Kapitel 23: Chapter 23: Hidden Ending of the Astral Express? The Acknowledgments Reveal Too Much!

[Welt, the wise former leader of Anti-Entropy, inherited the title 'World' and has repeatedly saved humanity from the brink of destruction.]

Reading the character profile for Welt within the game, Himeko couldn't help but smile.

He playfully teased his companion, "Welt, I had no idea you harbored such a wealth of stories."

"And even being called a 'Sovereign'? Saving the world multiple times... How come you never mentioned these extraordinary experiences before?"

Old Yang's expression looked somewhat uneasy.

On one hand, the sudden exposure of his past left him feeling unsettled. On the other hand, he began to harbor doubts about this game.

He had never shared these personal experiences with anyone!

Not even with his friends on the train did he reveal them.

Yet, it seemed the developers of this game were intimately familiar with his past!

Considering who among the vast universe could possess such deep knowledge about both himself and the Astral Express Crew, only one person came to mind:

The golden-haired man who disembarked prematurely!

"If it was him, perhaps he truly has the capability to create a game like this..."

However, Old Yang felt something wasn't quite right. This unease stemmed from an instinctive realization.

To put it simply,

the style just didn't match!

If that person had developed this game, its style would never be like this!

"Then who else could it be..."

"Forget it; let's advance the plot first and see what information we can gather from the game."

With that thought, Old Yang decided to shift the conversation.

He couldn't allow Himeko's focus to remain solely on him.

He spoke up, "In the previous scene, wasn't Stelle caught by Nanook just at a crucial moment?"

"That's correct. Based on the presentation, it aligns with our earlier speculation."

"There are many peculiar aspects about that child."

"Yes, right now, I'm deciding from her perspective whether to board the train or not." Himeko lifted her phone slightly and smiled, saying, "I'm quite curious, if she hadn't chosen to board the train and instead stayed at the space station, how would the outcome have differed?"

"The reality cannot be changed, but within this game, there might be a chance to witness an alternate ending."

Upon hearing this, even Old Yang became intrigued.

With Herta and Asta's consent, Himeko successfully managed to keep Stelle at the space station.

"Goodbye, Ms. Himeko."

On the screen, a scene unfolded: Himeko, Welt, Dan Heng, and March 7th were preparing to board the train, bidding farewell to the Trailblazer.

An accompanying caption appeared:

After careful consideration, you decline Himeko's invitation. The whistle blows as the Astral Express is about to depart, your newfound friends waving goodbye. This parting mirrors the sudden yet steadfast encounter.

"It actually triggered this ending?" Both Himeko and Old Yang were taken aback.

The subsequent sequence caught them completely off guard!

Following the departure of the Astral Express, the space station vigorously initiates its reconstruction efforts. Meanwhile, you begin studying the Stellaron with Herta. However, soon enough, Herta loses interest in both you and the Stellaron. Under Asta's arrangements, you become a researcher at the space station.

At [Herta], you lead a tranquil life. The Astral Express returns several times but then disappears without further news. From travelers passing through the space station, you hear tales of the Astral Express and the Stellaron Hunters' universe-shaking conclusion. Occasionally, you can't help but wonder if boarding that train might have led to a different future for them.

"However, that is no longer of concern to you."

Himeko and Old Yang exchanged glances.

Both saw astonishment and shock mirrored in each other's eyes!

Who could have imagined they would truly achieve such an unprecedented ending?!

The journey had genuinely come to its end.

With just a few strokes, the production team managed to convey the profound melancholy and desolation of the future!

If life could be lived anew...

They couldn't help but fall deep into contemplation.

Living quietly as ordinary individuals, spending their entire lives at the space station—

Perhaps this conclusion wasn't such a bad choice after all? Even for Himeko and Old Yang, facing this outcome stirred complex emotions within them.

The earth-shattering finale of the Astral Express and Stellaron Hunters...?

What exactly will transpire in the future?

