The Astral Express.
After the initial shock and disbelief, March 7th's tears began to fall uncontrollably.
She had always resonated deeply with the struggles of beautiful girls, and experiencing this story from Stelle's perspective made it even more personal.
And now, here they were—on Penacony.
It felt as if she had lived through this moment herself!
The empathy hit her like a tidal wave.
She was truly broken.
"ISISISISISI..."
"..."
"Mr. Yang!"
"Firefly isn't really dead, right? Right?!"
March tugged at Yang's sleeve, shaking him back and forth.
Yang adjusted his glasses, shaking his head slightly. His sleeve was nearly torn off by March's frantic pulling.
Nearby, Stelle stood in a daze.
As the protagonist of this story, her emotions were complicated.
Even though this was just a game, after finishing the storyline, she felt as if something inside her had been hollowed out.
She looked out the window.
Her reflection in the glass seemed to whisper: "I've only just arrived in this world."
"From an ordinary person's perspective, I'm still just a Stellaron baby!"
"Why must I suffer like this?"
Yang couldn't help but speak up. "March, calm down."
"This is just what happened in the game."
"Since we know about it in advance, we still have a chance to change this tragedy."
His words struck March and Stelle like lightning.
Both of them had been so caught up in their shock and grief that they'd forgotten this crucial detail.
It had felt as if Firefly had truly disappeared before their eyes.
March wiped her tears with a tissue, steeling herself.
Stelle, meanwhile, glanced around.
Aside from Pom-Pom, someone important was missing from the parlor car.
"Where's Himeko?"
As soon as she spoke, the cabin door slid open with a click.
Himeko walked in, carrying her briefcase.
March immediately latched onto her like a lifeline.
The emotions she had just suppressed came flooding back.
"OSOSOSOS..."
"Himeko…!"
"This story is poisonous! Yu Ling is feeding us knives!"
"Wuuu… a beautiful girl like me, Firefly, got stabbed…!"
March looked pitiful, her eyes begging for comfort—hoping Himeko would pat her head or hug her and say, "It's okay" or "We still have a chance."
But Himeko's expression remained grave.
She made no move to console the sobbing, distraught March.
"March, I know you're upset, but hold off on the tears for now."
"I've done some investigating and cross-referencing."
"And I've discovered—Firefly's identity is suspicious!"
"Huh?"
Under everyone's stunned gazes, Himeko spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Firefly… might very well be… a member of the Stellaron Hunters."
March was floored.
Firefly had just been killed off in the story!
She was clearly just an ordinary girl!
She had even cried in fear at the brink of death, whispering "I'm sorry…" at the end.
How could she possibly be connected to the Stellaron Hunters?!
Yang mused, "Now that you mention it, Firefly's behavior in the story was a bit unusual…"
"For example, when they first encountered that monster, Black Swan intervened at the last second and created an escape portal."
"While Stelle was still stunned, Firefly immediately grabbed her and dashed inside."
"And when they first left the Dream Hotel, there were several defeated Dreamjolt Troupe members near Firefly—likely taken down by her."
"Many times, it seemed like Stelle was protecting her, but… Firefly never showed the timidity of a victim."
"Instead, she often displayed exceptional judgment and decisiveness."
Himeko nodded.
She placed her briefcase on the table and quickly typed on a holographic keyboard.
A series of images appeared on the main screen.
"Everyone, look here…"
"And here…"
March's jaw dropped.
These images were all screenshots from Honkai: Star Rail's story, focusing on Firefly's scenes.
[He seems skilled in combat—the covert kind. His palms are broad, but his fingers are slender and dexterous. I'd guess he favors knives. Short blades, most likely.]
Himeko pointed at the text.
"While touring Eden Park, Firefly demonstrated remarkable counter-surveillance skills."
"Not only did she describe the stalker's exact features—height, build, gait—but even details like his hand shape and weapon preference."
Yang added, "That's not something a girl who's spent most of her life in a medical pod could do."
"It's more like… the instincts of a battle-hardened soldier."
"A battle-hardened soldier?!"
March looked utterly baffled.
"Mr. Yang, you've got to be kidding! If Firefly were some seasoned warrior, how could she have been killed by Something Unto Death?!"
"Perhaps… there's a reason."
With that, Himeko pulled up another image.
This was the moment Firefly was first seized by Something Unto Death.
"Yu Ling deliberately included a close-up of her hand here."
"Firefly clenched her fist—as if preparing to fight back."
"But the moment she sensed Black Swan's arrival, she relaxed."
Even Stelle began to waver.
Hesitantly, she asked, "Isn't… all of this a bit of a stretch?"
"A stretch?"
"Then… here's irrefutable evidence."
Himeko pulled up a surveillance video.
This wasn't from the game—it was real footage.
In the video, Firefly wandered aimlessly through a hallway in the Reverie Hotel.
But suddenly, she seemed to be pulled into an invisible vortex—vanishing from the camera's view.
In the next clip, two figures passed through the same spot.
The footage was blurry, but the silhouettes were unmistakable—a grown woman and a young girl.
Himeko paused the video.
The image was enhanced, the outlines sharpening with each adjustment.
March and Stelle gasped in unison.
Though their faces were unclear, certain defining features made their identities obvious—
It was… Silver Wolf and Kafka!
Even more damning—Silver Wolf flashed a "Lame" hand sign at the camera, as if taunting anyone who might see it.
As if to say: Even if you spot us, what can you do about it?
Classic Silver Wolf.
Then, just like Firefly—Kafka and Silver Wolf abruptly disappeared from the surveillance feed.
As if stepping into a hidden pocket of space!
"Silver Wolf and Kafka… they're here too?!"
March's throat went dry.
She didn't hold any hostility toward the Stellaron Hunters anymore—just sheer disbelief.
What were they doing in this location?!
Though the footage ended there, the implication was clear—
Firefly was with Silver Wolf and Kafka!
"That's right. My theory is—Silver Wolf created an isolated space within the hotel to conceal Firefly's presence."
"And right now, they're hiding inside it."
After Himeko's explanation, the entire parlor car fell into silence.
March and Stelle were the most shaken.
A sweet, gentle girl—one who had moved them to tears in the story—
Was actually… a Stellaron Hunter?!
Himeko gave them a moment to process before continuing.
"Based on this conclusion, if Firefly is a Stellaron Hunter, her death wouldn't be so easily set in stone."
"They are Slaves to Destiny. Even death must fall within Elio's script."
"Also… there's one more detail worth noting."
Himeko displayed another image—Firefly's final moments as Something Unto Death impaled her.
Even knowing Firefly might be a Stellaron Hunter, March and Stelle still winced at the sight.
This frozen frame captured the instant before Firefly faded away.
Himeko had slowed it down to highlight something crucial.
Now, everyone could see it—
A cluster of light floated out from Firefly's chest, rising into the air.
A detail easily missed at normal speed.
"Is that… a firefly?"
March's eyes widened.
Then, she beamed.
"I knew it…!"
"Firefly can still come back!"
"She can win this resurrection match!"
Just then, Yang—who had been monitoring the game's updates—suddenly looked intrigued.
"Everyone, we can keep watching the story."
"The latter half might hold the answers we're looking for."
"It could reveal the truth behind Firefly's death!"
To be continued…