"Ever since I came to the company, Auntie Himeko has always been the one leading me around. All I can do is follow her around."
Kiana puffed out her cheeks and said indignantly:
"With my abilities, I could've been on my own ages ago! I just haven't had a chance to prove myself."
"If I can make Himeko see me in a new light through the game, maybe she'll notice that I'm just as reliable in real life."
Kiana's calculations were so loud they could be heard from Sumeru all the way to Chang Kong City.
"Don't worry. You'll get a chance to show off later, and it'll be right in front of Himeko."
As for exactly what would happen, Ye Ming wasn't about to spoil it.
"Really? That's great!"
Kiana said excitedly:
"I can't wait to drag Himeko over to watch that part of the story! I'm so curious what her expression will look like."
Elysia Sect
"The first version is pretty solid. It can basically go into open beta now."
Early the next morning, Ye Ming made some final refinements to the initial version of the game and quickly achieved results even better than expected.
The technology borrowed from another dimension through the system was so advanced that calling it black tech would have been an understatement.
"It's time to build some hype for the game."
Ye Ming looked into the current state of the gaming industry. Blizzard Entertainment had withdrawn from Dragon Country's market, allowing Tencent to dominate the field.
But Tencent's size had made it arrogant. It often suppressed and copied third-party studios, leaving many gaming enthusiasts bitterly resentful of the company.
Everyone was waiting for a hero to break through the stagnant gaming industry.
"This stage was practically tailor-made for me."
The opportunity was rare, so Ye Ming immediately logged onto Bilibili and released the first promotional trailer for Honkai Impact 3rd.
He watched the video's view count climb from Bronya's age to Mei's age.
Then from Himeko's age to Theresa's age...
And when the view count reached Fu Hua's age, the hype broke past its critical point.
After receiving a massive number of one-click triple combos, its popularity began to grow at an explosive rate.
Check the gaming group! Hurry and check the gaming group!
Did someone post spicy pics?
What spicy pics? This is even more exciting than spicy pics.
Brother Jie, no!
That night, major gaming groups and gaming communities were frantically sharing Honkai Impact 3rd's promotional PV.
For players who had been desperately waiting for a new game, it felt like going vegetarian for three months and then running into KFC Crazy Thursday.
"Helios, this is Hyperion. Report your mission status."
As the woman's voice rang out, several lines of small white text appeared against the black background:
--It has been 2 years, 5 months, 16 days, 2 hours, 34 minutes, and 22 seconds since the outbreak of the Third Honkai.
"Reporting to the major: the target is invisible to optical detection. Risk level has risen to A. Requesting confirmation."
"Disable the hatch safety lock. Open the hatch manually."
"Helios has entered a constant-speed trajectory. Airlock depressurization complete. Voltage normal."
Though there were no detailed visuals, the radio dialogue alone painted an atmosphere of preparation high in the sky.
"Awaiting the Valkyrie's boarding!"
As the "Valkyrie" being summoned, Kiana appeared in the center of the screen in her White Comet Armor.
As the fierce wind swept up her white twin tails, Kiana flashed a confident smile and leaped out of the hatch.
Then the BGM grew more and more intense. Kiana plummeted through the pitch-black cosmos, pierced the clouds, and arrived in a twilight bathed in the setting sun.
Holy crap! That background transition!
Amazing! The CG animation is at least among the best in the industry!
And don't you think the visuals feel really comfortable? It's kind of like anime, but incredibly detailed.
At the time, Blue Star had no concept of 3D-rendered 2D animation, and the audience couldn't think of the right words to describe it.
No wonder this game video has so many views! The gaming groups are going nuts!
And the character is so cute! She's way prettier than the female trolls in Beast World!
Beyond the technical quality, what attracted players the most were the game's beautifully designed characters.
The anime fans, especially, had already started losing their minds.
"My heart has been taken by Honkai. Perhaps I will never know joy or sorrow again in this life."
"Pre-register for the game and receive the White Comet Valkyrie Armor."
"Awesome!"
