People are in Star Iron; who says they're just NPCs?

So her communication with Lin Li gradually returned to normal, and she regained some of her youthful energy and became much more cheerful. "Let's hurry up, my time is limited, I can't keep up with you for too long," Lin Li urged.

"This is a vast expanse of white snow and ice, which way should we go?" Xingbao asked Lin Li, holding his hand.

"If only we could ask a local for directions. Hey, look over there, isn't that some kind of noise?" March 7th suddenly pointed in a certain direction. "It's a camouflage cloth!" Firefly glanced at it and concluded.

Lin Li followed March 7's finger and saw a camouflage cloth, its color almost blending into the snow, spread on the ground, disguised as a snowdrift.

However, because it was so cold, the person inside was shivering uncontrollably, which exposed his disguise.

"Don't worry about him, just come with me." Just as March 7th was about to rush the person out, Lin Li grabbed his hand.

"Yu? He must be a local. It would be good to call him out and ask him for directions to learn about the local situation!" March 7th looked puzzled and didn't even notice that Lin Li was holding his hand.

"There's no need for that. I know the way; just follow me."

Lin Li calmly stepped forward and began to explain the situation to the three girls: "The survivors of this planet are all gathered in a city called Beloborg, which is the only remaining human city and is under the protection of [Guardian] Kripper."

There's no need to keep this crucial information from them; the more detailed the explanation, the better.

"Wait, is this your first time on this planet? How do you know so much about it?!" March 7 was astonished, his mouth agape as he listened to the author's eloquent explanation, which didn't seem like he was making it up.

"You forgot about the NPC world? When the train arrived at Yalilo-VI, the NPC world projected the entire planet. I've already taken a stroll around the city!" Lin Li said calmly, shrugging his shoulders.

Blaming everything on the NPC world is indeed a good reason.

"Huh? You can do that?! Doesn't this mean that no matter what world we explore in the future, we can use the NPC world to explore the map first? March 7th discovered the key point."

"Well, that's true."

"Then you should know where the star core of this planet is, right? Why don't we just go there and seal the star core?" Xingbao poked Lin Li in the waist.

"Yeah, yeah, let's head straight for the goal and finish quickly!" March 7th raised his hand with great enthusiasm. Even Firefly looked over, waiting for Lin Li's order so that everyone could rush towards the star core.

"Ahem, the area where the star core is located is severely fragmented, with numerous fragment monsters. We are just a small team, and rushing in rashly would easily lead to a fierce battle. We should unite with the local forces." Lin Li coughed lightly, rejecting the plan.

He had certainly considered the feasibility of directly attacking the star core; in fact, given the team's strength, there was a high probability of success.

There are indeed many monsters in the Rift, but our side is also very strong, and a real battle is not out of the question.

However, if that's the case, Liu Ying will definitely have to expose her identity to pilot the mecha. Lin Li doesn't want her to expose her identity directly at this stage, since Ji Zi won't trust the Star Core Hunter, and things might not end well then.

Himeko has never entered the NPC world, so Lin Li has no chance to pursue her. Another reason for trying to avoid a falling out with her at this stage is related to Xingbao.

Following the original trajectory, Starbaby would receive the protection of the Star God Cripper during the final battle, gaining the power to safeguard his destiny. If he didn't enter Belloborg and establish a deep connection with the locals, and instead rushed straight into the final battle, Starbaby might not be as strong.

If it weren't for his will to protect, he might not have attracted Cripper's attention.

The gaze of the Star God is not something that comes easily to everyone; obtaining it is not a simple matter.

Lin Li was worried that arbitrarily changing the course of events would cause some unpredictable consequences, preventing Xingbao from obtaining the power of [Preservation].

Xingbao is a very special existence. If Lin Li hadn't appeared, she would have been the absolute protagonist. Helping her collect as many different destinies as possible would definitely have many benefits, and Lin Li also wanted to make this happen as much as possible.

Of course, there's also a secondary reason: how else could I connect with so many beautiful girls if I didn't join Belloberg?

Since Lin Li had spoken, no one objected; they simply followed his instructions. The group continued towards Beloborg, encountering numerous Rift Monsters along the way.

