《Starry Sky Railway: I develop mobile games in Xianzhou》 Chapter 1 - Honkai: Star Rail Chapter 1: The Xianzhou Luofu, . This place is a famous food and commercial street on Luofu, filled with a variety of delicacies and vibrant street culture. But in reality¡­ It isn¡¯t bustling and lively from start to finish. Tucked away in the corners of this commercial street are old, run-down districts. While they aren¡¯t completely abandoned, it¡¯s safe to say that few people ever pass through. It¡¯s like the urban villages found in every major city. Yet, this particular old district is the most desolate of them all¡ªpractically uninhabited, a ghost town in every sense. At this moment, inside one of the abandoned buildings, a handsome young man was sitting down, eating a cup of instant noodles. Lin Yu looked utterly aggrieved. A week ago, he had been farming the Deathwater set for his Huang Quan character. Just after strengthening a god-tier crit damage headpiece, the next second¡ªhe found himself transmigrated into Xianzhou Luofu. Once he got over his initial shock, he decided to accept his fate and try to survive in this new world. However¡­ This world was even more competitive than he had imagined! Those immortal workers toiled nonstop¡ªas if they were grinding 24/7 without a break. Not to mention, becoming a Nameless¡ªtraveling through the galaxy on grand adventures? Forget it. In this vast interstellar society, if you lack skill and capital, you¡¯re nothing more than dust! Lin Yu gulped down the last sip of noodle broth, grumbling in frustration. A cold, mechanical female voice suddenly echoed. His heart raced. His hands trembled. Finally! This¡­ this is how a transmigrator should be treated! Right in front of him, a translucent blue screen appeared. Without hesitation, Lin Yu tapped the lottery option. A brilliant streak of light shot across the sky, bursting into a golden glow. Lin Yu froze. ? And now¡­ I just pulled this game?!* Inside the system interface, he could see all resources, content, and usage instructions. Lin Yu quickly dove in to check. And sure enough¡ªeverything inside was exactly as he remembered. The game was currently at its pre-1.0 version, and future content updates would require points to unlock. Lin Yu was ecstatic. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the world of Honkai: Star Rail, practically everyone owns a smartphone. He could already imagine the explosion in popularity once this game was released. Because¡­ For this world, the game¡¯s content was a direct reflection of reality! Take Kafka and Silver Wolf, for example¡ªtwo characters who appear right at the start of the game. Both of them were infamous figures with bounty prices in the billions. If they appeared in a game, it would instantly attract massive attention! Not to mention, players could pull for these characters and Light Cones. Lin Yu was certain¡ª This game¡¯s release would be of unparalleled significance in this world! Without wasting any time, he extracted all the game¡¯s resources. Then, he registered his personal information on the largest mobile app marketplace in the galaxy and familiarized himself with the rights of original game creators. The platform had excellent privacy protection, meaning personal information wouldn¡¯t easily be leaked. However! Lin Yu was still a bit uneasy. After all, he was about to pull off something huge. What if high-ranking officials from intergalactic corporations took an interest in him? What if they hacked into the system and discovered his real identity? What if they mistook him for someone who could predict the future and imprisoned him for their own gain? Lin Yu had always been extremely cautious when dealing with others. So, he didn¡¯t rush to upload Honkai: Star Rail to the marketplace just yet. Instead, he reopened his system panel. ¡ª [System Features] Earn points by developing mobile games.Player count, online hours, and in-game purchaseswill all convert into points at a fixed rate.Points can be used for lottery draws, purchasing items in the mystery shop, and more.The mystery shop contains numerous [Legendary-Tier] items. Host is encouraged to accumulate points aggressively! The features were exactly as Lin Yu had hoped. Then, in the upper right corner, he noticed a buff icon. [Newbie Protection] For the next 30 days, the host cannot be detected by any malicious entity. Seeing this icon, Lin Yu smirked. With his concerns eliminated, Lin Yu finally uploaded to the Galactic App Store. [Upload Successful!] Among the countless newly released games, stood out like a shining beacon. It was as if it was destined to change everything. Chapter 2 - Guinaifen’s Livestream Boost—Honkai: Star Rail Launches! Chapter 2: Guinaifen¡¯s Livestream Boost¡ªHonkai: Star Rail Launches! Looking at being buried under a sea of newly released games, Lin Yu furrowed his brows slightly. As expected of the largest app marketplace in the galaxy¡ªnew mobile games were being uploaded one after another without end. Just moments ago, his game was still on the ¡°new releases¡± list, yet in the blink of an eye, it had already been pushed down by countless others. Lin Yu¡¯s current residence was nothing more than an abandoned building. Not only was it open to the wind from all directions, but at night, the place felt eerily cold, as if it were haunted. However, over the past few days, Lin Yu had learned one thing: Poverty is scarier than ghosts. Suddenly, a faint shuffling sound echoed in the darkness. Lin Yu instantly blew out the nearby candle. Then, he picked up a wooden stick from the ground¡ªhis only means of self-defense. Pressing himself against the wall, he focused his gaze toward the source of the noise. In his line of sight¡­ A red-haired woman appeared at the corner of the street, holding a smartphone in one hand while gesturing toward the camera with the other. She was slowly approaching his location. Lin Yu was speechless. Just yesterday, Lin Yu had stumbled upon her livestream while scrolling through his second-hand Jade Sign. Who would¡¯ve thought¡ª That today, her ghost-hunting stream would lead her straight to his hideout? Wait! Lin Yu suddenly realized¡ª This is a golden opportunity for promotion! Although Guinaifen wasn¡¯t a top-tier influencer, she was at least a mid-level streamer. If he could leverage this, he was confident that would break into the mainstream in no time! Guinaifen cautiously approached the door of the house. Due to the darkness, she could only rely on her phone¡¯s weak flashlight to see. Lin Yu stood at the doorway. As she got closer, he casually placed a hand on her shoulder. Soft¡­ smooth¡­ Guinaifen froze. The next second¡ª Inside the Livestream Chat After the initial shock¡ª What Guinaifen saw in front of her was a pale yet strikingly handsome face. Guinaifen wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Lin Yu, on the other hand, flashed a polite and elegant smile: Guinaifen asked, curiosity flashing in her eyes. At this moment¡ª The chat had calmed down, realizing the whole thing was just a false alarm. Since Guinaifen was livestreaming, Lin Yu had naturally appeared on camera. Because of this dramatic scene, some viewers started liking the stream, causing the viewer count to rise. Everything was proceeding exactly as Lin Yu had planned. Lin Yu spoke the truth. He just left out the part about actually transmigrating. As he spoke, Lin Yu booted up Honkai: Star Rail on his phone. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Guinaifen was instantly captivated, her gaze fixed on the screen. With a soothing background melody, the vast and desolate cosmos unfolded before their eyes. A train glided through an asteroid belt, radiating an ethereal, almost mystical aura. Guinaifen leaned in for a closer look. At first, she didn¡¯t understand what she was seeing. But in the livestream chat, some well-informed viewers recognized it immediately. [Popularity +1 +1 +1¡­] Guinaifen gently tapped the screen. Immediately, the train accelerated toward an unknown nebula, officially marking the start of the game. Lin Yu¡¯s lips curved into a subtle smirk. The game¡­ had officially begun. Chapter 3 - Explosive Opening—The Antimatter Legion and the Stellaron Hunters Chapter 3: Explosive Opening¡ªThe Antimatter Legion and the Stellaron Hunters What appeared before Guinaifen and all the livestream viewers was a massive space station, suspended in the vastness of space. The station was enormous and highly advanced, floating above a brilliant blue planet. As a soft, melancholic canon melody played in the background, shimmering illusions began to appear around the station. It only took a single glance for Guinaifen to recognize them. These creatures were clearly inhuman¡ªtheir bodies encased in armor, their weapons brimming with antimatter particles. And the moment she saw them, her expression darkened. Because¡ª Her own homeworld had been destroyed by the Antimatter Legion. For her, these inhuman creatures were all too familiar. The painful memories of the past surged forward, making her unconsciously clench her fists. Inside the Space Station Panic erupted everywhere as the unexpected attack sent people into chaos. Security personnel rushed to evacuate the researchers, while warning signals flashed bright red across every screen. The sheer urgency of the situation could be felt through the screen. However¡ª Amidst this crisis, a woman in a long coat remained eerily calm. She moved gracefully, her hands dancing through the air in a bizarre, theatrical manner. She held no actual instrument, yet she moved as if playing an invisible violin, completely immersed in her own performance. Her serene demeanor stood in stark contrast to the panic around her. And even more bizarrely¡ª Her seductive red lips curled into a faint smile, as if she was enjoying the chaos. As the camera slowly spun 360 degrees, the woman¡¯s face was fully revealed. Guinaifen took a deep breath, calming herself. She adjusted her camera angle, making sure the livestream audience could see the gameplay clearly. Livestream Chat Reactions Without a doubt¡ª This opening CG had already captivated both Guinaifen and her livestream audience. And Lin Yu had been watching it all unfold. But this¡ª This was just the beginning. The real bombshell was yet to come! BOOM! An explosion suddenly erupted near the woman in the long coat. Emergency lights flashed, shattering her moment of self-indulgence. The woman finally spoke. Her voice was husky, yet magnetically alluring. At that moment¡ª A silver-white emblem appeared on the screen in front of her. It resembled the silhouette of a wolf. Then, a young girl¡¯s voice echoed from the screen. The scene shifted. The game officially transitioned into actual gameplay. The same young girl¡¯s voice continued: Guinaifen tapped her forehead, trying to recall. Then¡ªher eyes lit up. Livestream Chat Explodes S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Antimatter Legion, Stellaron Hunters¡­ Right from the very beginning, Honkai: Star Rail had dropped a bombshell. Guinaifen was completely stunned. She had never heard of a game bold enough to feature two of the galaxy¡¯s most dangerous factions right at the start. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. At the same time, she noticed that her livestream audience was skyrocketing. So, she tapped on the screen to continue the dialogue. The only kind of person who could speak so casually with Kafka was, without a doubt, another Stellaron Hunter. This conversation was chilling. It felt like eavesdropping on a high-level terrorist exchange. How could it not send shivers down people¡¯s spines? And from the way Kafka spoke to the mysterious voice¡­ It was clear¡ª They were planning something big. It was terrifying to even imagine. Under the dual assault of the Antimatter Legion and the Stellaron Hunters¡­ Just how much devastation would this space station suffer?! Chapter 4 - Turn-Based Combat—Isnt This Outdated? Chapter 4: Turn-Based Combat¡ªIsn¡¯t This Outdated? Herta Space Station The post-disaster reconstruction was finally complete. The surviving staff members had returned to their calm and leisurely routines. Inside a conference room¡­ A bored researcher was secretly playing on his phone beneath the table. Compared to his colleague¡¯s endless droning, he found spending time on games much more meaningful. He scrolled through the new game listings¡­ Until suddenly¡ª The title [Honkai: Star Rail] caught his attention. Xianzhou Luofu Qingque was, as always, slacking off. But recently, her strict superior from the Divination Commission had issued a serious warning. Now, she couldn¡¯t openly slack off anymore. She could only sneak in some downtime, using her Jade Sign to scroll through the latest updates. Astral Express Inside the vast train car, only Pom-Pom, Welt, and Himeko remained. Old Yang sat by the observation car¡¯s window, a book in hand. Outside, a frozen planet stretched across the landscape. But he wasn¡¯t fully focused on reading¡ªevery now and then, his gaze drifted toward the icy world outside. Himeko approached, holding a steaming cup of coffee. Welt chuckled softly. Looking at the pitch-black liquid before him, Welt suddenly felt his throat tighten. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He instinctively reached for his phone. The truth was¡ª Welt didn¡¯t actually have any games on his phone. So, he opened the new game listings, planning to randomly download something to cover his tracks. But then¡ª Among the sea of new releases, a particular game title caught his eye. Himeko, ever perceptive, noticed his expression change. she asked. Welt adjusted his glasses. Himeko nodded. Her wording was still polite. Rather than calling them ¡°wildly inaccurate,¡± she could¡¯ve just called them absolute garbage. Most of those games were shameless knockoffs, trying to leech off the Express¡¯ reputation. Himeko assumed this game was just another one of those. She was already used to seeing them. But Welt thought otherwise. It wasn¡¯t the title that intrigued him. It was the first word¡ª ¡°Honkai.¡± Himeko smiled. Meanwhile¡­ Lin Yu was completely unaware that his game had already caught the attention of some key figures in the galaxy. At this very moment, thanks to Guinaifen¡¯s livestream¡ª The turn-based gameplay of was about to be revealed. A new voice echoed from the screen. Then, Kafka¡¯s voice took a sly turn. As her words faded, The airlock doors in front of her slid open. Kafka stepped forward, placing her hands on her hips. Before her¡ª Three menacing Voidrangers glared at her with murderous intent. She drew her dual pistols. Her pupils dilated. Her lips curled into a delighted grin. It was as if she was performing the grand finale of a personal symphony. As if, in the very next second, she¡¯d unleash a storm of bullets, gunning down the Voidrangers in a ruthless display. Livestream Chat Most viewers, including Guinaifen, didn¡¯t fully understand the earlier conversation. But they understood one thing¡ª The Stellaron Hunters were up to something big. And a fight against the Antimatter Legion was inevitable. This scene confirmed their expectations. But just as the tension peaked¡ª The screen froze. Suddenly, cracks spread across the screen. And then¡ª A turn-based battle interface appeared. Enemy units on one side. Player characters on the other. Everyone standing still, waiting for their turn. Livestream Chat Explodes Chapter 5 - The Developer Has Guts! Kafka’s Ultimate Move Chapter 5: The Developer Has Guts! Kafka¡¯s Ultimate Move Seeing the scene before her, Guinaifen was momentarily stunned. The immersion had been so deep that she had almost forgotten this was just a game. Even though it was turn-based, she still found it exciting. The level of detail in the visuals piqued her curiosity. Lin Yu had been waiting for this moment. Guinaifen set aside her livestream phone, fixed the angle, and focused the camera on the game screen. Then, she turned to the livestream audience: Livestream Chat Reactions S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Guinaifen¡¯s First Combat Test Following the in-game prompts, Guinaifen controlled Kafka, making her execute a basic attack. A swift and clean sword strike. On the second turn, she unlocked her skill move. Kafka¡¯s stance shifted¡ªher sword now held horizontally in front of her. A fierce three-strike combo, with the final hit triggering a spiderweb-like energy burst. The enemy¡¯s Lightning weakness shattered with a crisp shattering sound. Two monsters collapsed on the spot. [Battle Ended] Guinaifen pouted in disappointment. Livestream Chat Reactions Round Two¡ªA Deeper Look Following the requests, Guinaifen guided Kafka deeper into the space station, searching for more enemies. Meanwhile¡ª Kafka¡¯s in-game dialogue played in the background. Kafka sighed. Guinaifen¡¯s eyes widened as she read the dialogue. She turned to her livestream audience: Livestream Chat Explodes Inside the Space Station As Guinaifen continued down the empty corridors, She noticed paintings of famous figures on the walls. These were real-life people, further fueling the chat¡¯s excitement. Soon¡ª She entered a larger section of the space station. Another battle began. This time, five enemies stood before her. Just like before, Kafka attacked first. Then, it was the enemy¡¯s turn. The Voidranger¡¯s dual-blade strike looked painful. At that moment¡ª A notification popped up next to Kafka¡¯s portrait in the lower left corner. [Energy Full¡ªActivate Ultimate] Guinaifen immediately complied. Kafka¡¯s umbrella-wielding silhouette flickered briefly. Her stance shifted¡ªshe now dual-wielded two submachine guns. At the same time¡ª A dark purple energy wrapped around her entire body, charging up immense power. The attack button glowed, indicating it was a group attack. Guinaifen licked her lips in excitement and pressed the button! The Ultimate¡ªA Scene of Pure Chaos What followed was an absolutely breathtaking spectacle. Kafka moved like a dancer, weaving through the enemy horde. She spun, she leaped¡ªher eyes closed, lost in the rhythm. Gunfire flashed around her. Silver-white tracers streaked across the battlefield. Bullets flew wildly, ricocheting in perfectly choreographed destruction. The visuals alone created a masterpiece of chaos. As the onslaught ended, The camera zoomed in on Kafka¡¯s smirking face. She formed a gun shape with her hand and mimicked an explosion. Then, she whispered¡ª An earth-shattering explosion erupted. Every enemy was engulfed in flames, the screen shaking violently. And when the dust settled¡ª Not a single enemy remained. Complete Silence. For a few seconds¡ª Nobody said a word. Even the livestream chat froze, left in complete shock. Chapter 6 - Initial Promotion Success—Xiao Gui Buys the Account Chapter 6: Initial Promotion Success¡ªXiao Gui Buys the Account Guinaifen¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement, as if she had just been baptized by Kafka¡¯s ultimate move. Yes, Kafka was a rebel. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yes, she was a villain. But¡ª Damn, she was stylish! The livestream chat exploded with collective amazement. Livestream Chat Reactions This sequence had completely overturned the audience¡¯s expectations. Who would¡¯ve thought¡ª A turn-based game could be this stylish?! The detailed graphics. The dazzling effects. The lifelike characters. Even without combat, just watching Kafka¡¯s ultimate animation alone was enough to stun the audience. And the best part? It wasn¡¯t just a pre-rendered cutscene. Players could control and unleash it at will! Livestream Chat Reactions Demand Surges After the initial excitement, Guinaifen finally noticed the chat spam. Every single message was repeating the same thing¡ª ¡°What¡¯s the game?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the game?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the game?¡± A perfect wall of text, neatly aligned. Even she couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity. Lin Yu smiled. He had already planned his answer while Guinaifen was absorbed in the gameplay. There was no need to reveal that he was the developer¡ªnot yet. Even though he had newbie protection, it only prevented strong entities from observing him, not absolute invincibility. His priority was to earn his first fortune, then use the system shop to acquire abilities for self-defense. So, he simply said¡ª The moment he said the name, Lin Yu opened the system panel. The backend data¡ªwhich had previously shown only single-digit downloads¡ª Jumped to dozens. Then hundreds. Within just 30 seconds, it skyrocketed past a thousand! This was the power of live promotion! And the number was still climbing. Lin Yu¡¯s lips curled into a massive grin. These downloads¡­ were his capital! End of the Livestream Guinaifen waved to the camera. She reached to end the stream. It was clear¡ª She had already fallen for the game and couldn¡¯t wait to play it on her own phone. But before she could log out¡ª The chat flooded with messages begging her to stay. Livestream Chat Reactions Guinaifen sighed helplessly. She leaned closer to the camera, whispering¡ª Although she spoke softly, Lin Yu still heard her clearly. He responded casually¡ª *¡±See this ID in the lower-right corner? It shows the player registration order¡ªyours happens to be * Guinaifen glanced at the ID. Since there was an existing account, she didn¡¯t refuse. After all, she had already progressed through some of the story¡ªit would be a hassle to start over. But in the livestream chat, the viewers weren¡¯t having it. Livestream Chat Reactions Lin Yu¡¯s eyes swept over the chat. On the surface, he remained calm¡ª But deep down, he was cheering for these viewers! Guinaifen¡¯s cheeks flushed red. She turned to Lin Yu. ¡° Chapter 7 - Herta Space Station? No Way, Right?! Chapter 7: Herta Space Station? No Way, Right?! A Huge Payday 500,000 credits in hand. For the first time, Lin Yu experienced the thrill of making money fast. That was more than months of hard labor¡ªearned in a single moment! Stay calm. Stay composed. After all, in the future, he was going to conquer the galactic market and become a top-tier game developer. This little amount? But¡ª He couldn¡¯t suppress the massive grin forming on his face! Just the thought of never having to struggle again¡­ Never having to sleep in an abandoned building, eating instant noodles¡­ It made him giddy with joy! Fortunately, the alley was dimly lit, And Guinaifen was too absorbed in her livestream and the game to notice. Otherwise¡ª She might have thought Lin Yu was some kind of lunatic¡­ A Night Out By the time they reached the bustling commercial street, Lin Yu had calmed down. Guinaifen found a tea house and booked a private room for her livestream session. Lin Yu, on the other hand, simply said¡ª After exchanging contact details, the two parted ways. Standing at the entrance of the lively night market, The aroma of grilled meats, fresh seafood, and sizzling skewers filled the air. Lin Yu¡¯s eyes sparkled with tears. Meanwhile, in the Livestream As soon as Guinaifen sat down, She immediately pulled out her phone. She had two reasons for her excitement: The livestream reactionhad been incredible¡ªeven more than when she smashed bricks with her chest or balanced a golden spear on her throat.She genuinely loved the gameand couldn¡¯t wait to see what happened next. ¡± Livestream Chat Reactions A New Perspective? As Guinaifen scanned the chat, she noticed¡ª Everyone agreed¡ªKafka was the highlight of the game. Her visual effects, animations, and combat style were on another level. Some even speculated¡ª That Kafka might be the only playable character. Since the game¡¯s developer was a newcomer, players were willing to be forgiving. A Sudden Twist As the story continued, Kafka swiftly dispatched the enemies in front of her. But she didn¡¯t notice¡ª Behind her, a new Voidranger spawned! It lunged forward in a stealth attack, Its blade aimed straight for Kafka¡¯s neck! Just a centimeter away¡ª Suddenly¡ª The Voidranger¡¯s weapon disintegrated into tiny, colorful pixel blocks. Then, its entire body fragmented into countless digital cubes¡ª As if an invisible force had deconstructed it. Within seconds¡ª It completely vanished from the space station. A girl¡¯s voice rang out¡ª Casually typing into a blindingly complex digital interface. She hopped down from her seat, Glanced sideways with an indifferent expression, And casually blew a pink bubblegum bubble. If this were any other setting, she might have been called ¡°cool¡± or ¡°kinda cute.