"People, let me tell you about it!
"The scene was absolutely mind-blowing!
"Everyone was bursting with excitement, exclaiming 'Mom' all around!
"I couldn't help but shout a couple of times myself!
"[Everything you say may be true, but rules are meant to be broken—let go of Ka-ka!]"
"And then, guess what happened next?
"The studio suddenly exploded!
"Kafka took over, appearing on camera with a smile!"
"Oh man! Everyone was completely dumbfounded!"
"I initially thought it was some kind of show effect, Little Gui, until I saw the Interastral Peace Corporation's fleet mobilize... That's when I realized it was all real!"
In Xiao Gui Zi's livestream room, Guinaifen enthusiastically recounted the events to her viewers, gesturing wildly as she spoke, almost spitting profusely during the most intense parts. The chat filled with supportive comments!
"I was fortunate enough to be there live! Just being part of this event makes my life worth it!"
"The scene was even more intense than Little Gui described! The atmosphere is indescribable."
"I watched at home on my Jade Abacus. Although I didn't have fellow enthusiasts around me, seeing Kafka take over the broadcast studio got me so excited, I nearly punched through the screen!"
"Kafka personally explaining their skills—this footage alone is worth watching for a lifetime!"
"Do you think the rumors are true, that Feathered Spirit has some collaboration with the Stellaron Hunters? How else can we explain this event?"
"This surely counts as the Stellaron Hunters endorsing 'Honkai: Star Rail,' right? Knowing I'm playing the same game they do feels absolutely incredible!"
"I already liked Feathered Spirit... but now, even more!"
"Ahhh, just because my boss made me work overtime, I missed out on a fortune! Tomorrow, I'm taking my baseball bat to teach him a lesson offline!"
"Darn it! Damn, damn, damn! I've never missed a character PV before, and today I thought missing a few minutes wouldn't hurt. And then I missed it... Waaaaah..."
"My friend also got held up and couldn't watch the live stream, ha ha, he's been crying about it all night."
"Poor guy, feel bad, yet kinda satisfying..."
The corners of Guinaifen's mouth couldn't help but curve upwards.
As someone who experienced the event firsthand,
her sense of satisfaction was about to overflow!
Especially seeing other viewers lamenting their missed opportunity, it felt akin to enjoying a grand national feast while some people didn't even make it to a local banquet...
"Alright, alright folks, let's not dwell on this too much."
"It might be tough for those who missed out, you know?"
"We shouldn't be the type to find joy in others' misfortune."
"Oh, right."
"I almost forgot something important."
"How did you guys know I got a 2+1 Kafka with my 150th pull?"
"Little Gui, you..."
"The streamer is killing us!"
"I don't care! My wallet will take action."
"How did you know I got dual golds on my tenfold pull?"
"As expected of Kafka's mom, enduring 160 guaranteed pulls. This must be a test from Mom!"
Facing the camera, Guinaifen made an apologetic gesture.
"Hehe, just messing with you all."
"Little Gui here is sending out 1000 x 648 RMB red packets! Wishing everyone luck to get their desired characters!"
The chat flooded with messages saying, "Generous streamer!"
Thanks to this game, Guinaifen had become a top-tier streamer, and her income skyrocketed beyond comparison to before.
This giveaway was also her way of expressing gratitude to her fans, something she had long wanted to do.
With that done...
Honkai: Star Rail, launch!
Back at Changle Tian Square, although she had obtained Kafka's second soul, there wasn't enough time to fully develop it.
So upon logging back in, her first priority was naturally to graduate Kafka completely!
At that moment:
In the top-left corner, it indicated a new message had arrived.
Seeing the red dot, Guinaifen couldn't resist clearing it immediately and promptly opened the message.
The sender had no profile picture and was listed as anonymous.
[Stelle, come alone to the Divination Commission. Coordinates will be sent shortly.]
[Do not tell anyone.]
[-Your faithful Kafka]
"Whoa—"
Upon seeing "Kafka," Guinaifen instantly became serious!
"This must be... Kafka's companion quest, right?"
"The Feathered Spirit has finally unlocked this mission!"
Naturally, character development would have to take a backseat for now.
Any plotline involving Kafka needed immediate attention to avoid missing out on significant events!
[Are you still at Luofu?]
[If you say so, then yes?]
[I won't comply with your request]
With three options presented, Guinaifen initially wanted to choose the first one. However, she felt uncertain; it seemed unlikely that Kafka would contact her directly at the start of a companion quest. It might be a trick!
[You claim to be Kafka? Any proof?]
Unexpectedly, the next message contained a selfie from Kafka herself!
[Is this enough?]
[Bladie's Mara-Strike is severe; I can't leave until he recovers.]
