boyutpedia Join us in Chapter 26 and witness the Golden Clan's journey to seek fire!
Join us in Chapter 26 and witness the Golden Clan's journey to seek fire!
The train is about to depart again. Xinghe and March 7th searched all over Ohma, but still couldn't find Qingyuan.
The words of farewell were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't find that travel companion with whom I could always share joy and who often said surprising things.
Xi Lian's figure slowly emerged in a quiet corner of the Styx River.
Qingyuan sat with her knees drawn up in a flower field, burying her face in her arms, like a bird trying to hide itself in its feathers.
"Qingyuan?" Xi Lian asked softly, her voice echoing slightly in the empty underworld.
"Hoshi and the others are looking for you everywhere, wanting to say goodbye. Don't you... want to go see her?"
Qingyuan's shoulder twitched almost imperceptibly, and a muffled voice came: "...Please, say goodbye to her for me."
I... I don't know how to face her right now.
Xi Lian sat down beside her, without touching her, but gently tilted her head, her hair shimmering with a memory-like light:
"Can you tell me why? You two are clearly each other's most important friends."
After a moment of silence, Qingyuan finally raised her head, her eyes reddening, her gaze filled with honest pain and self-loathing: "She is my most important best friend."
I used to think I was powerful and could take care of everyone.
But in the end, I realized that all along, I had been the one being carefully protected and tolerated by everyone.
She took a deep breath, her nails unconsciously digging into her palm.
"Now, I watch her forge such a profound and dazzling bond with you—with everyone in Onphalus—watching her truly explore, understand, and save..."
Such ugly jealousy actually welled up in my heart.
I can't wear a mask of "being happy for her" and smile as I say goodbye. So... can I be alone for a while?
"I see."
A familiar voice sounded from behind, calm yet carrying an unmistakable warmth.
Xing could completely understand Qingyuan.
If it were her, and she woke up one day to find Pam, Uncle Yang, March 7th, Danheng... all her closest friends looking at her like strangers, she would probably feel psychologically unbalanced.
—But I'll probably try to secretly paint the train conductor's hat pink first, and see if I can make the train conductor remember her through our bond?
Qingyuan froze, her face instantly showing panic and helplessness.
Xing emerged from the air beside Xi Lian—clearly, this messenger of memory had shared a glimpse of her vision "smallly".
She looked at Qingyuan, without reproach or question, and simply stepped forward, extending her arms—
Then he picked up the stunned Qingyuan and spun her around several times!
"Hey—! Put, put me down!" Qingyuan's exclamation was still nasal.
Xing gently set her down, placed his hands on her shoulders, and looked straight into her eyes: "I have always believed that your pioneering spirit has never changed."
Changyeyue: That's hard to say.
Even if you can't take care of everyone or even get on the train, then create your own life!
Let tomorrow be filled with hope and anticipation. Take good care of yourself and get well soon. We'll come back for you, okay?
Believe me, parting is for the next meeting. When you return to the train, we'll still be the same train crew for life!
These words were like a key, unlocking the last gate in Qingyuan's heart.
The tears she had been holding back burst forth, and she could no longer hold back. She threw herself into Xing's arms, hugged him tightly, and cried out loud.
"I know... I know I'm not you..."
You've never even met me...
She was sobbing, as if she were talking nonsense, her words broken yet passionate.
"But my feelings for you, my feelings for everyone, my yearning for 'pioneering'... will never, ever fade! Not even a little bit!"
At that moment, an incredibly strong thought exploded in her mind: This time, no matter what, I must leave Onpharos and get back on the train!
Nobody can stop me!
—The idea is good.
The reality is, she's facing the Great Xilian. Within Onphalus, you can call her Little Fuli.
Moreover, she herself is already an exceptionally powerful Memory Envoy. The light cones were all given to her by you.
"They will definitely heal you!" Xi Lian clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with unwavering determination and a gentle light.
"Until then, just stay here and relax! After you're cured, I'll personally see you off on the train!"
Qingyuan: "..."
She mobilized the speed of her hunting, the resilience of immortality, and the power of procreation within her, even conjuring up the phantoms of three divine lords to try to clear a path—only to be gently enveloped and suppressed by Xi Lian with a "sea of stars" woven from countless points of memory.
Did you turn it on, or not?
Finally, after trying all the "violent breakout" options, Qingyuan lay exhausted on the ground and began her classic routine: "crying and making a scene".
Of course, Xi Lian kept her around not entirely for "treatment".
On one hand, she needs to gather a larger amount of memory power to prepare for the "war of gods" that may sweep across the starry sky in the future.