Once the power of the Star Core is activated, it will cause the space of the Zhou Kingdom to become fractured, giving birth to numerous Rift Monsters. The situation of Rift Corruption on Yalilo-VI is extremely serious, and Beloborg is the last pure land.

Lin Li wanted to practice his skills, so he took care of all the Rift Monsters he encountered. With his [Fighting Level III], his combat skills were already very proficient, and he had no problem dealing with these small-scale Rift Monsters.

As they approached the walls of Beloborg, the pioneering team encountered a squad of Silver Guards led by Sergei Jepard, the Silver Guard Commander. The two sides exchanged brief words.

On March 7th, she displayed the panoramic view of the planet she had photographed, proving that the pioneering team were extraterrestrial visitors passing through the area, and thus initially gained Jepard's trust.

Jepard decided to take Lin Li and the others to meet Cocolia, the Great Guardian of Belloborg.

Under his leadership, the pioneering team arrived at Kripper Castle, where Cocolia was located. Lin Li checked the time; he still had an hour to operate in the real world, enough time to meet Cocolia!

Chapter 117 Cocolia's Journey Through the NPC World

In the real world, at Fort Kripper, in Cocolia's office.

“But such a sacrifice is meaningless, you can’t—” a silver-haired girl in a dress argued urgently.

"You may leave now, Bronya, a visitor has arrived!" A dignified female voice interrupted the girl, her gaze falling on the person entering.

"Yes, Guardian!" The silver-haired girl replied helplessly, turned and left the office, just brushing past Lin Li who was coming in.

The girl's steps were steady and powerful, her heels clicking on the ground. Her silver curly hair swayed in the wind, and a pair of blue gemstone earrings dangled from her earlobe with each step.

Her demeanor was as elegant and noble as a princess, yet she possessed the fortitude of a soldier; she passed Lin Li without even glancing at him.

Lin Li's lips curled up slightly. Just a few hours ago, he had carefully examined the elegant and noble young woman alongside the blonde mature woman.

Now that I've seen them in person, I can't help but recall their fair, jade-like skin and exquisite curves.

"Welcome, distinguished guests from beyond the heavens, to Bellenberg!" The blonde woman at the desk stood up and nodded slightly to the train crew. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Guardian of the Heavens," Lin Li said with a smile and impeccable manner.

In matters of diplomacy, as long as Lin Li was present, the pioneering team tacitly agreed that he would handle it. Lin Li exchanged a few pleasantries with Cocolia and quickly got down to business.

"I wonder what your purpose is in coming to our planet?" Cocolia asked gracefully, her tone gentle, appearing to be a very approachable leader.

"Great Guardian, there's no need to worry. We are just a group of interstellar travelers who yearn for freedom. We landed on this planet because our spacecraft malfunctioned and we're just doing some temporary repairs."

Unexpectedly, there were many monsters at the landing site. We fought and retreated until we met Commander Jepard. Lin Li made up a story on the spot to get by, without mentioning the Star Core at all.

"I see. Is there anything I can help you with? Bellenberg is happy to offer any assistance to our guests who have traveled from afar!"

"Since the Great Guardian has put it that way, then I won't stand on ceremony."

The aircraft is malfunctioning and needs some replacement parts. We need a suitable place to manufacture the parts. I wonder if you could provide us with a place?

"Belloburg's machine factory is classified, and you shouldn't be allowed in, but I can arrange for someone to temporarily clear out a workshop."

"Alright, it's getting late. You should check into the Goethe Hotel first. Once you're settled, I'll have a guard take you there tomorrow." "Thank you very much, Great Guardian!"

After the conversation ended, Lin Li and the girls left, led by the Silver Legion guards.

After Lin Li and his group left, Cocolia, who had been gentle and dignified, turned gloomy, and a vague echo rang in her ears.

“...A star core?” Cocolia’s eyes suddenly turned sharp and cold!

The Goethe Hotel was the accommodation that Cocolia had arranged for Lin Li and the others. In the hotel room, Lin Li gathered the girls together, holding a map of Belleberg that he had obtained from the hotel reception.

"I'll be returning to the NPC world in a few minutes. Don't stay here after nightfall."

"Leave here quietly and go to the place I circled on the map. Find a girl named Shiluwa there. Tell her about the Star Core, and she will help you." Lin Li handed the map to Xingbao.