As they gazed out at the starry sky, lost in thought, the closing credits began to roll:

[Leading Actor: Stelle]

[Dan Heng as Dan Heng]

[??? as March 7th]

[Himeko as Himeko]

[Achim Nokian-Virtanen as Welt]

Upon seeing these lines, Himeko was utterly speechless.

Welt felt his scalp tingle with unease!

The credits for Stelle and Dan Heng were expected.

Himeko portraying herself also made sense.

However, March 7th's name was replaced by three question marks, indicating her true identity remained unknown!

Did this imply that the March 7th they knew might not be the real one? The thought sent chills down their spines!

As for Old Yang, seeing his own name evoked both familiarity and strangeness.

Indeed, it was his original birth name. Later, after inheriting Welt's title and Lawbreaker Core, he adopted his mother's surname, transforming into Welt Yang—the new bearer of the Law of Reason!

Yet such information was his deepest secret! How could the game developers possibly know about it?

Old Yang began to break out in cold sweat. With a hoarse voice, he addressed his equally astonished companion, "Himeko, I think we need to investigate these developers."

"The amount of information they possess... is just too much!"

Himeko nodded emphatically, "Agreed, I'll start the investigation right away."

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Kapitel 24: Chapter 24: Attention from the Stellaron Hunters

"Buzz!"

The spectacled Silver Wolf shuddered violently.

Her senses returned from the Herta space station to the high-rise building where she was with Kafka.

Seeing her agitated state, Kafka found it amusing and teased, "Why such a strong reaction this time? Did those guys catch you by your tail?"

Silver Wolf's expression remained cold; she had no mood for joking with Kafka.

Immediately, she took out her phone and began checking it.

Moments later, looking as if she were about to cry but unable to shed tears, she exclaimed, "It's gone, all gone! Not even a trace left... This is outrageous, absolutely outrageous!"

"Alright, stop acting like a child throwing tantrums. You're not that young anymore."

"I'm not throwing tantrums." Taking a deep breath, Silver Wolf seemed to compose herself, treating it merely as a momentary vent.

Her gaze regained its usual clarity.

"Kafka, there's something I want to show you."

"What? Is it that 'Punklod Spirit' you mentioned earlier? You know I'm not really interested in it."

"No, it's not..."

"Oh?"

"It's another game."

Kafka fell silent.

"Listen, Silver Wolf, I understand you love games, but even if your accounts got banned, couldn't you just hack into a nearby miyatsuko branch and recover them? Let's not give up so easily."

"That's not it. This game truly has something special."

As she spoke, Silver Wolf projected the game's screen from her phone directly in front of Kafka.

Kafka felt somewhat helpless but decided to indulge Silver Wolf, considering how distraught she had been earlier. He thought it might be worth giving this game a brief look.

"Buzz!"

Honkai: Star Rail launched!

Kafka saw a retro-style steam train navigating through the vast cosmos.

"The Astral Express?"

"A train-themed game? That's quite unique."

Silver Wolf shook her head. "Don't ask me; I'm playing for the first time too."

"But let me tell you, the game's storyline mirrors real-life events. Who knows, we might even make appearances ourselves!"

"Oh, now that piques my interest. I wonder how the development team will portray me?"

Just as he finished speaking...

The smile on Kafka's lips froze instantly.

Silver Wolf also paused, taken aback.

She had mentioned that their roles might appear in the game's plot. However, unexpectedly!

The opening scene immediately focused on Kafka playing her Akashic Violin—a close-up shot!

Kafka had expected some exposition, introducing the background and setting of the story. Instead, it jumped straight into the pivotal moment of their infiltration of the space station.

Her smile faded as she began to watch attentively, growing increasingly serious with each passing moment.

"Silver Wolf, could our invasion of the space station have been recorded by surveillance?"

"Impossible! I disabled all remote connections at the time. Not only surveillance but even detection signals couldn't penetrate."

"And if we were truly under surveillance, how come no one intervened? Plus, our departure was surprisingly effortless."

Kafka didn't question this. In fact, she was well aware that there was no way they could have been recorded during their mission at the space station!