¡± But everyone watching the stream knew better. This girl¡ª Was no harmless next-door neighbor. She was¡ª Another Stellaron Hunter. A top-tier hacker with insane abilities. The same voice from the screen earlier¡ª Was hers. Livestream Chat Explodes An Even Bigger Mystery Despite that, Silver Wolf¡¯s appearance caused the livestream hype to skyrocket. Now there were two Stellaron Hunters. What were they planning? S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The story continued. *¡±No matter how many times I see it, I¡¯m still amazed by your skills~¡± Kafka praised. The two chatted casually, As if they were on a sightseeing trip. Not a hint of tension or urgency. But then¡ª Suddenly¡ª Someone in the livestream chat noticed something strange. Livestream Chat Suspicion Herta Space Station. Antimatter Legion. The Astral Express. Could this really just be a coincidence? Chapter 8 - Old Yang: Is Honkai Still Chasing Me? Chapter 8: Old Yang: Is Honkai Still Chasing Me? Gui Naifen licked her lips. If this game truly reflected real-life events, then things were about to get really interesting. Kafka turned to Silver Wolf and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the target location?¡± [Herta] Space Station ¨C Conference Room A staff member watching the stream suddenly blurted out a curse. Before, there had only been hints. But now¡ª With Silver Wolf¡¯s appearance and her direct mention of the Stellaron¡­ It was basically confirmed! This game was an exact depiction of what had actually happened on the space station just days ago! And yet¡ª Some daring game developer had the audacity to turn it into a video game! Not only that¡ª The entire story was told from the Stellaron Hunters¡¯ perspective! The conference leader, who had been rambling on in his speech, suddenly froze. The rest of the half-asleep employees in the room also snapped awake. As realization hit, the leader¡¯s face flushed red, as if someone had just yanked his pants down in front of everyone. The staff member frantically tried to explain. Five Minutes Later The staff member finally managed to explain everything he had seen in the mobile game. The leader adjusted his glasses, deciding to reprimand him for slacking off during the meeting for now. After consulting with the other employees, the decision was made¡ª Stream the live broadcast onto the conference room¡¯s big screen. Because¡ª If this game was truly mirroring real events, then something big was happening. It meant the developer had detailed inside knowledge of the space station¡¯s incident. Could this be the work of the perpetrator, made to show off their crime?! This was a serious case of defamation, tarnishing the image of both Herta Space Station and Lady Herta herself! If proven true¡ª They had to file a complaint against this game immediately. At that moment, everyone in the conference room put aside their work¡ª And focused entirely on the livestream. Aboard the Astral Express Old Yang (Welt) and Himeko were both playing the game, slowly progressing through the story. Though they already had a vague feeling that the game¡¯s plot was closely mirroring real-life events, As veteran Trailblazers, they remained calm and composed. However¡ª Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The moment Silver Wolf appeared as a Stellaron Hunter, Old Yang¡¯s jaw nearly hit the floor. That voice. That hacker identity. That familiar face. That¡¯s¡­ Bronya from back then!!! Old Yang was completely dazed. His right hand trembled slightly as he picked up the coffee that Himeko had prepared for him. But the moment he took a sip¡ª A sudden, violently bitter taste made him spit it out instantly! Himeko: ¡°???¡± Himeko was a thoughtful person, though. She had noticed the moment Silver Wolf appeared, Walter¡¯s expression turned as if he had just seen a ghost. Clearly, something about that hacker girl had shaken him deeply. Old Yang hurriedly apologized, wiping the table with a napkin. He had been through countless hardships in his life¡ª And yet, this was the first time he had been so shaken. The reasons? The game had the word ¡°Honkai¡± in its title.It had suddenly hit him with the appearance of an all-too-familiar face. The double impact made him momentarily believe that Honkai was still chasing him down. Himeko smiled reassuringly and said, Old Yang adjusted his glasses and gave a slight nod. She was right. It had to be a coincidence. Back in Gui Naifen¡¯s Livestream On their way to retrieve the Curio [Stellaron] inside the space station, The Stellaron Hunters were suddenly ambushed by Voidrangers. As soon as the battle began¡ª A new character joined the team¡ªSilver Wolf! By now, Gui Naifen knew exactly how to unleash Ultimate abilities. Without hesitation, she clicked on Silver Wolf¡¯s icon. Silver Wolf: The next second¡ª Silver Wolf¡¯s model expanded dramatically in size. Under her, a massive, arcade-style interface materialized out of thin air. As Silver Wolf¡¯s fingers danced across the controls, The score counter on the arcade screen skyrocketed from 0 to 333. When she finally reached 999 points, A brilliant golden energy beam shot out like a meteor¡ª obliterating the Voidranger below, dragging it into a black hole. Livestream Chat Explodes Again Chapter 9 - Character Selection! Kafkas Verbal Manipulation Ability Revealed Chapter 9: Character Selection! Kafka¡¯s Verbal Manipulation Ability Revealed ¡¾Popularity +10 +10 +10¡­¡¿ Inside Gui Naifen¡¯s livestream, Her viewer count had now tripled compared to usual! A significant portion of the audience was now watching the story unfold with intense excitement. Because¡ª If the game¡¯s content truly reflected real-life events, then today, they were witnessing history in the making. Inside [Herta] Space Station ¨C Surveillance Room At this moment, two Stellaron Hunters, Kafka and Silver Wolf, had arrived inside one of Herta¡¯s surveillance control rooms. Using hacking techniques, Silver Wolf had successfully located the Stellaron¡¯s exact position. Silver Wolf remarked. After their conversation¡ª Kafka stepped forward and grasped the glowing golden sphere in her hand. This¡ª Was the legendary Stellaron! Meanwhile, Silver Wolf continued typing on the control panel, then projected a new screen in front of Kafka. A Major Choice Appears! At that moment¡ª A massive character selection screen filled the entire screen of Gui Naifen and every player watching. On display were two figures: One male.One female. Both had silver-gray hair and wore long, black coats. Each character had a line of text beside them: ¡ªActivate Vessel [Star].¡ªActivate Vessel [Sky]. Kafka: ¡°Elio once said, this choice will change everything.¡± Silver Wolf: ¡°Elio also said, the one who must make this choice is you.¡± Gui Naifen Is Completely Stunned Livestream Chat Explodes Gui Naifen licked her lips and carefully compared both choices. To her, the female character looked cuter. She had an innocent and naive expression¡ª The kind of person who seemed straightforward and honest. Someone just like herself. Without hesitation¡ª She chose the female vessel. And to keep things simple, she kept the default name¡ª¡±Star.¡± The Birth of ¡°Star¡± After her selection¡ª A data package was instantly transferred to Silver Wolf. And right next to them¡ª Star¡¯s body began materializing as if being 3D-printed. Kafka¡ª With the Stellaron in one hand, Gracefully walked forward, almost on tiptoe, until she stood beside Star. She leaned in close¡ª And asked: Kafka chuckled lightly. Then, with one arm wrapped around Star¡¯s waist, She pressed the Stellaron directly against Star¡¯s chest! No Warning. No Preparation. Just¡­ Forced In?! Gui Naifen was completely dumbfounded. So THIS is how Stellaron implantation works?! They just¡­ shove it in like that?! She took a deep breath. Maybe she was too immersed in the moment, but¡ª She swore she could actually feel a slight pressure in her own chest! First-Person View Activated! Suddenly, the screen shifted into a first-person perspective. Now¡ª The player was experiencing everything through the eyes of Star, Right after awakening from Stellaron implantation. On the right side of the screen¡ª Three dialogue options appeared: [Where¡­ is this?][Ka¡­fka?][¡­Who¡­ are you?] Without hesitation¡ª Gui Naifen chose option 2: ¡°Kafka?¡± Kafka¡¯s Sinister Smile At this moment¡ª Kafka was looking at Star with an expression that could only be described as ¡°gentle.¡± But¡ª Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Considering everything everyone had heard about the Stellaron Hunters¡ª How cunning, how dangerous, how deceptive they were¡ª No matter how ¡°kind¡± she looked, Gui Naifen couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Kafka was hiding something. Hearing Star call her name¡ª Kafka¡¯s eyes widened slightly in surprise. She glanced at Silver Wolf¡ªthen turned back to Star. She spoke again: ¡°[Listen to me]: Your mind is in chaos right now. You don¡¯t know who you are, why you¡¯re here, or what you¡¯re supposed to do. You recognize me, but you don¡¯t know whether you should trust me¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªBut none of that matters.¡± ¡°[Listen to me]: You will face many dangers, escape terrifying situations; but you will also experience many wonderful things. You will meet companions who feel like family and embark on adventures beyond your wildest dreams.¡± Three More Choices Appear [Like it¡­ I guess.][I don¡¯t want this¡­][Where are you going¡­?] Gui Naifen paused. She pressed her fingers against her chin, pursing her lips. Chat Instantly Fills With Theories Chapter 10 - So This Is How a Trailblazer Is Born? Chapter 10: So This Is How a Trailblazer Is Born? Inside the Herta Space Station¡¯s Conference Room A group of researchers sat stunned, staring at the screen like a collective of dazed fools. The Arrival of Asta Moments later, Asta arrived, escorted by a group of researchers. By then, a staff member had already recorded the entire livestream for analysis. As the Antimatter Legion stormed the space station, causing complete chaos, Asta¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. The disaster was still fresh in her mind¡ª Even now, there were still unresolved aftermaths from that attack. The Truth About the Attack Her fists clenched. Damn those Stellaron Hunters! They wandered through the station¡¯s containment area like it was their own home. They handled classified artifacts like they were mere playthings. And they broke into Lady Herta¡¯s collection room as if it were nothing¡ª Then implanted a Stellaron into a young girl. Wait a second. This girl¡­ looked familiar. The Big Revelation Wasn¡¯t that the Trailblazer?! A Shockwave of Information A wave of realization crashed into Asta¡¯s brain, As overwhelming as receiving three months¡¯ worth of credit card bills all at once. Asta crossed her arms, clearly annoyed. a researcher pointed out. With that, Asta switched the main screen to a live broadcast. It was Guinaifen¡¯s stream. In the bottom-right corner, her small webcam feed was visible¡ª But the rest of the screen was dominated by gameplay. The Game Continues¡­ Silver Wolf: Kafka: Kafka smirked, then turned directly to the camera. A Faint Whisper¡­ [No¡­ Please¡­] [Don¡¯t go¡­] [Kaf¡­ Ka¡­] There was no voice acting, Yet everyone watching could feel the emotion¡ª The protagonist was still dazed, barely conscious. Lost in confusion. With these final words, The screen slowly faded to black¡ª Signifying that the protagonist had fallen unconscious once more. A New Beginning It was unclear how much time had passed. Suddenly¡ª A man¡¯s voice rang out: A woman¡¯s voice responded impatiently: The First Awakening At that moment¡ª The protagonist¡¯s vision finally returned. The first thing they saw¡ª Was the face of a massive man, So close that it filled the entire screen. A hand suddenly grabbed the man¡¯s face and pushed it away. Then, the hand¡¯s owner took his place¡ª Leaning in closer to the protagonist¡¯s face. Short pink hair. Bright, multicolored eyes. A playful smirk. the pink-haired girl asked. Asta¡¯s Shock Seeing this scene, Asta was completely speechless. Her mind went blank. She had already figured it out from the dialogue, But actually seeing them appear in the game was surreal. It really was the crew of the Astral Express! The Trailblazer had even helped out at the space station before. But to think¡­ this was how they came into existence?! Contacting the Astral Express? Asta grabbed her phone, Her first instinct was to contact the Astral Express crew immediately. However¡ª Right before she could dial, she hesitated. A thought struck her. Asta¡¯s Decision Instead of making the call, She exited the contacts screen¡ª And opened the app store instead. She typed: Without hesitation, She pressed download. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, Aboard the Astral Express¡­ Walter and Himeko exchanged a knowing glance. At this point¡ª Everything was starting to fall into place. After a brief silence, Walter finally spoke: Himeko¡¯s eyes sparkled with intrigue. She pointed at the screen. Chapter 11 - Free March 7th at the Start? Im Crying! Chapter 11: Free March 7th at the Start? I¡¯m Crying! A Towering Skyscraper Rooftop On the edge of a rooftop, overlooking the bustling cityscape below, Kafka sat leisurely on the railing. A gentle breeze ruffled her coat and hair, adding a touch of laziness to her demeanor. Kafka mused to herself. Beside her, Silver Wolf was in a completely different state. She was fully focused on the screen before her, her fingers dancing over the interface without blinking once. Finally¡ª A smirk curved at the corner of her lips. She pointed at a graffiti-style symbol on the screen, turning to Kafka with a hint of pride. Silver Wolf pulled down her visor as she spoke. Kafka chuckled lightly. Silver Wolf responded without hesitation. Kafka raised her hand, making a mocking toast gesture. Then¡ª She resumed enjoying her rare moment of peace and quiet. Meanwhile, Silver Wolf¡¯s perspective had already shifted away from the rooftop¡ª Her focus was now deep inside the [Herta] Space Station. Livestream Chat: Pure Chaos Main Character¡¯s Perspective Unlocks As the story switched to the main character¡¯s viewpoint, the pacing finally slowed down. After brief introductions between Trailblazer, March 7th, and Dan Heng¡ª March 7th led the protagonist towards the Master Control Zone, While Dan Heng went off to locate Arlan from the Defense Department. Chat Goes Wild Again Opening the Character Menu Following the guide, Guinaifen opened the character menu. Currently, there were two characters in the party: Trailblazer (MC)March 7th The UI stats were pretty standard¡ª HP, Attack, Crit Rate, Crit Damage¡ª S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Same as most RPGs, so no need for extra explanation. While explaining, Guinaifen had the MC pick up a baseball bat as a temporary weapon. Soon after¡ª They encountered stray members of the Antimatter Legion. This marked the first battle for both the MC and March 7th. Expectations Were Low¡­ Until¡ª Soon¡ª Energy was fully charged. Guinaifen immediately activated March 7th¡¯s ultimate skill. ¡ªSWOOSH!¡ª A glimpse of March 7th¡¯s lively artwork flashed across the screen. [Time for an Ice Rain Barrage]¡ªUNLEASHED. She lightly ran a finger along the hem of her skirt¡ª And in an instant, a frosted arrow formed in her hands. Grinning cheerfully, she drew back her bowstring, Then leaped into the air, firing her shot with a dramatic flourish. The frost arrow split apart mid-flight, transforming into multiple mini-Pom-Pom plushies, Which then rained down in a full-scale bombardment. Guinaifen¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. Chat Goes Into Shock Mode Chapter 12 - Stop Giving Stuff Away! Chapter 12: Stop Giving Stuff Away! ¡°Alright, let¡¯s check out the MC¡¯s ultimate move!¡± Guinaifen excitedly tapped the button to unleash Star¡¯s finishing move. At this point, the thing she was most looking forward to was seeing the ultimate animations of each character. Every single one had its own unique style and personality. The visual effects were detailed and stunning. It was nothing like the sloppy, low-effort mobile games she had played before. You could feel the developers had poured their hearts into every single frame. Even the character splash screens that flashed for a brief moment when activating an ultimate¡ª They were absolutely breathtaking. ¡ª SWOOSH! ¡ª Star¡¯s splash art appeared, far more powerful-looking than expected. One foot confidently planted in mid-air, a golden energy sphere levitating in her left hand. She stood there like an invincible force of nature, overlooking the battlefield with supreme dominance. Behind her, the Astral Express charged forward, steam and steel intertwining in a stunning backdrop. ¡°Celestial Ace!¡± With a cold, determined look, Star pulled a baseball bat from her waist. An ordinary, unremarkable bat¡ª But now crackling with lightning and cosmic energy, as if it had been enchanted with +999 upgrades. ¡°Rules? They¡¯re made to be broken.¡± Then came the massive AoE attack. The impact shook the entire screen, as if the game itself was about to shatter. The enemies instantly disintegrated. For the first time, she saw a damage number over 124. Before this, it had been tiny little numbers chipping away at enemies. Forget Guinaifen¡ªeven the livestream viewers went completely insane. Livestream Chat Explodes S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Wait¡ªwhy is the MC¡¯s ult so damn cool?!¡± ¡°She¡¯s just swinging a baseball bat, but it looks like she¡¯s wielding the freaking Galactic Excalibur!¡± ¡°These devs are insane. The quality of these skills is unreal!¡± ¡°Damn, the MC is so badass¡ªI love her!¡± Guinaifen was falling more and more in love with the MC. Her excitement was through the roof. She couldn¡¯t wait to find more enemies to fight. Arriving at an elevator, a story cutscene triggered. The elevator system malfunctioned, blocking Star and March 7th from reaching the Master Control Zone. Fortunately, Dan Heng appeared at the right time. After some friendly banter, he decided to escort them to the Surveillance Room to meet Arlan from the Defense Department. The conversation ended¡ª And then, suddenly, the screen flashed purple! Under a twisting maple tree, a young man leaned against the trunk, his face emotionless. In his arms¡ªa sleek, cyan-colored spear. He exuded an aura of absolute calm, untouched by the chaos of the world. [Dan Heng (4¡ï, The Hunt) has joined the party.] ??? ¡°Wait¡­ are they seriously just giving Dan Heng to us for free?¡± Guinaifen¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She quickly opened the party menu. Sure enough¡ª There was a ¡°NEW¡± label on one of the character slots. The game had just handed her another free character. A tutorial prompt even guided her to level him up. Livestream Chat Goes Ballistic ¡°NO WAY. THEY¡¯RE ACTUALLY JUST GIVING HIM AWAY?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s THREE free characters now! And judging by the previous ones, Dan Heng¡¯s ultimate is gonna be insanely cool too!¡± ¡°Most gacha games try to bleed us dry, but this one just keeps handing us free stuff!¡± ¡°Are the devs running a charity?? I¡¯m actually scared they¡¯re going to go bankrupt!¡± ¡°STOP GIVING STUFF AWAY! LET ME SPEND SOME MONEY!!!¡± Even Guinaifen was stunned by how generous the devs were. With this level of quality, they could have easily made bank selling these characters¡ª But instead? They just handed them out for free. She didn¡¯t even need to say anything. The chat was already freaking out. At this point, no one could figure out how this game was even making money. Finding Arlan & Equipping the Light Cone Upon meeting Arlan, March 7th suddenly remembered¡ª The security key for the elevator? Yeah¡­ she had it the whole time. Along the way, they ¡°accidentally¡± picked up a Light Cone. After reading through the tutorial, Guinaifen finally understood. ¡°Ohhh, so Light Cones are basically this game¡¯s weapon system!¡± ¡°Damn, they actually worked real-world lore into this? These things are stupidly rare in reality!¡± ¡°There are 3¡ï, 4¡ï, and 5¡ï variants too.¡± ¡°Not sure how we¡¯ll get the higher-tier ones yet, though.¡± After equipping the MC with the new 3¡ï Light Cone, they finally reached the elevator. A New Enemy Appears This time, the enemy looked way stronger than before. A half-human, half-horse beast. Among the Antimatter Legion, it was a top-tier elite unit. ¡°If I saw this thing in real life, I¡¯d immediately turn around and walk away.¡± ¡°But this is a game¡­ so¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯M TESTING DAN HENG¡¯S ULTIMATE RIGHT NOW!¡± Guinaifen gritted her teeth and tapped Dan Heng¡¯s ult. [Ethereal Dreamscape] ¡°Life and death¡ªreality and illusion¡ªexist within a single thought.¡± Dan Heng calmly held his spear. At its tip¡ªa perfectly balanced orb of black and white. A swirling mist of white energy circled the sphere. Just as the name implied¡ª ¡°Ethereal Dreamscape.¡± A single red maple leaf floated past the camera. Suddenly, the entire background shifted. The scene transformed into a mesmerizing ink-wash painting. Only the red maple leaves and dark ink-strokes remained. Dan Heng¡¯s eyes snapped open¡ªhis stance ready. ¡°Break.¡± In a blink, he vanished. Reappearing right behind the enemy. A flash of ink-like energy exploded from his spear tip¡ª The screen turned black. [BATTLE OVER] Livestream Chat Loses Its Mind ¡°HOLY SH*T, THAT WAS INSANE!