On the other hand, she also sincerely hopes that Qingyuan can re-establish a deep bond with the Golden Descendants, so that this connection can become a light that illuminates each other's future.
Thus, the "Heroic Chronicles of Onphalus" project was officially launched!
"Invitation to the closed beta test of Onpharos Heroic Chronicles!"
Xi Lian reached out her hand to Qing Yuan, who was lying flat, her eyes reflecting a creative brilliance.
"Come, let's join the Golden Blood and write a brand new chapter in our story!"
Looking at Xi Lian smiling and reaching out her hand, Qing Yuan vaguely felt that she was glowing—although she did indeed have a soft memory light effect around her.
---
Act I: The Pathfinders from Beyond the Heavens Arrive
Qingyuan stood in the simulated train carriage, watching the scenery outside the window plummet at a heart-stopping speed, and instinctively grabbed the railing next to her.
Even if she really fell, not a single drop of her blood would be wiped away.
"Xi Lian! Isn't this falling speed a bit... too exciting?" she shouted to the phantom of Xi Lian beside her.
"Don't worry~" Xi Lian's illusory figure said in a relaxed tone, "The spear that Nicardoli threw was just a realistic projection of light and shadow; it won't really hurt you..."
"I'm not afraid of pain! I'm afraid of this roller coaster-like feeling of weightlessness!" Qingyuan said before she could finish.
Outside the carriage, Wan Di, who was practicing his "transformation into a level BOSS's ultimate move" in the distance, locked his eyes on the "unmanned" moving target, his arm muscles bulging, and threw it with all his might!
Om-!
A spear, glowing with golden light, precisely tore through the air, pierced the carriage wall, and with a "thud," pierced Qingyuan through, pinning her firmly to the carriage ceiling.
Qingyuan: "..."
She slowly lowered her head, looking at the spearhead piercing through her chest, then looked up at Wan Di, who was striking a cool pose after throwing the spear in the distance outside the window.
Xi Lian's illusory figure was also stunned; she hadn't expected there to be an assist.
"Wan Di! That looks like the set of Act I!" Bai E exclaimed.
The "Azure Kite," now pierced, transformed into a furious streak of azure light, "resurrecting" on the spot. It instantly swept across space and appeared before Wan Di, who had not yet had time to stop its attack.
"You bastard!! Don't you have any sense of public decency?! Throwing 'props' around on the 'set'!!" A fist wrapped in the power of the hunt slammed down with a whooshing sound.
Wan Di only had time to show a surprised expression before he flew out in an arc, just like Di Ting who was hit by the Star Chariot.
"Miss Qingyuan, please calm down! Please calm down!" Bai E rushed up to smooth things over.
He looked at the spear mark on Qingyuan's chest, which was rapidly being absorbed and dissipated by the power within her body, and asked cautiously, "Are you... are you alright?"
"Heh." Qingyuan patted her undamaged clothes, her tone chilling. "That's it? Physical attacks are basically ineffective against me. But—"
She suddenly raised her voice, pointing to herself: "It hurts so much! Doesn't psychological trauma count as an injury?!"
"I'm so sorry." Wan Di got up from the ruins in the distance, walked up to Qing Yuan, and looked calm.
"It was my fault. If your anger is not appeased, you may kill me several times to vent your fury. Here, death is not the end."
Looking into his eyes, which seemed to be ready to die and even carried a hint of "go ahead," Qingyuan felt a surge of anger, but a deep sadness suddenly welled up in her heart.
"What...what do you take life for? Like game currency that can be reset at will?!" Her voice trembled. "Fine...I'll forgive you this time. But don't let it happen again!"
She knew that in countless cycles of eternal rebirth, Wan Di had long been accustomed to enduring pain and death a thousand times worse than this.
It was this realization that quickly transformed her anger into helplessness and sorrow.
She then glared at Bai E beside her: "Look at them! They've all learned from you! They're all starting to disregard the value of their own lives!"
"Huh?" Bai E innocently scratched the back of his head, realizing that his attempt to smooth things over had backfired. "This... how did this get blamed on me again..."
"That kind of life is over. Now it's time for Onfaros' everyday comedy!" Qingyuan put her hands on her hips, trying to strike a "producer" pose. "Don't bring in that heavy, sad sense of fate! Keep it light! Keep it fun!"
"That's right, that's right!" Xi Lian's true form finally arrived, nodding repeatedly with a sweet smile. "Just like our dear Miss Qing Yuan, always full of energy and joy!"
"Who's your darling..." Qingyuan muttered, pouting. "The gacha pool is over and you still haven't gotten your second life! You're not as darling as our Taibu Master."
