The young man clicked on the video—still the familiar phone recording, but this time, the Trailblazer had switched to Stelle.
As soon as Stelle stepped outside, she spotted March 7th.
At that moment, March 7th seemed completely absorbed in a game with some children, not even noticing Stelle's presence.
Stelle rested a hand on her chin. "Hmm!!! Let me think while I was unconscious and Dan Heng was missing, is there a better solution than 'playing games with a bunch of kids'?
Hmm!!! I don't think so!"
The camera followed Stelle as she slowly approached, revealing March 7th in conversation with a few children.
"Promise me, if I win hide-and-seek, you'll tell me everything you know, no secrets!"
"Yeah! Everything!" The little girl named Hook blinked adorably at March 7th. "But… what does 'everything' mean?"
March 7th scratched her head. "It means you have to tell me the whole truth no hiding anything, no lying!"
[Kafka's Dog]: Aww, man! This Hook kid is way too cute! I can't take it!
[Silver Wolf's Current Boyfriend]: She's illegally adorable. Definitely gonna grow up into a beauty.
[Adorably Invincible March's Wife]: My precious March and Hook are trying to kill me with cuteness! AHHH, I'm dead!
[Herta's #1 Simp]: My HP bar's already been wiped out by Hook and March. Someone save me!
[It's miHoYo Not Hoyoverse]: Hook, baby, I just wanna hug and kiss you—dang it, Su Chen's trying to trick me into having a daughter!
[Asta Is My Wife]: Yeah, trying to trick me into having a daughter too!
[I Love Drinking Himeko's Coffee]: Aren't you two single, though?
[Honkai Star Rail's Succubus]: Oof. Right in the feels.
——
"Hmph! Hook's not a surface-dweller—Hook doesn't lie!" Hook stomped her foot cutely, then planted her hands on her hips, looking so unbearably adorable that it instantly wiped out everyone's HP bar again.
"Doesn't lie!" A little boy named Julian chimed in.
"Deal!" March 7th winked at Hook. "Then let's play!"
Just as she looked up, she noticed Stelle standing there with an amused smile.
"Huh?! When did you get here?"
"Not long ago, sis~ter~"
"Eek! Stop talking like a kid!" March 7th sighed.
"Look, after I woke up, the doctor said Dan Heng was taken by that jerk Sampo. I don't know my way around here, so I searched everywhere but couldn't find him. Then these kids showed up and said they knew where he was—but only if I joined their 'Moles' gang. To join, I had to play games and prove myself. Got it?"
"Oh!" Stelle smirked. "So what you're saying is, you can't handle these kids."
March 7th clenched her fists. "I'm really annoyed, but I can't even argue! Stelle, wanna help me out?"
"Hey!" Hook puffed out her cheeks, doing her best to look angry. "How long are you gonna keep whispering? The Moles' time is super valuable!"
Julian nodded vigorously. "Super valuable!"
March 7th giggled. "Okay, okay, we're starting now! Oh, right—Great Pitch-Dark Hook! Stelle wants to join the Moles too. Can she play with us?"
Hook closed her eyes and thought for a few seconds. "Hmm… I guess that's fine. You two can be the seekers together!"
Julian leaned in and whispered to Hook—though his voice was still loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Boss! They don't look very smart. Should we do a practice round first?"
"Mm!" Hook nodded. "Good idea, Julian! I'll hide, and you two try to find me!"
March 7th looked stunned. "We're being looked down on by kids?! Oh, you're so gonna regret this!"
Stelle grinned. "Getting challenged by children? Time to teach them how harsh the adult world can be!"
[Silver Wolf's Current Boyfriend]: Why does March 7th's conversation with these kids feel so natural? How?!
[Kafka's Dog]: Right? March and the Moles seem to be on the same intellectual level.
[Adorably Invincible March's Wife]: HOW DARE YOU! What's wrong with March? She's just in touch with her inner child! That's how you connect with kids!
[Honkai Star Rail's Succubus]: Stelle's lines are always so unpredictably hilarious.
