The promotional video had been carefully crafted by Mo Li, tailored to the current state of the gaming industry in this world.
He had no fear of others imitating the gameplay shown in the video and releasing a rival title before him.
Because he knew: to reach the level of quality that Genshin Impact showcased—even if Tencent poured in resources—it would take at least two years.
So Mo Li had nothing to hide.
He simply displayed everything openly.
That final sequence—the ink-painting style of Liyue Harbor, paired with the symphony Liyue—was also something he had deliberately arranged.
Originally, he only intended to tease the Liyue map. That was why he didn't showcase the actual in-game Liyue, but instead used a painting. His purpose was to spark players' curiosity and anticipation.
What he hadn't expected, however, was the explosive impact that one painting and that one symphony would bring.
He had overlooked something.
In this world, nearly all games followed Western aesthetics. This was largely because of Tencent's dominance: they only copied or licensed foreign games, doing nothing innovative themselves.
Dragon Country players rarely voiced it outright, but deep down, they were longing for something else—
They were waiting for a game steeped in Dragon Country's own cultural style.
Thus, the ink painting and the unmistakable Dragon-flavored symphony in the video resonated instantly with the players, stirring their emotions.
The shock and awe of that first impression made them eager to share the video with everyone they knew.
Gamers and non-gamers alike—anyone who saw that painting and heard the mischievous yet graceful flute in Liyue—felt ripples in their heart.
Now, the video had spread across the internet like wildfire.
Countless influencers were frantically reposting it—
Some analyzing it passionately, others hyping it up with fiery words.
But no matter what style they chose, when they reached the ending of the video, they all let the ink painting and Liyue play in full.
Beneath every repost lay row upon row of comments filled with admiration, praise, and heartfelt emotion.
Meanwhile, the video continued to ferment online.
Inside miHoYo's studio—
Elysia had already joined Rita and the others, playing Genshin Impact with great enthusiasm.
Eden, however, sat frozen in front of the screen, staring at the ink painting—
What truly stunned her wasn't the painting itself, but the symphony flowing through her headphones: Liyue.
As a world-class musician, she too found herself utterly captivated by this fusion of Western symphony and Dragon Country tradition.
She had been in music for many years.
She had heard countless masterpieces.
Yet even she had to bow to the brilliance of this fresh, unexpected style.
Though cheerful in melody, it carried a power that made her eyes moisten…
She herself had once tried—
Tried to create an album centered on Dragon Country's classical music.
But she had failed.
Now, hearing Liyue, it was as if a light suddenly broke through the clouds.
"So that's how it should be…"
She raised her head, studying Mo Li carefully, her gaze full of admiration.
"Mr. Mo Li…"
Mo Li, busy playing Genshin Impact with the girls, glanced up in curiosity.
"What's wrong, Miss Eden?"
"You are truly… admirable."
This time, Eden was completely convinced by him.
The path she had been struggling on for years—
A game developer had beaten her to it.
With her world-class taste in music, she could say without hesitation: Liyue would not only be adored by Dragon Country players. Even overseas, it would be met with astonishment and love.
And when the flute of Liyue began, everyone—no matter where they came from—would instantly picture Dragon Country in their minds.
"Haha… you already said that once before~" Mo Li chuckled, thinking she was simply enjoying the game.
"No, I mean this time… I admire your musical vision."
That made Mo Li pause.
He looked at her in surprise, saw the seriousness in her eyes, and then laughed, shaking his head.
"You flatter me. Honestly, I don't understand music at all."
He worried she might think he was being pretentious, so he added quickly:
"If you ask me to critique a piece, all I could say is… 'Damn! That's awesome!'"
"Pfft…" Eden burst out laughing.
"Right now, I feel the same way about your Liyue. I don't know what else to say. Only… amazing. Damn amazing."
Unable to resist, she opened Weibo, found the Genshin promo video, and reposted it.
