[Honkai: Star Rail will undergo maintenance tonight...]
[Merging updates for Version 1.1 and 1.2...]
[Estimated downtime: 30 minutes. All players will receive compensation and update rewards...]
After reading the announcement, Guinaifen could hardly contain her excitement!
Her grin stretched from ear to ear—completely unstoppable!
"You two legends—[Zhao Camera] and [Account Banned]—you've done it!"
"Yu Ling must be panicking now!"
"That's why they're rushing an overnight update!"
"And not just one version—two at once!"
"This is amazing!"
"Xiao Guizi is still in the fight today!"
"Bringing you the latest game developments as they happen!"
"What's the connection between Dan Heng and the Imbibitor Lunae? Where will the Express Crew go next? What other hidden dangers lurk in the Luofu?"
"Stay tuned to Xiao Guizi's stream—we'll uncover it all tonight!"
The chat erupted in cheers, showering her with gifts like there was no tomorrow.
Knock knock.
A sudden sound at the door made Sushang, lounging on the sofa, snap to attention.
"Who's there?!" she demanded.
"Who am I?!" she pressed further.
"Oh! It's that guy!" Guinaifen recognized the voice instantly.
She rushed to open the door, beaming.
"Hey! Long time no—well, actually, not that long."
"What brings you here?"
Tatsuke smiled faintly.
"I've settled nearby. Brought you some local specialties from my hometown."
He handed her a small box.
"Wow, you shouldn't have! I was supposed to treat you to dinner!"
"We outsiders ought to stick together, right?"
"Right!"
"Well, I'll take my leave now. Got some errands to run."
"Bye! Feel free to drop by my stream later!"
Thrilled by the unexpected visit, Guinaifen eagerly opened the gift.
After streaming for so long, she was feeling a bit peckish. She took a bite of the biscuit inside—
"Huh? Wait—WOAH! So satisfying!"
Sushang stared in disbelief, then pinched her own face.
"Not just energized—my complexion looks better too! Like I've rested for a month!"
"Xiao Guizi! Are these 'specialties' some kind of miracle medicine?!"
Guinaifen carefully wrapped the remaining biscuits.
"I'll have to properly thank him later."
Returning to the stream, she declared:
"Alright, folks! Xiao Guizi is back at full power!"
"Since the update is still a while away, let's tackle another side quest!"
Chat exploded
"Xiao Guizi's energy is unreal! Love it!"
"Seriously, did you just get a makeover? Or is the beauty filter cranked up? You look even prettier now!"
"Gui's a top-tier streamer now—gotta keep up appearances!"
This time, she picked a side quest from Jarilo-VI.
After a heavy sigh, she unleashed her fury:
"Yu Ling, you heartless developer! Hiding all these knives in side quests?!"
"If I ever find you, I'll—I'll punch you really hard!"
The quest unfolded in Boulder Town's underground fight club.
A boxer, fighting to support his family, donned armor infused with Fragmentum energy. Though strong at first, he quickly deteriorated—yet kept donating his earnings. In the end, not even his body remained.
Guinaifen sat frozen, staring at the screen.
Then—
"It's update time!"
"Only 30 minutes of downtime—plenty to speculate!"
"Who's entering the banner? Yu Ling hasn't announced anything!"
"My bet's on Luocha. The rest? No clue..."
Suddenly—
"HOLY—!"
"Stop speculating! Yu Ling just dropped the official banner preview!"
"Did Yu Ling just turn into their own leaker?!"
Guinaifen's jaw dropped as she read the announcement. Goosebumps prickled her skin.
Who would be playable in this mega-update?
What would their skills be? How would they shake up the meta?
Then—the answer flashed on screen:
[Protocol Zero: Silver Wolf]
Not just Guinaifen—every player was stunned.
"The first banner isn't Luocha?!"
"It's Silver Wolf?!"
"A Stellaron Hunter?!"
"This early?!"
"I thought we'd have to wait way later for them!"
[Honkai: Star Rail – Silver Wolf Character PV: [A Bit Interesting]]
"A Stellaron Hunter PV?!"
"Is this even allowed?!"
Guinaifen's mouth went dry.
---
Aboard the Ship
Inside the cabin:
March 7th and Stelle sat on one side.
Silver Wolf and Kafka occupied the other.
All eyes were glued to their screens.
"The first post-update banner is..."
March 7th rubbed her eyes, then gasped.
"It's YOU?!"
Kafka leaned over Silver Wolf's shoulder, resting a hand on the table.
"How nice, Silver Wolf."
"I'm surprised Yu Ling released you this soon."
"Oh? There's a character PV below. Let's watch~"
"Might be... interesting."
March 7th whispered to Stelle: "Go get Mr. Yang! This video might reveal Stellaron Hunter secrets! We need intel!"
Stelle scratched her head. "Are not we... teaming up with them now?"
"Of course not!" March huffed. "We're just... temporarily setting things aside. As fellow gamers!"
To be continued…
Advance 1oo Chapters are up on my Patreon!
pat reon.com/AlphSenatus