[But you know, Xianzhou's arrest warrant against him hasn't been lifted; he remains their most wanted fugitive.]
[I need you, Stelle, to find me.]
This revelation caused the chat to explode:
:?? Many confused reactions!
"What?! Option two actually had a selfie?"
"Huh? I thought they all included selfies."
"I was so excited, I just clicked on it without thinking!"
"I didn't even hesitate and chose option one immediately. Kafka directly said she needed my help; what a massive loss (rage fainting emoji)"
"How can the options differ so drastically?"
Guinaifen glanced at the barrage of comments.
She resolved that during her upcoming encounter with Kafka, if faced with any choices, she must be exceptionally cautious.
After receiving Kafka's coordinates:
As expected!
Three more options appeared for the quest progression!
[Proceed to Kafka's location]
[(Optional) Consult Himeko and Welt's opinions]
[(Optional) Report Kafka to the Seat of Divine Foresight]
Guinaifen was taken aback.
"T-these options vary way too much!"
"Wait, wait!"
"Let me gather my thoughts first..."
On an uncharted route...
Silver Wolf and Kafka had piloted their spaceship away before the company's fleet could surround them, heading towards their next destination.
Once again, they successfully outwitted the corporation and escaped unscathed—a routine affair for them.
Setting the ship on autopilot, Silver Wolf relaxed to play her game while gazing at the starry expanse outside the window.
Suddenly, Kafka broke the silence, "Silver Wolf, do you think... does 'free will' truly exist?"
Immersed in her game, Silver Wolf was caught off guard by Kafka's philosophical question and uttered a surprised, "Huh?" Nonetheless, she slowed down her gameplay slightly.
After pondering, she replied, "We are [Destiny's Slaves], always following the script."
"From that perspective, free will is nothing more than a joke to us."
Kafka nodded, "Yes, I used to believe the same: all choices are illusions, merely predetermined possibilities; there is no such thing as free will."
"But since the emergence of Honkai: Star Rail, my thoughts have begun to waver."
Silver Wolf shared Little Gui's livestream feed with Kafka.
"Let's give it a try then—during this companion quest, choose the option '[Betray Kafka]'."
"From that point on, I rejected every choice presented to see what the ultimate outcome would be."
"If the ending didn't change, it would confirm that the Feathered Spirit's intended message aligns with your initial belief."
"But if it did differ..."
"It must differ," Kafka stated confidently.
"The emergence of Honkai: Star Rail signifies a break from established norms."
Silver Wolf rolled his eyes.
"You're also turning into a Silver Bat Hero now?" he quipped.
Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm translating. I upload at least 2 times daily for each novel.
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******
["As you approach the entrance of the Seat of Divine Foresight, an inexplicable hesitation suddenly overtakes you..."]
"Stelle: (Can't alert them prematurely; let's first check Kafka's location...)"
Seeing this, Kafka's gaze slightly darkened.
Among the mission options, only one remained—"Proceed to Kafka's location."
Silver Wolf swiveled his chair around and addressed Kafka, "See? As I said earlier, how could they design a quest where you'd fail right at the start?"
"This is still a game, after all!"
"If players had such choices, some would undoubtedly skip all the storylines just to claim the rewards."
Kafka nodded. "It seems that although the game's storyline offers different choices leading to various dialogues, they all converge towards the same outcome."
"If this is how games are designed, could reality also be one massive game?"
Silver Wolf's lips curved slightly. "I like your analogy, but why so philosophical today?"
"Well, it's because we just pulled off something major, coinciding with the release of my character PV and opening up our joint quest... Of course, it calls for some deep contemplation."
"Suit yourself. Carry on; I need to grind Relics and improve my gear proficiency." Silver Wolf turned away, maneuvering his swivel chair to the designated gaming area he had set up, undisturbed.
However, before leaving, he casually added one more thought:
"I find life interesting now, enjoying it quite a bit, so I'm willing to continue being a Stellaron Hunter."
"Just like a game... It's all about having fun. As long as we're enjoying ourselves, who cares about the rest?"
In Little Gui's livestream, after careful consideration, she decided to prioritize returning to the Parlor Car to seek advice from Himeko and Welt.
Both gave similar responses—recommending that she meet with Kafka.
With the approval of these two Astral Express mentors, Guinaifen promptly teleported to the Divination Commission.
Arriving at the specified coordinates:
"Mom, I'm here!"
In a quiet alleyway, Kafka stood before a lit room, seemingly waiting patiently.
"I knew you would come, Stelle."
As Guinaifen approached Kafka, through the half-open window, she spotted Blade inside, eyes closed in a meditative pose.
"Wonderful! Mom and Uncle Blade are both here. A family must always stick together!"
She stepped forward and initiated dialogue with Kafka once more.
