"Master, now can you tell us why you've returned?"
Deep within the roots of the Ambrosial Arbor.
The battle against the Phantylia had already concluded.
With so many people gathered here—each belonging to different factions—it was impossible for them to simply disperse like a gaming party after dividing the spoils.
None of these individuals were easy to handle...
Naturally, the responsibility of presiding over the aftermath fell to Jing Yuan.
In the original storyline, after this battle, he would have been severely injured and unable to manage further affairs.
But now, with the script altered, he had ample time and energy to deal with the ensuing issues.
"Since the four of us are gathered, we can't just leave out that one person, can we?"
Jing Yuan remained silent.
Of course, he knew who Jingliu was referring to as "that one."
"Fine. Considering your assistance in helping Xianzhou' defeat the Phantylia, I'll allow it."
"However, after meeting her, you and your golden-haired companion must explain the purpose of your visit clearly."
"I promise, Jing Yuan."
For now, the matters concerning Jingliu and Luocha were resolved.
Jing Yuan then turned his attention to Kafka and Silver Wolf on the other side.
Kafka smiled faintly, shrugging with an indifferent tone.
"General, you should already understand our intentions, no?"
Jing Yuan nodded.
Initially, he had indeed doubted the motives of the Stellar Hunters.
But as the game's storyline progressed and events unfolded in reality, those suspicions naturally dissipated.
In fact, one could say the Luofu now owed the Stellar Hunters a favor.
Seeing Jing Yuan's acknowledgment, Kafka gave Silver Wolf a light pat on the shoulder.
"What a show that was. Let's go, Silver."
"Blade still needs to revisit his past here in Luofu."
"Next, it's just the two of us."
Silver Wolf was about to close her game interface when March 7th suddenly appeared beside her.
"Uh… wanna add each other as game friends?"
"Sure, why not?"
Silver Wolf revealed her ID, letting March 7th send the request. Then, with confidence, she added, "When I post character guides, remember to check them out."
"Got it! I'll be waiting!"
March 7th grinned and waved, as if they were the best of friends.
Meanwhile, Stelle turned to Kafka.
"See you next time, Kafka."
"Once your banner drops, I'm pulling for you until max constellations!"
Kafka: "Sounds good."
"Just make sure to put me in the first slot of your team."
"Good luck on the rest of your journey~"
The others nearby were stunned.
Since when did the Astral Express and the Stellar Hunters get so close?!
Why does this farewell feel so reluctant, like they're parting ways after a reunion?
Even Welt Yang looked emotional.
Ever since this game was released, their relationship with the Stellar Hunters had changed significantly.
Soon, they might even form a group chat together—something like Stellar Hunters: One Big Family.
"Alright, enough of this."
"You've probably already learned about our experiences on the Luofu through the game's storyline."
"Thanks to the game, everything in reality has become simpler and more straightforward, with fewer misunderstandings and complications."
"Honestly, so far, this game has genuinely made things better."
As Kafka and Silver Wolf prepared to leave, Jing Yuan suddenly spoke up.
"Young hacker miss."
Silver Wolf turned back reluctantly.
"What now? Something else for me?"
"Nothing major."
Jing Yuan smiled warmly, rubbing his hands together.
"You recorded the battle just now, didn't you?"
Silver Wolf raised an eyebrow.
"What? General, you don't want me taking this footage?"
"Of course not."
"The Luofu conducts itself with honor. There's nothing to hide. Besides, Honkai: Star Rail will eventually reveal everything we've done here."
"I just… want a copy of the recording."
"This is a great victory. The Luofu's official channels should be the first to report it."
Silver Wolf smirked.
"So, what you're really saying is—you want to show off that combo move you guys pulled?"
"Fine, here you go. Just post it soon, or I'll leak it first."
Jing Yuan checked his Jade Abacus and nodded in satisfaction.
"Thank you."
"Yanqing, I've sent you the footage. Coordinate with the Divination Commission for the official release."
"Understood, General!"
---
Divination Commission
Fu Xuan was organizing intel on the remnants of the Sanctus Medicus Secret Order.
After a swift and decisive crackdown, the remaining factions of the order on the Luofu had been eradicated—only scattered stragglers remained.
Through divination and observation, Fu Xuan planned to eliminate even these minor threats.
Just then, her Jade Abacus pinged with a new message—from Yanqing.
A video file, along with a report on the battle against the Phantylia.
After watching, Fu Xuan revealed a small smile.
"Jing Yuan, you all work fast!"
"Here I am just wrapping up the subplot, and you've already taken down the main boss?"
"And judging from the footage, it looks even easier than in the game's storyline?"
"Jing Yuan didn't even get injured?"
"What's going on, Phantylia? Are you even trying?"
"Guess my succession as General will have to wait a bit longer."
Fu Xuan quickly drafted an official bulletin, pairing it with the video before publishing it on the Luofu's official channels.
(Note: Some segments involving Jingliu and Blade were edited out—given their sensitive statuses, the focus remained on the Luofu's strength.)
Soon, Luofu's media outlets swarmed like piranhas to the scent, rapidly reposting the bulletin.
[Luofu Gossip: With the Nameless' Aid, the Emanator of Destruction Falls!]
[Xianzhou Reports: Footage from the Divination Commission shows General Jing Yuan wielding the divine might bestowed by the Arbiter to strike down the Emanator of Destruction Phantylia…]
[Divination Headlines: Through the combined efforts of General Jing Yuan and the Nameless Dan Heng—under the leadership of the Master Diviner—the Emanator of Destructions plot to destroy Xianzhou has been thwarted.]
Comments flooded in beneath the reports:
"Xianzhou OP! Luofu OP!"
"Scared me for a second! Thought Xiao Guizis weekly boss run got reported by official media—turns out this actually happened IRL!"
"That's an Emanator of Destruction! And the General took her down without breaking a sweat? Since when was Luofu this strong?!"
"Why's this happening so fast? The in-game story just reached this point, and we already have victory reports?"
"Obviously, General Jing Yuan was following Star Rail's plot to set up the battle. Just like with the Sanctus Medicusi purge, he used the info advantage to prepare and win!"
"Why does Phantylia look so weak here? She got one-shot by Jing Yuan and Dan Heng's combo? In-game, it was way more intense!"
"Well, it is a game. Can't be 100% realistic. The devs gotta make it dramatic for hype!"
"Our General's even stronger than I thought."
"Pulling for a maxed Jing Yuan now—guaranteed wins!"
To be continued…
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