"Uncle Yang, our battle here is over."
"The remaining Stellarons are yours to seal!"
"We'll meet on the train later; this Trailblazing journey has been quite challenging!"
"And during the final confrontation, something truly shocking occurred!"
"You might have observed it from your vantage point above, but not as clearly as we experienced it firsthand."
As Old Yang read each message from March 7th, he couldn't help but smile wryly. He genuinely didn't know how to explain it all. Should he say:
"Your entire Trailblazing journey was crystal clear to us."
"We had a continuous viewpoint following you closely, with real-time tracking."
"We could even witness inner monologues and events unfolding within your mental worlds vividly!"
Nope!
It's best to let Himeko handle the explanation.
Old Yang promptly replied, "Alright, sealing the Stellarons is my responsibility."
"Remember to find Himeko; she has something important to show you."
March 7th responded with a Pom-Pom emoji giving a thumbs-up.
In Boulder Town...
March 7th, Dan Heng, and Stelle had reported their triumphant victory to Natasha and informed her that the lockdown on both upper and lower levels would soon be lifted.
This news swiftly spread through Wildfire's intelligence network.
Residents of the Underworld rushed onto the streets, as if celebrating a festival.
March 7th enjoyed this festive atmosphere and enthusiastically dragged Stelle and Dan Heng to various landmarks they had visited before, taking photos at each spot.
Dan Heng, expressionless, spoke up, "With the restrictions between upper and lower layers lifted, we can now use the cable car to return to the Overworld."
"Don't rush so much! There are still several places we haven't explored down here!" March 7th exclaimed, full of excitement. "Aren't you eager to meet Hook, Clara, and those kids again?"
Dan Heng shook his head. "I'm not particularly good with children."
At that moment,
Stelle opened her phone.
Suddenly, Stelle's smile froze.
"That's...a video from Himeko?"
March 7th leaned closer and grinned, "What is it? Did Ji Zi and Uncle Yang send us some praise?"
"Huh? It's a video?"
"Could they have recorded the process of sealing the Stellaron?"
"Quick, let's open it!"
Stelle was taken aback because the thumbnail showed her drawing the flame spear. However, this event occurred within a mental space akin to the cosmos—how could Himeko possibly capture such footage?
Perhaps...
Just a coincidence?
She tapped on the video.
A melodious tune instantly filled the air.
The scene that unfolded...
Was precisely her moment of drawing the spear within the mental world!
"How is this possible?!" Stelle stood stunned, her body completely rigid.
Beside her, March 7th's eyes widened, as if she too had turned to stone!
Seemingly isolated from the bustling crowd and children's chatter around them, their attention was wholly captivated by the content of the video.
Even Dan Heng, known for his icy demeanor, felt a ripple in his usually calm heart upon hearing the melody playing behind him. Just as he was about to inquire about the song, he noticed Stelle and March 7th staring at the phone screen with shock, already distancing themselves significantly ahead.
Dan Heng furrowed his brow, subconsciously reaching for his long spear.
Something about this scene felt...unsettling.
He swiftly approached the two of them just as the video displayed footage of someone engaged in battle. To his surprise, it was none other than himself!
"Realm of Illusion, Dream Unending."
"Shatter!"
The tip of the spear emerged from behind Cocolia, splattering ink across the screen like blood.
Next, Stelle's image appeared on the display:
[Unyielding Blaze Spear]
"The spearhead ignites."
"Spear of flames, charge forth!"
Flames seemed to leap out from the screen, forming a colossal pillar that soared towards the sky!
"Is this...a game...?" Dan Heng observed some typical gaming elements on the interface but still couldn't be certain due to the striking realism and additional special effects.
"Was this recorded during our fight with Cocolia?" Stelle asked, puzzled.
"No way! Our actual battle wasn't anything like this!"
"What's going on with this video? Could Ji Zi be messing with us by creating something like this?"
"But let's be honest, your combat scenes look seriously epic!"
"And me, what about me? Am I in there too?"
"Ji Zi wouldn't forget about me, would she?!"
As soon as these words were spoken...
March 7th indeed took action.
"Stand still now; I'll bless you right away."
[Shield Boost]
"Huh?"
"What?"
"Just that?"
"Why do both of you look so cool?! Why can't I just add some buffs like this?" March 7th pouted, feeling quite disheartened by the stark contrast between her abilities and theirs.
Dan Heng's gaze turned serious, and he said sternly, "Quiet down, March.
"We're approaching a crucial moment."
March sulkily puffed out her cheeks, seeking sympathy from Stelle with pleading eyes. However, her best friend completely ignored her, fully absorbed in the unfolding video scene.
"I shall personally forge a magnificent new world!!"
Cocolia unleashed the concentrated meteorite in her hand, accompanied by an immediate shift to vocal background music.
A shudder ran through Dan Heng's body.
Stelle's pupils contracted sharply, and the hairs on her back stood up!
March 7th's face was filled with shock, as if she had seen a ghost!
After a long moment, the trio gradually recovered from their astonishment.
