MiHoYo Headquarters.
A particularly unusual atmosphere hung over the entire company.
The lights in the building, from the lowest floor to the top, were still on in almost every department. MiHoYo now had, besides its core employees, a large number of regular staff as well.
Otherwise, with the company's current scale, even splitting Sunday and Aventurine into five each wouldn't be enough manpower.
Among all the busiest departments, two stood out the most.
They were the Global Strategy Conference Room and the Editing Room.
There were always people in the Global Strategy Conference Room discussing things, monitoring reactions on the net and calculating whether they needed to increase investment in certain areas.
Everything was to ensure that when Episode 4 aired, it would achieve the greatest possible impact.
Those people were practically drenched in the scent of money.
The Editing Room was equally brightly lit.
Furina worked through the night, making sure that every PV released during this period, as well as all promotional materials, had no issues.
At this point in Amphoreus' journey, everyone within MiHoYo had grown deeply attached to it. They also knew that this was the company's biggest investment and boldest attempt so far.
If they could help the company, they would naturally give it their all.
But beyond those departments, inside the employee lounge, there was an entirely different scene.
…
"Food's ready."
Blade stood in the open kitchen of the lounge area, wearing an apron as he expressionlessly brought dish after dish to the long table.
Ever since the amusement park barbecue party last time, Blade seemed to have found the hobby of his life.
Cooking.
And he had continued doing it ever since. It had to be said that Blade's talent in this area was absurdly good.
Very quickly, he built up a reputation within the company and gained a group of loyal fans.
Around the long table, a group of people sat there, staring eagerly at the dishes.
They looked like a group of baby birds waiting to be fed.
Naturally, March 7th was at the front of the pack.
She had already raised her chopsticks. Looking at the delicious spread before her, her eyes sparkled.
"Uncle Blade! There are braised pork ribs today! And sweet-and-sour fish! And… wait, what soup is that? It smells so good!"
"Kelp and pork rib soup." Blade's voice remained flat as his hands continued moving.
March 7th was about to ask something else when she suddenly saw that Stelle had already started eating.
She immediately stopped caring about anything else. Driven by instinct, March 7th instantly began a competition with Stelle.
The two of them stuffed their cheeks full like hamsters, their eyes focused solely on the food on the table.
"Stelle, you're so sneaky!" March 7th glared at her while chewing furiously, her words muffled by the food in her mouth.
Stelle glared right back and replied just as indistinctly, "How am I sneaky?"
"You stole food!"
"I didn't! I'm doing it openly and honestly!"
"Pfft."
Silver Wolf laughed from the side. "You two, that's enough. It's just a meal, why are you treating it like some kind of competition? It's not like you're playing a PvP game."
As she spoke, she picked up a piece of braised pork rib and carefully tasted it.
Mm. Not bad.
But when she reached for another piece, the plate in front of her was already empty.
"Ah?! No way…"
"I…"
Silver Wolf stared dumbfoundedly at the plate before her.
The plate that had just held more than half a serving of braised pork ribs now contained only a little sauce.
In her line of sight, Stelle and March 7th sat with their cheeks puffed out, chewing and swallowing with great effort while looking innocently at her.
Across from them, Sushang stared at Silver Wolf with an unusually intelligent expression. A large pile of bones sat on the plate in front of her.
And not only her. Even Hysilens, who had come from Greece with Phainon and the others and had only recently joined the company, was elegantly wiping her mouth. Yet the pile of bones before her was even larger than Sushang's.
"Chew chew… chew chew… Eat. Why aren't you eating?" After struggling to swallow the food in her mouth, Sushang curiously asked Silver Wolf.
"I… uh…" Silver Wolf gave a dry laugh and turned her chopsticks toward the plate of vegetables.
That large plate now contained only a few leaves and a single braised meatball.
Just as she was about to grab it, a pair of chopsticks reaching from the far end of the long table beat her to it, taking the lion's head.
It was Jing Yuan.
At this long table, his height advantage was on full display. With so many chopsticks flying around, Jing Yuan had no idea that Silver Wolf wanted that dish too.
After picking up the meatball, he did not hurry to eat it.
