After everything was set, Elysia pressed the play button. To avoid affecting the viewers' experience, she didn't project the live comments onto the computer screen. Instead, she opened the live stream on her phone, ensuring she wouldn't miss a single comment.
"Let's start watching together~♪"
It all began with a message from Pam.
At this moment, Stelle was in a scene, with a few additional figures visible outside the frame.
The comments quickly picked up on them.
[Hey? Isn't that Guinaifen, who was just having a PK with Elysia?]
[And Sushang too. But what's that greenish blob over there?]
[Not only that, this scene looks a bit like the Xianzhou Luofu, but I don't think I've seen it before.]
[So, Miss Pink Fairy, what do you think?]
"Me?♪" Elysia furrowed her brow slightly, carefully observing the ghostly flame-like figure on the screen.
"Hmm, could this be a new character? After all, Stelle is the protagonist, and she's still so relaxed here, so it should be safe~♪
But, tell me, why does Stelle look so good?♪"
[Hehe, Elysia, you're super pretty too!]
[Exactly! Elysia's my favorite!]
Stelle picked up her phone, reading a message from Pam. It highlighted two key points: it was time for the Astral Express's big cleanup, so they were about to head to a Car Wash Star.
The screen went black, and the scene shifted.
Stelle was back on the Astral Express. After briefly chatting with the other four, Pam approached her with pitter-patter steps.
"W-wow! Trailblazer passenger! You're finally back! I didn't expect the day of the Express's big cleanup to come so soon, pa…"
Pam raised an eyebrow at Stelle.
"Trailblazer passenger, did you know? Heh, in this universe, there are plenty of Car Wash Stars. They're like rest stops for vehicles in space, and they're so close to each other that you don't even need to activate the jump drive to reach them!"
Seeing Pam's expression, Elysia let out a sigh. "This is just too unfair~♪
Those big floppy rabbit ears are so cute~♪
I really want to touch them~♪"
[Me too!]
[I also want to rua them!]
[I want to be rua'd by Elysia.]
[Seconded!]
"There's a Car Wash Star, so we don't have to do the cleaning ourselves, right…?" Stelle asked a soul-searching question.
But Pam shook her head. "Pam thought so too… but sadly, no!
Car Wash Stars only help clean the exterior of the train's cars, pa. The staff at the stations will polish the outer shell until it sparkles…
But the seat cushions, rooms, windows, and all those nooks and crannies inside the train… we've got to handle those ourselves!"
"Get ready. Let's go."
Soon after, the train officially set off.
However, Pam, who was particularly sensitive to the train's operations, noticed something off. "Huh… something's strange, pa. Pam just set the travel route…"
Stelle: "What's wrong?"
"There's a slight deviation in our current direction. Let Pam check… The conductor's control over navigation is always precise, so even a small deviation is highly unusual, pa.
We need to stay alert! I don't know if there's some strange magnetic field nearby interfering with the train's progress… Stelle, passenger, come with Pam to the control room to check it out."
Before the words could settle, the Astral Express began to shake violently.
March 7th, who had been sitting on the couch, was thrown to the floor. Stelle stumbled a few steps before landing on all fours.
Dan Heng, though unsteady, managed to stabilize himself by dropping to one knee at the last moment.
Himeko, seated on the couch with her coffee in hand, swayed a bit but didn't spill a single drop.
Finally, Welt Yang, ever the powerhouse, summoned his cane the moment the train shook, standing firm as a rock.
The camera focused on Stelle, who looked up to find the entire car enveloped in darkness.
"What's going on? Did you see that huge shadow just now?!"
March 7th, now back on her feet, rushed to Stelle's side and looked out the train's window. The starry galaxy was gone, replaced by a crimson void.
"Why does the view outside the train… look like this? It's all red… What's happening?"
Stelle touched her chin. "Did we fall into a 2D world?"
March 7th turned her head, squinting slightly at Stelle. "What are you talking about… You don't expect me to understand that, do you? Cough, even Uncle Yang looks surprised. This isn't something you see every day…"
At that moment, Dan Heng approached them. "Stelle, March, the train's progress has been obstructed. The earlier disturbance caused a chain reaction.
A spaceship rear-ended the train."
"Huh?" March 7th threw her hands up. "What's that? The train got rear-ended?"
"There was another spaceship in this area that got stuck as well and couldn't control its speed in time. After the collision, two individuals came aboard the train," Dan Heng continued, as the camera slowly panned.
Behind Dan Heng appeared a red-haired man in silver armor.
Stelle nodded thoughtfully. "Feels like they're here to scam us."
Dan Heng: "It doesn't seem like it."
March 7th clenched her little fists.
"They're lucky we're not calling the space cops on them! If they're here to cause trouble for the train, this girl's ready to take them on! Come on, Stelle, let's go see what's up."
At that moment, the scene inexplicably shifted.
The red-haired man in silver armor stood in front of a potted plant. "The radiant universe, an anomaly on its other side."
"Like vibrant pigments blooming."
Finally, he extended his right hand toward the plant. "You… are truly beautiful."
Suddenly, a spotlight from nowhere shone on March 7th.
March 7th visibly jumped in surprise.
The silver-armored knight stepped forward, placing his right hand on his chest and bowing slightly. "A lady? Allow me to sincerely praise you."
"Oh!" He noticed Stelle approaching. "And here is another beautiful being."
Stelle gave a cheeky grin, pointing at herself as if to say, You sure you're talking about me?
"I have yet to introduce myself—I am Argenti, from the Knights of Beauty. May I have the honor of learning your esteemed names?" Argenti lowered his head with a smile, expressing his respect.
[Haha, classic Argenti.]
[No surprise, Argenti's still showering people with compliments.]
[March 7th is a lady, and Stelle's a 'beautiful being.' But Stelle's reaction is so adorable.]
[Lmao, I wonder who's better at compliments, Elysia or Argenti.]
"March's reaction is just too cute. A girl who loves to smile is bound to have good luck~♪
And Stelle, I really like her too~♪
Oh, honestly, I love all the actors in Honkai: Star Rail~♪
And Argenti, I feel like we'd get along like old friends~♪"