The Interastral Peace Corporation was indeed the best choice if he only wanted to promote the game.
With that in mind, Lin Guang replied through the Official Account.
[Hello, we are indeed interested in cooperating with the Interastral Peace Corporation. We hope to receive your company's promotional support. May I ask what conditions your company has for reaching a partnership?]
Seeing the reply, Wilson was delighted.
He had investigated the other party's company beforehand, but had been unable to uncover any useful information at all.
In the end, he could only send a private message and try his luck. He had never expected the other party to actually read messages sent by followers, so he hurriedly replied.
[It is an honor to receive your reply. May I ask how I should address you? The Corporation hopes to arrange an in-person discussion with you. You only need to provide a galaxy coordinate, and the Corporation will dispatch a dedicated fleet to pick you up and escort you, ensuring your safety.]
Lin Guang frowned when he saw the message.
[My surname is Beng. I am not considering an in-person meeting for now. If the Corporation has any demands, you can state them directly.]
You want to dox me and harvest my kidneys, huh? Ensuring my safety, my ass! As if I'd believe that!
Melson tried to explain himself, but after sending that message, Lin Guang went back to playing dead.
This was what high-level tug-of-war looked like: plain and unadorned. Seeing that Lin Guang had not replied, Melson gradually began to grow anxious.
He had seen this deliberate refusal to reply plenty of times. Even that name was probably made up on the spot. But his superiors were pressing him hard, so he could only lower his head first.
[Mr. Beng, we are actually very interested in the game your company has developed. That is why I was asked to contact you personally. There are countless game companies that normally seek commercial cooperation with the Corporation, but they merely want to use the Corporation's scale for promotion.
But what can such partnerships bring to the Corporation?
If it wished, the Corporation could even make a Piggy Bank gain ten billion followers. There is absolutely no need for us to cooperate with outsiders.
Do you understand what I mean, Mr. Beng?]
Reading this, Lin Guang felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
Asking what I could bring the Corporation?
Are you trying to gaslight me?
Melson's words were indeed meant to secretly diminish the other party's standing, making it easier to raise the conditions that followed.
[The Corporation is not short of money. We can even waive all distribution fees for this cooperation. However, you must provide the Corporation with your game development technology and open the game's data interfaces. Of course, we merely wish to ensure the Interastral Peace Corporation has a positive image within the game. We will not interfere excessively with your game's content.]
Melson stated the Corporation's goal for this cooperation. They not only wanted to master this special method of using games to record reality, but also wanted control over the game's content.
They claimed that they merely wanted to ensure the Corporation's image. Not a single word of that was trustworthy.
"Ah, I knew reaching a partnership with the Corporation wouldn't be so simple."
Lin Guang sighed helplessly. There was no need to even consider those conditions.
His first negotiation with the Corporation had ended in failure.
When the other party failed to reply for a long time, Melson initially thought he was considering it.
But as he waited and waited, staring hopefully at his phone, he looked like a statue waiting for her husband.
Yet sometimes, waiting did not bring a response.
"Did the guy on the other end die? Why isn't he replying yet?!"
Back in the game.
Once The Connoisseur released his video stirring up discussion about Seele, all kinds of video analyses ranking character strength began appearing throughout the community.
Other game walkthrough videos also began to emerge one after another, sending players into a frenzy of early-game exploration.
After the Main Story came to a temporary close, players continued exploring the game and uncovering more and more information hidden within the map environments.
Background bookshelves, side quests, even people turned into NPCs—every single one of them could actually be found in reality!
"Mm, marvelous, marvelous! To classify everything within it, allowing one to experience exotic scenery without ever leaving home—the developer truly possesses remarkable methods!"
On the Luofu Xianzhou, Jing Yuan was discussing the game with Fu Xuan.
Jing Yuan was quite interested in Honkai: Star Rail. After all, he had always possessed the heart of a traveler!
If he could successfully resign from his post as general, perhaps he would board the Star Rail Express, or become a Galaxy Ranger and travel the world in style with his pension!
Now that Honkai: Star Rail had appeared, Jing Yuan was utterly engrossed in it. His level was even among the first wave of players exploring the game!
Seeing Jing Yuan's composed, unhurried appearance, Fu Xuan could not help but remind him.
"General, although the Matrix of Prescience currently predicts no anomalies, as far as I know, the game's next stop is the Luofu Xianzhou. If the game fabricates and distorts the truth, would that not damage the Xianzhou's image?"
"Minister Fu truly plans ahead. With such a worthy minister overseeing the Divination Department of our Luofu, I trust that we will surely turn danger into safety and enjoy smooth sailing in the future!"
Fu Xuan was clearly already immune to Jing Yuan's stream of praise. She lifted her gaze toward him with a serious expression.
"General, I am discussing serious matters with you!"
Seeing Fu Xuan's earnest expression, Jing Yuan smiled and shook his head.
"The methods of this game's developer remain unknown. I have also sent people to investigate the origins of his background, yet we have found nothing. However, after much careful thought, I have come up with a response. It is merely eight words!"
"Oh? What brilliant insight does the General have?"
Fu Xuan was somewhat surprised, but Jing Yuan slowly spoke with a mysterious expression.
"Soldiers come, generals block them. Water comes, earth dams it."
Fu Xuan only felt that Jing Yuan seemed to have said something, yet also seemed to have said nothing at all.