[I Love Drinking Himeko's Coffee]: When Julian said 'not very smart,' he wasn't wrong, was he?
[It's miHoYo Not Hoyoverse]: True. Stelle and March 7th—Julian's got good judgment!
——
As expected, Stelle and March 7th found Hook without much trouble.
After the practice round, the real, brutal game of hide-and-seek began.
March 7th was running around frantically searching for the kids, while Stelle eyed a nearby oversized trash can with interest before immediately diving in.
...
"HEY!!!" March 7th yanked Stelle out of the dumpster. "I take my eyes off you for one second, and you—ugh, never mind! Just help me find the others!"
Soon, with their combined efforts, only one kid remained missing.
As they passed by a suspicious-looking stranger, March 7th locked eyes with him—noticing how he kept glancing away nervously.
"Hmm… something feels off. That guy's been staring at us! Even though we're playing a game, we should check him out."
"Huh?" March 7th and Stelle circled the man, scrutinizing him from every angle.
"Uh…" The man squirmed under their intense gazes.
March 7th: "My sharp intuition says this guy's suspicious, but…"
"Outwardly, an adult…" Stelle tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"But inside, a child!"
The man couldn't resist blurting out, "The truth is always revealed I'm just a grown-up, honest!"
March 7th smirked. "No use hiding now—your voice gave you away!"
"Dang it!" The screen flickered as Julian performed the most half-hearted "transformation" ever.
"I shouldn't have said anything! I, the 'Master of Disguise,' have failed my boss!"
Stelle deadpanned, "Love how you walk alone in the dark."
Julian: "Love how you never turn back! AHHH! I did it again!"
March 7th patted his head. "There, there. That was basically magic anyway."
Finally, after finding everyone, the group reconvened.
Julian hung his head in shame. "S-sorry, Boss Hook! I messed up…"
Hook didn't scold him at all. "Tch! To think you saw through Julian's disguise… Just who are you two?!"
March 7th grinned proudly. "Hehe~ Keen eyes and a sharp mind that's just how I roll!"
"Yikes…" Stelle gasped. "You actually know idioms?"
"You think I'm illiterate?!" March 7th turned back to Hook. "So? Pitch-Dark Hook, will you keep your promise?"
Hook took a deep breath. "A boss always keeps her word! The black-haired big brother was taken by the blue-haired uncle to the Fight Club!"
March 7th's eyes widened. "Fight Club?!"
Stelle closed her eyes, her expression deadly serious. "The first rule is…"
March 7th quickly cut in, "You do not talk about Fight Club."
[Silver Wolf's Current Boyfriend]: Holy crap, this episode's packed with references! LOL!
[Asta Is My Wife]: 'Black-haired big brother' and 'blue-haired uncle'—Sampo's crying in a corner right now.
[Honkai Star Rail's Succubus]: Yeah, the reference density here blows Season 1 out of the water.
[Kafka's Dog]: Congrats, you've found a drama buried under all these memes.
[Herta's #1 Simp]: When Stelle sang 'Lonely Warrior,' I almost spat out my drink. Will any character ever top her?
[It's miHoYo Not Hoyoverse]: Doubt it. Stelle's just too OP.
[I Love Drinking Himeko's Coffee]: And the Fight Club movie reference?! I can't—
——
The young man finished the video and immediately returned to the streaming app, diving back into the barrage of comments.
Now, the scene, camera angles, and framing were identical to Stelle's version—except the protagonist had switched to Caelus.
"Ah! Pitch-Dark Hook, could you show us the way to the Fight Club?" March 7th clasped her hands together pleadingly.
"You can't even find such an obvious place? Grown-ups are so unreliable!
Follow Hook—I'll take you there!"
"Thanks, Hook!"
"Hmph!" Hook stomped her foot again. "Don't call me that so casually! You have to address me respectfully as Pitch-Dark Hook the Great!"
The moment she said this, the screen exploded with comments.
[Yes! Pitch-Dark Hook the Great!]
[Pitch-Dark Hook the Great!]
[Understood, Pitch-Dark Hook the Great!]
[...]
"Alright! Let's go!"