's it then..."
Nero went along with Dan Heng's words. Mentioning a secret at just the right time, this level was already enough.
If you tug and tease a little, you can raise your own sense of mystery in the players' eyes. And with mystery, players get curious and want to know more.
That way he'd get more attention.
After that, Nero didn't talk any more nonsense with Dan Heng. The two of them kept a silent, taciturn posture, moving very efficiently.
When the two of them, all the way sweeping through enemies like nothing, arrived in front of the monitoring room door, a huge quantum-energy arrow suddenly shot from behind, flying straight toward Nero.
At that moment Nero only felt a wave of malice surge from behind him, making his scalp tingle.
He had suddenly gained power but lacked experience. Before he could react, the experienced Teacher Dan Heng pushed him aside, then raised Cloudpiercer horizontally in front of his chest to block the arrow.
Nero climbed up from the ground and saw the Trampler behind him who launched the sneak attack. He couldn't help blurting out, "A-le-ge-ha, you're sneak attacking me huh?"
Dan Heng didn't waste words. He simply lunged forward with his spear.
The half-human, half-horse Trampler didn't flinch. When Dan Heng approached, it suddenly spun around and kicked.
Dan Heng shifted direction mid-movement, narrowly dodging it. Before he could steady himself, the Trampler was already in front of him, lifting its hooves to stomp down. Those iron hooves fell like alloy-forged heavy hammers.
Dan Heng saw he couldn't avoid it. Gritting his teeth, he prepared to risk everything. At that moment, a breeze swept past, and the scenery in Dan Heng's vision rapidly shifted.
When he regained his footing, he was already behind the Trampler, and the stomp had only crashed onto the floor of the station.
Looking up, he saw Nero standing beside him.
Dan Heng understood Nero had just saved him. A hint of gratitude appeared in his eyes, along with surprise at Nero's speed.
"It's just a Trampler. If the two of us work together, we'll surely break it." Nero spoke to Dan Heng while activating his power to trigger his skill.
Dan Heng immediately raised Cloudpiercer before him.
Only to hear the two of them speak at the same time, "With wind as my sword, following like a shadow, touching water lightly to cut red leaves."
"Life and death, real and illusory, lies in a single thought. A cave of illusions, a long dream in one sleep."
As their words fell, ink-wash scenery transformed within Cloudpiercer, enveloping all three inside it.
The next moment, Dan Heng leaped up like a drop of ink, spear in hand, charging in.
And that other green-robed figure moved even faster, drifting past the Trampler like a breeze. Fingers held in a sword seal, sleeves fluttering with wind, violent wind condensed into sword marks, instantly tearing countless fissures across the Trampler's body.
Only then did Dan Heng arrive, the tip of Cloudpiercer flicking once, bursting the Trampler's skull.
The Trampler died on the spot, and the ink-realm slowly faded away.
"Aiya! That was one thrilling and exciting fight! We worked great together! Your Cloud Knight spear technique is really skilled."
After landing, Nero was grinning from ear to ear. At this point he only lacked putting his hands on his hips and saying, "Grandpa's amazing!"
Dan Heng nodded. "Let's go. We'll check the monitoring room."
"Okay~"
Nero followed behind Dan Heng, and the two of them entered the monitoring room together.
There they found Asta, no, Arlan, and through the window they spotted Stelle and March 7 looking distressed in front of the elevator.
———
[In Siberia Duck's Livestream]
"He's here, he's here! That white-haired sword immortal! Didn't expect he'd appear like this, directly crashed into me and sent me flying!"
[Aha's Messenger: I'm dying of laughter. First time sword flying and he already broke the space station.]
[I Don't Eat Cilantro: What the hell, sword-disaster!]
[I Eat Beef: When I watched the OP I thought he'd be some unparalleled sword immortal, but he's actually this reckless? Mihoyo really understands the charm of contrast.]
Seeing the chat comments, Siberia Duck deeply agreed.
"Seriously, he was insanely handsome in the OP. But this clumsy vibe is also great!"
[I use Pantene: It's less clumsy and more naturally airheaded, right? Him innocently saying 'hurry and run' and then immediately running into virtual soldiers, LOL.]
[A Thread of Breeze: Why are you all talking about personality? I'm dying over how good the face looks!]
[Lady Herta's Fan Club: White hair? Those who know, know. I'm saving jades starting now.]
"With his personality added in, this model looks super cute. No killing aura at all, totally different from that sharp, fierce look in the OP."
Siberia Duck let out a hearty laugh, making the viewers call her a real bro.
Then the story played the part where Nero instantly killed the virtual soldiers, the green-robed figure drifting like a breeze, unrestrained and elegant.
"Aiyo, that's handsome!" Siberia Duck let out a goofy giggle. "Guess I'm pulling for him now!"
[Old Grandpa: Are you kidding me? He's not even using a sword!]
[Check My Stats: Damn! Wind-sword technique!]
[I'll Gift: Hasa-ga!]
[That Move Got Me: That one attack alone sent me flying.]
Siberia Duck continued the quest and saw the part where the four split up and introduced themselves.
"So this new character is called Nero. Huh?"
Siberia Duck suddenly made a puzzled sound.
After the group split up, the game didn't follow the main character and March 7, but instead followed Dan Heng and Nero's perspective.
"This part wasn't in the closed beta! Mihoyo stuffed in new content!"
Then she saw the scene where Nero called out to Dan Heng.
Watching the small-bodied Nero following behind the tall Dan Heng and calling him, while Dan Heng ignored him, Siberia Duck couldn't help but smile.
[Blue Drifter: LOL, tilting his head up to look at Dan Heng.]
[Little Fatty Who Doesn't Like Meat: That earlier conversation is suspicious. Whether it's Nero saying Dan Heng looks familiar or Dan Heng deliberately avoiding it, there's definitely something there. They're hiding secrets!]
[Dan's Heart Forever: No because… if that's the case, isn't Nero who believed him too naïve? Am I about to raise him like a child?]
[My Pee Is Yellow: Raise me instead, don't steal my Nero!]
The Dan Heng–Nero plot wasn't long, but it still surprised Siberia Duck.
For example, when the fight with the Trampler started, Nero shouting "A-le-ge-ha!"
[Aha Messenger: A-le-ge-ha!]
[Sister Himeko Please Come Back: What kind of catchphrase is that? HAHAHAHA]
And once the battle began, the team had not only Dan Heng but also a "trial character" version of Nero.
On screen, Nero stood with one hand behind his back, giving off a breezy, carefree air.
"Oh! We can try out Nero!" Siberia Duck was excited, but the next moment, she fell silent.
On the screen, Nero's Ultimate was locked, his HP showed question marks, and only his basic attack and skill were lit up pitifully.
"Alright, alright, Mihoyo you wanna play like this huh?!" Siberia Duck gritted her teeth.