"If one possessed Elio's eyes, the world would no longer appear as it does now; countless possibilities overlap, representing the consequences of different choices. At every moment, infinite options continuously converge into a single point, becoming the present, transforming into the past..."
"Is this your choice? To accept my request and help me?"
[Yes, after all, you need my assistance.]
[I haven't decided yet.]
[No, I'm here to reject you.]
After a moment of contemplation, Guinaifen chose the third option.
She explained, "When dealing with Mom, it's crucial not to agree outright; we must tease her a bit!"
Kafka responded, surprised, "Huh... Really? Would you actually reject me?"
"If you intended to reject me, why would you be here now?"
[You're right... I do want to help you.]
[Because I needed to say 'no' face-to-face.]
[Because I had no other choice...]
"Three options again."
"Now, I could reveal my true feelings, but there's no need. Let's continue teasing a bit more."
Guinaifen selected the third option.
"Yes, indeed, we are both... 'Slaves of Destiny'."
"The concept of 'destiny' is neither visible nor tangible; however, just like all the converging moments of past and present, its existence is undeniable. I called upon you, and you arrived; despite having numerous choices, everything led you here...to this precise time and place."
"You responded to my call, knowing I genuinely need your assistance, yet you hesitate. Why?"
[I want to understand the situation...]
[I just dislike you.]
[I don't believe in fate.]
The second option was clearly out of the question.
It seemed too harsh.
So Guinaifen chose the third:
"Do you believe this universe is truly free?"
"Alright, then let's preserve this choice for now—Trailblazer, will you stay with me? For my sake."
At this point, only two options remained:
[I'll stay and help you.]
[I won't remain.]
Guinaifen pondered for nearly three minutes before finally taking a deep breath.
"Friends, I think it's crucial to make the right decision at this moment."
"If I refuse again, there might really be no turning back."
"After all, Mom always said, 'When faced with a choice, never allow yourself to regret it.'"
"We've already been cheeky three times in a row; further refusal would truly break Kafka's heart~"
[I'll stay and help you.]
"Thank you. On this Xianzhou... you're the only one I can rely upon."
Meanwhile, on the other side...
Kafka did not choose "I'll stay and help you," but instead continued to refuse—opting for "I won't stay."
To Kafka, although this was part of the game's storyline, it likely represented events that truly occurred in reality.
Elio must have written a script covering this segment as well... However, with the emergence of Honkai: Star Rail, everything had taken a different course, rendering his original script obsolete.
Now, even Kafka could no longer predict the unfolding narrative.
"You should understand why I'm trying to stop you... If you leave, and if what happens next is indeed true, truly vanishing from your future, it will become an unchangeable past, leaving no chance for regret or reversal."
Yet again, Kafka chose "I won't stay."
"What exactly are you holding onto? The 'right to choose'? Or merely defiance? Don't you realize that even this right to defy is strictly confined within predetermined possibilities?"
"I won't stay."
"Elio said you would help me. I wonder how many possible futures he glimpsed before finding this truth..."
"I won't stay."
Kafka fell silent.
This time, her in-game self remained completely quiet.
"I won't stay."
"If you're wondering 'What else might Kafka say?' and choose accordingly—don't. Every choice has consequences, and we must bear responsibility for each one."
Uttering these words felt incredibly peculiar, as if...they weren't meant to be spoken by me.
Instead, it seemed like the Feathered Spirit was expressing its message through my lips!
But Kafka insisted on witnessing this potential outcome!
"I will not stay."
"Then, let me give you one final warning: I respect your ultimate decision, but know that it is irreversible. If you leave, I'll find a way to save Bladie and depart from Xianzhou, but none of it will involve you..."
"I cannot predict what kind of future awaits... On this matter, our understanding is equally blind, since Elio never revealed even a hint to me. Long ago, Elio made me believe: there's no such thing as true 'free will' in this world; choices merely exhaust all possibilities."
"But if you truly feel entitled to make your own choice...if you persist in doing so, driven genuinely from within, then perhaps I would be overjoyed... I hope you can transcend fate itself. In that case, maybe someday, [you could change me]."
"Have you decided?"
["Leaving"—this is my own choice.]
"All right... Goodbye."
The moment Kafka stepped out of that area, a notification appeared on the interface:
[Quest "Letters from an Unknown Woman" completed.]
[Achievement unlocked: True Free Will]
Kafka's lips parted slightly.
This quest... had truly ended just like that.
Although many plot points were missed, upon seeing this achievement, a hint of joy crossed Kafka's face.
"Feathered Spirit... was this the message you intended to convey?"
"Wonderful. At least now, I know there exist infinite possibilities within this universe."
"Oh, and people usually refer to it as... 'Hope'."