Such an opening immediately immersed everyone.
Mihoyo's visual storytelling, with just a bit of addition, becomes an excellent delicacy.
As the story continued.
The smiling merchant of Jarilo-VI, Sampo Koski, appeared.
-----------------------------
The humorous and witty performances, along with the interactions with the train crew, made the audience burst into laughter. Especially when March 7th made the remark: "Mind your own business about beautiful girls!"
In general, to the audience, Sampo seemed like an ordinary, cunning person. Smooth-talking and flattering, all for his own benefit. Especially after Gepard and the Silvermane Guards arrived. He vanished in the blink of an eye, further reinforcing the audience's views.
The story continued to develop. After a brief friction, Gepard, who finally understood the express crew's identity, was astonished by their extraterrestrial status. Helpless, he could only send them to Belobog and hand them over to the Great Guardian, Cocolia.
As they stepped into Belobog, the massive city amidst the snow-covered mountains and the prominent Qlipoth Fortress in the central region slowly revealed itself with a somber, melodious tune.
Xia Wen even took a few seconds to showcase the internal streets of Belobog: flower shops, mechanics haggling over prices, and people crying around certain ruined areas. The real history of Belobog was also revealed through Gepard's words: the Stellaron, the Anti-Matter Legion, Belobog's desperate counterattack, and finally, the blizzard that buried both.
This strange history made the audience feel an immense contradiction. As the plot progressed, the meeting between the train crew and Cocolia after entering Qlipoth Fort highlighted this oddity even more.
Initially, after the train crew proposed the theory that the Stellaron was the source of the disaster, Cocolia, as the Great Guardian, rejected their suggestion with rather poor reasons. However, this refusal changed upon learning that the train crew could seal the Stellaron.
Cocolia abruptly changed her stance, not only choosing to fully support the train crew but also preparing luxurious accommodations for them. All this changed after the train crew left. The voice of an unknown creature appeared, but its true meaning was unclear. Only Cocolia, facing the symbol of the city builders, slowly said, "Of course I understand. No need to rush. I have my own ways to deal with them."
…
Upon hearing this, the audience, who had been brainstorming, immediately perked up.
: Damn, I knew the highest leader of Belobog felt off! Turns out, this charming one has also betrayed!
: I was puzzled why Stelle looked back earlier. Don't forget! Stelle also has a stellaron inside her!
: Could it be resonance?
: Anyway, if the train crew kills Cocolia here, wouldn't that solve the problem?
: Dude, the express crew is about pioneering destiny, not destroying them!
…
As the audience discussed, the train crew left Qlipoth Fort, searching for clues about the Stellaron in the city while encountering some key characters, like Serval.
The story received more depth here. The heaters scattered throughout Belobog and the now-blocked underworld were vividly presented from the train crew's perspective. Initially, the audience saw Belobog hidden in the snowstorm as the last hope. However, after seeing the actual situation, their views changed.
Xia Wen incorporated many side stories into this exploration segment. Outside the Rift-affected areas, the Silvermane Guards were lined up, surrounded by ordinary citizens. Almost everyone's fortunes were trapped inside. In Belobog, where resources were already scarce, a sudden accident wiped out generations of accumulation and effort, regardless of their previous ideals and goals.
The Silvermane Guards' situation was even more tragic. For a command, even if it was a command without results, they had to sacrifice themselves. The Rift's erosion, currently irreparable, required normal measures like sealing, protection, and rescuing residents' property and production resources. However, the orders were to have the Silvermane Guards fight and battle monsters continuously!
At this point, the audience thought of Cocolia and the inexplicable order to block the underworld. It seemed someone was consciously eradicating Belobog's living forces, and the enemy was still inside! This situation confirmed Bronya's words when the train crew first entered the castle and saw her arguing with Cocolia while protesting "Such sacrifices are meaningless!"
Belobog, seemingly the last hope, was filled with stories of despair and sorrow in its unseen corners.
…
In the screening room, as the plot developed, all the people were discussing among themselves.
"In the script, Belobog's underworld citizens have always been in despair, and the underworld is especially tragic."
"It seems the boss here wants to tackle the issue from the bottom up," said Furina, sitting with Ayaka, who was engrossed in the show.
"Wow, Furina knows so much, impressive!" Ayaka clapped her hands, simply absorbed in the story without much thought.
"Ahem, of course! I'm quite capable!" Furina, flattered, puffed up a bit before continuing seriously, "Because I've been intensively studying the script these days. Apart from the story, you can still see a lot from the visual presentation."
"Look, at the beginning, even though the boss didn't name Cocolia as the final boss directly, the design could have been like a linear detective story. But since it's done this way, it means the boss intends to approach it from another angle."
"For example, through various detailed stories, to highlight changes, and finally, at the end, trigger a climax!"
Furina paused here, hesitated, and said, "However, although this approach makes Belobog appear more real and brutal, if the 'explosive points' are not enough…"
"The audience's emotions will have a hard time being vented, and the whole segment might turn out to be mediocre."
"Unless it can be as impactful as the battle with the Doomsday Beast."
"No, it needs to be even more shocking."
As a professional, Furina's critique distracted Ayaka's mind.
"More shocking than the Doomsday Beast's battle…"
"Is that really achievable?" Ayaka realized the difficulty and was very concerned.
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Author's little corner:
Spoilers about the 2.5 HSR Main Quest Line:
Was it just me or did anyone else think that the trailblazer was more of a background character here? His presence was even less compared to Jiaoqiu and Dan Heng. And there was a heavy focus on building up Yanqing? Is Hoyoverse thinking of a tragic storyline for Jing Yuan or something???
Just a guess! Please let me know if you guys also feel the same!!!
Seriously, Fu Xuan wants to make a complaint if that is the case.