"Why do we have to leave? Is there something wrong with Cocolia?" March 7th asked.

"Yes, when we were in Kripper Castle, I sensed a strange force spying on me. Something's not right with Cocolia. Lin Li did sense the spying, but Liu Ying and the others were completely unaware."

He initially thought that as long as he didn't mention the star core, he shouldn't attract Cocolia's attention, but he suddenly realized a problem.

As he knew it, the star core on Yalilo-VI possessed a self-awareness, which deceived and corrupted Cocolia, turning this great guardian into a villain who was hostile to the train crew.

So, if a Star Child carrying a Star Core appears before Cocolia, will it attract the attention of this self-aware Star Core? The possibility is quite high. After all, they are both Star Cores; it wouldn't be surprising if they could sense each other. The Star Child can't sense it because the Star Core within her hasn't been...

activation.

So, just in case, Lin Li decided to have them evacuate first.

Having finished explaining these matters, Lin Li returned to the NPC world, having used up her time for the day's activities.

After returning, he went straight to Crepper Castle in the NPC world, found Cocolia's big bed, and had a comfortable sleep.

Lin wasn't worried about Xingbao and the others' safety. With Liuying as their backup, Belloberg wouldn't pose a threat to them, so he slept soundly.

When Lin Li woke up, it was past midnight. He activated [Perspective Sharing] to check on Xing Bao and the others. In the real world, at the [Perpetual Motion] mechanical house...

Following Lin Li's directions, Xingbao and the others found this place. They temporarily gained the trust of the mechanical house owner, Xiluwa, using information from the Star Core. At this time, none of them were sleeping, but instead gathered around the fireplace to warm themselves and wait for news.

With a clatter, a stunningly beautiful woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a perfect figure pushed open the door and walked in, her gaze falling on Xingbao and the others.

"I just went to check out the area near the Goethe Hotel. It's already surrounded by the Silver Forbidden Iron Guard. It seems you made the right choice to come to me. If we had come any later, it wouldn't have been so easy to escape."

This blonde, mature woman is Sylva, the older sister of Jepard the Silvermane Guard, and Cocolia's former best friend.

She was once a researcher for the Silver Forbidden Guard, focusing on researching various weapons and information about star cores. After being deceived and corrupted by the star core, Cocolia's personality changed drastically, and she stopped Hilva's research on star cores.

In a fit of anger, Hiluva left the Silver Fortress Guard and opened her own mechanical shop, living a free life.

Because she had studied the Star Core in depth, she was able to trust the information that March 7 and the others brought about regarding the Star Core. Now that it has been verified that Cocolia does indeed have a problem, the women sat around the fireplace and began to discuss what to do next.

In fact, Lin Li had already instructed them on what to do, which was to unite all forces that could be united as much as possible.

For example, Jepard, Bronya, and others, but gaining their trust is another problem. If you say that your High Wardens have betrayed you, who will believe you?

Lin Li was also thinking about how to persuade the others when his phone vibrated. A new person had entered the NPC world!

Lin Li's spirits lifted, and he opened the character panel. A strange light flashed in his eyes; what appeared was number one:

Cocolia!

I've released two chapters in a row. I was originally planning to write three more today to get to the exciting parts, but I just can't seem to write fast enough when it comes to advancing the plot.

However, as you can see from the end of this chapter, tomorrow will bring exciting content. We've finally arrived at the part I love!

Chapter 118 A Heavy Blow Is Needed Against Coco Liye (Make-up Chapter)

In the real world, Cocolia never slept.

She was waiting for news from the Silvermane Iron Guards about capturing the extraterrestrial visitors, but the result was very unsatisfactory. The Goethe Hotel was empty; the extraterrestrial visitors had actually escaped ahead of time!

Upon receiving the report from the Silvermane Iron Guards who had come up empty-handed, Cocolia issued an arrest warrant for the train crew and returned to her palace to rest. She closed her eyes, lay down, and then opened them again, unaware that she had entered another world.

In the NPC world, Lin Li looked at the character card on his phone. Cocolia, wasn't that her?

Lin Li suddenly turned around and was met with Cocolia's shocked and angry gaze. "Lin Li, what are you doing here?!"