¡± ¡°HOW?! A freaking watercolor art style just made a finisher look more terrifying than a horror movie?!¡± ¡°The aesthetics! The execution! This is next-level animation quality!¡± ¡°This is straight-up Xianzhou culture¡ªTHE DEVS HAVE TO BE FROM XIANZHOU!¡± ¡°Wait, wait, WAIT¡ªTHEY¡¯RE GIVING AWAY CHARACTERS LIKE THIS FOR FREE?!¡± ¡°March 7th AND Dan Heng at the start? I¡¯M RICH!¡± Final Thoughts This game¡ª It was too generous. Too high-quality. And it still had no way to recharge money. That was the real horror. Chapter 13 - Himeko Joins the Team, Gaining Countless Fans Chapter 13: Himeko Joins the Team, Gaining Countless Fans Seeing Dan Heng¡¯s incredibly cool ultimate move, Gui Naifen¡¯s eyes sparkled with admiration. After finally calming herself down, she couldn¡¯t help but feel indignant on behalf of the developers! ¡°Why won¡¯t they let me spend money on a character like this?!¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Do they think I¡¯m broke or something?!¡± In fact, she was so frustrated that she even wished she could be in charge of the game¡¯s development herself. If it were up to her, Dan Heng¡¯s ultimate move would have different unlock tiers: The first tier would have no special cutscene.The second tier would unlock the cutscene but without the ink-wash background effect. To get the full version, players would have to pay extra!The third tier would finally be the complete version of the ultimate move! ¡°Do the developers even know how to make money? They should learn from me!¡± Unfortunately, not only did they not implement a system like that, but they even gave this character away for free. This mysterious developer, [Yuling], was someone she had never heard of. The only thing she could do was leave a suggestion in the game¡¯s comment section. Suppressing those thoughts for now, she refocused on the story. Although the elite Voidranger was no match for them, it suddenly let out a deafening roar. One by one, shadowy figures appeared in the air¡ªlesser Voidrangers, summoned as reinforcements. March 7 immediately protested, ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Calling for backup just because you¡¯re losing? That¡¯s cheating!¡± Even as she complained, she cautiously began stepping backward. Meanwhile, Dan Heng gripped his spear and took a stance, preparing to cover their retreat. Just then¡ª A mechanical device, shaped like a propeller, suddenly appeared. As it spun at high speed, it instantly shredded one of the Voidrangers. Then, saw blades extended from its wings, slicing through the remaining enemies like a hot knife through butter. Finally, it delivered the finishing blow, shattering the elite Voidranger. Seizing the opportunity, the group immediately pushed forward to break through. Scene Change ¨C Elsewhere in the Space Station A pair of slender, jade-like hands slowly lowered. A mature, magnetic voice followed, ¡°It always ends up so dangerous¡­ But as long as you¡¯re back, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± A red-haired woman appeared on the screen, her lips curling into a gentle smile. ¡°A new character just appeared!¡± ¡°And she¡¯s a mature big sister type!¡± Gui Naifen¡¯s cheeks flushed with excitement. ¡°I wonder if she¡¯ll be a playable character?¡± Livestream Chat Explosion As soon as the red-haired woman appeared, the livestream chat flooded with comments: ¡ª ¡°She¡¯s so beautiful!¡± ¡ª ¡°I love mature and gentle women like her!¡± ¡ª ¡°Wait, don¡¯t you guys recognize her? That¡¯s Himeko, the navigator of the Astral Express!¡± ¡ª ¡°So that¡¯s her! Not only is she a top-tier scientist, but she¡¯s also this stunning?!¡± ¡ª ¡°I¡¯m a die-hard fan now! From today on, I only stan Himeko!¡± Astral Express The moment the monomolecular saw appeared, Old Yang¡¯s lips curled into a knowing smile. When Dan Heng had first shown up, he already had a feeling. Sure enough, now Himeko had appeared too. ¡°As expected of Himeko. In the eyes of the younger generation, she¡¯s incredibly reliable.¡± Himeko, however, didn¡¯t seem too surprised. She was focused on operating a nearby screen. Old Yang asked curiously, ¡°Himeko, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I was looking up information about this game, but there¡¯s barely anything available.¡± ¡°All I know is that the developer goes by the name [Yuling]. I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s a single person, a company, or an entire organization.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Old Yang prompted. ¡°I found a related livestream. A young girl from Xianzhou is streaming the game. Just like us, she only just started playing.¡± Himeko turned the screen toward Old Yang. Sure enough, the livestream¡¯s progress matched their own. In the top right corner, the number of live viewers had already surpassed ten thousand! ¡°Her usual viewership was only a few thousand, but ever since she started streaming , she¡¯s attracted a massive audience in a short time.¡± Old Yang sighed, ¡°Looks like this game is starting to gain mainstream attention.¡± Meanwhile, in the Livestream Chat ¡ª ¡°What are the requirements to marry Himeko?¡± ¡ª ¡°This big sister is way too charming! One look and I¡¯m in love!¡± ¡ª ¡°Even as a woman, I can¡¯t resist her!¡± ¡ª ¡°I¡¯ve got my dream material for tonight.¡± Himeko glanced at the chat¡ªthen wordlessly turned off the comments. On Screen The scene now playing depicted her first meeting with Star. Aside from subtle differences in dialogue and expressions, it was almost identical to her memories. It was as if an invisible camera had recorded everything that happened back then and turned it into a game. That raised an important question in Himeko¡¯s mind. If the game¡¯s story only covered the events at the space station, that would be one thing. After all, past events could be reconstructed using technology. But if the game¡¯s story continued beyond this point¡­ Would that mean they could see what was happening on Jarilo-VI next? She turned to look out the train¡¯s window at the frozen, snow-covered planet below. Just as she was considering reaching out to Dan Heng and the others on their Pioneer Expedition, her phone chimed with a notification. It was a message from March 7. Himeko checked it¡ª The message basically said that everything was going smoothly. With the help of a robot named Svarog, they had gathered information about the Stellaron and planned to rest for the night before heading to its location tomorrow. Himeko hesitated for a moment. In the end, she decided not to tell them about just yet. There was no rush¡ªshe could wait until their mission was over. Of course, she would still keep an eye on their situation tomorrow, making sure nothing unexpected happened. Setting her phone down, she heard the excited voice of the streamer, Little Gui, coming from her screen. ¡°Guys! Did I see that right?!¡± ¡°Himeko is actually a playable character!¡± ¡°And she just joined our team!¡± ¡°Aaaah! I have to test out Himeko¡¯s skills right now!¡± Chapter 14 - What?! This Game Has Herta and the Nameless?! Chapter 14: What?! This Game Has Herta and the Nameless?! Xianzhou, Golden People Alley After a satisfying meal and drink, Lin Yu booked a room near the hotel. The room was clean and well-furnished, equipped with everything he needed. Sitting by the window, he took a sip of the hotel¡¯s complimentary specialty wine while opening the system interface. [Popularity: 20,000+][Total Spending: 0][Current Accumulated Points: 20,000][Congratulations! You have reached your first milestone. Reward: 5,000 points and a small promotional opportunity.] ¡°A promotional opportunity?¡± Seeing this reward, Lin Yu narrowed his eyes. Hadn¡¯t he already gained publicity through Gui Naifen¡¯s livestream? What exactly was this system-given promotional opportunity? He clicked on the description, quickly understanding its purpose. ¡°I can advertise within a certain range, completely free of charge?¡± ¡°Wait¡­ does that mean¡ª¡± [Recommended Locations: Space Station (Herta) / Pinocony] Lin Yu thought for a moment. His initial plan was to promote in Pinocony, a hub of dreams with high foot traffic, ensuring that the game would attract plenty of attention. But after checking the map, he couldn¡¯t help but complain¡ª ¡°This coverage area is way too small!¡± ¡°If I put it in Pinocony, it wouldn¡¯t even cover a single landmark!¡± ¡°But if I place it in the space station, it would at least cover the whole facility.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go with the space station for now.¡± Space Station ¨C Advertisement Takeover As Lin Yu activated the system, the main control module of the space station underwent an instant transformation. Every advertisement display changed colors in an instant. Gone were the usual ads for Lost Item Scanners, Calibay, and other mundane services¡ªall replaced in one sweep. [New Mobile Game ¨C ! Log in now to receive three Astral Express members for free! Plus, Herta and Asta¡ªboth completely free!][What are you waiting for? Get a head start on your adventure today!] The ad featured silhouettes of March 7, Dan Heng, and the Trailblazer, but the most eye-catching elements were Asta and Herta¡¯s full character illustrations. The system had clearly customized this advertisement specifically for the space station. For the research-focused staff, who were used to seeing the same dull, repetitive ads every day, such a bold and straightforward pitch was bound to catch their interest. And sure enough¡ª ¡°Honkai: Star Rail? Never heard of this game before.¡± ¡°A free game? And it even gives away characters at launch? That¡¯s pretty generous.¡± ¡°Wait¡ªdid the ad just mention Asta and Herta? Don¡¯t tell me they actually made Director Asta and Lady Herta into playable characters?!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true, I have no choice but to play!¡± ¡°Ad display, you better not be lying. If I don¡¯t get those characters, I¡¯m reporting you immediately!¡± Intrigued, many staff members stopped in their tracks, pulling out their phones to download from the app store. Word Spreads Fast The space station wasn¡¯t that big, and soon, word of the mysterious game ads reached a very particular location¡ª Asta¡¯s conference room. ¡°Miss Asta, this is the situation.¡± Alan, wearing a serious expression, reported his findings. ¡°All advertisement displays were suddenly overridden¡ªlike they had been hacked. And every single one is now showing, uh¡­ an ad for .¡± ¡°Should we shut down the power supply to those displays?¡± ¡°No, no need.¡± Asta waved her hand dismissively while staring at her phone screen. ¡°This game actually looks pretty interesting. I was just about to do a [Warp] pull.¡± ¡°Warp?¡± ¡°Yep! You can pull for characters you know from real life¡ªlike March 7, Himeko¡­ and who knows, maybe even Lady Herta!¡± Without hesitation, Asta tapped [Warp x1]. A train ticket floated through space as the Astral Express approached. As Conductor Pom made his appearance, the doors behind him slid open, releasing a purple glow. Asta¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°A purple glow¡­ That means I pulled a four-star character!¡± From within the light, a familiar portrait emerged¡ª A young girl sitting beside a massive astronomical telescope. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Asta (New) ¨C Fire Element, Four-Star, Harmony Path] Total Shock Alan froze. Asta¡¯s jaw dropped into an ¡°O¡± shape. Did she just¡­ pull herself?! Alan struggled to find his words. After a long pause, he finally asked: ¡°Miss Asta¡­ are you a character in this game?¡± ¡°I¡ªI have no idea!¡± Asta was completely caught off guard. This was her first time playing a game and encountering something like this. ¡°But¡­ I did see myself in the game¡¯s story earlier.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Alan lowered his head, deep in thought. ¡°Miss Asta, I¡¯ll have the engineers investigate whether the space station has suffered an actual cyberattack.¡± ¡°Oh, sure. Go ahead.¡± Asta calmed herself, her curiosity now fully piqued. Excitedly, she opened the character menu, eager to check out her own abilities. [Skill: Meteor Swarm] ¨C Deals extra hits¡­[Ultimate: Starword Blessing] ¨C Increases allies¡¯ Speed¡­ ¡°Huh? How does this developer know I love stars?!¡± Meanwhile ¨C Alan¡¯s Next Move After leaving Asta¡¯s office, Alan didn¡¯t immediately contact the engineering team. Instead, he hurried back to his private quarters. Taking out his phone, he hesitated for a second¡ªhis fingers trembling slightly¡ªbefore typing into the search bar: ¡°Honkai: Star Rail.¡± Within moments, he downloaded the game. As the loading screen appeared, he whispered to himself: ¡°I¡­ I need to pull Asta too!¡± ¡°And¡­ I¡¯ll make sure to protect her.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s just in a game¡­ I won¡¯t let anything happen to Miss Asta.¡± Chapter 15 - Summoning an Orbital Cannon? That’s Too Elegant! Chapter 15: Summoning an Orbital Cannon? That¡¯s Too Elegant! Inside the Space Station Across the station, various departments paused their work, shifting their focus to a certain mysterious new game. Before long, someone discovered Little Gui¡¯s livestream on Xianzhou¡¯s streaming platform. Those who couldn¡¯t play at the moment or were on the fence about trying the game flocked to the stream. In fact, the largest display screen in the space station was switched to Little Gui¡¯s channel, drawing a growing crowd of curious onlookers. People pointed at the screen, commenting excitedly¡ª ¡°So this is ?¡± ¡°According to reliable sources, the game¡¯s story is completely based on real events! Look at the streamer¡¯s team¡ªthose are all familiar faces!¡± ¡°Wait¡­ is that our Station Master, Asta?! Am I seeing this right?¡± ¡°And every character¡¯s ultimate move looks insanely cool!¡± As the crowd grew, more and more people, intrigued by the hype, pulled out their devices and began downloading the game. On the Livestream Little Gui¡¯s cheeks flushed with excitement. ¡°Alright, everyone! Next up, we¡¯re testing out Miss Himeko¡¯s skills!¡± ¡°I wonder what kind of ultimate move our Navigator has?¡± She selected the trial version of Himeko, first zooming the camera in as close as possible, capturing even the finest details¡ª A pristine white dress, golden rose accessories¡­ Even the small beauty mark on her right collarbone was clearly visible. The livestream chat reacted instantly¡ª ¡ª ¡°The streamer knows what she¡¯s doing!¡± ¡ª ¡°Can we get another angle?¡± ¡ª ¡°If she changes the angle too much, she¡¯s getting banned lol.¡± Combat Begins Controlling Himeko, Little Gui ran forward, soon encountering a Voidranger. She tapped the attack button. Himeko¡¯s suitcase floated into the air, and in an instant, a chainsaw blade extended from one end¡ªslashing directly into the enemy. As the battle officially started, her weapon became even more apparent¡ª Every basic attack and skill involved different weapons emerging from the suitcase, slicing through foes with precision. When her passive ability triggered, additional fiery explosions erupted. The unorthodox yet brutal fighting style stunned many of the space station¡¯s staff. ¡°Forget the monsters¡ªjust watching this makes me feel pain!¡± ¡°Miss Himeko may look elegant, but she fights viciously!¡± ¡°Of course! How else do you think she became the Express¡¯ navigator?¡± ¡°Does her ultimate involve throwing the suitcase and blowing everything up? I heard she keeps a satellite in there!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t wait to see it!¡± The Ultimate Move ¨C Fire Down From the Heavens Little Gui quickly built up enough energy for Himeko¡¯s ultimate. Facing three enemies, she pressed the activation button. ¡°It¡¯s happening, everyone!¡± Himeko: ¡°I suppose¡­ you still don¡¯t understand.¡± Little Gui froze. ¡°Wait¡­ why did the suitcase just turn into a chair?!¡± ¡°And when did Miss Himeko make that coffee in her hand?!¡± ¡°HELLO?! We¡¯re in the middle of a battle!¡± Most characters struck dramatic battle poses before activating their ultimates. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Himeko? She sat down, crossed her legs casually, and sipped coffee¡ªcompletely unbothered. The audience was both confused and intrigued. What was about to happen? Little Gui tapped ¡°release¡±. Himeko crossed one leg over the other, tilting her head to gaze at the sky. A red signal flare shot upward, spiraling through layers of clouds before reaching deep space. ¡°Humanity has never hidden its desire to control the stars¡­¡± The flare signal reached a satellite, which immediately activated its weapon systems. A massive orbital cannon locked onto the battlefield¡¯s coordinates¡ª And fired. A blinding beam of destruction descended, obliterating the battlefield in a fiery inferno. ¡°And that includes me.¡± Throughout the devastation, Himeko remained seated, taking a calm sip of coffee. The towering flames illuminated her figure, sending ripples through her red hair. Yet¡ªshe didn¡¯t even turn her head to look at the aftermath. Complete Silence ¨C Then Chaos As the ultimate animation ended, Little Gui froze, the space station staff watching in stunned silence. For a few seconds¡ªno one spoke. Then¡ª The entire room erupted. ¡°EVERYONE, STAND UP!¡± ¡°WHAT DID WE JUST WITNESS?!¡± ¡°Orbital cannon?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!¡± ¡°This is beyond badass!¡± ¡°If someone actually fired that in the space station, wouldn¡¯t it obliterate an entire module?!¡± ¡°INSANE! This game¡¯s effects are on another level! Who would¡¯ve thought Himeko¡¯s ultimate would be summoning a satellite to bombard the battlefield?!¡± Asta¡¯s Reaction Not far away, Asta had also been watching the stream on a nearby projection screen. Unlike the others, she wasn¡¯t rendered speechless. But¡ª Her eyes sparkled like a galaxy full of stars. ¡°Miss Himeko is elegant!¡± ¡°Especially that line¡­ Aaaaah! That hits right in my heart!¡± If no one else had been around, Asta would have been rolling on the floor, hugging her phone as she screamed in excitement. She had made up her mind. No matter what¡ª She to get Himeko in this game! Chapter 16 - Why Did Shangshang Appear? Chapter 16: Why Did Shangshang Appear? Inside the livestream chat, Little Gui and the space station staff shared the same reaction¡ª They were completely speechless. After finally calming down, a fierce determination burned in Little Gui¡¯s eyes. ¡°I to pull Himeko!¡± ¡°I could watch that ultimate animation all day!¡± She turned back to the viewers¡ª ¡°Everyone! Right now, Himeko is just a trial character. Unlike March 7 and Dan Heng, who were given for free, she won¡¯t stay in our party permanently.¡± ¡°Once this part of the story ends, Miss Himeko will leave the team.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine without Himeko for even a minute!¡± ¡°So I¡¯m pulling now!¡ªWait, no, I mean [Warping]!¡± With that, Little Gui switched to an auspicious Xianzhou song, believed to bring good luck, and opened the Warp menu. For a brief moment, the livestream chat fell silent¡ª Everyone was still recovering from the sheer impact of Himeko¡¯s ultimate move. But the moment they heard she was about to pull, the chat exploded¡ª ¡ª ¡°I just checked¡ªHimeko is a five-star character!¡± ¡ª ¡°That animation! Those effects! If she a five-star, I¡¯d riot!¡± ¡ª ¡°So¡­ where do we pull for her?¡± ¡ª ¡°It¡¯s the beginner banner! It guarantees a five-star within 50 pulls¡ªyou might get Himeko!¡± ¡ª ¡°Wait, so there are five-star characters too?¡± ¡ª ¡°Emperor Bow and Lord of Fate, please grant me a single-pull Himeko!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡ª ¡°Himeko follows the Path of Erudition! You should be praying to the Genius Society!¡± First Pulls¡ªUnderstanding the System Little Gui started by using the free standard tickets she had been given. But the results? Nothing but three-star Light Cones¡ªnot even a single four-star character. Unwilling to accept defeat, she checked the pull rates. ¡ª ¡°A four-star character or Light Cone is guaranteed every ten-pull¡­¡± ¡ª ¡°A five-star is guaranteed within 90 pulls.¡± ¡ª ¡°Ohhh, so that¡¯s how the system works.¡± ¡ª ¡°But in the beginner banner, we only need 50 pulls for a guaranteed five-star!¡± Having understood the rules, she naturally opened the top-up menu. ¡°Everyone! I finally found the recharge page!¡± ¡ª ¡°[First-time top-up doubles your purchase¡ªlimited once per tier]¡±? Oh wow, I¡¯m topping up all the smaller amounts first!¡± ¡ª ¡°This [Express Supply Pass] looks like a great deal too¡ªbuying it!¡± To prevent accidental leaks, a Little Gui emote covered the payment screen. Within moments, she had completed multiple top-ups. But she quickly warned her viewers¡ª ¡°This game is actually pretty expensive. Even with the first-time bonus, a ten-pull costs nearly 10,000 credits.¡± ¡°That¡¯s about a day¡¯s wages for an average worker.¡± ¡°So remember, everyone¡ªspend responsibly!¡± The First Ten-Pull¡ªMarch 7 Dupes?! By now, her balance had enough Stellar Jade for the 50-pull guarantee. She blasted her lucky background music, even washed her hands for good fortune, and finally hit the button¡ª [Warp x10] The Astral Express doors slid open, and a purple light flickered. Onscreen, a series of three-star Light Cones appeared¡ª And then¡ªa four-star character. ¡°Wait¡­ this is March 7?¡± ¡°But we already have her!¡± ¡°Oh? Duplicates are converted into [Eidolons]? That means we can unlock extra abilities!¡± Following the tutorial, Little Gui navigated to the Eidolon menu. The screen displayed shattered mirror fragments, each one reflecting a different close-up of the character. When she reached March 7¡¯s sixth Eidolon, she froze. ¡°W-Wait a second¡­!¡± ¡°If they revealed any , my stream would get taken down!¡± ¡°Are the characters like this at six Eidolons?!¡± She hurriedly checked other characters. A minute later, she gulped. ¡°A-Anyway, let¡¯s keep pulling!¡± She tried to act normal, but inside, she was completely broken¡ª ¡°DAMN IT! The dev team what they¡¯re doing!¡± ¡°Unlocking six Eidolons brings back their ?!¡± ¡°WHO CAN RESIST THAT?!¡± And the worst part? It wasn¡¯t overly revealing¡ªjust enough to stay within the guidelines, yet still incredibly suggestive. It left too much to the imagination. Taking a deep breath, she accepted her fate¡ª ¡°This game has me completely in its grasp.¡± The Second Ten-Pull¡ªA Familiar Face?! She reset her focus and started another ten-pull. This time, a new four-star character appeared. Little Gui brightened up. ¡°Everyone, this is a new character!¡± But then¡ª She stared at the icon. And then at the name. ¡°Hahaha! Just from this portrait, they look like a close friend of mine!¡± Giggling, she clicked to reveal the character¡¯s full profile. ¡ª [Sushang (New) ¨C Physical Element, Four-Star, The Hunt] She paused. Her smile faded. And then¡ª ¡°AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! THIS ISN¡¯T JUST HER¡ªTHIS SHANGSHANG!!¡± She jumped away from her screen like she had seen a ghost. The livestream chat exploded¡ª ¡ª ¡°No way! Is this actually Sushang?!