Instead, he broke it apart with his chopsticks, turning it into minced meat. Then he scooped up a spoonful and placed it over his rice.
The meat, soaked through with rich broth, mixed with the rice. Then he took a large, satisfied bite.
"Mmm~" Jing Yuan closed his eyes and let out a sound of appreciation.
He really knew how to eat. Silver Wolf stiffly withdrew her chopsticks and looked down at her bowl.
A bowl of rice. And a few lonely vegetables.
A realization suddenly dawned on her.
Who said this wasn't PvP?
And clearly, Silver Wolf, despite being skilled in all kinds of games, was playing like a complete bronze-tier beginner in this PvP match.
The real high-level players were March 7th and Stelle beside her.
Their chopsticks had already become afterimages!
Stelle picked up a piece of sweet-and-sour fish, only for March 7th to intercept it from below.
March 7th had just grabbed a piece of braised pork when Stelle's chopsticks snapped shut on the other end.
The two stared at each other. Their cheeks were round from being stuffed full of food, yet visible sparks seemed to burst from their eyes. They looked like two furious hamsters.
Across from them, Sushang, that big-brained genius, used the simplest and most effective method.
She swept every dish into her own bowl first, then slowly worked through it.
All kinds of food piled into a small mountain inside Sushang's bowl.
Such seemingly foolish wisdom. It simply did not look like a plan Sushang should have been able to come up with!
And then there was Miss Hysilens.
In this game, she was even more unfathomable.
She maintained an extreme level of elegance the entire time. Yet the bones and scraps piled in front of her only continued to grow.
Silver Wolf could not even spot her chopsticks among the countless afterimages flying across the table.
But somehow, before anyone else could react, this lady would always claim her own spoils from the chaotic battlefield.
There were plenty of dishes on the table. Certainly enough for everyone.
But perhaps because March 7th and Stelle were eating as though they had been reincarnated from starving ghosts, they had opened some strange and wonderful door.
At this table, eating had already become a battlefield.
The kind of atmosphere, the kind Silver Wolf only saw in short videos, when people attended a feast.
The rule was simple: whoever moved first got the food; whoever moved slow got nothing.
The strange thing was, even some of the older employees had joined the battle.
Of course, Himeko, and Kafka weren't eating quite as shamelessly as Silver Wolf and the others, but it was obvious that they, too, were enjoying the atmosphere.
Take Welt, for example.
At that moment, the corners of his mouth were slightly raised.
Holding his bowl, he wandered around the table, walking as he casually snatched a bite whenever he found an opening.
"Ah, forget it…" Silver Wolf sighed and began listlessly picking at her rice.
Just then, footsteps sounded behind her. A large bowl filled with all kinds of dishes appeared before her.
"Hm?" Silver Wolf turned around in confusion.
She saw Blade's face.
"Eat." Blade was as concise as ever.
Silver Wolf froze for a moment, then smiled.
Not bad.
She liked this feeling. Having the head chef personally make a special meal for her gave her the same cheating feeling she got from using hacks.
At that moment, March 7th and Stelle caught the scent of the food. The two of them sniffed wildly and followed the aroma until they found the bowl.
Their eyes instantly turned into stars, and two pairs of chopsticks shot toward it with lightning speed.
Clang!
Their chopsticks were blocked by a frying pan. Blade held the frying pan up to block them, narrowing his eyes at the two of them.
"No. This bowl is for her." March 7th and Stelle immediately began to throw a fit.
"No, no! Uncle Blade, you're playing favorites!"
"Why don't we get any?"
"Exactly!"
"I want some too!"
"Me too!"
Blade looked at the two little gluttons, who were just short of rolling around on the floor in front of him. Helplessly holding his forehead, he sighed.
"Fine. Wait a bit. I'll make more."
"Yay!"
"Uncle Blade is the best!"
"The number one chef in the world!"
Seeing that their scheme had worked, the two were overjoyed.
"You two really are bottomless pits. You're usually not this greedy. You look like starving ghosts."
Silver Wolf laughed as well.
But she didn't dislike this feeling. Maybe… this was what having a family felt like?
While the battle at the dinner table was in full swing, two people who had arrived late followed the smell of food here as well.