Lin Li slept in Cocolia's bed, and after midnight, NPC Cocolia's status was refreshed, and she returned to her own bed.

When Cocolia opened her eyes, she saw the man she had just put on the wanted list, and her heart skipped a beat. This was her own palace; how had he sneaked in?

"Heh, the Great Guardian seems quite surprised to see me. But aren't you hunting us? You should be happy that a wanted criminal has delivered himself to your doorstep." Lin Li's smile was cold.

He naturally wouldn't give this woman, who had been bewitched by the Star Core and ordered the capture of Xingbao and the others, a pleasant look.

"Heh, knowing I'm wanted you, you still dared to sneak into my palace. I must say, you've got guts!" Cocolia quickly regained her composure after a brief moment of shock.

After all, she was the Great Protector who ruled Beloborg, a seasoned veteran. This was Cripple Castle, her home turf, and she quickly regained the composure and dignity befitting a Great Protector.

"Tsk, the Great Guardian seems quite calm. What do you rely on? The Silver Guards of Cripperburg? Or the star core that descended upon Arillow-V?"

Lin Li's words caused Cocolia's expression to change again. The secret connection with the Star Core was her biggest secret, and Lin Li actually knew even that?! This kind of guy can't be allowed to live any longer; he must be eliminated!

Cocolia was decisive and ruthless. In this situation, it was too late to summon the Silver Guards. She charged at Lin Li with a punch, but shifted her body to the side to take down the weapon hanging on the wall.

But halfway through her punch, she suddenly found herself unable to move, as if she had been frozen in place, and no matter how hard she struggled, it was to no avail.

She's been controlled by Lin Li using the [Interaction] function! What's going on?!

Cocolia's internal alarm bells were ringing, but she was completely helpless; she couldn't even speak! And... where was the Star Core? Why couldn't she even sense the Star Core's aura anymore?!

Lin Li's lips curled slightly: "Don't you find it strange that the star core that's always been with you has disappeared, and you can't feel its power anymore?"

Lin Li had already dealt with the star core in the NPC world. Unfortunately, the star core was not a living entity, and even if it had developed consciousness, it would not have been suitable for the [Clean] skill's instant-bar function. Otherwise, he could have erased the star core in both worlds directly.

Although the Star Core has given birth to consciousness and bewitched Cocolia, it can only bewitch and deceive her through lies at this stage and cannot directly control her. Cocolia's soul still belongs to her completely and has not been corrupted by the Star Core.

Therefore, Cocolia's consciousness can enter the NPC world, but the Star Core's consciousness cannot. Only when she is in the NPC world can she escape the influence of the Star Core's consciousness.

Of course, even without the influence of the Star Core consciousness for the time being, Cocolia still firmly believes in its "Brave New World" narrative and is very stubborn.

In this situation, we must take decisive action!

“I’m really sorry, Ms. Cocolia, this is not your territory but mine. And you tried to kill me. According to my rules, you should be punished.”

Want to know what the punishment is?

Cocolia was unable to move, but she had a very bad feeling!

Lin Li looked at the alluring mature woman with a half-smile, then climbed onto her bed.

Cocolia was not wearing the long dress she wore during their meeting at Crepper Castle, but rather a loose, silky white nightgown.

She lacked some of the imposing presence of a great guardian, but this only accentuated her mature charm. Her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her ample breasts were partially concealed within her dress. Even though the nightgown was loose, it still managed to create a breathtakingly beautiful silhouette that made hearts race.

Her waist was slender and boneless, her buttocks were round and full like the moon, her thighs were plump and firm, and her calves were straight and slender!

This great guardian of Bellenberg exuded a mature and charming aura, like a ripe peach. Without any politeness, he pulled her directly into his arms.

Although Cocolia was unable to move, she still had bodily sensation. When she fell into Lin Li's broad embrace, she instantly felt a warm touch that she had never experienced before.

As the Great Guardian, she dedicated her life to protecting Bellenberg, never having any romantic relationships with men, let alone intimate contact with any male. But this strange and beautiful feeling didn't stir any tenderness in her heart; her eyes remained filled with murderous intent. She was a remarkably stubborn woman!

She will never easily admit defeat and give in!