¡± ¡ª ¡°I thought only Astral Express and space station members were in the game, but we have Xianzhou characters too?!¡± ¡ª ¡°Okay, seriously, how many secrets is this game hiding?!¡± ¡ª ¡°KEEP PULLING! There might be unexpected characters! What if we can even pull a Xianzhou general?!¡± ¡ª ¡°Bro, slow down! Getting a Yun Cavalry girl is probably just an Easter egg¡ªif we could pull General Jing Yuan, the dev team would get by the Ten Lords Commission!¡± Determined to Investigate Little Gui chugged her drink, trying to calm down. Finally, she sat back down, clenched her fist, and declared¡ª ¡°Alright¡­ I need to see exactly how they made Shangshang!¡± ¡°If her skills don¡¯t properly capture her spirit, I to acknowledge this!¡± Top of Form Bottom of Form Chapter 17 - A Space Station Sensation—The Gacha Fever Begins! Chapter 17: A Space Station Sensation¡ªThe Gacha Fever Begins! Testing Out Sushang In the containment sector, Little Gui found a wandering Voidranger. Excitedly, she added Sushang to her team and initiated battle. The way Sushang wielded her greatsword was exactly how Little Gui imagined her friend¡ªright down to the small details. Even after using her skill, she wiped sweat from her forehead, just like the real Sushang. ¡°Oh my god, this is literally !¡± ¡°Now for the most important part¡ªher ultimate! Let¡¯s see if Sushang has any hidden powers!¡± Her energy bar was full. With an excited grin, Little Gui activated Sushang¡¯s ultimate move. The Ultimate¡ªA Mysterious Hidden Power? Sushang: ¡°Take this¡ªTaixu Form Sublimation!¡± She rested her sword, [Xuanyuan], against her shoulder. Golden and silver particles swirled around her body, creating a majestic aura. The effect was stunning¡ªso much so that Little Gui gasped. ¡°Wait¡­ is this a secret trump card?! Has Sushang been hiding an ultimate move this whole time?!¡± Taixu Form Sublimation? She had never seen Sushang use that before. Sushang: ¡°Phoenix, reveal yourself!¡± With a confident smile, she pointed her sword forward. A golden glow engulfed the blade, making it look razor-sharp. The chat erupted¡ª ¡ª ¡°Phoenix? That¡¯s a legendary divine beast!¡± ¡ª ¡°Sushang, are you secretly overpowered?!¡± Little Gui held her breath in anticipation. And then¡ª A large, round, white-feathered bird appeared onscreen. It flapped its tiny wings, charging at the enemy with full force. Upon impact, it soared high into the air¡ª And then¡ª ¡°DUANG!¡± It body-slammed the enemy, landing directly on its head. Silence. Little Gui: ¡°???¡± The chat: ¡ª ¡°PFFFFTTT¡ª!¡± ¡ª ¡°THAT¡¯S the Phoenix?!¡± ¡ª ¡°I didn¡¯t study much, but don¡¯t try to fool me!¡± ¡ª ¡°Game devs, are you serious?! Everyone else gets badass ultimates, and Sushang¡¯s is¡­ ?!¡± ¡ª ¡°But now that I think about it¡­ this feel very Sushang-like.¡± Little Gui couldn¡¯t close her mouth in shock. After a long pause, she finally gave in and gave the devs a big thumbs-up. ¡°Alright, you win! This is hilarious!¡± The chat went wild¡ª ¡ª ¡°Damn, I was sure she¡¯d summon an actual Phoenix!¡± ¡ª ¡°In any other game, this move would be crazy powerful.¡± ¡ª ¡°Not gonna lie¡­ this ¡®Phoenix¡¯ does have a cute face.¡± ¡ª ¡°Chicken you beautiful¡ª¡± Gacha Fever Spreads With Sushang¡¯s surprise ultimate move, Little Gui¡¯s anticipation skyrocketed. What other familiar faces might be hiding in the gacha pool? At pull 30, something felt different¡ª She couldn¡¯t pinpoint it, but the animation seemed¡­ off. Then, as Conductor Pom prepared to open the train doors¡ª A blinding golden light burst forth. Pom didn¡¯t even have time to react¡ªhe was blown away by the sheer force. Five golden stars flashed across the screen. A graceful woman appeared onscreen. ¡ª [Himeko (New) ¨C Fire Element, Five-Star, Erudition] Little Gui: ¡°DID I JUST SEE THAT RIGHT?!¡± ¡°IT¡¯S REALLY HIMEKO?!¡± ¡°I PULLED HIMEKO!!!¡± She jumped around in pure excitement, barely able to contain herself. The livestream chat exploded¡ª ¡ª ¡°NO WAY! LITTLE GUI, YOUR LUCK IS INSANE!¡± ¡ª ¡°Thirty pulls and you got Himeko?! Are you secretly working for the devs?!¡± ¡ª ¡°Is this the first Himeko pull on the entire internet?!¡± ¡ª ¡°So this¡­ is the power of spending money.¡± ¡ª ¡°GIVE ME YOUR LUCK! I¡¯M PULLING NOW!¡± The Space Station Joins In Seeing a Xianzhou streamer pull Himeko made the entire space station envious. One by one, the staff members opened their Warp screens. Following Little Gui¡¯s lead, they topped up their accounts and prepared to test their luck. Who knew? S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Maybe they would be the next lucky one to get a five-star within 10 or 20 pulls! Soon, shouts of excitement filled the space station¡ª ¡ª ¡°Guys, I pulled [Herta]!¡± ¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ why is my Herta only four-star?!¡± ¡ª ¡°Look at the artwork¡ªit¡¯s Herta¡¯s puppet! The real one is probably a five-star!¡± ¡ª ¡°I got some guy named [Sampo]¡­ is he any good?¡± ¡ª ¡°Yo, I pulled [Alan] from the Security Department!¡± Thanks to Little Gui, a gacha craze swept across the space station. Asta¡¯s Determination Asta, watching the madness unfold, felt the urge to join in. She had just analyzed her own abilities¡ª A Harmony character, focused on buffing allies. Her skill dealt multiple hits, meaning she could break enemy shields quickly. Pairing her with Himeko, who was also Fire element, would make for an unstoppable combo. The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. ¡°Fighting alongside Himeko¡­ even if it¡¯s just in a game, it still makes my blood boil!¡± Her heartbeat quickened. Without hesitation, she stood up and declared loudly¡ª ¡°I¡¯m pulling too!¡± Inside the conference room, all eyes snapped to Asta. ¡°The Station Master is going to Warp?!¡± ¡°Miss Asta, this gacha system is a bit cruel. I just spent 100,000 credits and only got two four-star Light Cones¡­ not even a single character.¡± ¡°I¡¯d recommend just getting the [Express Supply Pass] and saving up Stellar Jade.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still young¡ªdon¡¯t fall into the gacha trap!¡± But Asta¡¯s gaze was firm. Ignoring everyone¡¯s warnings, she opened the recharge menu. The others, seeing her determination, stayed silent. After all, they had all spent money¡­ and didn¡¯t get what they wanted. Asta¡¯s resolve only made them more anxious. ¡°Miss Asta, how much are you planning to spend?¡± ¡°Just trying for a ten-pull? Or going all the way to the pity?¡± Asta shook her head. As she tapped the highest recharge tier, she spoke calmly¡ª ¡°I have only one goal¡ªto invite Himeko to my team.¡± ¡°And equip her with a five-star Light Cone.¡± ¡°Oh, and of course¡ªmax out her Eidolons too.¡± Silence. The room fell completely quiet. Her colleagues thought they misheard. To achieve that¡­ the cost would be astronomical. Before they could say anything, Asta confirmed her purchase. ¡°I wonder how much I¡¯ll need to spend¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start with 200 million credits.¡± Everyone: ¡°???????¡± ¡°TWO ?!?!¡± Top of Form Chapter 18 - A Billionaire Spends Two Hundred Million Just to Pull Himeko Chapter 18: A Billionaire Spends Two Hundred Million Just to Pull Himeko Asta¡¯s Insane Spending Spree [Ding!] [Top-up successful! You have received 12,960 Ancient Dreamblossoms.] As Asta effortlessly purchased the highest recharge tier without a second thought, the space station staff looked on in pure shock. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And then¡ª She did it again. [Ding!] [Ding!] Asta sighed, mildly displeased. ¡°Why do I have to process each top-up one at a time? It¡¯s a bit inconvenient.¡± One of the staff members, hands trembling, quickly pulled out a calculator and started crunching numbers. After a brief moment, he paled, then slowly turned the screen toward Asta. ¡°Station Master, please stop! Please!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already spent over credits!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Asta glanced at the number, then casually stretched her hand. ¡°Well, my wrist is getting a little sore. I guess I¡¯ll stop here.¡± With that, she cheerfully opened the Warp menu. Going Viral¡ªAsta¡¯s Gacha Session A staff member hesitantly raised his phone. ¡°Uh¡­ Miss Asta, would it be okay if I livestream your pulls for the rest of the station?¡± ¡°Go ahead, if you think it¡¯ll be helpful.¡± ¡°Thank you, Station Master!¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the news to spread across the space station. In various group chats, the reactions were immediate¡ª [Herta Fan Club] Group Chat ¡ª ¡°No way. TWO HUNDRED MILLION?! Where would she even get that much money?!¡± ¡ª ¡°I heard she was going to keep going, but stopped because her hands got tired.¡± ¡ª ¡°She totally used public funds, right? There¡¯s no way¡ª¡± ¡ª ¡°I just checked her in-game profile. One of her traits is [Inherited Family Business].¡± ¡ª ¡°Wait. You¡¯re telling me Miss Asta is the daughter of a massive corporation?!¡± ¡ª ¡°Forget Herta, I¡¯m switching to Team Billionaire Sugar Mommy!¡± ¡ª ¡°My biggest rival now is Peppy!¡± ¡ª [System: You have been removed from the group chat.] The Entire Space Station Watches In the main control module, a crowd of researchers gathered around a large screen broadcasting Asta¡¯s gacha pulls in real time. The number in the top-right corner¡ªshowing her Stellar Jade balance¡ªmade everyone gulp nervously. ¡ª ¡°That¡¯s more money than I¡¯ve ever had in my .¡± ¡ª ¡°Alright, this is going to be good.¡± ¡ª ¡°Since when was our Station Master rich?¡± ¡ª ¡°Is she about to empty the entire banner?¡± ¡ª ¡°I wonder if there are any five-star characters besides Himeko¡­¡± Asta, unbothered by the commotion, immediately started pulling. She wasn¡¯t doing this for the stream, or for fun¡ª She only had one goal. To get Himeko. The Pulls Begin First ten-pull:Dan Heng (duplicate) ¡ú +1 EidolonSecond ten-pull:Light Cone ¨C [First Day of Rest] (March 7¡¯s signature) She equipped it to March 7 without hesitation. ¡°This is taking too long.¡± ¡°Huh? There¡¯s a button?¡± Without hesitation, she started skipping pulls. Her eyes were locked onto one thing only¡ªHimeko. Third ten-pull:Light Cone ¨C [Woof! Time for Walkies!] Asta chuckled. ¡°They even put Peppy in the game?¡± ¡°The devs understand their audience.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep this one¡ªit¡¯s a nice collectible.¡± Fourth ten-pull:New four-star characters: Sushang & Natasha Sushang was already pulled by Little Gui, so no one was too surprised. But Natasha¡¯s appearance caught attention¡ª ¡ª ¡°A new four-star? Is she strong?¡± ¡ª ¡°She¡¯s not from the space station. Another Xianzhou character?¡± Normally, pulling a brand-new character would spark curiosity¡ª But Asta barely glanced at her stats. She didn¡¯t care. Because¡ª Her next ten-pull was pull #50¡ª The guaranteed five-star. The Moment of Truth ¡°SHHHH!¡± As a golden glow filled the screen, everyone held their breath. Five golden stars appeared. But¡ª The icon wasn¡¯t for Erudition. It was for Nihility. Onscreen, a man in glasses extended his hand. His other hand gripped a dark red and gold cane, crackling with red lightning. ¡ª [Welt (New) ¨C Imaginary Element, Five-Star, Nihility] The space station exploded with reactions¡ª ¡ª ¡°A new five-star!¡± ¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ isn¡¯t that the Astral Express member?!¡± ¡ª ¡°Yeah, he was the only one left! It¡¯d be weird if every train crew member was playable except him!¡± ¡ª ¡°But¡­ why is a five-star? He looks so normal.¡± ¡ª ¡°I wonder what his abilities are? What does his ultimate look like?¡± Asta¡¯s Determination Doesn¡¯t Waver Asta wasn¡¯t disappointed at all. Instead, she smiled and explained¡ª ¡°You guys are underestimating Welt. He¡¯s stronger than he looks, and above all, he¡¯s someone you can .¡± Then, she shut down the discussion with a single sentence¡ª ¡°But I¡¯m not here to showcase Welt¡¯s skills.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll all pull him sooner or later.¡± ¡°For now¡ª I need to get Himeko.¡± The Space Station Staff: Speechless Hearing this, her colleagues silently wiped their imaginary tears. ¡°She¡¯s really doing this¡­ all for Himeko¡­¡± But thanks to Asta¡¯s spending spree, everyone on the space station now knew¡ª Besides Himeko, another five-star character was available¡ª Welt. Many prayed he would be strong, because otherwise¡ª If they missed Himeko and accidentally pulled Welt, they wouldn¡¯t have Asta¡¯s infinite funds to keep going. For them, there was only one option¡ª Restart the game and try again. Chapter 19 - Why Is No One Stopping Me? Chapter 19: Why Is No One Stopping Me? While gacha fever swept through the space station, something else was happening¡ª At that same moment, a holographic projection moved freely through the station¡¯s corridors, completely unnoticed. ¡°Is the space station¡¯s security really this bad? I¡¯ve been here for a while now, and not a single person has acknowledged me. Boring.¡± Silver Wolf muttered to herself as she searched for clues about the [Punklorde Mentality] game cartridge. Last time she had infiltrated the space station, she had come across many Curios, but not the one she was looking for. So, before leaving, she had left behind electronic graffiti as backdoors¡ªa way to hack back in when the time was right. Now that she had completed Elio¡¯s script, she had returned to resume her search. ¡°If it¡¯s not in the Curio Storage, then odds are Herta stashed it away in the [Simulated Universe].¡± Silver Wolf pondered. That could explain why she hadn¡¯t found it last time. The Simulated Universe was designed by multiple geniuses, making it a high-risk area to enter blindly. She didn¡¯t want to waste her time. Just as she was considering her options, she noticed a familiar space station staff member walking by¡ª Leonard, a network security engineer for [Herta]. He was holding a stack of documents, mumbling to himself¡ª ¡°Damn it! Why do I have to do a security check of all times?¡± ¡°I just pulled [Herta], and I haven¡¯t even had a chance to look at her yet!¡± Pulled? Herta? Silver Wolf froze. She recognized all the words¡ª But put together, they made no sense. Was this related to the strange atmosphere she had noticed on the station? Had something new and interesting popped up? Her lips curved into a smirk. Time to investigate. She vanished into stealth mode and headed toward the busiest part of the space station¡ª The main control module. A Strange Discovery¡ªWhat¡¯s Everyone Watching? It didn¡¯t take long before she spotted a large crowd of staff gathered in front of a massive display screen. They were watching something intently. Silver Wolf focused her gaze¡ª It was¡­ A game livestream. The streamer was playing a game she had never seen before. But the scenery¡ª It looked¡­ oddly familiar. ¡°Guys! Looks like the space station staff are still recovering after the Antimatter Legion¡¯s invasion.¡± ¡°Guess it¡¯ll take them some time to get back to normal!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go report back to Asta!¡± The streamer spoke excitedly while controlling a character named Himeko, running through the map. Silver Wolf¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. The game¡¯s setting¡­ matched reality. The map¡ª It was the space station itself. And what did the streamer just say? ¡°Antimatter Legion invasion¡±¡­? That had happened not long ago. ¡°Is this game¡­ based on real events?¡± A Shock¡ªThe Game¡¯s Uncanny Accuracy Before she could process that thought¡ª The in-game story advanced. As the player approached Asta, a cutscene triggered. Suddenly, red warning symbols flashed across Asta¡¯s monitor¡ª The room fell silent. Then¡ª A metallic claw descended from the sky, breaking through the space station¡¯s defense systems at alarming speed. ¡°You guys take the Express¡ªI¡¯ll stay behind.¡± Asta spoke firmly. The staff watching the stream erupted in excitement¡ª ¡ª ¡°Whoa! It¡¯s actually happening!¡± ¡ª ¡°I this boss would appear! This brings back memories.¡± ¡ª ¡°Asta really is a responsible leader.¡± ¡ª ¡°Now we can finally see how the Trailblazer defeated the Doomsday Beast!¡± Meanwhile, Silver Wolf¡ªstill hidden¡ªfelt a chill run down her spine. ¡°What kind of game this?¡± It had perfectly recreated the Antimatter Legion¡¯s monster. And the Doomsday Beast¡ª She knew it well. Back when she and Kafka had infiltrated the station, they had deliberately lured the Legion¡¯s forces in this direction. Among them¡ª Was this very beast. It had been sent to stall the Astral Express crew. ¡°Is this game¡­ reliving the station¡¯s past?¡± Turn-Based Combat? As the Astral Express crew arrived at the battle site, the Doomsday Beast landed with a massive shockwave. Silver Wolf expected the game to enter free combat mode¡ª But instead¡ª The screen shattered¡ª And the characters and monster lined up, facing off in turns. Silver Wolf blinked in surprise. ¡°¡­Turn-based?¡± A flicker of disappointment crossed her face. ¡°Turn-based games were popular several Amber Eras ago.¡± ¡°They usually fail to capture the of battle.¡± ¡°What a shame. This could¡¯ve been a solid action game.¡± But soon¡ª The battle intensified. A Strategic Battle Unfolds The Doomsday Beast¡¯s attacks were devastating¡ª Each hit severely injured any character without a shield. The only reason the team survived was thanks to March 7th¡¯s barrier. With each turn, the characters built up energy. Finally¡ª It was Dan Heng¡¯s turn. ¡°Between life and death, the line is thin.¡± His ultimate move activated. ¡°Illusory realm, an endless dream.¡± A paintbrush-style background appeared. Dan Heng¡¯s eyes snapped open¡ª With a powerful thrust, he pierced his spear straight at the target! ¡°BREAK!¡± The Left Hand of Dawn shattered on impact. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now, it was the Trailblazer¡¯s turn. ¡°Rules? They¡¯re meant to be broken.¡± ¡°Decisive Strike!¡± As the two ultimate moves collided, Silver Wolf¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°So these are the Express crew¡¯s ultimates? Not bad at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I underestimated this game.¡± She focused more intently¡ª An Intriguing Combat System Soon, she noticed something¡ª Each character had different roles and attributes.The Doomsday Beast was divided into three parts, each with unique weaknesses.Character speed determined attack order.Ultimates could be triggered at any time, allowing strategic interruptions. This wasn¡¯t just a simple back-and-forth battle. Even with what she had observed so far, she saw many potential strategies. Before she realized it, she had fully immersed herself in analyzing the game¡ª Murmuring to herself, completely forgetting she was supposed to be hiding. ¡°In this fight, ultimates are key.¡± ¡°They must break the Doomsday Beast¡¯s weak points before it can charge its massive attack.¡± ¡°But¡­ these characters might not have enough damage.¡± ¡°Himeko is crucial¡ªher ultimate could change everything.¡± A Battle on the Brink Onscreen, Dan Heng¡¯s HP hit zero. Little Gui panicked¡ª ¡°Guys, this fight is harder than I expected!¡± ¡°Dan Heng is down! Himeko is barely hanging on!¡± The chat reacted immediately¡ª ¡ª ¡°Chill, it¡¯s just a game! If you lose, you can retry.¡± ¡ª ¡°Raise your characters first!¡± But Little Gui refused to give up. ¡°I want to lose to the Antimatter Legion!¡± ¡°Not even ! Just then¡ª A glowing blue message appeared in chat¡ª ¡°Streamer, use Himeko¡¯s ultimate¡ªI need to see if it¡¯s strong enough!¡± Chapter 20 - Silver Wolf’s Perfect Play—Wait, Kafka and I Are Playable Characters?! Chapter 20: Silver Wolf¡¯s Perfect Play¡ªWait, Kafka and I Are Playable Characters?! A Mysterious Message in the Livestream ¡ª ¡°Who is this big-shot?!¡± ¡ª ¡°Is this some kind of VIP-exclusive text? I¡¯ve seen this font before!¡± ¡ª ¡°I¡¯ve watched streams for ten years, and this is my first time seeing it!¡± ¡ª ¡°Didn¡¯t we just see Himeko¡¯s ultimate? Is this person new?¡± Little Gui also noticed the special glowing message in the chat. She licked her lips, then turned to the camera and asked¡ª ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Himeko¡¯s energy is almost full. She should be able to use her ultimate next turn.¡± Then¡ª The blue-purple text appeared again. ¡ª ¡°Give Himeko another shield with March 7th.¡± March 7th had just recovered from being immobilized. Little Gui had planned to shield herself, since both she and the Trailblazer were completely unprotected¡ª And all three of them were low on HP. Whoever got the shield would have the highest chance of survival. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to trust the message. Himeko received the shield. A Game-Changing Move The enemy¡¯s turn arrived. [Antimatter Engine] launched a powerful single-target attack. Its target? Himeko¡ªthe one with the shield. The attack shattered the barrier, leaving only a sliver of protection. Had she not reinforced Himeko¡¯s shield, she would¡¯ve been one-shot. And¡ª Thanks to this attack, Himeko¡¯s energy bar maxed out. Little Gui¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Finally! It¡¯s time to teach this Doomsday Beast a lesson with Himeko¡¯s [Heavenly Blaze]!¡± Just as she was about to activate the ultimate¡ª A new blue message appeared. ¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t use it yet. Wait until the Left Hand¡¯s weakness recovers.¡± Little Gui hesitated. ¡°Why not?¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be better to use an ultimate immediately? If the Doomsday Beast¡¯s next move was a group attack, wouldn¡¯t Himeko¡¯s energy be wasted if it overflowed? Before she could decide, the Doomsday Beast took its turn. Instead of attacking, it raised its freshly recovered arms, channeling energy into the Antimatter Engine¡ª Preparing a massive charge attack. The livestream chat exploded¡ª ¡ª ¡°666666! This guy is a genius!¡± ¡ª ¡°Himeko¡¯s ultimate can destroy both hands right after their weaknesses return!¡± ¡ª ¡°Damn! Big-brain move!¡± ¡ª ¡°Are you this person is new? I¡¯ve watched so many fights, and I never noticed this pattern!¡± Himeko¡¯s Ultimate Turns the Tide ¡°I suppose¡­ you still don¡¯t understand.¡± Himeko sat calmly, sipping coffee as she gazed at the stars. ¡°Humanity has never hidden its desire to control the cosmos¡­ and neither have I.¡± From orbit, a massive orbital cannon fired down. The Doomsday Beast was engulfed in a towering inferno. All three weak points were instantly broken. ¡°You can¡¯t escape!¡± Himeko triggered her passive, launching a follow-up attack¡ª S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her briefcase flew forward, and a monomolecular saw emerged, carving blazing streaks across the enemy. The Doomsday Beast entered phase two, but its action bar was pushed back. And Himeko? Her turn had only just begun. A Stunning Display of Strategy The battle was now completely reversed. It was time for a full-scale counterattack! ¡ª ¡°Oh my god! Was this all part of the plan?!¡± ¡ª ¡°This is how you play the game!¡± ¡ª ¡°This person¡¯s game sense is insane!