"Hahaha, Minister Fu, there is no need to obsess over certain matters. I believe this game merely records what has happened. Besides, our Luofu has always been open and upright. Why should we fear others slandering us?"
Sensing the confidence in Jing Yuan's words, Fu Xuan could only let the matter go.
"Speaking of which, Minister Fu truly isn't willing to—"
Before Jing Yuan could finish, Fu Xuan already knew what he was about to say and cut him off.
"Among the Divination Department's unwritten rules of the Three No Divinations, there is one called 'do not divine for unrighteous matters.' If you want to calculate lottery numbers, market rises and falls, gacha luck, or anything of that sort, then forgive me, but this Grand Diviner refuses across the board."
Just as Jing Yuan was about to fool... ah, no, explain to Fu Xuan how important gacha luck was to the Luofu, his phone suddenly vibrated with a special-follow notification.
Had the game's Official Account released another Character PV?
A Different PV, Galactic Odyssey
Just as Jing Yuan was preparing to convince Fu Xuan how important gacha luck was to the Luofu, the game's Official Account released another PV!
Could it be related to his own game character?
Jing Yuan felt that possibility was unlikely. After all, Seele's Character PV had only been released not long ago.
He opened the game's official post in confusion and saw the name of the PV.
"Galactic Odyssey PV, Fables about the Starry Sky Vol. 1?"
The title was completely different from previous Character PVs, making everyone who saw it curious!
"Wow, the officials are dangling another huge carrot!"
"I wonder what it'll be this time. Judging by the title, it doesn't seem to be a Character PV!"
"Could it be some kind of future teaser?"
"They even specifically added Vol. 1. Does that mean there'll be a Vol. 2 later?"
The moment the video was released, it drew the attention of countless players, who set aside their Trailblaze around trash cans to watch the PV!
[Shall we make an exchange? An exchange of matters related to the stars.]
As a soft, melodious female voice emerged, solemn and majestic music began to play!
The next moment, the scene appeared within the galaxy. A beam of light illuminated the center of the pitch-black universe, while sand-like matter slowly flowed downward. It seemed alive, winding and twisting as it continuously changed shape and color.
That sand-like substance gave off an eerie radiance, reflecting the dreamlike wonders of the surrounding cosmos!
[I dreamed of a ray of light, a crystal goblet. That crystal light spoke to me: Please listen, to a fable about the stars.]
A black-gloved hand gently tapped a tarot card, its movements light and elegant.
[The nameless one, the fated one, came from beyond the wasteland, draped in the brilliance of the stars. Go, simply walk upon the solar wind. You will eventually return to my embrace, so long as you advance toward that light.]
A tarot card was lifted from the table, and at the same time, the background music began to swell!
[But that light began to burn, piercing through the clouds and becoming golden death.
The Tower toppled, and people fled,
For the sun was about to set, bringing savage destruction.]
A dazzling blaze swept across the screen. Within the illuminated space, a tall, naked humanoid figure gradually emerged!
From the savage, terrifying wounds upon His body flowed streams of brilliant golden light!
At that moment, the mysterious giant humanoid spread His arms and looked down upon you with an imposing, inviolable bearing!
Destruction Star God—Nanook!
The music then became slow and lingering.
[But Child of Earth, do not be alarmed!
An arrow of light shall arrive, purging wicked evils;
Follow its tracks, and pay homage to where the storm blows—]
A Centaur leaped high into the air. In his hand was a Giant Longbow that nearly broke past the edges of the screen. As he drew it to fire, a powerful current of air roared around him, as though the entire space had been shaken by his presence!
The Hunt Star God—Lan!
The music changed again. Short, short, short, short, long; short, short, long, long, long. The rhythmic droplets seemed to contain some hidden mystery!
Portraits of several Genius Club geniuses flashed before the viewer's eyes!
[Celestial bodies keep their secrets, while calculations connect the roots of all things.
Yet it remains silent, like the mist at the center of the universe;
Listen to the silence, and you shall know where the stars rest.]
Above those portraits of geniuses, a streak of red light emerged from an enormous supercomputer!
Erudition Star God—The Erudition!
A faint, melodious human voice seemed to chant softly. Then, a clear and pleasant ringing of bells sounded, beating with the rhythm of a heartbeat. Each chime carried a mysterious, sacred aura that made one unable to resist becoming intoxicated by it.
[Let the Trailblaze staff strike the earth, they say,
Tiny sprouts shall grow into towering trees,
And sweet rain shall fall from branches, driving illness and poison from you.]
The androgynous, thousand-handed body possessed smooth, natural lines. Its skin was fine and silky, giving off a faint luster, warm as white jade. Yet the eyeballs upon its arms added a hint of sinister wickedness!
Abundance Aeon—The Abundance!
The rhythm of the music slowed, bringing a vast sense of tranquility.
[Cover your eyes, they say,
And do not let the approaching darkness fill your heart with dread.
For it shall teach your soul to become heavy as lead,
And make your feet numb and powerless.]
Countless planets were drawn by invisible gravity, forever shrouded beneath the shadow of The Nihility!
Nihility Aeon—IX!
[Push open those solemn city gates.]
A mighty echo surged forth, deafening and thunderous!
[They say, pick up the lapis lazuli tablet.
Read aloud, know what the mud bricks are made from,
And know who laid the foundations of those walls!]
A vast, golden Amber body appeared, allowing people to finally see her full form!
Preservation Aeon—Qlipoth!
Before you continue