When it came to outfits and body types, quite a few people present were clearly very interested. But only a few dared to truly engage in the topic—every time it came up, some of them couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat.
Fu Hua was the first to feel it. But not the only one.
Right now, though, what she paid more attention to was the fabric of the outfit in her hands—and the clothes she was wearing.
After trying on the outfit, she gently touched the fabric and sensed the aura it gave off around her body. After a long moment, she murmured quietly:
"Truly… miraculous."
This feeling reminded her of the aura one gets after being affected by Honkai energy. Even though her internal energy hadn't changed at all—she didn't feel any stronger—it still stirred something in her.
And definitely not some illusion about suddenly getting taller or anything like that.
On the other side, Luo Mo didn't seem to notice Fu Hua's reaction—or rather, he couldn't. He was far too busy using every brain cell he had to calm down the furious Kongming standing in front of him.
He'd tried all kinds of methods, but in the end, the best he could do was force a smile and refuse to let go of her hand—no matter what.
If they were somewhere private with no one around, maybe he could've taken more… drastic measures.
But here? Surrounded by people? With Kongming's paper-thin pride on the line?
Yeah. If he actually tried to hug or kiss her now, he'd definitely be digging his own grave.
"This whole situation… don't you think it just screams cheap drama?
Boarding the ship Luna, and not even a proper welcome?" Kongming muttered, flaring her nostrils with an indignant huff.
"Besides, it's not like I'm some unreasonable person! Why would I throw you into the supply closet, huh? Right?"
She looked at him with big, aggrieved eyes, voice filled with indignant righteousness.
Luo Mo bowed his head obediently, nodding with guilt. The truth was… she was right, and he had messed up first.
"You're just sounding more and more unsure of yourself, Miss Kongming," said Irene smoothly, watching with quiet amusement.
"Let's not forget—last time, you rearranged your own room so you could be next to Miss Luna.
I think… we can guess why now."
"It's not like what you're saying!" Kongming quickly shot back. "It's not like I wanted to live with three versions of Theresa!"
Irene chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the whole situation. She wasn't as aggressive as Bronie, but she also knew exactly when to throw in a sharp little jab.
"...Ugh."
Kongming shut her mouth, her brow twitching. She didn't respond immediately.
Had she just… given herself away?
"So you were spying on me back then?!"
Luna, suddenly realized the truth. She pointed an accusing finger.
No wonder she'd always felt like something was off!
"Calling it 'spying' might be a little harsh.
But can you honestly say you didn't sneak down the rope at night to meet up with your little Human boy?" Irene raised a brow.
"Hmph!"
Luna turned her head away with a pout, refusing to answer. But her reddened cheeks betrayed everything.
She hadn't gone that many times.
They hadn't even spoken that much.
And worst of all—she had never succeeded in what she went down there to do.
After discovering this "new method," Luna had gotten addicted. Every time she couldn't sleep, she'd quietly sneak down to see what Human" was doing.
Of course, the most important part… was to make sure no one else was stealing her food.
They'd run into each other so many times like this, and whenever they did, both would awkwardly lock eyes… then silently retreat to their own rooms.
If Luo Mo had access to more detailed data, he might've noticed just how often it happened.
Even though both of them only went out 10 times or less each month… they still managed to meet nearly 5 times.
-----
Time passed quickly — in the blink of an eye, a whole month had gone by.
The Luna scenario had brought many to tears, and it also caused some trouble for the current Honkai III player base. Around this time, well-known figures from prestigious companies had grown scarce.
With Schicksal's guidance and the players' enthusiasm, Honkai III had now truly made a name for itself. The number of users had reached a peak — but along with that came a bottleneck. Further growth was difficult, especially in terms of emotional engagement.
Unless they introduced game-changing characters like Himeko or other Flame-Chasers figures with weight, there wouldn't be a significant breakthrough.
But the protagonist obviously wasn't disposable. If one was "sacrificed," it would leave a permanent hole. Moreover, future storylines had already been carefully planned — it wasn't something you could just scribble down on a whim.
Luo Mo expressed deep regret about this.
Still, seeing how players were basking in the emotional resonance of the story, he didn't feel the need to force the narrative into tragedy. For example, by throwing in a collapse or a mass reunion in the underworld — that kind of thing should be saved as a last resort.