¡± ¡ª ¡°If I had even this understanding, I wouldn¡¯t even five-star characters!¡± Silver Wolf¡¯s Hidden Mastery Silver Wolf, watching the comments flood in, felt her cheeks heat up. In truth¡ª She had only noticed one thing during the fight: Enemies seemed to target whoever had March 7th¡¯s shield more often. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was a hidden mechanic or an unlisted taunt effect. So¡ª Her goal had simply been to make sure Himeko got attacked, letting her generate energy faster. But the rest? Himeko¡¯s ultimate breaking all three weaknesses at once? Triggering a bonus attack? Completely reversing the battle? That hadn¡¯t been part of her plan at all. She had just assumed Himeko¡¯s ultimate was strong¡ª But she never expected it to be powerful. Not only was it visually spectacular, but for an enemy with all fire-weakness parts, it was devastating. Silver Wolf had only been watching this game for a short while. She didn¡¯t fully understand all the mechanics and abilities yet. But after this fight¡ª She finally grasped the essence of this game. She couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°So only Himeko is a five-star? Everyone else is a four-star?¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯m pulling for Himeko too!¡± A New Obsession¡ªForget the Curio, I Need This Game On the livestream, the Doomsday Beast lay defeated¡ª Its three weak points shattered, leaving it completely vulnerable. The space station staff erupted into cheers. The chat flooded with¡ª ¡ª ¡°Big-shot, you¡¯re amazing!¡± ¡ª ¡°Teach me, master!¡± Silver Wolf grinned, then silently stepped away. She had no interest in fame. Instead, she pulled up a holographic interface, remotely activated her phone, and¡ª Started downloading . Forget [Punklorde Mentality]¡ª This game looked more fun. ¡°A turn-based game, huh? I¡¯ve been a fan of those for ten years.¡± ¡°I master this.¡± [Download Progress: 100%] She launched the game, her gamer instincts fully ignited. A Shocking Revelation¡ªSilver Wolf and Kafka Are Playable?! Suddenly¡ª A voice shouted nearby. ¡°Asta¡¯s pity pull got another five-star! But it¡¯s Himeko or Welt!¡± ¡°Wait, what?! A new character?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not someone from the Astral Express¡ªit¡¯s a ! ¡°No way¡­ Did she just pull or ?!¡± Silver Wolf¡¯s finger froze mid-tap. Her ears perked up. Did I just hear what I think I heard? Kafka? Silver Wolf? No way. There was no way¡­ Did they seriously make her and Kafka into playable characters?! She gritted her teeth. ¡°Developer¡­ you¡¯ve got some serious guts!¡± Top of Form Bottom of Form Chapter 21 - Defeating the Doomsday Beast Chapter 21: Defeating the Doomsday Beast Inside the Black Tower¡¯s Office Within the Black Tower¡¯s office, a Black Tower automaton was engaged in a remote communication. In front of her was a holographic projection of a mechanical noble¡ªScrewllum. Black Tower seemed a bit impatient. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all I have to say. Find some time to come over. We need a face-to-face discussion regarding the new [Simulated Universe] project.¡± ¡°Also, that little hacker girl you fought before is here too.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t settled the score for her stealing the Stellar Core last time. This time, she needs to be taught a lesson.¡± However, Screwllum asked, ¡°Black Tower, how can you be certain that Silver Wolf is inside your space station?¡± After all, he had been long-time rivals with Silver Wolf and was very familiar with the hacker girl¡¯s methods. Normally, if you¡¯ve detected traces of Silver Wolf, it means she has already achieved her goal. ¡°Isn¡¯t that simple? I had a guy from the Cyber Security Department track her movements, but he got completely played.¡± ¡°Do you think Silver Wolf would miss the opportunity to infiltrate the space station and retrieve the artifact she wants?¡± Screwllum tapped his metallic forehead lightly and remarked, ¡°A conclusion drawn from the emotional tendencies of organic beings? Understood. I¡¯ll be there on time.¡± After Ending the Call Black Tower sent a message to the space station, informing them of Screwllum¡¯s impending arrival. Then, she returned to her tasks, completely uninterested in how the station would handle the information. As a result, she remained oblivious to the fact that today, the entire space station had abandoned their duties to immerse themselves in a game¡ª Inside the Space Station Several key personnel, including Asta, received Black Tower¡¯s message. Normally, they would be in a state of nervous anticipation, making all necessary preparations. But today, everyone ignored the message. Some were watching Gui Zi¡¯s live-streamed gameplay. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Others were watching Asta¡¯s gacha pulls. And many had already started playing themselves. They were completely absorbed, unable to pull themselves away. After all, even the station master was busy rolling for characters¡ªwho had time to care about some incoming message? [Battle Ends] Inside Gui Zi¡¯s Live-Stream Just as everyone believed that the Doomsday Beast had been defeated, an unexpected turn of events occurred! A sudden burst of intense light erupted from the creature¡¯s head. Like a ticking time bomb, it jolted upright. A devastating beam of energy shot forth! The unlucky target? A completely exhausted March 7th, standing directly below! ¡°March!¡± Her companion cried out in alarm. But it was too late. March 7th¡¯s eyes widened in shock¡ªher body frozen. She could only raise her hands instinctively in defense. At that moment¡ª A silhouette suddenly appeared in front of her. It was none other than¡­ The protagonist¡ªThe Trailblazer! Live Chat Explosion ¡¯ ¡°Holy crap, the protagonist is TOO brave!¡± ¡¯ ¡°Is this¡­ love?¡± ¡¯ ¡°This guy is way too badass!¡± ¡¯ ¡°If I were March, I¡¯d marry him on the spot!¡± The Doomsday Beast¡¯s destruction beam struck the Trailblazer head-on. With arms wide open, the protagonist absorbed the full force of the energy. Of course, being the main character, Trailblazer wasn¡¯t about to die that easily. Although the viewers were a bit worried, deep down, they knew¡­ He should be fine. And sure enough¡ª In the very next moment¡ª The Trailblazer appeared in a strange, otherworldly space. Above him¡ª A colossal rift tore through the ¡°sky,¡± spilling molten gold like flowing magma. He was falling¡ªplummeting into what seemed like an endless abyss. A disembodied voice whispered softly: If blocking the ultimate attack was an emotional, adrenaline-pumping moment¡ª Then this scene was one that sent chills down everyone¡¯s spine. A Sudden Shift Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a boss fight? Why did the entire setting just change?! Beyond the crowd, Silver Wolf stood caught in a dilemma. On one hand¡ª A major plot twist had just unfolded. The avatar she had practically printed into the game¡ª**The Trailblazer¡ª**was undergoing some kind of transformation at the most critical moment! On the other hand¡ª A brand-new 5-star character was about to be revealed. And it might even be Kafka¡­ or herself! After just two seconds of thought¡ª Silver Wolf immediately activated her Ether coding, constructing an anti-gravity device. Then, she launched herself toward the live-stream screen! Gacha characters could wait¡ªafter all, she already downloaded the game. Sooner or later, she¡¯d get the character herself. But the story¡¯s impact was different! This Developer is No Ordinary Person! Someone had faithfully recreated the Trailblazer¡¯s abilities and ultimate move with astonishing precision. They even understood all the intricate details of the Doomsday Beast¡¯s capabilities. All the signs pointed to one thing¡ª This game developer¡­ might be someone significant! Perhaps, there were hidden secrets embedded within this game. As a Stellaron Hunter, Silver Wolf¡¯s instincts told her¡ª She had to uncover these secrets immediately! Without hesitation¡ª She ascended into the air, hovering above the crowd to secure the best possible viewing angle. Since everyone else was also completely glued to the screen, they had instinctively gathered tightly together, nearly blocking the entire display. From her position, she could only see a sea of heads. Final Revelation At that moment¡ª The camera slowly zoomed out. That fractured golden rift was not a tear in the sky¡ª It was a scar on someone¡¯s chest! More precisely¡ª It wasn¡¯t just a person¡­ It was a GOD! The Star God of Destruction¡ªNanook! Chapter 22 - 76 Accounts Banned? I’m Launching Star Rail! Chapter 22: 76 Accounts Banned? I¡¯m Launching Star Rail! The Star God! In the vast universe, Star Gods reign supreme over all paths of destiny. They wield the power to erase reality and forge new worlds. And now¡ª One had appeared within this game! Of course, this wasn¡¯t the real Star God, but so far, every aspect of this game had aligned perfectly with reality. This meant¡­ This scene¡ª Could very well be a true moment from the Trailblazer¡¯s past! Through the medium of this game, an untold secret of that crucial moment was now being revealed. Eyes Wide Open! Streamers, viewers, station crew¡ª Everyone was glued to their screens, afraid to miss a single detail! While the Trailblazer stood in stunned silence, that ethereal voice spoke again¡ª ¡°Go forth and reach the end.¡± ¡°With your will, embrace the conclusion.¡± Flashes of the Past! Suddenly, flashes of images flickered like lightning. A fleeting glimpse of Himeko¡¯s face. A vision of the space station. Kafka¡¯s mysterious yet enchanting smile. The Trailblazer shielding March 7th. And¡­ Faces never seen before. The flashes were too quick to discern, their meaning lost in the speed. ¡°He has noticed you.¡± A golden gaze filled with overwhelming power bore down upon the Trailblazer. For the first time, his true form was clearly revealed to all. If that voice had referred to Nanook as ¡°He¡±¡ª Then the voice itself was not Nanook. Yet, at that moment¡ª The protagonist was irrevocably linked to the Star God of Destruction. A Universe-Altering Revelation This single scene alone was enough for research groups across the cosmos to analyze and theorize endlessly. But before anyone could fully process what they had witnessed¡ª The vision abruptly ended. Silver Wolf¡¯s Mind Was in Chaos! ¡°Did that¡­ actually happen?!¡± ¡°No wonder Kafka values her so much!¡± ¡°But¡­ how does this game even know?!¡± Silver Wolf¡¯s gaze locked onto the holographic interface before her. had now fully launched. In the vast void of space¡ª The Astral Express quietly traversed the cosmos. The Tip of the Iceberg A feeling settled deep within her¡ª Everything she had seen so far was only the tip of the iceberg. A slow, excited smile crept onto Silver Wolf¡¯s lips. ¡°Looks like I have to play this game properly now.¡± The Story Continues Gui Zi¡¯s livestream resumed. The scene shifted away from Nanook¡¯s vision¡ª And back to the Trailblazer, still enduring the energy blast from the Doomsday Beast. A Sudden Transformation! At the center of the Trailblazer¡¯s chest¡ª A golden light began to shine! It was¡­ The radiance of the Stellaron! BOOM! An explosion of energy erupted, instantly obliterating the Doomsday Beast! But it wasn¡¯t over. The Trailblazer¡¯s body slowly lifted into the air. The golden glow surrounding them grew more intense, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. The resulting shockwave nearly swept March 7th away! Himeko and Dan Heng stood in battle-ready stances, prepared for the worst. An Unexpected Intervention Just as the explosion was about to reach its peak¡ª A red cane extended forward. It tapped the Trailblazer lightly on the forehead. In an instant¡ª All the surging energy dissipated. The Trailblazer¡¯s eyes rolled back, and they collapsed. March 7th barely managed to catch them. As for the one holding the cane¡ª He adjusted his glasses and descended gracefully from above. ¡ª¡ªWalter Young! Live Chat Reaction ¡¯ ¡°Damn! Who is this handsome guy?!¡± ¡¯ ¡°So THAT¡¯S what a 5-star character looks like!¡± ¡¯ ¡°The station master was right! Walter is ridiculously OP. If he hadn¡¯t stepped in, the protagonist would have either exploded with the Stellaron or become the next Destruction Overlord!¡± ¡¯ ¡°Forget Walter¡ªcall him Uncle Yang!¡± Silver Wolf¡¯s Focus Silver Wolf¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t on Walter himself¡ª But rather, his cane. There was something hidden inside it. A powerful force. Too bad this was just a game screen. If it were real life, she could have hacked into it to uncover its secrets. But¡ª ¡°Well, if I want to know¡­ I¡¯ll just roll for Walter myself!¡± Since the game¡¯s characters perfectly mirrored their real counterparts, She could use it to extract data on the Astral Express crew¡¯s abilities! Her eyes gleamed as she glanced at the game¡¯s loading screen. More Than Just a Hacker¡¯s Instinct It wasn¡¯t just about controlling information anymore. It was also the excitement of a gamer discovering a true masterpiece. Just as she was about to dive deeper into the game¡ª A Black Tower automaton approached from the distance. Walking directly toward her location. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An Unavoidable Confrontation Silver Wolf had been using a holographic cloaking system¡ª Which meant that, to most people, she was completely invisible. But¡­ She highly doubted she could fool Black Tower. As expected¡ª Black Tower waved at her and greeted¡ª ¡°Hey, little hacker girl from the Stellaron Hunters.¡± ¡°You¡¯re moving way too slow this time, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°And you leaked your own coordinates. That¡¯s not like you at all¡ªmakes me wonder if you walked into a trap.¡± Silver Wolf¡¯s Smirk Silver Wolf shrugged playfully and let her cloak drop. ¡°Aww, Black Tower, you just reminded me why I was here in the first place.¡± Black Tower raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re after the artifact, right? Hate to break it to you¡ªI already integrated it into the Simulated Universe.¡± Silver Wolf grinned. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then why are you still here? Watching a bunch of people play a stupid mobile game?¡± Black Tower sounded genuinely confused. Silver Wolf nodded. ¡°Exactly. But this game is more interesting than you think.¡± Black Tower¡¯s Smirk Black Tower scoffed. ¡°Interesting? Hah! Mobile games are a joke. My Simulated Universe is a real game. How could this even compare?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it. So say whatever you want.¡± But just then¡ª Silver Wolf noticed something unusual. Her account on the Xianzhou live-streaming platform had been banned. That must¡¯ve been how her location was compromised. But¡ª She didn¡¯t care. She had found something far more fascinating today. Black Tower¡¯s Trump Card Seeing Silver Wolf remain completely unfazed, Black Tower decided to play her ace. ¡°Alright, fine. So I reverse-hacked you.¡± ¡°I found all of your interstellar network accounts¡ª76 in total.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m about to have them all frozen. Along with their game data.¡± ¡°So¡­ is that still fun for you?¡± Silver Wolf¡¯s Reaction ¡°WHAT?!¡± For the first time, Silver Wolf¡¯s expression shifted. Black Tower¡¯s smirk widened. Finally, a small taste of victory! But¡ª Silver Wolf glanced at the game screen. And in mere seconds, she calmed down. ¡°Go ahead and ban them. I wasn¡¯t planning to use them anyway.¡± ¡°This game is way more fun.¡± With that¡ª She logged out of her holographic projection and vanished. Leaving Black Tower standing there, arms crossed, deep in thought. ¡°She lost the artifact. Lost her accounts. And yet¡­ she¡¯s completely unfazed?¡± She turned toward a nearby advertisement. It displayed a promotional image of herself and Asta. The title? Black Tower muttered¡ª ¡°Is this game¡­ really that good?¡± Chapter 23 - A Hidden Ending on the Astral Express? Chapter 23: A Hidden Ending on the Astral Express? Walter¡¯s Mysterious Past Reading Walter¡¯s in-game character description, Himeko couldn¡¯t help but smile. Turning to the man beside her, she teased¡ª ¡°Walter, who knew you had so many stories hidden away?¡± ¡°A former leader? Saving the world multiple times¡­? Such a fantastical past, and yet you never told us about it?¡± Walter¡¯s Unease Walter¡¯s expression grew slightly unnatural. On one hand¡ª Having his past suddenly exposed left him at a loss for words. On the other hand¡ª This game¡­ How did it know all of this? These were memories he had never shared with anyone. Not even his closest companions on the Astral Express. And yet¡ª The game¡¯s developer seemed to know his past in great detail. If there was one person in this vast universe who could understand both him and the Astral Express crew so thoroughly¡ª Only one name came to mind. The blond-haired man who disembarked early. An Unlikely Answer? ¡°If it¡¯s him¡­ then maybe he really create a game like this.¡± But something still felt off to Walter. It wasn¡¯t a rational feeling, but rather¡ª An instinctive sense of wrongness. Simply put¡ª The ¡®art style¡¯ didn¡¯t match. If had made a game, it definitely wouldn¡¯t look like this. ¡°So then¡­ who else could it be?¡± ¡°Well, I suppose we¡¯ll find out if we keep playing. Let¡¯s see what other information this game reveals.¡± Deciding to shift the conversation, Walter spoke up¡ª ¡°That last scene¡ªNanook, the Star God of Destruction, glanced at the Trailblazer, didn¡¯t he?¡± Himeko nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like. And it aligns with what we suspected before.¡± ¡°That kid is¡­ different.¡± ¡°Yeah. And now, I¡¯m at the point in the game where I have to choose whether or not to let her board the train.¡± Himeko held up her phone, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m curious¡­ if she had chosen to stay at the space station, what would¡¯ve happened?¡± ¡°In reality, that choice was never an option. But in this game¡­ maybe it is.¡± A Hidden Path Walter found himself intrigued as well. With Herta¡¯s and Asta¡¯s approval, Himeko chose to leave the Trailblazer behind. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Goodbye, Miss Himeko.¡± On-screen, Himeko, Walter, Dan Heng, and March 7th prepared to board the train and depart, leaving the Trailblazer behind. As the train¡¯s whistle sounded, a subtitle appeared¡ª A Shocking Revelation ¡°Wait¡­ that was an actual ending?¡± Both Himeko and Walter were taken aback. But the next scene left them completely speechless. A Life Untraveled Himeko and Walter exchanged stunned glances. Neither of them had expected¡­ An entire alternate future to unfold before them. For the journey to truly end at that moment. With just a few lines of text, the game had perfectly captured the weight of missed opportunities and the passage of time. A Moment of Reflection Both of them found themselves lost in thought. Living peacefully as an ordinary worker on the space station¡ª Was that really such a bad ending? Even for them, the weight of this alternative timeline left their emotions stirred. The Unseen Future But that last line¡ª ¡°The legendary clash between the Astral Express and the Stellaron Hunters¡­¡± What exactly was going to happen in the future? As they gazed out the window at the endless sea of stars, lost in thought¡ª A Sudden Twist¡ªThe Credits Roll! [Starring: The Trailblazer] [Featuring: Dan Heng as Dan Heng] [??? as March 7th] [Himeko as Himeko] [Achim Nokianvitanen as Walter] Confusion and Shock! Himeko¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Walter, on the other hand¡ª Felt a chill run down his spine. The names made sense¡ª Except for one. March 7th¡¯s name was replaced with three question marks. Did that mean¡­ The March 7th they knew¡­ wasn¡¯t really March 7th?! The thought was deeply unsettling. Walter¡¯s Hidden Identity Exposed! But what shook Walter the most¡ª Was his own name. Not Walter Yang, but¡ª Achim Nokianvitanen. That was his original name. Before he had inherited the name Walter and the Herrscher core¡ª Before he had taken his mother¡¯s surname. Before he had become the new Herrscher of Reason. This was a secret he had buried deeper than anything else. How Did the Developer Know?! Walter felt a cold sweat forming. His voice was hoarse as he turned to Himeko¡ª ¡°Himeko¡­ I think we need to investigate this developer.¡± ¡°They know too much.¡± Himeko, still staring at the screen, slowly nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m looking into it right now.¡° Chapter 24 - The Stellaron Hunters’ Interest Chapter 24: The Stellaron Hunters¡¯ Interest A Sudden Jolt Silver Wolf shuddered violently, her arm twitching. Her consciousness snapped back from the Herta Space Station to the skyscraper where she and Kafka were. Kafka, noticing her sudden reaction, found it amusing and teased¡ª ¡°Why so shaken this time? Did they finally catch onto you?¡± But Silver Wolf¡¯s expression was ice-cold¡ªfar from being in the mood for jokes. She immediately pulled out her phone and began checking something. A few moments later¡ª Her face twisted in despair. ¡°Gone. Everything¡¯s gone. Not even a trace left¡­¡± ¡°This is too much! Way too much!¡± Kafka¡¯s Amusement ¡°Alright, alright, no tantrums. You¡¯re not a kid anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not throwing a tantrum!¡± Silver Wolf took a deep breath¡ªas if she had just needed that brief moment to vent. Then, her usual sharp focus returned. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Kafka, I have something to show you.¡± Kafka¡¯s Skepticism ¡°What is it? That ¡®Punk-Lorde Spirit¡¯ thing you keep talking about?¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m not interested in that.¡± ¡°No, not that.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a different game.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± A Game Worth Noticing ¡°Listen, Silver Wolf,¡± Kafka sighed, ¡°I know you love your games. Even if all your accounts got banned, you could just hack into a nearby IPC branch and retrieve them.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not spiral into self-destruction here.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it. This game is different.¡± With that, Silver Wolf cast the game¡¯s display into a holographic projection in front of Kafka. Kafka, still skeptical, decided to humor her, since she had been so devastated earlier. Game Start¡ªHonkai: Star Rail launched! On the screen, a vintage-style steam locomotive traversed the cosmos. ¡°The Astral Express?¡± ¡°This game uses a train theme? That¡¯s actually pretty unique.¡± Silver Wolf shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I¡¯m playing it for the first time too.¡± ¡°But I tell you¡ªthis game¡¯s story follows real-world events.¡± ¡°Who knows? You and I might even make an appearance.¡± Kafka¡¯s Interest is Piqued ¡°Oh? Now I¡¯m intrigued.¡± ¡°I wonder how the developers portrayed me.