The players burst out laughing.
Couldn't hold it in—really, really couldn't.
To borrow a meme line: anyone who could resist was a god.
Normally, poses like this were tweaked from game models by fan creators.
But to have it in the game itself?
Even wilder, there was a save button under the photo.
The devs were practically shouting, "Save this as an emoji!"
Ah Xian wanted to check the community group for the other options but feared accidental spoilers.
Spoilers for who?
Leon and March, of course.
Safe to assume—
Their photos were probably just as goofy.
At the very least, they had emoji potential, or at least the options did.
"Who's DMing me Stelle's other two emoji shots for a peek?"
Ah Xian opened her inbox, waiting.
Soon, a flood of red notifications popped up.
She clicked one at random, getting the other two option photos, and nearly honked like a goose from laughing.
Quickly saved them and shared them in the stream.
The live stream's joy skyrocketed.
How joyful?
Picture the laughter in Kong Yiji filling the tavern with lively air—not far off.
[Insane scriptwriter, Yuzu chefs steaming goose hearts!]
[They get traffic and virality.]
Exactly.
Countless players saw that comment and nodded in agreement.
In the internet age, a fun emoji could spread like a virus.
Star Rail's launch plot quality was top-notch, and its hype was undeniable.
Dropping three protagonist emojis? Good luck not going viral.
[Leon's route is packed with bangers—so fun!]
[Why no male protagonist's emoji?]
[Caelus's is wild!]
Players compared and concluded:
The taunting face was a tie.
Stelle owned the friendly gesture. For the other one, Caelus edged out due to the contrast.
All were pure chaos.
Now, players' curiosity was fully hooked.
What would March 7th's be?
And Leon's?
March 7th handed the camera to Stelle.
"Here, you shoot me next. Let's test your photography skills."
Following the quest prompt, the camera framed March 7th, and she started posing.
A series of poses later, players weren't laughing.
Well, not exactly—more like smitten chuckles.
Every single pose March struck was, without exception, unrelated to riling anyone up.
Cute, cute, and more cute.
Seele, head full of question marks, couldn't fathom why these three were suddenly snapping photos. What were they playing at?
She wanted to head straight to the Machine Shop to find their target.
But she recalled Natasha's words before they left.
Leon was meticulous, methodical, and always left a fallback plan.
On the surface, they couldn't act rashly—follow his lead.
Seeing his calm demeanor, rushing probably wouldn't help.
Seele figured as much.
And she wasn't wrong.
Stelle sighed, "March, your poses are all cute. They don't fit Leon's requirements at all."
"Who says this dazzling galactic beauty has to change? Every frown and smile is naturally charming. Can't help it."
March 7th shook her head with a sigh, slipping into a slightly narcissistic tone.
Stelle's eyes glinted with mischief.
"How about I pick a pose and expression for you?"
March 7th shook her head. "No way. Your picks would definitely look bad. Leon, Leon, is a cute photo really no good?"
Leon: "…It'll do. A cute-style photo in that context could count as a unique taunt."
"So where's it going?" March 7th's curiosity got the better of her.
People not friendly to them?
It couldn't be for the Silvermane Guards or Cocolia, could it…
"On the wanted posters."
"Oh, wanted posters… wait, wanted posters?!"
"You heard right. We're wanted up here, and the posters are beyond abstract."
"…How abstract?"
"You'll see soon enough. You'll want to replace them yourself. How's that saying go…"
Leon let out a soft chuckle.
"Head can break, but hairstyle stays pristine. Wanted's fine, but vibes can't decline."
March 7th's face twitched. "Okay, I think I get it…"
Stelle: "Do three poses and expressions you think are your cutest."
Click—
March 7th raised both hands in a heart shape. Done.
Click—
Hands in a peace sign, winking with a flirty glance. Done.
Click—
Hands behind her waist, a sudden gentle glance back. Done.
① "Well, not bad."
② "Decent. I'll give you 9 out of 10. The last point's to keep your ego in check."
The three photos sent the live stream chat into a frenzy.
[Cute, cute, CUTE!]
[What 9 points? Full marks!]
[March wifey is the best, my true queen!]
[No time left, this'll do!]
[What's the meaning of the universe's birth? What do we live to pursue?]
[Getting cocky already?]
"The photo style seems tied to the character's personality."
Ah Xian spotted a likely pattern.
"The protagonist's a bit cheeky, a bit joyful, and as the player's avatar, can fit any style."
"March 7th's just pure cute, the straight-man comic relief and mood-lifter."
"As for Leon… hehe… we'll find out soon."
Stelle turned the camera. "Your turn, Leon."
Leon: "You pick the style. Let's see if I can pull it off."
He wouldn't take charge at this moment.
Giving players the choice maximized benefits.
The progress bar wasn't visible, but faith mattered—it tied to how much of his past power he could tap.
① "Do a goofy, joy-filled expression and pose."
② "Do a pose radiating sad, melancholic vibes."
③ "Do a captivating pose that'd make people scream."
By some whim, Ah Xian picked option two.
To her, Leon was always captivating.
But option two's vibe matched his Star Soul 6 image the closest.
Rarity breeds value, right?
Leon leaned against a weathered brick wall, his eyelids trembling slightly, as if bearing a thousand pounds of exhaustion.
Stray hairs fell messily by his temples, his lower lip pursed.
His gaze didn't meet the camera but dropped to the ground on his left.
A breeze lifted his bangs, and in the shadow of his brow bone, a layer of unshakable melancholy seemed to linger.
Suddenly, Leon unfurled a single wing.
Click—
Stelle instinctively pressed the shutter, capturing a photo that tugged at the heart, making breath catch.
No tears, no sobbing.
But the deep sense of brokenness silently told everyone—
His heart was already riddled with holes.
The single wing added a divine stroke to the image.
It took Ah Xian a long moment to snap out of it, realizing her heartbeat had skipped several times.
[This… this… this isn't right!]
[You call this sad and melancholic? It's even more gut-wrenching than the Star Soul 6 image!]
"…Don't scare me…"
A bad feeling surged in Ah Xian's heart.
That pose, that expression—could it be… a glimpse of Leon's real past?