The Beast-Eared Men visibly brightened upon seeing the two newcomers. The burliest among them, likely their leader, fixed his gaze on the Transmigrator and stepped forward. Speaking in flawless Chinese, he asked, "Are you... a god?"
The question struck Lingsha as bizarre. What sane person would greet strangers with the question, "Are you a god?" Moreover, the inquiry was specifically directed at the Transmigrator, excluding her. She also noticed the leader had used the informal "你" instead of the respectful "您."
The leader's expression seemed purely excited, lacking any hint of reverence.
The Transmigrator, however, hadn't considered these subtleties. His immediate reaction to the question was to agree.
Transmigrating to a strange world and being asked by a group of native Beast-Eared Men if you're their god—what normal person wouldn't say yes?
This must be the classic transmigrator's path: use modern knowledge to cultivate the land, develop the kingdom, and eventually rise to become a king and conqueror.
Are you there? I just transmigrated and started with Lingsha as my teammate, a built-in Chat Group System, and even being revered as a god by the locals. Could there be a better start?
But just as he was about to nod in agreement, he noticed Lingsha beside him staring intently with a grave expression. In that instant, his resolve wavered.
He knew his own limitations better than anyone. He was just an ordinary person. If it were only the locals, he was confident he could deceive them. But having Lingsha as his teammate changed everything.
Having just failed to fool her, he was now about to tell a lie she could see through instantly, right in front of her. This would surely plummet her goodwill toward him.
If I were in her shoes, meeting some guy who was full of tall tales right off the bat, I wouldn't think much of him either.
It felt like a multiple-choice question: a "Golden Legend Quality" beautiful girl teammate or a group of "White Common Quality" subordinates?
After a moment's deliberation, the Transmigrator decisively chose the former. He scratched his head and said with feigned regret, "No, I'm not a god. You've mistaken me for someone else."
"Is that so..." The leader of the Beast-Eared Men visibly showed his disappointment, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "The wilderness is very dangerous. Our camp is nearby. If you don't mind, I can send someone to guide you there for some rest."
Lingsha had no intention of refusing. Interacting with the local inhabitants was inevitable if she wanted to understand this world. She nodded lightly. "Alright."
The leader then called out two young men to escort Lingsha and the Transmigrator to their camp, while the rest of the group continued on their mission.
The sky was a gloomy gray, completely obscuring the sun. The mountain path beneath their feet was uneven and riddled with potholes, making it especially difficult for Lingsha in her high heels. As she struggled with the rough terrain, she couldn't help but wonder: In the Honkai: Star Rail game, could Lingsha actually float during combat? But how exactly does that work? She had no idea yet, so she had no choice but to keep walking.
Just as she was pondering this, the Transmigrator finally couldn't resist striking up a conversation. He stepped closer and began, "Um... Miss Lingsha, my name is Ikezawa. As for how I know your name... well, you're familiar with the concept of parallel worlds, right?"
"I guess our respective worlds existed in parallel dimensions or something similar? Information from your world might have leaked into mine and become the basis for games, comics, and other media. That's how I knew your name—I'd seen stories about you."
"Then, maybe due to some accident, or some force beyond our control... I honestly don't know why, but suddenly I found myself here. I assume your situation is similar to mine."
"So, I genuinely mean you no harm. In a way, we're in the same boat, right? Our top priority should be to cooperate and figure out exactly where we are!"
Lingsha could tell this guy was eager to get on her good side. It seemed like typical behavior for a transmigrator.
But what made her uneasy was what was happening in the Chat Group at the same time:
Shu Cat: "!?!"
Shu Cat: "Holy crap, that name... Is he a cultivator?! Is this for real?!"
Red Cape Hero: "No way! Did this Chat Group lottery actually pull out a legendary Big Boss for you?!"
Shu Cat: "Big Boss! What's your cultivation level? Oh, by the way, this is a Chat Group. It's basically a place where everyone can communicate seamlessly anytime, anywhere, and even exchange items. You can find more details in the group announcements!"
Daoist Wuwei: "Allow me to examine it."
Daoist Wuwei: "Hmm... this 'Chat Group' is indeed quite miraculous."
So far, nothing seemed particularly strange. The trouble started when Daoist Wuwei, the self-proclaimed cultivator, introduced his home, the Void Spirit Realm, and began asking the other members about their worlds and areas of expertise.
He then inquired if the Chat Group was a Magic Treasure for bartering, wondering what tradeable items the others might possess.
Finally, Daoist Wuwei declared his proficiency in alchemy, particularly in crafting medicinal pills with healing properties.
By this point, Lingsha's suspicion had grown thick. And as if to confirm her worst fears, Ikezawa, having just warmed up to her, turned to Lingsha and asked, "Um... Miss Lingsha, do you happen to know how to make pills? You know, those round, medicinal ones that can cure illnesses?"
"To be honest, I have a super ability. If you can provide me with some of those medications, I can exchange them for other weapons of equal value. It might help us with our current situation."
Lingsha: "..."
Good grief, so you're Daoist Wuwei from the group?
An ordinary person who's been pretending to be a cultivation expert ever since joining?
Well, I guess that's just standard Transmigrator behavior—using their foreknowledge to deceive group members, build up a grandiose image, and freeload on benefits. But the problem is, Shu Cat's trash group is full of ordinary people. There aren't any real Big Bosses here!
The only one who could even remotely qualify as a Big Boss is Peace Dove—that's me. But here's the thing, buddy: you've blown your cover. Trying to pull one over on me right in front of my face?