¡± But the moment she finished speaking¡ª Her smile froze. Silver Wolf also stiffened. She had just speculated that they might be in the game¡¯s storyline. And yet¡ª The very first scene¡­ Was Kafka, playing her void violin. The Realization They had expected some kind of build-up, maybe an introduction to the story¡¯s world. Instead¡ª The game immediately threw them into the scene of their infiltration of the space station. Kafka¡¯s smile disappeared. Her expression turned serious as she watched. As the story progressed, her gaze became sharper and sharper. Unsettling Accuracy ¡°Silver Wolf¡­¡± ¡°Was our space station infiltration recorded by someone?¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± ¡°I disabled all remote links at the time. Forget security cameras¡ªeven detection signals couldn¡¯t get through.¡± ¡°Besides, if we had really been caught on camera, don¡¯t you think someone would have tried to stop us?¡± ¡°Not to mention¡ªwe left without any trouble.¡± Kafka didn¡¯t doubt her. She knew for a fact that their presence at the Herta Space Station had been completely erased. So how was this game recreating everything so perfectly? Every detail was spot-on. Even tiny movements, things neither of them had paid much attention to at the time, were perfectly mirrored. Kafka¡¯s Ultimate Move The next moment¡ª Kafka¡¯s battle animation played. Her ultimate move¡ª [Trembling Sonata at the End of Tragedy]. She watched in silent admiration. ¡°Forget the story for a second¡ªthis finishing move is quite something.¡± Even she had to admit¡ª The animation was flawless. It matched her combat style perfectly¡ª A blend of elegance and artistry within destruction. Silver Wolf¡¯s Turn Silver Wolf whistled. ¡°Well? Told you this game was good.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± ¡°Look, look! It¡¯s my turn!¡± Silver Wolf¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement as her in-game character joined the party. She immediately tested out her skills. Her ultimate move activated¡ª [Account Banned!] ¡°WHAT KIND OF NAME IS THAT?!¡± Silver Wolf almost laughed out of frustration. But then¡ª She saw her character playing a rhythm game mid-battle, dealing rapid attacks to the enemy. ¡°¡­Well, at least the fighting style is accurate.¡± ¡°They even incorporated Ether editing into my animations!¡± She was satisfied with the animation¡ª But her sharp gamer instincts quickly spotted an issue. A Balance Problem? ¡°Why is my ultimate a single-target attack, but yours is an AoE?¡± ¡°Not only that¡ªmy single-target damage is lower than yours.¡± Kafka chuckled. ¡°How should I know? I didn¡¯t design the game.¡± Silver Wolf narrowed her eyes. ¡°Wait¡­ I think I get it.¡± ¡°My skill must have a hidden effect¡ªthere¡¯s no way it¡¯s just raw damage.¡± ¡°Just watch¡ªthere¡¯s definitely some powerful secondary effect attached to it!¡± Kafka smirked. ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll believe you.¡± A Chilling Realization As they continued playing¡ª The story led them to the Stellaron chamber. On-screen, Kafka carefully placed the Stellaron into the vessel. For a moment¡ª It felt like reliving the past. Kafka murmured¡ª ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see this moment again.¡± Then, Silver Wolf slammed the table. ¡°Enough! This game has already revealed far too much!¡± ¡°This developer knows us.¡± ¡°Not just us¡ªthey even know Elio.¡± A Theory Forms Kafka gazed at the screen, her eyes flickering in thought. ¡°This level of detail¡­ it reminds me of Elio¡¯s ability.¡± ¡°But Elio writes scripts of possible futures. This developer¡­ has turned the past into a game.¡± Silver Wolf nodded. ¡°I¡¯m posting this in the group chat. We need to hear what the others think.¡± The Stellaron Hunters¡¯ Response Silver Wolf quickly summarized the situation and sent it to their private network. A reply came immediately from Sam¡ª Kafka typed back¡ª Sam didn¡¯t reply again. Silver Wolf wasn¡¯t sure if he was secretly downloading the game, or if he truly didn¡¯t care. A Certain Someone¡­ ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t we missing someone?¡± Silver Wolf started spamming Blade¡¯s name. After a long pause¡ª A single reply came. Silver Wolf expected that. So¡ª She sent Blade a video of Dan Heng¡¯s ultimate move. A few seconds later¡ª Blade immediately responded. Silver Wolf smirked. Blade went silent. Silver Wolf leaned back, grinning at Kafka. ¡°You think he¡¯ll play the game himself?¡± Kafka chuckled. ¡°Who knows? But Blade always pays attention when it comes to him.¡° Chapter 25 - Game Completed? The Journey Has Only Just Begun! Chapter 25: Game Completed? The Journey Has Only Just Begun! Inside Gui Zi¡¯s Livestream Late-Night Immersion Night had fallen deep, but Gui Naifen was completely immersed in the game¡ªunable to pull herself away! And in the livestream chat¡ª 20,000 viewers were watching alongside her, eager to see where the story would go! Chat Reactions ¡¯ ¡°20k viewers at 3 AM? Gui Zi, you¡¯re basically a top-tier streamer now!¡± ¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m here for the Trailblazer¡¯s journey.¡± ¡¯ ¡°I to see them board the train tonight¡ªno sleep until then!¡± ¡¯ ¡°Taking a screenshot for my ¡®game completion¡¯ collection.¡± Many viewers shared the same thought as Gui Naifen¡ª This game had been designed around the Legion invasion crisis at the space station. The Doomsday Beast was defeated, and the protagonist had received an invitation to board the Astral Express. Everything beyond that was just real-world events still unfolding. So logically¡ª There shouldn¡¯t be any more main story content. Maybe a few side quests left, like helping Herta test the Simulated Universe¡­ A Farewell to the Space Station Inside the vast space station, the melancholic yet uplifting background music echoed softly. Even the viewers in chat felt like they were inside the game themselves. That feeling of stepping into the unknown¡ªboth uncertain and exciting¡ªhit them hard. At that moment¡ª The Trailblazer asked a question. And Himeko, ever patient and wise, answered¡ª The Meaning of [Exploration] Himeko¡¯s voice carried warmth as she spoke, like a gentle and understanding mentor. Boarding the Astral Express With Himeko¡¯s words in mind¡ª Gui Naifen made her choice. [I want to board the train.] A Legendary Song Begins In that instant¡ª The background music changed. ¡¯ ¡¯ ¡¯ ¡¯ For once, Gui Naifen fell completely silent. She was absorbed in this moment¡ª As if her soul had embarked on the journey along with the train. Leaving the space station behind, the protagonist departed into the vast cosmos¡ª With Asta and Arlan watching them go. Chat Explodes with Emotion ¡¯ ¡°This soundtrack is !¡± ¡¯ ¡°Downloading Star Rail ¡° ¡¯ ¡°Crying. I want to be a Nameless so bad!¡± ¡¯ ¡°If not for real-life responsibilities, who want to be a free traveler?¡± ¡¯ ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to live my dream through this game.¡± Even Gui Naifen¡¯s eyes felt a little damp. Not because she was sleep-deprived¡ª But because this moment stirred old memories. A Personal Reflection She remembered her childhood, wandering from place to place. A life of uncertainty, relying on the kindness of others. Struggling just to survive. It wasn¡¯t until she arrived at the Xianzhou that things finally changed for the better. Now, while she wasn¡¯t a superstar, she had made a name for herself. A life once filled with chaos and struggle had turned into one of laughter and success. For someone as vibrant and lively as her¡ª The background music was simply too powerful. It dragged her back into the past, forcing her to relive those emotions. An Unexpected Distraction Just then¡ª Gui Naifen snapped out of her thoughts. Her melancholy vanished¡ª Replaced by excitement! A New Discovery on the Train On the train¡ª A pair of large, crystal-clear eyes gazed up at the Trailblazer. The mysterious creature had long, drooping ears and wore a red conductor¡¯s hat. Gui Naifen quickly clarified¡ª Sure enough¡ª The next moment, the creature introduced itself. Chat Reacts ¡¯ ¡°Wait, it¡¯s the train conductor? No wonder it¡¯s always at the door during warps!¡± ¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s one fierce mascot!¡± ¡¯ ¡°The Astral Express is inside. Looks so luxurious!¡± ¡¯ ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve officially boarded the train!¡± Exploring the Train Gui Naifen wandered through the train, taking everything in. Besides the observation car, there were also passenger rooms. For now, she could only enter two rooms¡ª Dan Heng¡¯s room (the data bank) and S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. March 7th¡¯s room. Dan Heng¡¯s room was simple and spartan¡ªjust a mattress on the floor. March 7th¡¯s room, however, was warm and cozy¡ª A photo wall, plush sofas, a computer desk, stuffed animals, and a huge soft bed. The contrast between their personalities was stark! Gui Naifen searched every corner of March 7th¡¯s room, determined to find every secret. An Announcement from the Conductor Suddenly¡ª Pom-Pom¡¯s voice echoed through the train. Gui Naifen froze. A few seconds later¡ª Her face lit up in sheer excitement! The Journey Continues! Chapter 26 - A Preview of the Trailblazer’s Journey? The Internet Hunts for the Developer! Chapter 26: A Preview of the Trailblazer¡¯s Journey? The Internet Hunts for the Developer! Shock Across the Livestream ¡¯ ¡°No way! Is this for real? The game actually continues?!¡± ¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re Nameless now!¡± ¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s impossible, right? The next part of the story is literally happening in real life. The devs aren¡¯t just making this up as they go¡­ are they?¡± ¡¯ ¡°If there¡¯s actually another world to explore, I will get on my knees and worship the devs!¡± ¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m recharging for 10x 648 pulls on the spot!¡± Even Gui Naifen couldn¡¯t hide her excitement. She felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness¡ª What if this was just a tease, and there was no new map after all? After all¡ª It was already astonishing that the game had perfectly recreated the Legion¡¯s invasion of the Herta Space Station. But there was no way they could be turning the Trailblazer¡¯s journey into a game, right? That would be too insane. And Yet¡ª This developer had already shattered expectations once. And sure enough¡ª As the train warped, the screen shifted¡ª Revealing a planet covered in ice and snow. The crew explained¡ª This white planet was Jarilo-VI. And this was where the Trailblazer, Dan Heng, and March 7th would conduct their next expedition. Mission Objective: Stellarion Removal Their goal¡ª Find the Stellaron on Jarilo-VI and remove its influence blocking the Star Rail. A mission titled¡ª ¡°A Chilling Adventure in the Winter of Desolation Begins!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A New Main Quest? ¡°¡± Even Gui Naifen was in disbelief. ¡°¡± Her words sent the chat into a frenzy. Chat Reactions ¡¯ ¡°No way! The space station arc happened a while ago. If the Trailblazer is efficient, they might already be done with Jarilo-VI, or at least close to finishing it.¡± ¡¯ ¡°Can any Astral Express crew confirm? Did they go to this planet?¡± ¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m Walter. Send me a 648 recharge, and I¡¯ll tell you where March 7th is. My account is¡ª¡± On the Astral Express But on the train itself¡ª Himeko and Walter had no time to joke around. Watching the Trailblazer, March 7th, and Dan Heng explore Jarilo-VI¡¯s icy wilderness¡ª Their minds were in turmoil. ¡°This¡­ shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± Walter furrowed his brows. ¡°¡± He felt a deep sense of unease. ¡°Himeko, something isn¡¯t right.¡± A Developer That Shouldn¡¯t Exist With a serious expression, Himeko turned her laptop screen toward Walter. ¡°I searched every corner of the Intergalactic Peace Network¡ª¡± ¡°This game came out of nowhere. There was zero prior information or announcements.¡± ¡°And the developer¡ª[Feather Spirit]¡ªdoesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Other than that codename, we know nothing about them.¡± Walter took a deep breath. After a moment of silence, he spoke¡ª ¡°¡± The Impossible Connection ¡°¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± Himeko nodded. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why turn all this into a game?¡± ¡°¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± Meanwhile¡ªOn a Windy Rooftop The cold wind howled, but it didn¡¯t slow Silver Wolf¡¯s fingers as she furiously hacked away at the system. Kafka, still playing Honkai: Star Rail, would occasionally glance over to check Silver Wolf¡¯s progress. Then, suddenly¡ª A Frustrating Dead End Silver Wolf collapsed into her chair in frustration. For a hacker, failing to find a target¡¯s digital footprint was one of the worst possible feelings. Even Kafka Was Surprised ¡°¡± Silver Wolf sighed. ¡°Yeah. [Feather Spirit] left no traces online whatsoever.¡± ¡°The only way to backtrace them is through the game¡¯s distribution records.¡± ¡°I even hacked into the company¡¯s publishing system¡ª¡± ¡°¡± ¡° all data vanished.¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± ¡°¡± Kafka patted Silver Wolf¡¯s back reassuringly. ¡°Alright, alright. The universe is vast. Even we don¡¯t get our way time.¡± Elio¡¯s Perspective ¡°¡± ¡°¡± Silver Wolf frowned. ¡°Elio¡¯s conclusion was the same as ours.¡± ¡°This game¡¯s existence wasn¡¯t in any of his predictions. Even he¡¯s confused.¡± ¡°¡± Kafka had nothing to say. Destruction and direct action¡ªthose were things she understood. But this situation? It was different. But Silver Wolf Wasn¡¯t Done Yet Just then¡ª Silver Wolf suddenly **jumped Chapter 27 - Jackpot! The Eye of Insight! Absolute Domain! Chapter 27: Jackpot! The Eye of Insight! Absolute Domain! Staggering Numbers [Popularity: 80,000+]. [Revenue: 500 million+]. [Total Accumulated Points: 1.3 billion+]. Looking at the system panel, Lin Yu smiled in satisfaction. The promotion campaign had been far more successful than he had imagined. Points could be used to enter the system¡¯s lottery, while the money from in-game purchases went straight into his account. And it had only been half a day¡ªyet he had already earned five billion. Two billion alone had come from a single wealthy benefactor. Not long ago, he had been wandering aimlessly, barely surviving on scraps. Now? Luxury hotel stays, fine dining¡­ Taking a sip of his beloved soda, Lin Yu sighed in contentment. The Lottery Begins! Despite the comfortable life, he knew that long-term stability required power. And the lottery system had exactly what he needed. Three Lottery Tiers ¡¯ [Basic Lottery] ¨C 10,000 points per draw ¡¯ [Epic Lottery] ¨C 1,000,000 points per draw ¡¯ [Legendary Lottery] ¨C 100 million points per draw (Only contains Legendary-tier items!) Lin Yu ignored the first two options. If he was going to gamble, he¡¯d go big! Ten Legendary Draws! The first three pulls? Absolutely nothing. Not surprising¡ªthis was a true high-stakes banner. Even if you failed, at least the system didn¡¯t pollute the pool with junk rewards. Golden Light! Just as he was resigning himself to more failures¡ª On the fourth pull, a golden light erupted! [Eye of Insight (Legendary)]. Effect: Meditate on a target or use a known clue to lock onto an observation subject. Allows the host to: See their current actionsHear their internal thoughtsUnderstand their decision-making process This ability bypasses all barriers and is completely undetectable by the target. Lin Yu froze. He immediately activated the skill, feeling the newfound ability settle within him. With a satisfied nod, he turned back to the lottery. More Rolls Left! And sure enough¡ª On the final draw, another golden glow exploded! A Second Jackpot! [My Domain, My Rules! (Legendary) (Rule-Type Ability)]. Effect: Allows the host to designate up to three territories.Each territory can be up to 250 square metersin size.Within these territories, the host has absolute authority, including the power to eliminate any threats. A Mind-Blowing Ability! Lin Yu had hoped for something like instant Star-God-level strength¡ª Or at the very least, some powerful combat skill. Instead, he had drawn two abilities that completely broke reality. Not just raw power¡ªbut the ability to control fundamental rules. A Dangerous Combination After thinking it through¡ª Lin Yu realized something terrifying. ¡¯ [Eye of Insight] ¡ú Allows him to study and manipulate a target¡¯s mind. ¡¯ [My Domain, My Rules] ¡ú Gives him absolute control over his territory. This meant¡ª He could lure someone into his territory, and the moment they stepped inside¡ª They would be completely at his mercy. Even a Star God would become as harmless as a little girl. The thought made his heart race. Time to Find a Base Lin Yu glanced around. His current hotel¡ªwhile luxurious¡ªfelt too commercialized and artificial. If he could only create three domains, he had to choose wisely. Opening his phone, he booked a house-viewing appointment. He wanted a small villa¡ªpreferably in Jinren Alley. Compared to Chang Letian, it was less flashy but much more peaceful. And the local food and entertainment? Far more authentic. Meeting the Realtor Not long after¡ª A fox-eared woman added him on messaging. True to her high-level sales reputation, she was efficient, professional, and charming. She even provided three options: ¡¯ Two traditional-style villas (~2 billion each). ¡¯ One courtyard-style estate (~4 billion). Lin Yu¡¯s Choice? Without hesitation¡ª He chose the most expensive option and paid in full. The fox-woman was stunned. ¡°¡± She gazed at him softly, her eyes filled with a hint of admiration. An Unexpected Invitation ¡°¡± ¡°¡± She smiled playfully. ¡°¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bonus Gift?! Lin Yu raised an eyebrow. A gift with purchase? He was about to agree immediately when she added¡ª ¡°¡± WAIT. WHO?! Lin Yu¡¯s mind went blank. Tingyun? As in¡­ that Tingyun?! Or worse¡ªwas this the illusionary clone? If it was the latter¡­ Then this was going to be even more fun. Playing It Cool With a calm smile, Lin Yu replied¡ª ¡°¡± The fox-woman giggled, covering her mouth. ¡°¡± ¡°¡° Chapter 28 - The Developer’s First Announcement – Limited Banner Implementation Chapter 28: The Developer¡¯s First Announcement ¨C Limited Banner Implementation After the fox-eared young lady departed, Lin Yu began inspecting his first property aboard the Xianzhou. The villa came with a spacious countryside garden, though at the moment, it only had a few ornamental trees. In time, he could rearrange it, plant some flowers and shrubs, and transform it into a small private garden. The house itself was well-furnished, embodying a minimalist yet refined aesthetic. He immediately accessed the system panel. ¡°Activate ability: [My Territory, My Rules].¡± ¡¾Do you confirm this property as your [territory]?¡¿ ¡°Confirm.¡± As soon as Lin Yu spoke, an invisible energy spread outward from him, encompassing every corner of the villa. Closing his eyes momentarily, he reopened them with a glint of excitement. ¡°So, this is the sensation of absolute control?¡± He turned his gaze to a sapling beside him. With a single thought, the sapling began to sprout at an accelerated rate, growing visibly before his eyes. In no time, it matured into a small tree, bearing lush, fresh fruits. One of the fruits detached from its branch and floated directly into Lin Yu¡¯s hand. ¡°Not bad.¡± However, the surrounding vegetation had visibly withered. After all, energy remained a conserved resource¡ªthe rapid growth of this fruit tree had drained significant nutrients from the soil. In the future, he could hire a maid specifically to tend to the estate. Once the land was properly cultivated, such costs would no longer be necessary. Seated on a swing by the garden, Lin Yu accessed the game developer¡¯s interface. ¡¾Popularity: 100,000+¡¿ ¡¾Revenue: 600 million+¡¿ ¡¾Current remaining points: 405 million+¡¿ After skimming through the basic reward details, he briefly reviewed the overall state of the game. The leading players had already progressed to Belobog and were likely to complete its storyline by the next day. He opened the system store. Before long, he settled on a specific resource. ¡¾Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.0 Additional Content: Includes playable characters Seele and Jing Yuan, their Light Cones, and promotional PVs.¡¿ The version of Honkai: Star Rail he had obtained through the lottery was merely the base version. Though it was largely similar to Version 1.0, it lacked one crucial element¡ªa limited banner. Now that his game had garnered a solid reputation, it was time to implement this key feature. ¡°Purchase!¡± ¡¾Purchase successful. 50 million points deducted.¡¿ ¡¾Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.1 Update Content: Includes playable characters Silver Wolf, Luocha, and Yukong¡­¡¿ ¡¾Price: 1.5 billion points¡¿ ¡°One and a half billion, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not too much¡ªI can save up for it in two days.¡± ¡°For now, let¡¯s just launch Seele and Jing Yuan¡¯s banners.¡± On the largest forum of the Interstellar Peace Network, Lin Yu created an account under his identity as the game developer of . He then published his first official game announcement. ¡¾Thank you to all players for your support of . As a token of appreciation, 1,600 Stellar Jade will be distributed to all players in-game. Additionally, the limited five-star character [Seele]¡¯s banner will now be available¡­¡¿ After posting the announcement, Lin Yu implemented the Version 1.0 additional content. The rewards were sent out alongside the announcement, reaching every online player via in-game mail. Shortly after the announcement went live, the internet erupted in a frenzy! Within thirty seconds, the post had already garnered hundreds of replies. ¡ª ¡°I¡¯m not seeing things, right? This is the official account of the developer [Yuling]!?¡± ¡°It has the official verification. No way it¡¯s fake.¡± ¡°Oh my god! Master Yuling, I bow before you!¡± ¡°I watched Xiao Guizi¡¯s stream all night, and I can only say¡­ this game is insane!¡± ¡°1,600 Stellar Jade? That¡¯s some serious generosity!¡± ¡°Fellow Trailblazers! This is it! A limited five-star character is guaranteed to be OP!¡± ¡°I¡¯m rolling everything I have!¡± While most players were excited about the game content, Silver Wolf was more intrigued by the developer, Yuling, himself. Without hesitation, she used one of her alt accounts to send Yuling a private message. ¡°Hello, Master Yuling. I¡¯m a huge fan of and very curious about its developer.¡± ¡°Would you mind revealing a little about yourself? Where are you from, Master Yuling?¡± After sending the message, Silver Wolf sat there idly, not expecting a response. In her mind, Yuling was at least the kind of genius worthy of the Genius Society. People like that were typically arrogant, aloof, and indifferent to trivial interactions. How could someone like that possibly reply to such a casual message? Even she found her own question a bit foolish. However, against all expectations¡ª Five seconds later, Yuling actually responded! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m from anywhere in particular, but I currently reside on the Xianzhou.¡± Xianzhou! Xianzhou! Yuling lived on the Xianzhou! Silver Wolf¡¯s breathing and heartbeat quickened. Even the most perilous missions had never elicited such excitement from her, yet now, a single reply from someone had triggered this reaction. Kafka, equally curious, leaned over to glance at Silver Wolf¡¯s conversation with Yuling. ¡°But there are six major ships on the Xianzhou. Which one is Yuling on?¡± Silver Wolf started typing another message to ask, but hesitated and erased it all. ¡°No, no! That¡¯s way too direct! It might annoy Yuling!¡± ¡°If I offend him, it¡¯s all over!¡± Watching Silver Wolf¡¯s flustered state, Kafka smirked with confidence. ¡°Silver Wolf, leave it to me.¡± ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re better at this than I am anyway.¡± Silver Wolf stepped aside, relinquishing her seat to Kafka, but not before issuing a warning. ¡°Don¡¯t mess this up!¡± Chapter 29 - Deal with Yuling—Kafka Prepares to Head to Luofu Chapter 29: Deal with Yuling¡ªKafka Prepares to Head to Luofu Kafka carefully considered her words. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had no idea what kind of person was on the other side of the screen, but as long as he was human and had his own thoughts, things would be much easier. ¡°Xianzhou? I¡¯m on Xianzhou too.¡± ¡°I never expected to find someone like you here, Yuling. What a pleasant surprise!¡± ¡°I wonder if we¡¯ll run into each other by chance? Or perhaps I¡¯ll pass through your area? That would be so exciting¡ªI wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep from anticipation.¡± She didn¡¯t ask outright where he was. Instead, she subtly probed for information, testing his location in a roundabout way. This was Kafka¡¯s mastery of human psychology at work! As expected, Yuling quickly responded: ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m in [Luofu], little girl. Don¡¯t overthink things.¡± Luofu! Luofu! Kafka arched a brow at Silver Wolf, as if to say, Silver Wolf, however, licked her lips in anticipation. This was a major breakthrough. ¡°Keep going, Kafka! Keep going!¡± Kafka was just about to type her next message when Yuling unexpectedly sent one first. ¡°Little girl, do you want to meet me?¡± ¡°!!¡± Even Kafka was momentarily taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected him to be this direct! Skipping all the small talk and jumping straight to the most critical moment¡ª They were Stellaron Hunters, the most dangerous individuals in the galaxy! Did Yuling really believe he was speaking to an innocent, harmless girl? If they could find the real Yuling, Kafka had a hundred ways to control him and uncover how he knew so many secrets¡ªsecrets he had turned into a mere game. There was no need to hesitate. Kafka typed a single word into the chatbox¡ª ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then come to Changle Heaven first. I¡¯ll tell you the next step when you get there. After all, I¡¯m just an ordinary person, and it would be bad if I ran into someone dangerous. I hope you understand.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. A bigshot like you, Yuling, must be careful with your privacy. Wouldn¡¯t want any dangerous people targeting you.¡± Kafka replied sweetly. ¡°Hahaha, thanks for the reminder. I¡¯ll be waiting for your message.¡± The chat window closed. Kafka¡¯s smirk was impossible to hide. Silver Wolf, on the other hand, took a deep breath¡ª Still in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s it? Just like that?¡± ¡°Just like that. He said it himself¡ªhe¡¯s just an ordinary person.¡± Silver Wolf hesitated before speaking. ¡°Kafka, when you find him¡­ can you try not to hurt him?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°As a gamer, I respect developers like him. This game is really well-made. I still want to see what that limited-time character looks like.¡± Kafka chuckled. ¡°Alright, I promise you, Silver Wolf.¡± In her mind, Yuling was just an ordinary person. Taking control of him would be effortless. A single use of Verbal Manipulation, and he would be completely at her mercy. The real challenge was sneaking into Luofu undetected. But for Kafka, infiltration was second nature. Without hesitation, she closed the game on her phone, preparing to meet the developer in person. Silver Wolf, meanwhile, began hacking into Xianzhou¡¯s systems to pave the way for Kafka. If she were better at stealth, she would have loved to meet this person herself. Meanwhile¡­ What neither of them knew was that their every move was already under Lin Yu¡¯s watchful eye. Inside a luxurious villa, Lin Yu shut down his computer and glanced at his sparse garden. The moment Silver Wolf had messaged him, he had activated his Eye of Insight ability and tracked the sender back to their true location. ¡°Silver Wolf and Kafka, huh? I expected the Stellaron Hunters to take notice of me sooner or later.¡± In the past, Lin Yu wouldn¡¯t have dared to reply. If they had actually found him, he would have been nothing more than a plaything in their hands. But now¡ª Now that he had secured his domain, he wanted them to come to him! ¡°This villa is too big¡­ I could use a few maids to take care of it.¡± ¡°The bait is set. Now, I just have to wait.¡± ¡°After all, the true hunter always appears as prey first.¡± Chapter 30 - Oh No, Belobog is Full of Old Friends! Chapter 30: Oh No, Belobog is Full of Old Friends! A Familiar Silhouette On screen, a silver-haired woman stood with her back to the camera. The long ends of her braided hair curled into three distinct spirals¡ª A signature look. There was no mistake. This was Bronya. Walter¡¯s World Shatters When the woman turned around¡ª Walter froze. It was as if he had been struck by lightning. ¡°This¡­ this is her, right?!¡± Bronya¡ª What the hell are you doing here?! Why are you playing the role of the Supreme Guardian¡¯s daughter?! Wait¡ªno. That was correct. Cocolia was the Supreme Guardian, and Bronya had always been her daughter. But still¡ª Did You All Switch Scripts?! Had they finished their mission on Earth and decided to start new jobs here? Walter had already been shaken by seeing Silver Wolf. But now¡ª They weren¡¯t even trying to hide it anymore. This was Bronya all grown up. The same name, the same face, the same aura. Unfortunately, the scene passed too quickly, so he didn¡¯t get a good look at her full details. But surely¡ª She would appear again in the upcoming story. Walter Takes a Walk Walter put down his phone. He needed to stand up, walk around the train car, and take in the endless galaxy outside. Maybe some fresh air would help clear his growing sense of absurdity. Just then¡ª Himeko¡¯s Unexpected Discovery Himeko turned her screen toward Walter. Walter¡¯s body stiffened. The Final Blow Walter had just started to calm down¡ª And now? He was losing it again. He turned to look at the screen¡ª And his mind short-circuited. The Silver Hair. The Butterfly Motif. The Signature Scythe. This wasn¡¯t just a new character. This was grown-up Seele. IT¡¯S EVERYONE. EVERYONE IS HERE. First Bronya. And now Seele?! Had everyone gotten together behind his back to join a game project?! Belobog is Full of Familiar Faces! Himeko looked at him, concerned. Walter couldn¡¯t keep this bottled up anymore. So he told Himeko everything. Himeko¡¯s Take After hearing him out, Himeko thought for a moment. Walter sighed. Himeko nodded. Walter wasn¡¯t so sure. A Dangerous Thought If he saw one more familiar name¡ª Just one more¡­ He might have to personally visit this planet. Because at this rate¡­ It would feel like going home. Meanwhile, in Gui Naifen¡¯s Livestream Gui Naifen was speeding through the game. She had reached the Underground City and met: Seelefrom the Fireflies.Natasha, the kind doctor.Hook, the leader of the Moles. Now, she was about to help resolve a conflict between miners and wanderers over a new ore vein. Gameplay Action! Gui Naifen activated Himeko¡¯s ultimate. ¡¯ [Heavenly Blaze] came crashing down. Three enemies were instantly wiped out¡ª And Himeko followed up with an extra attack. Battle over in one move. Gui Naifen¡¯s Commentary Chat Reactions ¡¯ ¡°Genius!¡± ¡¯ ¡°Did you see the future? I just pulled Walter in ten rolls!¡± ¡¯ ¡°LMAO, I used Walter to obliterate Bronya! His skill shreds Imaginary weakness shields so fast!¡± ¡¯ ¡°You guys have five-stars? Where do I go to claim mine?!¡± Gui Naifen beamed. She adored her Himeko. She had already equipped her with the best relics and was determined to max her out. The Moment of Truth Opening the Warp screen¡ª Gui Naifen looked at her 6,000 Stellar Jades. A Sudden Surprise! Before she could decide¡ª A new banner appeared beside the standard one. A new character image. Seele. Not just that¡ª A Seele-themed Light Cone had also appeared. A Glitch? Gui Naifen thought she had encountered a bug. Then, at that moment¡ª A new mail notification popped up. An Unexpected Gift Opening her inbox¡ª Her eyes widened at the huge Stellar Jade bonus. She paused. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then realized something. She laughed at herself. And then¡ª She read the new announcement. Two Minutes Later¡­ ¡°WHAT?! A new 5-star limited character?!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even memorized all the standard banner characters yet!¡± ¡°And now we¡¯re already getting more?!¡± ¡°Did they just turn Seele into a limited 5-star?!¡± ¡°Feather Spirit, how is your development speed this fast?!¡± Chapter 31 - The 5-Star Tier List is Out—Seele is Insanely Strong! Chapter 31: The 5-Star Tier List is Out¡ªSeele is Insanely Strong! Temptation Begins Opening the character trial menu, Gui Naifen gulped. She knew what was about to happen. The moment she tried out Seele, she would never be able to resist pulling for her. But how could she ignore this opportunity? ¡°In Belobog, I¡¯ve flipped every single trash can. There¡¯s no way I can ignore a character trial!¡± ¡°Screw it. Let¡¯s see what Seele can do!¡± First Impression: Speed Demon Entering the trial stage, she activated Seele¡¯s skill and attacked the enemy boss. On the right side of the screen, a brief skill description appeared: ¡¯ Skill & Ultimate are both single-target attacks. ¡¯ Defeating an enemy grants an extra turn?! ¡°Honestly, her kit isn¡¯t too complex¡­ but let¡¯s see how it plays out in battle.¡± Combat Test Begins ¡°Controlling Seele, the first thing to do is activate her skill¡ª Not only does it deal damage, but it also boosts her speed for two turns!¡± On-screen, Seele shifted her stance¡ª From holding her scythe in one hand to resting it on her shoulder. At the same time, she flickered in and out of reality¡ª Dancing between the physical and quantum realms. ¡°Damn, even her skill animation is crazy flashy¡ª Limited 5-star quality for sure!¡± Absolute Carnage The moment the skill activated¡ª Seele ripped through space, teleporting like she had just entered a wormhole. A flurry of rapid slashes landed on the enemy¡ª And with the final strike, the enemy fell. [Reappearance] Triggered! ¡°Another turn?!¡± She immediately used her skill again¡ª And another enemy was instantly cut down. Now¡ª Her ultimate was fully charged. The Ultimate: Pure Destruction ¡°BZZT!¡± ¡°This will set you free.¡± [Butterfly Flurry] Activated! Seele spun her scythe and launched herself forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. She moved so fast¡ª Her character model started warping, her head taking up half the screen. ¡°Disappear like a fleeting dream¡ªvanish with the butterflies!¡± A storm of cutting light tore through the battlefield¡ª Dealing massive Quantum damage. [Reappearance] Triggered Again! And just like that¡ª It was Seele¡¯s turn again. Chat Explodes ¡¯ ¡°WHY IS SHE STILL ATTACKING?!¡± ¡¯ ¡°SHE ALREADY MOVED FOUR TIMES IN A ROW!¡± ¡¯ ¡°THE ENEMIES HAVEN¡¯T EVEN TAKEN A TURN!¡± ¡¯ ¡°THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A TURN-BASED GAME?!¡± Gui Naifen stared at the screen¡ª Her eyes locked onto the five-digit damage numbers Seele was dropping. At this stage, most characters had low stats¡ª But Seele had already shattered the damage ceiling. ¡°Seele is broken¡­ She just took out four enemies in one turn.¡± ¡°Are we sure she¡¯s a character?!¡± Resistance is Futile Gui Naifen bit her lip. She was battling her inner demons. A voice whispered in her mind¡ª ¡°Isn¡¯t this exactly what you wanted? A perfect single-target DPS?¡± ¡°This is first-ever limited 5-star. Her value is MAXIMUM.¡± Gui Naifen broke. The next moment¡ª Her livestream screen changed. A chibi version of herself popped up¡ª Blocking the recharge screen. Chat Goes Wild ¡¯ ¡°GUI NAIFEN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!¡± ¡¯ ¡°STOP! WE AGREED NO WHALE SPENDING!¡± ¡¯ ¡°IT¡¯S OVER, SHE GAVE IN!¡± ¡¯ ¡°I ALREADY RECHARGED!¡± ¡¯ ¡°TIME TO DESTROY EVERYTHING WITH SEELE!¡± Whale Mode: Activated It didn¡¯t take long. Gui Naifen maxed out every first-time recharge bonus. At first, she felt a bit guilty. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But looking at her tens of thousands of Stellar Jades¡ª The guilt vanished, replaced by pure excitement. ¡°Will this be enough to get both Seele and her Light Cone?¡± ¡°No worries. First, let¡¯s play some good luck music!¡± Breaking News: Full 5-Star List Leaked! Just as she was about to switch to her music app¡ª A notification popped up at the top of her screen. ¡¯ [Rich Player Tested! All 7 5-Star Characters in Star Rail Revealed!] The post had gone viral¡ª Reaching such insane popularity that it was pinned to her feed. Gui Naifen was a dedicated Honkai: Star Rail fan. She couldn¡¯t ignore this. ¡°Wait, SEVEN 5-star characters?!¡± ¡°There are still several I haven¡¯t even seen yet¡ªlet¡¯s check this out!¡± Ranking the 5-Stars The leaked list had been compiled by an anonymous rich player¡ª Who had spent over 200 million credits to unlock every single 5-star character. ¡¯ [Rankings are based on the creator¡¯s personal opinion.] ¡¯ [For fans to use as a reference only!] ¡¯ Top Tier: ¡¯ Bronya ¨C The ultimate supportProvides insane damage buffsand turn acceleration.Currently the strongest support unit in the game. ¡¯? Second Tier: ¡¯ Gepard & Bailu Survivability is king.Gepardgrants a full-team shield for ultimate security.Bailuis the best healer with revival capabilities¡ªoffering insane safety. A Shocking Discovery Gui Naifen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Bailu?¡± ¡°Wait¡ªcould that be Bailu?!¡± The next moment¡ª A video clip played. It showed Bailu, holding a gourd, flashing a bright toothy grin. CONFIRMED: IT¡¯S HER. Gui Naifen gasped. ¡°Bailu is literally Luo Fu¡¯s legendary healer! Now she¡¯s a 5-star Abundance character? That makes perfect sense!¡± Chapter 32 - Catching Up—Why Are You Bullying Clara?! Chapter 32: Catching Up¡ªWhy Are You Bullying Clara?! Excitement Over Bailu ¡¯ ¡°Bailu is so cute!¡± ¡¯ ¡°Finally, our very own Xianzhou 5-star character!¡± ¡¯ ¡°I wonder how Lady Bailu will react when she finds out she¡¯s a character in this game?¡± ¡¯ ¡°She¡¯s super strong! With her, you don¡¯t have to worry about dying in battles anymore!¡± ¡¯ ¡°This is what a true 5-star is worth!¡± 5-Star Tier List Breakdown ¡¯ Third Tier: ¡¯ Himeko, Welt, Yanqing Himeko:AoE powerhouse. Yanqing:Single-target DPS. Welt:A well-rounded unit that can handle both AoE and single-target, plus debuffs and crowd control. Familiar Faces Continue to Appear Welt and Himeko¡ª He knew them well. But when Yanqing appeared, Gui Naifen froze. ¡¯ ¡°Huh? Did I see that right?¡± ¡¯ ¡°Isn¡¯t that the lieutenant general¡¯s personal bodyguard¡ªYanqing, the strongest swordsman of Luofu?!¡± ¡¯ ¡°If he¡¯s in the banner, does that mean our General Jing Yuan might be added too?!¡± ¡¯ ¡°If Jing Yuan gets a banner, Luofu players will break the gacha system!¡± Gui Naifen¡¯s throat felt dry. With each new reveal, the game kept pushing the limits of what players expected. At this point, if they actually added General Jing Yuan¡ª She¡¯d be surprised, but not shocked. This developer was fearless. Clara¡¯s Harsh Ranking ¡¯ Fourth Tier: ¡¯ Clara ¡°A seemingly harmless little girl, which also makes her battle ability a bit weak.¡± ¡°Her passive allows her robot to counterattack, but only if she gets hit first.¡± ¡°Right now, she¡¯s not ideal for early-game players.¡± ¡°If free-to-play players get her, they might have to restart their accounts.¡± Gui Naifen¡¯s Reaction The video creator might think Clara was weak¡ª But Gui Naifen disagreed. No 5-star character is truly weak. ¡°Her mechanics are unique. Maybe once players level up, she¡¯ll turn out to be really strong!¡± A Game-Changer Gui Naifen took a deep breath. This video had just opened an entirely new world for all Star Rail players. She only had one thought left¡ª S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I WANT THEM ALL.¡± Her wallet trembled in fear. A Massive Announcement Just then, another top-pinned notification appeared. But this time¡ª It was huge. ¡¯ [NEW FROM FEATHER SPIRIT!] Honkai: Star Rail | Seele Character PV ¨C ¡°A Quiet Night¡± The PV Hype Begins The moment Gui Naifen clicked in¡ª ¡¯ 500 viewers. 2,000 viewers. ¡¯ 6,000 viewers. ¡¯ 10,000 viewers. ¡¯ 20,000 viewers. ¡¯ 50,000 viewers! Even her livestream chat had gone silent¡ª Everyone was watching the character PV. Real-Time Reactions ¡¯ ¡°Look what I found!¡± ¡¯ ¡°Star Rail players are eating GOOD today!¡± ¡¯ ¡°So cool!¡± ¡¯ ¡°This is INSANE!¡± ¡¯ ¡°The background music fits Seele PERFECTLY!¡± Seele & Bronya ¨C The Ultimate Duo The PV played a fast-paced, rhythmic beat. Bronya appeared¡ª Fighting side-by-side with Seele. Both activated their Ultimates, syncing their attacks in a hype-filled combo. It felt like Feather Spirit was teaching players¡ª ¡°Pair Seele with Bronya for MAXIMUM damage.¡± Gui Naifen Goes All-In As soon as the PV ended¡ª Meanwhile, on the Astral Express Himeko and Welt were rushing through the game¡¯s story. After settling the conflict between miners and wanderers¡ª They met Svarog and his adoptive daughter, Clara. After helping repair the settlement¡¯s energy system¡ª They persuaded Clara to lead them to Svarog for negotiations. Racing Against Reality They wanted to see¡ª How fast could they complete this story? At this rate, they were about to catch up to the real-life events of March 7th¡¯s expedition! ¡°We¡¯re about to reach Svarog¡¯s base. This should match what March 7th and the others experienced yesterday.¡± Himeko felt completely immersed in the story. These people¡ª The Astral Express crew. The people of Jarilo-VI. Young fighters like Clara, Seele, and Bronya. All of them were brilliant souls, each with their own journey to walk. Himeko hoped they would all find their way forward. Unexpected Conflict Welt spoke up. ¡°According to Dan Heng¡¯s logs, the negotiations with Svarog were successful. That¡¯s where they learned about the Stellaron.¡± Himeko nodded. ¡°I know.¡± Most players would be nervous at this point¡ª But she and Welt already knew the outcome. The Negotiation Begins The Trailblazer spoke¡ª ¡°We¡­ We are the [Variables]!¡± ¡°No¡­ we are here for the [Stellaron].¡± Svarog¡¯s Cold Response If Himeko or Welt had handled negotiations¡ª They could have used more strategic phrasing to persuade the machine. But the Trailblazer was young and inexperienced. They mentioned the Stellaron immediately. ¡¯ Svarog¡¯s eyes glowed brighter. ¡°Recorded history shows multiple instances of human attempts to interact with the Stellaron.¡± ¡°Without exception, they sought to claim it for personal greed.¡± ¡°The Builders¡¯ Directive is absolute: Any attempt to contact the Stellaron will result in severe consequences.¡± ¡°Threat level: MAXIMUM.¡± ¡°Peace protocol: Temporarily revoked. **Executing EXTERMINATION PROTOCOL.¡± Something Was Off Himeko froze. ¡°Wait. This isn¡¯t how it happened in real life, right?¡± Had the game¡¯s story deviated from reality? Before she could think further¡ª They were thrown into battle. Fighting Svarog Himeko¡¯s team was well-built. She had spent a bit of money¡ª Her first guaranteed 5-star was Clara. Since she hadn¡¯t unlocked her in the story yet, she was still using: Trailblazer Dan Heng March 7th Natasha A solid team¡ªtanky and reliable. She wanted more characters, of course. Bronya, Seele¡ªeven herself! But for now¡ª She was focused on the story. Svarog¡¯s Defeat & Clara¡¯s Tears After a fierce battle, Svarog¡¯s health dropped. Just as Natasha was about to land the final blow¡ª Clara ran forward, crying. ¡°W-Wait!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt Mr. Svarog!¡± Her face was red, tears falling like pearls. Himeko¡¯s heart ached. Himeko¡¯s Motherly Instincts Activate ¡°Why are we bullying Clara?!¡± ¡°We promised a peaceful talk, and now we¡¯re GANGING UP on her hundred-year-old robot guardian!¡± ¡°Where is your humanity?!¡± She wanted to hug Clara and tell her¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart. Big sis Himeko will fix this.¡± Chapter 33 - The Truth of Jarilo-VI—A Colossal Robot Awakens! Chapter 33: The Truth of Jarilo-VI¡ªA Colossal Robot Awakens! Clara¡¯s Plea ¡°Mr. Svarog¡­ please, stop pushing yourself. Can you tell everyone what you know?¡± ¡°You always said you¡¯d grant all my wishes, right? My biggest wish now is for everyone to come together¡ª Like a family.¡± Her voice was soft but filled with conviction. ¡°I¡¯ve learned something over time¡­ The results of [calculations] don¡¯t always bring happiness.¡± ¡°Even if people know that the world beyond this cage isn¡¯t beautiful¡ª They still want to take a look outside.¡± Standing beside Svarog, Clara¡¯s sincerity was evident. By logical standards¡ª A robot like Svarog wouldn¡¯t easily abandon its programmed directives. ¡°To bend the will of steel with words?¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± But Clara and Svarog were different. They weren¡¯t master and servant. They weren¡¯t a mere partnership. They were family. Himeko was intrigued. ¡°How did they first meet? How did they become like this?¡± She could tell¡ªtheir story must be extraordinary. Svarog¡¯s Decision ¡¯ [Evaluation System Rebooting¡­ Reboot Successful.] ¡°Processing Variables¡­ Variable One: Clara¡¯s Request. Variable Two: The Foreigners¡¯ Intentions.¡± ¡¯ [Assessment Updated] Decision-making transferred to the foreigners. Access to [Stellaron] information granted. The Hidden Truth of Jarilo-VI A series of historical images began to play¡ª Projecting a burning past long kept secret. From the 2nd-generation Guardian, the Stellaron¡¯s influence had already begun.Researchers had discovered the truth¡ªIt was the first Guardian, Alisa Rand, who had activated the Stellaron¡ªPlunging the planet into an eternal frost. But each generation of Guardians chose to bury the truth. ¡°To protect the city¡¯s stability¡ª They hid everything. Secretly, they searched for a way to destroy the Stellaron¡ª But every attempt ended in failure. A Perfect Match Everything matched Dan Heng¡¯s logs. But the logs only mentioned¡ª ¡°We reached an agreement with Svarog and obtained information about the Stellaron.