"Six million views in twenty-four hours after the promotional PV went live?!"
The next morning, everyone in the studio looked at the backend data, nearly spilling coffee all over the floor.
"Ye Ming, did you partner with some major content creator for promotion?"
"No. The players pushed it up on their own."
"So this is what it feels like to be adored by players?"
As a gaming enthusiast, Bronya was trembling all over with excitement.
"Enjoy the feeling while you can. You won't be feeling it in a few years."
After all, that Alahato game she made would receive practically no attention...
"Ye Ming, come look at this."
Keqing, who had been collecting player comments, pointed at the forum and said with a smile:
"Anime fans have started calling our game the 'Honkai Sect,' forming some kind of strange religious organization."
"Is it really that exaggerated?"
"Of course it is!"
Keqing said excitedly:
"Before our game was born, all the anime-style games on the market were card games. Their combat consisted of character illustrations crashing into each other."
"A 3D action game like Honkai, with smooth combat and gorgeous visuals, was something nobody could have even dreamed of."
Seeing Keqing's delighted expression, Ye Ming couldn't help asking:
"How do you know so much about anime games? Don't tell me..."
"Ahem, don't misunderstand."
Keqing's smile instantly vanished. With a sternness like a Sichuan opera face change, she denied it:
"I merely researched popular culture as a market representative. It's not like I have any interest in anime stuff."
"The figurines on your desk..."
"They were gifts from a manufacturer we worked with before."
Keqing coolly stuffed the figurines on her desk into her bag. Just then, Kiana came bouncing over.
"Keqing, I bought the figurine you wanted. This one's a limited edition."
"No, no! I never asked Kiana to buy me a figurine. She must have gotten it wrong."
Her face flushed red, Keqing hurriedly explained herself to Ye Ming, while Kiana tilted her head and muttered:
"Huh? Did I remember wrong? Oh well, I'll give it to Bronya. She wanted one too."
"Waaah..."
Watching the figurine she liked get given away, Keqing nearly cried.
"By the way, speaking of that nickname, 'Honkai Sect'..."
Miyabi walked over and joined the conversation.
"Have you heard of the 'Elysia Sect'?"
"Elysia? Who wouldn't know her?"
The girls' knowing response left Ye Ming looking slightly dazed.
"Ely...sia...?"
The moment he heard that name, he felt dizzy, accompanied by a brief ringing in his ears. But he quickly returned to normal.
"Huh? Ye Ming, you don't know her?"
Kiana said in surprise:
"She's an incredibly popular perfect idol. As long as Elysia appears on camera, no matter what she does, she'll draw viewers from across the entire internet."
"Exactly!"
Miyabi said excitedly:
"Elysia just posted that she's really looking forward to our game. She even said she'll discuss it with everyone during tonight's livestream."
"Ye Ming, did you arrange a business collaboration with Elysia?" Keqing asked curiously.
"No. I didn't even know there was someone like her."
Whenever Elysia's name was mentioned, Ye Ming's heartbeat seemed to grow heavier.
"Come to think of it, isn't the livestream about to start?"
At six in the evening, it should have been time to get off work, but no one showed any intention of leaving.
The girls sat neatly in front of the projector used for meetings, eagerly waiting for Elysia to appear.
They really were all diehard Elysia fans.
"Hi~~ Did you miss me?"
Along with a playful, adorable voice, a pink-haired girl appeared, unabashedly showing off her cuteness.
"So this is Elysia?"
Looking at her elf-like long ears and her beauty like a crystal flower, Ye Ming's eyes widened.
"I feel like... I've seen her somewhere before?"
Would You Fall in Love with Her at First Sight?
Ever since seeing Elysia's face and hearing her voice, Ye Ming's breathing had grown more and more rapid.
"I feel like... I've seen her somewhere before?"
But who exactly was Elysia, and what had happened between them...
No matter what he did, Ye Ming couldn't remember.
He only felt that Elysia had once appeared in his dreams.
To the point that every smile and frown of hers gave Ye Ming a dreamlike feeling.
Before you continue