Whoosh—!
In just a brief moment.
The audience, having come to their senses, began to flood the screen with comments!
[Is this the weight of a livestream PV? The information density is still explosive!]
[Is there an uploader doing a PV analysis? There's work to do again today.]
[I say, what's with that final shot? Making a withered flower bloom anew—could it be that Old Kai is going to be resurrected?]
[Resurrect, my Stelle—!]
[How could the Author actually kill off the protagonist? Better to worry about the Chrysos Heirs than that!]
[Shaoji, tell me, why is Anaxa's chest cracked, why is Hyacine falling from the sky even with her wings open, and why has even Castorice fallen into the abyss?!]
[Holy crap, these visuals... it feels like the whole team has been wiped out?!]
During the intense discussion in the bullet chat.
Behind the screen, Xu Qiong had also gathered quite a few people to observe the livestream's activity.
"Little Gray Fish, are you thirsty?"
"Want some water?"
"Are you hungry?"
"Want something to eat?"
"Don't move, I'll feed you."
A gentle and elegant voice lingered in his ear.
"Not thirsty, not hungry, wait, wait, wait, Hysilens, Caesar is still here, this isn't a good look." Xu Qiong quickly waved his hands.
Looking down, Caesar was staring at him with a strange expression: "What's wrong with me being here? Are you and the Sword Banner Duke hiding something from me?"
"Uh... no, no." Xu Qiong waved his hands again.
"Hui Zi! It hasn't been easy waiting for you this time!"
Just as Xu Qiong escaped Hysilens's motherly clutches, he was suddenly put in a headlock from behind by the cat-girl.
"Stop, I... I can't breathe!"
Cipher was very excited because after waiting for two versions, she finally saw her own image and name for the first time in Version 3.2!
Wasn't that worth being happy about?
But the fact that the PV ended left Lord Caesar quite displeased!
She frowned and looked at Xu Qiong: "This Empress has always found it strange—so much time has passed, why is there still no sign of this Empress or the Sword Banner Duke?"
"And with the way you've designed this timeline, surely you haven't just decided not to put the two of us in at all?"
"Caesar..." Hysilens started to speak but hesitated.
Keluida crossed her arms: "Do you have something to say? Sword Banner Duke?"
Xu Qiong's expression froze.
Even Cipher, who was still holding him in a headlock, looked over.
"This..."
Xu Qiong glanced between the two of them, and from Hysilens's expression, he seemed to see a hint of conflict.
Oh, he seemed to understand why Hysilens was always so good to him now.
Either chasing after him to feed him water or chasing after him to feed him food.
As expected of Hysilens, her thoughts were truly delicate.
She probably feared that Caesar's temperament was something ordinary people couldn't accept, leading them to deliberately exclude or isolate her. So, she wanted to use this method to make it up to Caesar through him?
But was Xu Qiong the kind of person who would do that?
"Hysilens, actually, you don't need to be especially good to me just for Caesar's sake."
Keluida's expression became even weirder.
What do you mean 'for my sake'?
They really were hiding something from her!
Before Caesar could speak, Xu Qiong quickly explained: "Caesar, do you remember the place where we first met?"
"It's similar to the situation back then."
Keluida was stunned for a moment.
The first time they met was due to a 'Deliverer' prophecy from Tribbie.
But at that time, Xu Qiong had arrived in Amphoreus's past from the future.
Hiss!
Could it be?
After some deep thought, Keluida seemed to understand: "You mean, the subsequent plot has to return to the past?"
Cipher: "I think I just heard some incredible news!"
Castorice: "Is that a spoiler, Your Excellency?"
Cyrene: "Hee hee, I actually guessed it from the very beginning~"
Xu Qiong nodded with considerable satisfaction.
"So that's how it is, Little Gray Fish?" Hysilens pursed her lips, a strange light flashing in her eyes. "I thought you..."
"That's how it is, so just wait for now."
Keluida shook her little crown, half-believing him.
But just as he finished speaking, Xu Qiong was mysteriously attacked again.
Hysilens squeezed over and hugged him; just like when he was dragged into the water back then, he felt like he was about to suffocate!
"Wait, wait, wait, all of you let go of me—!"
Hysilens was thinking about how Castorice had once told her that hugging would shorten the distance between people, so she wanted to try it.
But for some reason, Xu Qiong didn't seem very willing.
Hysilens released him with a slightly apologetic look, then pressed a forefinger against his lips: "Thank you, Little Gray Fish."
"However... you guessed wrong. I didn't do this for Caesar; I did it because I wanted to do this to you."
"I feel that you are also an indispensable radiance in my life, no matter when!"
...
On the other side.
After watching the PV, both Himeko and Welt seemed lost in thought.
The only thing they had in common was that their solemn expressions seemed to have softened considerably.
"Miss Himeko." Black Swan's voice wavered slightly. "With this, you should be able to feel somewhat more at ease, right?"
"Fortunately, we waited until the day the livestream started, otherwise it might have led to an irreparable tragedy."
Himeko breathed a long sigh of relief and nodded silently: "Indeed, Miss Black Swan."
Evidently.
In the final scene of the PV, Stelle was lying in Castorice's arms, seemingly unharmed.
Just as the voice-over had said, she had indeed died at the beginning, but now she was being born anew!
If that was the case, then combined with the previous plot, it was highly probable that Stelle or Castorice had passed the Trial of Death, thereby saving Stelle's life.
Himeko prepared to share this news with Welt again and discuss their subsequent strategy with him.
As for Black Swan, who was watching the livestream, her expression shifted in slight surprise.
"Hmm?"
...
That's right.
The bullet chat hadn't been discussing for long when, following the end of the PV, the game producer made his appearance!
After explaining the situation to Hysilens and Keluida, the remaining few people gathered around the screen.
The image unfolded.
Starting with a treehouse courtyard, Xu Qiong was sitting inside.
"Regardless of whether stories of dragons are told in your worlds or not."
"In any case, good morning, good afternoon, and good evening to everyone!"
[He's really here! It's the producer, the game producer's first appearance!]
[Can we see his real face? Can the great Author see me?!]
Of course, that was unlikely.
It was impossible for Xu Qiong to appear directly; he had used the means of 'Rules' to censor his own image, but everyone could understand that there was actually a person there.
It was just that no matter what, they couldn't see his appearance clearly?!
As for Castorice and Cipher, both appeared on either side in chibi forms, with their movements synchronized with their real bodies.
"Welcome to the honkai: star rail Version Preview Special Program. I am the game developer."
"Hello everyone, I'm the main host for this time, Cipher!"
"He-hello everyone... I'm Castorice."
Chibi Cipher tilted her head: "Oh my~ why is the Woju Princess being shy? You're the lead actress of this version!"
[Guinaifen: It's the Author! It's really the Author. Although I can't see the person, I finally heard his voice!]
[Wow, is this Cipher also a new character for Version 3.2?]
[So cute, it's a chibi form. By the way, is the one behind it a voice actor or who?]
[Haha, maybe it's a passionate performance by the real Chrysos Heirs!]
In an instant.
All the major factions in front of their screens held their breath.
They desperately wanted to discern something about the game Author, but without exception, even though he was sitting right there, it was as if he were covered by something.
In the mist, no one could look directly upon his face.
If one had to use a metaphor: indescribable, undefinable, imperceptible!
On Xu Qiong's side, he was shocked the moment he showed his face on the livestream.
In just a few short minutes, he had actually received millions of network attacks?!
Is it really this crazy!