During this month, reality had gradually returned to order. While everyone enjoyed the richness of life, there was a subtle sense of pressure building underneath.
Even though no one wanted to break the cheerful daytime atmosphere, behind the scenes, everyone was working hard, sweating through their training, and seeing the results slowly come to life.
If we compare that hidden pressure to the night, then surely there was someone in the shadows putting in silent, diligent effort — a model employee, even.
-----
St. Freya Island — MUHoYo HQ
Late at night, one light still shone in the executive office. Its warm glow cut through the darkness.
Su Lu sat upright at her white desk, wearing a pair of slightly fatigue-tinted glasses. There was a trace of that sharp professionalism in her manner — like someone who had long adapted to a high-efficiency work rhythm.
Every now and then, the rustling of turning pages could be heard. She was fully absorbed in sorting out the necessary documents for the next part of the story.
Of everyone besides Luo Mo, she probably understood the upcoming content best. He had always made sure she got early access to each major script update.
Originally, she had some reservations about her involvement in Honkai's storyline — since she didn't truly belong to this world. She had to evaluate things more cautiously.
But ever since she became the "Herrscher of Domination," all those worries had lost their meaning.
Thanks to a certain boss's mischievous, black-hearted whim, she was once again tossed back into student life at St. Freya Academy.
Although she was often teased by the people close to her, and even the dean herself started doubting her own life choices during the academy's chaotic development, this academy — whether for Herrschers or Valkyries — still revolved around teaching knowledge of the Honkai.
So... she learned a lot. Including a deeper understanding of her current state.
With that knowledge, she could now grasp the game's script as a whole — no longer needing to tiptoe around anything.
Which meant, naturally, her workload had grown heavier.
...
At some point, the original trio of lead editors had faded into the background.
Now, the ones truly carrying the weight were Su Lu and Luo Mo
The other two hadn't actually left — in fact, they'd even recruited more writers — but their main focus had shifted toward spinoffs and side stories.
This was also a way for Luo Mo to engage more users through expanded content.
— Though it might just be because the other two editors simply couldn't handle the dark whirlwind of this "Black Crow" narrative anymore.
(T/C: I still don't know what happened to this world Otto editor. Did the Writer completely forgot about him or what)
"Next... the Stigmata Project... Does our world even know this plan exists?"
"And after that... Is that 'lone Hero who saves the world' is going to stand against us again?"
Su Lu rubbed her temples, a hint of dread in her expression. She leaned back in her cushioned office chair, picking up a cup of tea — a gift forcibly handed to her by her boss.
She had once stood opposite this powerful figure, and that made her even more aware of what it meant to face such a formidable "Deliverance."
Back when she fully awakened as the Herrscher of Domination, the existence of others around her made her hesitant, cornered — but then Kevin had appeared, leaving her completely paralyzed.
That difference between them felt like a great, uncrossable chasm.
So now, when she saw in the future plot that he might become their enemy, her anxiety wasn't unfounded.
As she lifted her head from the overwhelming pile of documents, a string of thoughts began to flash through her mind:
Stigmata. Honkai. Herrscher...
Each of these terms had completely reshaped her understanding of the world.
Unknowingly, she had already become one of "them." A real part of that world — a Herrscher, and a terrifying one at that.
Now that she thought about it, it still felt like a dream.
"Damn boss… lately he's been slacking off even at work. He clearly said we're approaching a critical point for launching the next version… yet just one phone call from the other side and he disappeared…"
"Sigh… looking at the moon with her—he actually dared write that kind of storyline. Once he returns, who knows what sort of hellscape he'll face. Honestly, I really want to go take a peek. But... work…"
Su Lu grumbled softly but ultimately sighed, finished her tea, and bowed her head to continue working.
She had every reason to suspect that the Herrscher Core being sent over had been the boss's doing. He probably planned to overuse a good worker, and then strengthened the workload on top of that—classic capitalist behavior!
Speaking of which, for someone known to be cold and intellectual, Luo Mo had been working for quite a while. The main story's direction and its general flow both depended on him—if not, things could easily veer off course. Besides, people needed things to do. No one wanted to watch him and Luna cling to each other at home all day.
That's why she dragged him to the company to help complete the game's content. In her words:
"If you're going to use a game to save the world, shouldn't you hurry up and save it already?"