Maybe it was because she was so deeply moved, but Eden let herself be playful for once. She captioned it with just three words:
"卧槽!牛批!!"
(Damn! Awesome!!)
After posting, she turned curiously back to Mo Li.
"Mr. Mo Li, do you have… other music like Liyue?"
Mo Li, still controlling his character in the game, nodded casually.
"Of course. In Genshin Impact, there are seven nations. Each has its own musical style."
That revelation made even Eden gasp.
But what she wanted most now was to hear more Dragon-style tracks.
"Then… could I hear more? Other pieces like Liyue?"
Mo Li didn't refuse.
He simply spun his computer toward her and opened a music player.
"They're all in here. Take your time."
Just then, Kiana's indignant voice came from across the room:
"Boss! Your Bennett needs to ult now! I'm about to die!!"
"Coming, coming. Dummy, dodge the attack!"
"It's not that easy!!"
…
Meanwhile, Eden scrolled through the long list of tracks.
"So many…!"
She began listening one by one.
The more she heard, the more astonished she became.
The guzheng-led symphony Moon in a Cup conjured up the bustling charm of Jiangnan's misty rivers and towns.
The flute-driven Beneath the Depths of Liyue painted vivid images of ancient swordsmen, their duels laced with elegance.
But the one that lit up her eyes the most was A Leisurely Stroll in the Mortal World, led by the erhu.
Normally, the erhu was known for its sorrowful, melancholic tones.
Even in cheerful pieces, it carried a faint sadness.
That was the impression most people had.
But here—this erhu sang with the weight of an ancient battlefield, stirring her blood.
Even as a woman, Eden found herself fired up.
"Incredible…" she whispered.
She felt she might need to come to Mo Li for guidance more often.
And besides—she still had voiceover work to do for Honkai Impact 3rd.
Two birds with one stone~
Online, Eden's playful "卧槽!牛批!" post fanned the flames even higher.
As netizens flooded her comments with jokes and memes—
An unexpected repost from the official state media turned Liyue into a national phenomenon.
Even the government was praising miHoYo to the skies.
The shock among players was immeasurable.
In the past, video games had always been scolded by the authorities.
And now, the first studio to be praised by state media was… a small company that had only risen to prominence a few months ago!
[MiHoYo has done it. This time, they're really taking off!]
[For something this good, shouldn't they give us an S-rank Valkyrie selector?]
[It's just one painting, but I'm already hyped for Genshin Impact. Please don't let it be a letdown.]
[Same here. I hope they fully capture the beauty of Dragon Country's culture.]
[MiHoYo, give us a straight answer—when's the open beta?]
[Forget Liyue—just the gameplay innovations alone have me excited! Respect!]
[Tencent, are you watching? With all your resources, why can't you make something like this?]
[Tencent: …Why am I catching strays again?!]
That evening, Rita hurried to Mo Li's room to report the news.
Mo Li was stunned.
This world's gaming industry was still in its infancy. Many parents still held negative views toward video games.
For miHoYo to become the first developer praised by state media meant they had suddenly become the focus of national attention.
Naturally, Mo Li and the girls were thrilled.
"The promo did far better than I expected…"
But excitement aside, he quickly realized something:
Genshin's heat was now overshadowing Honkai Impact 3rd.
That wouldn't do.
"Rita, go get some rest. I need to post a couple of announcements."
After she left, Mo Li sat down at his computer and typed out:
[First of all, thank you for your support and love.]
[Genshin Impact's open beta is not far off. We are still in testing, but the release will definitely be this year. We promise it will not disappoint.]
[In the meantime, Genshin will be doing a collaboration with Honkai Impact 3rd before launch. This event will reveal many details about Genshin.]
[And yes—two female characters from the world of Genshin will join the Valkyrie roster during this collab!]
[Stay tuned~]
The moment this announcement went out, player attention finally shifted back toward Honkai Impact 3rd.
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