"If I'd known you were all here eating such good food, I would've come earlier." Aventurine looked at the leftovers covering the table and sighed.
"Looks like everyone enjoyed the meal." Sunday smiled gently beside him.
"I'll make you two something. Wait a moment." Blade happened to pass by them and said it casually.
Aventurine didn't stand on ceremony. He pulled over a chair, sat down, and immediately ordered.
"Do you have steak? Make me some."
"No."
"They finished it all." Blade replied flatly, pointing toward the several big eaters at the table.
"What a pity. Then I'll just eat whatever's available."
Aventurine smiled.
Sunday, on the other hand, didn't order anything. He simply took a bowl of soup and sat beside Aventurine, drinking quietly while keeping his eyes on the dinner table.
He didn't join in the noisy fun, but he seemed to enjoy the atmosphere greatly. There was a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips.
Just then, more people entered. It was the Amphoreus cast, who had just finished work.
Phainon, Hyacine, Aglaea, and the others.
"It smells so good…" Hyacine sniffed the air.
Meanwhile, Phainon and Mydei had already swallowed hard.
If one had to ask who these Chrysos Heirs liked spending time with most, there was no doubt about the answer.
Blade would win every vote. Because his cooking was simply too delicious!
When Blade saw another large group of people arrive, he knew that what he had prepared today definitely wouldn't be enough.
But he didn't find it troublesome. Instead, he felt a sincere sense of satisfaction.
"Alright. Wait here. I'll make more." With that, Blade returned to the kitchen and began cooking again.
Phainon and the others joined the atmosphere around the dinner table.
Everyone chatted together.
They discussed the company, Honkai: Star Rail, Amphoreus, and, of course, the satisfying reactions from the netizens.
Not long after, Blade made another table full of dishes and brought them over. Aside from a few gluttonous Emanators, most of the first group had already eaten their fill.
Phainon, Aventurine, and the others then began enjoying the food. Amid the sounds of eating, cries of amazement rang out from time to time.
"This is way too good!"
"Uncle Blade is unbeatable!"
And then, another new battle at the dinner table began.
…
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the long table was a complete mess, with leftovers piled up like a mountain.
Stelle and March 7th slumped in their chairs, rubbing their stomachs in satisfaction.
"I… can't eat anymore…" March 7th leaned back and stared at the sky, her eyes empty.
"I can still… eat one more bowl…" Stelle said so, but her body had honestly stopped moving.
"Your mouth is still acting tough?" Silver Wolf teased her from nearby.
The special bowl Blade had made for her had already been completely finished, and she was in an excellent mood.
As for Sushang across the table, she had already collapsed.
No one knew where she had found an eye mask, but she was wearing it over her face and sleeping soundly.
Truly a living pillow… Eat, then sleep.
No unnecessary worries, a true master of enjoying life!
Hysilens remained elegant as ever, holding a cup of hot tea and savoring it slowly.
There were more food scraps around her than anyone else, yet strangely, her stomach still looked the same as usual.
Jing Yuan held a cup of tea and drank it leisurely, occasionally glancing at the night outside the window.
Welt had also ended his guerrilla-style eating and returned to his seat, wearing the satisfied expression of an old man rediscovering his youthful spirit.
"Tea. It'll help with digestion." Having just finished his work, Blade brought over freshly brewed tea and poured everyone a cup.
His movements were still indifferent, and his expression remained unreadable. But everyone could feel the care and attentiveness behind them.
Mom!
Although it was completely inappropriate… For some reason, Stelle and March 7th always had the urge to call Blade "Mom."
Everyone began chatting. Naturally, the topic shifted to Episode 4 of Amphoreus.
"Episode Four will be okay, right?" March 7th asked cautiously.
As an actor, she knew that, in some ways, Episode 4 was even more aggressive than Episode Three, the episode currently setting the entire world abuzz.
"It will be fine." Sunday spoke softly.
"How so?" Everyone looked at Sunday.
"Because everyone is doing the right thing." Sunday raised his cup and took a sip of hot tea.
"The people in the meeting room are working on strategy. The PR department is preparing contingency plans. And the editing department are supervising the production to make sure every frame is free of problems."
"And we…"
He smiled gently.
"…are having a good meal."