No one could argue with that. So he accepted everything with a mix of pain and joy, and in the meantime, secretly wrote down a bunch of quirky material. For example:
"counter-force imperial daughter" transmigrates into Honkai Impact 3.
A golden legendary summon turns out to be a cup-noodle fairy that's actually a world-sustaining deity.
The Consciousness Herrscher begins a brawl with the 13 Flame-Chasers.
The idle Empress and the Lightning Herrscher both awaken to see who can strangle the other first…
All sorts of stuff.
Most of these were just discarded drafts, destined to be thrown in the trash bin. Only a few parts—related to a future Genshin x Honkai crossover event—sparked a bit of real interest. But even that was just early preparation, a backup draft at best.
In short, he was just really bored. Bored enough to assign extra staff to build a few Genshin models and sketch out a couple of scenario scenes in advance.
But none of that really mattered.
Honkai's world wasn't over yet.
What he wrote stemmed mostly from his own sense of duty. He was waiting on others' progress. Music wasn't an issue thanks to Eden's help, but for animation and visuals, the artists still needed guidance and deadlines.
Also, the team's script updates had become so frequent that the outside world thought their company didn't even take holidays.
In truth? They really didn't.
After Luna's storyline, Luo Mo's relationships with most of the people at the mansion suddenly improved, but with that came a fair share of new troubles. Sometimes, it meant he couldn't even accompany Su Lu during late-night overtime.
But a qualified employee should know how to work overtime on their own, not always needing the boss to supervise.
Su Lu's deep love for the game clearly pushed her to keep going—but even she didn't know how much longer that passion would last.
No one knew exactly what time it was when the office lights—those stubborn lights that seemed determined to burn until dawn—finally dimmed. Darkness took the opportunity to seep in, filling every corner with its quiet hues.
The night breeze, cool in the shift between spring and summer, gently tapped the windowpanes. The whispering wind kept Su Lu company as she softly exhaled in sleep. She had set up a simple bed in her office. As a Herrscher, perhaps she didn't need rest—but her old habits remained.
Outside, the lights downstairs still burned, illuminating the dreams that had yet to awaken.
---
As ink-dark shadows slowly blanketed the world, and the midnight tide crept over everything, deep underground, in an obscure corner of the earth…
A seed began to sprout.
It was… a consciousness.
A simple one.
One newly born, still shrouded in ignorance.
It seemed to have been born with the times. No one knew if it had arrived by chance, or if someone had deliberately sent it here—on this small island called St. Freya, in a place no one was meant to find.
It was lucky.
The moment it opened its "eyes," it was surrounded by abundant nutrients.
It was naive and newborn, acting purely on instinct.
It was small, but eagerly absorbing every bit of data around it.
It didn't know much.
But that didn't matter.
"I… I… who am I?"
"This… Honkai… what… is it?"
In the vast and shadowy chamber, faint blue and green lights flickered. They illuminated rows of neatly arranged mechanical arms. On each one were rows of black boxes, all connected by endless cables, pumping data and resources into some unseen, massive engine.
If data could be visualized, you'd see countless azure streams surging toward a supercore processor, with thousands of data points racing through every second—like ocean waves lifting countless droplets, then slowly settling… until only one rose to prominence.
This was the data center of Honkai Impact rd3.
It stored all in-game content, and connected to the external network.
And that's where it was born.
By instinct, it devoured the flowing data around it—it tasted like delicious food, and was also the method by which it sustained itself.
In that ocean of data, it began to learn.
Seeking knowledge...
That was instinctual.
Especially when it helped it survive.
But then… it grew frightened.
"I… am Corruption itself?"
As it absorbed more and more, memories flashed through its mind:
Valkyries. Honkai. Kiana. The Elysian Realm. That woman—Elysia…
It was a world full of human stories. It didn't understand everything, but the story was compelling enough.
Eventually, it realized...
It aligned almost perfectly with a certain character in the story.
A villain.
Even though it didn't understand why that character was a villain, and it didn't believe that person had done anything wrong.
But still...
"That's… not necessarily bad. At the very least, this place must be important to them."
It whispered to itself.
Gradually, its form became humanoid—still hazy and illusory, but now clothed in elegant garments, with long hair shifting between green and violet, and a faint, mischievous smile at the corners of its lips.
Out of some unknown affection, it chose this appearance as its own.
(T/C: Again with Ellie's form. Tch tch. Also, who send her? Honaki's Will? Caccon?)