¡± Reality, however, was far more turbulent. A long, arduous negotiation. A truth concealed for generations. ¡°There aren¡¯t many slides, but they reveal the full story of Jarilo-VI¡¯s history. Himeko sighed. ¡°Both the Stellaron and the Antimatter Legion¡­ Their presence has been devastating for this planet.¡± A Flicker of Hope S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Welt adjusted his glasses. ¡°Even so¡ª This small planet still carries strong will and hope.¡± ¡°Given time¡­ These young people may grow into truly remarkable individuals.¡± Himeko nodded. ¡°Flowers that bloom in hardship are always the strongest and most beautiful.¡± A Disturbance¡ªA Giant Awakens ¡¯ BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Himeko¡¯s computer suddenly flashed red alerts. Both she and Welt immediately turned to the satellite display. ¡°It¡¯s a high-energy reaction from Jarilo-VI!¡± They had been so focused on playing the game¡ª They had forgotten to monitor the planet! A Mountain-Sized Machine On the satellite feed¡ª A colossal, mountain-like machine was rising from the snow. Its towering steel frameloomed over the landscape.Massive mechanical clawsemerged from beneath the ice.Its face began to glow¡ªa cold, calculating light. ¡°A giant robot?¡± Welt¡¯s eyes lit up. Then¡ª He quickly adjusted his glasses, regaining composure. ¡°It must be a construct left behind by the Architects. Its scale exceeds normal operational limits¡­ I need to contact March and the others immediately.¡± Communication Breakdown Himeko attempted a transmission¡ª But all she got was static. ¡°The Stellaron¡¯s interference is too strong. We won¡¯t be able to contact them for now.¡± Welt Takes Action Welt stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°If the situation spirals out of control¡ª I¡¯ll step in.¡± His gaze lingered on the satellite image. ¡°I want to see this machine up close. Cough¡ª I mean, this ¡®Architectural Relic.¡¯¡± Himeko chuckled. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Himeko¡¯s Countermove Himeko wasn¡¯t about to sit idle. She activated the satellite cannon¡ª BOOM! A precise orbital strike landed on the machine. Just enough to stall its movements. She wanted to buy time for the Trailblazers. The Real Threat The machine was powerful¡ª But the true danger was Cocolia. She was changing. Her body was warping¡ªlosing human features.The Stellaron¡¯s energy was corrupting her. The satellite¡¯s visuals were distorted. Himeko tried to zoom in on Cocolia¡¯s transformation¡ª But the blizzard covered most of the image. She sighed. At least Welt was heading down. She wasn¡¯t worried about her teammates¡¯ safety. The only regret? She wouldn¡¯t be able to watch the battle in real-time. A Bold Thought ¡°Wait a minute.¡± She glanced at her open game. ¡°I still have here.¡± ¡°The story is now synced to March¡¯s real-life events.¡± ¡°If I keep playing¡­ I might actually witness this battle in-game!¡± She hesitated. If that were true¡ª Then this game wasn¡¯t just reflecting reality. It was predicting the future. Himeko took a sip of coffee. Then, she focused on progressing the game. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡ª How will this game depict the upcoming battle?¡± Chapter 34 - The Final Battle Draws Near! Chapter 34: The Final Battle Draws Near! ¡°Seele is too strong!¡± ¡°My 0+1 Seele slashed her way from the Underworld to the Overworld without even blinking!¡± ¡°Now, we¡¯re following Silver Wolf to the location of the Stellaron.¡± ¡°There will definitely be a lot of enemies trying to stop us along the way, but it doesn¡¯t matter, because¡ª¡± ¡°[Vanish with the butterflies, remnants of the past!]¡± After playing all night, even Xiao Guizi was brainwashed by this line, let alone the viewers in the livestream. The story was reaching its climax, and more and more players were tuning in. ¡°I initially thought Bronya and Seele were enemies, but as the plot progressed, their dynamic started to feel¡­ off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s got that ¡®adversity reveals true bonds¡¯ kind of vibe!¡± ¡°Right now, Bronya is likely in danger. Whether from the perspective of the Express Crew or Seele¡¯s own position, we rescue Bronya and put an end to the disaster caused by the Stellaron!¡± Guinaifen declared with conviction. The livestream had over thirty thousand viewers online simultaneously. The flood of active comments proved that these weren¡¯t just idle lurkers¡ªthey were all invested in the journey on Jarilo-VI. ¡°This game is absolutely insane! It¡¯s only been a day, but it feels like I¡¯ve known March 7th, Dan Heng, and the others for a whole year!¡± ¡°And Bronya, Seele¡­ They¡¯re not just NPCs; they feel like real people living on the other side of the galaxy! Just thinking about it gives me chills!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The people of Jarilo-VI have a rare spirit of resistance, something almost unseen on planets that have been taken over by the Corporation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gotten so immersed without even realising¡­ Please, Bronya, don¡¯t let anything happen to you!¡± ¡°Screw my classes, I¡¯m staying here until I see the end of the Jarilo-VI arc!¡± With the chat hyping her up, Guinaifen kept the momentum going, pushing from the Restricted Zone to the Echoes of War Corridor. Beyond the battles, they also encountered lingering remnants of Bronya and Cocolia. Through these echoes, everyone witnessed firsthand the cold and obsessive nature of Belobog¡¯s current Supreme Guardian. By the time they reached the final echo, Guinaifen couldn¡¯t help but slam her desk. ¡°This is classic indoctrination!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she question the Stellaron says? What even that thing?¡± ¡°If we have to fight her later, I¡¯m going to her with Seele!¡± ¡°Our galaxy¡¯s baseball warrior doesn¡¯t mess around!¡± At the Everwinter Hill. The tension of the final battle was almost palpable, even through the screen. Seele, who had been charging forward all this time, suddenly paused. Gazing at the snowy expanse ahead, she spoke in a solemn tone: ¡°So this is it¡­ Bronya, the fate of both the Underworld and the Overworld¡ªeverything is just ahead¡­ Everything is in our hands now.¡± ¡°Strange, I thought I¡¯d be scared or nervous¡­ But I¡¯m not. The only thing I feel¡­ is how unreal this all is.¡± ¡¾Does every journey always end like this?¡¿ ¡¾They should be used to these kinds of adventures by now.¡¿ ¡¾Being able to rest in the snow¡­ doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡¿ Guinaifen, embracing the chaos, chose the third option. By now, after everything that had happened, not just Guinaifen but all the players had grown accustomed to the ever-playful attitude, no matter the situation. It served to slightly ease the tension before the climactic showdown. When choosing their character at the beginning, Guinaifen had assumed the protagonist would be a simple-minded, honest type. But after repeatedly picking these kinds of dialogue options, the entire character persona had flipped on its head. March 7th immediately protested, ¡°Hey! Why are you saying such depressing things again?¡± ¡°The Express travels from world to world. We¡¯re just passing through, witnesses to different stories.¡± Dan Heng, ever the serious one, added, ¡°We try to avoid being swept up in conflicts that decide the fate of entire worlds¡­ But sometimes, we have no choice.¡± March 7th giggled, ¡°In other words, Star¡ªyour first journey has been ridiculously lucky!¡± Seele shook her head slightly, her eyes sharpening once more. ¡°I was about to say something unnecessary and discouraging, but forget it. Travelling with you guys makes it feel like no obstacle is too great.¡± ¡°Exactly! A fun adventure shouldn¡¯t be restricted by too many rules,¡± March 7th laughed. ¡°Helping those in need, making trustworthy friends, and saving the world a few times along the way¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s what is all about!¡± Entering . The path ahead was lined with frozen soldiers, turned into icy statues. Underneath the massive mechanical structure, Cocolia was indeed trying to force Bronya into accepting the Stellaron¡¯s will! In a voice devoid of any warmth or humanity, she whispered: ¡°Do not resist, Bronya¡ªaccept the will we all share.¡± ¡°Look at the future they promise us, Bronya! A world without poverty, without cold, without suffering. A world where people no longer have to beg for survival like prisoners. A world we can protect, forever.¡± Seeing this scene, Guinaifen hadn¡¯t even spoken yet¡ªher chat had already exploded in rage. ¡°What kind of ¡®Supreme Guardian¡¯ just blindly believes whatever the Stellaron says?¡± ¡°Stellarons are way beyond the control of ordinary people. The fact that Jarilo-VI has lasted this long is already a miracle.¡± ¡°Question the Stellaron Hunters, understand the Stellaron Hunters, surpass the Stellaron Hunters!¡± ¡°The immersion is too real! I can¡¯t stop myself¡ªI to bash Cocolia¡¯s head in with a bat!¡± ¡°Just charge in already! Let¡¯s see how many rounds this ¡®Supreme Guardian¡¯ can survive!¡± Chapter 35 - The Game and Reality Have Aligned! Chapter 35: The Game and Reality Have Aligned! At this moment¡ª The entire internet was focused on the decisive battle taking place on Jarilo-VI! However, what most people did not realise was that this battle was not only unfolding in the game but also occurring simultaneously in reality! It was almost identical to a live broadcast! ¡°Bronya! I have no idea what exactly happened between you all. Even if you explained it to me now, I doubt I¡¯d understand all those complicated things. But there are two things I know for certain¡ª¡± ¡°First, these people have overcome countless hardships just to seal that thing called the [Stellaron].¡± ¡°Second, do you remember what I said before? If anything happens to you, I will come to save you.¡± ¡°So, do you get it now? Even if that woman over there has brainwashed you and made you forget our promise¡ªI will still knock you out and take you back!¡± As Seele delivered her powerful declaration, Bronya was faced with the most important decision of her life. After a brief moment¡ª Bronya¡¯s gaze became resolute. ¡°Madam Cocolia, thank you.¡± ¡°But¡­ I am sorry, Mother. This time, I cannot stand by your side.¡± ¡°You said that deep down, humanity is foolish and cowardly. Perhaps you are right¡ªdesperation does bring out the darkest sides of people.¡± ¡°¡­But you have failed to see those who strive to survive and fight in the face of despair. I have seen their light¡ªon the Forbidden Zone¡¯s frontlines, in the Underworld, in the corners you chose to ignore.¡± ¡°Our ancestors built this city with their own hands, struggling to preserve civilisation amid the raging snowstorms. Even if this world is doomed to collapse, the path towards the end should be paved by humanity¡¯s own hands¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªnot by surrendering our fate to this accursed seed!¡± ¡ª ¡°Oh my, oh my¡­¡± ¡°Help! These two are amazing together!¡± ¡°Bronya¡¯s speech was incredible!¡± ¡°This is getting intense, brothers!¡± ¡°The fight is about to begin!¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡ª Having listened to Bronya¡¯s words, Cocolia¡¯s face was devoid of any emotion. Guinaifen watched the scene before her with nervous anticipation. Her palms were slightly sweaty. If this battle was truly mirroring reality¡­ She still hoped that Cocolia would wake up at the crucial moment. Even if the Stellaron had eroded her reason, her love for Bronya did not seem to be an illusion. Having endured painful experiences, Guinaifen did not want to witness another tragedy. However, some things were inevitable. After a moment of eerie whispers from the Stellaron, Cocolia finally spoke: ¡°I see¡­ so this is your choice¡­ I understand now, Bronya.¡± ¡°What a pity¡­ A shame you will never see the beauty of the new world. You are shackled by your limited mind¡­ Do you realise? You were meant to be¡­ the [Mother] of a new era.¡± As soon as Cocolia finished speaking, the ground began to tremble violently. A frost-covered spear materialised in her hands. Then¡ª ¡°Without destroying the old, the new cannot be built.¡± ¡°As the Supreme Guardian, I command you to rise¡ª¡± ¡°¡ª[Creation Engine]!¡± A colossal mechanical claw emerged from behind Cocolia, and an enormous robot awakened from its icy slumber like a towering mountain. Its face gleamed with a crimson glow as its steel-forged arms swung down upon the group below! Cocolia hovered beside the Creation Engine, spear in hand, looking down upon them from above. [Battle Start]. Guinaifen licked her lips and sighed, ¡°This battle is nothing like I imagined!¡± ¡°Can we even defeat this Creation Engine?¡± ¡°By the way¡­ Cocolia, weren¡¯t you supposed to abandon the power of Preservation and embrace the Stellaron? And yet here you are, still using the Builders¡¯ power¡ªyou hypocritical woman!¡± The livestream chat was flooded with unanimous messages of ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡ª Meanwhile¡ª Aboard the Astral Express. Himeko was extremely busy! One screen displayed the satellite imagery of Jarilo-VI. Starskiff, March 7th, Dan Heng, as well as Bronya and Seele¡ªeveryone was locked in an intense battle against Cocolia and the Creation Engine on that vast silver-white battlefield. Beyond the frost and snow, explosions occasionally erupted, igniting massive fireballs in the sky. Welt had already descended to the surface. Thus, the responsibility of monitoring the train and advancing the game¡¯s storyline fell entirely on Himeko¡¯s shoulders. Despite the differences in their battlefields, both fights had progressed to the same critical juncture! In fact¡ª Just as Himeko activated the orbital cannon, the same event occurred in the game! Her hand trembled slightly. Her heartbeat quickened. It felt as though she was controlling reality itself! An indescribable strangeness filled the air! Suddenly¡ª The satellite feed showed¡ª Starskiff was struck by Cocolia from atop the Creation Engine and sent plummeting down, enveloped in a raging snowstorm. Himeko¡¯s palms became clammy with sweat. However, in the very next instant¡ª Starskiff reappeared at the heart of the battlefield. Wielding a blazing spear. Compared to just moments ago, his presence was like night and day! ¡°That spear¡­ it¡¯s a Builder¡¯s weapon¡­¡± ¡°Not only has it thawed, but it is now engulfed in flames?¡± ¡°What just happened in that instant?¡± Himeko shifted her gaze to the other screen. The game had entered a cutscene, depicting the battle in stunning animation. Her expression became extremely solemn. ¡°This is the pivotal moment!¡± She had a feeling¡ª Just like when they faced the Doomsday Beast¡ª The game was about to show, from Starskiff¡¯s perspective, a fantastical experience within his own mind! Chapter 36 - The Pioneer’s Secret! A Strange Scene Reappears! Chapter 36: The Pioneer¡¯s Secret! A Strange Scene Reappears! Inside Xiao Guizi¡¯s livestream room. After an intense battle, with Himeko¡¯s orbital cannon providing support, the Creation Engine finally halted¡ªat least for now. But this was just the first phase. Cocolia remained above the Creation Engine. The true enemy was her! At that moment, Star exchanged a glance with the others before launching into a sprint. They raced upward along the Creation Engine¡¯s arm, which stretched like a massive steel bridge. ¡°I¡¯ll cover you!¡± Bronya took down the blocking monsters one by one with precise shots. Suddenly, the Creation Engine reactivated. Its arm, once at an angle, tilted completely vertical. Unable to maintain their footing, Star started to slip. A few ethereal blue butterflies fluttered past. Seele transformed into a streak of light and dashed forward. ¡°Grab my hand!¡± Their hands clasped midair, and with a powerful swing, Seele launched Star upward, sending them soaring onto the upper platform of the Creation Engine. At the final peak¡ª Dan Heng¡¯s spear stabbed into a crevice, acting as a crucial lever! The entire sequence unfolded seamlessly, fluid as a river. Guinaifen was left in stunned silence! She was so excited she almost started clapping. ¡°Our Astral Express protagonist is just too cool!¡± ¡°That teamwork was insane!¡± ¡°Where are you running now, Cocolia?¡± ¡°This combo move has me pumped!¡± On the shoulder of the Creation Engine¡ª Star finally stood face to face with Cocolia. She wasted no time speaking. Ice and snow coiled around her body, and within moments, she had taken on an entirely new form. Thorns of ice covered her body. Her skin darkened into a starry abyss, almost inhuman. A voice echoed from beneath that chilling exterior: ¡°Listen¡­ this power surges¡­ it sings¡­¡± ¡°The promise the Stellaron gave me is the only hope for this world¡­¡± ¡°Seven hundred years ago, it repelled the Antimatter Legion¡ªtoday, it will erase you all as well!¡± Guinaifen was dumbstruck. She had thought this final battle would be a fight between two people. But in reality, it was a battle between humans and a colossal machine. And now, just when they had reached Cocolia, she transformed! This form alone exuded an overwhelming pressure, making it hard to breathe. It was as if humanity itself was challenging a god! The background music surged with urgency, the icy winds howled, filling every player watching with tension and despair. And in truth, the situation was just as dire! Because at this moment, Star was completely alone. No teammates. No support. No tank. Cocolia, Mother of Deception, had weaknesses in Fire, Lightning, and Quantum attributes. Yet Star¡¯s attacks barely chipped away at her shield. ¡°How do you even beat this!?¡± With their HP rapidly dropping, and knowing Cocolia had multiple phases¡ª Guinaifen was so anxious she was on the verge of tears. ¡°This is impossible!¡± ¡°Is this a scripted loss?¡± ¡°Is the Astral Express¡¯s journey really going to end here? Is that why the story is like this?¡± ¡°This is so unfair! Somebody save them already!¡± ¡ª sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cocolia had finished charging up. A gleaming frost ring materialized before her, its energy complete. She prepared to deliver the finishing blow. ¡°Humans¡­ always weak, always foolish, always overestimating themselves.¡± ¡°¡ªI shall grant you despair!¡± In that instant¡ª Guinaifen and every single player watching collectively held their breath! Their hearts skipped a beat! Cocolia hurled the ice spear. It shot straight through Star¡¯s chest. Their eyes fluttered shut, their unbreakable bat slipping from their grasp, and their body tumbled off the Creation Engine¡¯s shoulder. Guinaifen was in shock. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. The livestream chat fell into dead silence. No one had expected this to happen! However¡ª The next second¡ª Star¡¯s closed eyes snapped open. They found themselves in a strange space. Guinaifen froze. Her grief vanished in an instant¡ª Replaced by awe and exhilaration! The fight wasn¡¯t over! Every player watching understood¡ª The real climax was about to begin. The most crucial turning point of this battle. No one dared to blink. The roaring wind, Cocolia¡¯s declaration, the tense music¡ª Everything fell silent. An eerie stillness filled the air, where even a heartbeat could be heard. ¡°Is this¡­ space?¡± Star gazed around. They saw nebulas, asteroids, and a vast belt of meteors. At the center of it all, twisting like tree roots, was a radiant red light piercing the heavens. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I just fighting Cocolia? Why am I here¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Last time I was here, Nanook glanced at me. Could it be¡­?¡± Instinctively, they stepped toward the light. Moments ago, they had been locked in a life-or-death struggle. Now, they wandered through this surreal, ethereal space. The stark contrast sent chills down Guinaifen¡¯s spine. Goosebumps prickled her skin. As they moved forward, visions of Belobog¡¯s past flickered into existence. Cocolia¡¯s soldiers. Her former friends. Even her own daughter. Yet, time and again, she met them with cold indifference and secrecy. Until, step by step, she reached this moment. Unknowingly, Star arrived before the spiraling root-like structure. A small girl stood there. ¡°This city is crying¡­ The power of [Preservation] is fading.¡± ¡°In the end¡­ we could not resist the Stellaron¡¯s will.¡± Her name was The Guardian¡¯s Will. She seemed to be the embodiment of some spirit or consciousness. Her ethereal voice continued: ¡°¡­But we cannot blame anyone.¡± ¡°For seven hundred years, the Fragmentum has expanded every second of every day. What we have left behind for those who follow¡­ is not belief or fortune, but endless despair.¡± ¡°Watching our sworn [Preservation] crumble before our very eyes¡­ is torment. And then there¡¯s the insidious whispers¡­ impossible to ignore.¡± ¡°Even the firmest resolve will waver. This day was inevitable. His protection¡­ was destined to leave us.¡± ¡¾¡ªThere will always be those who do not waver.¡¿ Guinaifen decisively selected this option. ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°A mere traveler, yet you insist on carrying the fate of an entire world¡­¡± ¡°Very well. What more is there to lose¡­ what is left to fear?¡± ¡°Go, touch the light of amber, Pioneer. See if your [Preservation] is strong enough¡­ strong enough to draw His gaze.¡± The girl¡¯s gaze turned toward the radiant center. Beneath the glowing light¡ª Rested a lance. But this time, it was no longer frozen over. Instead, its original colors were revealed¡ª A spear of pure amber, its hilt forged from black basalt. A crimson glow coiled around it like fire. Star stepped forward. Their eyes hardened with resolve. Reaching out, they grasped the spear. At that moment, players across the cosmos held their breath! Guinaifen clenched her game controller so tightly it nearly cracked. It felt as if she wasn¡¯t holding a controller¡ª But the unruly, blazing spear itself! At Herta Space Station¡ª Before the massive screen where players gathered to watch the livestream¡ª Asta had arranged for comfortable seating so that everyone could enjoy the experience. But now¡ª Every staff member had instinctively risen to their feet. Eyes burning with excitement, they locked onto the screen! They wished they could step into the game themselves, to witness this legendary moment firsthand! Aboard the Express¡ª Himeko¡¯s gaze deepened. Her slender fingers rested against her chest, momentarily forgetting to move. Reflected in her eyes was this wondrous scene¡ª A sight beyond anything reality could offer! It was unimaginable. That in such a fleeting instant¡ª Star¡¯s consciousness had experienced something so profound and monumental! How could anyone truly grasp this moment without witnessing the story firsthand?