"You wish to observe the storyline first before deciding?"
"Certainly," Jing Yuan responded understandingly, accommodating their request.
"Why not...watch together here? We can project the Yuzhao images onto the sand table, allowing for clearer viewing of both combat details and subtle clues on the map." He added, "Whenever encountering points of interest, we can discuss them collectively and strategize accordingly."
"As such gracious hosts, it would be impolite to decline your invitation," Old Yang replied.
"Uncle Yang, could your homeland be like a Xianzhou planet or something? How come using such refined language doesn't sound out of place at all?" March 7th remarked, surprised.
Old Yang did not explain further.
Under Yukong's arrangement, everyone took their seats around the sand table.
Together with Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan, they began watching the live stream.
The vast Palace of Astrum fell silent, akin to a movie theater atmosphere.
Everyone's attention focused on the unfolding plot.
In the top left corner, it displayed:
Current objective: [Cross Cloudford and catch up with the exploration team].
Dan Heng's inner monologue appeared:
"Little has changed since I left..."
"In my memories of Luofu, aside from darkness, this is the only place I recall."
March 7th couldn't help but glance at Dan Heng, seated next to her, catching only his cold profile. She desperately wanted to ask what exactly he had experienced in Luofu. Why did he remember only this dock apart from the darkness? Could it be that he never ventured outside from birth until leaving Luofu?
However, considering the presence of several influential figures nearby, March 7th knew it wasn't the right time for such questions. Instead, she continued watching intently!
Not far away, a girl and a man with long golden hair were trapped by monsters. The girl placed her hands on her hips and confidently declared, "Just stay put over there."
"Leave the rescuing to the professionals—"
The man, leaning against a large and intricately designed box, remained composed and calm.
Witnessing this scene, Streamer Little Gui Zi exclaimed incredulously, "Shangshang, am-I-am I seeing this correctly?! Someone really came to save Dan Heng... And that someone is—you!"
Li Sushang was momentarily stunned.
Rubbing his eyes and leaning closer to the screen, he exclaimed, "Aaaaaah, it's really me!"
"Mom! Look at me now!"
"I've appeared in a 'Star Rail' storyline!!!"
Watching the lively banter between the two girls in the Live Streaming Room brought smiles to everyone's faces.
However, Old Yang looked utterly terrified, as if he had seen a ghost!
Especially when the camera focused on the golden-haired man—his appearance and demeanor were unmistakably Otto's!
Old Yang's palms began to sweat profusely, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles.
Noticing Old Yang's unease, Dan Heng asked, "Welt, what's wrong?"
"These two...both...are my...acquaintances..." Old Yang struggled to utter these words.
"Huh?"
In the unfolding plot:
Dan Heng bravely stepped forward to assist Sushang against the Form Refiner from Medicine King's secret lineage.
This Form Refiner proved significantly stronger than ordinary Demonic Yin Bodies; its spear attacks even replenished its health!
Sushang's health bar quickly turned red, causing Little Gui Zi to panic frantically.
"Shangshang, you're about to go down!"
"What do we do? There's no shield or healer in this party!"
"How about retreating for now? I could eat some [Great Cosmic Fried Rice] before taking it on again?"
Unable to resist, Sushang nudged Guinaifen gently, "But Dan Heng is still alive! It's not like the real me is going to bite the dust."
The plot suddenly took an unexpected turn!
***
The blonde man behind them sprang into action! With a swift hum, his sleek black-and-white sword plunged into the ground, leaving a trail resembling a teal-colored flower bloom.
Surprised, Dan Heng and Sushang noticed healing effects manifesting on their bodies.
"You both fought to save me; how could Luocha remain indifferent... [Stay put]?"
The man's intervention was perfectly timed—both stylish and graceful.
However...
Upon hearing this man's voice, Old Yang completely lost his composure! He jumped up from his seat, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Taking a deep breath, he wiped his brow with the back of his hand, adjusted his glasses, and sat down again, eyes fixed intently on the golden-haired figure in the scene.
"This must be some form of survivorship bias..." he thought desperately, searching for explanations. "In game narratives, only significant characters appear, which is why I keep seeing echoes of familiar faces."
"Besides, it's just a game; real-life counterparts may not exactly match their in-game personas..."
Old Yang struggled internally, trying to rationalize what he was witnessing.
He had no choice; he needed to rationalize this away!
The sight before him was simply too unnerving.
These two characters mirrored Otto and Li Sushang from his homeland.
Sushang appeared youthful, innocent, and vibrant—a stark contrast in style and demeanor compared to her original persona.
But the blonde man was different. His profound aura suggested a hidden depth, immediately hinting at untold stories!
If the universe were a grand theater, this actor's role would undoubtedly be that of an irredeemably wicked villain!
This figure demanded close attention!
The battle resumed anew.
This time, the golden-haired man who called himself Luocha joined their team.
After Dan Heng suffered an attack from the Form Refiner, Luocha raised his ornamented hand and proclaimed, "White Flower Bloom!"
Instantly, Dan Heng's health bar surged upwards.
With this healer on board, the fight became significantly easier.
They defeated the Form Refiner.
"Ha, we Cloud Knights are here to protect you folks. The area is under lockdown now, and I'm assisting with evacuating civilians. Follow me, I'll guide you to safety."
Li Sushang insisted that they follow her to the safe zone.
"Let's move out! Stick close, both of you; Cloud Rider Li Sushang will ensure your safety!"
"Oh right, later on, could you help me sign my name... I'm not too proficient with characters, so I might get it wrong..."
Dan Heng's perspective came to a temporary pause.
March 7th softly sighed, "It seems Dan Heng won't be in immediate danger now."
"That cloud rider girl may be impulsive, but she has a good heart."
"As for the man called Luocha, I can't quite tell... What do you think, Uncle Yang?"
"Huh? Uncle Yang, what's wrong?!"
Upon hearing this, even Stelle turned to look.
They realized then that the usually composed Uncle Yang was unexpectedly sitting there, drenched in sweat.
"You mustn't underestimate him!"
"Since experiencing Honkai: Star Rail, I've encountered numerous individuals with strikingly similar appearances and sometimes identical names within this game."
"These people inhabit different worlds, yet their destinies often follow similar trajectories."
"I've encountered two individuals resembling this Luocha, and they were...far from benevolent."
"Both possessed the power to effortlessly overturn entire worlds," Old Yang continued.
Upon hearing this, everyone present, including Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan, displayed expressions of surprise.
After a moment, Jing Yuan spoke up, "Since Mr. Welt holds such high regard for this foreigner... I trust your judgment.
"I will notify the Realm-Keeping Commission and the Sky-Faring Commission to closely monitor this person's background and activities."
March 7th immediately clapped her hands and flattered him, "Brilliant decision, General!"
In sync, Stelle chimed in, "Thoroughly investigate Luocha!"