"Is-this...this a game?"
"The combat scenes..."
"It feels even more intense than our actual battles!"
"Himeko!"
"Himeko!!"
"Himeko!!!"
"What's going on with this video you sent us?"
"Why are my, Dan Heng's, and Stelle's characters featured in it?! "
"Is this a game?!"
"How come our battle against Cocolia is part of its content?" March 7th exclaimed, visibly agitated.
She repeatedly tagged Himeko in the group chat "Astral Express Family," sending over a dozen messages.
Finally, Himeko responded, "Yes, it indeed is a game."
"The game is called 'Honkai: Star Rail.'"
"For more details, let's wait until you return to the train. Welt and I will explain everything then."
After reading Himeko's message, March 7th released a long sigh of relief.
At least now she knew that Himeko had some understanding of this game.
Dan Heng asked, "Should we stay here longer?"
"Stay for what?! This game is all I can think about right now. Until I figure it out, I won't even be able to eat lunch."
"Hurry up! Come back with me to the train!"
March 7th grabbed Dan Heng and Stelle, rushing them towards the designated coordinates.
On the Starpeace Network,
following Guinaifen's live stream of the battle against Cocolia, discussions about "Honkai: Star Rail" exploded across the entire web!
A dedicated forum section was created specifically for players to discuss "Honkai: Star Rail."
"I never knew turn-based combat could be this intense!"
"At first, I thought it was just another ordinary boss battle, but the storyline had so many twists and climactic moments! When Cocolia's final scream synced with the music, my scalp tingled like fireworks went off!"
"Early this morning, I was fortunate enough to experience the entire event live in Little Gui's stream. It was overcast initially, but as the music swelled, sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating my floor right at that moment. For a split second, I felt chosen by the Aeon itself!"
"In that instant, I truly believed I was the villain!"
"To Cocolia, the Astral Express Crew really does seem like the antagonists! The Stellaron offers one path forward, while the Astral Express Crew presents another. However, their sudden appearance makes them untrustworthy; Cocolia prefers what she can see—the promise of a new world!"
"Cocolia may appear as a major antagonist, but after carefully following the story, I don't think she's simply evil. She genuinely wants Belobog to enter the new world and for Bronya to become its mother. Initially, she didn't blindly trust the Stellaron; rather, she was left with no choice due to her inability to change the dire situation. With Belobog facing certain doom, she had no alternative but to rely on the Stellaron."
"The Stellaron indeed possesses immense power. Even if she were deceived, the outcome would likely remain unchanged. So despite the arrival of the Astral Express Crew, she couldn't risk betting on these unfamiliar outsiders to truly alter their situation. If she lost that gamble, the sole possibility of entering the new world would vanish completely. Therefore, her only choice was the Stellaron."
"...Wait, do you guys progress through the plot so quickly?"
"True Arcana Friends play the game themselves and follow Little Gui's stream for story progression."
Suddenly, Star Rail and Jarilo-VI... became the hottest topics online.
This pure white planet, once upon a time, could have met its sudden demise in the cosmos without more than a brief mention in Interstellar Peace news. But now, under the collective witness of the internet, it unfolded a poignant epic tale.
In the talent exchange group of the Interastral Peace Corporation—a chat primarily consisting of company executives who rarely spoke due to their busy schedules, each engrossed in advancing the company's vision in their own ways—today brought an unexpected change!
Messages flooded the group one after another. Blinking away even briefly resulted in over 99 unread notifications.
"Jarilo-VI was originally our department's responsibility!"
"We had registered transactions with Belobog during the Star Core Crisis!"
"However, due to Belobog being engulfed by cold weather and losing contact with the outside world, management deemed those transactions as bad debts!"
"Now that Belobog has continued as an independent political entity, naturally, any subsequent dealings fall under our department's purview!"
Almost immediately, Topaz from the Strategic Investment Department replied, "Heh, you're referring to events from the Amber Era."
"The transactions with Belobog have long since turned into abnormal debts."
"Handling and recovering such debts is within the scope of work for our Special Debt Enforcement Team—everyone in the company knows this."
"I've already consulted with my superiors and submitted a preliminary plan for debt collection. Isn't it a bit too late for you to jump in now and try to claim this business?"
"You..." The head of another department attempted to argue further.
At that moment, a higher-ranking official was finally stirred into action. They posted a message in the group chat to mediate the sudden dispute:
"All right, isn't arguing like this in the company group beneath your dignity?
"Each one of you here is a valued talent of the company. Must we resolve the allocation of work through quarrels?"
"Take a look at your heated exchanges—you're practically like stock traders arguing fiercely at an exchange."
"Now everyone knows Jarilo-VI is destined to be a hot commodity in the universe, with immense potential for both tourism and commercial purposes. I trust you all share this foresight."
"However, rules govern our company, and indeed, this assignment should rightfully go to Topaz Group."
Topaz responded promptly, demonstrating their understanding: "Mission guaranteed, rest assured, leaders!"