But then, what explained this storyline?

It mirrored their actual experience perfectly!

Even certain minute details aligned shockingly closely!

Soon, Kafka witnessed her own battle and saw the animation of her ultimate ability being activated.

—[Tragic Crescendo]

"Putting aside how this storyline unfolded, I must say, the effect of my Ultimate is quite to my liking."

A hint of admiration shone in Kafka's eyes, even she had to admit it.

The animation truly captured her essence perfectly—not only aligning with her combat style but also exuding an artistic beauty throughout its execution!

Silver Wolf whistled appreciatively.

"What do you think? Told you this game was cool!"

"Hmm..."

"Quick, look! My turn now!" Silver Wolf's eyes sparkled with excitement.

After joining the team, she eagerly tried out her skills without delay.

Activating her Ultimate Ability!

—[Account Permanently Banned!]

"What does this Ultimate name mean?!" Silver Wolf nearly burst out laughing in frustration.

Immediately following that,

she found herself playing as if in a rhythm game, unleashing rapid attacks on the enemy.

"Not bad at all! This ultimate move fits our hacker style perfectly, with even a touch of Ether Editing!" After watching the animation for her ultimate ability, Silver Wolf felt quite satisfied.

However, being highly attuned to game statistics, she furrowed her brow upon seeing the damage output.

"Why is my ultimate single-target while yours is area-of-effect?"

"And why does your single-target DMG surpass mine?"

Kafka smiled. "How would I know? I didn't design this game."

"Let me think... Ah, got it!"

"My skill must have additional mechanics attached; it can't be just pure damage. There's definitely some powerful secondary effects involved. Let's wait and see when we use it!"

"I believe you, okay? Happy now?"

Apart from battling monsters, the duo closely monitored the progression of the storyline.

Finally, they reached the room containing the Stellaron.

As they watched themselves personally placing the Stellaron into its carrier, it felt like reliving a moment from yesterday.

"I never thought I'd witness this scene again," Kafka murmured.

"That's enough! The game has already revealed too much!" Silver Wolf slammed her hand on the table.

"The developer clearly knows us far too well!"

"Even Elio isn't exempt from this!"

Kafka stared at the screen, her eyes reflecting its glow as she said, "This level of detail in recreating events seems reminiscent of Elio's abilities. However, while Elio writes possible futures into 'scripts,' this developer has turned past incidents into a game."

"Never mind that now. I'm going to post about this in our group chat and ask our colleagues, including Elio," Kafka murmured.

Indeed, the Stellaron Hunters had their own group chat. However, they didn't use a conventional platform; instead, Silver Wolf created something akin to a local network, allowing them to evade searches by companies or other entities.

Quickly, Silver Wolf summarized the information about the game and posted it in the group.

Sam was the first to reply, "What's Star Rail? Never heard of it before."

"And Kafka, you're featured in Elio's next script. Shouldn't you be preparing for it?"

Using her phone, Kafka responded, "Thank you, I will make preparations."

After that, Sam stopped replying. It was unclear whether he secretly went to download the game or if he genuinely had no interest in it.

"If I remember correctly, we have one more colleague, right?"

Silver Wolf started tagging Blade frantically.

After a long pause, as if finally unable to bear the nagging, Blade replied:

"Don't know, not interested."

Silver Wolf anticipated Blade's dismissive attitude from the start. Immediately, she sent him a clip of Dan Heng's ultimate ability animation that she had captured during her stream.

A few seconds later, Blade responded promptly, "It's him! Yinyue-jun!"

"How do you have footage of his combat?"

"Wait, this doesn't seem like a real battle?"

"Where is he?"

Silver Wolf replied with a sly grin emoji, "I'm not entirely sure either; it's actually from within the game."

Blade stopped responding after that.

In contrast, Silver Wolf's expression showed keen interest as she turned to Kafka and asked, "Do you think he'll play the game himself? I can hardly imagine what he'd be like while gaming."

"That's hard to say. Bladie tends to be very attentive when it comes to matters involving that man," Kafka replied.

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