"Hmm?" Xi Lian tilted her head in confusion again, deciding to attribute this to Qing Yuan's unique "encrypted call".
In fact, Xi Lian had plenty of time to intercept Wan Di's spear.
But she assumed Qingyuan would simply block or dodge it, so she didn't make a move.
Qingyuan thought it was a harmless projection until she was stabbed through the heart and realized that someone was throwing something into the sky!
After this incident, Wan Di decided to find a cloud to practice on.
"Yes, that cloud." He threw the spear with all his might.
"Beep beep? Beep beep!" "Little Ika!"
"The underworld can't hurt anyone, right? Hmm, Xia Die is writing a novel."
"Polishia!"
...Finally, after receiving numerous complaints from inhabitants of the underworld, colleagues of the Golden Descendants, and even passing spirits, the project team issued its first official ban: Wan Di, it is forbidden to practice throwing spears anywhere.
---
Let's go back a few days.
Xi Lian used the great formation to carefully examine Qing Yuan's condition. The faint light of memories flowing from her fingertips entered her body and returned with complex information.
Xi Lian muttered words like "divine war," "power," and "protection" to herself, and finally made up her mind—she needed to expand her own power of memory and destiny.
As a unique being who ascended to a higher level due to the complete memories of Inompharos, she spreads and passes on the story of this world, and her power will be enhanced as a result.
Previously, after the release of the "Onpharos DLC" added to Qingyuan's game "Honkai: Star Railway", Xilian felt a clear increase in power.
This inspired her to come up with an even bolder plan: to create an immersive narrative game based on the "Heroic Chronicles of Onphalus".
Onpharos possesses a complete memory projection, but direct projection obviously lacks fun and interactivity.
Thus, Qingyuan became the chief tester, tasked with finding a balance between "absolute realism" and "game fun".
The testing process was full of "surprises".
For example, in the opening scene of Qingyuan's game, she controlled her character to run around for two whole hours, her legs were almost broken, but the scenery was still pretty much the same.
"This is insanely discouraging! They've reduced the journey to one two-hundredth of its original length!"
For example, in the cutscenes, Qingyuan's height doesn't match up at all, and the character seems to be interacting with ghosts.
StarCraft games feature a wide variety of character races with vastly different body types, and there are generally at least five versions of the common character models.
"Cut!" Qingyuan called out. "Teacher Tian, let's wait for Teacher Tibao to arrive. Even with the change of clothes, there's still a difference in temperament."
"Kotibo has a lot of screen time, right?"
The actress, Tian, adjusted her hat with a hint of distress. "Can't I just wrap up filming earlier?"
"Let's just record the first few scenes." Xi Lian pulled up the schedule. "After all, we plan to update in ten major versions, so the content needs to be polished."
"Alright..." Tian sighed, waved her hand to open a portal to the Hundred Realms, and disappeared into it.
After Xi Lian was promoted, she thoughtfully upgraded the powers of all the Golden Descendants. Now, the Hundred Realms Gate is a convenient and side-effect-free mode of daily transportation.
"Compared to this..." On the other side, Bai E collapsed onto the simulated grass in a "spread-eagle" position, his eyes vacant. "I've already re-recorded it one hundred and fifty-two times. I'm exhausted, I can't rise again."
"No," Qingyuan walked over, her small body bursting with amazing power, and grabbed the tall Bai E. "According to my perception, your stamina is clearly still very abundant."
Don't try to slack off, this is only the first act! Get up!
"Ahhh... why did Bai E, who was once so sunny, reliable, and courageous in taking on responsibilities, turn into this...?" Qing Yuan couldn't help but facepalm.
"Alright, Qingyuan," Xilian said with a smile, trying to smooth things over. "Anyway, the game hasn't been officially announced yet, so the schedule is very flexible."
Bai'er, you should rest today. We'll adjust the recording order.
And so, Qingyuan began her unusually "fulfilling" life as a game tester.
The actual recording wasn't done in chronological order; it depended entirely on which of the "golden actors" were available. She soon discovered that the biggest challenge in her work wasn't bugs, but rather Bai Er.
This once-proud hero seems to be going further and further down the path of "slacking off," reaching a level of perfection that is almost at the point of being able to meet the Azure Sparrow and be promoted to the rank of Commander.
"Miss Qingyuan," Bai E whispered to Qingyuan, who was checking the script, from under the simulated shade of the trees, "Look, this 'sun' is so big, it's not good for the data body's skin to be exposed to it for so long."
If someone suffers from heatstroke, would that be considered a "work-related injury"? We should increase the number of "reasonable rest periods."
"That's because this area was specially highlighted by Feng Jin. Get up and record it..."