Penacony – The Golden Hour
Just as players in the livestream had predicted, several of the game's iconic locations had now become hotspots for fans rushing to take commemorative photos.
At the Clockie statue, groups of players posed alongside the bronze figure, while others retraced the Trailblazer's footsteps, meticulously recreating their journey.
...
"Hey, fellow Trailblazers, can you guys see the origami birds?"
"Nope!"
"Before heading to the Dream's Edge with Firefly, I even ran into Clockie!"
"That part really felt like a dream—I even got the 'Clockie Trick' to tweak my emotions!"
"Well, you are the protagonist of Honkai: Star Rail—us regular players shouldn't expect to replicate everything..."
"Hard disagree! I've still got a childlike heart—I should be able to see Clockie!"
"C'mon, let's see if we can find him!"
"Anyone wanna join me to hunt down the path to Dream's Edge?"
"Count me in!"
"Don't bother—the Family's already cordoned it off."
"Huh?"
"Ugh, the Family's such a buzzkill!"
"Good news though: They're turning it into an official photo spot. Once construction's done, it'll reopen!"
...
Beyond Penacony's real-world frenzy, the internet was ablaze for another reason—the game's use of Robin's "If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking" had reignited the song's popularity, surpassing even its original release. It now topped galactic music charts, with players flooding the comments:
[To those who scammed Firefly out of 20,000 credits—y'all better repent.]
[Dear Trailblazer, a moment—do you acknowledge that Ms. Firefly's eyebrows are peerless in all 347 worlds? May Firefly be with you.]
[Yu Ling's game actually featured a Robin song? DOUBLE FANDOM EUPHORIA!!!]
[We Star Rail players are EATING GOOD!]
[Can she be playable? I'm down bad for Firefly.]
[Reply: Bet.]
[Praying Yu Ling makes her a Harmony unit—just buff me while I handle the frontline!]
---
Iris Family – Talent Agencies
Agents were in chaos, scrambling to track down Firefly and recruit her as an artist under the Iris Family.
One female agent barked into her phone: "How many times must I say it? Use EVERY resource we have! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. Understood?"
"Do I need to spell out Firefly's market value right now?"
"If another agency signs her first, do you realize what that means?"
"Relax—in the game, she used our family's performer identity as her cover. That means she's open to it!"
"We'll offer her the most generous terms, the finest resources—she won't refuse!"
"She's just an ordinary girl who loves adventure. With our offer, why would she say no?"
"I don't care what it takes—the story confirms she's still in Penacony!"
"Unless she can literally grow wings and fly, how hard is it to find one girl?!"
Hanging up, the agent collapsed onto her sofa, muttering: "Useless leeches..."
"Can't even get a teenager's contact info."
"How does the Family employ so many incompetents?"
---
Guinaifen's Livestream – Story Resumes
Returning to The Golden Hour, the once-bustling streets were now eerily empty. Following the quest marker, the protagonist arrived at the dreamscape's Reverie Hotel—only to spot a familiar figure: Sampo!
"We meet again, dear friend~"
"Tsk tsk... You ignored my advice, didn't you? Pity. Is that girl really so captivating?"
"You're... hopelessly blind."
As the Trailblazer stepped forward, Firefly swiftly blocked their path, her gaze sharp: "Be careful. I'm certain now—your 'friend' here is trouble."
Sampo chuckled: "Oho? The brave lady wants to protect you? Why? Are you that close?"
"Enough chatter."
"Ah, I adore your spirit! I'll admit—you're sharper than this little gray-haired fool."
"But even you're late to the party. Haven't you realized? The Family's hiding the truth behind this 'sweet dream'."
Turning to the Trailblazer, his tone darkened: "And you—'hero of Belobog'... Ugh, how much of Sampo's tall tales about Jarilo-VI did you actually believe? My fault for trusting him..."
"I'm truly disappointed."
Suddenly, pink petals swirled around them as crimson goldfish drifted through the air—reality itself seemed to warp.
"Sampo" grinned, his eyes glowing eerily: "My apologies."
"But it's time for you to take a nap..."
"—in a real dream."
His voice morphed into a tone as he flicked the Trailblazer's forehead, sending them and Firefly collapsing into unconsciousness. In their fading vision, "Sampo" melted into a crimson-clad girl.
...
Livestream Chat Explodes:
"Sampo's going through voice change now?!"
"Sampo's a crossdresser?!"
"???"
"Are you BLIND? That's Sparkle!!"
"Called it! That wasn't Sampo at all!"
"OG Sampo's slippery, but he's got standards."
"Fake Sampo = Masked Fool CONFIRMED."
"Sparkle's this strong? Knocked 'em out instantly?!"
"She's gorgeous tho."
"What's her goal? To cockblock us and Firefly?!"
Guinaifen frowned: "Wait... what is Sparkle planning?"
---
Awakening – The Uncanny Shift
The protagonist woke in a vacant hotel room, receiving a text from the Express Crew:
[Himeko: Time to regroup in reality. Meet in my room.]
Attempting to reply [Ran into some trouble...], the game displayed:
[(Message failed to send.)]
"Guess we're exploring this creepy place first..."
"This isn't our hotel. Feels more like... an office?"
The room pulsed with eerie blue light from floating Memoria particles. A distorted rendition of
"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" played, its dissonant harmonies raising goosebumps.
Before Guinaifen could investigate, ghostly subtitles materialized on walls, bookshelves, even midair—each accompanied by a child's whisper:
"Mikhail... are you there?"
"Mikhail, where'd you go?"
"So quiet... only the ticking..."
"Tick... tock... tick..."
Shivering, Guinaifen muttered: "Why does this feel like a horror game?!"
…..
Aboard the Astral Express
At the name "Mikhail", the crew snapped to attention—especially Pom-Pom, whose eyes widened.
"Finally! Mikhail's story is coming!"
But Guinaifen, spooked by the atmosphere, hesitated to proceed. Noticing this, Welt sighed and sent a barrage of superchats—five Stellar Skiffs, ten Divination Storms, twenty Express Carriages—flooding the screen.
Instantly rejuvenated, Guinaifen beamed:
"Thank youuu—especially 'Just an Animator' for the insane gifts!!"
"How can I refuse such generosity?!"
"Alright, time to properly blaze this trail!"
March 7th facepalmed: "Guinaifen... you truly get the spirit of Trailblazing."
To be continued…
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